As the ultimate culprit poised to destroy not just Uruk but all of humanity, as the final boss of the Seventh Singularity, and as the enemy everyone deeply feared, Tiamat didn't fit the conventional mold of a villain.
Aside from the large horns on her head, which gave off a slightly wicked and rebellious vibe, every other part of Tiamat was the very picture of a beautiful goddess. Her lovely face, her slender yet curvaceous body, her unblemished visage and innocent eyes—it was hard to feel any malice towards her.
As the personification of the "Mother" concept, it was difficult to detect any ill will like hatred or destructiveness from her. On the contrary, her slightly sorrowful gaze strongly resembled a mother who had been neglected and let down by her children, stirring a sense of sympathy in others.
At the very least, Gudako's first impression of her was a complex mix of "pure virgin widow abandoned by her children."
And now, after being summoned by Su Mo into the royal palace, Tiamat's attitude towards him was also slightly different from the other goddesses'. There was none of Gorgon's fear and resistance, none of Quetzalcoatl's surprise and awe, and none of Ereshkigal's self-conscious timidity.
In comparison, her attitude was more like little Ana's when she sensed the Medusa-like aura on Su Mo. Despite being the Primordial Mother Goddess, she approached Su Mo with the uninhibited closeness of a little girl he had raised himself.
She cupped Su Mo's hands in her own, her fine curves pressed unreservedly against his chest, and then pointed at the others, saying something to him in a strange, melodic tone.
It looked exactly like a non-verbal girl tattling to her father.
Just as Gudako and Mash sensed something was amiss and voiced their incredulous questions, while the others were slightly taken aback but still hesitant to believe it...
Su Mo spoke.
"Are you saying that these children won't listen to you? Not only do they not want to return to your embrace, but they even want to raise their hands against you, their mother?"
Listening to Tiamat's voice, Su Mo completely understood her thoughts and repeated them for confirmation in front of everyone.
At his words, everyone present was petrified.
How could the Primordial Mother Goddess tattle to an adult like a little kid?
Turns out, she absolutely could.
"Mhm!" Tiamat immediately nodded, dashing any lingering hope in their hearts.
"Wait a minute!"
Witnessing this, Quetzalcoatl's eyes widened as a thought struck her. "When the Primordial Mother talks about returning to her embrace, she means everyone returning to the primordial Sea of Life to become part of the Black Mud, right?"
"Correct," Gilgamesh nodded. "And that is the very reason we children must rebel against our Mother. Though our lives were granted by her, we are unwilling to have them so easily taken away."
In ancient times, parents held the power of life and death over their children, but that was by no means an eternal truth. At least, Gilgamesh did not want to see his people devoured for such a reason.
"King of Heroes, I understand your meaning. From a human perspective, it's naturally difficult to accept such a doctrine," Quetzalcoatl nodded in agreement, but her tone quickly shifted. "However, from a mythological standpoint, it is a divine right in any pantheon for a creator to reclaim their creations."
In Greek mythology, Zeus created and destroyed the world multiple times. In Abrahamic myths, God naturally possesses the right to destroy the world; the apocalypse is even part of divine prophecy. From a god's perspective, and from Tiamat's own, her request wasn't excessive. She just wanted her children to return to their initial embryonic state.
Although Tiamat was currently being stopped by Su Mo, that wasn't the real problem.
"Are you suggesting that Lord Su Mo might agree with the Primordial Mother's viewpoint?" Gilgamesh's eyes widened as he finally considered this possibility.
More terrifying than Tiamat tattling was the fact that Su Mo might actually listen to her.
"Exactly!" Quetzalcoatl nodded with a helpless expression. "For a father, a child's protests can rarely win against a mother's tears..."
This statement made so much sense that everyone present tensed up, holding their breath as they watched Su Mo's expression. If Tiamat's complaint succeeded, wouldn't they all be punished as bad children?
"F-Father God! Please don't listen to Mother! I don't want to go back to her! I want to stay with you forever!"
Realizing this possibility, Ishtar lost her composure. With tears in her eyes, she immediately hugged Su Mo's leg and started whining.
"Aaa..."
Hearing Ishtar say this right to her face, Tiamat let out a mournful cry, which made Ishtar feel a slight pang of guilt.
"F-Father God, I know Mother is sad, but we don't want to die either!" Ereshkigal hesitated for a moment before kneeling alongside Ishtar. Although her tone was stiff and she was not good at acting spoiled, her voice was filled with pleading as she stated her wish.
Tiamat said no more, but her eyes grew even sadder.
One side wanted her children to return to her embrace, to the primordial soup of life. The other side was unwilling to be remade. This was their fundamental conflict.
Seeing everyone's reactions, Su Mo pondered for a couple of seconds before asking Tiamat, "Why do you want them to return to your embrace?"
While it might be the Primordial Mother's instinct to have life return to its source, Tiamat must have a deeper reason. Otherwise, it wouldn't necessarily have to be now.
At this question, Tiamat's body stiffened slightly. Then, she looked up at Su Mo with her glistening, wet eyes. Seemingly reassured by his aura, she thought for a moment and spoke.
"Aaa... laaa..."
Her sorrowful, seagull-like cry somehow conveyed her meaning to everyone on a spiritual level.
—Don't go. Don't leave me. Don't stop loving me.
It was truly a mother's call. Seeing her children grow up and drift away, the lonely mother couldn't help but want to hold them back, to return to that initial state of inseparable intimacy. That is, to have her children return to the womb, to a state of being one with their mother.
"M-Mother..."
Hearing Tiamat's grief-stricken voice, even Ishtar lowered her head in shame, feeling like a disobedient daughter who had done something wrong. Her mother's sorrow was so pure, yet here they were, rebellious children, ready to raise arms against her. It was just too wrong.
"But even if Mother feels that way..." Gilgamesh had a troubled expression. His mother's sorrow was real, but no matter how lonely she was, you couldn't just stuff grown children back into the womb!
Just as everyone was feeling conflicted, Su Mo stroked his chin and spoke.
"So, you're saying that because you have no one to keep you company, no one to love you, and you feel lonely, you want to make all life return to you?"
Tiamat nodded earnestly. Though she was a mother, her mentality was more like that of a child who had never grown up.
"Well, that problem is easy to solve."
Looking at the love-deprived Tiamat, Su Mo spoke immediately. Tiamat's eyes lit up with anticipation. Su Mo can solve my problem?
The others also looked over nervously, afraid that Su Mo's solution would be to destroy the world.
Under everyone's watchful gaze, Su Mo said casually, "It's simple. If you become my daughter, won't that solve everything?"
At his words, a sea of question marks appeared above everyone's heads.
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
"???"
What kind of solution was that?
"Parents give birth to children, but children are destined to leave. If, as a mother, you find it difficult to receive love in return, then why not become a daughter instead?" Su Mo explained casually. "If being a mother means you can only give and not receive, then be a daughter and ask for love from a father. I have plenty of daughters right now anyway; one more won't make a difference."
"Besides, in terms of our divine connection, as the Creator, I was already your father to begin with."