The moonlight shone brightly, illuminating the silent rooftop. lin looked up at the starry sky. Though it couldn't compare to the brilliance of the mythological era, his gaze pierced through the haze.
"Aries, Taurus, Gemini…" lin counted the stars one by one, softly naming each constellation. His gaze was gentle, as if looking at his own children.
"Beautiful moon tonight, isn't it?" Steve and Peggy arrived, hand in hand.
"It's nice. But compared to the past, the night sky now carries a trace of murkiness."
The two didn't respond. They knew the "past" lin spoke of referred to the distant mythological age—an era untouched by industrial pollution or overdevelopnt. Back then, everything in nature must have been far more beautiful.
"Why aren't you enjoying the passionate party?" lin asked with a smile.
"I never really liked those kinds of parties. The air is thick with hormones, and people slowly turn into beasts," Peggy said, teasingly. "Though, if I weren't there, Steve might've had more fun."
"Cough—Peggy! Don't say that. My heart has only ever belonged to you," Steve choked, quickly defending himself.
"Haha, who knows?" Peggy smiled alluringly.
"Haha, youth is wonderful," lin laughed. He didn't mind their public display of affection at all. When it ca to spreading romance, he and Athena were practically the OGs.
"Honestly, hearing you say that is kinda surreal," Steve shook his head with a wry smile.
"Age ans little. It's your mindset that matters. If your heart grows old, even immortality will feel aningless," lin said.
Endless ti wears you down—not physically or in appearance, but in your soul.
Though lin was immortal, ti left no marks on him. Yet, what it corroded wasn't his body but his spirit.
The longer one lived, the closer they drifted toward madness. Without companions, even gods would be driven insane by solitude.
And that's why one's mindset matters. Not just for the immortal—but for all people.
So grow old but remain youthful at heart, still fighting passionately for their goals. Others are young, yet their hearts have aged—they shut themselves off, becoming apathetic, self-righteous, or withdrawn.
"Was that divine wisdom?" Peggy asked playfully.
"No, just the advice of an old-tir."
"Well, this might sound disrespectful, but chatting with you is exhausting. I honestly don't know how you managed to win over Goddess Athena," Peggy joked.
"Hahaha, that's our little secret. I'm not spilling that one."
"Oh? That just makes even more curious. Mr. lin, aren't you fond of teaching the young? Teach Steve a bit about romance," Peggy said slyly.
"You've already fallen for him. Why bother teaching him how to chase won now? Not afraid he'll run off?" lin teased.
"Because I realized I was too hasty when I agreed to date him. Totally unfair deal. I'm planning to make him woo all over again."
"Huh??" Steve was completely flustered. Was she serious?
"I'd advise against it," lin said.
"Why?"
"Because once you let go, soone might snatch him up. The only reason no one's approached him is because you're always guarding him. But those won at the party? Their eyes looked ready to devour him."
Though lin hadn't attended the party, his cosmos had been observing everything. Especially those awkward little ones surrounded by older girls—blushing, flustered, trying to keep their cool—it was just too entertaining.
"Hmph! Shallow won! No way Steve would be interested, right? Steve?" Peggy asked with a dazzling smile.
"O-of course not!" Steve replied instantly. For so reason, her smile made his lower half shiver.
"HAHAHA! Looks like you're totally under her thumb, Steve," lin laughed heartily. In that mont, he saw himself—willing to give up an entire forest for Athena, his one true tree.
Steve blushed furiously, glaring at lin in silence.
"You two go enjoy your evening. Even for the immortal, ti flows on. Each day is one less," lin said, turning back to gaze at the stars.
Steve and Peggy hesitated, then left silently. Though lin had a point, it was clear he was politely asking them to leave—so he could reminisce in peace.
The next day, lin announced his departure. Ignoring Howard's pleas to stay, he set off back to Sanctuary with Shion and the others.
The trip to Arica had been fruitful. He t Steve Rogers—soone he'd admired in his past life—and even recruited Peggy Carter and Howard Stark as new temple priests. But perhaps the most amusing outco was…
The dazed and "emotionally compromised" expressions of Aiolia and the others on the way ho.
