"You talk too much!"
Samael shot Athena a sharp glare for mercilessly exposing those sordid truths, then took Themis's soft hand, hoping to calm the goddess of justice's restless heart.
Justice could never bear too much ugliness in the hearts of men—it preferred to see the world through a gentler lens.
"As if someone as scheming as you couldn't see through it yourself!"
Athena pouted, her expression darkening further when her eyes caught the sight of those intertwined fingers.
"Tch. I'm always the bad guy, and you get to take the credit!"
Though the ancient serpent's face remained stern and scolding, inwardly he was quite amused and satisfied.
Athena's intelligence was unquestionable—sharp enough to pierce any pretense and strike straight at the hidden filth beneath.
So even if Zeus, wary of this Goddess of Wisdom and War, tried to win her favor through calculated flattery, it was bound to fail.
Even now, though she stood at a disadvantage, Athena showed not a trace of deference to her father. Every word she spoke revealed her disdain and rejection of both Olympus and Zeus.
"Hmph. Enough talk. Tonight, you'll get an extra meal and a bedtime lesson—time you learned what real fatherly love feels like."
A quiet smile crept across the ancient serpent's face as he made up his mind.
"What if Artemis falls in love one day?"
Still caught in her thoughts, Themis tugged lightly at Samael's robe and asked in a soft voice.
The ancient serpent recalled the future of the huntress goddess, his expression hardening.
"Then her dear brother Apollo will make her give up."
Zeus's promises were not so easily broken—especially when the balance of Olympus was at stake.
And the one Artemis would one day fall for was none other than Orion, son of Poseidon, god of the sea.
Among the three brothers, Hades was bound to the Underworld. Only Poseidon, ruler of the oceans, posed a real threat to the god of the sky's dominion.
For that very reason, the sea lord never stopped stirring trouble.
In the past, he had even joined forces with Hera and Athena, nearly succeeding in a coup against Zeus.
With such a brother constantly watching for weakness, Zeus would never allow Artemis to unite with Orion, son of the Sea God.
That's why Apollo, the god of light, was wise enough to see the truth of the matter. Even if it left a thorn in Artemis's heart, he chose to remove her dangerous lover, Orion.
Themis fell silent, lost in thought.
She finally understood why Rhea, mother of Zeus, had chosen to withdraw from the sight of the gods rather than dwell on Olympus and accept worship.
Her son had ruthlessly cast Kronos into Tartarus—something she could neither face nor forgive.
And even her eldest daughter, Hestia, had to swear eternal chastity and abandon the struggle for power just to escape her brothers' harassment and find peace. That, too, chilled her heart.
Whether it was Mount Othrys or Mount Olympus, the surface might seem harmonious now, even democratic in decision-making—but in truth, nothing had changed.
Their desires, their conflicts, never ceased.
Better to retreat while she still could, like the Earth Mother Gaia—out of sight, out of mind—and live in quiet peace.
"I fear Zeus, when cornered, might use Prometheus's brother's sons to force him to speak.
Deucalion and Pyrrha are still guiding the people of Crete, building their civilization. They can't leave now. Hidden among humans, their identities are safe enough.
But Epimetheus has long been watched by Olympus—he's the perfect target. Leaving him and his wife outside worries me. We should move them near the Arimaean Cavern to prevent any future danger."
Samael thought for a moment before speaking to Themis.
In the past, the goddess of justice might have dismissed his caution. But after seeing Zeus for what he truly was, she no longer doubted that the so-called wise King of the Gods was capable of exactly that.
"Very well. I shall first formally relocate my temple to the Waterside Treehouse, spreading my divine power to ensure its safety. Afterward, I will secretly bring over the Epimetheus couple."
Though usually gentle and refined, Themis was always decisive in action. She nodded in agreement immediately, rising to head to the Arima Cavern to make preparations.
Yet, just as she was about to depart, a faint resistance tugged at her pale wrist.
"Actually, there's no rush. Why not stay the night? We haven't reviewed our lessons in ages..."
Samael licked his parched lips, his gaze flickering.
"Next time. Based on your assessment, Zeus could strike at any moment. The sooner we act, the better."
Themis gently pulled her lover's hand away, offering earnest, thoughtful counsel. Then, the goddess of justice paused before adding a perfectly reasonable justification.
"Besides, I recall Persephone's return is due any day now. I'd like to find time to visit Demeter and her daughter."
The Arima Caverns lay quite close to the Underworld, and with Themis's dwelling nearby, Demeter habitually brought her daughter to the Waterside Treehouse for a few days' rest, far from the clamor. Thus, in recent years, eight out of ten times Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, ascended to the surface from that very place.
But you remember even that?
Samael recalled the image of the agrarian goddess, standing alone in anticipation of her daughter's return. Gradually, he understood why Themis enjoyed such an impeccable reputation among the gods.
With the matter settled, the ancient serpent had no grounds to linger. He could only wave a weary farewell to his former lover.
The goddess of justice pressed her lips together in a faint smile, then bent down to place a gentle kiss upon Samael's forehead.
"It's fine. There will be time. Once this busy period passes, we'll have plenty of time to talk."
The ancient serpent watched her graceful figure turn and drift away, stroking the faint trace of comfort on his forehead. He shook his head helplessly, watching Themis and Chiron lead the Typhon offspring until they faded into the distance.
"Smack!"
Just as Samael was lost in thought, Athena slapped the ancient serpent's shoulder hard, pouting and snorting impatiently.
"Stop staring. They're all gone. Let's head back too. We've got a mountain of work tomorrow."
"Alright..."
Samael dragged out the syllables listlessly, rising to return for some sleep. But a tight grip suddenly clamped onto his arm.
"What now?"
The ancient serpent looked down at the pale, clawed hand gripping his wrist, asking in confusion.
"Hold my hand..."
"Don't you know the way home?"
"I do!"
"Tired from fighting Artemis?"
"Not tired!!"
"Then why do you want me to hold your hand?"
"Just hold it already, stop all this nonsense!!!"
Hearing that string of grumbles, the Goddess of Wisdom, who had finally managed to keep her composure, gritted her teeth and glared, her eyes blazing.
"Fine, I'll hold your hand. Come on, let me hold your hand."
Samael grabbed Athena's pale wrist, gave it a gentle tug, and began walking.
That tone, like he was teasing a child, made the Goddess of Wisdom's face darken. Her teeth gnashed, and she could barely restrain herself from biting a chunk of flesh off some lazy guy's shoulder.
...
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