"Miss Anathasia… Sir Kyle…"
Rania stared up at the entity suspended just beyond Aegea. Its sheer size enough to engulf the entire planet… along with its star… in a single maw.
"What… happened?"
I shot Anathasia a glance.
She immediately looked away.
Booping Grace's nose like nothing was wrong.
My eyes narrowed for a moment… then softened as I turned back to Rania.
"Well, as you can see…" I gestured upward at the gargantuan mass looming beyond the sky.
"Some kind of… eldritch entity decided to drop by—"
"A Cosmic God, yes," Rania cut in, her brows knitting slightly before she let out a quiet, tired sigh.
"What I do not understand, however… is how something of that scale could simply…"
She paused.
"…pass away."
Rania shook her head slightly.
Then her gaze shifted—
Settling on Grace, whose cheeks were currently being pinched by Anathasia.
"And… did the two of you make another daughter?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"A third one…? Are the two of you truly this eager to… expand your family?"
I immediately raised both hands, shaking my head.
"That's not it," I said quickly.
Rania only raised an eyebrow.
"Grace is… well—she is our daughter, but…"
"But?" Rania folded her arms, staring at me flatly.
"I am aware that you are husband and wife. I am not suggesting that expanding your family is… inappropriate," she continued evenly.
"But this situation clearly requires clarification."
"Grace came from a weapon."
My words cut through the air instantly.
Rania froze.
Her eyes widened slightly as her arms slowly fell back to her sides.
"A… weapon?" she repeated, gesturing faintly toward Grace, who had already run off from Anathasia.
"That… innocent girl?"
I nodded.
Then stepped forward, walking past Rania before reaching out and placing a hand on Anathasia's shoulder.
She glanced at me over her shoulder.
"What's up—"
"You."
I smiled faintly, gesturing behind me toward Rania.
"Explain."
Her eyes flicked from me… to Rania… then back again. A bead of sweat rolled down her temple.
"…Um," she forced a smile. "Are you mad?"
"No. Why?"
"You definitely are," she muttered under her breath, swallowing as she peeked past me at Rania.
Then she straightened slightly, her smile tightening.
"I mean… your explanation was already pretty accurate…"
My smile widened just a little as my other hand came up to cup her cheek.
"Of course. I was listening to your explanation earlier, after all."
"Though…" I tilted my head slightly.
"How do you plan on explaining how that Cosmic God died?"
I gently stroked her cheek.
"Well?"
Her eyes darted around, avoiding mine at every turn. It took her a few more seconds before she finally caved.
"…Ngh… well," she started.
I let go of her cheek and stepped back, giving her space.
"Grace… she's someone meant to keep the ecology of Aegea's universe intact, alright?" Anathasia said reluctantly.
"But… I don't want to raise her as just some kind of function. She's aware… she knows she's alive."
"She has a soul."
She inhaled sharply, dragging a hand down her face.
"And I know—it's messed up. Gods having responsibilities, then assigning one to Grace when she's still basically a child mentally…"
Anathasia lifted her gaze, meeting both mine and Rania's. In the background, Grace continued looking around, completely oblivious.
"She has a passive effect that eliminates Cosmic Gods. Like… an instant death effect within a certain range."
She paused.
"That's probably why that Cosmic God came here out of curiosity…"
"…and died the moment it got close."
For a moment, my eyes widened.
Behind me, Rania remained completely still, her brows slowly creasing as Anathasia finished.
Silence settled between the three of us.
Only Grace's laughter filled the air, mixed with the distant sound of waves.
After a moment, Rania pinched the bridge of her nose.
"So… Grace is essentially a Cosmic God deterrent," she said flatly.
"Is that what Miss Anathasia is trying to say?"
Anathasia recoiled slightly.
"Calling her a deterrent is—"
"Accurate," Rania cut in immediately.
"Based on your explanation."
She glanced toward Grace.
"She came from a weapon. You gave her sentience… and intelligence."
"And now she's… someone."
A brief pause.
"Why?"
Anathasia raised a hand slightly—
But no words came out.
She slowly deflated under Rania's gaze.
"Because collapsed totalities have immense potential, apparently," I chimed in.
Both of them turned to me.
Anathasia immediately gestured for me to shut up, but I just shook my head.
"She said it would be a waste not to use it," I continued calmly.
"And that's how we ended up with Grace."
Rania's head snapped back toward Anathasia.
Anathasia froze completely, her eyes widening as her hands lifted defensively in front of her.
[Dude—why'd you say that??!]
Her voice rang inside my head instantly. Her gaze locked onto me as Rania slowly stepped forward.