"Heh, looks like the kids need more experience," lin mused.
Back at Sanctuary, the kids rushed to welco him.
"lin-sama, you're back!"
"Greetings, lin-sama!"
"Boss! You're finally back! I thought you didn't want anymore!"
"Uncle lin!"
…
"Looks like you've all been working hard. Mu, Deathmask, Milo, Shura, Camus, Aphrodite—you're all just one step away from awakening your Seventh Sense. And Aiolos, Saga—you're already 50% synchronized with your sacred relics. Saga, your inner turmoil is under control, huh? Thanks to Molkaba, right? Oh! And Erik, you've grown taller—how's your mastery of magnetism going?"
lin greeted them all by na, even the trainee Saints he'd only t once before. But there was one exception—Galon.
"L-Lord lin… I'm still here too…" Galon quietly tried to make his presence known.
"You? Hmph! You still have the nerve?" lin said, pretending to be angry.
"Please punish !" Galon imdiately knelt, terrified. Nothing scared him more than lin's disappointnt.
"You've really embarrassed …"
"L-Lord…" Galon's heart sank. He didn't even know what he'd done wrong, but lin's tone sounded serious.
Until—
"You were the only one who failed the final exam! Even Deathmask scored higher than you! What a disgrace!"
"Huh?? Th-th-that's it?" Galon looked up, dumbfounded.
"Wait, Boss! What do you an 'even Deathmask'? You looking down on ?" Deathmask jumped up to protest.
"You think that's a minor issue?" lin glared at him, pushing his head down to stop him from bouncing around, and resud lecturing Galon. "You're my guard! I want you to be the top—not bottom! Out of nearly a thousand students—most younger than you—you were the only one who failed!"
"Please punish …" Galon bowed his head again, though inwardly he was relieved. He thought he'd committed a grave sin—maybe even sothing expellable. But this? This was nothing!
Also, with his head down, he missed lin's playful grin. Everyone else was desperately holding back laughter.
"Hmm… what kind of punishnt is suitable?" lin mused dramatically.
"Sir, I heard from Saga that the laundry staff recently hurt their back and are on leave," Shion whispered.
But everyone present had super-hearing. Whispering? Useless.
Galon looked up, horrified, glaring at Saga. Seriously? My own brother??
Saga quickly averted his eyes. He was just as confused. When did I report that? Since when do we even have a laundry departnt?!
But knowing the pope's gentle exterior hid a devious mind, Saga decided it was safer to just roll with it. Otherwise, the "laundry departnt" might suddenly beco real—and he'd be the first appointed leader.
"L-L-Lord… Can't I get a different punishnt? These jerks… they never bathe!" Galon begged, nearly in tears.
"Is that so? Perfect then," lin replied sincerely.
"Pfft—" Deathmask, Galon's longti rival, couldn't hold it in anymore, though he quickly shut up. "Sorry boss, I'll hold it in."
"Alright, Shion, it's settled! Galon is assigned to the laundry for one month. Everyone's laundry goes to him," lin declared, then suddenly asked, "Wait, since when did Sanctuary have a laundry room?"
"Just now, as per your will, it was established," Shion said calmly, not a hint of embarrassnt.
"Ah, I see. Very good idea! Galon, get to it. And listen—if you don't place in the top 50 next ti, the punishnt doubles!"
Before Galon could even respond, lin vanished in a flash along with Shion, Alex, and Molkaba—off to discuss Sanctuary's latest reforms.
As soon as the four bigwigs disappeared, everyone left behind burst out laughing.
"Pfft—HAHAHAHA…"
"Laundry duty! Oh man!"
"Congrats, Galon!"
"Sacrifice one for the good of all! Much respect!"
"Top 50 or bust!"
"Perfect, I've got a mountain of socks saved up, hehe…"
Surrounded by laughter and teasing, Galon nearly exploded. He lunged at Saga.
"SAGA! From now on—it's or you! Not both!"
"What?! I'm innocent! I got frad too!" Saga panicked, dodging the tackle.
"I don't care! This is all your fault!"
And so, the very first Brotherly Battle of Sanctuary… officially began.
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