"Come out?" Amber hadn't expected those words.
Not only did it imply the other would soon manifest in reality, but it also meant she knew Amber was currently dreaming.
"You are... a good child... here to awaken Mother..." Tiamat stood slightly shorter than Fu Hua. Her face bore no traces of time's passage, instead resembling a girl on the cusp of adulthood.
Yet her movements and demeanor genuinely evoked the feeling of a 'mother'.
"I'm not here to wake you."
Though Amber felt no dislike for the goddess before her, she steeled herself and interrupted, "I... don't wish for you to wake up."
"Do you... dislike Mother?"
The goddess's face showed no frustration or anger at the rejection, only the same boundless affection. Her voice, though slow, seemed to carry even more emotion because of it.
"No, I don't."
She had never disliked Tiamat before.
Even knowing Tiamat was this world's greatest enemy didn't change that.
A friend had once spoken highly of Tiamat, sparking Amber's curiosity and leading her to learn more. She understood well just how gentle, and how tragic, Tiamat truly was.
Thinking this, she said, "I... think you are wonderful. But your emergence brings disaster. So I don't wish for you to appear."
"Thank you... my... child."
Tiamat nodded, withdrawing the hand that had been touching Amber's cheek. She then gently cupped the hand Amber had used to support her earlier. "Everything... will be... alright..."
"Mother... will... create... a more beautiful... world."
Amber didn't know what this 'more beautiful world' entailed, but she knew one thing for certain: if Tiamat sought to destroy the present world to build her new one, Amber would undoubtedly have to raise a hand against her.
If possible, she had no desire to attack this 'mother' who gave her such a feeling of warmth. But she too had principles she held dear.
Amber could only try to persuade her. "Might you consider choosing not to awaken? Humanity would feel much more at ease if you did."
"...That... cannot be..." Tiamat spoke softly. "Children... cannot leave... their mother... Do not... stray from... Mother's side..."
"..." Amber fell silent, realizing the flaw in her own words as soon as she'd spoken them.
Her request was undeniably selfish. To arbitrarily decide to 'leave Mother' was a cruelty in itself.
Yes. It was out of love for all life, a desire for her children never to leave her side, that Tiamat yearned to return the world to its beginning, to reset it all. She wanted to nurture her children anew, to return them to a state where they needed their mother's care.
"Whatever is, is right."
Tiamat's very reason for existence was to bear children, nurture them, and bestow a mother's love.
These purposes were necessary at the dawn of creation. But once everything had taken form, this function became unnecessary, even harmful to the ecosystem—something that needed to be removed.
Thus, her existence had lost its meaning, and the inevitable outcome was exile.
"..." She wanted to point out that Tiamat's existence threatened humanity's survival, but the words stuck in her throat.
Whether it was Ereshkigal or Quetzalcoatl, Amber could understand their perspectives and still stand against them. This time was no different.
No matter what, she couldn't accept Tiamat's methods. Yet, uniquely this time, she couldn't bring herself to comfortably declare 'This is humanity's choice.'
No matter how clearly she knew her own stance wasn't wrong, she found herself unable to voice it before this goddess.
"Do not... grieve..."
Tiamat's grip on Amber's hand tightened. Seeming to find this comfort insufficient, she rose onto her toes and drew Amber's head into her embrace.
"There will be... no pain... Soon... everyone... will find... happiness..."
A scent reminiscent of damp earth and flowers filled Amber's nostrils. It wasn't particularly fragrant, but it wasn't unpleasant either.
"I have to go now," Amber said.
She still didn't know what was happening outside. The moment she'd used the Sword God technique, she'd felt her consciousness tear free from her body, as if yanked by some force.
By the time she'd gathered her wits, she was here. She could still see her system panel, so she wasn't overly anxious.
Still, feeling it was right to say goodbye, she phrased it as a statement to Tiamat.
"We will... meet again... soon."
Tiamat perceived Amber's intent to leave. Her initially joyful mood dimmed somewhat, but the thought of soon creating a new world, and meeting again within it, let her cast aside this sorrow.
In the next moment, black mud surged up around her feet, swiftly swallowing the entire dreamscape.
As the illusory world shattered, Amber's consciousness was violently wrenched back toward reality.
To Amber's surprise, the group was no longer in the Underworld. They were already on the surface in Uruk, seemingly en route to the Divine Tower.
? Amber was confused.
'You're awake?' Fu Hua's voice sounded in her mind a moment later.
'What happened?' Amber couldn't help asking. 'Why are we here all of a sudden? Wasn't I just in the Underworld?'
'Just now?' Fu Hua frowned. 'It's been nearly a full day since you lost consciousness. I had to temporarily take control of the body because you suddenly dropped off. What just happened?'
Did time flow differently in the Imaginary Number space?
Amber speculated internally. She seamlessly kept pace with the others while explaining to Fu Hua, 'I saw Tiamat just now... Probably, after I opened the Imaginary Space and absorbed a large amount of Imaginary Energy, Tiamat noticed me and pulled me into that dreamscape.'
'Tiamat?' Fu Hua was also perplexed. "Let me first transfer the memories from this period to you. Then, explain in detail what just happened."
'Explaining is too much trouble, Master. Just look for yourself!'
The two directly shared their recent memories through the Fenghuang Down.
'I see...'
After exchanging memories, Fu Hua gave a grave nod. 'So, Tiamat has already awakened?'
As the being Quetzalcoatl identified as the greatest threat to this Singularity, Fu Hua wasn't arrogant enough to think they could simply ignore this.
But it bore repeating: they were fundamentally incompatible with this world, leaving them with significant gaps in their knowledge of its workings.
Given the circumstances, racking her brains here was pointless. It was better to inform Gilgamesh and Merlin.
Amber agreed. For a moment, she'd thought her control over Imaginary Energy made her invincible. But facing Tiamat, a being who resided within Imaginary Space, it was unclear if that energy would even be effective.
Better to ask the experts.
Still... the mere thought of eventually having to fight Tiamat left a heavy, uncomfortable feeling in Amber's chest.
Ah...
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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If you guys wanna check it out.