Chapter 6

Morning had come, sunlight peeked through the gaps in the window, enveloping the room with a gentle warmth. Celestia slowly opened her eyes, letting the mortal world greet her again.

However, when she felt the empty space beside her, her heart was slightly disturbed. Lean was not there.

She got up from bed, wrapped her body in a thin cloth before walking out of the room. Maybe Lean had gone somewhere, she thought. Not wanting to wait around doing nothing, Celestia decided to explore Lean's rather unique house.

This house was simple, but full of interesting details. Every corner had something different—paintings, wood carvings, even various glass bottles with colorful liquids that she had never seen before.

While exploring the room, her eyes fell on a large bookshelf in the corner. The shelf was filled with old books that looked dusty, but there was something that caught her attention.

Celestia approached, her fingers touching the covers of the books, feeling the smooth texture of the skin. However, when her hand touched the shelf deeper, the diamond mark on her forehead suddenly began to glow.

The silvery blue glow shone softly, creating beautiful patterns in the air. Suddenly, the bookshelf in front of her slid open on its own, revealing a secret passageway behind it.

Celestia was shocked. Her breath hitched for a moment as she stared at the hidden room that now opened before her.

Without hesitation, she stepped inside, passing through the newly opened secret door.

Inside, she found something extraordinary.

The room was unlike the rest of Lean's house. This was no ordinary storage room or hidden place.

Inside, there was a small cave lit by a blue glow that radiated from its crystal walls. Clear water flowed in the center of the cave, forming a small pool so beautiful that it looked like something from another world.

Glowing flowers grew around the edge of the water, their petals emitting a soft glow that sparkled like stars. The air in the room was cooler, and every gust of wind felt like a gentle whisper that enveloped her skin.

"Part of us? What do you mean?" Celestia looked at Lean in confusion.

Lean did not answer right away. She stepped closer to the edge of the pool, letting the blue light of the water cast a soft glow on her face. Her eyes seemed deeper, as if they held more than she could express.

"This place is not just a secret room," Lean finally said, his voice low but full of meaning. "This is a relic of something greater. From a past you may not remember… or never know."

Celestia frowned. "Past? You mean this place has something to do with me?"

Lean nodded slowly. "You are not just a sea goddess who has descended to the mortal world, Celestia. There is more to this world than you think."

Celestia stared at the water in the pool, where her reflection still wore a crown of light. It was no ordinary reflection—it was something more real, more profound.

"What do you know, Lean?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly.

Lean took a deep breath before finally looking at Celestia with eyes filled with sincerity.

"I know I shouldn't be able to see you. A mere mortal can't possibly summon the goddess of the sea from a painting. But I did," he said softly. "And this place… is proof that I'm not a mere mortal either."

Celestia held her breath, her eyes widening.

"Lean…"

"There's something in my blood, something that makes me different. And I believe, from the beginning, we were meant to meet."

A gentle breeze blew through the secret cave, causing the luminous flowers around it to tremble slightly. Celestia could feel her heart beating faster.

"Are you trying to say that… you too have a connection to the world of the gods?"

Lean smiled slightly, but his smile wasn't entirely light. There was something hidden behind his gaze.

"I'm still searching for the answer," he said. "But one thing I know for sure… I don't want to lose you, Celestia."

Silence fell over them, the sound of running water the only thing audible between their breathing. Celestia held her own fingers, feeling a strange fluttering inside her.

For the first time, she felt that perhaps, this world was not just a place for her to stop. Perhaps, there was a greater reason why she was here. And perhaps, this person standing before her—Lean—held the key to all the answers she sought.

That night, in a hidden cave, a secret slowly began to be revealed.

Celestia walked slowly, her eyes admiring every corner of this place.

"What is this…?" she whispered softly.

The water in the middle of the cave was so clear, she could see the bottom of the pool, sparkling like it was filled with stars. Celestia knelt at the edge of the water, her fingers touching the surface, creating small ripples that spread throughout the pool.

However, the moment the water was touched by her, something happened.

The light from within the pool began to glow brighter, and her reflection on the water's surface suddenly changed. It was no longer her usual reflection.

In the water, she saw her figure wearing a crown of light, with a blue robe that shimmered like the waves of the ocean.

Celestia was shocked, her heart beating faster.

"What does all this mean…?"

Before she could process it all, footsteps were heard from behind her.

