"You—you all—!"
"Typhon."
The last sound came from the darkness, carrying a suppressed, almost trembling tenderness.
A golden ponytail swayed in the light, and a petite, voluptuous figure emerged from the shadows.
She wore a short skirt that allowed for easy movement, and her clear blue eyes were filled with a complex light.
Minerva, the Minerva.
She walked over to Typhon, reached out, and placed her hand on Typhon's shoulder.
"Stop arguing."
Minerva!
"Let him finish speaking."
Minerva turned her head and looked at Higashino Makoto.
In those eyes, there was anger, sadness, and an indescribable weariness.
Higashino Makoto took the information he had obtained from Echidna, read it, and then put it aside.
Looking at the witches, each with their own distinct and interesting personalities, my collecting instincts suddenly kicked in.
There are nine types of Witch Factor in this world.
The Seven Deadly Sins plus vanity and melancholy.
And right before our eyes are six of the Seven Deadly Sins!
Perhaps I could create a Seven Deadly Sins universe for myself?
"No time like the present," said Higashino Makoto, who set specific conditions to satisfy his collecting obsession.
It would be best if they agreed, but it's okay if they don't; in that case, we'll just have to forcibly pack them up and take them away.
"You say you can solve my problems and heal others without harming the world. Is that true?"
This is Minerva, the Wrathful Minerva.
Higashino Makoto looked at her, his golden eyes devoid of any emotion.
"Real."
How can you prove it?
"No proof is needed. You either choose to believe me, or stay here and there; there's nothing you can do."
Minerva's fingers gripped the hem of her skirt tightly.
She stared at Higashino Makoto for a long time.
Then, she let go and took a deep breath.
"Good."
Higashino Makoto nodded, opened the documents in his hand, stood up, and walked over to Sekhmet.
The Sloth Witch lay sprawled on the table, her long, crimson-purple hair scattered across the floor, her blue-white skin gleaming with a sickly sheen in the candlelight.
Her eyes were half-open, as if she might fall asleep at any moment.
"Sekhmet."
"Um..."
"You said even breathing is a hassle. If I let you not breathe, not eat, and not do any physiological activities, would you feel any more relaxed?"
Sekhmet opened his eyes slightly.
"What's the meaning?"
Higashino Makoto took a crimson crystal out of his backpack and placed it on the table.
"Racial conversion, turning you into an undead. As an undead, you don't need to breathe, you don't need to eat, you don't even need to sleep. You just need to lie down, for as long as you want."
Sekhmet stared at the crystal, his eyes flashing with a complex light.
"The undead... don't need to breathe?"
"Unnecessary."
"No need to eat?"
"Right."
Sekhmet remained silent for a moment.
Then, she reached out, picked up the crystal with two fingers, and looked at it in front of her eyes.
"... Then let's give it a try."
"Sekhmet!"
Typhon's voice rose again.
"You—how could you—!"
"Typhon."
Sekhmet turned his head and looked at the little girl with green hair.
"If you don't want to go... you don't have to... we won't force you..."
"But--!"
"But what... do you think... staying here... is better... than being with him?"
Typhon opened his mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out.
Because she knew that staying here would mean nothing.
Four hundred years of solitude, four hundred years of waiting, and nothing else.
She turned her head and looked at Higashino Makoto.
"I want to continue Judgment the criminals, is that alright?"
Higashino Makoto looked at her, a glint of light flashing in his golden eyes.
"Okay, but only under my rules."
What rules?
"Good and evil are rewarded accordingly, merits and demerits cancel each other out, the guilty go to hell, and the innocent go to heaven. It's very simple, isn't it?"
Typhon's eyes lit up.
Do heaven and hell really exist?
"Yes, it has everything, but it's not perfect yet."
Typhon stared at him for a long time.
Then, she gave a naive smile.
"Okay, I'll go."
Higashino Makoto nodded and walked up to Daphne.
The Gluttonous Witch was curled up in the Centipede Coffin, her gray twin ponytails swaying gently on her straitjacket.
A dark eye mask covered her eyes, but a relaxed smile played on her lips.
Daphne.
"Um."
"It must be tough being hungry all the time, I can lift your hunger Curse."
Daphne's smile froze.
"What?"
I said, I can relieve your hunger.
Higashino Makoto took out two rings from his backpack, one light gold and one light green, and placed them on the edge of the Centipede Coffin.
"These are the 'Fullness Ring' and the 'Nutrition Ring'."
Items in YGGDRASIL.
Some races are Curse with hunger, such as Belial, the one in Nazarick with a mouth full of gags.
"Wear it, and you'll no longer feel hungry. Combined with the Nutrition Ring, your body won't need food anymore. Of course, you can still eat if you want."
Daphne's fingers gently caressed the ring.
Really? You're not kidding me?
"Really, I don't like lying."
Otherwise, players of the Ghost race wouldn't need to play.
"Won't... get hungry again?"
"I won't be hungry anymore."
Daphne remained silent for a long time.
Then, she reached out and put the ring on her finger.
The hunger surging through her body quickly dissipated; it was a feeling she had almost forgotten.
But the smile on her lips deepened.
"I'm not hungry anymore..."
Her voice was very soft, with a suppressed, dreamlike quality.
"Really... I'm not hungry anymore..."
Tears seeped from under her blindfold, sliding down her cheeks and dripping onto her straitjacket.
For the first time in four hundred years... I'm not hungry...
Typhon stood to the side, watching Daphne cry. Minerva lowered her head and clenched her fists, Carmilla covered her mouth.
Echidna sat at the other end of the long table, watching all this, her eyes flashing with a complex light.
She didn't say anything.
He simply picked up his teacup and took a sip of the now-cold black tea.
Then, she looked at Higashino Makoto.
"What about Carmilla? What are your plans for dealing with her problem?"
Higashino Makoto walked up to Carmilla.
The lustful witch lowered her head, her long, light red hair falling down and obscuring her face.
Her hands were clasped together in front of her, her knuckles turning white.
"Carmilla."
"Um... um... I want to live a peaceful life... is that okay...?"
"No problem, I can seal it away given your constitution."
Carmilla at him, her light red eyes meeting his.
"Seal?"
"Right."
Higashino Makoto took a silver bracelet out of his backpack and handed it to her.