“I believe you. That’s why I’m going.”

Andra held Dustin’s outstretched hand tightly.

“I’m going because I believe you’ll help me, and because I believe we can do it together. I can’t do it by myself either.”

The trembling of her hands subsides due to the warmth. Andra cupped Dustin’s cheek with her free hand.

“I need your help, Dustin.”

“…….”

“If you really believe in me, help me.”

Suddenly, Dustin’s head bowed.

“…What should I do?”

* * *

“Are you serious? “Why are you doing this?”

Nera came towards Anat, stomping her feet in exasperation. She immediately grabbed Anat by the collar and lifted her up. Her angry eyes were filled with confusion. Anat looked down at Nera, hanging on without a single protest. Nera violently shook Anat.

“Go tell Mother right now—You were foolish and blinded by that human man, so you said something you shouldn’t have said! Tell her you’ve changed your mind!”

“I have already made my choice, Nera. From now on, it’s up to Mother to decide.”

Nera’s face distorted as Anat spoke firmly. She let go of her and immediately placed her hands around Anat’s shoulders and began to speak in a pleading tone.

“What on earth are you thinking? Do you still have regrets about that trivial thing? My sister, our Anat. You shouldn’t be like this. Huh? Can’t you think again?”

“Nera, my choice is final.”

“Why! You’re trying to protect humans by sacrificing everything! Don’t do that, don’t give up. I don’t want to lose my sister. Please! Alright? Don’t make me let go of you.”

Nera’s voice was dripping with sadness now. Anat stretched out her hand to Nera and wiped the tears from her eyes. She can feel the cold yet hot tears through her fingertips.

Nera’s tears fell to the floor, and it turned into all the things that shine in this world. Usually, they were things that someone longed for and greedy for.

“Nera, I didn’t mean to let you go. I decided to take responsibility. You know that well. It’s something someone has to handle. I just chose that.”

“Mother won’t accept it.”

“If Mother wasn’t going to accept it in the first place, she wouldn’t have come to see me. You overheard Mother’s decision, my sister.”

“It’s not too late. Anat, go to Mother and tell her you won’t do it. Mother will definitely listen to your request. You are not someone who should be sacrificed like this for those trivial things. I don’t want you to.”

“…Nera, you really have an endless longing.”

“You still dream of ideals.”

Meanwhile, Anat smiled slightly at Nera’s sharp criticism. She removed her hand from Nera and slowly stepped back.

The New World was peaceful and quiet, but not down there. The fire was still burning and many lives were still perishing. The utopia she had built with Dean was falling apart.

“I showed them ideals and made them dream, so I have to take responsibility until the end. And I don’t want anyone to be able to interfere anymore.”

“So you sacrificed all your authority and dignity to ask Mother to give humans a chance? Because you still love that human man?”

Anat fell on her knees to the primordial god and begged her to give humans a chance. That was the choice Anat made after much deliberation.

[ Great Primordial God, please have mercy. Why do you wish to give adversity and hardship to the foolish and lacking?
They are not at fault. Everything is my fault for going against Mother’s will and intervening in the world on my own. I loved people I shouldn’t have loved, and I shared my power with them. I didn’t even listen to my sister’s warning. So if you are going to punish me, please punish me and forgive them generously. I will accept any punishment. ]

[ Dean… The humans are just not strong yet. Humans were unable to build a platform to climb on their own, so they quickly climbed up with help.
That’s my fault. I wasn’t considerate of them. I was only pursuing my own ideals and was unable to give time to people. So I don’t want to give them out for just one mistake. So please, please. Mother, I want to give humans a proper chance. ]

The current human beings were immature children. Time was needed for a child to grow to maturity. Because Anat loved the ideals that humans envisioned, she loved humans, and even loved them when they sinned. So she wanted to give them a chance to grow into maturity. She wanted to look forward to their future when they would surpass their Creator on their own, even without God’s help.

“It’s pointless. Humans will make the same mistake again, and they will bring out Mother’s wrath. Anat, you don’t have to sacrifice for those shortcomings.”

“That’s something no one knows. Even Mother, who created the world and created life, does not know this. That’s why Mother has created so many worlds.”

“What if this fails? What if Mother listens to your plea and then humans repeat their ignorant actions again? Your sacrifice will be in vain. Anat, why don’t you know how to think?”

Nera looked at Anat with a restless face. Nera could not accept that her beloved sister was sacrificing herself for the sake of humans.

Humans are ugly. They are constantly craving and greedy. This causes conflict and leads to disorder. The humans Nera looked at were like that.

“Nera, do you know the end of the world Mother created?”

“It’s a mess. Naturally, those who opposed Mother dreamed of standing on the same level as her, climbing up without even knowing their place. Mother had to destroy them all. But Mother’s last regret left that one little speck behind and made you like this now. That human man.”

Clenching her teeth, Nera opened her mouth in exasperation. Mother should have destroyed every last one of them! I never thought it would cause problems again in the end. This time, not to Mother, but to you, my sister! Nera couldn’t control her heaving chest and her body trembled.

Anat looked at Nera quietly.

“I’m not talking about the end of this world, but the end of another world, Nera. Mother has created many worlds so far. What happened to the world when Mother left?”

“A world without Mother’s touch will wither. Life is beautiful, but at the same time it takes a lot of work. If you don’t take care of them even for a day, they will tangle with each other and disappear.”

“I once had a glimpse into another world that Mother had created, following Mother’s wishes. Because my wisdom comes from Mother’s wisdom. Yes, you are right. In the world where Mother left in disappointment, all life disappeared and the world returned to darkness, nothingness. But one of them…”

“What about one?”

“There were beings who drew ideals and dreamed. Because of them, the world continued to move on even after Mother left. Can you imagine? A world where God does not exist?”

Anat answered in a soft voice. However, Nera’s lumpy face could not straighten up.

“I caught a glimpse of that possibility in humans. If humans are given time and opportunity, this world might turn out the way Mother wants.”

“A world without God is a world full of chaos. Anat, my sister. Is it because you don’t know why we exist? Mother gathered the thoughts of this world and gave birth to us. She made us because this world needs us.”

As Nera retorted, Anat said,

“That’s why I begged Mother to give them a chance. Please give humans a chance to live without us.”

“Mother said that…”

“As I said before, it is Mother’s choice whether to accept it or not. And you know Mother’s choice.”

“…….”

Nera closed her mouth for a moment and looked at Anat. Anat had a determined face. As if she was ready to handle anything. Eventually, Nera spoke.

“It won’t go your way, Anat. Weak and greedy humans will eventually find God. You can see it even now, it’s crying out for you down there.”

“Nera…”

“That human man was the same. He is foolish and ignorant to endlessly be greedy for you when he was not even the vessel to handle you. He is insignificant.”

At that moment, Nera turned her head. She could hear someone calling out to her and Anat. It was the call of the primordial god, and she had already made her decision.

Nera quickly calmed down and looked at Anat again. Just like the day she gave Dean the prophecy, her cold golden eyes suddenly began to glow red. Anat was nervous.

“My sister, I know humans as well as you do. Their wrongful desires make them full. Just wait and see. Because despite the opportunity you give at your expense, humans will fail. You, too, will pay the price.”

“Nera…”

“Is that all? The human man you loved and cherished so much will hold you back and break you again. You will have to handle it on your own. Will you be able to embrace that human man until the end?”

__