The Gods' Trials (2): Speaking Only the Facts

To speak only the facts, it would be impossible for Baal to beat Sylphid in a race. Not teleportation or anything like that—just a pure contest of speed. And using only avatars at that... Well, only someone like me could beat Sylphid.

So.

"You really sure you don't want any help?"

"Yeah! I'll handle it somehow!"

Baal boldly declared. I could already see the outcome plain as day, but I did nothing.

And, as expected.

"I won!!!"

I watched Sylphid cross the goalpost I'd set up at the western edge of the world first.

Hmm. Should've lent a hand after all.

Baal was still running from way off in the distance. Sylphid had already arrived and was bouncing around excitedly.

It was a matchup she could never lose from the start, so there was no helping it.

"See? No one can beat me in a race! Ahaha!"

Sylphid was acting downright childish against a young god. She was my kid, but... it was a little embarrassing.

"But Mom! So what happens now? Do I get to be king of the gods?"

"Who knows."

I let out a small sigh as I watched Sylphid grin mischievously. In a situation like this... no choice but to cheat a little.

I pulled the watch from my pocket. The race ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠itself hadn't taken long, so rewinding it just a bit would do.

I turned the hands back and pressed the button on the watch.

At that moment, the world rewound. Everything except me reversed. The entire world rolled back.

Rewinding a long stretch of time would mean negating everything that had happened during it, which I wasn't keen on. But a short hop back? That was fine.

And just like that, I was back at the start of the race. At the eastern edge of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the continent, where Baal and Sylphid were about to take off. The other kids were near the goalpost, betting on Sylphid's victory.

I moved ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠silently so the others wouldn't notice.

Alright, time to set a little trap to snag Sylphid here.

I snapped my fingers lightly, and in an instant, a wooden table and chairs appeared, laden with all sorts of food.

A trap to hold her just for a moment. It wouldn't be enough time for Baal to win on its own, of course... but it would let me talk her into throwing the race.

It might seem sneaky, but making a king of the gods was pretty urgent business for me. If Baal didn't become king, the job would fall to me for sure—and my workload would pile up like a mountain again.

No way I'd let that happen. I'd cheat if I had to!

With that, I prepared a steaming hot apple pie and lemonade fizzing with carbonation, then waited for Sylphid to arrive.

"Whoa! Mom! What's all this?"

Sylphid, barreling toward the goalpost, fell right into my trap.

"I knew the outcome was decided anyway, so I just wanted to chat with you a bit."

"Chat? Then I'll zip to the goal and be right back!"

"No, let's talk right here."

"Huh? The goal's right in front of me?"

"This is a talk we need to have before you cross it."

Sylphid sat down at the table with a slightly grumpy look. I cut her a slice of apple pie and said,

"Do you know why I'm pushing Baal to be king of the gods?"

"Hmm. Not really. 'Cause you like the guy?"

"As if."

I shook my head lightly, and Sylphid took a bite of the pie. Crunch! The crust shattered crisply.

"It's just necessity."

"King of the gods?"

"Yes. King of the gods."

I poured her a glass of lemonade and handed it over.

"You know countless gods are being born right now, yes?"

"Yeah. That's why everywhere's in chaos."

Uncontrolled gods were worse than wild animals. Half-baked power made them even more dangerous. At least they instinctively understood that human faith created them, so they weren't outright killing people. But that didn't stop them from terrorizing humans in all sorts of ways.

"We need someone to rein them in."

"Why not just do it yourself, Mom? You'd be way better than some rookie god."

"You want me buried in work, with no time for anything else?"

Sylphid munched her pie silently at my words.

"I've already got mountains of work as it is. Add god management on top? I could do it, sure. But I'd have to give up a lot."

"Give up a lot...?"

"Yeah. Like... the short times I spend with you all, for instance."

Sylphid fell quiet.

"Point is, I'd get even busier. That's why we need a king of the gods. And Baal's the most promising candidate."

I glanced at Baal running from afar. A young, weak god still. But one who embodied the heavens themselves, brimming with potential.

"Then why not hand it to some other god instead?"

"Hand it off? To who?"

"Uh, one of us...?"

Ifrit and Thetis, who stayed rooted in one place; Yggdrasil and Sagarmatha—out. Shamash had already made a name as goddess of law, justice, and light. She could probably handle it... but I didn't want to dump even more on her when she was already busy.

That left Sylphid as the only real option...

"If you took the job, you'd have to give things up too. You okay with that?"

"Things like what?"

I nodded slightly. For Sylphid, who'd lived free as the wind, taking on responsibility and duties... wouldn't be easy. Especially managing haughty, overpowered gods. It was the total opposite of her unbound nature.

"Freedom."

"Freedom..."

"You, the goddess of wind, would lose that freedom and have to pour yourself into managing gods. Think you could?"

Sylphid pondered for a moment, then shook her head.

She knew herself well. That's why the answer came so quick.

"Guess there's no winning here."

"The best choice is to dump it on that kid."

Sylphid popped the last bit of pie into her mouth and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠chewed vigorously.

"I don't like it. Really don't. But no helping it."

"Yeah. No helping it."

If only there were someone else I could trust with it... But all the other kids had their own responsibilities. I was out of cards to play.

"Alright, talk's over. Time for me to head back to the goal."

"Okay. Thanks for the delicious snack, Mom."

Sylphid yawned exaggeratedly.

"I'm full now, kinda sleepy. That little guy's still got a ways to go... I'll catch a quick nap."

"Sure, go ahead."

Sylphid leaned against a nearby tree stump, closed her eyes, and I returned to the goalpost to watch.

The result, naturally, was Baal's victory.

The rabbit laughed as it looked toward the turtle, who was nowhere in sight.

"Haha! No contest!"

The goal was right ahead, the turtle out of view. It thought the race would be boring, but this gap was ridiculous.

A bit bored, the rabbit let out a small yawn.

"Might as well nap a bit. No way the turtle catches up even if I sleep."

The rabbit leaned against a tree stump near the goal, closed its eyes, and soon started snoring loudly.

Meanwhile, the turtle. Step by step, steadily plodding along, it spotted the rabbit sleeping soundly with thunderous snores.

Napping during a decisive race... The turtle clicked its tongue softly and trudged past, never breaking stride.

By the time the turtle reached the goal.

"Gah! How long was I out?!"

The rabbit jolted awake and looked around frantically. Then it saw the turtle crossing the goalpost.

"Sylphid. Got a bit too cocky there, huh?"

"Yeah... My bad. Just meant to close my eyes for a sec."

Sylphid grinned sheepishly.

"Well, a win's a win. Never expected you'd actually fall asleep... Anyway, Baal wins!"

"Rematch and I wouldn't lose, but no helping it. Gotta concede defeat."

Good. That's two down. Three left? Smooth sailing so far. No need to take lives or anything.

Hmm... As long as there's no bullshit rigging, it'll be fine.

"Guess it's my turn next?"

Yggdrasil, next in line, stepped forward to face Baal.

"My trial is... I want you to fix the elves' picky eating."