"Shut up! Stop crying! If you keep wailing, I'll hang you from the nearest skyscraper! Not that you'd care, given your temperament!"
Athena snapped irritably, her noble eyes flashing with the hue of night. Towering over Aphrodite—who had shrunk in size—the proud goddess glared down at the Love and Beauty deity now reduced to a Divine Ancestor. Terrified, Aphrodite clamped a hand over her mouth, her delicate shoulders shrinking back timidly.
"Ugh, you reek of blood and sweat. All you ever do is fight and brawl. Even the air around you feels unbearable."
Aphrodite muttered behind her hand, her golden eyes red and swollen from crying. Her pitiable demeanor tugged at the heartstrings, especially now that her smaller frame had shed some of her alluring beauty, replacing it with a childlike cuteness that made one want to cradle and comfort her.
Yet, even in her diminished form, the Goddess of Love and Beauty retained her proportions, exuding a different, equally captivating charm.
Roy couldn't help but marvel inwardly. 'Truly, the most beautiful goddess in Greek mythology. Even as a fallen Divine Ancestor, even in this shrunken state, her allure remains undiminished—merely expressed in a new way.'
Aphrodite's grumbling was too faint for even Athena to catch, but the latter knew it couldn't have been anything pleasant. Shooting her a fierce glare, Athena made the Love Goddess shrink further, resembling nothing so much as a wronged little squirrel.
"Aphrodite, there's no need for despair. I merely require the curse power within the Holy Grail to complete a ritual capable of slaying the Last King. As for why you were the one sacrificed... it was simply a matter of convenience. Rest assured—once I shatter the Last Steel, I will restore you to your divine status."
"...The descent of an Earth Mother Goddess into a Divine Ancestor was once irreversible. But to me, nothing in this world is impossible. If something seems so, it's only due to a lack of 'wisdom' or 'knowledge.' I already have the framework for a ritual to restore a Divine Ancestor to godhood. However, compared to dealing with the Last King, this research must take a backseat for now."
"Therefore, you need not cling to a rebellious death wish. As long as you can temporarily safeguard the Holy Grail for me, once the Last of the Steel is dealt with, I will grant you your freedom."
Roy spoke in a gentle tone, his voice brimming with confidence and steadiness, exuding such conviction and a sense of security that one couldn't help but believe his words.
With his mastery of the Face of God, this authority had almost become second nature to Roy. Even gods could no longer discern the subtle influence of his words. At this point, Face of God was less of an authority and more of an innate charisma—a presence that compelled trust and faith in anyone who encountered him.
Roy's words were sincere. When Athena had informed him that, due to the Holy Grail, Aphrodite could not defy him in any way and would obey his commands absolutely, Roy's instincts as a man had indeed stirred certain thoughts.
Faced with the most beautiful goddess, any normal man who claimed to have no desire to share a night of passion with her was either lying to himself or had lost his virility. Yet Roy was not one to let desire completely control him. He understood priorities.
Compared to indulging in the goddess's embrace, the Last King—his greatest adversary—was what demanded his full attention now. If he couldn't overcome this hurdle, there would be no future to speak of. Drowning in pleasure before death was not Roy's way. He would dedicate every moment and ounce of effort to seeking even the slightest chance—just a one percent increase—in his odds of victory.
Without such resolve, Roy would be nothing more than an ordinary man.
Whether it was Roy's words that reassured Aphrodite or the combined effect of Roy and Athena playing good cop and bad cop, the Goddess of Love and Beauty fell silent after Roy spoke. Her delicate, veiled hands wiped the tear stains from the corners of her eyes as she quietly rose from the ground.
Brushing the sand from her fair, slender calves, Aphrodite took small, graceful steps toward Roy. Timidly, she grasped his hand with her own dainty fingers, then used his body as a shield, peeking out at Athena with her lovely face and flashing a cute yet fierce expression.
With such a petite yet perfectly proportioned goddess nestling close to him, her rose-like fragrance filling his senses, Roy tightened his grip around Aphrodite's cool, silken hand.
A faint blush crossed Aphrodite's face, though pride dominated her expression. Her words remained haughty and oblivious to the mood.
"...A Demon King like you has finally earned the right to be a goddess's lover. Since you've said so, I'll obey you for now. Consider it a chance for you to learn what a woman's true tenderness is like—lest you be deceived by that brute of a woman!"
Aphrodite couldn't resist taunting Athena, but no sooner had the words left her lips than she shrank further behind Roy. No matter how bold her words, her fear of Athena was all too real...
Then, Aphrodite continued, "...Now that I have become a Divine Ancestor, you should no longer call me Aphrodite. It would tarnish the dignity of a goddess. Call me... call me Stella, Maris Stella!"
Earth Mother Goddesses would abandon their former names after becoming Divine Ancestors. For example, Guinevere was an alias, and the heretical Leviathan had also become Asherah. Aphrodite temporarily discarded her divine name and adopted a new one—Stella.
"Maris Stella... an alias for Venus," Roy nodded slightly, indicating his understanding.
In a place where Aphrodite—now Stella—could not see, Roy and Athena exchanged a glance, sharing a subtle, knowing smile.
As the Goddess of Wisdom and War, Athena, no matter how much she disliked Aphrodite, would not resort to mocking her in such a manner. This goddess was more inclined to simply draw her blade and cut Aphrodite down in one stroke.
Roy had been with Athena for a long time and was well acquainted with the goddess's temperament. He immediately sensed something off about Athena's behavior, which was why he cooperated with her seamlessly. Without any prior discussion, the two of them had effortlessly tricked Stella with just a few words.
Though both Roy and Athena were the culprits who had sacrificed her to turn her into a Divine Ancestor, when faced with their differing attitudes, Stella instinctively gravitated toward the one who treated her better. She even forgot their past actions, remembering only their kindness.
In this situation, Stella had come to rely entirely on Roy, believing that only he could protect her from Athena.
Though Aphrodite was somewhat clever, in the face of a goddess like Athena, she was still nothing more than a pitiful lamb being toyed with.
The delicate goddess leaned against Roy, allowing him to tighten his grip on her jade-like hand. The first step in eliminating the Last King had been completed.
***
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