Early morning, fragmented golden sunlight spilled through the window lattice into the room, accompanied by the sound of surging tides.
Lorne yawned as if sensing something, opened his eyelids, and caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye, two round, slender, snow-white thighs were placed side by side behind his head, sending a soft touch and a faint fragrance.
"You're awake?" A gentle voice came.
The silver-haired, violet-eyed goddess of wisdom, dressed in a simple white long dress, was sitting upright at the head of the bed, smiling as she looked down at the face resting on her lap.
However, the two undulating, snow-white mountains in front of her were rising and falling with her breathing, blocking their line of sight, making Lorne dizzy.
Are they really that big?
Just as Lorne marveled at this spectacle with his own eyes, those violet eyes revealed deep concern.
"What's wrong? Still feeling unwell? Let me take a look!" Two encircling arms lifted Lorne's head and pressed it nervously against her chest, inspecting and comforting him.
At once, the half-awake and half-dreaming victim was nearly suffocated.
In his chaotic struggle, the qualities of the contact surface summarized through his five senses flashed in his mind.
So big! So soft! So fierce!
"Bang!" As Lorne's consciousness became muddled, nearly suffocated by this soft indulgence, the bedroom door was suddenly slammed open.
The goddess of the hearth, dressed in a white apron and holding a ladle, peeked her head in through the door crack with a twisted smile on her darkened face.
"You're awake, right? I made a feast to celebrate your recovery. Come down and eat!"
Eat?
Lorne instinctively looked through the half-open door toward the hall and kitchen...his expression instantly froze.
The once tidy room in his memory was now splattered with purplish-red blood and shredded meat, resembling a large slaughterhouse.
A hideous, half-snake, half-fish gray-white head was tossed aside, fresh blood dripping from its severed neck...
Octopus-like soft-bodied creatures were stuffed whole into a soup pot, their screams and struggles causing the lid to be slightly lifted...
Thick bird legs, freshly plucked, were being smoked, with a one-legged siren hanging nearby...
Even worse, a Lamia with a swollen forehead, clearly knocked unconscious, had an apple stuffed in her mouth, her body coated in sauce, twisted into a heart shape, ready to be shoved into the oven...
"H-Hestia...I... I don't think I'm hungry..." Lorne's Adam's apple bobbed violently, cold sweat pouring down his forehead as he forced a dry smile and shook his head, his thoughts growing more chaotic.
"Eat, you must eat! The goddess specially prepared this for you!" At this moment, Euryale, dressed in formal attire, poked her head in from outside the door, gloating with schadenfreude, her crimson eyes brimming with malice.
On the other side of the doorway, her twin sister Stheno, with purple hair and red eyes, smiled as she scooped out a bowl of bubbling purplish-red concoction from the pot full of octopus tentacles.
She eagerly handed this biochemical weapon to Hestia at the door, her meaning obvious. "Come on, open your mouth...!"
Now, the sinister-looking Hestia raised a spoonful of the purplish-red seafood soup, ready to feed it to the sick Lorne.
Sizzle! Sizzle!
But that bronze spoon visibly blackened and smoked in the air, even melting and breaking apart.
This is for humans to eat?!
Seeing this, Lorne broke into a cold sweat and instinctively tried to change the subject, hoping to avoid this mouthful of seafood soup that seemed as toxic as poison.
"Wait! Is it all over?
Anna! Right, where's Anna?!"
Speaking, Lorne, who'd head was still tightly held by Athena on the bed, rolled his eyes wildly, scanning the room desperately for someone who could save him.
"Anna? She's right..." The purple-haired, red-eyed twin Gorgon sisters walked into the room, malicious smiles on their delicate faces.
Then, grabbing the corner of Lorne's blanket, they suddenly yanked it off and loudly announced, "...Right here!"
Lorne instinctively looked down and saw a mass of purple beneath the blanket.
That face, a mix of the mature charm of a snake goddess and the youthful innocence of a young Gorgon, slowly lifted from below, looking innocent and bewildered.
