Chapter 3231 Issue of Scale

The screams stopped before too long.

But the fire remained.

A great pyre of pristine white flame swallowed the towering throne, illuminating the great chamber and populating it with dancing shadows. The familiar heat washed over Smile of Heaven as she watched the fire sway in stunned horror.

Eventually, she forced herself to speak:

"W—why... why is he still alive?"

Had that poor man been burning in the depths of this pyramid since ancient times? Her daughter shrugged indifferently.

A few moments later, she said in a tone that sounded both meaningful and empty:

“He has angered the gods."

Smile of Heaven shivered.

Nephis turned away from the flame, facing her, and asked evenly:

“Why have you come?"

Her question echoed in the vast chamber. Smile of Heaven did not answer immediately, studying her daughter. Now that a towering pyre was shining in the chamber, she could see her much better. She searched for any hint of emotion on her beautiful face, but found only detachment. So, she took another step in her direction.

“I came to find my daughter."

A slight hint of a frown creased Neph's brow as Smile of Heaven smiled awkwardly.

"Not that I've been a good mother — in truth, I didn't even know that I was a mother until recently. But once I knew, I had to do something. Especially because I was told that you are the only family I have left. Just like I am yours."

It was true. At first, when Smile of Heaven saw Nephis, she only thought about the two of them. She only felt guilt, compassion, and pity... and regret. She also felt like something precious had been taken from her, and that she had to get it back — or, at least, to get a semblance of it back, if it was possible.

But now, facing this young woman... this ancient demigod... she could not help to think about everything else she had lost, as well.

Her father, her mother... her husband.

If it was true that they were gone, then Nephis was all that remained of them in this world. She was the sum of everything that Smile of Heaven cherished, and so, Smile of Heaven could not lose her.

Suddenly, she felt a strong determination. She was never going to let this eerie demigod go.

Even if Nephis begged her to let go, she was going to cling to her with all her might. After all, if there were clingy children, why couldn't there be a clingy mother? Especially since she was actually much younger than her daughter.

So, Smile of Heaven smiled.

"Well, to tell you the truth, it never occurred to me that the mythical White Abyss would turn out to be my daughter. But I was led to believe that, by finding you, I would come one step closer to finding my daughter as well. And, wow... that was the understatement of the century!"

She laughed awkwardly.

Since Nephis remained silent, showing no reaction, Smile of Heaven cleared her throat and added:

“Actually, I didn't come here by accident. Someone sent me to find you... a woman named Song of the Fallen? It must be her True Name. Since both of you are challengers, you probably know her."

Nephis frowned, as if trying to remember. Eventually, she nodded hesitantly.

"Yes. I seem to remember knowing a woman like that, a long time ago."

She did not sound very excited to receive news of her old friend... in fact, she did not seem excited at all, responding with the same aloof expression.

Smile of Heaven could not help but feel anxious.

‘What exactly is wrong with her?'

Was her eerie indifference simply a result of age? She must have spent thousands of years in this Nightmare, so her senses could have become dulled.

But Shadow had been here just as long, and while he was somewhat aloof, he wasn't emotionless... not at all.

What, then?

‘What was it that she said? About being one-billionth part of my daughter?’

The first part...

Which implied that there were other parts — the second, the third, and so on.

A billion of them.

Smile of Heaven was not sure what it meant, but if she took her daughter's words literally...

What kind of emotions would a being made up of a billion individual personas feel? If that being had felt every possible emotion a billion times, when wouldn't their heart grow calloused and numb, incapable of feeling anything?

So perhaps it was not an issue of time, but simply an issue of scale. If a person had been in love twice, then each relationship they had experienced would make up half of their memories of love — and a half of a person was quite important. But if a person had loved someone a thousand times, then each of their past relationships would take up merely one-thousandth of their heart. Its intensity would be dwarfed and drowned in the shadow of the other nine hundred and ninety-nine infatuations.

What if there had been a million of them, then... a billion?

To Smile of Heaven, it seemed eerily strange that Nephs felt nothing after meeting her mother. But if she had experienced being the daughter of a billion women, why would meeting one more stir her heart?

Suddenly, Smile of Heaven felt dismayed.

‘I have only just met my daughter, and I already have to compete with a billion other mothers for her attention?’

Who were these vixens?!

She shifted from one foot to another nervously.

But, still... Nephis had said it herself. The part of her that had been Smile of Heaven's daughter was the first, and therefore held a lot of significance.

