Hera

Biodata

Background / History

Hera was born of the Divine Mountain and charged with protecting marriage and its order. Like the other divine lords, she was bound by an oath governing her office. Her oath associated impartial judgment with remaining free of personal feelings and selfish desires 6 7.

For more than a thousand years, she lived without a lover or disciple-attendant. She preferred the quiet of Hot Spring Ravine, where she took in the orphans Winslow and Doreen. Rather than delegating her responsibilities to numerous attendants or children, she personally carried out her divine duties 7 8 17.

Her temples received the most offerings because of the help she gave unhappy couples and women. Despite widespread fear of her temperament, her fairness in fulfilling her office was not questioned 7 8.

Fate in the Original Storyline

In the book known to Li Jia, Zeus sought marriage with Hera because their powers were evenly matched and he wanted to consolidate his influence. After his courtship failed, he approached her disguised as a rain-soaked cuckoo, sexually assaulted her when she sheltered him, and publicized the attack. Hera later accepted a marriage offering an equal share of the God King’s authority rather than wage a war that would endanger the three realms. She never loved him; her subsequent actions against his affairs were presented as enforcement of her divine duties, not romantic jealousy 6.

Li Jia enters the world before that marriage occurs and makes preventing it central to her plan to protect Persephone and avert the War of the Gods 1.

Appearance

Hera is described as strikingly beautiful, with an imposing presence and an aggressive edge to her beauty 7.

• Hair: Long, soft golden hair 7 34.
• Eyes: Intense, vivid red, with slightly upturned corners 7 11.
• Build: Tall and strongly built, with defined forearms and firm skin 7 12 41.
• Dress: Wears formal temple attire while acting publicly as the Goddess of Marriage, and silk nightclothes in private 12 17 43.

Personality

Hera is reserved, proud, and uncompromising about her responsibilities. Others describe her as harsh or cold-hearted, but she judges cases independently rather than accepting accusations at face value. She deliberately defends women’s dignity and rights, recognizing that enough people already stand against them 6 7.

Her household sees a gentler side. Winslow describes her as “cold on the outside, warm on the inside,” while her treatment of Li Jia becomes openly attentive: feeding her, helping her bathe and dress, supervising her education, and making time for outings 8 14 17 30 32.

Hera also enjoys teasing Li Jia, despite trying to maintain a solemn appearance. When Li Jia seems genuinely hurt, Hera becomes uncertain about how to comfort her and eventually apologizes 20 25 40 41.

Her attachment brings pronounced possessiveness and fear of abandonment. She worries about Li Jia’s unexplained origins, fading lifespan, and possible return home. Beneath her authority, she fears that Li Jia will find her dull or dislike the quiet of Hot Spring Ravine 20 21 30 48.

Abilities & Skills

Authority over Marriage

Hera governs marriage regulations throughout the world and judges the validity and dissolution of marriage bonds 15 20 23.

• Handles marriage registrations, divorces, and relationship petitions through her temples 15.
• Can remove names from marriage records in cases falling under her authority, including offering to dissolve Luoleila’s bond if she married unwillingly 23.
• Created the Covenant Bucket, which recognizes a marriage when both partners touch it together and submit their covenant 48.
• Distinguishes her jurisdiction from unrelated matters: after dissolving the bond submitted by Elia, she states that Qili’s revenge is not hers to govern 38.

Divine Power and Soul Manifestation

Hera’s divine power rivals Zeus’s. Divine strength depends on conscientious fulfillment of divine duties; her commitment to her office is directly associated with her exceptional power 7 8.

• Can act through her divine soul while her physical body is elsewhere, exerting pressure that alarms Zeus 7.
• Repairs the merfolk capital’s damaged Light Vortex 44.
• Can undergo seclusion to heal injuries to her divine soul 9 12.
• Attacking a fellow divine lord carries consequences under the Divine Mountain’s restrictions; protecting Li Jia from Poseidon leaves Hera needing recovery 6 9 19.

Silver Snakes

Hera commands silver snakes capable of incapacitating another divine lord 6 7.

• Their venom seals Poseidon’s divine power after he injures Li Jia 7.
• The attack leaves a punitive brand that Hera says will disappear after three days 7.

Master-Servant Contract

Hera uses blood and paired rings to link herself with Li Jia, sharing divine power and taking on most of her pain 7.

• Bears nine parts out of every ten parts of pain Li Jia suffers 7.
• Places a silver serpent divine mark on Li Jia’s body 11.
• The contract should allow them to share lifespans, but Hera cannot connect to Li Jia’s lifeline; Li Jia continues to age and remains vulnerable to death 21 30.
• Channels divine power through Yellow Springs to prolong Li Jia’s life, without resolving the failed lifespan link 30.

Soul Examination and Divine Senses

Hera investigates Li Jia’s unusual behavior by comparing it with the life records and memories she has already examined 7.

• Uses the Wandering Soul Technique to test for possession; an occupying soul would face destruction through divine punishment 7.
• Searches the Book of the World with her divine consciousness 11.
• Remains unaware of Li Jia’s true origins after the system helps Li Jia evade detection 7.

