Chapter 150

“What lies on the opposite side of light, having form yet cannot be grasped?”

Baal tilted his head in confusion, clearly not understanding what this meant.

“Well, it’s simple. If you manage to capture that one, I’ll count it as passing the test.”

“I’m not entirely sure what you mean, but I’ll give it a try!”

“And remember, Mom can’t help you anymore. From now on, you’re entirely on your own power.”

Shamash said this with a confident look, and Baal nodded determinedly.

“Yeah! I’ve had enough help already! Now I’ll do it with my own hands!”

Though his enthusiasm was admirable… Honestly, succeeding would be tough. If it were easy to find that one, we gods would have found them long ago.

Unaware of the difficulty of this trial, Baal immediately rushed off as if he’d find it right away, leaving me and the other children staring silently at Shamash.

“Isn’t this trial a bit too impossible?”

“That’s right! Even though I gave my own difficult trial, I made concessions!”

Sylphid… You were the same, weren’t you? If I hadn’t persuaded you, you would’ve declared victory outright.

Although, Sylphid probably didn’t think much about it…

“Hmph. I have my reasons too, you know. Don’t think I created such a trial without any thought!”

“Shamash… thinking…?”

Well, when making judgments, she does show some discernment… But fundamentally, isn’t she always cheerful and carefree?

“This trial is all because of Mom. She considers Baal very important, but lately she’s been neglecting us! We want her attention focused on us too!”

No… Is she blaming me for this?

“So that’s why you gave an impossible trial?”

“Yes. This little brat will realize after suffering for about a year that it’s impossible, become dejected, and behave more properly. Until then, Mom needs to stay with us.”

“In that case… What about the trial…?”

Shamash smiled lightly as if it were no big deal.

“The trial? I intend to commend their efforts so far and count it as a pass even if they don’t succeed. So don’t worry.”

Ugh… While it’s good that she’ll let him pass regardless of success, has he really been neglected this much?

Thinking about it, I have been neglecting the kids quite a bit. After teaching them how to create avatars, I rarely saw them, assuming they’d handle their responsibilities fine since they were grown up.

I guess that was just my assumption…

“Alright then, Mom. Let’s enjoy the next year together.”

Huh… Is this what people call obsessive behavior?

Whatever “obsessive” means, it probably refers to excessive attachment…

And so, I spent about a year with the children.

—

Reflecting calmly, I didn’t expect my children to go against my wishes.

Sylphid? That child might be a bit dense… Maybe got excited about a race and started running blindly?

But after calm discussion, they understood my intentions. Sylphid wasn’t deliberately going against me. And seeing that the other children wouldn’t oppose me either, I could watch Baal’s trial with some peace of mind.

“Still, nothing beats the taste of food made by Mom. It’s like there’s nothing comparable in this world. How can it be this delicious?”

“Yep. The best.”

Watching Sagarmanda and Sylphid devour over four servings of creamy pasta, I chuckled softly.

Since this era doesn’t have the concept of pasta yet… There are only primitive cream stews made with milk.

“Tastes good that you enjoy it. But why aren’t the others here?”

“They went to keep an eye on Baal. Seems like he found something. Our role is to make sure Mom doesn’t go to Baal.”

“Right. Keep watch.”

After neatly finishing the pasta, Sagarmanda quietly raised two fingers in a V sign.

“Found something? Did he find a clue about that one?”

“No way, right? With that one scattered into countless pieces unable to form shape, how could anyone find them? Even if they did, they’d probably only find a slightly larger lump of fragments.”

Indeed, that would be the case.

With that one scattered into countless fragments, finding everything would be nearly impossible. Expectations should be kept low even if something is found.

As I thought this…

“I found it!”

About seven months after starting Shamash’s trial…

Baal returned to us with a small goddess with pitch-black hair.

“Found…?”

“Eek…”

The young goddess Baal brought along radiated a dark atmosphere, her face half-hidden behind her jet-black hair.

