Chapter 42: God (7)

Chapter 42: God (7)

Justice. The right way.

Indeed, what is the right way? Even for me, who has nurtured life for unimaginable years after ceasing to be human, it was a concept I couldn't grasp.

What is right? What is justice? All of it felt vague.

But could this simple, self-absorbed, and troublesome child be responsible for such a difficult concept?

I think it's unreasonable.

[Anyway, I am now quite remarkable! It's okay for Mom to praise me! When the small and weak humans fear the darkness, they call my name!]

Well, I can understand the title of the god of light... since I knew that child is no different from the light itself.

What worries me is the part about being the god of justice and law.

"What do you think justice is?"

[Justice? Hmm... What I think is right!]

See. No thought whatsoever.

"What do you think is right?"

[Of course, that I am beautiful!]

Is this kid really okay to be the god of law and justice?

[Anyway! Now that I've become so great! I'll rule the world in place of Mom!]

Hmm?

"Shamash. What are you talking about?"

[Mom has been nurturing the world even before we appeared, right? I don't know how long it's been... but it must have been a tremendously long time! But that's not okay! Mom needs a rest too!]

"Rest...?"

Do I need that...?

The world is vast, and there are many lives. Creating an environment where all those lives can live without major problems is not an easy task.

But I thought I was doing it well, splendidly.

Rest? me...?

You're good at joking.

[No matter how great Mom is, it's tough to keep going without rest. So, let me rule the world and give Mom a break!]

Hmm... It seems you've been thinking about that for my sake. I guess she wasn't just a naive child with a blank mind after all.

But that's impossible.

"How would you rule the world?"

[How? Hmm... I'd just sprinkle warm light around.]

"And?"

[And? Uh, hmm... Just set some rules and execute those who don't follow?]

"Anything else?"

[Else... Uh... They'll just live well on their own, won't they?]

At Shamash's words, I sighed softly.

"That's why it won't work."

Alright! Let's correct Shamash, even if it means beating some sense into her. The principle of presuming guilt is not okay. Even if it's a time when human rights don't exist, it's not right for the god of law and justice to think this way!

Ah, is it because human rights don't exist that she think this way...?

The concept of human rights will be born much later in the future.

It might not be strange for Shamash to think this way. Yeah....

But still, it needs to be corrected. Um. I can't let innocent humans be killed.

[If it's such a vague issue, perhaps it would be easier to create a method to distinguish lies from the truth, Mom. Could you please help with that?]

"Hmm? A request?"

[Yes. When making judgments, there are really a lot of criminals trying to deceive me with lies. I wish there was a way to read their minds and detect lies.]

Reading minds and detecting lies... Hmm...

It doesn't seem too difficult to read thoughts.

Yes. Since she has already ascended to the position of the god of law and justice, instead of arguing back and forth, it would be better to provide a means to make judgments more easily.

But that doesn't mean I shouldn't correct them!

"Indeed, having such a method would make judgment easier."

[Right? Please, Mom! With that, I can conclude human trials on my own! It won't bother you with the world's affairs anymore! We can clearly distinguish right from wrong!]

"Alright. I'll see what I can do to create such a method."

Creating magic to read and verify thoughts shouldn't be too difficult. I've already created magic to connect different bodies and minds... Just need to modify it to temporarily, one-way read thoughts.

That aside.

"While creating that method is one thing, I can't just overlook sacrificing innocent people to punish criminals."

[What? But... there are so many people in this world. They keep calling me to judge their cases. It's faster to just kill those who are definitely guilty and interrogate those who are uncertain, and if they confess, kill them. Killing a few more won't make much of a difference in the number of humans.]

"That's why it's not good. Rather, you should thoroughly distinguish the weight of the crimes committed and let humans handle the lighter crimes, and you only deal with the serious crimes that involve life. That way, your workload would decrease."

[But... then the number of trials I get to watch would decrease! Watching trials is so much fun!]

Watching...?

[Shamash. Appear before me.]

I summoned Shamash with a low voice filled with power.

Then, in front of me, a dazzling mass of light began to take shape. I grasped that form with one hand and created an avatar.

Then, a blonde young girl appeared in front of me. It was Shamash, in human form.

"Uh, Mom?!"

Surprised by suddenly gaining a physical body, I swung a fist filled with power towards the top of Shamash's head.

Thud!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thus, to punish the errant god of light, the Creator Dragon wielded its power.

And for a moment, the world lost its light.

Thus, an eclipse occurred in the world.

- Inscribed on an ancient stone tablet by a Lizardman.