The room remained quiet after Seraphielle's attempt.
Arin stood awkwardly near the center of the chamber, still unsure whether he should feel relieved or disappointed. The Goddess of Love had searched his soul directly… and yet she had found nothing.
No soulmate.
No destined partner.
No connection.
It should have been impossible.
Seraphielle herself looked puzzled.
"Perhaps Myrathiel could see it," she had said moments earlier.
"The Goddess of Fate perceives destiny itself."
Those words had barely finished echoing when—
The door suddenly opened.
A soft ripple of divine energy spread through the room.
Another goddess had arrived.
Long silver-violet hair flowed down her back like a quiet river of moonlight, and her eyes carried a deep, mysterious calm—almost as if she could see through time itself.
Myrathiel.
The Goddess of Fate.
The moment she entered the room, her eyes immediately found her sisters.
Her expression brightened slightly.
"Ah… so you really are here."
Seraphielle turned first.
"Myrathiel!"
The next moment she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her.
"I was wondering where you disappeared to after the tournament!"
Myrathiel laughed softly as she returned the hug.
"You vanished first."
Before the conversation could continue, the Goddess of Time stepped closer as well.
Myrathiel smiled warmly.
"Well… it seems I found both of you."
She hugged her second sister as well.
For a moment, the three sisters stood together quietly.
Despite their divine authority… despite their immense power…
In that brief moment they simply looked like sisters reunited.
Meanwhile—
Arin stood several steps away.
Feeling increasingly uncomfortable.
Why do I feel like this whole meeting is happening because of me…
His shoulders slowly sank.
Why did I ask that wish…
At that moment, Myrathiel's eyes shifted.
And landed directly on him.
The moment their gazes met—
She already understood.
Her sisters had not called her.
She had simply followed the faint pull of an unusual disturbance in fate itself.
And now she saw the source.
A human.
Myrathiel tilted her head slightly.
"So this is the one."
Seraphielle nodded.
"He wished to know who his soulmate is."
"But strangely… I could not see it."
Myrathiel looked mildly surprised.
"You could not?"
Seraphielle shook her head.
"Nothing appeared."
Myrathiel slowly turned her gaze back to Arin.
Now she was curious.
Very curious.
"Come here, human."
Arin straightened instantly.
"Yes, my lady."
He stepped forward carefully.
Myrathiel extended her hand slightly.
"Raise your hand."
Arin blinked.
"…My hand?"
"Yes."
"Your palm."
Arin slowly raised his hand.
Myrathiel stepped closer.
Then she gently took his hand into hers.
The moment their skin touched—
Arin froze.
His brain short-circuited.
I… I'm holding a goddess's hand.
On Earth, he had barely spoken to girls properly.
And now—
He was standing inside a divine palace.
Holding the hand of the Goddess of Fate.
His heart began beating faster.
Myrathiel didn't notice.
Or perhaps she simply ignored it.
Her attention was completely focused on the threads of destiny flowing through his soul.
Her divine sight activated.
Slowly…
A faint purple glow began forming above Arin's palm.
A thread.
Thin.
Delicate.
But unmistakable.
A thread of fate.
Myrathiel's eyes narrowed slightly.
"So there is one."
The purple thread slowly began extending outward.
Moving away from Arin's hand.
Seraphielle leaned closer with curiosity.
"Can you see it?"
"Yes."
Seraphielle blinked.
"Oh! Then why couldn't I—"
But Myrathiel didn't answer.
Because something strange was happening.
The thread continued moving.
Past the edge of the room.
Past the walls.
Further.
And further.
Myrathiel frowned slightly.
How far does this go…?
Usually soulmate threads did not travel very far.
But this one continued extending.
It slowly curved…
Then began drifting behind her.
Myrathiel turned slightly to follow it.
The thread continued moving.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer—
Then finally stopped.
And connected.
Myrathiel's eyes widened.
Her breath caught.
Because the thread was now attached to someone standing behind her.