Ah! Oh!

“The answer to Shamash’s trial is ‘shadow’! So I brought the Goddess of Shadows!!”

So that’s how it turned out.

Of course, Baal wouldn’t know about Erebus. Thus, it was impossible for him to find Erebus. Finding all the countless fragments of Erebus would be nearly impossible.

Instead, he seems to have brought someone fitting Shamash’s question.

“I-I… This place… I shouldn’t be here…”

“Come on! You’re the answer to Shamash’s trial! Stand tall! Straighten up! Don’t hide behind me! Step forward!”

Baal grabbed the timid goddess trying to hide behind him, pushing her forward. Watching this, we pinched our brows.

“But… I mean… Well…”

The continuously nervous young goddess – according to Baal, the Goddess of Shadows – seemed newly born, still naive and unaware.

“No, I definitely thought about darkness and shadows when setting the trial…”

Shamash sighed deeply while looking at the young goddess.

“Shamash, looks like you’ve been outwitted.”

“But… Everyone, including Mom, surely didn’t mean THIS young goddess, right?”

“While we all shared the same thoughts, Baal wouldn’t have known about that one, would he?”

Placing my hand gently on the shrinking goddess’s head, I began stroking it slowly.

Seeing this, a faint sense of relief appeared on the small goddess’s face.

Even under the gaze of higher deities, finding comfort in my protection must’ve reassured her.

“Regardless of your original intent for the trial, this child fits the answer, a fact that can’t be denied.”

“H-Hmm… But…”

Interrupting Shamash who wanted to say more, I spoke.

“So, what do you think as the God of Light, Justice, and Law?”

“Urgh… In that case… Pass…”

“Success!”

Upon hearing Shamash declare “pass,” Baal jumped up in joy.

“Woo-hoo!”

“Thanks to you! Thank you!!”

Then Baal started spinning around, hugging the young goddess. Hmm…

This pair looks decent together. The lively blue boy and the shy black girl…

“Ugh… I planned to spend the whole year with Mom…”

“It’s your fault for not specifying the trial’s answer clearly.”

“But… Ugh… Why did the Goddess of Shadows have to appear exactly now…”

At Shamash’s words, the young goddess flinched and hid behind me.

Oh, scared by Shamash’s words, huh?

“Don’t worry. Shamash isn’t angry at you.”

Gently, I continued stroking the frightened goddess’s head.

“Then… What is your name?”

Sitting down to match the young goddess’s eye level, I asked.

Her slightly messy black hair, pale skin tone, and faint divine aura…

Truly, a newborn deity.

Instead of answering my question, she silently shook her head.

“Why is that? You can speak, can’t you? Hmm… Could it be you don’t have a name?”

She slowly nodded.

“I… don’t have a name…”

“Looks like you’re truly newly born.”

“Of course! Because I spread rumors among humans to bring her into existence!”

Baal proudly explained. Indeed, this goddess came into being through rumors spread by Baal himself.

“Unlike with elves, it wasn’t easy, but I diligently spread rumors everywhere until she appeared! Did I do well?”

Baal looked at me with sparkling eyes, like a puppy seeking praise. Unable to resist, I ended up patting his head.

“Uh… Well… Then…”

“Oh, right. Nameless Goddess of Shadows. Baal, what shall we name this child?”

“Hmm… Dunno!”

He doesn’t know…?

Seems like he created her without much thought.

“A newly born deity without a name causes trouble.”

For proper faith to reach a deity, clear recognition is necessary.

Thus, a deity’s name serves as an essential landmark.

“Then… I shall grant you a name.”

Being given a name by the current Supreme God? Something extremely rare!

Be proud!

“Your name… Yes, this suits.”

Gently stroking the shy Goddess of Shadows, I announced.

“Nicknamed Nyx. Your name shall be Nyx.”

And thus, the Goddess of Shadows and Night, Nyx, was born.