I returned to the palace as the sun began to set, painting the sky in soft hues of orange and violet.

The moment I stepped through the grand doors, the familiar warmth of home wrapped around me.

It was always like this...

When I stepped inside, it always felt like the air was different, even though it wasn’t.

All of them were waiting in the main hall.

They must have sensed something was off the moment Seraphiel left earlier.

Vivian stood at the front, elegant as always, her long red hair cascading over her shoulders. Christina was right beside her, fidgeting nervously.

The others gathered around.

Mia and Maria holding hands, Zeva and Yara leaning against each other with crossed arms, Violet and Rose standing close, Alaine with her usual devoted posture, Chaerin watching me quietly, Lilith smirking but with soft eyes, Lumi bouncing lightly on her toes, and Ruli and Leaf looking up at me with bright curiosity.

I stopped in front of them and let out a small breath.

"I have to leave for a while," I stated lightly.

"Seraphiel found the location of Luna, Elleonora, and Chronos. They’re all in the Far North. I’m going to end this once and for all."

A heavy silence settled over the hall for a few seconds.

Then the reactions came, one by one.

Christina stepped forward first, her eyes already glistening. She threw her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly.

"Come back safe," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Please... we just got you back. Don’t do anything reckless."

I hugged her back, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

"I won’t. I promise."

Zeva punched my shoulder lightly, though her eyes were serious.

"You better not die out there, you idiot. If you do, I’m dragging your ass back from the afterlife just to kick it again."

"Yeah. We still have that rematch pending. Don’t you dare miss it." Yara smirked beside her, but her voice was softer than usual.

Mia stepped up next, wrapping her arms around my waist and pressing her body against mine.

"You come back to us, okay? We still have a lot of nights to make up for."

Maria smiled gently from beside Mia, squeezing my hand.

"We’ll be waiting for you. All of us."

Vivian approached last among the main wives. She cupped my face with both hands, her entirely black eyes filled with quiet strength and deep love.

"Finish what you must," she said softly. "Then come home to us. We’ll keep everything safe until you return."

Alaine knelt briefly before rising and adjusting the collar of my coat one last time, her voice steady but emotional.

"Please be careful, Master. We cannot lose you."

Chaerin stepped forward quietly and hugged me without a word. I held her close, patting her back gently.

"Be safe, Papa," she whispered.

"You have to bring me souvenirs! And come back quickly, okay? I’ll miss you too much!" Lumi clung to my leg, puffing out her slimy cheeks.

Ruli and Leaf both gave me quick, tight hugs.

"We’ll train hard while you’re gone, Teacher!" Ruli said.

"Come back stronger!" Leaf nodded.

Lilith sauntered over last, kissing me deeply and possessively before pulling back with a smirk that didn’t quite hide the worry in her eyes.

"Don’t make me wait too long, my Lord.. I get lonely easily."

I looked at all of them, my family, and felt a warmth spreading across my chest.

"I’ll be back soon," I promised.

"This ends now. Then we can finally live without looking over our shoulders."

I turned toward the entrance where Seraphiel was already waiting, standing tall and ready in her battle attire.

She had proven herself incredibly skilled at gathering information and moving unseen. That’s exactly why I was bringing her.

I gave the girls one last look, then nodded to Seraphiel.

"Let’s go."

Seraphiel bowed deeply to the group before falling into step beside me.

Snap!

I raised my fingers and tore open a portal in front of us. The air rippled violently, silver light swirling into a perfect circular gate.

Without hesitation, I stepped through.

The moment my foot touched the other side, the warm, lively air of the capital vanished.

A dry, biting wind slammed into me.

We had arrived in the Far North.

But this wasn’t the frozen wasteland I had imagined.

Instead, we stood in the middle of an endless desert.

Golden sand stretched out in every direction as far as the eye could see, dunes rising and falling like frozen waves under a blood-red sun.

The heat was oppressive, yet there was something unnatural about it... it was if the heat itself made the air feel like a mirage.

And scattered across this never-ending desert were countless divine buildings.

Magnificent temples with golden spires half-buried in sand. Ancient palaces with broken marble columns and crumbling statues of forgotten gods.

Floating ruins hovered lazily above the dunes, connected by glowing bridges of light.

Massive obelisks carved with unknown runes pierced the sky.

Crystalline domes and shattered arenas dotted the landscape, all of them looking as if they had once belonged to a thriving divine city long swallowed by the desert.

It felt like stepping into the ruins of a lost civilization

Seraphiel appeared beside me, her wings flaring slightly to shield herself from the harsh wind.

"This is the place, my Lord," she said quietly.

I nodded lightly at her words, taking my time to look around.