Someone she knew very well.
Someone she had grown up with for countless centuries.
Someone she respected.
Admired.
Loved.
Her sister.
The Goddess of Time.
For a moment—
Myrathiel thought she had made a mistake.
Her divine sight sharpened instantly.
She examined the thread again.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The result never changed.
The thread remained connected.
From Arin.
To her sister.
Her mind went completely blank.
Impossible.
A human…?
Destined… to her?
Her expression slowly hardened.
Shock.
Disbelief.
Then something darker.
Discomfort.
No.
More than discomfort.
It was a quiet bitterness forming deep within her chest.
Her sister… the most perfect existence in heaven…
The one admired by gods and feared by worlds…
Her destined partner…
Was a human?
A mortal?
A weak, fragile being that would barely live a century?
Myrathiel felt something twist inside her.
Then she slowly released Arin's hand.
Her face returned to normal.
But inside—
Her thoughts were turbulent.
No.
No one can know this.
Not her sisters.
Not the gods.
Not heaven itself.
Especially not the human.
Because the moment this truth became known…
Everything would change.
Myrathiel suddenly spoke.
"Seraphielle."
Seraphielle looked up.
"Yes?"
Myrathiel asked casually,
"Did you see his soulmate?"
Seraphielle shook her head.
"No."
She tilted her head.
"Why?"
"Did you see it?"
"Or… can you not see it either?"
Myrathiel remained silent for a moment.
Then she made her decision.
She quietly spoke to her sisters through their minds.
Do not interrupt me.
I will explain later.
Both sisters looked slightly confused—but neither spoke.
Then Myrathiel turned toward Arin.
Her expression remained calm.
"Human."
Arin straightened nervously.
"Yes, my lady."
Myrathiel spoke slowly.
"It appears…"
"…you truly do not have a soulmate."
The words fell heavily into the room.
Arin's heart dropped slightly.
He didn't know why.
But hearing it still stung a little.
Maybe because somewhere deep down… he had hoped there would be someone.
But then again—
Things rarely went in his favor anyway.
So he simply lowered his head.
"…I see."
He said nothing else.
Silence filled the room.
Then the Goddess of Time spoke calmly.
"You may leave."
Arin and Caelum bowed instantly.
"Yes, my lady."
They exited the chamber quietly.
Once the door closed—
Seraphielle turned immediately.
"Myrathiel."
"Why didn't you tell him the truth?"
The Goddess of Time also looked at her quietly.
Myrathiel had already prepared her answer.
She sighed softly.
"Because it would be too cruel."
Seraphielle blinked.
"…Cruel?"
The Goddess of Time raised an eyebrow slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Myrathiel spoke with a somber expression.
"That human's soulmate…"
"…has already died."
Both sisters froze.
Myrathiel continued.
"She was born with a rare illness."
"Her body was paralyzed since childhood."
"She spent her life bedridden."
Seraphielle's expression slowly turned sad.
Myrathiel continued.
"And before she could even reach adulthood…"
But suddenly—
The Goddess of Time raised a hand.
"That is enough."
Her voice was calm but firm.
"…We understand."
Even she did not wish to hear more.
Seraphielle slowly sighed.
"…I see."
"That must be why I couldn't see the connection."
"If the soulmate is already dead…"
"…then the bond would have disappeared."
Myrathiel nodded.
"Yes."
The Goddess of Time remained silent.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Something about the story felt strange.
But at the same time—
Why would her own sister lie?
After a moment she spoke.
"You handled it well."
Myrathiel blinked slightly.
"If the human had learned the truth…"
Seraphielle nodded sadly.
"It would have crushed him."
The Goddess of Time looked toward the door where Arin had exited.
Her expression softened slightly.
"A cruel fate…"
She murmured quietly.
"For such an ordinary human to suffer something like that."
For a brief moment—
Something resembling pity passed through her eyes.
But only for a moment.
Then the room returned to silence.
And the truth of fate remained hidden.