“………”

When Miko opened his eyes, he saw a familiar roof.

“I'm back home. Did Sasha knock me out? …..She really is a terrifying woman.”

“Is that anyway to talk about your mother, who cried for hours for you?”

Miko suddenly heard a voice coming from beside him. It was a very familiar voice. It was a voice he will probably hear until the day one of them die.

He turned his head to the source of the voice.

“Tiamat?”

There he saw a woman sitting in a chair next to him.

“Surprised? I told I was beautiful.”

She was definitely beautiful. She had long silky azure hair, that glowed beautifully when the sunlight hit it.

She had a strong resemblance to Miko; but unlike Miko, who had a face that was hard to determine what gender it belonged to because of its beauty, Tiamat's face made her gender obvious.

She had a face that undoubtedly belonged to a woman. If a man had such a outerworldly beauty, it would've just been too sinful.

Another difference between her and Miko, was her golden eyes that looked like the sun resides in them.

Miko could say without a doubt that she was the most beautiful person he's ever seen.

“Tch.”

But it annoyed him for some reason.

“I'm surprised. This takes being made in God’s image to another level. Why did you make me to look so much like you?”

Tiamat frowned at Miko's question.

“Doesn't everyone want to be beautiful?”

“Not me. It draws too much attention.”

“….Well, I won't deny that.”

Tiamat smiled wryly at Miko.

“I didn't expect you to come here so soon.”

“I had no choice. If I didn't, you would've killed your father, and then die yourself. That would've been very inconvenient for me.”

Tiamat said with an annoyed expression.

“So you appeared before Sasha and had her stop us?”

“I thought that since your father was dead set on killing you, she'd be the best person to rid him of his doubts. And to do that I had to tell her everything.”

“Everything?”

Miko directed a curious gaze towards Tiamat.

“Yup, I told everything. From you being a Proxy to the fact that you still have your past life's memories.”

Miko was shocked to hear that.

“….Why?”

“Guilt? No, that's not it. I thought it was wrong not tell her about something that deeply involves her and her family.”

“You say that, but if you felt that way shouldn't you have told her from when she was pregnant?”

“………..”

“………..”

“…..Even gods make mistakes.”

“You're the definition of irresponsible, you know that?”

*Knock Knock*

“Your Holiness, is Miko awake? I hear talking.”

After Miko retorted Tiamat, he could here a knock at the door, followed by his mother's voice.

“Yeah, you can come.”

Immediately after hearing Tiamat's reply, Sasha burst through the door with twins following her.

“Miko!”

Sasha ran up and hugged him.

“Ow!”

Miko squirmed in pain when Sasha hugged him.

Realizing that she was hurting him, Sasha frantically released him.

“Ah, sorry!”

Miko looked at Tiamat who was giggling in her seat.

“Oi, Selfish Goddess. Wasn't my body suppose to have high healing abilities? Why does my body still hurt so much?”

“You do. But you took so much damage, that it's almost a miracle you're alive. It's not instant regeneration, after all. It's your fault for believing everything you saw in a book, that didn't even mention everything about Proxies.”

“Tch.”

Miko looked annoyed but he didn't one-sidedly blame her.

“….Wow, Brother and Her Holiness talk to each other so casually!”

Seeing their interactions, Tessa energetically said that.

It annoyed Miko further, seeing that Tiamat smiled and replied to Tessa.

“That's because your brother and I are in an intimate relationship.”

“Don't say it like that. You and I aren't intimate at all.”

Said Miko with a disgusted(?) expression.

“Oh? But I know everything about you.”

“That's because you peeped into my past, without permission.”

“I was just making sure that we were perfect for each other. And we are.”

“….Um….Excuse me, Your Holiness.”

Hearing her suddenly interrupting their conversation, Miko and Tiamat looked at Sasha.

“Hm? What is it?”

Asked Tiamat.

Sasha looked hesitant for a while, but then looked like she had resolved herself to do something.

She then slowly got on her knees, and then lower her head, so much that her forehead touched the floor.

“Mama?!”

This surprised the twins, and both Miko and Tiamat.

But Sasha ignored their shock and asked-

“Please Your Holiness! I beg you, not as your descendent but as a mother! Please, revoke Miko as your Proxy!”

The twins who heard their mother’s desperate plea, looked at each other and then also kneeled down and bowed beside her.

“Please, Your Holiness! I'm not as smart as my brothers, but I know Mama wouldn't bow before anyone unless she's desperate!”

“Please Your Holiness! Tessa is right! I know that Proxies are amazing people, from the stories Mama tells us when we go to bed, but a lot them die in those stories! And I don't want my brother to die or Mama and Tessa to be sad!”

They also pleaded to Tiamat.

However, she look at them with no particular emotion. No sympathy, no sadness, no anger; she just observed them.

“Why don't you want him to be my Proxy?”

She asked.

“He's my baby boy, and I don't want him to suffer such a heavy burden!”

Tiamat smiled when she heard that.

“You're quite loved, Logan.”

