After a while, the quarrel between Lady Nyx and Lord Erebus came to an end, and Lord Erebus withdrew.
Thereupon, Lady Nyx personally guided me to the place where Lady Gaia was said to be, all the while asking me about everything that had happened up to now.
"Mm-hm. I see~"
"...You seem rather pleased."
"Of course I am! This mother is happy simply hearing our youngest's stories like this. Ah! Come to think of it, it's been quite a while since I last saw our granddaughter."
"...It has not been that long."
"But! To this mother, it feels very long indeed!"
Then, when the subject turned to Noxia, Lady Nyx immediately revealed the face of a doting grandmother.
'Still... I can't let them take our Noxia from us...!'
At that, I somehow managed to dissuade Lady Nyx from trying to rush up to the castle again, since if she came to see Noxia, I would not be able to play with Noxia in the meantime. Of course, if Lady Nyx made another sudden visit, the castle would quite literally be turned upside down.
As we walked on while talking,
"We're here."
under Lady Nyx's guidance, we arrived at the place where Lady Gaia was waiting.
"Haa..."
"Are you nervous?"
"If I were not even a little nervous... that would be a lie."
Before entering the promised place, Lady Nyx noticed my hands trembling and spoke to me.
"Now then, how is it? Is the trembling any better?"
She reached out and took my hand as she said that.
"...Yes. Thank you."
"Think nothing of it. Worrying over and cherishing one's son is this mother's role, after all."
"...Yes."
"Then. Shall we go in soon? Gaia must be waiting."
"...Yes. Let us go in, Mother."
And so, together with Lady Nyx, I stepped through the wooden gate.
"...This is..."
Once inside, I was momentarily lost in the sight before me: a forest spread out in brilliant moonlight, beautiful and pure, as though untouched by the world.
"Fufu. You seem quite surprised."
"...Yes. This is indeed... rather astonishing."
"Is that so? You seem to have a good eye."
"..!!"
As I looked around the forest, a woman's voice I had never heard before came from somewhere within it. Startled, I turned toward the source of the voice.
"You are..."
When I turned my head toward where the voice had come from, a woman stood there, watching me. She had flowing golden hair and eyes that seemed to hold the blue sky within them.
I was about to ask who she was, but quickly changed my words.
"...Astellon, the one called King of Eirene, greets Lady Gaia, mother of the gods."
"Hmm. I never introduced myself, yet you say that to me."
"I came here under Lady Nyx's guidance, so I merely inferred that you were the one dwelling in this forest. If I have offended you, I apologize."
"...No matter. I do not dislike those who are quick-witted, know their place, and do not overstep it. For a human, you are also polite... far better than most gods."
"I am honored by your praise, Lady Gaia."
"Hmm..."
"How is he, Gaia? Our youngest~?"
"M-Mother?!"
As I greeted Lady Gaia, who had appeared from within the forest, and answered with utmost courtesy, Lady Nyx suddenly embraced me from behind and, with a radiant smile, looked at Lady Gaia and spoke in a bright, cheerful voice.
"...I see. I had wondered what was going on when I heard you had taken a human as your adopted son, but... that child is quite a good one. Yes. In such circumstances, you found and raised such a child admirably."
"Our youngest son is amazing, isn't he! Still, most of it was done by our youngest alone. Thanks to that, we were able to find this child."
"...Is that so. That child..."
At Lady Nyx's words, Lady Gaia's two eyes turned toward me.
'This is... incredibly pressuring.'
Feeling the weight of that gaze,
'And... how long is Lady Nyx going to stay attached to my back?'
I also worried about Lady Nyx, who was still clinging to me.