Eren's persuasion was very effective.
Maya was made to realize that she needed someone from the outside to help guide her.
She had almost all the knowledge about the continent of Anfang itself. Her creator made sure to equip her with various kinds of information before leaving her to her devices.
However, it had been a long while since Lin Lehan had left. And there was a difference between what one knows from firsthand experience and what is learned through other mediums.
At first, Maya thought that she didn't need Eren's help. But the more she talked with the butcher and the more he told her about the consequences of her exit, the more she realized how naive she was. As a result, Maya subconsciously started relying on Eren's input in her escape from Edinburgh's clutches.
Maya was very perceptive.
She had all the intelligence she needed to understand what Eren was saying to her. And she had to say that she couldn't come up with the kind of plan the butcher had made on the fly.
The chronic planner in him just had a talent for using others to his advantage.
The fact that Eren's own interests were linked to Maya's escape assured her of his commitment. Being the daughter of Sansara Sage himself who was known as a one-of-a-kind genius in array creation, Maya was quite an expert when it came to the field of arrays. As a result, she didn't feel it was too bothersome to help Eren with his problems.
It wasn't like Maya was completely swooned over by the butcher's words either. Certainly, she had some concerns about Eren's plan. She was especially uncomfortable doing something so radical with Sansara World.
However, she understood the potential repercussions Eren warned about if she did not follow his steps. So she decided to cooperate with the butcher under the condition that he would provide her with much-needed shelter until the heat around her disappearance died down.
Maya had come to realize that Eren was probably the only ranker who could dare plot against the kingdom of Edinburgh while staying inside it. Technically, his assistance in Maya's escape would be treated as treason if it ever came to light.
Still, it didn't feel like Eren was afraid of the kingdom's potential retaliation. It was as if he had been adding to Edinburgh's turmoil for a long time. And treason was just something he was used to doing on an uneventful Tuesday.
Eren and Maya talked for hours on end finalizing the nuances of the escape plan. The butcher also allowed Maya to think in silence. By the time Maya decided to say something, a new dawn had arrived inside Sansara World.
"You… How long have you been planning this?"
Maya looked intently at him as she asked him.
She was trying to figure out Eren's intentions - looking for anything that could help her learn more about him. There was a part of her that was intimidated by Eren's plan. She had to convince herself that she needed to prioritize her own soul cultivation to stick to the plan.
Eren pursed his lips and scratched the back of his head before answering her.
"Honestly? Not for that long.
I mean I always planned to do something about covering my tracks. But it wasn't anywhere near what I planned to do now until I met you.
I only dared to pitch this plan after making sure that you could benefit from it in some way. Otherwise, there was no point in coming here to talk to you when I was supposed to participate in the test.
All living beings are selfish creatures at their core. I don't think you would have agreed to my plan if there was nothing in it for you as well."
Eren responded casually. There was a certain unshakable confidence in his voice.
He found out that Maya was still a bit tense about what she had agreed to do to Sansara World and saw the need to lighten up the mood. Chuckling, he added further.
"Hehe. Don't worry. I have experience rescuing damsels in distress. You will be fine.
Besides, the look of worry doesn't look great on your cute face. A beautiful mademoiselle like you is better off smiling or maintaining an icy vibe like you used to."
***
Eren was making a comparison between Kirin and Maya in his head when he talked about rescuing damsels in distress. He made such a comparison because both girls had some unresolved issues with their fathers.
Kirin was not sympathetic toward her father. But she honored the monster's traditions and followed his every command to a T.
Maya, on the other hand, was an artificial human whose planted loyalties compelled her to see her creator as someone to whom she needed to show her achievements. But in the end, they both needed to step outside their comfort zone so that they could grow.
Although Kirin and Maya shared a similar sheltered environment, they had distinct personalities. Kirin liked to keep to herself. Whereas, Maya was willing to go to any length to cultivate a soul.
Maya could change her behavior as per the person she was talking to and the circumstances in which she found herself. She had a very malleable nature– as if her artificial intelligence was trying to accommodate and learn from every form of conversation.
Maya's personality came from her innate drive to make her father proud. And all her decisions were also influenced by her dreams– allowing Eren to easily predict and dictate her intentions.
'My my! Rescuing damsels in distress, are we? Could have fooled me.
Do you perhaps think that some of the protagonist's halo has rubbed off on you now that you have devoured Ken?'
Eren scrunched his nose in annoyance but ignored Alephee's unwarranted teasing. He guessed that the homunculus was probably frustrated by her current situation. And she was taking that out on him by making comments like these.
Of course, Eren had to admit that Alephee was not technically wrong as well. What he was describing as "rescue" might not be the right word for his actions.
He was basically zeroing in on such "damsels" in the first place so that he could make use of them in some way. In a way, he was preying on their vulnerable positions.
The fact that they could benefit from his intervention was only a byproduct.