“Stop calling me by my old name. It feels weird after all these years.”

She laughed again at Miko's irritated tone, and then turn back to Sasha.

“I'm sorry, but that's impossible.”

“Why?!”

Sasha and twins raised their heads and same time.

“That's because the bond between a Proxy and their ‘Parent’ can only be broken after death.”

The one who answered them was not Tiamat, but Leon who walked into the room.

There were a lot of bandages wrapped around his body, and he was using a crutch to support himself.

“You should've known that as well, Sasha.”

“Leon, you should be laying down!”

Sasha got up to bring Leon back to his room, but he raised his hand to stop her.

“I'm fine. More importantly, Sasha you know that Proxies can't be freed until they die.”

“I know….But, she can still change her Proxy to a different person as long as Miko and the person agrees to it!”

“But, that will link his life to that person’s. If that person died he'll die too.”

“Than I’ll be that person!”

Everyone, except Tiamat and Miko, was shocked to hear that.

Sasha turn to Tiamat with an expression full of determination.

“Please, Your Holiness! Please let me take Miko's place!”

“No.”

The one reject Sasha was Miko, not Tiamat. Tiamat reminded quiet, because she know he would immediately reject her.

“W-Why Miko?! If I replace you, you'll be able to live peacefully?!”

“Peacefully?”

Miko’s tone suddenly became cold, which made the atmosphere in the room tense.

“I don't want that anymore. I've done that for too many dull years. What I want is to drag those arrogant Gods from their thrones, and stomp them under my feet. That's my only reason for living.”

He looked at Sasha's sad face.

“I appreciate everything you've done for me, but…”

And then glared at Leon.

“But if you get in the way of my goal, I'll kill you.”

Hearing that, Leon bit his lower lip and said nothing.

Sensing the tense mood he created, Miko sighed and continued.

“There's no need to worry. If I didn't want to be this selfish Goddess’ Proxy, I would've committed suicide already.”

“Suicide?!”

Sash turned pale after hearing that.

Meanwhile-

“Hahahaha! It's true! He's the type of guy that wouldn't hesitate to bite his tongue off, if he has to.”

Tiamat laughed and agreed with what Miko said.

“…..At least….At least make us your Apostles! That way we can help you.”

“Apostles?”

Miko was confused by the term Sasha used, and turned to Tiamat.

“What is she talking about?”

Tiamat sighed and replied.

“Apostles are loyal retainers of a Proxy. Just like a Proxy, they receive a blessing from a Higher Being, but not on the same level. Only someone who is completely loyal to the Proxy can become their Apostle.”

Tiamat then smirk and said-

“I'm surprised you didn't know. Didn't your book have information about it?”

She spoke mockingly.

“……I swear I'm going to kill you first, when I win this war. Remember that.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing your efforts, Human.”

The two glared at each other for the first time. But it strangely felt naturally for them.

“Anyway, that's a no. I have no intention of getting you involved in my vendetta.”

Sasha gritted her teeth and walked over to Tiamat, and grab her by the collar.

“Why?! Why does my child have to be the one to fight your war?!”

Tiamat showed a shock expression for the first time. She didn't expect to be treated this way by her descendant.

However she smiled and looked into Sasha's eyes, that was filled with hatred and said-

“It's because of who you are.”

“Huh?”

“Out of all of my descendants, you're probably the only one that would grab me by the collar and yell at me. All of the rest would probably celebrate the fact that their child has become my Proxy, while ignoring the potential danger they faced. That's why I chose you to be Logan’s new mother. You who would stand up to a God for her son.”

Hearing Tiamat's words made Sasha's body tremble with anger. She then pulled Tiamat closer and shouted-

“Isn’t that the obvious thing to do?! I don't care if you're a God, a demon or even the Supreme Being! No one endangers my children!”

She then threw Tiamat back into her seat and angrily left the room. The twins chased after her. Leaving Leon, Tiamat and Miko alone in the room.

“……..”

Leon timidly looked at Tiamat's face to see her expression. He was terrified at what the being who was feared as the Personification Of Chaos would do.

But Tiamat-

“Hahahahaha! That's my descendant for ya! She's fearless like a proud dragon! She's truly fitting to be called Nero's daughter."

She burst out laughing, and praised Sasha. Seeing that, Leon sighed in relief.

Miko on the other hand didn't look too moved.

“That's just how she is. She's very reckless, but she makes a great mother.”

He spoke as if her actions were obvious to him.

“I see. I guess you're right.”

Tiamat said happily.

“But being around such a person is suffocating for you who’s never experienced love, right?”

She said teasingly.

“…..I’ve experienced love. But, you're right. I’ve reached my limit. If I stay here any longer I will lose my purpose. Logan Cross would truly die then.”

Miko's tone was sad, but filled with purpose.

Leon looked down on the ground and gritted his teeth, like he knew what Miko was going to say next.

“Six years wasn't all that long, but I guess it's enough.”

Miko looked at ceiling and spoke.

“I'm going to leave this house, and begin my conquest. Starting with this kingdom.”