Early next morning, inside the royal palace of Knossos.
Hestia stood by the bedside, treating King Minos with great care as she examined the patient before her.
Nearby, Princess Ariadne, Little Medusa, and Lorne stood silently, patiently awaiting the results.
The atmosphere was gradually becoming heavy.
But as someone who had been pushed onto the battlefield of medicine against her will, the goddess of hearth could only shake her head in frustration after a while.
"…It's difficult."
Princess Ariadne, unwilling to give up, pressed on with a hopeful plea.
"Isn't there any other way? Please think again!"
Hestia sighed, muttering helplessly as she wore a thoroughly powerless expression.
"His divine blood is nearly burned out, and his soul is on the verge of withering. The only thing keeping him alive is the last trickle of his life force. I really can't do anything."
"But—"
Just as Ariadne was about to speak again, King Minos, who looked even more aged than the day before, coughed lightly and interrupted his daughter.
"Enough. Mortals must all die someday. I know my own body well. To have made it this far is already the mercy of the goddess.
There's no need to waste time on this."
Princess Ariadne bit her lip, her eyes filled with grief and unwillingness. "Father…"
King Minos gently patted his daughter's shoulder in comfort, then turned to Hestia and offered a self-deprecating smile on his wrinkled face.
"Though I'm not afraid of death, there are still many things I can't let go of. So… could you give me just a bit more time?"
Feeling guilty for not being able to help more, Hestia nodded immediately and promised, "No problem. I'll find a way to stabilize your condition. As long as you don't engage in combat, you can live a few more peaceful months."
Hearing such a regretfully optimistic answer, King Minos let out a breath of half-relief, half-amusement.
He'd been prepared to not last even seven more days, but now he suddenly had months left to live?
This much time, so unexpectedly generous, left him a little dazed.
Still, the "no fighting" condition was a serious problem.
He had hoped to personally handle a few final matters before letting go, but now, just as that bastard child had said, he really would have to leave the rest to his successors.
King Minos thought for a moment, then looked solemnly at the figure standing by his bed.
"I have a bold request: I would like you to become the new King of Crete."
Lorne's eyelids twitched involuntarily at this sudden declaration.
However, he quickly let out a dry cough and declined.
"Uh… That's not really a good idea. I don't know anything about ruling…"
"Anyone favored by the goddess, who's handled countless crises with ease, can't be called unqualified."
"But if I let you down—"
"No. Judging from how you've handled things so far, you'll do even better than I have. You're far more suited for this role than I ever was!"
The old king cut him off with a firm rebuttal, his gaze more appreciative than ever.
Clearly, this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a conclusion reached after deep thought.
Seriously? So earnest?
'I just wanted to be the support class, not the main carry!'
Seeing that the old man was dead-set on dragging him aboard this doomed, uphill-bound ship, Lorne steeled himself and threw out a more "righteous" argument.
"I'm a foreigner. It's not my place to interfere in the Minosian royal family's matters. The princes are still alive—surely they can—"
"If identity is the only issue, then it's no issue at all!"
At those words, King Minos, who had been a bit weary, suddenly brightened like he'd been waiting for this.
He immediately grabbed his daughter's hand and placed it into Lorne's, speaking with grave formality:
"As long as you marry Ariadne and become my son-in-law, you'll naturally have the right to inherit the throne!
No one will question it. And once the two of you bear a child, the next ruler will still carry Minosian blood!"
"PFT—!!"
Hearing this "perfectly logical" and utterly insane solution, Lorne choked on the mouthful of water he'd just sipped and coughed violently.
No way, brother, you're just handing over your daughter like that?!
"I object!"
Before Lorne could say a word, two voices, one large, one small—rang out at the exact same time:
"I object!"
Huh?
In that moment, the three people still locked in awkward debate, King Minos, Lorne, and Princess Ariadne, all turned toward the source of the protest, as their confused gazes falling on the two unexpected interrupters.
Under the weight of six bewildered stares, a certain small figure smoothly slid behind Hestia, shoving the goddess to the front as a human shield.
"Ahem, what I meant was…"
Sweat beaded faintly on Hestia's forehead.
Her brain spinning at full capacity, she suddenly lit up with inspiration and found the perfect scapegoat.
"Athena! Her Highness the Princess is Athena's High Priestess! She must remain chaste! There's no way Athena would approve of this!"
"Yeah! That's right! The goddess will be really mad!"
At that moment, Little Medusa popped her head out from behind Hestia and nodded furiously.
Hearing the goddess's messenger speak with such conviction, King Minos hesitated, taking it at face value.
Seeing an opportunity, Hestia pressed the attack, patting her chest and making a grand declaration:
"Don't worry! You're not dying anytime soon, I promise to keep you kicking until the very end! Right now, let's focus on the real problem. This isn't the time to talk about marriage!"
"Yeah, yeah, exactly!"
Little Medusa tensed her face and chimed in again, finishing the tag-team combo.
Finally, under the duo's relentless persuasion, King Minos reluctantly backed down.
"You're right… Rushing into it would be disrespectful. We'll wait until the goddess returns and formally consult her first…"
Hearing such a reasonable response, the tall-and-small pair nodded furiously in agreement.
"But—"
The moment that ominous word dropped, their hearts immediately leapt back into their throats.
"My body's no longer fit to manage affairs… Someone has to shoulder the burden. And right now, the only one who can…"
King Minos trailed off meaningfully, his gaze once again drifting toward the secretary, clearly ready to revisit the proposal.
"Even if he doesn't succeed you, he can still help manage things, right?
Anna is the goddess's messenger, and he's both her brother and someone the goddess herself favors.
As long as it's in line with divine will, whether private or public, it'll all be seen as the best arrangement. And with your approval, no one would dare object!"
"Besides, after all that's happened, whether he wants to or not… he's already in too deep!"
Hearing that smoothly reasoned argument, Lorne stared at the goddess of hearth in stunned disbelief.
Wait a second… isn't she the one with random bouts of brainstem failure?
Since when did she start using her full IQ?
Even King Minos looked visibly convinced.
He nodded and made his decision:
"That works. I'll hand over administrative authority to the temple and have Ariadne deliver it to you.
If anything needs to be done, just tell them what to do!"
Saying this, the old man looked solemnly at his daughter and issued a stern instruction.
"Ariadne, stay by Lorne's side for the time being. Follow his guidance in all matters.
He is the one chosen by the goddess for Crete—treat him with the same respect as you would a divine envoy!"
"Yes, Father!"
Princess Ariadne obediently agreed with a serious nod and quickly stepped into her new role.
"Then I'll fetch the documents and materials that need to be transferred and reviewed by Secretary Lorne."
"I'll help too!"
From the corner, Little Medusa's eyes flashed, and she immediately followed after Princess Ariadne.
In moments, the once noisy bedchamber fell into a strange, heavy silence.
Now crowned as the unofficial King of Crete and future royal son-in-law, Lorne turned his head slowly… and stared at the one who had orchestrated the whole mess.
Hestia shrank her head, the smile frozen on her face, gradually twisting with tension.
Her resentful eyes turned toward the door where the two girls had vanished and she muttered in her heart, bitterly:
Damn it… I should've run faster…
(End of Chapter)