I returned to my room.

Lina was still asleep. It was almost evening.

The sloth hadn’t moved an inch.

"System."

[You have earned 5000 PS.]

I stared at that for a moment.

"That much...just from that."

[Achievement Unlocked: Secured a Gay]

"...What."

[God of Thunder is laughing at you.]

"That son of..." I muttered under my breath. "Thor. I swear."

Then another notification appeared. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

[Goddess of Greed has sent you a reward.]

I paused.

"Oh."

At least someone appreciates me.

"What’s the reward?"

[Gacha Store upgrade complete.] [Divine Spin now available.]

I sat up straight.

Divine spin.

In the novel, divine skills were exclusive. Hero-tier abilities. The kind normal people didn’t get. Handed down by the Goddess of Faith herself.

And it was sitting in my gacha store.

"Goddess of Greed," I said to the ceiling, completely sincere, "I love you."

[....]

"System. How much does a Divine Spin cost?"

[Divine Spin: 4000 PS.]

I checked my balance.

Did the math.

"Let’s spin."

[Are you certain, Host?]

"Yes."

[Be careful.]

I stopped.

"...What does that mean?"

[Gacha Store→ Divine Spin.]

No answer. I stared at it for a long moment.

"I will use it later. For now let’s eat some food."

***

The dining hall was quiet in the particular way that meant everyone was thinking too much and saying too little.

I sat at the table. Lina was beside me, hands folded in her lap, watching the food like it might move.

Across from us, Aria hadn’t looked at me directly since we sat down. She didn’t need to.

She’s still processing, I thought. Good.

Seraphina filled the silence the way she always did softly, without forcing it. Small questions. Polite conversation about the journey, about the estate, about nothing in particular.

Lucian didn’t speak at all.

He ate. He watched. Once, when Lina reached for the bread at the same time I did and our hands crossed, his gaze moved to her and stayed there for a moment before returning to his plate.

Nobody introduced her formally. Nobody asked.

That particular tension sat in the middle of the table alongside the food and nobody touched it either.

Lina, for her part, was completely unbothered. She ate everything in front of her with the focused sincerity of someone experiencing a proper meal after a long time without one. At one point she looked up, found Aria staring at her, and stared back with the same quiet patience she applied to everything.

Aria looked away first.

Interesting.

I finished eating and stood.

"Excuse me."

I asked the head maid to prepare Lina’s guest room on the way back.

She followed me to my door anyway.

"I don’t want to sleep there."

I looked at her.

"Did I make a mistake, Mister? Are you angry with your miss?"

When will she stop doing this in the hallways.

"I’m not angry."

"Then why..."

I sighed. Pulled her into a brief hug before she could finish the sentence.

She went quiet immediately.

"No hug tomorrow if you don’t sleep in the guest room tonight."

A long pause.

"...I’ll sleep there. But only tonight."

I waited until I heard her settle, I waited until she had actually fallen asleep.

Click.

I stepped out and pulled my door closed behind me.

"System."

Pop.

Luna appeared, maid outfit and all.

"Long time no see."

She gave me the look of someone who had not missed me at all.

"What surprise do I get for a Divine Spin?"

"That’s not up to me," she said. "The gods vote. Polls decide the reward."

"The gods run polls."

"Yes."

I stared at her for a moment.

"Okay. Let’s spin."

[Divine Spin]

I clicked.

Luna straightened up, cleared her throat, and delivered with full commitment

"Whirl and twirl, let fortune show... where it lands? No one knows~!"

"New song."

"I update seasonally."

The wheel blurred. Colors bled together.

"Congratulations. You have won the Villain Halo: Mastered."

Something shifted in the air around Luna.

"Mastered!..."

Her costume changed.

Name: Kael Ardyn

Title: Trash of the Family

Level: 4

Class: [NONE]

Stat

Strength: D

Dexterity: D

Agility: E+

Endurance: E+

Magic: E+

Divine Skill: Villain Halo(New)

Active Abilities: Fireball / Wind Blade / Basic Mana Pulse / Hell’s Fire

Passive Abilities: Infinity Mana Breathing

Traits: Mana Veins

Mana Heart: Silver Mid-grade

***

The duel was set for tomorrow.

So was Aria’s birthday.

Inside the private training room, a girl swung her sword again and again, sweat dripping from her chin onto the floor beneath her.

Her breathing was uneven.

"Hah... Hah..."

Heat shimmered faintly around her.

"Flames woven from the origin of creation... answer me."

The air trembled.

"Inferno Sphere."

For a moment, fire sparked into existence...

Then collapsed.

The spell failed.

"Hah..."

But her grip never loosened.

"I’ll definitely beat you, brother."