Kiyotaka sighed deeply as he contemplated the answer he had been given.
Kiyotaka: (Probably isn't...)
Kiyotaka: [About the『Witch Of Envy』. Tell me about her.]
Echidna: [She might blush madly if she found out you wanted to know more about her, you know?]
Kiyotaka : [Is that so?]
Echidna: [Of course, if she had seen us having a tea party, then she might have assumed some dangerous things. Hehe.]
Kiyotaka gave her the same look Horikita had given him when he suggested something similar in the Cafe during their first year. He was not amused.
Echidna: [That's quite the look.]
Kiyotaka: [Given that you've seen into my memories, you know exactly what it means, right?]
Echidna: [Aw. You don't have to act so coldly.]
Kiyotaka: [Stop stalling.]
Echidna: [Fine, Fine. The『Witch Of Envy』was a normal girl who travelled with the great sage Flugel until she encountered a『Witch Factor』. That『Witch Factor』was Envy. However, she was incompatible with it, and it caused her personality to split in two. Driven by madness, she devoured half the world until she was defeated by her former travelling companions, Flugel and Volcanica.]
Kiyotaka: (So like Petelguese.)
Kiyotaka: [Why is she so fixated on me?]
Echidna: [I have no idea.]
Kiyotaka: (Hold on. The『Witch Of Envy』loves me, but I have no recollection of her. Could it be possible that she actually met me earlier back in this world's past? But then that would mean my first memories of this world aren't my "First" memories. Still, that would mean that she has the ability to send me into the future, and somehow, my memories were erased. One of those instances is feasible, so there's no reason to think the other isn't. Still, I can't confirm it, so this theory is useless to me.)
Kiyotaka: [Tell me about the sanctuary and its purpose.]
Echidna: [The purpose of the Sanctuary... was to defeat the 『Warlock Of Melancholy』Hector.]
Kiyotaka: [Hector... right... I don't know who that is.]
Echidna: [He would follow me everywhere, so I set up camp here and formed a barrier to keep him out.]
Kiyotaka: [It sounds like you were just dealing with a stalker, but it's probably more eventful than that.]
Echidna's lips curled up into a smile as Kiyotaka sighed.
Kiyotaka: (Well, I have my answer for that.)
Kiyotaka: [Alright. I'll be leaving now.]
Echidna: [Wait, what? Come on! Don't you have any other questions?]
She looked distressed.
Kiyotaka: [I need to check up on Emilia. So I'll be leaving now.]
Echidna: [Y... You're kidding, right?! I'm the『Witch Of Greed』! Powerful people from around the world have come to me in search of my knowledge. Not many of them get the chance, and those that do spend days in here with me asking questions.]
She began doing her pouting Echidna dance.
Echidna: [So, um, relax, okay?! We can just relax and talk! I have so much more knowledge I can share with you!]
Kiyotaka: [I know and I'm done asking questions, or do I have some other use for you other than that? I'm assuming I can return, right? If I have more questions, I will.]
Echidna: [You're a naughty boy, Ayanokoji. Using Emotional manipulation tactics on a poor maiden like me. But you are right. You can come back.]
Kiyotaka: [Then send me back to the real world.]
Echidna: [You're a cruel man, you know. Treating a girl like me in this way.]
Kiyotaka: [I never claimed to be a saint.]
Echidna smiled as she got up and walked towards him.
Echidna: [If you're really going back. I'll just take my compensation first.]
Kiyotaka: [Compensation?]
Echidna: [What I desire from you is a vow.]
Kiyotaka: [A vow?]
Echidna: [You will tell no one of what has transpired at this tea party. That is my condition. And, since you're here, I'll send you away with a souvenir.]
She stood right in front of Kiyotaka.
Echidna: [I will grant you the right to face the trial of the sanctuary.]
Echidna placed her hand on his chest.
Echidna: [I'm sure you'll understand the value of such a souvenir. The feelings you experience. The feelings you have towards me. I'm so curious about it. I'll soak what I see into my soul.]
She then licked her hand twice as her eyes took on a tinge of red for a second before the tinge receded.
Kiyotaka: [My first impression of you was right. You really are evil in some way.]
Echidna: [That's right. I'm a really evil woman. Even more than you were an evil man.]
She waved her hand as a portal opened, and Kiyotaka stepped through it as the portal closed like an eyelid shutting into darkness.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Kiyotaka woke up as he began walking towards the light.
