"Faced with your own past, you neither denied it nor affirmed it. You accepted it, viewing even the present as part of the past, and fought for the future. Even I, who am said to possess all knowledge, had never seen such an answer before."
Before Fang Li reopened his eyes, the witch's delighted voice reached his ears first.
It was clear that she was genuinely happy.
Even happier than Fang Li, who had experienced the trial itself.
"I shall accept that answer. Congratulations on passing the first trial, you little man I simply can't get enough of."
Beneath those delight-filled words, Fang Li finally opened his eyes.
What appeared before him was the familiar Forbidden Library, along with the Witch of Greed sitting before a small white table.
Looking at the witch gazing at him with an incomparably joyful expression, Fang Li spoke without changing his expression.
"You really are a hopelessly black-hearted person."
Watching other people's pasts and taking pleasure in them.
She was truly awful.
"It can't be helped. My curiosity drives me mad."
Echidna said this as though it were only natural, then welcomed Fang Li with even greater enthusiasm than before.
"Come, the tea is already prepared. Let's continue our Tea Party."
It looked like a friendly invitation, but it was brimming with malice.
"No thanks. I don't have a habit of drinking bodily fluids."
Just as he had when he first came here, Fang Li sat down before Echidna and fixed his gaze on her.
"You just said I passed the first trial, right?"
Fang Li's question earned a lighthearted response from Echidna.
"That's right. As long as you can reach an answer, I can accept it no matter whether that answer is satisfying, joyful, difficult, or cruel. But running away and cowering are