Aegis

Pegasus's life form made Salomon curious, because when he saw the little statue, the first thing that came to mind was an extremely famous summoned creature.

That summoned creature had been a good companion to a male Drow Elf ranger, and that Drow Elf ranger often wandered around the North of Faerun.

That was right—Guan Haifa, a magical creature from the Astral Plane.

The so-called Astral Plane was a vast, boundless sphere, with clear silver skies in every direction.

Small amounts of solid matter could occasionally be found there, but calling the Astral Plane a plane was not quite accurate. In truth, the Astral Plane should not be called a plane at all. It was a pure spiritual world, the silver void between all planes.

Salomon raised the statue before his eyes and carefully examined its intricate carving—he could now almost confirm that Pegasus was actually a magical creature from the Astral Plane, with little to do with the legends of Medusa and Poseidon.

He did not know how Athena or the other Greek gods had captured this flying horse from the Astral Plane, but he still remained cautious.

Although Athena had repeatedly claimed that the Greek mythology written by humans differed greatly from the truth, if Athena had truly lent the flying horse to Bellerophon, then it was a fact that Pegasus had thrown Bellerophon from the sky, leaving him lame and blind.

After closing his hand around the flying horse statue, Salomon bowed to Athena in thanks. At least on the surface, his etiquette was flawless.

But Athena was the Goddess of Wisdom of the Greek Pantheon, and she easily saw through Salomon's concerns. Leaning forward, she asked Salomon with a heavy, oppressive presence, "Are you still dissatisfied?"

Salomon lowered his head even further.

Twelve was precisely the age of development, and Athena's clothing was far too loose. After secretly glancing at her once, he did not dare look again, because they really were somewhat large—whether in shape, size, or even color, they were exceptionally impressive.

Under the influence of hormones, such a sight was still far too stimulating for someone his age. It was not something his mind could control...

"No, Your Highness. This gift has already delighted me greatly." Though his breathing had grown somewhat heavier, Salomon's thoughts were not in disarray, and his answer remained without flaw.

Athena noticed the problem with a slight lowering of her head, yet she did not immediately straighten up. Instead, she leaned closer still. Compared to the Ancient Greek decorations in the room—

Athena's attire was closer to a blend of Cretan-Mycenaean styles and the clothing of women from mainland Greece. Her waist was slender and cinched with a metal belt, while her lower body was clad in an exquisite, lavish skirt of layered conical folds. To suit the times, however, her upper garment resembled a flowing, loose chiton¹. The pins at the shoulders had been replaced by thin ties, and the material had changed from sheepskin to soft cotton.

As a member of the Greek Pantheon, which had begun forming and developing as early as the Cretan period, Athena had no psychological reservations about exposing her breasts. On the contrary, she liked to treat them as a weapon, because she believed her beauty deserved both appreciation and pride.

And that was indeed the case. Salomon was practically trying to hide behind the sofa.

Though Athena was a Virgin Goddess, she never avoided the admiration of men.

Moreover, compared to simple adoration, she preferred being revered by heroes. Thus, Athena also raised young heroes, earning herself the title Mother of Heroes.

Perhaps, in her eyes, Salomon was an excellent medal. If she were allowed to raise him, perhaps Salomon could become a great hero. A real man ought to fight in close combat with spear in hand, not study that effeminate magic.

Although the Sorcerer Supreme was powerful, iron and blood were better suited to heroes. But Master Gu Yi had already arranged Salomon's education, leaving no room for Athena to interfere. Otherwise, that would be overstepping her bounds.

Perhaps she might get the chance to teach Salomon how to fight with spear and shield?

The Sorcerer Supreme would not refuse that, would she? Athena's thoughts raced. All she could think of now was how to forge a connection with Salomon. Although she could smell the Dark Dimension on him, she had not seen the crystallization reaction that should have appeared. That meant Salomon had truly withstood the trial of the Dark Dimension.

How could someone like that not become a hero?

If Salomon had known what Athena was thinking, he might have laughed aloud—he could never become a hero. He would only do what he was supposed to do.

He had always regarded the saying that greater ability meant greater responsibility as bullshit. Greater power meant greater responsibility—that was the truth. He would protect those he wished to protect because of the power he enjoyed and the kindness of the Sorcerer Supreme.

Confucius had long said, "Do not concern yourself with affairs outside your position." Salomon intended to do the same. His focus would always remain on matters of the mystic side. No matter what absurdities secular governments committed, he would not involve himself—as long as one had seen that magnificent starry sky, one would never lower one's head and scrabble about like a fly. Kamar-Taj had always placed itself in an exalted position, and that was not groundless arrogance.

Athena seemed to think of something. Smiling brightly, she straightened up, rose to her feet, and left the living room, leaving Salomon behind, gasping for breath.

Before long, she returned, carrying a round object covered in sheepskin.

"This is my shield, Aegis." She extended her fair, soft arm and placed the object before Salomon. "You should have heard the story of this shield."

When Athena abruptly pulled away the sheepskin covering the shield, Salomon could not help closing his eyes.

The tale of this shield was far too classic. Anyone who had studied Greek mythology even a little knew that Medusa's head was set into the center of Athena's shield. Anyone who saw it would be turned to stone, not even the legendary beast Kraken being an exception.

"Do not worry. You are not a mortal. As long as you do not wish Medusa's head to take effect, no one will be petrified."

Only after hearing Athena's voice did Salomon slightly open his eyes and gaze at the shield with extreme caution—the shield was cast from bronze and carried a faint golden sheen. Four diamond-shaped markings adorned its round face, and at its center was a sculpture of a snake-haired woman's head. The woman's expression was pained, but her eyes remained closed.

"This shield is much more than merely a shield. It is both a shield and armor." Athena smiled. "This is also my favor toward you, Salomon."

Poor Salomon blushed all at once.

This was the solution Athena had thought of to satisfy her peculiar fixation—so long as Salomon carried her shield into battle, everyone would know that he was connected to her. As long as Salomon accomplished heroic deeds, people would naturally think of Athena when they saw the enemies petrified by the shield.

This was within what the Sorcerer Supreme permitted. At Kamar-Taj, both Mordo and Kaecilius had serious character flaws, and although the future new Sorcerer Supreme had already been decided, that person would not have time to mature. Therefore, the Sorcerer Supreme also hoped Salomon would become as powerful as possible.

Salomon had gained a great deal from this trip. Two powerful magical items could greatly increase his strength, enough at least to ensure he could protect himself while he was still a low-level mage.

But as a condition, he had no choice but to visit Athena's apartment frequently, at least once a month, because Athena had noticed Salomon's behavior.

To become a hero, one had to remain unmoved in the face of beauty! Athena planned to train Salomon thoroughly in that regard, while also teaching him some knowledge of art. In Athena's view, Kamar-Taj, with its emphasis on ascetic cultivation, possessed not the slightest artistic refinement.

This is beyond my control, Salomon thought. But they really are too big.

¹ A garment of mainland Greek civilization, made by sewing together the two sides of a rectangular piece of wool or linen and fastening it at the shoulders with pins.

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Zeus Shield will not be appearing as a character. He says he has no openings in his schedule.