In the upper reaches of the God Realm—a sacred domain where only the Supreme Gods and their direct subordinates were permitted—the three most prominent deities of the divine world were gathered. They sat within the Temple of the God of Space-Time, one of the three great shrines of that land.
They had come together for their semi-annual conference. Ordinarily, these sessions were less of a formal debate and more of an opportunity for Chronoa to lecture Fate and Life on their various shortcomings. Today, however, the mood was decidedly different.
"Say, Life. What exactly is the meaning of this?"
"I wonder. I would like to hear the answer myself... What is the matter, Fate?"
Chronoa and Life turned their attention to the end of the table, where Fate lay slumped over the surface, radiating a thick, palpable gloom. This wasn't her usual "this is too much effort" laziness; she looked truly despondent.
"Chronoa... Life... I'm a worthless god..."
"We’re well aware," Chronoa replied flatly.
"I believe that is an entirely accurate assessment," Life added.
"Aren't you two being a little cruel!?"
Both Chronoa and Life had nodded instantly at Fate's self-deprecation. In truth, judging by her daily behavior, it was an objective fact that she was the very definition of a useless deity, but still...
"Well, let's set that aside for a moment. What is this really about, Fate? If something is weighing on your mind, we're willing to listen."
"It's not exactly a 'worry,' but there's something I want to ask you two... What exactly is a 'family'?"
Fate’s distress stemmed from her recent introduction to Kaito's parents. She had gone into the meeting with great enthusiasm, determined to make a good impression, but in the end, she had failed to grasp the concept of family. Worse, she had felt absolutely no interest in Akari or Kazuya.
She understood that this was not how she should feel, yet because she couldn't force a connection, she had spiraled into a depression.
"A family? You mean those bound by a blood relationship?" Chronoa asked, tilting her head.
"Or are you asking whether they share biological genetic material?" Life added.
Fate sighed at their clinical responses and tried again. "Okay, let’s say you two met Kai-chan's parents. How would you act? How would you treat them?"
"Hmm? I don't quite see your point," Chronoa said. "Does it truly matter whether they are Miyama's parents or not? One's treatment of others is determined by the individual. There is no reason to grant them special status simply because of their relationship to him, is there?"
"I agree," Life said. "The fact that they are Miyama-san’s parents has no bearing on their objective worth as individuals. I fail to see the purpose of even discussing it."
"Sigh... I thought so. You two are Supreme Gods through and through... I figured you'd say that."
Fate understood their perspective. In fact, her own innate divine nature leaned toward the same conclusion: that Akari and Kazuya should be treated as individuals without considering their ties to Kaito. But she also felt that, as his lover, this was the wrong way to think.
In practice, Chronoa was very close to Lilia and looked after her constantly, yet she viewed Lilia’s brother, Ryze, as an entirely separate person. She didn't raise her opinion of him simply because he was related to someone she liked.
That might be the correct path for a God, but it wasn't enough for Fate.
"It might be fine for you two to be like that, but I'm Kai-chan's lover. I want to be able to treasure the people he treasures... but I just can't do it. Even after meeting them, I couldn't feel any interest at all. If I'd let my guard down, I probably would have blurted out 'I'm going home' and walked out. I couldn't even hold a proper conversation."
"Hmm. This is a difficult matter," Chronoa admitted. "It is a concept beyond the comprehension of either myself or Life."
"Indeed," Life concurred. "It is impossible for either of us to provide an explanation that would satisfy you. This is the sort of dilemma that requires the wisdom of Shallow Vernal-sama. However, bothering her with something of this level would be the height of irreverence."
As Life pointed out, Shallow Vernal might have the answer. Since her battle with Kaito, her psychological state had undergone an astonishing transformation.
Having found a resolution to her conflict with Kaito, Shallow Vernal had come to love not only him, but the world that had sparked her change. She cherished the beings living within it, truly feeling that she was glad to have created this world. Because of this newfound love, she had gained the ability to understand what those around Kaito desired and how to act in ways that would bring him joy.
However, her specific method wouldn't necessarily work for Fate. As Kaito had once observed, Shallow Vernal had loved the world from the very beginning—she simply hadn't realized it. Her lack of interest in her surroundings had been born from a desire not to assign superiority or inferiority to her creations.
Fate was different. She did not love the world. She merely presided over destiny because Shallow Vernal commanded it. She had no personal attachment to the realm, which meant she needed a different approach than her creator.
Or so she thought.
"I see. I have heard your concerns."
"Shallow Vernal-sama!?" the three cried out in unison.
A problem of "that level" was something Shallow Vernal—having overcome her inability to understand emotions—could easily solve. She already understood exactly what Fate needed to do.
As the three Supreme Gods hurriedly knelt, Shallow Vernal spoke with quiet authority.
"Fate... to begin with, you have the order of operations entirely backward."
During the one year and eight months Kaito had spent back on Earth, Shallow Vernal was the one who had grown the most. Her development had reached a level that could truly be called an evolution.
She understood it all now. She knew the nature of the heart and the mechanics of emotion. She knew exactly why Fate found herself unable to care for Akari and Kazuya... she knew everything.
???: "Guiding others requires a certain level of personal foundation, and Shallow Vernal-sama really has grown in that regard."
Serious-senpai: "...Wait, what about the new lover's route?"
???: "It's already begun. This time, it's not the type where they become intimate over a short, intense event. Instead, the intimacy will build gradually through the narrative."
Serious-senpai: "...So, who is it? Just tell me."
???: "Well, you probably won't get it with just that, so I'll give you a hint. The hint is 'Bear'."
Serious-senpai: "I see. That's a tough... Wait, there's only one choice, isn't there!?"