Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

But after Athena's mediation and the healing of the golden-horned stag, Artemis calmed down and did not pursue Heracles's offense.

So, to be fair, it depends on who it is and, more importantly, their strength.

If it weren't for that previous incident, it would be a miracle if these two arrogant Olympian gods were sitting here drinking and chatting peacefully.

Moreover, in Greece, revealing one's lineage and bloodline can increase damage output, as many gods possess a hidden talent for attacking their relatives.

Let alone a distant great-uncle, even if it were one's own father, if one couldn't control the other side, they would still slaughter him without hesitation.

Of course, both Athena and Samael are very shrewd. They fought this battle because they knew that Themis was with Hestia and felt emboldened.

There's a saying that goes something like this: "No fight, no friendship."

With equal strength, this relationship, and Athena's generous gift of the prey to Artemis, who loved taming golden-horned deer, she gained a lot of goodwill.

At the same time, Samael covered up the cause of the conflict, smoothed things over for the impulsive Apollo, and described the fight as a friendly sparring match, thus saving face for the god of light.

Only then did the siblings accept the invitation and show a good attitude towards these so-called "elders".

Samael glanced at the harmonious scene, then turned his gaze back to Hestia, who was chatting and laughing with Themis.

Through the subtle hints from the goddess of justice, the goddess of the hearth casually mentions some recent developments in Olympus.

For example, Zeus, the king of the gods, has been frequently heading to the Caucasus Mountains lately, and each time he returns, his face looks worse than the last.

It seems Prometheus is nearing his limit.

Samael, Chiron, and Athena exchanged glances and nodded knowingly.

"Your talent is so exceptional; it would be a waste if you didn't stand on the podium and teach some interesting lives. Light, after all, is meant to dispel ignorance..."

Chiron raised his cup to Apollo and sighed, and the god of light, who had always loved "shining," was somewhat tempted.

"Now that we live in a time of peace, conflicts between the gods are rare. In order to hone our skills and learn from each other's experiences, we have established a good platform for exchange."

At the same time, Athena chuckled and opened her lips to explain to the somewhat confused Artemis, pointing to the Typhon children lying on the ground, and whispered in the ear of the goddess of the hunt.

"See? They and I were all graduates from the last class. If you're interested, you can come and visit that place; you might find something else."

Artemis's gaze fell upon the anxious battle nymphs, and recalling Athena's formidable combat skills, she was quite intrigued and asked curiously.

"What's the name of that exchange venue you mentioned?"

The ancient serpent gazed silently toward the northern part of the earth, a smile playing on its lips as it pondered.

"The School of Athens!"

Chapter 116 Selfish Fatherly Love (1/3)

As evening fell, the tea party, which was a joyous occasion for both the host and guests, came to a successful conclusion.

The three chief gods, Hestia, Artemis, and Apollo, bid farewell to Samael and the others, boarded their chariots, and returned to their respective temples.

On the gentle slope, Themis gazed at the majestic and imposing Mount Olympus under the setting sun, as if a bright flame were igniting within her. She turned back to look at Samael with a deep and somber expression, offering a silent reminder.

"Zeus has been summoning the gods quite frequently lately, and many of the topics are related to humanity. Isn't our contact today too risky?"

The ancient serpent stood side by side with the goddess of justice, stretched comfortably, and smiled slightly.

"The greater the risk, the higher the reward."

After a day of hospitality, they obtained two invaluable pieces of inside information from the three Olympian gods.

Firstly, Zeus's energy was already tied up with the legendary god of opportunity, Poros. In addition, the three generations of gods were ruled by men, so even if Athena was exposed, she could protect herself with the help of Gaia, the earth goddess.

Secondly, the Olympian gods had already diverged in their attitudes toward humanity.

Artemis, Apollo, Hephaestus, Hestia, and Demeter all harbored affection and curiosity towards humans, and were willing to approach and be close to them.

Aphrodite, Hera, Poseidon, and Hermes remain neutral, and will likely act according to the prevailing winds.

