The Fates

At that very moment, far above on the back of a white-winged Pegasus…

"Hm?"

Aphrodite glanced down toward the mortal realm, her eyes falling upon the distant figure of Helen.

"Is something wrong, goddess Aphrodite?" the boy in front of her asked, sensing her distraction.

Aphrodite raised her eyes, her pale yellow gaze reflecting the boy sitting before her.

"...It's nothing," she replied coldly.

She had heard her devotee's vow, but how could she possibly share that with the boy before her?

After all, the anger and embarrassment this boy had ignited within the goddess of beauty had yet to be quenched.

...

...

Pegasus, the magnificent winged horse, soared obediently through the blue sky, carrying its passengers—Aphrodite and Promise—toward a destination both familiar and yet unknown to Promise: the ancient temple of the Fates.

At this moment, Aphrodite had one goal in mind.

She intended to visit the Fates and ask about her future, specifically about the young girl who had left such a deep imprint on her heart—Adonis.

Where was that girl now?

The goddess of wisdom, Athena, had already left her oracle: if Promise were to paint a true portrait of Aphrodite, the essence of it would lie in a single word—love.

Athena, with her golden eyes of absolute wisdom, had already seen through everything about Aphrodite.

Just as the goddess of marriage, Hera, couldn't control her own marriage, Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, could never truly command her own love, nor would she ever experience true love that belonged solely to her.

And this, in fact, was part of the reason Aphrodite had taken Promise.

She wasn't that foolish yet.

What's more, every god in Greece now knew one thing: that delicate, flower-like boy, though fragile, had hands capable of performing miracles even the gods couldn't—rewriting fate itself.

Even the fates of the Olympian gods were not safe from his touch.

The situation with Demeter,

the goddess of agriculture, Hades, and Persephone had been proof enough of this.

"Um, Goddess Aphrodite..." Promise, feeling uneasy under the intense gaze of the goddess behind him, finally spoke up, his voice soft as he turned his head slightly. "Actually about what happened just now… I think I should apologize—"

However, before he could finish, Aphrodite interrupted.

"Just now?" She shifted slightly in her seat, her eyes narrowing playfully, a beautiful smile gracing her lips as she spoke.

"Did something happen just now? Do you need me to help you forget... Oh, no, remember it?"

Her smile, although radiant, was anything but reassuring.

"Cough, no, no need! I think I've already forgotten everything!" Promise quickly replied, turning his gaze firmly forward, his expression resolute.

After all, he no longer had any intention of getting himself killed right now, especially when he was so close to fulfilling his destiny.

There weren't many paintings left to complete, and the future he had sworn to Goddess Athena was within reach.

It would be best to aim for a perfect ending, after all.

Seeing his reaction, Aphrodite let out a soft, amused hum.

But as Promise turned away, her face showed a complicated look.

What Promise didn't know was that, in truth, Aphrodite could no longer bring herself to act against him.

After all, those same clear and beautiful green eyes that she knew so well now stared back at her through this boy.

That face slightly similar to Hephaestus and those eyes exactly the same as his... Could it be? Could this girl—this mysterious figure with Promise's eyes, be their daughter?

Aphrodite's thoughts wandered toward the vision she had glimpsed through fate.

The more she looked at Promise, the more her mind spiraled into these strange, absurd ideas.

Even though she also found that her thought was a bit ridiculous.

However, an odd emotion stirred in her heart, one she couldn't quite put into words.

After all, putting everything, every incident aside, Hephaestus was still her husband.

How could she describe this feeling?

It was like Hera, after searching all over the mortal world, finally found her husband Zeus only to discover that he had transformed into a beautiful woman and married a man—and was even living a happy, blissful life.

It felt a bit strange.

.

.

.

Well, anyway...

Outside the Temple of Fate,

When Pegasus landed gracefully, carrying both the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite, and Promise, the three Fates, dressed in their white robes, were already waiting at the temple entrance.

It seemed they had been expecting them for quite some time.

"Noble Aphrodite, we are aware of why you've come. And Promise… we've been waiting for you as well,"

The first to speak was Atropos, the eldest of the Fates, who, bound by destiny, had long lost all emotions. She, who held dominion over death, was responsible for cutting the thread of life.

Looking at Aphrodite who was approaching with an anxious look, the eldest sister Atropos said to her slowly and without any emotion: "But the answer you are looking for is not here. Although I already know it, however, no matter what, I cannot tell you."

"Atropos," Hearing her words z Aphrodite's face twisted in frustration and her voice turned sharp with anger. "What do you mean by that?!"

"Please, Goddess Aphrodite, calm yourself," came a frail but soothing voice, filled with a calming gentleness.

Lachesis, the second sister who controlled the length of life's thread and was forever burdened by illness and suffering, softly spoke to the goddess, "It's not that we do not wish to tell you, but that we cannot. Because by bringing him here…"

As she spoke, she coughed lightly and then gestured toward Promise, who was busy calming Pegasus. "Even the smallest word could alter the course of fate."

The goddess of beauty paused, taken aback by this response.

However, just as she stood there, momentarily stunned, Clotho, the youngest of the three, the one who saw into the future, finally stepped forward.

"Honorable goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite, I can indeed reveal the answer you seek, as I am the one who sees what is to come. But the question is: are you prepared to face the consequences of the future?"

"If you insist on knowing, you may never again see the person you so desire,"

When Clotho said this words, even Promise, who was watching her from the side, couldn't help but blink in surprise.

After all, even though her voice was soft as always, yet, at this moment, it carried an unshakable authority.

Though it still had its usual youthful tone, it was now very majestic, causing the goddess of beauty Aphrodite, who had moved her lips several times, to not dare to say a word.

'Hey, is this still my goddess Clotho, with a soft voice, a flexible body, easy to push down?'

Promise thought in disbelief.

Almost as if sensing his thoughts, Clotho, despite her eyes being milky white, glared pointedly at Promise.

Come to think of it, the gods could actually see into his thoughts now.

Well.. it was no secret among the gods, that they could not read his thoughts, because the boy once had a silver strand of hair, left by Athena, the goddess of wisdom, that had shielded him from the gods' prying minds.

However, that strand had been lost on his journey to reach Atalanta, and since then, his thoughts had been an open book to the divine.

Later, Atalanta had tied his long hair with a simple cord, but that rope didn't have the same effect, so, the protection was gone.

"But… I…,"

Then seeing her stammer, biting her lip, unwilling to accept that this was the end of her search, Clotho, with a gentle yet resolute voice, spoke once more, "In truth, you need not search for anything. The answer has always been beside you.

When the time comes, you will meet them again."

"And besides," She added, "You do not need to worry about the future you glimpsed through Goddess Hecate's magic. It will not come to pass."

"Really?!" Hearing this, Aphrodite's face lit up with hope as she looked at Clotho.

Lachesis, offering a weak smile, replied, "Of course, noble Aphrodite. After all, it is my dear sister who truly governs the future."

"And since you've brought him here, what more do you have to fear?" she added softly.

Aphrodite's tense posture finally relaxed, her expression softening at their words.

As Lachesis finished speaking, she glanced once more at Promise, a gentle smile playing on her lips. "This young man has already sworn an oath to ensure that the future my dear sister, Clotho, watches over will always be the most beautiful."