Athena's Love 4/4

At this time, Water Marsh Treehouse.

The Goddess of Justice, who was flipping through the parchment scrolls at the table, looked up at the black snake that had climbed onto the table, its eyes sparkling, and its tongue flicking at her, its lips pressed tightly together.

Then, her soft hand, which had clenched and unclenched several times, finally trembled slightly as she stroked the black snake's fine scales, again and again.

The caressing fingertips seemed to transcend the barriers of space, touching the familiar contours of a certain face.

After a long while, Themis lifted the black snake and brought it close to her pretty face, suppressing the surging emotions like lava, and murmured softly.

"Long time no see, Samael..."

The two, having been separated for so long, couldn't help but express their longing for each other. After calming down somewhat, they began to share their experiences with one another.

Samael's century-long dream, aside from introducing the current situation and informing Tina that she is well, doesn't require much further explanation.

In contrast, Themis, Goddess of Justice, had a much richer life story.

From the perilous situation of intercepting the Olympus pursuers to the unexpected turn of events brought about by the Gaia, the Earth Mother Goddess...

From the reluctance to abandon Mycenae to the satisfaction of watching Athens grow stronger...

From the minutiae of teaching humanity to establish social order to the deliberations surrounding the rise of Mount of Ares ...

From the mockery and shock of Olympus's fall to the difficult choice of setting aside personal grudges and stepping forward...

Themis spoke quietly, without much embellishment. Samael leaned against the headboard, propped his chin up, and listened attentively with a smile on his face.

Furthermore, the ancient serpent occasionally inserted a few serpents, commenting on the foresight of shifting the focus from Mycenae to Athens, and discussing some ideas about the development of human society.

He even couldn't resist the urge to review the Mount of Ares deliberations with Themis, personally taking the stage and engaging in sophistry from Poseidon's perspective.

The Goddess of Justice responded with practiced ease, and the two deities, who were both mentors and friends, eventually engaged in a heated discussion about the issues of "crime abortion" and "Excessive self-defense."

Even the Goddess of Justice struggles against bad guys who are adept at exploiting loopholes and spouting sophistry.

When it came to the climax, Themis couldn't even maintain her composure, and was so angry that her teeth itched.

The two of them snapped out of their daze and couldn't help but smile. A silent understanding began to form in their hearts.

The sense of alienation that had existed for centuries has long since vanished.

Despite the passage of time and the changing of the seasons, those who sat together chatting back then have remained unchanged.

After revisiting the classic debate game, the Goddess of Justice bit her cherry lips, her voice lowered, and her expression became guilty.

"Samael, I'm sorry about the Battle of Olympus..."

Although Themis had already confirmed Samael's safety by observing the vitality of the black snake beside her.

However, Zeus had already attacked them several times.

The imprisonment of Prometheus, the submission of Typhon's Offspring, and Samael's exile to the Sea of Okeanos were all heavy costs paid by their side.

However, at the opportune moment when Typhon, King of Divine Monsters, was causing chaos, they chose to side with Olympus.

If we really want to nitpick, this choice is tantamount to a betrayal for Samael.

"Was it Athena's idea?"

Inside the house, the ancient snake stroked its chin, frowning as it asked a question.

"Yes..."

Themis, who adhered to the virtue of honesty, struggled with her conscience for a Celestial Being before finally revealing the mastermind.

However, this Goddess of Justice immediately pursed her lips and took responsibility.

"But this is a decision we made together, and as the elder, the main responsibility lies with me!"

"Hiss!"

The black serpent snaked up the shoulder of the Goddess of Justice and nibbled at Themis's sensitive earlobe.

"Smack!"

In the Sorcery Array, Samael's face tightened, and he flicked his fingers in the air, as if punishing the Goddess of Justice.

"What are you thinking! I'd have to be so bored as to bother with this!"

Immediately, the ancient snake relaxed its brow, rolled its eyes, and let out a soft hum.

"I just want to ask Athena what reason she used to convince you all. Don't you understand curiosity? What about teamwork?"

Based on his understanding, Athena's grasp of the situation was beyond doubt, so making this choice was not surprising.

But Themis and Medusa are more easily swayed by emotions and are not so easily swayed.

Themis blushed slightly, and after regaining her composure, she opened her lips to reveal the answer.

In fact, the Goddess of Wisdom only had two simple lines to persuade her.

First, even the worst order is better than no order at all.