Ares and Zeus are two contrasting figures: Ares is a bloodthirsty warrior, while Zeus possesses foresight and harbors ill will towards humanity.

But even if Zeus wanted to target humanity, he needed a legitimate reason and had to find a way to get a decision from the divine council first.

Humanity is relatively safe until the gods are completely disillusioned with it.

Therefore, the key is to prevent Pandora's box from being opened.

As for the honest man who married Pandora and single-handedly ushered in the end of mankind—the god Epimetheus, who was slow to realize the truth.

Samael recalled the respectful young couple, Deucalion and Pirana, on Crete, with a strange smile.

Historically, Pyrrha was the daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora.

However, through the machinations of the ancient serpent and Prometheus, Epimetheus had already united with a human woman, and they were in love and had a child named Pyrrha.

This weakness no longer exists, so it will probably not be so easy for Zeus to find a breakthrough through Epimetheus.

As long as Pandora cannot be sent out, the box that determines the fate of mankind cannot be opened, and mankind has not fallen, the wise god-king will not dare to openly cleanse the earth.

Otherwise, the Olympian gods, deprived of their sacrifices and faith, would cause trouble openly or secretly, even if they didn't rebel.

"I'm still a little worried. Hestia is fine, but what about the siblings? If they talk too much, will they attract Zeus's attention?"

Themis frowned slightly and murmured something.

Immediately, Samael reached out and gently grasped Themis's soft hand, offering comfort to the goddess of justice.

"Zeus disliked the gods walking on the earth and interacting with humans. They were only out for a stroll under the guise of keeping Hestia company. They wouldn't be foolish enough to expose their weaknesses."

Moreover, we have further cooperation planned…”

The ancient serpent brandished the parchment scrolls it had received from Athena and Chiron, a wicked grin on its face.

Inside was nothing more than an invitation from the Academy of Athens to Artemis and Apollo for exchange and teaching, along with a few class arrangements; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a tea party.

But both Apollo and Artemis subtly revealed a strong interest in the prospect described by someone.

The subsequent students of the Academy of Athens have begun to recruit elite humans from different settlements.

If they are contacted and taught by the two chief gods, these people can be transformed into high-quality priests and believers. After completing their studies, they can then spread the faith of the god of light and the goddess of hunting to more areas of the earth.

The power of faith is an irresistible sweetness for the gods.

In the future, the belief in Apollo and Artemis will spread extremely widely.

Whether it's the Delphic Oracle that resounded throughout Greece or the Temple of Artemis, which was listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, these are enough to demonstrate the influence of the two chief Olympian gods.

"Samael, they are Zeus's most beloved children. Will human efforts to win them over really work?"

Themis still had some doubts and couldn't help but sigh softly.

"Maybe it'll work, we should at least give it a try..."

The ancient snake had a strange smile, and its eyes held a profound meaning.

"Spoiled? I doubt it!"

Just as the goddess of justice was somewhat confused, Athena, who was clearing away the dishes, crossed her arms, pursed her lips, snorted softly, and looked at him with sarcasm.

"While Leto was being chased all over the world by Hera, the Queen of Gods, this good father was nowhere to be seen..."

When the siblings were attacked by the giant snakeskin, their good father didn't come to their aid...

Wake up! His so-called affection is nothing but disgusting selfishness.

Themis, who always dealt with matters objectively, did not entirely agree with Athena's view and offered a rebuttal.

"But Zeus's affection for Artemis was known to all the gods."

He not only bestowed upon Artemis several important divine functions, but also granted her a position second only to the Queen of the Goddess—this is a fact.

Because the king of the gods had been relatively well-behaved in recent years and had contributed to the restoration of order, Themis had somewhat changed her opinion of him.

The goddess of wisdom turned to look at Themis, rolled her eyes and snorted in annoyance.

"Alright then, think about when this extraordinary favor started?"

When did it begin? The Goddess of Justice frowned in thought.

