Now things were about to get exciting.
Zeus, Hera, and the girl Zeus was trying to seduce, Io.
In this classic affair triangle, Eros, who happened to have ties to all three, also got caught in the mess.
Sensing that Hera was about to arrive on the scene, Zeus hesitated for a brief moment but still acted, intending to turn Io into a little cow first.
With just a simple gesture and no divine energy fluctuation, Io was transformed into a snow-white, beautiful little cow.
From Eros's perspective, the view changed accordingly. But even as a cow, her inner cosmos didn't seem to be affected.
In fact, Eros even sensed something more stirring within her body—though he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.
Through Io's vision, Eros once again locked eyes with Zeus.
Radiant as firelight, silver hair glowing like dawn, that silver-haired girl who so perfectly fit Eros's tastes shook her head gently.
Clearly, she had something planned.
Ever since Zeus had leisurely teased Io, Eros had already sensed something fishy.
There was a big scheme at play here.
Eros stopped speaking for now. Io, suddenly transformed into a cow, panicked and mooed in distress.
She had realized by now that the radiant girl before her was a powerful deity.
But she didn't understand why she had been dragged into such a disaster—what had she done to deserve this?
Her desperate and chaotic emotions flowed outward, resonating with the cosmos within her, reaching Eros.
Eros only hesitated for a moment before acting. He used his own cosmos to envelop her, soothing her turmoil.
Zeus certainly had good taste. Even though Eros hadn't seen her face clearly yet, there was no doubt she was a beauty to rival the goddesses.
Might as well invest early—it wouldn't be a loss.
The warm, powerful cosmos surrounded Io's spirit, steadily calming her.
That gentle presence brought her a sense of safety, as if she were being embraced in a comforting hug.
The once-frantic little cow gradually quieted down.
Zeus smiled faintly and stroked the head of the little cow at her feet.
But before that smile lasted two seconds, Hera, veiled and furious, had already arrived in front of her.
However, she didn't lash out immediately like she used to.
Perhaps because when she arrived, she only saw Zeus and the snow-white cow.
"Sister, what's got you rushing over like this? Did something happen on Mount Olympus again?"
Zeus asked calmly without a trace of panic.
Hera stopped, glancing suspiciously at the transformed Io.
She instantly realized that Zeus had done this on purpose. Still, there was another strange presence she kept sensing.
That unfamiliar gaze felt oddly familiar… it reminded her of—
"Nothing. I just came to see what you were up to."
She shook her head, pushing the thought aside for now, and focused on Zeus.
"I wasn't doing anything," Zeus said, bending down to pet the cow that was once Io.
"I was just wandering the earth when I happened to see this beautiful little cow. I just wanted to look a little longer."
A clumsy excuse, and she even tried to divert Hera's attention toward the cow.
Eros couldn't help but suspect, did Zeus even intend to hide this from Hera in the first place?
But he didn't comment, choosing to continue watching the show.
Hera looked at Io and, in an instant, came up with a suitable plan.
Yet something about Io's aura kept making Hera recall the incident in Tartarus.
And every time she thought about that, her mood would sink.
"Hmm, it really is a rather lovely little cow."
Hera replied flatly and turned her gaze away.
She wasn't in the mood to get close to anything that reminded her of Eros.
Just the thought of her past with Eros filled her with guilt, making her feel unworthy of criticizing Zeus.
In that moment, she even lost the desire to trouble Zeus's latest lover.
"But let's go back for now. There's no need to keep staring."
Hearing that, Zeus froze.
Wait, this wasn't right.
Wasn't she supposed to demand the cow as a gift and take her away to imprison her?
Why let her go just like that? This doesn't follow the script.
"Uh… but I really think she's pretty. Can't I look for a little longer?"
Zeus tried to spark Hera's jealousy—but it wasn't working.
Hera's mood was down. She wasn't acting like her usual fierce self.
Now what? Just leave Io behind?
But her divinity had only just begun awakening…
Thinking that far, Zeus could only turn her gaze toward someone else.
She looked at Io with a pleading expression on her flawless face.
Eros knew that look well. Zeus had used it to act cute with him many times before.
And he could guess what she wanted.
Comparing the two, Eros chose to help Zeus in the end.
He couldn't help it—she really was more attractive.
