“Hasn't she ever mentioned it to you?”
“She did. She said she had an outcome she was satisfied with and that I didn't need to worry about her, but I didn't quite buy it. That's why I wanted to verify it with you. Truth be told, I hadn't made up my mind to confirm it with you like this before, but since you were willing to test me on her behalf, it actually put my mind at ease.”
“A moment ago, you said that once you choose to trust someone, you don't flip back and forth. Don't you think you're contradicting yourself?”
“Those are two different things; there's no contradiction at all.” Lynch frowned, pressing the issue. “I've seen the memories. Back in the Mythological Era, she took the lead in sacrificing herself once already. She has a track record. I'm worried she's gotten so used to it that she wants to do it again.”
“You are worried about her?”
“No shit—er, of course I am. She's my neighbor, who's kept me company for who knows how many years. Right now, I still have to huddle under her moonlight just to fall asleep. How could I not be worr—” Lynch cut himself off abruptly, coughing awkwardly. “No, what I mean is, I hate seeing anyone sacrifice themselves for me. I'm in no position to judge someone sacrificing themselves for the whole world, but if it's for me, I'd owe a debt of gratitude I could never repay. That's not an outcome I want to see.”
“...” A faint sigh echoed in his mind, and Lynch could almost picture the dignified queen's solemn expression. “Once you activate all the divine authorities, the supreme wills within them will merge into one, forming a complete divine will—also known as godhood. At that point, the seeds of our lingering wills previously left within that godhood will be activated. Guided by them, our memories sleeping deep within the Dreamlands will awaken directly through the godhood and occupy your existence. However, for us, this process is controllable. We can also choose not to awaken.”
“Hmm?”
“If so, you indeed can take over the divine authority that originally belonged to us, reviving in our stead as the new Supreme. But having lost this final connection, we will remain in the depths of the Dreamlands forever, falling into an eternal slumber, never to wake again.”
“Is there no third path?”
“Perhaps there is, but I do not know it.”
Lynch bit down on his pipe stem and fell silent. The woman made of starlight spoke no more either, gazing across the galaxy at him in quiet reflection. Only when a bowl of tobacco had burned completely to ash did Lynch rub his temples and sigh. “I'm starting to regret it a bit, Aunt Nyx. If I hadn't chosen this path in the first place, she might not have had a chance to revive, but at least she wouldn't have been condemned to sleep forever, right? What about now? If we sever our connection right now, can she really return to sleeping in the Dreamlands for the time being?”
“It seems you truly are worried about her. The mere fact that you had such a thought satisfies me. But unfortunately, no, you cannot. Furthermore, whether she ultimately awakens or not is a decision only she can make. You cannot stop her.”
Lynch expressionlessly lit another pinch of tobacco.
“However, I would not advise you to ponder how to stop her just yet. It is still far too early.”
“Hmm?”
His hand mid-lighting froze in the air. Lynch stared intently at the lady composed of starlight.
“The silver moon is flawless and bright, a guide through the dark night; the crimson moon is hazy and mysterious, a protector within the dark night. The living beings of the First Age viewed the back of the crimson moon as the portal connecting the Dreamlands and the mortal world. Meanwhile, the crimson moon itself was gradually endowed by faith with the role of defender, guarding against the intrusion of mystery from the Dreamlands. This is her divine domain, as well as the foundation of her existence—something unchangeable. Influenced by this, she considers resisting the Dreamlands and protecting the world her duty, and it is inevitable that she picked up that self-sacrificing spirit typical of protectors. I am not surprised that she made such a promise to you, which is why I believed it as soon as you mentioned it.”
“But?”
“However, I know her far better than you do. She is not like Fiona. Fiona might truly sacrifice herself for such a cause, but Luna possesses reason. Most of the time, she knows precisely what she is doing and what price must be paid.”
“Including taking the lead in sacrificing herself to fight the erosion of the Dreamlands?”
“You even know about the erosion of the Dreamlands?” The goddess Nyx paused briefly. “Yes, including that time. She is kind, true, but not to the point of madness; she retained basic sanity. In truth, it really had reached the final hour back then. The entire world was on the brink of being swallowed by the Dreamlands. Had that happened, the physical world might have remained unaffected, but few living beings would have survived. In that case, we... well...”
“You don't need to elaborate on that part. I can roughly guess.”
“You can even... Fine, I understand. In short, following Luna's proposal left a glimmer of hope; rejecting it meant destruction was the sole outcome. Why else do you think all the gods agreed? Because it was the only way out.”
Lynch nodded. “I take back what I said earlier.”
“Mhm. Thus, even when she sacrificed herself, she did so with a calm mind and would not engage in pointless self-destruction. Her making such a promise to you might mean it is already the only or best way out—that there is no alternative. But it could also mean she genuinely has another way out, one that is simply inconvenient to share with others for now.”
“Just with other ‘people’?”
“Other gods included.” The old aunt's voice carried a hint of annoyance, as though giving him a glare. “When I make contact with her, I will pry on your behalf, but do not harbor too much hope. She likely won't confide in me either. As for you, there is no need to worry excessively. Since you chose to trust Luna, you might as well see it through and believe she truly found a solution. Even if facts prove later that she was merely making excuses, it won't be too late to figure something out then.”
Lynch nodded, then suddenly slapped his forehead. “Ah right, thank you. When I first woke up, if your believer hadn't provided her memories, I never could have held out until now.”
“That was for the vessel she chose, not for you.”
Lynch grinned, offering a cheerful smile. “See? I told you earlier. A favor is a favor. Whether I should be grateful depends on whether I benefited. As for your motive in bestowing it, that's your business and has nothing to do with me.”
“...Suit yourself.” The old aunt snorted coldly. “As for that matter, I will speak with them so they cooperate with you. So, do you have any other business?”
Tss. How could this old aunt start driving him away the moment they reached an agreement? So heartless.
Lynch thought for a moment, instinctively lowering his voice to ask, “Auntie, to be completely honest... the entity behind the Shadow Alliance isn't you, right? If it is, just tell me directly. I'll defect and surrender on the spot—no need to go through all the trouble.”
“??? Perhaps I should just leave you in this dream forever so I don't have to worry about you defecting later.” Lynch felt the chair beneath him vanish instantly, almost dropping him onto his rear. Startled, he quickly put on an innocent, earnest smile, listening as the old aunt continued, “It is not me. Furthermore, I am certain it is not Fiona either. Mica is also unlikely—she lacks the inclination. As for the other nine, it is hard to say. Gods cannot pry on one another; doing so would be an act of war.”
“Then do you know why they would do this?” Lynch probed further. “They suffered heavy losses to protect this world; why turn around and deliberately trigger a catastrophe to destroy it? I don't get it at all.”
“Destroying the world might not necessarily be the goal; there could be another motive. I will keep an eye out afterward and notify you if I discover anything.”
“Thank you very much, Aunt Nyx.” Lynch immediately stood respectfully with his hands at his sides, as serious as if facing an elder, chuckling, “Please look out for me in the future.”
“Looking out for you aside, why don't we discuss another matter instead?” the goddess said eerily. “In your language, what exactly does ‘old aunt’ mean?”
Eh?
Rate on N.U.
