A Father's Selfish Love 1/3
As evening fell, the joyous tea party came to a successful close.
Hestia, Artemis, and Apollo, the three goddesses, bid farewell to Samael and the others, boarded their chariots, and returned to their respective goddess temples.
On the gentle slope, Themis gazed at the majestic and imposing Mount Olympus under the setting sun, as if a bright flame were igniting within her. She turned back to look at Samael with a deep and somber voice, offering a warning.
"Zeus has been summoning the gods quite frequently lately, and many of the topics are related to humanity. Isn't it too risky for us to make contact with the gods?"
The ancient serpent stood side by side with the Goddess of Justice, stretched comfortably, and smiled slightly.
"The greater the risk, the higher the reward."
After a day of hospitality, they obtained two invaluable pieces of inside information from the three Olympus gods.
Firstly, Zeus's energy was already preoccupied with the legendary god of opportunity, Poros. Furthermore, given the ingrained mindset that all three generations of King of Gods were ruled by men, Athena, even if exposed, could protect herself through the mediation of Gaia, the goddess of the earth.
Secondly, the Olympian Gods had already shown some divergence in their attitudes toward humanity.
Artemis, Apollo, Hephaestus, Hestia, Demeter all harbored affection and curiosity towards humankind, and were willing to approach and be close to them.
Aphrodite, Hera, Poseidon, Hermes remain neutral, but will likely act according to the prevailing winds.
Ares and Zeus are two contrasting figures: Ares is a bloodthirsty warrior, while Zeus possesses foresight and harbors ill will towards humanity.
Even if Zeus wanted to target humanity, he would have to have a legitimate reason and first try to make a decision through the council of gods.
Humanity was relatively safe until the gods completely lost their will to them.
Therefore, the key is to prevent Pandora's Box from being opened.
As for the honest man who married Pandora and single-handedly ushered in the end of humanity— Epimetheus, the god of hindsight.
Samael recalled the young couple Deucalion and Pyrrha, on Crete, who were always respectful to each other, and their smiles were strange.
Historically, Pyrrha was the daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora.
Through the machinations of the ancient serpent and Prometheus, Epimetheus had long since united with a human woman, and they were in love and had a child named Pyrrha.
This weakness no longer exists, so it will probably not be so easy for Zeus to find a breakthrough through Epimetheus.
As long as Pandora cannot be sent out, the box that determines humanity's fate cannot be opened, and humanity has not fallen, the Wise King of Gods will not dare to openly cleanse the earth's surface.
However, if the Olympian Gods were cut off from sacrifices and faith, even if they didn't cause a major upheaval, they would still cause trouble openly and secretly.
"I'm still a little worried. Hestia is still alive. If the siblings talk too much, will it attract Zeus's attention?"
Themis frowned slightly and murmured something.
Immediately, Samael reached out and gently grasped Themis's soft hand, offering comfort to the Goddess of Justice.
"Zeus didn't like the gods walking around on the earth and interacting with humans. They only came out to relax under the guise of accompanying Hestia. They wouldn't be foolish enough to expose their weaknesses."
Moreover, we have further cooperation planned..."
The ancient serpent swayed as it took the parchment scroll from Athena and Chiron, a wicked grin on its face.
Inside, it was nothing more than an invitation from the Athenian Academy to Artemis and Apollo for exchange and teaching, along with a few class sessions; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a tea party.
Both Apollo and Artemis subtly revealed a strong interest in someone's depiction of the future.
The Athenian Academy has begun recruiting elite humans from different settlements as its subsequent students.
If they are contacted and taught by the two gods, these people can be transformed into high-quality priests and believers. After learning, they can spread the faith of the God of Light and the Goddess of Hunting to more areas of the earth.
The power of faith is something that even the gods cannot refuse.
In the future, the belief in Apollo and Artemis will spread extremely widely.
Whether it was the Delphic Oracle that resounded throughout Greece, or the Temple of Artemis that was listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, these are enough to demonstrate the influence of the two Olympus gods.
"Samael, they are Zeus's most beloved children. Is it really useful for humans to win them over?"
Themis still had some doubts and couldn't help but sigh softly.
"Maybe it'll work, we should at least give it a try..."
The ancient snake had a strange smile, and its eyes held a profound meaning.
"Spoiled? I doubt it!"
Just as the Goddess of Justice was somewhat confused, Athena, who was clearing away the dishes, crossed her arms, pursed her lips, and gave a sneer, her eyes filled with sarcasm.
"While Leto was being chased all over the world by Queen Hera, the Queen of Gods, this harem of Leto was nowhere to be seen..."
When the siblings were attacked by the giant snake skin, this relative didn't seem to help at all...
Wake up! His so-called doting affection is nothing but disgusting selfishness.
Themis, who always dealt with matters objectively, did not entirely agree with Athena's views and offered a rebuttal.
"It is known to all the gods that Zeus favors Artemis."
He not only bestowed upon Artemis several important divine functions, but also placed her in a position second only to the Queen of the Queen of Heaven —this is a fact.
Because the King of Gods had been relatively well-behaved in recent years and had contributed to the restoration of order, Themis had somewhat changed her opinion of him.
The Goddess of Wisdom turned to look at Themis, and without a trace of anger rolled her eyes and hummed softly.
"Well then, think about it, when did this extraordinary favor begin?"
When will it begin? The Goddess of Justice frowned in thought.
"This happened after Artemis swore to be a virgin!"
Athena responded with a cold laugh, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Why is it that Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth Olympus, is so revered, and Artemis, Goddess of Hunting, is so favored?"
The Goddess of Justice frowned slightly, her mind a jumble of thoughts, unable to arrive at a definite answer.
"Think about how Cronus was defeated..."
Samael sighed and moved closer to offer a reminder.
Themis, who had been completely confused, suddenly understood, and two keywords popped into her mind.
Woman!
It was precisely because Zeus used male beauty to directly or indirectly win over the nine Titan Gods of Mount Othrys, that Cronus was left isolated and helpless, ultimately leading to his defeat.
Similarly, if a powerful goddess wavers, she may ally herself to help other male gods, altering the balance of power and shaking Zeus's rule!
By swearing to be a virgin goddess, she eliminated this risk and kept herself separate from power struggles.
"So, the reason Zeus favored Artemis was because she posed no threat to his royal power? That's why her status was constantly elevated, as a form of compensation?"
Themis's voice was dry, and her brow was furrowed.
"If a woman is not swayed by her husband's will, then her loyalty to her husband will be unshakable, and he will be willing to bestow so-called love upon her."
If Hera hadn't pushed her to the brink, would Artemis have been willing to make such a self-imposed, bound-hands-and-foot-ghost oath?
Which decent mother truly hopes her daughter will grow old alone?
My aunt Themis, divine authority has no kinship; don't romanticize the warmth above.
Athena glanced wistfully at the cloud-shrouded Olympus, a disdainful sneer on her face. Themis, whose perception had been subtly overturned, sighed deeply.