Movement, Concealment, and Transformation

• Shadow Escape: Transports herself and others between locations, including Hot Spring Ravine and Kalte Imperial City’s underground dungeon 17 36 47.
• Transformation: Turns Li Jia into a little yellow chick for an expedition 22.
• Size alteration: Shrinks luggage and people for carrying 32 38.
• Disguise: Conceals her party’s appearance beneath an ordinary black-robed disguise 20.
• Barriers and wards: Restricts entry to her residence and seals conversations away from surrounding listeners 12 26.
• Protective magic: Shelters her household from rain and creates a small cloud to shade Li Jia from the sun 9 36.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Judgment of the Dao — A sentient divine artifact that changes between a ring and a black-and-red longsword. It cuts Li Jia’s restraints, carries her back to Hera, and burns an approaching bone spike to ash 25 26.
  • Hera creates a secondary ring containing half her divine power and half the artifact’s spirit for Li Jia. The complete artifact can unleash its full power only when Li Jia is beside her 26.
  • Because Li Jia’s power is part of Hera herself, Hera privately acknowledges that she could not fight back if Li Jia used it to kill her 26.
• Peacock chariot — Hera’s personal transport, associated with her nobility and authority over order 15.
• Listen — A gold bracelet given to Li Jia for communication at a distance 28.
• Matching shell bracelets — Bracelets Hera strings herself for Li Jia and herself during their visit to the merfolk capital 42.

Relationships

• Li Jia — First and only disciple-attendant, later her wife. Their relationship begins with Li Jia’s concealed mission and Hera’s suspicion, then develops into mutual love and a registered marriage covenant 7 32 46 47 48.
• Winslow — An orphan Hera took in and a member of her household. Winslow admires Hera, welcomes her affection for Li Jia, and enthusiastically supports their marriage 8 14 47 48.
• Doreen — An orphan Hera took in, trusted household member, and companion in her duties. Doreen considers Hera an exemplary divine lord but warns that her same-sex marriage could expose Li Jia to opposition 8 9 19 48.
• Artemis — Fellow goddess whom Hera consults about caring for a first disciple-attendant. Hera later entrusts Li Jia’s schooling to Artemis’s residence 19 28.
• Zeus — A divine rival whose power is comparable to hers. His planned marriage to Hera belongs to the original storyline that Li Jia seeks to prevent 1 6 8.
• Poseidon — Fellow divine lord whom Hera punishes for attacking Li Jia during the attendant trial 6 7.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Choosing and Protecting an Attendant

• Li Jia’s determined choice of Hera begins changing a storyline in which Hera originally had no attendant before marrying Zeus 5.
• Hera rescues Li Jia from Poseidon’s flames, punishes him, investigates possible soul possession, and completes the Master-Servant Contract 6 7.
• After Li Jia claims romantic devotion, Hera moves her into Deep Hall and increasingly includes her in both private life and official work 11 14 15.

Mofeiliya and Luoleila’s Marriage

• Hera investigates whether Luoleila willingly married Mofeiliya and declines to erase their record after hearing her answer 23 24.
• She proposes a wager testing Mofeiliya’s feelings and stages a confrontation with her companions 24 25.
• During the confrontation, Judgment of the Dao protects Li Jia, prompting Hera to explain the power entrusted to her secondary ring 25 26.

Education and Eastern Lake

• Hera arranges Li Jia’s schooling, supervises her studies, and provides a miniature Judgment of the Dao for sword practice with Doreen 28 30 31.
• During winter vacation, she takes Li Jia to Eastern Lake and confirms that she will never choose another disciple-attendant 32.
• Their travels lead them to Qili’s case, where Hera exercises her marriage authority and helps return Qili to her sister 36 38.

Merfolk Capital and Marriage Covenant

• In the Deep-Sea Wave Capital, Hera publicly asserts her guardianship when Li Jia is accused, then repairs the damaged Light Vortex and saves her from the effects of siren extract 43 44 46.
• Hera confesses her love and asks Li Jia to form a bond with her 46.
• They register their marriage at Hera’s temple without holding a grand wedding. Hera removes “Vance” from Li Jia’s record rather than assigning her a replacement surname 48.
• When Doreen warns of opposition, Hera vows to protect Li Jia and add a marriage regulation recognizing that gender does not determine a valid loving union 48.
• Hera and Li Jia subsequently agree that they do not want children 50.

Notable Quotes

“Winning this competition makes her mine. Why shouldn't I protect her?” 7

“Whether I live or die, no one will ever be able to hurt you.” 26

“What sort of divide is that? I like you, and you like me. That's enough.” 49

Trivia

• The author describes this version of Hera as largely an original interpretation, written to rehabilitate a childhood-favorite goddess’s reputation and give her someone who genuinely loves her 1.
• Despite Li Jia calling her “big sister,” the author identifies Hera as the younger partner in the central pairing 1 21.