"After all, losing to a companion isn't something to be ashamed of."
Aidan said righteously.
"I did my best."
"You consider me a [companion]?"
This was unexpected for Evernight.
She had originally planned to mess with this guy in another way, but she didn't expect him to be so direct.
"That's right!"
"Aren't you afraid that I'll erase your mind right now... Oh, you aren't afraid of death."
Evernight frowned.
"But not being afraid of death is one thing, not being afraid of being twisted and flattened by me is another." She narrowed her red eyes, looking Aidan up and down, "You are on my turf right now. I can do whatever I want to you."
"Then torment me then." Aidan spread his hands, "This is all I've got. If you torment me, I can only enjoy it."
"?"
"Everyone laughs at me, yet I am the funniest. No one supports my soaring ambition, anyway, I can't ascend. The strong never blame the environment, but I am weak, so I must complain fiercely. Gold will always shine, but I am just scrap iron. No one can use me, because I am useless."
This string of remarks silenced Evernight. She looked as if she had encountered a rare species. At any rate, she had never seen anyone who could state 'I am trash' with such righteous confidence... A pure rogue.
And this rogue also had some strength.
"Are you following the Path of Nihility today?"
"I am following the Path of Remembrance today."
How was she supposed to respond to that?
"You really... have self-awareness."
Evernight laughed.
It looked like a laugh, but in reality, she was out of ideas.
Because March 7th genuinely liked this junior, and this junior certainly wouldn't harm March 7th, although the incident yesterday where he and Nanook swapped bodies was a bit unnerving.
"So you just admit defeat like that?" She stood there with her arms crossed, "Not struggling a bit? Not begging me to show mercy?"
"I won't, you definitely won't hit me."
Aidan flopped onto the ground.
"Come on! Even if you hit me, it must be a reward."
Evernight:?
Reward your...
Evernight was angered into laughter.
"Get up."
"I won't."
"..."
"Unless you promise not to hit me."
"What if I insist on hitting you?"
"Then I'll just lie here and take the beating." Aidan closed his eyes, looking ready to die, "After you're done, remember to tell Senior March 7th that I sacrificed myself trying to retrieve her memory."
The corner of Evernight's eye twitched.
Is this person... serious?
She looked down at the completely unguarded face and suddenly realized a serious problem—this guy was genuinely unafraid.
It wasn't faked; he was truly unafraid.
It wasn't the kind of fear that came from knowing he couldn't win and accepting fate, but the kind of complete surrender that suggested, 'If you hit me, I'll just consider it a massage.'
"Aren't you afraid I'll kick you out?"
"Then kick me out then." Aidan opened one eye to look at her, "After you kick me out, Senior March 7th will definitely ask, 'Aidan, why are you out? Did you see my past?' Then I'll say, 'I saw it, I saw it. There was a very beautiful red-eyed March 7th inside, and she said she wouldn't let me look.' Then March 7th will definitely get curious, 'What red-eyed March 7th?' Then you'll have to explain it to her yourself."
Evernight: "..."
She realized she had been cornered.
It wasn't a physical cornering, but a logical one. This guy was lying on the ground, yet he seemed to be looking down at her.
"You seem quite clever now..." She didn't relent, "But March 7th's past cannot be shown to you."
"I know."
"You know?"
"I just came here to go through the motions, and to get familiar with you."
"You came specifically to see me?"
Evernight was surprised.
"You see, Senior March 7th usually seems carefree, but she must have things hidden in her heart. Although I'm following the Path of Remembrance today, I know my own half-baked skill level. If I forcefully break through the barrier, I might end up damaging March 7th's mind, and that sin would be too great. March 7th isn't smart to begin with—"
Evernight narrowed her eyes.
"Ah, no, I mean, great wisdom appears foolish."
Aidan waved his hand.
"You really... think highly of her interests." Evernight looked at the completely undignified guy before her, lightly spinning the black and red umbrella in her hand, "Stop lying down."
"Are you still going to hit me?"
"No."
"Not kicking me out?"
"...No."
"Not twisting me and flattening me?"
"If you ask again, I really will twist you and flatten you."
Aidan stood up.
"It would have been better to do this earlier. It's quite cold lying on the ground."
The corner of Evernight's eye twitched again; this guy really deserved a beating.
"Since you know some things shouldn't be touched, why did you come in? Just to find me?"
"How could that be! I just—" Aidan waved his hand, "It's because March 7th insisted I look. If I directly said I wouldn't look, she would definitely think I was brushing her off. But if I go in, take a lap, and then tell her I couldn't unlock it, the nature of the matter changes. This before and after is a matter of attitude."
"You can go out now."
"Roger that!"
Aidan opened his eyes, and what greeted him was March 7th's enlarged face.
"Why are you leaning so close?"
"I want to know quickly." March 7th held up a finger, "So, what did you see? Did you see it?"
"You are a Pure Child of Anāsrava, with the potential to become Fuli."
Aidan stated.
"Huh?"
March 7th's expression changed from anticipation to blankness, and then from blankness to confusion.
"What did you say? What am I?"
"Pure Child of Anāsrava." Aidan repeated, "A candidate for Fuli."
"Fuli? A Aeon?" March 7th froze, blinking a couple of times. The expectation on her face instantly turned into great doubt, "You're saying I might become a Aeon? Can't you find a more reliable excuse even if you want to lie to cheer me up?"
"Why would I lie to you? Your pink hair is proof."
Aidan said earnestly.
"March, accept it, this is your destiny! You were born a Pure Child of Anāsrava, it is predestined!"
Amidst the noisy chatter, March 7th ignored the fact that what Aidan told her was actually the truth, thinking he was joking with her again.
"How is my hair color proof of being a Pure Child of Anāsrava? According to you, Asta also has pink hair, so is she also a Aeon candidate?"
"Asta's is rich-person pink, yours is divine-nature pink, they are different. Think about it, how many powerful characters have pink hair? As the saying goes, the pinker the hair, the fiercer the beating, maybe there's even pink-to-black switching."
"I am not switching to black!" March 7th retorted indignantly, hands on her hips, standing in front of Aidan like a teapot, "This young lady is consistent inside and out! Whatever I think in my heart is written on my face!"
"Yes, yes, that's it, that's it."