Eren couldn't read Maya's thoughts even with his soul sense.
That's because she didn't have a soul, to begin with. Maya's artificial intelligence came from Sage Lehan's array algorithmâ€" something that was planted deep inside her.
As a result, Eren's soul sense wasn't able to decipher her thoughts. According to his soul sense, Maya hovered between life and death. But she was unlike the undead he was used to summoning.
Undead were once living beings that had either been forced to or wanted to be part of life. As such, they had vestiges of their souls embedded in them no matter how insignificant.
Maya on the other hand seemed like an already dead entity that had managed to knock on life's door. She didn't have any vestige of a soul attached to her even if her body was lifelike. It was as if her body was kept alive by a different source than the source of life.
Maya was like an illusion that was so lifelike that she felt real. Yet, she appeared as a picture puzzle with only one piece missing. Such nuances set her apart from Homunculus who had genuine souls.
Eren couldn't read Maya's intentions. But he could read her face. He could analyze her behavior retrospectively to come up with the right set of words to say to her. The schemer in him just had a knack for coming up with apt conversation starters.
Maya also seemed interested in the discussion she seemed to be having with a stranger who was looking at her with his mesmerizing emerald green eyes. She tilted her neck and adjusted her posture and thought to herself out loud.
"What are my dreams, you ask?"
Maya looked at the vast golden expanse that was the sky above her. She stared at it for a bit before continuing with somber expressions and a voice full of emotions.
"I want to cultivate a soul, Eren.
I want to become a real living being. I want to become a woman who is bound by the rules of life and death."
Eren followed Maya's gaze and looked at the sky as well. He narrowed his eyes before asking her his second question.
"Is that Sage Lehan's wish as well?"
Eren simply wanted to ask Maya if what she thought to be her dreams and goals were something that was given to him by her creator. He considered it to be a possibility because of how artificial intelligence algorithms work.
The butcher didn't know much about creating someone like Maya from scratch. But he knew a lot about creating homunculus. He could connect some dots and come up with his own theories about the subject.
Eren's question didn't make Maya feel weird. In fact, it only strengthened his position as a researcher in Maya's eyes. She took a deep breath before confirming Eren's doubts.
"That's right. My dreams were my father's wishes when he created me. He gave me a purpose and showed me the way. I want to make his wish come true.
I also want to meet up again when that happens. You know, show him my accomplishments and make him proud. That's the least I can do as his daughter."
Eren smiled lightly. He was able to understand how Maya's thought processes worked as an artificial existence. Cultivating a soul was her creator's wish and she was roped deep into her existence by him. However, the thought processes that were related to achieving that goal were all hers.
Maya could choose to work on various ideas as long as they were in line with her creator's wishes. She was free to select a path as long as her destination didn't change.
The butcher had said that Sansara Sage was a top-notch researcher. He had basically made a question come alive by breathing consciousness into it. He then demanded that the question find its own answer.
If Eren wasn't wrong about Sansara Sage, the loyalty Maya showed towards Sansara Sage had also been implanted into her. The Sage might have created various existences like her to find the true genesis of life. And he was hoping at least one of them would find him and give him the perfect answer he was looking for.
Eren thought of many things at once before deciding to try his luck with Maya. He had come to understand that he wouldn't be able to influence her with materialistic possession. He had to use Sansara Sage's algorithm to convince Maya.
The butcher quickly came up with a way to achieve his goal. He turned his neck to Maya before asking her the question in a serious voice.
"Lady Maya, what is a woman?"
Maya raised her eyebrows when she heard Eren's question. She looked at him questioninglyâ€" looking him in the eyes. The butcher didn't turn away. He caressed his chin and scratched it a bit before expounding.
"I mean... What is a living breathing woman to you? How do you define her existence? And what makes you different from her aside from the fact that you can't give birth?"
Maya was caught off guard by Eren's question. She didn't have a go-to answer to questions like these.
"I... I think..."
Eren cut her off right when she was struggling to come up with an answer.
"Yes... "I think--". That's your problem, Lady Maya.
I am assuming your thoughts are based on Sage Lehan's planted memories. You haven't interacted with real women enough for you to draw your own conclusions from them.
You haven't really seen life prosper outside this artificial world. No offense to Sansara Sageâ€" but the world he has created lacks life.
Sansara World is like a bouquet of paper flowers. The flowers look real and can't really die. But they fail to exude the liveliness that real flowers are born of.
You can't stay here if you want to pursue your dreams, Lady Maya. You need to step into the real world and see how life unfolds."