A forked tongue flicked out of her sandalwood mouth, tasting the air.
As she swallowed with a gulp, her flushed little face seemed to display a kind of satisfaction from feeding.
In an instant, several sinister gazes focused on him, a nameless terror freezing everything.
"An-Anna! Nooo!"
A high-pitched, off-key wail echoed through the Greek-styled bedroom as a sweat-drenched patient suddenly bolted upright from the bed, instinctively flailing his hands in the air.
After a frantic struggle, his terrified eyes gradually refocused, seeing the familiar ceiling and bedroom furnishings before he let out a long breath of relief.
A dream. Thank goodness it was just a dream.
After a while, Lorne, patting his nearly stopped heart, slumped weakly against the bedhead.
Looking at the empty bedroom, he couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated.
Where's the promised top contributor?
Not even asking for a lap pillow, but not even someone to serve me?
Just as Lorne was silently grumbling about the ups and downs of life, a low whimper came from outside the door as a golden retriever pushed open the door crack, squeezed into the bedroom, excitedly jumped onto the bed, and wagged its tail enthusiastically at its just-awakened master, licking his palm happily.
You're still the best, doggo!
Seeing his loyal "licking dog," Lorne felt quite moved.
"Don't run! Let me hug you!"
However, before his sense of gratitude could last for more than a few seconds, the door was pushed open by a small hand as the goddess of victory, Nike, rushed in with outstretched arms, trying to block the golden retriever that was darting around the room.
Seeing a few strands of dog hair stuck to Nike's hand, along with the golden retriever circling around him, Lorne's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.
So in the end, you came here just to use me as a shield?
Has it come to this? Not even a loyal dog can be trusted anymore?
While inwardly complaining, Lorne unceremoniously scooped up the golden retriever flailing on the bed and tossed it toward Nike.
Getting what she wanted, the goddess of victory immediately beamed with joy, firmly hugging the whining dog in her arms, happily petting its head.
Her gaze toward Lorne was full of goodwill and closeness.
This is the goddess of victory, the most important authority in the domain of war.
Better to establish a good relationship early on.
Doggo, you'll have to make a little sacrifice.
Ignoring the pleading gaze of his beloved dog, Lorne mumbled to himself while squeezing out a friendly smile toward Nike.
"You're awake? What would you like to eat? I'll make a big meal to celebrate your recovery!"
The familiar question and the goddess of the hearth poking her head in from the doorway instantly made Lorne tense up on reflex, hastily shaking his head.
"H-Hestia, I'm not hungry."
"Huh? Oh…"
Hearing Lorne's firm refusal, Hestia, holding a ladle, looked somewhat disappointed.
Perhaps due to lingering trauma from that nightmare, Lorne glanced around nervously before cautiously asking.
"Where's Athena?"
"She's at Olympus confronting Poseidon. Though the beast tide has ended, the troubles on Crete and Atlantis aren't over yet…"
Hestia glanced at Lorne, lowered her head, and replied in a muffled voice. The hand holding the ladle bulged with veins.
Lorne relaxed slightly, but then furtively looked around once more and asked again.
"By the way, why aren't Stheno, Euryale, and Anna here?"
"They're resting in the temple!"
A cold snort came from the doorway, laced with the sound of gritted teeth.
"After the battle on the coastline, they absorbed a large amount of divine essence spilled from Ceto and need time to digest it. Before leaving, Athena took them to her temple…"
"Then… Princess Ariadne…"
Crack!
A hand pressed against the doorframe forcefully snapped a piece of rune-reinforced fir wood.
Hestia calmly withdrew her arm behind her back as if nothing had happened, squeezed out a smile, and spoke evenly.
"Anything else you'd like to ask? Go ahead."
Gulp~!
Looking at that slightly twisted expression, Lorne's eyelid twitched, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously as he cautiously spoke.
"How about… we eat first?"
"Weren't you not hungry?"
Hestia raised an eyebrow and countered, continuing to stare at the just-awakened patient.
"But you're here too, aren't you? No one should go hungry, least of all our hardworking and noble Hestia, guardian of the hearth and home.
