They Will Forever Protect the Hero (Extra Chapter)

At this moment, Hera was pushing Hephaestus's wheelchair, hurrying toward the dining room.

Along the way, the two chatted and laughed, showing not a hint of shyness or resentment, only the small warmth they had originally kept hidden in their hearts.

When it comes down to it, Even gods yearn for a happy family life!

Just like humans, they crave a warm home, a place where they can find rest.

Thaumas looked at this mother and daughter, reunited after so long, and couldn't help but feel happy for them.

The two, who had never known how to express themselves, had finally cleared the air; in truth, Thaumas hadn't done anything particularly extraordinary.

They simply needed a chance to speak properly, a moment to get along.

When Hera set aside her prejudices and overcame her shame, Thaumas knew there was nothing more he needed to do.

Family bonds are always so wondrous, always accompanied by both quarrels and companionship.

Come to think of it, he still owed Hera a tribute, didn't he? After all, this was a request he had made of her.

He would just have to owe it for now; he truly had no idea what to give her at the moment.

Hera pushed Hephaestus to the dining table, then walked over to Thaumas, gently pulling him into her embrace and softly stroking his hair.

Filled with gratitude, she said:

"Child, thank you so much this time. If it weren't for you, who knows how long the two of us would have remained in a cold war? Likely for a lifetime."

"Goddess Hera, you jest. It is I who should be thanking you; after all, it was you, Goddess, who agreed to my selfish request," Thaumas replied with a smile.

And so, Hera and Hephaestus exchanged a glance and spoke in unison:

"Child, we shall protect you forever. Whenever you have need, our authority shall be at your command, and we will always answer your call."

As they spoke, a vast amount of magical power gathered in their hands; Hera's eyes shimmered with divine light, and Hephaestus's fire patterns blazed wildly.

In an instant, these two heaven-piercing divine powers were channeled into Thaumas's Golden Bracelet.

From this day forward, fire would no longer harm him, and born noble, he would forever enjoy prosperity.

This was the blessing of two goddesses.

Combined with the guidance of the wisdom of Athena, he now possessed the power of three major gods.

On the Throne of Heroes, he should finally have the capital to contend with others, right?

Thaumas suddenly had a premonition: if he didn't die now, he probably wouldn't die at all.

"Then, thank you, Goddess Hera, and of course, Goddess Hephaestus," Thaumas said with sincere gratitude.

The two goddesses nodded slightly, and then, under the care of the little maid Epluto, the three enjoyed a heartwarming dinner.

However, Thaumas still chose to slip away quietly; this mother and daughter still needed a little time to adjust.

Since his goal had been achieved, there was no great point in staying any longer.

Besides, The authority Athena had left upon him had now been transferred to the bracelet, which was flashing frantically with the divine light belonging to Athena.

The Goddess of Wisdom was already urging him on with frantic intensity.

"So, Goddess of Wisdom, can you tell me why you won't let a person sleep in the middle of the night? Why call me out right now?" Thaumas said with a look of helplessness.

In truth, he had wanted to get some more sleep before leaving, but Athena had been so insistent that the blinding divine light made it impossible for him to rest.

So, there was simply no way around it!

"Hmm~ Little Tau, don't be so angry~ I just wanted to see you sooner, you aren't really angry, are you? The Goddess of Wisdom apologizes to you, then.

But there is a very interesting matter right now; are you sure you don't want to do it?" Athena said, acting quite affected and coy.

Sigh—

As expected, it wasn't anything good!

Whether it's the Nemean Lion or the reshaping by Heavenly Fire, Goddess, can't you be a bit more reliable?

He was only human, after all!

Although he wanted to become a hero, was there any need for it to be this exaggerated?

"Then, Goddess of Wisdom, I have already obtained a weapon, learned techniques from Master Chiron, and even gained an invulnerable body. So, what do I need to do next?"

"Mm-hmm—well said. You are already quite excellent, but you are still missing one indispensable thing.

That is, you still need a companion."

"A companion?"

"Exactly! Just as every god has their own pet or mount, heroes need one too. After all, Thaumas, you wouldn't want to trouble Hermes every single time, would you?"

"That is true. Then, Goddess, what do you suggest I do?"

"Do you know of the Griffin?"

"The Griffin?"

"That's right, the Griffin!"

In the mythology of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, the Griffin is a popular legendary creature, typically depicted as a divine beast with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion.

It first appeared around 3000 BC in the ancient Mesopotamia region. Its image combines the traits of a lion and an eagle, possessing the body of a lion and the head, beak, and wings of an eagle.

Its image combines the strength of a lion and the agility of an eagle, symbolizing power and nobility.

Griffins are usually depicted as creatures that guard treasures, associated with gold and precious gemstones.

Their nests are often built on high cliffs to protect these treasures from being stolen by greedy humans.

The name of the Griffin in Ancient Greece is "γρύφων" (grúphon), and its image also appeared on early Ancient Rome coins, demonstrating its status and symbolic significance in ancient cultures.

The Griffin is a mythical creature with multiple symbolic meanings and cultural influences in Ancient Greece mythology, and its image and stories still hold a place in modern culture.

Meanwhile, in the Nasuverse, the Griffin appears as a Servant of the Rider class, though its true identity is a half-man, half-horse monster from Greek mythology.

According to the lore, it is said that if a Griffin mates with a mare, it will produce a Hippogriff.

However, almost no animal would mate with its own food.

Therefore, the Hippogriff is a magical beast that should not exist, yet it exists nonetheless.

This Hippogriff is a Noble Phantasm known as the "Hippogriff: Phantom Horse Not Existing in This World," possessing the ability to increase the power of one's own Noble Phantasms and grant an evasion status to all allies.

This Hippogriff formed a contract with the handsome Astolfo, one of the Twelve Peers of Charlemagne from French legend, and became his mount.

But the era of Astolfo is still very far away.

Moreover, if just the descendant of a Griffin can reach the level of a B+++ rank Noble Phantasm, surely a Griffin itself must be at least A rank?

This is the Age of Gods, after all!

So, he really does have a chance!

Besides, there isn't necessarily only one Griffin!

Many legends indicate that there is more than one of them.

Athena looked at the deep-in-thought Thaumas and smiled slightly:

"You possess the authority of Hera; in this world, no one can be more affluent than you. Perhaps you really could entice one—it all depends on your own ability!"

Thaumas's eyes lit up. Isn't this the Rider class arriving right now?

"Then, Goddess, where should I go, and what should I do?"