At that moment.
For Enju Aihara.
That hand was more real than anything she had ever seen in her dreams.
Weightier than any hollow promise.
She looked at that hand, and her heart began pounding inside her little chest.
Thump, thump.
Thump, thump.
An ordinary, peaceful life.
Or thorns and glory?
There was no need to hesitate.
Any normal person would choose the first, right?
Unless they were stupid, who would pass up a good life to choose a path where they could die at any moment?
But.
Enju Aihara bit her lip, looked up at Haimo, and asked timidly:
"Lord God..."
"If... if I choose the first..."
"Will I still be able to see you?"
"Of course."
Haimo smiled and nodded.
"Once this world is clean and things over there are settled, I'll build a portal."
"Then you and the other children can come see me whenever you want."
"Even then, if you change your mind and want to choose again, it won't be too late."
Hearing that, Enju Aihara breathed a sigh of relief.
But immediately afterward.
"Then..."
"If I choose the second..."
"Does that mean... I can stay by your side forever, Lord God?"
"Will you always, always be by my side?"
Enju Aihara continued asking.
"Of course."
"As a member of my familia, naturally, you'll always be with me."
At that instant, faced with the temptation of "always staying by Lord God's side," everything else seemed to become dull and worthless.
She didn't want to be a flower sheltered in a greenhouse.
She didn't want to be a flower sheltered in a greenhouse.
Even more than that, she didn't want to be left behind again.
Even if mountains of blades and seas of fire lay ahead.
As long as she could hold that hand, she would