Kiyotaka: (It feels like I just had a conversation with someone. Why can't I remember who it was with, though?)
He walked out to see the carriage.
???: [Look at you, just waltzing out of there! You've got some nerve, outsider.]
Kiyotaka instantly turned to see a boy with a scar on his head. He had blond hair and sharp teeth. He had a pendant with a blue crystal around his neck that looked the same as the one Frederica had given Emilia.
Kiyotaka: (Related to Frederica. Younger brother? He's quite strong as well.)
Kiyotaka jumped back, avoiding his grab.
???: [Huh? You're a slippery one, aren't ya?]
Kiyotaka: [I'm here searching for...]
The boy swung his arm at Kiyotaka, who used his strings of Mana to detect the attack, dodging it and then countering with a blow to the boy's liver, making him make a pained face as he backed off.
Kiyotaka: [Do not attack again. Don't you see the robes I am wearing? I'm a trainee knight.]
???: [I don't care. I'm gonna throw you guys outta this forest half-dead.]
Kiyotaka: [Frederica gave us directions.]
The boy stopped his fist.
???: [Why the hell did I just hear that name from your nasty mouth?]
Kiyotaka: [She gave us the directions to get here. To the Sanctuary.]
The boy scoffed.
???: [Huh? I'm Garfiel. If you guys know her, you must've heard that name, right?]
Kiyotaka: [Yes, I have. She mentioned you as well.]
Garfiel looked annoyed but relented.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
A clone of Kiyotaka was at the reins again as Kiyotaka sat in the carriage. Garfiel was sitting on the floor of the carriage, relaxing.
Garfiel: [If you told me about Frederica sooner, I wouldn't've attacked you like that. Gotta act on a ganglion before ya think about it.]
Kiyotaka: (But you attacked me right after I exited the ruins, and what is that phrase referencing... well, whatever.)
Garfiel then looked to Emilia.
Garfiel: [Lookin' at that hair, I'm guessin' that's the famous Emilia-Sama? The silver-haired half-devil that Roswaal...]
Kiyotaka: [Earth Smith Arts.]
Kiyotaka formed a blade, holding it to Garfiel's neck, saying his next words with a cold and calculated tone.
Kiyotaka: [I have nothing against you, and I wouldn't do this normally. Forgive me, but it's just standard practice. A Knight simply cannot allow their lady to be insulted by someone with no stature, such as yourself, so hold your tongue. After all, Lady Emilia is not awake to protest, so I would have no choice but to hold you responsible for tarnishing a Royal Candidate's honour.]
Garfiel gulped, knowing one wrong move or word would cost him his head.
Garfiel: [Hey, I'm sorry, okay? I flapped ma gums too much. Could you put down the sword?]
Kiyotaka: [Next time, resolve to be more respectful.]
Kiyotaka dematerialised his blade and sat back relaxed.
Garfiel: [Haha...]
Garfiel sweated.
Garfiel: [I get it, okay?]
Emilia then woke up, slowly getting up.
Emilia: [Kiyo?]
Kiyotaka: [Good morning, Emilia. I'm glad you're alright.]
Emilia: [I didn't sleep for the whole day, did I?]
Kiyotaka: [I'm not actually sure.]
Emilia pouted.
Emilia: [That's not funny, Kiyo! You're teasing me again, aren't you!]
Emilia then noticed Garfiel and stood between him and Kiyotaka.
Emilia: [Who are you? Just so you know, I won't let you lay a finger on Kiyotaka!]
Kiyotaka: (Well, that is adorable. Huh. I've never had someone try to protect me like this before.)
Garfiel smirked a little.
Garfiel: [I'm not gonna do anything. I don't want Ram givin' me hell later.]
Kiyotaka: (Well, as soon as he learns the truth, he is going to hate me.)
Emilia: [Ram?]
Kiyotaka: [This is Garfiel.]
Emilia: [Garfiel... The one Frederica told us about?]
Kiyotaka: [Yes. He's acting as a guide.]
Emilia: [What has been going on while I was gone?]
Kiyotaka: [I suspect that we're already in the Sanctuary.]
Emilia: [Already?]
Garfiel: [He's right.]
Emilia: [But how do you know?]
Kiyotaka: [It has to do with you falling unconscious. It's because you have mixed blood.]
Emilia: [I don't understand.]
Kiyotaka: [The barrier knocks out anyone with mixed blood that comes into contact with it.]