Second, Typhon wiped out the gods, so who will be the next group?

Finally, after three days and three nights of deliberation, Themis Medusa decided to go to Olympus together to stop Typhon's invasion.

As the battle intensified, Typhon used his Divine Authority of Earth to mass-produce twisted monsters, which were then rapidly hatched using the high temperatures of the volcano.

In order to curb the momentum of the monster army, the Goddess of Justice even used her personal connections to invite the Titan Gods to join the defense, Medusa also led the Typhon's Offspring to the battlefield.

Only after Zeus seized the Thunderbolt Scepter and rallied the gods to fight back did the erosion of the abyss finally subside. The defeated Typhon is now imprisoned on Mount Etna.

Athena, who single-handedly defended against the progenitor of all demons several times, brought the dawn of victory to Olympus and thus gained the allegiance of Nike, Goddess of Victory. Nike used her power to forge the scepter of victory, strengthening the divine authority of war.

After listening attentively to the account of the events recounted by the parties involved, Samael couldn't help but admire Athena, who led Mount of Ares to rival Mount Olympus.

Chen Qili, when discussing its harms, can see through the essence of a problem at a glance and provide the optimal solution among thousands of answers. This divinely bestowed wisdom is truly extraordinary.

Realizing the serpent's praise was genuine, Themis's anxiety gradually subsided, and a gentle smile returned to her face.

"Thank you for your hard work while I was away..."

The guilt that followed echoed in the ears of the Goddess of Justice warmed her heart.

This one word is worth more than a thousand words.

After briefly reflecting on her thoughts, Themis asked softly, her tone filled with anticipation.

"Now that you've arrived, when are you coming?"

"No rush, let me see if I can bring back some local specialties along the way."

Samael narrowed his eyes slightly, chuckled in response, and gave a somewhat sarcastic look.

What were the local specialties of the Greek city-states? They were heroes.

Just as the ancient serpent was about to comfort her heartbroken old lover, Themis's reaction was a mixture of indifference and inexplicable relief, as if she had expected it all along.

"You guessed it?"

"It's Athena. She said long ago that you would never slink to Mount of Ares so easily..."

"Uh, having such an adopted daughter puts a lot of pressure on me."

Samael, whose thoughts had been exposed, was both amused and exasperated.

"By the way, since you have your own plans, you should be able to use the gift Athena left you."

"Gift?"

"Well, Zeus is rather free lately and is keeping an eye on Mount of Ares. It's not good to be blatant about it. You should perform the sacrifice instead. It would be even better if someone could observe and follow suit."

Themis spoke mysteriously and projected the steps from the Sorcery Array.

The next day, the ancient serpent, unable to contain its curiosity, collected the necessary ingredients for the sacrifice and claimed to have received a revelation. It then took Atalanta and Circe with it to witness the sacrifice.

Unexpectedly, this dignified adopted son had to bribe his adopted daughter to get a gift these days.

While inwardly complaining, Samael patiently completed the ritual step by step.

Finally, the ancient serpent remembered that painful prayer, pursed his lips, pounded his chest with his right fist, and solemnly chanted before the simple altar in the courtyard.

"Great Athena, wise Athena, beautiful Athena, please grant me your favor and guidance!"

At that moment, the sky twisted with light patterns, and several jay owls flew out from them, carrying crowns woven from Olive Branches. They flapped their wings, circled the courtyard three times, and finally landed on Samael's shoulder.

Immediately, the little creatures loosened their grip slightly, and the emerald green Olive Branch was placed on the ancient snake's head, while a majestic, ethereal voice resounded in its mind.

"Lost child from the sea, you are not favored by Poseidon, but guided by wisdom, you will pierce through the fog of fate, recognize yourself, and establish a great career!"

"Your name is Theseus, future King of Athens, the beginning of a prosperous Greece!"

In the strange, deathly silence, the solemn, dignified tone suddenly turned into a playful dry cough.

"Ahem, it is inconvenient to travel on earth in your former Divine Name, so I have prepared a mortal identity for you as an emergency measure."

"How thoughtful of me, right? You know I'm thoughtful! Don't linger outside too long, come quickly. The goddess you worship is waiting for you, the New King, to inherit Athens."

As the light on the altar went out, the owls scattered, leaving Samael bewildered in the wind, inwardly cursing.

This is your gift? You gave me a vest?

Theseus, my foot! You probably have no idea how long a list of Hate Buff will be stuck on this guy's head in the future!