Ruger smiled along with her.
"You really are amusing, but everything I said was serious. That was part of our agreement, too. Of course, teasing you doesn't violate it. Once we successfully leave that place, I'll answer your questions truthfully," the woman said with a smile.
Ruger's smile stiffened, but he wasn't discouraged. Instead, he began thinking.
Part of our agreement, huh?
"In that strange place, could you see other people's unforgettable memories?" Ruger asked before she had a chance to toy with him. He had been curious about this all along. He wasn't certain about the other things, but the vivid sensations in the Old Lunse Potion Shop, along with the conclusions he and Green had reached after completing their first Divine Object Art Summoning, had lingered in his mind.
"Of course not. Besides, that sounds terribly inefficient. What actually happens is inducement. Under its influence, you voluntarily reveal your most profound memories, so there's no need to actively pry into them or pick any out. And I wasn't the one doing it. The Wizards of the Holy Tribunal were. It's a kind of bait. Neither they nor I have any interest in your beautiful memories," the woman said with a smile. "What's truly enticing is the regret. Everything born from that heart shares this taste. Regret is like delicious food..."
"Why me?" Ruger looked at her curiously.
The shift in topic seemed rather abrupt, but these were all questions buried deep in his heart.
"Your appearance changed the course things would originally have taken. You were a variable, an unexpected development. I sensed many unusual presences about you. I was also facing a choice, and your presence made me feel at ease. So, out of all my options, I made an unexpected decision: to trust you and try