'Does this have something to do with me? Have I, without realizing it, rewritten fate again?'
'Wait, that can't be right.
If I had really rewritten fate, Goddess Clotho would have shown up by now, rubbing her crystal ball in my face.'
Promise was a bit confused.
But no matter how much confusion swirled in his mind, the unfolding of fate before him continued uninterrupted.
Meanwhile, Aphrodite indeed felt strange.
Standing on the sidelines, she felt like a spectator alongside Promise and Hecate, yet because it was her own future being shown, it also felt like she was personally involved, living through it.
Adonis was unusually persistent.
Unexpectedly.
No matter how much disdain or annoyance Aphrodite showed towards her, the girl never wavered.
She continued to chase after the goddess, her clear green eyes always fixed on Aphrodite as though no one else in the world existed.
Watching all this unfold in front of her eyes, even Helen couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.
'Ah, if only Brother Promise could look at me the way Adonis looks at Goddess Aphrodite.'
And then it was just like in the myths and legends.
Well, not exactly like the myth. There was a subtle difference. In the original story, Aphrodite fell in love with Adonis at first sight.
But at this moment, under the influence of Hecate's magic of fate, the future being shown now had Adonis tirelessly chasing after Aphrodite, rather than the other way around.
The small figure of Adonis followed her day and night, never giving up.
At first, Aphrodite's feelings were ones of disgust and irritation, but slowly, gradually, she began to give in, moving from resistance to reluctant acceptance.
Through the small gestures and constant companionship, Adonis slowly carved out a place by the goddess' side.
She continued to offer simple, humble gifts—fruits or flower crowns, nothing extravagant.
Yet, these were the things that mattered most to her, and she gave them all to the goddess she adored.
As time passed, Aphrodite found herself increasingly aware of Adonis.
Though she never dropped her prideful demeanor, and still treated the girl with haughty indifference, she couldn't help but notice the girl more and more.
Aphrodite knew herself too well.
She realized that each time she cast her gaze toward Adonis, she was beginning to care for her.
As time flowed on once again, a sudden, joyful cry broke the silence.
Aphrodite watched as Adonis, calling her name, ran toward her with a beaming smile.
Instinctively, the goddess reached out, wanting to pat the girl's head or pinch her cheek.
But soon found out that her hand passed right through her, intangible.
She could only watch as the girl reached another version of herself, the Aphrodite of that future, who haughtily accepted the affection as a matter of course, without acknowledging the girl's devotion.
Seeing this, Aphrodite frowned and couldn't help but hum softly.
And then she froze.
Am I... angry? she wondered, surprised by her own reaction.
Because it wasn't as simple as just being angry.
A strange, suffocating emotion churned in her chest, making her feel unsettled.
"Why is the goddess acting like that?" Helen, standing nearby, puffed her cheeks in frustration and voiced her dissatisfaction towards her goddess aloud. "She doesn't know how to appreciate someone who cares for her… Brother Promise would never act like that, right?"
Helen's eyes sparkled with hope as she looked at Promise, who couldn't help but tilt his head, confused.
Why am I being dragged into this?
Seeing Promise's baffled expression, the girl looked a little dejected but quickly pumped her fist in determination. "It's fine! If things continue this way, she'll figure it out eventually!"
"After all, even the goddess has started to change a little!"
Not to mention them, even Hecate looked a bit surprised.
Looking at the scene unfold in front of them, her gaze shifted between the flowing images of the future and the real Aphrodite, who stood there, staring blankly at Adonis.
"Interesting... The goddess of love and beauty actually seems to have brought out her true love... Is this your revenge, Promise?"
Promise didn't answer.
He kept watching the scene in front of his eyes, then glanced at Aphrodite, who was gradually softening her gaze toward Adonis, only for her expression to turn sour with jealousy whenever she saw her future self.
Thinking of where this might be headed...
"Why do I feel like I've made a terrible mistake?" Promise couldn't help but mutter under his breath.
The more he watched, the more uneasy he felt.
Things were not going well..and it certainly wouldn't end well.
He knew that Adonis was the goddess of beauty, Aphrodite's greatest love.
It's just initially, he had assumed it was just another typical love story from Greek mythology—one of those impulsive attractions based on beauty alone.
After all that was how it was defined...Lust.
Aphrodite being a female Zeus was the prime example.
But now?
My goodness,
Not only had Adonis become a woman, but more than that, she had successfully won Aphrodite over...
