Athena and Medusa

Of course, having experienced this once before, Rovi became even more cautious this time.

What he wanted was no longer to die on the spot.

Instead, they gradually accumulate clues about 'death' and then find an opportunity to connect them.

To put oneself in a situation where certain death is inevitable.

This is a similar to, yet completely different from, the previous step.

A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit.

Rovi will not repeat the same mistake.

"Teacher Chiron, where is Mr. Rovi?" As the new day dawned and the sun shone on the trees outside Peleon Cave, Heracles opened his eyes and found that one person was missing.

"Lord Rovi has embarked on the path of a Hero." Chiron held up his exquisite longbow and plucked the strings in the open space outside the cave, practicing his feel for the instrument again and again.

"So fast? Only three days?" Heracles was somewhat surprised. "He learned in three days what you taught me over several years?"

Where did I teach him?

He's more like a teacher to me... Chiron remained silent, but did not deny it.

"It seems I need to consider what Mr. Rovi told me earlier..." Heracles fell into deep thought.

Chiron suppressed the twitching in the corner of his eye; he simply couldn't imagine the image of this young, valiant boy constantly uttering "fuck you."

With Rovi temporarily gone, he still has a chance to correct his mistakes.

At that moment, Chiron felt a heavy burden on his shoulders.

So firstly...

"Heracles, when you meet Mr. Rovi in the future, you should call him your ancestor."

Heracles: "?"

So what exactly did he call Rovi, who's been calling him "brother" these past two days?

What is this?

Of course, Rovi, who had already left, would not know about the siphons of Chiron and Heracles.

He simply followed the directions Chiron had given him and set off alone.

In the Mythic Age, the human environment often depended on the gods' attitude towards humanity. Before Gilgamesh, in Mesopotamia, humans were always the gods' 'slaves', and the gods there sought eternal domination.

Greece, however, was not.

The Greek Gods originated from beyond the heavens; they possessed both divinity and humanity. They had numerous character flaws, were aloof and superior, yet also indulged in entertainment just like humans.

This is also the scenery that Rovi has seen along his journey.

At sunrise on the 1st day, Rovi arrived in Athens and saw a magnificent city with towering buildings, walls and gates made of solid rock, and towering temples that shimmered in the sunlight. The grand theater was still filled with the sounds of singing.

The place Chiron spoke of, the place of God's trial, was nearby.

Rovi stopped outside the city and watched for a while.

His long linen robe fluttered slightly in the morning breeze, but his stopping drew the attention of those around him.

"Where did this gentleman come from?"

A carriage came to a halt beside us, and a graceful young woman with silver hair stepped out. She wore a blue floral crown and a white robe. Her figure was slender, her face delicate and pretty, and her eyes shone like rubies.

The dark blue belt around her waist tightened her slender waist and accentuated the slight curves of her chest. Her fair legs were visible through the slit in her skirt, and her shapely legs were even more graceful. From head to toe, she exuded a beautiful, dignified, and goddess-like aura.

But Rovi's gaze swept over and saw a figure following closely behind.

A little girl, also wearing a white tulle dress and with long purple hair.

The girl visibly flinched as soon as Rovi saw her.

Luo Rovi's gaze paused only briefly before quickly returning to its original direction. His face remained calm, revealing little emotion.

"I come from Piliwen," Rovi replied. Just by looking at the man's attire and demeanor, he knew that the man must be one of the most important figures in Athens.

To become a 'hero', one must first make a name for oneself.

Of course, Rovi couldn't hide his identity. "My name is Rovi."

"Rovi? The Sage Rovi?" The woman—or rather, the elegant young woman—blinked, seemingly somewhat surprised. Hearing the name ' Rovi,' the first thing that comes to mind for most Greeks is the sage, not to mention that Rovi's attire did indeed resemble that of the legendary figures.

However, she couldn't be sure, so she quickly reacted and curtsied in a noble manner. "I am Pallas, the priestess of Athens."

"This is my successor, Medusa."

"You...you sir," Medusa uttered softly, her voice slightly timid.

"Sorry, this child is a little shy." ' Pallas ' on the other end gave an apologetic smile.

But Rovi simply nodded knowingly.

As expected?

The famous 'snake demon' Medusa, who was transformed into a monster for angering the gods, was originally an 'attendant' of Athena.

Of course, Medusa was not human, but a god, a god who possessed the attributes of the earth.

No matter how well it disguised itself, its intense divinity could not escape Rovi's 'eyes'.

If that's the case, then the identity of this so-called ' Pallas ' Festival' is even more self-evident.

Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and War, has just returned from Olympus.

Rovi smiled and said, "As you can see, I have come to seek the approval of the gods."

Seeking divine approval?

Pallas —or rather, Athena, who appeared in a dignified manner—lowered her delicate eyebrows slightly, then drew a line on her moist red lips, and said, "Unfortunately, the beautiful goddess I worship, Athena, has no intention of setting up trials."

That's the truth.

Although the gods enjoy living among the gods, they don't test mortals all the time.

"However, to the east of here, in that lush forest, there is a statue imbued with the power of Hermes."

"You might find something there."

This can be considered a gesture of goodwill, right?

The goddess of Athens thought to herself that the other person had an impressive physique. Although she didn't know if he was the legendary 'sage,' she was certain that he was extraordinary.

Even if he is not a sage, he must be an extremely powerful hero.

In the future, there might be times when I need their help.

Rovi nodded in agreement and was about to leave when he paused, glancing at the timid little girl.

"Medusa, is it?" He smiled, showing some curiosity and interest in this 'plot character'. If he had the chance in the future, he wouldn't mind saving her.

This is also a good thing to do, to offend the gods. "He's a good kid."

"Hmm..." The little girl hiding behind Athena blushed instantly at the unexpected praise, but she still mustered her courage and said, "Th... thank you."

Athena simply smiled.

The endless grass swirled up bits of grass, and the figure in front of them disappeared into the distance.

Hermes.

That was actually Rovi's target, the god who set up the trial in Chiron's words.

He is the representative of the gods and the messenger of King of Gods Zeus. Although he is not ranked among the ten gods, his status is quite special.

Although Hermes had no temple or special festivals, his statues stood at every fork in the road, and his image was present on every city wall. He was a guide to the way and a bulwark protecting the city.

Prior to this, He had been watching over Heracles ' growth—in the name of the god-king Zeus, He silently guided his growth and protected his young life trajectory until he grew up.

If it enters His sight,

Perhaps, it might even attract the attention of Zeus.

"The King of the Gods, facing my enemy, surely... won't remain so calm, will he?"

Since that's the case...

So, let's be arrogant when facing trials!

The more arrogant, the crazier—

The closer one gets to death.