Celestia turned her head, and there, stood Lean—staring at her with eyes full of secrets.

"You found it," Lean said in a deep and calm voice.

Celestia rose slowly, still filled with confusion. "Lean… what is this place? Why is it here?"

Lean approached her, his eyes still fixed on the glowing pool. He took a deep breath before finally saying,

"This is a part of you, Celestia. And a part of me."

"A part of us? What do you mean?"

Lean didn't answer right away. He stepped closer to the edge of the pool, letting the blue light from the water cast a soft glow on his face. His eyes seemed deeper, as if they held more than he could yet reveal.

"This place is not just a secret room," Lean said finally, his voice low but full of meaning. "This is a relic of something greater. From a past you may not remember… or never know."

Celestia frowned. "A past? You mean this place has something to do with me?"

Lean nodded slowly. "You are not just a goddess of the sea who has come down to the mortal world, Celestia. There is more to you that connects you to this world than you think."

Celestia stared at the water in the pool, where her reflection still wore a crown of light. It was no ordinary reflection—it was something more real, deeper.

"What do you know, Lean?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.

Lean took a deep breath before finally looking at Celestia with eyes filled with sincerity.

"I know that I shouldn't be able to see you. A mere mortal could never summon the goddess of the sea from a painting. But I did," he said softly. "And this place… is proof that I am not a mere mortal either."

Celestia held her breath, her eyes widening.

"Lean…"

"There is something flowing in my blood, something that makes me different. And I believe, from the beginning, we were destined to meet."

A gentle breeze blew through the secret cave, causing the glowing flowers around it to tremble slightly. Celestia could feel her heart beating faster.

"Are you trying to say that… you also have a connection to the world of the gods?"

Lean smiled slightly, but his smile was not entirely light. There was something hidden behind his gaze.

"I am still searching for the answer," he said. "But one thing I do know for sure… I don't want to lose you, Celestia."

Silence enveloped them, only the sound of flowing water could be heard between their breathing. Celestia held her own fingers, feeling a strange flutter inside her.

For the first time, she felt that maybe, this world was not just a stopover. Maybe, there was a greater reason why she was here. And maybe, this person standing before her—Lean—held the key to all the answers she sought.

In the hidden cave, a secret slowly began to be revealed.

Celestia stared at Lean without blinking. There were so many things she wanted to ask, but the words felt difficult to come out of her lips.

"You don't want to lose me…?" she whispered, repeating Lean's words.

The man remained standing at the edge of the pool, his gaze deep and serious. "Yes," she answered without hesitation. "I don't know why I was able to summon you from the painting, and I don't know what my connection to the world of the gods is. But there's one thing I'm sure of—your presence here is no coincidence. From the first time I saw you, I felt… as if I've known you long before this."

Celestia frowned. "You mean we've met before?"

"I don't know," Lean shook his head slowly. "But if this really is fate, then I want to know."

Celestia turned her gaze to the sparkling pool, her mind racing with possibilities. If Lean had a connection to the world of the gods, why hadn't he noticed it earlier? And why was he able to summon Celestia from the painting?

But before she could form her questions, the diamond mark on his forehead glowed again. A silvery blue light enveloped the room, and suddenly, the reflection in the pool began to change.

Celestia and Lean both stared at him warily.

In the reflection of the water, they saw two figures. A woman with long black hair, wearing a sparkling ocean dress, and a man with eyes that shone like stars.

Celestia was shocked. It was… her. And the man beside her… looked exactly like Lean.

However, there was something different. The man's clothes looked like they were from a much more ancient era, and in his hand, he held a sword engraved with the symbol of the ocean.

Lean stiffened. "What… is that?"

Celestia shook her head slowly, but her heart beat faster. She could feel something inside her, something familiar but not quite understood.

Then, a soft voice echoed through the cave. A voice that seemed to come from beneath the water, carrying a message from the past.

"You have met before… in a past life."

Celestia froze. Lean stared at the reflection with a shocked expression.

"You are souls bound by destiny… a story that repeats itself… until the truth is found."

The voice faded, but its effects lingered in the air.

Celestia and Lean looked at each other, both filled with confusion and surprise.

Did this mean… they were more than just two individuals brought together by chance? Did they have a long-forgotten past?

And if so… what truth awaited them at the end of this journey?

Within the glowing cave of secrets, the two realized that their destiny was far greater than they had ever imagined.