Chapter 63 - 063: Parting

^congratulations for host successfully developed a new ability^

^Unseen Hand of the truth seeker: creating an invisible field in the shape of a hand that can interfere with physical and magical thing. Can absorb the knowledge of an object if it warps by the hand^

When the notification is ringing inside his head, the pain he feels until now is gone but his body is still in a weak condition so he can't get up from his current position.

It's not like he didn't like the gentleness that Echidna show to him, but there is no sane man who wants to entrust his life to the one who makes him suffer.

Well, there is some group of people that seeking excitement like that, but Arthur didn't include in that group.

"Well, you seem to have resentment to me... it's very painful you know... I was doing it because if I leave you alone maybe you will born as another calamity for this world" Echidna speak gently and stroke Arthur hair as if a mother consoled her child

"What do you mean?"

There is a strange image pop up inside his head when he heard what Echidna said.

"You must feel lately your mood is uncontrollable right?" Echidna use both of her hand holding Arthur's face

Arthur thinking back and he feels what she said is right, he uses more violence to other people lately because of Emilia, and it was not his style.

He uses violence in the throne room just make people think twice before said something to Emilia and for some schemes and he held back much.

But the restaurant incident and Garfiel wound, it was the first time he uses violence outside of the battle.

"That's because the witch factor inside your body is starting to influence your mind, from my speculations if there is more than one witch factor inside someone body and it was in the slumber. It will drive the host have an unstable emotion and it will end up like a crazy man with great power because when the host turns to be insane people the witch factor will awaken itself and make the host just following its instinct and bring destruction to the surrounding"

"So I nearly became the second Satella??"

"As much as gentle of me, I will appreciate if you didn't bring that name when you're talking with me"

Echidna still has a smile on her face and her finger just pinch his cheek a little, but Arthur feels different things from her voice.

"My apologies"

"It's very easy if I talk with people who know what I mean, so what you get from the awakening?"

This time Echidna like a little girl who is waiting for her prize at the birthday party.

"Before that, I want you to promise something"

"Oooh... what is it?"

"You mustn't hate Emilia like how you hate the witch of envy"

This time Arthur tries to make a gamble.

Echidna drops her hand from Arthur's face and looks at him indifferently.

"Who do you think you're? Don't think because I show you a gentle side of me you can demand anything from me"

"But she is innocent... she just born with that look, she didn't do anything wrong, she always try to help other people" Arthur move his body and tried to standing "but if we fail to reach an agreement, even if I need a lot of time to achieve it, I will not hesitate to confront you to protect her"

After Arthur said it, there is a lot of hand coming out of his back, different with Betelgeuse, Arthur's unseen hand has white colors and cover by some kind of armor.

Arthur uses some of his unseen hand to support his weak body, but his eyes are full of determination to fighting against Echidna.

"So this is the ability you get from the witch factor inside your body? Sloth, Gluttony, and Greed. There must be other ability it has other than the armor that covers it. And you can control more than thousands of hands, do you will take Sekhmet position?" Echidna still has the time to joking around it was a proof she is confident can beat Arthur easily.

"Who she is to you? Why you choose to confront me for her?"

"Maybe this is my greediness? I thirst for something I lost in the past and I find it in Emilia so I want to keep it for myself"

"Greed... right, that's something you can say as greed, what will you offering to me for making me treat her slightly better?"

"A chance"

"Chance? What do you mean?"

"I will explain it after Emilia pass the trial, but I'm sure you will be satisfied with my offerings"

"Hoho... I will anticipate it then, but if you offer your body to me, I will accept it because you seem to have an interesting body" Echidna look at Arthur from his head to his foot, Arthur didn't see ŀust from her eyes, but it was an eye full of curiosity for unknown.

"Unfortunately I already had someone I want to offer my body so I will decline" Arthur make the hands disappear and her body start to blurring

"It seems my time is up"

"Yeah, I really enjoyed this conversation. I hope you can visit me another time"

"Sure, when I have the time, it feels lonely to be here alone right"

"It's not... I have my friends"

"Don't fool me, they're just a part of their soul that you gather, if they didn't rest, they will disappear"

"Can you at least pretend to didn't know about it? You didn't romantic at all"

Echidna makes a playful comment but that can't hide the painful feeling in her eyes.

"Well, sadly all of my romantic heart is fully occupied. When we meet again, I hope you prepare a genuine tea"

"I hope I can"

And with that Arthur disappear from the space leaving Echidna alone in there staring to where Arthur is gone.

"What if my conjecture is right? What if she is driven mad because of the incompatible witch factor?"

Echidna thinking hard about many possibilities of what happened four hundred years ago, a calamity that consumed half of the world, a calamity that ends her and her friends live.

From what she gets from Arthur reaction there is really such possibility for a second personality is appear if someone has an incompatible witch factor.

In Arthur case he is become overprotective for Emilia, on one side he is more reasonable and on one side he is using violence if someone curse at Emilia or talking bad things about her.

And that's because of the Sloth factor, so what if it was an Envy?

Is she become envious to everything in the world and want have all of it for her alone so she devours half of the world?

Is she also a victim?

Is all of this really just accident?

"No... I mustn't confuse myself... the fact she is brutally killed my friend is true... she is my enemy..."

After contemplating for a long of a time, Echidna still believes it was Satella fault and not the witch of envy personality she had.

"It doesn't matter... I will just wait for what Arthur try to show me next time" Echidna look to the blank space and smile longingly, this is the first time she is anticipating for meeting someone again after four hundred years spent her time in this sanctuary... or what sometimes she refers as her prison.