As Canila spoke falteringly, with her head down, Salia watched with a strange, detachedness.
The dragon god remained silent, as did the boy and young dragon who watched nervously from the other side of the mirror.
Still, what an unreliable god seat. Salia thought.
It wasn’t because it was created by a lesser god. It was likely the loss of passion towards her own star.
When Canila thought about what she had done to her friend, it affected her desire for her own star to be healthy. When the god’s light fades, so does the faith of the people. And their authority weakens.
It was like a gentle death. Out loud, she would talk about the games and increasing believers. But it was all an act to distract from her own despair.
“That is the end of my story.”
Canila raised her head and smiled sadly.
“How much time did I waste in order to do something so simple. In the end, I suppose I only cared about myself.”
She said with a look of resignation, after her confession was met with silence.
“I said that it was for you, but perhaps I just wanted a reason to be allied with Lord Zephalis. I am just a lesser god, and so I cowered in order to survive. And then, I latched onto you after you became a greater god, as if wanting mercy.”
Canila said with despair.
“You were looking for them. The enemies who defiled your world. Well, she is in front of you now.”
Salia searched for words to describe the emotion welling up within her.
“Canila.”
Ahh. Why?
“You are a coward.”
She said, before that face began to laugh with despair.
“Now. At this time, you have come out. In front of me. If you wanted to atone for your sins, why not come out before, when I was angry and overcome with grief?”
“Because…”
“If you wanted to help me, you should have walked beside me back when you could still believe in the world’s innocence…before embracing that sly god’s words.”
She said the words without mercy.
She could not forgive.
“And now, when I need as many allies that I can have…why would you choose this moment to admit your crimes!?”
“Ah…”
“You are the worst kind of coward!”
Canila was shaking.
She was scared.
At the real emotion beyond self-deprecation. An emotion that she herself wasn’t fully conscious of.
“On top of that, you want me to end you? How cowardly can you be?”
Actually, she had realized it.
The reason that the barrier had been broken. It was obvious. They had made it together. And so it would not have been possible to get through it without Canila’s help.
But she had been too afraid to look into it.
If Canila had betrayed her, then she would surely be erased from the world next time. That is what she thought.
“I will not punish you. I will not hurt you. I will not judge you for your sins.”
The words were unleashed as her emotions raged.
“If you want to vanish so much, do it yourself. But do not forget…”
All of their past. Every bond and every grudge.
“Even if you do it yourself, and vanish from this world, your deeds will be carved into the flow of time for all eternity! As the lowly coward who escaped from the sin of betrayal!”