Roel stared at the Mother Goddess with a dazed look on his face. He was struggling to come to terms with what he had just heard.

Prior to this, he had thought about many possibilities for how his terribly fragmented soul could have been repaired, but he didnt think that the Mother Goddess would resort to the method that was the most damaging to Her.

Roel didnt know much about the Black Moon, and those from the Moonsoul Tower wouldnt have explained to him how the Mother Goddess power worked even if they knew. With that being said, he could tell that the Black Moon was an important authority to Her.

He had witnessed the Black Moon on two separate occasions. One was on their first meeting, and the other was when the Mother Goddess was dealing with Death God Pritzer. There was no doubt that it was one of Her strongest means, so it would have been a huge loss for Her to grant Roel this power, no matter how small of a portion it was.

Guilt weighed down Roels conscience. He hadnt thought that the Mother Goddess would end up paying the price for his recklessness.

Mother, what is the Black Moon?

It is a remnant power left behind by My past self, but it isnt anything good. It is evil in nature.

Evil?

Good and evil simultaneously exist within all beings; its the same for the Genesis Goddess as well. Excessive kindness and evil can impair ones judgment, so Sia gathered these elements and classified them during the creation of the world.

Classified them? Roel asked in confusion.

The Mother Goddess didnt answer his question. She quietly stared at him with deep eyes till he finally widened his eyes in realization.

The creation of the world mainly comprised two things: the creation of its environment and the creation of its inhabitants. Supposing Sia had classified good and evil at that juncture, there could only be two possibilities.

One: this classification could have manifested in the form of an environment or a natural law. The Black Moon was an example of an environment manifested from evil.

Two: the classification could have also manifested in the races that were created. This led Roel to think about Sias two closest aides.

Mother, could it be that

Youre right. I bestowed the powers arising from My duality on the first two children I created, and those two children went on to become the ancestors of their respective races. The one that was more inclined toward good is your Kingmaker Clan.

!

Roel was taken aback.

He had somewhat guessed it thanks to the Mother Goddess earlier prompt, but he was still unable to remain calm upon having his theory confirmed. Now that he thought about it, such a setting made perfect sense.

By virtue of their responsibility, the Kingmaker was the most powerful person in the world other than Sia Herself. All Race Sovereigns had to earn their acknowledgment before they were given the mandate to rule.

Such authority was bound to be accompanied with temptations. Someone without firm principles would easily become corrupted. Thus, the Kingmaker had to be someone inclined toward good, or else the consequences would be dire.

This also explained many things.

The Kingmaker Clan had remained a powerhouse for most of history, such as the Ardes in the Second Epoch. It was not without reason, for the Kingmaker Clan was inherently much stronger than the humans. If they wanted to, they could have easily amassed power and wealth and lived decadently.

Yet, it was rare to hear about a patriarch of the Kingmaker Clan going astray.

More often than not, they obstinately chose to walk down the more difficult path that conformed to their justice. For instance, they had established the Twilight Sages Assembly to deal with the Six Calamities and other threats. Even when their house had fallen into a precarious position, they still persisted in their responsibilities and continued to protect others.

It was almost foolish how blindly devoted they were to their principles.

But if the Kingmaker Clan was inherently inclined toward good, that would explain the sacrifices they had willingly made across the generations. However, the thought of that left a bitter taste in Roels mouth.

If the Kingmaker was created to do good, doesnt that just make them pawns Sia created to uphold Her order? This is

Mother, does this mean that a persons nature is fixed at birth? In the first place, what draws the line between good and evil? Roel couldnt help but pose this question.

The Mother Goddess keenly noticed Roels concern and hurriedly explained Herself.

T-thats not it! This nature is just an inclination and not absolute.

Inclination?

Some people are born with an inclination to do good. Some people are born with an inclination to do evil. My power only nudges the Kingmaker toward the former. However, a persons nature is mostly decided by their experiences rather than their birth.

In other words, this inclination only means that I am likelier to do good?

You can say that. What a person becomes ultimately depends on the choices they make.

Roel nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. He was willing to accept that.

As much as he respected Sia and the Mother Goddess, he couldnt bear the thought that his clan was nothing but a tool to uphold justice in the world. That would take away meaning from the sacrifices that his ancestors had made for the sake of humankind.

The concept of good is very broad. It can encompass traits such as kindness, perseverance, and courage. The extent may differ as well. Some express it in the form of goodwill. Some express it through a fervent hatred of evil, the Mother Goddess explained.

I see. Roels heart was put at ease.

He still harbored some questions about the evil the Mother Goddess had spoken about. Supposing that the Kingmaker had inherited Her good, who was the one to inherit Her evil, then? He hesitated for a moment before asking about it.

Mother, who is the other child You first created? Is it the Spiriteers?

No, the Spiriteers are byproducts from the creation of the world. The other child, whom I have entrusted My evil to, is the Witches.

!