Let Wisdom Guide the Hero

"Child, can you tell me your dream in your own words?" The purple-haired goddess gazed gently at Thaumas with her golden eyes gleaming.

After parting ways with Heracles, Athena immediately came looking for him.

No, come to think of it, this goddess seemed to have been watching him all along.

"I want to hear your dream from your own mouth." Although Athena already knew his past, gods seemed to care deeply about this sort of intangible sense of ritual.

"Honored Goddess of Wisdom Athena, I want to become a hero, even if it costs me this life." Thaumas answered solemnly.

After all, he would not really die. And now that he had become a Heroic Spirit, he was getting somewhat reckless.

Not fearing death made a person bold.

"Then why do you want to become a hero? Have you found the meaning of becoming one?" Athena asked curiously, then continued.

"Wealth, power, glory, women—these are what so many heroes pursue. What about you? Which one is it for? Or all of them?"

That question felt strangely familiar.

But this time, he had an answer. He would not be lost anymore.

"None of them," Thaumas said slowly.

"None of them? Then what is it?" Based on the records and data concerning [heroes] in the divine database, Athena had concluded that most heroes willingly spent their lives chasing such things.

Though there were exceptions like Heracles, who sought "atonement."

"If it had been before, I probably would not have known either. But after going through some things...

"I think that, if there must be a purpose, then it should be—living." Thaumas fell silent for a moment before speaking again.

"Living? Do you mean preventing the event known as death?" Athena asked with some uncertainty after analyzing his words.

"Not exactly. Death is not the end.

"In fact, I am even looking forward to a different kind of death. Birth, aging, illness, and death are all parts of being human.

"I want to live like a real person.

"I want to live happily and fully, while also hoping to bring change to others, if they are willing.

"Put simply, why does there need to be a reason? I want to become my own hero!

"I want to be my true self. I want to change the fates some people are destined for and bring them miracles!

"As for good and evil, let others judge that!" Thaumas declared firmly.

"I see! So that is it. This is humanity! You truly are unlike other human individuals." Athena murmured as she entered a state of recording and analysis.

"Truly a contradictory hero. An unverified phenomenon, worthy of Wisdom's aid."

Then...

"Child, whether in thought or trial, you have passed them all! The Goddess of Wisdom shall favor you!

"From today onward, Wisdom shall guide you and help you walk this path called that of a hero!"

Golden radiance spread from Athena's body and enveloped Thaumas.

More precisely, it enveloped his soul. He felt a wave of clarity, and his head felt wonderfully refreshed.

It was like spending an entire day tightening screws, then going home for a long, comfortable bath.

Before long, Athena withdrew her Authority and sat playfully atop a stone, watching the astonished Thaumas.

"What was that, Lady Goddess?" Thaumas asked in surprise.

"I am very pleased with your answer. This is your reward." Athena tucked back her purple hair with a faint smile. "Oh, and if you wish to become a hero, you cannot remain so frail."

"Then what should I do, Goddess of Wisdom?"

"You must first obtain a body impervious to blades and spears!"

"Impervious to blades and spears?" Thaumas asked in confusion. Was that not Achilles' script?

"Yes, impervious to blades and spears!

"However, your body has already taken shape. If you were soaked in the waters of the Styx, I could not protect you. The Styx would mistake you for one of the dead and erode you.

"So, we can only burn your body with Heavenly Fire, then use divine ointment to reshape your flesh. That way, you will become impervious to blades and spears."

Hiss... Was she sure she was not trying to kill him? Actually, he would be fine with not becoming a hero after all...

"Originally, you would also have needed to master exceptional martial arts, but you have already studied under the centaur sage Chiron for many years.

"Then all you need is a divine weapon! You must travel to the Palace of the Fire God near Lemnos Island and ask Hephaestus to reforge Hera's Bracelet, allowing it to contain the divine power of the gods!

"She happens to have both Heavenly Fire and divine ointment there.

"As for how to persuade her, that will depend on your wisdom. If you cannot make good use of your own wisdom, then the Goddess of Wisdom will no longer protect you," Athena said.

After all, gods did not grant things simply because they liked someone. Otherwise, given their affection for humanity, the world would have remained in the "Golden Age" long ago.

To receive something, one had to offer something in return—a tribute to the gods.

This was meant to prevent humans from becoming dependent.

But sometimes, if a god favored someone too greatly, they would even prepare the offering for them.

But he was Hera's believer, while Hephaestus was Hera's biological child.

Legend said that Hephaestus had been ugly, weak, sickly, and lame in one leg from the moment of her birth. Hera despised her and threw her own child down from Olympus.

And in the Nasuverse, Hephaestus was a goddess rather than a one-eyed male god.

At the same time, because Hera had abandoned her, she successfully lost her other leg as well and could only spend her days in a wheelchair.

