Eren quickly realized the need to change his tactics.
He always knew array creators would have some sort of advantage inside Sansara Sage's testing ground. But he didn't think that the advantage would be so overwhelming.
Eren drew another conclusion from Gondel's performance. That geek would be the one to find the array key– the way things were proceeding. The geek was going to win the Sage Legacy if he was as smart with the participants as he was with the dangers of the city.
However, the butcher couldn't help flashing a smile when he thought of Gondel. He licked his lips and narrowed his eyes before thinking to himself.
'Heh! That's my silly little working bee. There was some benefit to letting him live after all.'
***
The evenings in Sansara World were often pleasant yet lonely. They lacked a certain vibe to them as if the creator of this artificial world did not know how to breathe life into it.
The golden sky and the low-blowing winds created a serene atmosphere. The entirety of Sansara World as well as Sage Lehan's testing ground was exposed to this atmosphere in various shades.
Maya was practicing a mysterious art while meditating. A thin layer of otherworldly energy was created around her as a result. This seemed to be her usual way of spending time inside Sansara World.
However, she noticed that there was a presence nearby. A participant. She stopped practicing her art and opened her eyes slowly to look at the man who was watching her from a distance.
"What are you doing here? And why are you staring at me?"
Maya asked, puzzled by the man's nonchalant behavior while the test was still in progress. She didn't think the participants who had come this far would be able to stop themselves from taking Sansara Sage's test even if it was a tough nut to crack.
The young man didn't look away from Maya when she stared back at him. His emerald-green eyes shone with mild brilliance as he spoke with a light smile on his face.
"Oh, it's nothing, Lady Maya.
I thought I should spend some time with you. See what you are up to. But I didn't want to disturb you since you were doing something significant. So I just waited."
Maya raised her eyebrows when she heard Eren's answer. The young man in front of her didn't look like he had given up on the test. However, it seemed that he had not invested enough effort in finding the array key either.
There was only one thing she thought he wanted from her.
"Unfortunately, I can't help you with the test in any way or form. My father has told me to take the test with diligence."
Eren smiled mirthlessly when he heard Maya's cold response. He carefully took steps toward her and gave her an elegant bow before sitting beside her on the fountain stone before speaking further.
"It's fine, Lady Maya. I have my own plans concerning winning this Legacy. So I won't bother you about that.
I wanted to ask you about you. Can't we have a simple conversation between us? Is that also prohibited by the test?"
Eren spoke calmly and confidently. There was a certain tone in his voice that made him more approachable. He just hoped his ways with words worked for artificial humans as well.
Maya was curious about Eren's words. She looked at him intently and eventually smiled a bit before responding.
"We can certainly have a chat. It's not against the rules. Tell me… what do you want to know?"
Eren looked like a huge boulder had been lifted off his shoulder when he heard Maya's response. He sat cross-legged over the fountain stone and turned around towards Maya. He had his hands in front of him. His fingers tapped the fountain stone as he asked her.
"Lady Maya, please don't mind me when I say that I am intrigued by your whole existence. Being a student and researcher in the field of potioneering myself, I have a natural curiosity about topics like the genesis of life.
So you can imagine my surprise when I heard that you were a completely artificial human being. You are perhaps one of Sage Lehan's greatest achievements while he was in the land of Anfang.
There's so much I want to ask you. Would you be okay answering my queries if it's not too bothersome for you?"
'Hehe. Is this your plan? Take advantage of a lonely woman?'
Alephee's playful voice was heard in Eren's mind. The latter just ignored it and looked at Maya with his expectant gaze.
Alephee knew how Eren's psychological plays worked. He was trying to create a soft corner for himself in Maya's mind by calling himself a researcher. The girl was obviously very proud of her father and his field of expertise.
Maya was a very beautiful woman. And yet, Eren didn't talk about her appearance as an icebreaker. Instead, he appealed to her side of being cherished by her father. He also portrayed her as one of Sage Lehan's achievements– making her feel proud of herself as well as her creator.
The butcher relied on Sage Lehan's artificial intelligence to be as close to the real deal as possible. So he guessed that his moves that worked on normal women would, for the most part, work on Maya as well.
Maya's facial expressions softened when she heard that Eren was also intrigued by the field of life's genesis just like her father. She nodded at him in understanding before speaking up.
"Hmm. It all depends on the questions you ask. But ask away. I'll see what I can do."
Eren's face lit up. He cleared his throat before asking her the question he intended for her.
"Lady Maya, what are your dreams? Artificial or not, you have been given life by Sansara Sage. And all living things aspire for something in their lives.
What do you aspire to have or become?"