Silence stretched between us.
Then I gave her a small smile.
[You'll be fine.]
[…]
[What do you mean I'll be fine?! Rania's the only one who ever had the guts to grab me back then, you know?!]
I casually turned away just as Anathasia reached out, her hand stopping mid-air.
"Kyle—"
"We'll have a nice talk, Miss Anathasia," Rania murmured.
Her fingers wrapped around Anathasia's wrist as she began dragging her back toward the beach house.
[Kyle…! I'm making you pay for this later…!]
Her voice echoed in my head, fading, then disappearing completely.
—
By the afternoon—
Shortly after Rania had left—
"Where'd that guy go…"
Anathasia stormed out of the beach house, clearly seething. Not too far away, I sat under a tree, leaning back against the trunk.
She stopped.
Turned.
Her eyes landed on me.
The next second—
She was right in front of me.
A smile curved along her lips.
"Someone looks like they're enjoying themselves."
I glanced down at the flowers beside me, plucking one before holding it out to her, mirroring her expression.
"Mhm. The breeze here's pretty nice."
Her lips parted.
Once.
Then again.
Before she reluctantly took the flower.
For a brief moment, she just stared at it.
Then—
Her gaze snapped back to me.
Her lips twitched.
"The nerve you have…"
My smile didn't fade as I met her gaze, tilting my head slightly.
She glared at me for a moment—
Then let out a quiet sigh and flickered, reappearing beside me.
"So… about Grace," Anathasia started, her eyes drifting into the distance as she slowly raised a hand and pointing toward the entity suspended outside Aegea.
The next second—
It began to dissolve.
Breaking apart into shimmering fragments of light before disappearing completely.
"Even Rania told me to trust Roselia… at least this once," she muttered.
I glanced at her, my hand moving behind her head as I gently ran my fingers through her hair.
Slowly, she leaned against my shoulder.
"I don't know anymore…"
"…Am I just overthinking it?"
She tilted her head slightly, looking up at me—waiting. I met her gaze again, my expression softening as my fingers continued to comb through her hair.
"Maybe…" I said quietly.
"It's just maternal instinct."
A brief pause.
"And honestly… maybe that's all it is."
I let the words settle before continuing.
"There's nothing wrong with worrying about your child," I added.
"It's normal."
"Especially when you think about what Roselia's done before… and even recently."
I trailed off slightly, my gaze shifting toward the sea.
In the distance, the last remnants of the Cosmic God drifted downward—
Faint. Flickering.
Like fireflies in daylight.
"But…" I continued softly.
"I think Roselia deserves a chance too."
I glanced back at her.
"Rania already talked some sense into her, right?"
Anathasia rested her head against my shoulder again, her lips pressing into a thin line.
She groaned softly—
Then buried her face into the crook of my neck, her voice muffled.
"Fine… I'll trust that woman for now."
A small smile tugged at my lips as I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer, resting my chin atop her head.
—
Vàr
The Nutriscu Estate
A gentle, melodic hum drifted through the estate gardens.
Standing beside a rose bush along the cobblestone path—
Was the Duchess and Fourth Outer God of Causality herself.
Roselia Nutriscu.
A watering can rested in her hands as she watched droplets gather along the petals and leaves.
"Duchess…" a maid spoke softly from behind her. "It's quite hot today. Perhaps you should—"
"I'm fine," Roselia cut in gently, glancing over her shoulder with a small smile, continuing to water the flowers.
"I need to do something as well… not just sit around and wallow in regret."
Her expression softened as the water in the can slowly ran out.
The maid pressed her lips together before speaking again.
"But Duchess… we have over a hundred maids who could—"
"Everyone already has their own responsibilities," Roselia replied, turning to face her fully, her smile calm but firm.
"But I appreciate your concern, Delilah."
A brief pause.
"Have you eaten?" Roselia asked, tilting her head slightly.
"It should be around lunchtime."
"But Lady Roselia, what about—"
She raised a hand, gently cutting her off.
"I'll be fine. Outer Gods don't require food for sustenance."
A faint smile followed.
"But I will be upset if you end up going hungry."
The maid hesitated, then lowered her gaze, bowing slightly.
"…Understood, my lady."
With that, she turned and left.
Leaving Roselia alone.
Slowly, Roselia lifted her gaze toward the sky.
"…Three more weeks…"
Her expression hardened slightly.
A voice echoed in her mind—
She already has someone. She just doesn't know.
Roselia… you're only pushing me further away with what you're doing.
I'll leave. Figure yourself out first… then we'll talk again.
Silence.
Her gaze dropped.
"…I'm an idiot…"