"It was after Artemis swore to become a virgin!"

Athena responded with a cold laugh, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Why is it that Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, and Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, are the two virgin goddesses of Olympus, who are highly respected and favored?"

The Goddess of Justice frowned slightly, her mind a jumble of thoughts, unable to arrive at a definite answer.

"Think about how Cronus failed..."

Samael sighed and moved closer to offer a reminder.

Themis, who had been completely confused, suddenly realized something, and two keywords popped into her mind.

woman!

It was because Zeus used male charm to directly or indirectly win over the nine Titans of Otyria, that Cronus was left isolated and helpless, ultimately leading to his defeat.

Similarly, if a powerful goddess wavers, she could become an ally of other gods, altering the balance of power and shaking Zeus's rule!

By swearing to become a virgin, one eliminates this risk and keeps oneself separate from power struggles.

"So, the reason Zeus favored Artemis was because she posed no threat to his royal power? That's why her status was constantly elevated, as a form of compensation?"

Themis's voice was dry, and her brow was furrowed.

"A woman will not be swayed by her husband's will, so her loyalty to her father will be unshakable, and he will certainly be willing to bestow so-called fatherly love upon her."

If Artemis hadn't been forced into a corner by Hera, would she have been willing to make such a self-imposed, monstrous oath?

What kind of father would truly want his daughter to grow old alone?

My dear Aunt Themis, divine authority is devoid of familial affection. Don't romanticize the warmth shown above.

Athena gazed wistfully at the cloud-shrouded Olympus, a disdainful sneer on her face. Themis, whose perception had been subtly overturned, let out a long sigh.

Chapter 117 Orion, the Unwitting Caught in the Crossfire (2/3)

You are the only one who talks a lot!

Samael glared fiercely at Athena, who mercilessly exposed those despicable acts, and then held Themis's soft hand, trying to soothe the goddess of justice's turbulent emotions.

Justice can't stand too much ugliness and filth in people's hearts, and likes to put a filter on some dark things.

You make it sound like someone as cunning as you can't see through things!

Athena pouted and complained, but when her gaze fell upon those tugging fingers, her face darkened.

Tch, they make me do all the bad stuff! I just get the easy way out!

Although the ancient snake outwardly appeared stern and reprimanding, it was inwardly overjoyed, feeling satisfied and content.

Athena's intelligence is beyond doubt; she can even see through people's pretenses and point directly to their darker side.

Therefore, even if Zeus were to fear the power of this goddess of wisdom and war and try any utilitarian means to appease her, he would likely find it difficult to sway Athena's stance.

Even now, when the enemy is strong and we are weak, Athena shows no respect for her biological father, revealing her rejection and disdain for Olympus and Zeus in every word.

Hmm, I won't say anything more. I'll have an extra meal tonight, and I'll also lull you to sleep so you'll know what real fatherly love is!

Silently, the ancient snake smiled broadly and made a decision in secret.

"What if Artemis falls for him later?"

Still lost in her thoughts, Themis tugged at Samael's sleeve and asked softly.

As the ancient serpent recalled the future hunting goddess's experiences, its expression grew colder and more stern.

"Then her good brother Apollo will make her give up..."

A promise made by Zeus, the king of the gods, is not so easy to disobey, especially since it concerns the balance of power in Olympus.

Moreover, the person Artemis will eventually approach is none other than Orion, the son of Poseidon, the sea god.

Of the three brothers, Hades is trapped in the underworld, while only Poseidon, who controls the ocean, poses a strong threat to the divine authority of the sky.

That's why this overlord of the ocean has never stopped causing trouble.

He even joined forces with Hera and Athena in history to almost stage a coup against Zeus.

With her brother watching her like a hawk, Zeus would never allow Artemis to marry Orion, the son of the sea god.

Therefore, Apollo, the god of light, was also a wise man who could see the situation clearly. Even if it left a thorn in Artemis's heart, he still wanted to help his sister get rid of Orion, her deadly lover.