Although, after the "chair" incident, mother and daughter had been forced into reconciliation, their relationship had not improved in the slightest. It had only worsened.

Athena had truly given him a difficult problem this time.

But if that was the case, he might really end up dead and ascend to the Throne of Heroes. A speedrun through Greece?

But time waited for no one.

While he was still lost in wild thoughts,

A young man flew over from afar.

"Didn't expect this, did you? Little Thaumas! It's me again, Hermes! I've come to pick you up." Hermes was visibly excited and happily began dancing in front of Thaumas.

Clearly, he had greatly enjoyed watching the Magic Lion's trial.

Ah, I really hate that God of Amusement. Just wait! I suddenly do not want to die anymore. Before I die, I will definitely offer you, God of Amusement, a "delicious" tribute.

I will personally turn you into the amusement and see whether you can still laugh. I am coming for you, God of Amusement.

Night.

Lemnos Island.

Inside the divine temple of Hephaestus, God of Fire.

Bright moonlight streamed through the exquisite windows, illuminating the beautiful goddess resting in bed.

She wore snow-white sleepwear, and her golden hair lay evenly scattered across the round woolen bed, making her look utterly captivating.

Moonlight illuminated one exquisite half of her face. That half was beautiful and delicate beyond measure.

But the other half was covered in flamboyant crimson patterns like a birthmark. Modern people might even find them interesting or beautiful.

Unfortunately, this was Greece. They were considered symbols of imperfection and ugliness, and one of the main reasons Hera despised her.

Her eyelashes trembled faintly, and she bit her lip tightly, as though she were trapped in a nightmare.

In fact,

She truly was having a nightmare.

In her dream, she had once again returned to many, many years ago, when she had just been born.

At the peak of sacred Olympus, her respected mother, Hera, had mercilessly thrown her down from the holy mountain.

Her biological mother, Zeus's wife, the most noble goddess among all gods.

Ah, she had been discarded like garbage.

Thus, the goddess suffering from the nightmare jolted awake. She opened divine eyes identical to Hera's and abruptly sat up in bed.

With her legs crippled, she could not stand. Sitting on the bed, she gasped for breath, still shaken by the fright.

After a long while,

She gently lifted the blanket with her soft little hands and stared blankly at her crippled legs.

Though she had been born lame in one leg, she had still possessed the chance to run like everyone else and enjoy freedom to her heart's content.

But Hera had personally destroyed her other leg.

That was why she hated Hera so deeply.

Under the moonlight, those jade-like legs looked so petite and delicate. Yet at this moment, they appeared utterly hateful in Hephaestus's eyes.

Even after becoming a god, she could have used divine power to restore those legs. But she had not done so, because she wanted to remember this pain.

She did not want to forget the pain Hera had inflicted upon her. She swore that Hera would receive the retribution she deserved.

That "chair" had been far from enough.

Just then...

"Master Hephaestus, are you all right? I heard quite a commotion."

The maid who had arrived late gently opened the door and looked at her in concern. She was a doll created by Hephaestus, the God of Fire and God of Craftsmen.

The maid anxiously looked around. With the moonlight's aid, she saw that face which greatly resembled Hera's.

The maid immediately dropped to her knees. She had seen Hephaestus. Yet unlike usual, Hephaestus was currently full of "ugliness."

"Who allowed you to enter without permission?" Hephaestus said coldly. Then she pointed outside with one small hand. "Now, get out!"

"Report yourself to the scrap room!"

The maid's body trembled as she stared at Hephaestus in disbelief. Feeling Hephaestus's icy gaze, she said despairingly,

"Yes, my dear Master Hephaestus."

They were all creations of a god, miraculous objects crafted by Hephaestus. Unlike humans, they had no souls and existed merely as puppets.

Yet even so, they remained grateful to Hephaestus for bringing them into this world.

Perhaps, in Hephaestus's eyes, the only doll with "human rights" was her most perfect work—the super-divine creation Pandora, made with the help of the other gods.

As for disposable things like them, they had known from the day they were born that one day, they would be abandoned.

"Wait. Aside from you, are there any other dolls now?" Hephaestus suddenly asked.

"My dear Master Hephaestus, I am the last of the dolls from the previous batch you made." The maid answered tremblingly. She did not understand Hephaestus's thoughts, but she could not defy her master's commands. That was engraved into their construction.

"Then you do not need to go." Hephaestus said coldly, because for what came next, she was willing to grant this servant the chance to live a few more days.

"Wh-what? Ah? I do not have to die?" The maid asked in extreme shock.

"What? Are you eager to be scrapped?" Hephaestus lay back down, pulled up her blanket, turned away, and spoke indifferently.

"No, no. Thank you, Master." The maid said, as though she had survived a disaster.