Activating his cosmos, Eros took control of Io's body.
The previously calmed Io began to panic again, shouting inside:
"Who are you?! Why can you control my body?! What is happening?!"
That hazy feeling wasn't a hallucination—someone really was hiding deep within her.
This scared her even more than being turned into a cow by Zeus.
It felt like she had been watched and manipulated all along.
Eros sighed. Luckily, his cosmos could transmit his emotions and thoughts directly.
Otherwise, he wouldn't know how to explain or comfort her.
Though the strange power controlling her body didn't speak, Io could sense kindness from it.
"Are you here to help me?"
Eros didn't respond to her question. He only kept releasing calming emotions through his cosmos.
This gradually settled her down and gave her hope in this hopeless situation.
Surrounded by two gods, she had already fallen into despair—now perhaps this inner presence could save her.
Then, under Io's gaze, Eros guided her body to nuzzle against Zeus's smooth leg affectionately.
And then turned toward Hera, showing a face that defied description.
Even in cow form, there was a human-like smirk on her face.
Hera's guilt-ridden heart instantly flared with rage.
She had only refrained from acting because she was tired.
But now? What was this? A taunt?
And that expression—it reminded her immediately of another infuriating face.
All her suppressed anger surged up at once.
A bolt of lightning tore through the clouds, aimed straight to reduce Io to ashes.
Zeus hastily redirected it toward a distant mountain, shielding Io.
"Sister, why are you getting mad at a little cow?"
While soothing Hera, Zeus grumbled internally.
I asked you to help—not go overboard.
She only wanted Hera jealous enough to take Io away, not kill her!
Meanwhile, Io stood frozen in shock. Weren't they here to help her?
"Step aside, Zeus! Are you really going to argue with me over a cow?!"
The more she looked at Io, the more Hera thought of Eros's face, and her rage only grew.
She had to deal with this cow that dared show her that mocking expression.
Zeus's smile turned bitter, this was trouble.
"Sister, must it be like this?"
Thoughts flashed rapidly in her mind, and Zeus spoke again.
"Actually, I got this little cow for you. Isn't she beautiful and fitting for us both?"
Trying to calm Hera down, Zeus turned to sweet talk.
But it had little effect. Words alone wouldn't ease Hera's fury.
Realizing his earlier stunt may have gone too far, Eros guided Io forward.
She nuzzled Hera's hand and mooed softly, her expression once again strangely human.
With both efforts combined, plus a touch of fate's influence, Hera's anger finally cooled a little.
Looking at Io's face, she felt a bit better.
The idea she'd pushed aside earlier resurfaced.
"If you're giving her to me, then I'll be taking her away."
Hera made up her mind—she'd keep her as a cow forever.
But that was exactly what Zeus wanted, so she nodded, though still a little uneasy.
"Sister, the cow symbolizes us both. You must care for her well."
She hadn't worried about this before, but after Eros's earlier stunt…
She was afraid Hera might kill Io behind her back and ruin everything.
"Don't worry. I'll take good care of her," Hera said.
"As a cow, she'll eat the finest grass and drink the purest spring water."
She thought Zeus was only pretending to give up and would try to steal Io back later.
Watching Io being led away by Hera, Eros prepared to withdraw his view.
He couldn't talk to Zeus now. He'd have to wait until they returned to the mortal realm.
But before leaving, Eros decided to leave something for Io.
The poor girl was unlucky—Zeus had just started seducing her when Hera showed up, and now she had to live as a cow for who knows how long.
Eros thought it would be too cruel not to leave her with at least a little hope.
"Don't worry. I'll come save you before long."
After leaving her the message, Eros finally spoke, then exited the state.
His consciousness returned to his body. The underworld had no sun, moon, or stars, so he didn't know how long he'd slept.
This realm of the Eighth Sense really was interesting. Even while resting, he could participate in the world.
Just as Eros was about to get up and walk around the River of Oaths, a knock came at the door.
"Eros, are you asleep?"
Styx's slightly trembling voice sounded from outside.
OG Author's Note:
Io eventually fled to Egypt and was worshiped as a manifestation of Isis.
Her child with Zeus was also seen as Osiris.
Of course, that's only one version of the tale.
But Greece and Egypt did have connections, some myths say all the gods once fled to Egypt.
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