Garfiel: [Yep. Works on all types of folks with mixed blood. Not just Half-Elves.]
Emilia: [What?]
Kiyotaka: [Which means you're trapped here for the time being.]
Emilia: [Eh?]
Emilia looked worried.
Garfiel: [We welcome you, Emilia-Sama, Mr. Trainee Knight.]
Emilia: [I'm trapped and so are all the people...]
Kiyotaka: [The Sanctuary. That doesn't sound so accurate anymore.]
Garfiel: [Right on tha money. Roswaal likes to go around callin' it the Sanctuary, but it ain't the kind of place that deserves such a nice name. Nothin' there but a hodgepodge of halfwits. It's just a dead-end testing ground.]
Kiyotaka and Emilia looked out the window to see a decrepit town. All of the villagers seemed worried about the new arrivals. Eventually, Haku stopped.
Ram: [So you're back, Garf? It took you long enough.]
Kiyotaka and Emilia got off the carriage and walked over as Ram bowed to Emilia. Garfiel got off right after.
Ram: [Emilia-Sama, Ram welcomes you. Roswaal-sama is waiting inside.]
Ram then saw Kiyotaka.
Ram: [A knight in shining armour, already are you Ayanotaka? I'll give you full marks for exceeding my expectations once again.]
Garfiel: [The hell? How'd ya get her to be so nice to you?]
Ram: [That is because Ayanotaka is an impressive man who deserves proper respect.]
Garfiel glared at Kiyotaka.
Garfiel: [Huh? The hell is goin' on between you two?]
Ram: [Now, Garf. Don't bother Ayanotaka with your nonsense. Go and take the ground dragon and carriage somewhere suitable.]
Garfiel: [Why the hell does he get the better treatment for?]
Garfiel sighed.
Garfiel: [Still, I like the way you talk to me anyway.]
Kiyotaka: (So he likes her because she stands up to him? Hm... Interesting.)
Garfiel took the reins and began moving the carriage.
Ram: [How is Rem?]
Kiyotaka: [She overworked herself, so she's caught a cold. She's resting.]
Ram sighed in exasperation.
Kiyotaka: [I took care of her before I left. She should be fine in a day or two. As long as she stays in bed.]
Ram: [Thank you, Ayanotaka.]
Kiyotaka: [Also. I have something to tell you.]
Ram: [Something to tell me?]
Kiyotaka: ["I missed you"]
Ram blushed.
Ram: [Ayanotaka...]
Kiytoaka: [Your sister wanted me to give you that message from her.]
Ram's blush faded, but her smile remained.
Kiyotaka: [I missed you as well, by the way.]
Ram looked surprised but smiled.
Ram: [I'm glad to hear it, Ayanotaka.]
She looked quite smug, hearing this.
Kiyotaka: [It's fine. Now to business. About Roswaal.]
Ram: [Roswaal-sama hasn't made any suspicious moves on my end. I truly don't understand your mistrust.]
Kiyotaka: [He has made a suspicious move on our side. He neglected to mention that the barrier would trap Emilia here. I doubt Roswaal would forget such a detail after all. Unless he was purposely omitting it.]
Ram: [I can't argue with that logic. But I will choose to believe that Roswaal-sama has his reasons.]
Kiyotaka: (She has some faith in him, but it's blind trust. Still, it seems she's able to consider his intention with more nuance than before.)
Emilia: [For now, we need to have a reaaally long talk with Roswaal. Ram. Could you lead us inside?]
Ram bowed.
Ram: [Please follow Ram inside.]
She led them to the house where Roswaal was staying.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
They entered to see him covered in bandages.
Roswaal: [Ahahah, Emilia-sama and Kiyotaka-Kuuuun. It feels like it's been so veeery long since I last saaaw you.]
Emilia: [What happened? What could have hurt you so badly?]
Roswaal: [Well, now, where shall I begiiiin?]
Kiyotaka: [Before any of that, we should discuss our current state of affairs.]
Roswaal: [Ahahah yes, since you're seemingly a trainee knight now Kiyotaka-kuuun.]
Kiyotaka: (Hm? That tone was as if he were thinking "As expected")
Emilia: [We managed to defeat the『White Whale』thanks to the help from Anastasia and Crusch-san.]
Roswaal: [Crusch?]
Kiyotaka: [A royal candidate's name has been eaten by the『Sin Archbishop Of Gluttony』causing everyone to forget her. There will likely be another ceremony to reintroduce her later.]