"...And that is supposed to be the main temple?" I asked curiously, pointing out the temple that was the furthest away and the largest.

I nodded lightly at her words, taking my time to look around.

The endless golden desert stretched out in every direction, but the city itself felt strangely alive.

Ruins and divine structures rose from the sand like ancient bones, yet they weren’t abandoned.

Actually... far from it.

There were people everywhere.

Far more people than I had seen in the capital, even during the busiest festival days. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Gods, demigods, mortals who had ascended, and all kinds of divine beings moved through the streets and between the half-buried temples.

Merchants shouted their wares from colorful stalls set up in the shade of broken obelisks. Children ran through the sand playing with floating spirit orbs.

Couples walked hand in hand along glowing pathways that had been cleared through the dunes.

It felt... thriving.

Peaceful, even.

Then, I pointed toward the largest structure in the distance, a massive temple complex that made everything else feel small, its golden spires piercing the red sky like a crown.

"...And that is supposed to be the main temple?" I asked curiously.

Seraphiel nodded once.

"Yes. The readings are strongest there. If Luna, Elleonora, and Chronos are truly here, they’re most likely inside that complex."

We began walking deeper into the city.

The sand was warm under my boots, but the divine energy in the air kept the heat from being unbearable. As we moved, more and more locals noticed us. Some bowed politely. Others stared openly with curiosity, but no fear.

I decided to test the waters.

I stopped near a group of three gods who were sitting at a small outdoor café, enjoying drinks under a shaded canopy made from glowing silk.

"Excuse me. We’re new here. Mind telling us about this place? What’s the story behind this pantheon?"

The three of them, two men and one woman, turned toward us with bright, genuine smiles. Their expressions lit up as if we had just asked about their greatest pride.

"Oh! New arrivals?" the woman said excitedly, standing up.

"You’re in for a treat! This is the Silent Pantheon, or rather, the Eternal Court of the Goddess Horae now."

The taller man beside her nodded enthusiastically, his eyes practically sparkling.

"Decades ago, everything here was chaos. Different factions fighting for control of the desert, gods claiming territory, endless power struggles. Then... she appeared."

The third one leaned forward, voice full of awe.

"The Goddess Horae. She came out of nowhere and took down every single faction in a single night. No negotiations or mercy! She was... simply unstoppable! After that, she declared this entire desert as her domain and created a pantheon dedicated solely to her."

I raised an eyebrow slightly.

The woman laughed softly, reading my expression.

"I know what you’re thinking. We were all opposed at first. Why should we, as gods, bow to another god? It felt humiliating. Some of us even tried to rebel. But..."

Her smile grew wider, almost reverent.

"That quickly changed when we saw the benefits."

"Benefits?" I raised an eyebrow.

At my words, the taller man jumped in excitedly.

"Benefits? Oh, you have no idea! Ever since she took over, the desert has become fertile in its own way. Resources that were scarce before now appear when we need them. Our powers have grown stronger just by living here. Illnesses that used to plague divine beings? Gone. Aging for mortals who serve her? Practically stopped. She even shares fragments of her authority with loyal followers. The city is safer, richer, and more prosperous than any other place in the Divine Realm!"

The third one nodded rapidly, his eyes shining with pure enthusiasm.

"And she doesn’t demand blind worship or sacrifices! She just... protects us. The moment you swear loyalty, you feel it. A warmth. A sense of belonging. It’s like she’s always watching over you. No one goes hungry. No one is truly alone. We’ve never had a better ruler!"

All three of them started talking over each other, yapping excitedly like they couldn’t contain their joy.

"—and the festivals she allows are incredible—"

"—our children are born stronger now—"

"—even the sandstorms avoid the city now—"

"—I used to serve under a cruel minor god, but now I’m free and thriving—"

They went on and on, their voices overlapping in pure, almost fanatical happiness. Their smiles never faded.

Their eyes were bright and full of genuine gratitude.

I listened quietly, nodding occasionally.

Horae...

I’ve never heard of a strong goddess called that before.

"Interesting. Thank you for the information," I finally spoke.

The three gods beamed at me, clearly pleased to have shared their pride.

"Anytime! Welcome to the Eternal Court of the Goddess Horae!"

As we walked away from the café, Seraphiel leaned slightly closer to me and spoke in a low voice.

"My Lord... their devotion is real. I can sense it. Whatever Horae has done here... It’s changed this entire region."

I didn’t reply immediately.

My eyes stayed fixed on the massive temple in the distance, the one that dominated the entire desert city.

Horae...

What exactly is going on here?

That aside...

There are actual mortals living here?!

What the actual fuck?