"It's so quiet," Liliana remarked, carrying luggage behind Lucius. "The streets are empty."
For trivial matters, Lucius preferred to delegate rather than handle everything himself.
Even for a trip to Sardinia, he had Liliana, his direct knight, accompany him to manage minor tasks.
She was less a knight and more a maid tending to his daily needs.
Lucius glanced at the luggage in her hands, his expression as languid as ever.
But his heartbeat quickened slightly, mana stirring within him.
"Quite patient," He muttered after a moment, rubbing his brow with a sigh.
"Your Majesty?" Liliana turned, puzzled.
Lucius didn't answer immediately, scanning the surroundings before extending a hand.
"Give me the Gorgon Stone and get far from here."
Liliana's body trembled as she grasped his meaning, her face paling. She quickly retrieved the box containing the Gorgon Stone from her luggage.
"Has the Earth Mother, wandering in search of the 'snake,' arrived?" She asked.
Lucius didn't respond, taking the box and opening it to reveal the artifact.
The Gorgon Stone, a divine artifact symbolizing the degraded goddess Athena and Medusa, embodied the lost wisdom of the Earth Mother and a beacon to darkness.
In matriarchal times, goddesses like Athena held higher status than male gods.
Athena was the supreme queen of gods, an Earth Mother ruling the underworld and death.
She was a trinity—Athena, Metis, Medusa.
The snake's shedding, to ancient people, symbolized the cycle of life and death, making snakes and dragons her kin.
But as civilizations shifted to patriarchy, female status declined, reflected in myths.
Goddesses were demoted, becoming wives or daughters of male gods, or even monsters to be vanquished.
This artifact could restore Athena to her matriarchal, trinity form.
Knowing she could offer no help, Liliana fled at full speed, contacting mage associations to evacuate nearby residents.
"Pity she didn't take the bait," Lucius sighed regretfully.
He'd sensed a faint, probing presence earlier.
He initially thought it might be the Black Prince, but after reflection, Athena—seeking the Gorgon Stone—was more likely.
He had Liliana carry the artifact instead of keeping it himself to lure Athena into a direct grab.
Prepared, he could've struck a thunderous blow against the incomplete goddess.
Even if he couldn't kill her, he might've left her gravely weakened.
Though disappointed, he wasn't too bothered.
Athena, the goddess of wisdom, wouldn't fall for such a trap easily.
He'd been banking on luck—success would've been a bonus, failure no loss.
Hoo, hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo.
A chorus of sounds emerged as a flock of plump owls flapped their small wings, gathering.
They merged into a small figure.
A stunningly beautiful girl, about thirteen or fourteen, with an innocent, angelic face. Her silver hair, reaching her shoulders, shimmered like moonlight, her pupils dark as night.
Heretic Athena.
Facing a Heretic God again so soon, Lucius's mindset had shifted.
Her demeanor wasn't what he'd expect from a Heretic God facing a Campione.
She doesn't see me as a Campione… Like Mars, she views me more as a Heretic God?
"You let your witch leave. Aren't you worried I'd target her to threaten you?" Athena asked, her beautiful eyes glancing at Liliana's retreating figure.
No, I was hoping you'd go after her so I could ambush you, Lucius thought.
But aloud, with one hand in his coat and the other holding the Gorgon Stone, he said calmly, "Among the Greek gods I know, Athena is one of the few worth trusting. And…"
He chuckled, his face turning stern with a hint of arrogance.
"You've tracked and spied on me, causing no real stir. Take one step further, and I'll turn the world upside down!"
Even Athena, one of the more composed Greek goddesses, raised an eyebrow at this.
She said nothing, merely stepping closer with delicate strides.
"Such a strange kin," She said. "Your aura is complex—traces of steel, yet a scent akin to ours."
"I come not with malice, but to negotiate," The wisdom goddess said, bowing slightly, her tone sincere. "My kin, the 'snake' is rightfully mine."
Her "snake" was the Gorgon Stone, the key to her ancient trinity form.
Trying to get it for free? Lucius thought.
"Since it's in my hands, under my control, it's mine," He said, tossing the Gorgon Stone casually. Athena's gaze followed it, only to snap back with immense willpower.
For a fleeting moment, her eyes shifted, then softened again.
To Lucius, an incomplete Athena was neither worth consuming nor discarding.
But if she regained her full trinity form, he wasn't confident he could defeat her now.
"If you return the snake to me, I will surely…" Athena said, edging closer.
At one point, she was a mere step away, and Lucius seemed oblivious.
Then her eyes turned fierce.
Here's a joke: Ares, the Greek god of war, has no domain over "victory."
But Athena does.
Cold "death" curse power gathered in her mouth.
Like a lovestruck maiden, she rose on tiptoe, her pink lips nearing Lucius's.
Using her mouth as a conduit, with her underworld goddess powers, even a fellow Heretic God would fall if caught off guard!
"It's over, my kin!" She thought, a blush on her face, her heart pounding as if it might leap from her chest.
This was her closest moment to the snake she'd long sought.
But just before their lips met—
A hand gently rested on her head.
***
If you enjoyed this story, don't forget to drop 5 stars and your power stone. And if you want to read more than 70 chapters in advance, feel free to visit: pat reon . com / KangTL