Roswaal: [That's quiiite a dangerous outcome, isn't it, Kiyotaka-Kuuun?]
Kiyotaka: [If you're assuming it's part of my plans, then you're wrong.]
Kiyotaka: (He's calm, and Ram didn't say anything, so he's more capable than I initially estimated. He figured out I was using his name to convince everyone at the mansion to evacuate. Interesting. This is useful information.)
Kiyotaka: [Before the hunt, I became a trainee knight.]
Roswaal: [I can see thaaat. It seeeeems you no longer wiiiish to be my apprentice.]
Kiyotaka: [You're jumping to conclusions. By the way. The defeat of Sloth and the『White Whale』were done in your absence. Are you satisfied with the results you produced by abandoning us?]
Ram: [Ayanotaka wait...]
Roswaal: [Yes, most satisfied.]
Ram: [Roswaal-sama!?]
Roswaal: [I was quite sure you could manage it.]
Ram: [Roswaal-sama, you promised to keep Rem safe. You...]
Roswaal: [And Rem is safe. Is she not?]
Ram: [You put her in danger.]
Roswaal: [Calculated risk. And it paid off. Since I wasn't there, the credit can't go to me.]
Ram was still angry, but feeling conflicted, she held her tongue.
Emilia: [Roswaal, what is this place? This place doesn't seem like a Sanctuary. More like a...]
Roswaal: [The Witch's Graveyard? Does it make far more sense to call it that?]
Emilia: [What do you mean?]
Roswaal: [Exactly as I said, nothing more or less. This is where the『Witch Of Greed』Echidna, met her end long ago, and in my mind, it is worth calling a "Sanctuary."]
Kiyotaka: (Echidna... that name... where have I heard it before? Hm... well, it fits the redacted text on the books in the forbidden library, so she's likely the author, but that can't be where I remember it from.)
Kiyotaka: [Watching over a place related to a Witch? What are you thinking, Roswaal? Is there some reason?]
Roswaal: [It's quite simple. This land has been overseen by the heads of the Mathers family for generations.]
Kiyotaka: (Family heads... why doesn't that sound accurate to me? I mean he's lying through omission. I can tell, but that's not what I'm feeling. It's not what is telling me that the information is wrong.)
Emilia: [Then the Mathers family and the『Witch Of Greed』have...]
Roswaal: [Echidna.]
Emilia: [Huh?]
Roswaal: [Please, when you speak of her, do use her name.]
Kiyotaka: (I can feel his irritation. Devout aren't you, you sadistic clown? Hm? Why do I feel like I was thinking of something I should already know?)
Roswaal: [The name『Witch Of Greed』makes her sound so evil. That's not very niiiice, is it?]
Emilia: [Um, then... The Mathers family and Echidna have been acquainted for a long time, and that's why they've always overseen this place?]
Roswaal: [Yes, though "oversee" is a bit of an exaggeration. Echidna's barrier prevents entry by outsiders who fail to follow the forest's proper procedure. In addition, the barrier has certain effects on those whose blood meets certain conditions.]
Emilia: [Roswaal. Did you forget to mention that I wouldn't be able to leave? Is there a way that I can?]
Roswaal: [There's only one way. To take the trials and free the Sanctuary.]
Emilia: [Free the sanctuary?]
Kiyotaka: [Then the barrier has already served its purpose and is now overstaying its welcome?]
Roswaal: [Myyyy what and aaapt way of putitng it. But yes, you're right.]
Emilia: [I... I will try my best.]
Kiyotaka: [I'm guessing that the same blood condition is required to take the trials?]
Roswaal: [Correct my talented student.]
Kiyotaka: [And you received these injuries from attempting to take the trial despite not meeting those conditions?]
Roswaal: [Right again.]
Kiyotaka: (Though I'm sure those injuries are fake.)
Emilia: [But why didn't you leave all this time?]
Roswaal: [We are both being held under house arrest here in the sanctuary.]
Emilia: [Huh?]
Kiyotaka: (Not completely false. It's true, but it's not like you couldn't escape. You choose not to.]
Roswaal: [You two are also in the same spot now since you caaaame.]
Emilia: [Wait, what?]
Kiyotaka: (So this is what you've decided to be the place of our confrontation. You sadistic clown.)
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To Be Continued
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Rating Out Of 10 For This Part:
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