It must have been because she had prayed to her master one extra time today! Yes, she had to keep working hard in the future too!

"Oh, right. Has Hera's believer arrived yet?"

Hearing the question from the bed, the maid did not dare delay for even a moment and hurriedly replied,

"N-no. Lady Athena said he would not arrive until tomorrow. He should still be in Nemea Forest now."

"Mm. Get out!"

The maid finally heard the words she most wanted to hear, so she happily left the room. As she went, she gently closed the door behind her.

She had lived another day! Tomorrow, this doll would keep working hard to live too!

P.S. The following is supplemental lore about the "Five Ages." It is not part of the main text and may be skipped. Without this material, this chapter would be 3,507 words long.

① According to legend, the first generation of humans was a fortunate one. They lived on the bright holy mountain of Olympus and were created by the immortal gods.

This era was known as humanity's Golden Age.

During that era, Cronus, the second generation of divine kings, ruled the world from heaven. People lived as carefree as tranquil gods and never needed to work.

The people of the Golden Age did not age or suffer illness, and their limbs were forever strong and powerful. They spent their happy lives eating and drinking at leisure.

Only after they had lived in the world for many years did death descend upon them, as peaceful and tranquil as sleep.

While they lived, everything was abundant. The earth provided rich fruit, and humanity did not need to labor in fields or tend orchards.

They possessed countless livestock. The pastures were lush with grass, and the herds grazed peacefully. In that era, humanity lived in comfort without conflict. The gods often personally discussed matters with them.

But the Golden Age eventually came to an end. All the people of the Golden Age died, and after death they became spirits, existing as guardian gods of humanity's descendants.

They rode clouds and mist, wandering across the earth, upholding justice and punishing evil. Thus, they received Zeus's reward after death.

② The second generation of humans, who lived in the second era, could no longer enjoy the happiness of the first generation.

The second era was called the Silver Age. Humanity's strength and wisdom could not compare to those of the Golden Age.

Even if they remained on Olympus for one hundred years, they would understand nothing. After reaching adulthood, they immediately left their mothers. By then, they had only short lives remaining, for they were foolish and encountered much misfortune and suffering in life.

The humans of this era were rebellious and unruly. They neither obeyed the gods living on Olympus nor wished to burn sacrificial offerings for the gods upon their altars.

Cronus's son, great Zeus, became furious with them. He destroyed this generation of humans upon the earth and banished them to the dark underground kingdom.

There, they would henceforth live without joy or sorrow, though later generations still respected them.

③ Then Father Zeus created the third generation of humans and established the third era—the Bronze Age.

The humans of this era differed from those of the previous ages. Zeus created them from spear shafts, and they possessed terrifying strength.

They were arrogant. They did not live from the earth's produce—the grain from orchards and fields—but delighted in the cries of pain from war.

Zeus granted them sturdy bodies and irresistible strength, as well as hearts that beat fiercely and hands that could not be subdued.

There was no black iron then. They used bronze to forge weapons, houses, and tools.

In this era, humans slaughtered one another, and before long they all sank into Hades's dreadful Underworld.

Black Death surpassed even their great strength, seized them away, and separated them forever from the bright sunlight.

When the people of the Bronze Age had just arrived at the abode of spirits—the Underworld—Zeus, king of the gods, created a new age. Its people lived by agriculture, were nobler and more just, and were all demigod heroes close to the gods.

This was also the age in which Thaumas lived.

Yet in Ancient Greek legends, these people ultimately all died in cruel wars and bloody slaughter.

Some died in Cadmus's kingdom, beneath Thebes, the city of seven gates. They fought over Oedipus's succession and fell one after another.

Others swore to win back the incomparable Helen, crossed the sea by ship to Troy, and died beneath Troy's walls.

All the demigod heroes perished beneath Death's silver sickle. Zeus sent them to the Isle of the Blessed, far from the world of the living, at the edge of the earth upon the surging Oceanus.

From then on, they lived carefree and happy lives. The land there was fertile, providing them with honey-sweet fruit three times each year.

The fifth age was the Iron Age, in which the last generation of humanity lived.

This age had endured upon the earth to the present day. Whether by day or night, people were constantly tormented by sorrow and heavy labor.

The gods brought painful troubles into the human world. Though they mixed a few good deeds among their evil ones, evil still predominated, and people endured endless suffering.

In this age, children did not honor their parents, friends lacked loyalty, hosts showed no warmth to guests, and even brothers no longer loved one another.

They disregarded promises and did not pursue justice or goodness.

They worshipped violence, valued honor and strength, and constantly invaded and destroyed one another's cities.

Conscience and the Goddess of Justice, clad in white robes, bade humanity farewell and flew back to towering Mount Olympus, returning to the immortal gods, leaving humanity only grave disasters against which it was powerless.