Chapter 539: Chapter 540 Hidden Element_1
The lunch break time, in a dimly lit secret chamber, Aiden was playing chess with Melifilia.
"To emerge unscathed from the influence of the ’Hatred’ authority, your performance was indeed heartening," Melifilia said with a laugh in her voice.
"I almost got killed. At death’s door, I saw my life flashing before my eyes," Aiden replied calmly, reaching out to move a piece.
"Oh?" Melifilia shifted her gaze from the chessboard and looked up at Aiden.
"I saw memories that weren’t my own, that’s your handiwork, isn’t it?" Aiden got straight to the point.
He hadn’t seen Melifilia for quite some time. His main purpose for this visit was to uncover the truth about the memories sealed in his mind.
"Of course, who else could it be?" Melifilia answered with an unusual candidness.
"The reason?"
"Figure it out yourself," Melifilia answered without hesitation, "this element is a carefully prepared surprise for you. Where’s the fun in a game’s hidden element if the answer is given away upon asking?"
"At least give me a hint. A hidden element with no hints is too unfriendly to the player," Aiden began to bargain with her.
The difference between the power of mortals and rulers was like heaven and earth. His only chance to break free from the control of the Goddess of Scheming was her nearly habitual arrogance toward mortals. Since Melifilia treated his second life in this world as a game she was overseeing, what Aiden could do now was to negotiate as favorable game conditions for himself as possible. If the Goddess of Scheming really sealed her own ability to pursue the randomness of the game, she might also likely relax the standards of the trials she had set.
"You’ve become slicker than before," Melifilia chuckled, "Fine, I’ll give you two hints. First, I did this with ’your’ consent."
"Which ’me’?" Aiden immediately furrowed his brow, "The previous owner of this body, or myself who was summoned by you?"
"It is ’yourself,’ no one else," Melifilia replied earnestly.
"I consented myself?" Aiden was puzzled, "Are the memories you sealed my genuine ones, or did you implant foreign memories to hide?"
Those memories obviously contained parts that did not belong to "Aiden Galahad."
"I only offered hints, don’t overstep your bounds, my lovely chess piece," Melifilia’s eyes narrowed, "If you ask any more questions, I won’t say another word."
Aiden could only raise his hand, "Alright, I’ll abide by the game rules. Please finish giving the hints."
"To unlock those memories, there are two sufficient but not necessary conditions," Melifilia continued, "One is death, the other is complete control over an authority. That’s all there is to it."
"Sufficient but not necessary, so it means satisfying either one is enough."
"Of course. In fact, I only set death as the condition. But if you come to control an authority and become a ruler, another authority’s influence on you will naturally weaken, and the memories will unlock if you wish it," Melifilia elaborated slightly.
Getting these hints was somewhat of a gain, Aiden thought.
"It seems your game is encouraging participants to acquire authorities?" Aiden inquired.
"Of course, haven’t I told you the winning conditions? If you become a ruler, you’re eligible to be my eternal consort," the Goddess of Scheming said with a sinister smile.
"May I opt out of that winning condition?" Aiden sighed.
"To escape my chessboard, you must also possess the qualifications of a chess player; the power of an authority is essential," Melifilia said nonchalantly, "You still have the same tasks."
"You have the ability to set up a situation for me to obtain an authority; surely it would be easy for you to claim it yourself. Why didn’t you just take all obtainable authorities from the start?" Aiden questioned.
"Because this way is more fun." Melifilia said with profound meaning.
"Fun alone doesn’t seem to fully explain your motive," Aiden pointed out, "The more authorities you hold, the more you can do, and the greater the enjoyment."
"Indeed. Sometimes I do envy certain rulers who can do things I can’t," Melifilia spoke reminiscently.
"You know other rulers?"
"Certainly, it’s quite normal to be acquainted with other leading figures who hold authorities," she replied.
"Have you offended any other rulers besides the God of Death and the Goddess of Vengeance?" Aiden’s interest piqued at this topic.
If the Goddess of Scheming had offended other rulers, these rulers might become a significant aid for him to escape her control.
"Don’t think I only cause trouble everywhere. I’m actually on good terms with some rulers, some can even be called friends, and our conversations are lively," the Goddess of Scheming corrected seriously.
"Really? There are deities out there who share your odious traits?" Aiden’s eyes widened.
"Don’t put it that way, by your standards, that guy is quite righteous. He wandered this world as a passerby for hundreds of years; I wonder where he’s drifting to now," the Goddess of Scheming said nostalgically.
Aiden looked at her and marveled in his heart at the idea that such monsters also had friends.
"He is the ruler of which authority?" Aiden asked.
"If you too become a ruler, I might introduce you," Melifilia said with a smile.
"Let’s forget about it then. Since the power of an authority is so handy, why don’t you claim it yourself?" Aiden repeated his earlier question.
"Because it’s more fun this way, as long as you become my consort, that authority’s power would also belong to me," Melifilia teased with a chuckle.
"Why are you so fixated on me as your chess piece?" Aiden frowned.
"I must correct you, I’m not particularly fixated on you; it’s just that you’re more interesting and have given me unexpected surprises, so I’m giving you a bit more of a chance," Melifilia’s eyes narrowed, "If you lose to that guy, you’ll be erased from this world and you will be nothing. I’m merely in pursuit of enjoyment, don’t get it twisted."
"I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard the word ’enjoyment’ from you; frankly, I can’t understand you at all," Aiden stared at Melifilia, "You possess the ability to calculate the future yet you’ve made choices that are far from perfect, even somewhat unwise. Is the randomness of chaos what you seek for enjoyment?"