So, there was still hope.

Smile of Heaven took a deep breath.

"That woman, Song of the Fallen — she told me to take you to the Jade Palace. How about we... ditch this place and go there?"

She hesitated for a moment, and then added tentatively:

“And, maybe, we can get to know each other a little better on the way?"

Nephis stared at her dispassionately.

If Smile of Heaven was honest with herself, she would have to admit that standing there with that eerily emotionless face, with the towering pyre of white flame behind her, her daughter looked a bit scary.

However, Smile of Heaven wasn't afraid... she wasn't afraid for her life, at least.

She was, however, afraid of failing to draw Nephis out of her odd and inhuman state.

“I don't want to."

Neph's even voice was like the blade of a guillotine.

Smile of Heaven felt her heart skip a bit, then took another step forward.

"Why? It's... it's going to be fun! I think. It's definitely going to be better than staying cooped up in this pyramid."

Nephis simply shrugged.

"There's no particular reason. I simply don't feel the desire to leave."

Smile of Heaven blinked a couple of times.

‘What is this?’

Was she losing her mind, or did her daughter — the ancient demigod who had become a myth all the way back in the Age of Gods — sound a little like... a petulant child?

‘I don't want to! No reason! Do not want!'

What was next? Would she scream something like...

‘You're the worst mom ever! I hate you!'

Well, if she did... honestly, it would be a relief. Smile of Heaven would much prefer being hated by this brilliant creature than watching her have no emotions at all. Perceiving Nephis as a child who was throwing a tantrum was definitely not at all correct or wise, since it had little to do with reality... but, somehow, it made Smile of Heaven feel better. It made her feel a ghostly hint of confidence in herself.

How was one supposed to cajole a stubborn child?

Probably...

Smile of Heaven lingered for a few moments.

"Even if you don't want to, it would make me feel very happy. So, I'll desire it for both of us! How about it?"

Nephis just regarded her with a slight frown.

“I don't really care whether you are happy. Why would I?"

Smile of Heaven gritted her teeth for a moment, then forced herself to relax.

"There... there will be a lot of interesting things on the way — amazing views, tasty food, all kinds of sweets! Surely, you must have been bored, staying cooped up in this pyramid for thousands of years. You... you might even meet your friends! Song of the Fallen, she is your friend, right?"

Neph's frown deepened a little.

She studied Smile of Heaven incredulously, then asked evenly:

“Are you... treating me like an actual kid?"

She paused for a moment before adding:

“That's bizarre."

Smile of Heaven finally couldn't take it anymore and cursed quietly.

"Well... what do you want me to do?! l am a mere mortal! I was a Master just a few years ago — but now, I have to go around collecting mad demigods! What the hell happened to you all?! You, that Song of the Fallen woman... even Shadow! All of you are strange! But I'm the bizarre one?! As if! Hmph!"

She raised her chin, then froze.

Her face slowly turned pink as she felt a strong desire to fall through the floor, utterly embarrassed.

‘Now who's throwing a tantrum?'

Smile of Heaven groaned and covered her face with a palm.

That was why she did not notice a barely perceptible hint of some weak, subdued emotion that finally flashed briefly in Neph's eyes.

She tilted her head slightly, her frown returning.

After a long stretch of silence, Nephis asked, a subtle uncertainty finding its way to her voice:

“What Shadow?"

Smile of Heaven waved a hand.

“He's another Supreme Titan I got acquainted with, a challenger like you. We parted ways at the end of the Age of Heroes."

She was slowly considering her options, trying to come up with a strategy, when the atmosphere in the chamber shifted slightly. White Abyss seemed deep in thought. Eventually, the beautiful nephilim exhaled slowly and turned to look at the spot where the ancient throne was swallowed by flame. And at the shadows that danced on the walls because of the blinding incandescence of the flames.

"Fine."

It took Smile of Heaven a couple of seconds to realize what she had heard.

“F—fine? What do you mean?"

Since Nephis did not answer, Smile of Heaven hastily spoke again:

"You agree to come to the Jade Palace with me? Why, all of a sudden?!"

She was not going to complain — it was a miraculous gift. But still, she wanted to know what had changed Neph's mind.

In front of her, Nephis remained silent for a long while.

When she eventually spoke, her voice sounded just as emotionless as it had been before.

“I am just curious. If I can remember my desire, after all..."