The palace hall was quiet once again.
Just moments earlier, the divine presence that filled the room had vanished, leaving behind only the vast silence of the throne chamber.
Arin and Caelum were still standing where they had been.
Arin paced back and forth restlessly.
"I'm telling you," he muttered, running a hand through his hair, "this is not normal."
Caelum folded his arms calmly.
"You made the wish."
Arin stopped and pointed at him accusingly.
"Yes, but you were standing right there!"
"And?"
"A good friend would have stopped me!"
Caelum stared at him with a blank expression.
"I am not your friend."
Arin placed both hands on his hips.
"Wow. That was cold."
Caelum simply looked away.
Arin sighed dramatically.
"I should've asked for something simple… like food… or money… or—"
Suddenly—
The air shifted.
Both of them felt it instantly.
Without even turning, Caelum straightened.
Arin noticed his reaction and froze.
Then, behind them, space itself seemed to ripple quietly.
In the next instant—
She appeared.
The goddess stood silently behind them.
Both Arin and Caelum immediately bowed.
The hall became completely still.
For a brief moment, nothing was said.
Then her voice echoed softly through the chamber.
"Your wish will be answered elsewhere."
Arin remained bowed.
He didn't dare move.
"You will accompany me to the residence of the former Sovereign."
Arin blinked slightly.
Former… what?
But he quickly lowered his head again.
"As you wish, my lady."
There was a faint pause.
Then the goddess lifted her hand slightly.
A small smirk touched her lips.
She snapped her fingers.
Snap.
The world disappeared.
---
One moment Arin was kneeling on the marble floor of the throne hall.
The next—
He was standing.
Cold wind brushed across his face.
Clouds drifted slowly beneath his feet.
Arin blinked.
Then blinked again.
"…What the—"
He slowly turned his head.
Before him stood a massive palace floating among the clouds.
Towering golden spires stretched toward the sky. Wide terraces extended outward like wings, and long bridges of light connected distant towers.
The entire place radiated quiet grandeur.
It was almost as magnificent as the goddess's palace itself.
Arin slowly looked down.
He was standing on a wide platform made of condensed clouds and marble.
He turned toward Caelum.
Caelum stood beside him calmly, as if nothing unusual had happened.
Arin pointed around wildly.
"Did we just teleport across the universe?!"
Caelum answered casually.
"Yes."
Arin stared at him.
"…You people do that way too casually."
He rubbed his face in disbelief.
Just seconds ago he had been kneeling.
Now he was somewhere completely different.
His brain hadn't even caught up yet.
Then suddenly—
A voice spoke behind him.
"Caelum."
Arin nearly jumped.
He had completely forgotten she was still there.
The goddess stood behind them, calm and composed.
Arin immediately bowed again.
She looked toward Caelum.
"Take him to the former Sovereign."
Caelum bowed respectfully.
"Yes, my Lady."
The goddess glanced briefly at Arin.
Then—
She vanished once more.
Just like that.
The moment her presence disappeared, the tension in the air faded.
Arin collapsed backward onto the soft cloud platform.
"OHHH…"
He took a deep breath.
"Okay…"
Another breath.
"…I can breathe again."
Caelum looked down at him.
"You are being dramatic."
Arin lifted his head slightly.
"Easy for you to say."
"You're used to this stuff."
He slowly sat up and looked around again.
"So…"
He gestured toward the enormous palace ahead.
"What exactly is this place?"
Caelum turned and began walking toward the palace gates.
Arin quickly stood up and followed him.
"This," Caelum said calmly, "is the palace of the former Sovereign."
Arin frowned.
"The what?"
Caelum continued walking.
"The former ruler of the divine realm."
Arin blinked.
"That sounds… important."
Caelum nodded slightly.
"He is also the father of our Lady."
Arin stopped walking.
"…Excuse me?"
Caelum continued forward as if nothing unusual had been said.
Arin hurried after him.
"Hold on—hold on—"
"You're telling me the Goddess of Time has a father?!"
Caelum glanced at him.
"Of course."
Arin looked stunned.
"And she has two sisters as well."
Arin froze again.
"SHE HAS SISTERS?!"
Caelum nodded calmly.
"One of them is Seraphielle."
"The other is Myrathiel."
Arin stared at him.
His brain struggled to process the information.
"So you're telling me…"
He gestured dramatically.
"The Goddess of Time…"
"…has sisters who are the Goddess of Love and the Goddess of Fate?"
Caelum nodded once.
"Yes."
Arin rubbed his forehead slowly.
"Wow."
"That family reunions must be terrifying."
They walked quietly for a few moments.
Then Caelum spoke again.
"I probably shouldn't have told you that."
Arin raised an eyebrow.
"Why not?"
Caelum answered calmly.
"Very few beings know about their family relationships."
"Mostly the Elder Gods and a handful of high-ranking servants."
Arin smirked slightly.
"So should I consider myself lucky?"
Caelum stopped and gave him a sharp look.
"Careful, human."
"You have already offended enough gods."
Arin immediately raised both hands.
"Alright, alright."
"No more offending divine beings."
He paused.
"…I'll try."
They continued walking toward the palace.
After a short while, Arin spoke again.
"So… who exactly is this former Sovereign?"
Caelum was silent for a moment.
Then he answered.
"He ruled the divine realm long before our Lady."
"Even before I was born."
He paused briefly.
"The only time I ever saw him directly was when I was very young."
"He was giving a speech to the gods."
Arin nodded slowly.
Then suddenly his eyes widened.
"Oh!"
"That old guy!"
Caelum looked at him.
"The one with the long beard!"
Arin gestured wildly.
"He looked like some ancient wise sage!"
Caelum nodded.
"Yes."
Arin shrugged.
"Well… he did help me back then."
Then he added casually,
"But then again he sent me to the Goddess."
"So I guess it cancels out."
Caelum sighed.
"You really should stop speaking so casually about gods."
Arin waved his hand dismissively.
"Yeah yeah."
"Sorry, my lord."
A moment passed.
Then Arin suddenly remembered something.
"Hey."
Caelum glanced at him.
"You once said you'd request an Elder God to send me to the perfect world."
Caelum nodded slightly.
"I did."
Arin smiled hopefully.
"So… about that?"
Caelum replied calmly.
"I could."
He paused.
"But now I don't feel like it."
Arin stopped walking.
"WHAT?!"
Caelum continued walking toward the garden path.
"You are an ungrateful human."
Arin hurried after him.
"Oh come on!"
"Please!"
"I promise I'll never joke about the gods again!"
Caelum ignored him.
Arin clasped his hands dramatically.
"I swear!"
Caelum said nothing.
But internally…
He was enjoying this.
Eventually, they reached a large garden.
Tall silver trees swayed gently in the wind.
A marble table stood beneath one of them.
Caelum suddenly stopped walking.
Arin was still talking.
"…and if you help me I'll even—"
He noticed Caelum had stopped.
"Hey, why did you—"
Then he saw the figure sitting at the table.
An old man.
Long beard.
Wise eyes.
Calmly sipping tea beneath the tree.
The former Sovereign.
Solmireth.
Arin blinked.
Then muttered quietly to himself.
"…Oh."
"…It's that old guy again."