Not just romantically, but emotionally.
Aphrodite's gaze toward Adonis was filled with something far deeper—be it love or maternal affection, it was clear that this bond had changed.
And if this were to play out to its conclusion…
A cold shiver ran down Promise's spine as he realized the implications.
"Um, Goddess Hecate, maybe we should stop this?" He suggested, trying to keep his voice steady.
But before Hecate could respond to his words, it was too late.
The next scene came abruptly, as sudden and inevitable as fate itself.
One moment, the young Adonis was happily running after Aphrodite, gathering offerings from the mortal world and presenting them to the goddess with her usual bright smile.
In the very next moment, the sky darkened with heavy clouds, and rain began to pour, as if trying to wash away everything.
On that day, the white roses were stained red.
Just as in the ancient myths, the person named Adonis collapsed into the arms of Aphrodite, her body lifeless.
No matter how loudly Aphrodite called out her name, she never opened her eyes again.
The goddess of beauty stood frozen, her mind unable to process the scene before her.
She was trapped in disbelief, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Meanwhile, Promise slapped his forehead, hard.
Hecate, after a brief moment of shock, reacted instinctively as she flinched and immediately started to bolt.
Say what you will about her, but the goddess certainly had fast reflexes.
"Goddess Hecate, where are you going?"
But how could Promise let her escape that easily.
She was also the mastermind behind the scenes, so, he grabbed her just as she was about to run.
"Let me go! Let me go!
This has nothing to do with me! I know nothing!" Hecate shouted, her frustration evident as she struggled, though not too forcefully.
Despite being a powerful goddess, she couldn't bring herself to use her full strength, so she found herself helplessly restrained by a mortal.
"Promise, let go of me!" she demanded, but he held on tightly.
"Brother Promise, what's happening?" Helen was also at a loss as she looked at the scene, and said to the boy in a panic,
"This can't be real, right?"
Before Promise could answer, the scene shifted again.
As he found himself transported back to a familiar place—the bronze temple of Hephaestus, the god of craftsmanship.
"Child..."
A goddess with long, golden hair that seemed to cascade to the floor sat in a wheelchair, gently stroking the hair of the young girl named Adonis.
"Why do you care so much for Aphrodite? She obviously doesn't deserve it."
"Because there's no love around her," Adonis replied, her voice soft and full of sincerity. "I want to give her love. Then maybe she'll finally be happy."
Her innocent and beautiful smile illuminated the room.
Aphrodite stood in stunned silence, looking at the scene in front of her blankly.
In that moment, she felt as if she had fallen into an endless abyss, overwhelmed by a suffocating sense of despair.
She couldn't breathe.
The magic of fate had completed its course.
Suddenly, everyone was back on the island, in the temple of Aphrodite.
This time, Promise didn't just grab Hecate—he outright clung to her, refusing to let go no matter what.
Well..he still has some self awareness.
Though he wanted to take revenge on the goddess, he knew deep down that he might've gone too far this time, perhaps more than just a little.
Hecate was livid.
She could sense that Promise was trying to drag her down with him to avoid Aphrodite's wrath.
But the problem is that she really doesn't want to get involved in this mess!
"Let go of me! I'm not getting involved in this! I don't want to die with you!" Hecate snarled, trying to shake him off.
"Not so fast, Goddess Hecate!" Promise shouted.
He knew that, on her own, Hecate could easily slip away, leaving him to face the enraged goddess of love alone.
'Only you, Promise,' Hecate thought bitterly.
Only you could turn a simple revenge into a full-blown disaster! You've completely shattered Aphrodite's emotional state!
Just as these thoughts crossed her mind, Aphrodite, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke.
"No…"
Her voice trembled, haunted by the memory of blood staining her body and the girl's final words echoing in her mind.
Aphrodite clutched herself, sinking weakly to the ground.
"No, please… don't… don't…" Her body shook uncontrollably, her tears flowing freely as she muttered to herself, consumed by pain and sorrow.
At this, both Promise and Hecate fell silent, while Helen stood completely frozen, unable to comprehend what was happening.
Then, in the next instant—
"Promise, you bastard, let me go!"
"Goddess Hecate, this matter has something to do with you as well. Don't even think about getting out of this!"
"You selfish—let me go, please, I'm begging you!"
"I'm sorry, Goddess Hecate! It really won't work this time,
I'm really scared this time!"
"You're scared? I'm scared too! Now let me go, you idiot!"
.
.
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