The moment the goddess vanished from the palace hall, space folded silently around her.
In the next instant, she stood somewhere far beyond the mortal world—beyond the layers of reality where even divine realms rarely overlapped.
Before her stretched a floating continent of white marble and gold.
This was the former seat of divine authority.
The palace of the once-ruler of the gods.
Tall spires pierced through silver clouds, bridges of radiant light connecting tower to tower. Rivers of glowing water flowed between gardens where divine trees shimmered like fragments of stars.
Despite the overwhelming grandeur…
The place felt peaceful.
Quiet.
It was no longer the center of divine rule.
Now, it was simply a residence.
A home.
The goddess walked calmly through the palace gates and toward the inner gardens.
The garden was enormous—filled with silver-leaf trees, glowing flowers, and fountains shaped like ancient celestial beasts.
At its center stood a round marble table beneath a towering tree whose leaves shone like moonlight.
And seated comfortably beside that table…
…was the former Sovereign.
Solmireth
The man who once ruled the divine realms.
Now retired.
He sat relaxed in a chair, slicing a piece of golden fruit with a small knife, looking more like a peaceful noble enjoying a quiet afternoon than someone who once commanded gods.
As the goddess approached—
Solmireth paused.
Slowly lifting his head.
Then he smiled.
"Well, well…"
He leaned back slightly in his chair.
"If it isn't my daughter."
His eyes sparkled with playful amusement.
"To what do I owe this rare visit?"
The goddess crossed her arms.
"You're exaggerating."
Solmireth raised an eyebrow.
"Am I?"
He gestured around the garden.
"The last time you came here was… what…"
He pretended to think.
"Two centuries ago?"
She sighed.
"That was only eighty years."
Solmireth chuckled.
"Ah, right."
"Practically yesterday."
She shook her head before getting to the point.
"By the way… have my sisters visited yet?"
Solmireth picked up another slice of fruit.
"You mean Seraphielle and Myrathiel?"
She nodded.
"They mentioned they might stop by today."
Solmireth shrugged.
"Not yet."
He looked at her curiously.
"But I doubt you came all this way just to ask about them."
His smile slowly turned mischievous.
"Something interesting must have happened."
The goddess stayed silent for a moment.
Solmireth leaned forward slightly.
"Let me guess."
His eyes glinted with amusement.
"Is this about the human?"
She sighed.
Of course he already knew.
Solmireth had been the one who sent Arin to the goddess in the first place.
Nothing about that boy was exactly secret.
The goddess nodded.
"Yes."
Solmireth rested his elbow on the table.
"And?"
She hesitated for a second before speaking.
"I granted him a wish."
Solmireth blinked.
Then laughed softly.
"Well… that was generous of you."
She gave him a tired look.
"I told him he could ask for anything."
Solmireth grinned.
"That sounds dangerous."
Then she continued.
"And the wish he chose…"
She paused.
"…was to know who his soulmate is."
Silence filled the garden.
For two seconds.
Then—
Solmireth burst into laughter.
"HAHAHA!"
He nearly dropped the fruit in his hand.
"Oh that boy…"
He leaned back in his chair, still laughing.
"Of all the wishes he could have asked from a goddess…"
His shoulders shook with amusement.
"He asked that?"
The goddess rubbed her temple.
"Yes."
Solmireth wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
"That's incredible."
He chuckled again.
"I was expecting something absurd like immortality or divine power."
"But this…"
He shook his head in disbelief.
"A human who asks a goddess about love."
"That's new."
The goddess sighed.
"That's exactly why I came here."
Solmireth tilted his head.
"Oh?"
She looked toward the palace.
"If Seraphielle and Myrathiel arrive later…"
Solmireth immediately understood.
His grin widened slowly.
"Ah."
Now that sounded entertaining.
After all—
One was the Goddess of Love.
The other the Goddess of Fate.
If anyone could answer a question like that…
It was them.
Solmireth leaned forward with interest.
"Well then."
His eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Why don't you bring the boy here?"
The goddess frowned.
"What?"
Solmireth shrugged casually.
"I'm curious."
He took another bite of fruit.
"I want to meet the human who managed to ask a goddess something so ridiculous with a straight face."
She stared at him.
"You just want entertainment."
Solmireth smiled shamelessly.
"Correct."
She sighed again.
"You're impossible."
Solmireth leaned back comfortably.
"I prefer interesting."
---
Meanwhile…
Back in the palace hall.
Arin stood frozen in place.
Still staring at the spot where the goddess had disappeared.
Several seconds passed.
Then he grabbed his head.
"Oh no…"
He started pacing.
"Oh no no no…"
"This is bad."
Very bad.
Behind him stood Caelum.
And Caelum…
Was still processing what he had just heard earlier.
He stared at Arin like someone trying to determine whether the person in front of him was a genius…
Or an absolute idiot.
Finally he spoke.
"…Let me confirm something."
Arin turned nervously.
Caelum pointed directly at him.
"You."
Then pointed upward toward the ceiling.
"Just asked a goddess…"
He paused.
"…to reveal your soulmate."
Arin awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
"Well…"
"When you say it like that…"
Caelum's expression turned completely incredulous.
"When I say it like that?!"
He threw his hands in the air.
"That is exactly what you did!"
Arin looked embarrassed.
"In my defense—"
"There is no defense!"
Caelum interrupted immediately.
"You had the opportunity to ask for anything."
"Power."
"Wealth."
"Divine knowledge."
He pointed dramatically at Arin again.
"And you chose romance!"
Arin frowned.
"Hey, it's not just romance."
"It's my soulmate."
Caelum stared at him.
For several seconds.
Then slowly covered his face.
"I cannot believe this."
Arin crossed his arms.
"What's wrong with wanting to know?"
Caelum lowered his hands.
"What's wrong?"
He leaned closer.
"You asked a cosmic-level divine being about your love life!"
Arin hesitated.
"…When you phrase it like that it sounds a little weird."
Caelum groaned.
"A little?!"
Arin rubbed his face nervously.
"Okay but what if the answer is something insane?"
Caelum frowned.
"Like what?"
Arin lowered his voice dramatically.
"…What if it's someone impossible?"
Caelum crossed his arms.
"Define impossible."
Arin leaned closer.
"…What if it's a goddess?"
There was a pause.
Then Caelum blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then he burst out laughing.
"HAHAHAHA!"
He had to grab a pillar to steady himself.
"Oh that would be perfect."
Arin looked horrified.
"Perfect?!"
Caelum wiped tears of laughter.
"Yes!"
"Because then I'd finally get to see a human try to date a goddess."
Arin groaned loudly.
"Please don't jinx it."
Far away…
In the divine garden.
Solmireth suddenly smiled to himself.
As if the universe had just delivered something incredibly amusing.
And very soon…
Things were about to become far more interesting.