Woof... woof...
Just as Samael was lost in thought, mournful cries echoed from deep within the forest. The familiar tone made his face change instantly.
Cerberus!
The ancient serpent shot to his feet and rushed forward. When he reached the source of the cries, the once-imposing three-headed hound of the underworld was sprawled on the ground, foaming at the mouth, legs twitching in spasms.
Behind the hulking, mountain-like body, a small figure crouched by Cerberus's neck. With both hands she yanked out a clump of fur, tied it carefully with a grass rope, and set it aside.
Curiosity brimming, the little one continued fiddling around the hellhound's heads, leaving behind a trail of mischief.
She lifted the beast's eyelids, comparing the six pupils; pried open its jaws and tapped its teeth with a stone to test their hardness.
Each time Cerberus's convulsions began to ease and his claws weakly pawed at the ground, the little one swiftly drew a slender needle-like tool and stabbed it into three points on the back of his neck in succession.
The result was immediate. Just as the poor beast began to recover, he collapsed once more, whimpering pitifully.
When Cerberus caught sight of a familiar figure emerging behind him, he thrashed desperately like a drowning man grasping at a lifeline, eyes brimming with tears.
Samael's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. Striding over, he kicked the dumb dog's rump, unleashing divine power that instantly purged the lingering toxins from its body.
As sensation returned, Cerberus scrambled to his feet, tail clamped between his legs. He cowered behind the ancient serpent, staring in terror at the little devil who had tormented him.
"Shoo! Look at you—pathetic! I told you to watch her, and she ends up knocking you flat? Some hellhound you are!"
The ancient serpent cast him a cold glance, then with a snort and a wave of his hand, dismissed the disgraceful beast.
As if pardoned from death, Cerberus's expression lit up with relief. He spun around and bolted toward the Arima Caverns.
Once that worthless mutt was out of sight, Samael's gaze darkened. He beckoned sharply.
"Athena. You're caught red-handed!"
"Hand over the contraband!"
A petite girl with short silver hair, barely 60–70 centimeters tall, her delicate face framed by a sharp chin, stumbled forward in tiny steps. Obediently, she placed an item into Samael's hand.
The ancient serpent looked down at the clump of dog fur tied with grass rope, his expression growing darker.
"Not this! The dangerous stuff!"
"Oh..."
The silver-haired loli answered in a childish voice, then reluctantly handed over a sharp stone and two jet-black, razor-edged scales before clasping her hands behind her back and standing to the side.
"What else?"
Samael narrowed his eyes, watching the future Goddess of Wisdom intently.
"That's all..."
Athena, only just learning to speak fluently and still carrying a babyish tone, widened her pure violet eyes and shook her head innocently.
"Hands out!"
"The other one too!"
"Both at once!"
"Not upright—what is this, Magecraft? Straight! Flat!"
Under Samael's piercing glare, the guilty little culprit finally stretched out both hands, revealing the small stone vial she had been hiding behind her palms.
The serpent snatched it away, pulled out the poison needle attached to the cap, and sniffed the liquid inside. His blood pressure shot up.
"Hydra's venom? You actually dared use this on that stupid dog?"
"Little Nine has nine heads, and not all its venom is lethal. This one just causes paralysis—I even diluted it. Besides, they grew up together, fighting and biting each other every day. With this dose, he can definitely handle it..."
"You dragged Hydra into this too?"
"No, she gave it to me herself."
Athena's little face hardened as she spoke with surprising conviction, brimming with a sense of righteous indignation.
"That stupid dog always bullies girls! I was helping my friend get even—fighting against injustice!"
Then she tilted her chin up and shot a disdainful look at someone, her meaning crystal clear.
Samael, called out to his face, rubbed his nose awkwardly.
Back then, to fulfill his promise, he had indeed teamed up with Cerberus to give Hydra a beating.
The problem was, he only later discovered that the nine-headed serpent was female...
A female. Beaten so badly, and constantly pawed at on top of that... yeah, that was excessive...
Still, Samael retained some shred of decency. After giving the dumb dog another beating, he stopped meddling in their daily quarrels.
At least, on the surface, it was enough to ease his conscience.
What he hadn't expected was Hydra's vengeful nature. Even now, three months later, she still remembered that thrashing.
Worse, that "girl" had quietly teamed up with Athena. Using the excuse of Cerberus watching over Athena, she'd slipped her venom to bring down her enemy.
So the truth was out...
Out, my ass!
Samael's embarrassment vanished. His face darkened as he rapped his knuckles against Athena's head again and again.
"Innocent, are you? Huh?"
"She can barely talk, and she taught you how to dilute venom? She incited you to take revenge on Cerberus?"
"Standing up for a girl? Fighting injustice?"
"Looked to me like you were having a grand time experimenting on that dumb mutt!"
"Stirring up conflict between them, tricking Hydra into giving you venom, hoarding contraband, using Cerberus as a test subject—and when it blew up, you shifted all the blame onto us three? You've got some nerve, Athena!"
With every accusation, his knuckles tapped down hard on her head.
How could this immature Goddess of Wisdom hope to hide her tricks from a wily serpent of original sin? Naturally, she was taught a proper lesson.
At last, Little Athena squatted on the ground, clutching her buzzing head, drawing circles with her finger. Only then did Samael sneer down at her and pass judgment.
"First, apologize to Cerberus. Then write a two-thousand-word account of your crimes and a self-reflection!"
Athena's little face instantly fell. She looked up in protest, mouth opening to argue.
But just then, the leaves rustled. A figure approached from the cavern. Athena's expression shifted at once.
She quickly raised her head with a sweet, innocent smile, clinging to Samael's arm and rubbing against it affectionately.
"Samael, we agreed! I'll be good and listen—so tonight, you have to put me to bed! No going back on it!"
At that moment, a pale hand pushed aside the branches. A small figure with violet hair and eyes, trailing a serpentine tail, cast a cold, shadowy gaze at the cozy scene. Her voice was faint and cutting.
"Still clinging to him? Doesn't that disgust you?"
"At least I have the right. Better than someone with no relation forcing herself in, shamelessly."
Athena, still clutching Samael's arm, smiled faintly, her retort sharp as a blade.
The two lolis—one white, one violet—locked eyes, glares crackling with tension as they coldly snorted at each other.
Caught between them, Samael felt the icy winds from both sides and immediately developed a pounding headache.
These two... really were born enemies.