What would you like to eat? I'll cook it!"
At this moment, realizing his oversight, Lorne quickly vowed earnestly while getting up from the bed, grabbing Hestia's arm without giving her a chance to object, and adding with a mix of sincerity and flattery.
"To tell you the truth, during my coma, my mind was full of recipes, I've gained quite a few insights and woke up with them fresh in my mind.
Come on, let's go to the kitchen and try a few out, I guarantee they'll be dishes you love!"
Hestia still looked skeptical, her expression half-believing.
"Really? You can study recipes in a dream? You'd better not be lying to me…"
That being said, the body of the goddess of the hearth couldn't help but turn, quickly following behind Lorne.
The clouded expression from earlier was now full of eager anticipation.
As expected, still as easy to read as ever.
Lorne glanced at Hestia, who had taken the initiative to follow, then calmly looked away, the corners of his lips lifting into a pleased smile.
It was obvious that this goddess of the hearth, whose temperament had been thoroughly figured out, was practically about to take the bait.
Soon, the stove was lit, and a wisp of cooking smoke rose.
The sounds of pots and pans accompanied the aroma of stir-frying and sizzling.
One by one, dishes that were either delicately crafted, innovatively prepared, or brilliantly creative were completed and set on the table, becoming the stars of today's meal.
Naturally lively, little Nike was quickly lured in by the aroma, becoming a prisoner of the feast as she hugged the restless dog, she sat at the table and dug in heartily.
"Get down! No eating without washing your hands!"
But even the goddess of victory couldn't resist Hestia's commanding presence in the realm of the kitchen and dining table.
Waving her ladle fiercely, Hestia drove Nike away, forcing her to put down the dog and run off to the sink.
Watching little Nike flee in panic, Lorne, who had been demoted from head chef to assistant, couldn't help but admire Hestia's absolute dominance over the household as he brought the final dish to the table, officially announcing the start of the meal.
In a warm and joyful atmosphere, the two gods, one person, and one dog ate their fill, their faces full of satisfaction.
Just as the family feast ended and Lorne was about to get up to clean the messy table, Hestia stood up from the bench and, uncharacteristically, stopped him.
"We'll clean up later. You, come with me first!"
Without waiting for a reply, Hestia grabbed Lorne's arm, left little Nike behind to watch the house, and led him straight up to the top floor.
The third floor was a balcony filled with plants and flowers, furnished with a few tables and chairs.
Silvery moonlight cascaded down from the sky, deep and tranquil.
Without realizing it, the family feast had lasted from day to night.
Upon reaching the destination, Hestia busied herself with some knocking and tapping around.
Finally, she pulled out a jar of fruit wine, two cups, some jerky, and dried fruits from beneath a stone slab.
Hugging this obviously private stash, she brought it to the small table and welcomed her guest.
"Sit down. I rarely bring anyone up here."
Hearing that meaningful tone, Lorne couldn't help but feel a bit nervous, mumbling inwardly.
Surely she's not still sour over that dream, is she?
"You want to ascend from a demigod to a true god?"
However, as soon as Hestia spoke, Lorne looked at her in surprise.
"Hey, what's with that look? I'm the guardian of the hearth and home, not just some cook!"
Feeling underestimated, Hestia ground her teeth in annoyance, proclaiming her noble status. "At the very least, I am one of the twelve main Olympian gods! If that girl Athena can teach you things, why can't I?"
"Of course! Not just Athena, even if her father, the king of the gods himself, offended you, he'd have to go three days without nine meals!"
Seeing that Hestia was about to blow up, Lorne hurriedly piled on flattery with a broad smile.
That's more like it!
Hearing this, Hestia's anger subsided quite a bit, her expression gradually softening. With a light hum, she took the initiative to speak.
"If you have any questions about ascending from demigod to god, you can ask me."
Then, she smoothly shifted the topic to give herself a proper reason.
"Of course, I'm only making this exception to answer your questions because you just saved everyone on Crete."
"Yes, yes, I'll make the most of this opportunity."
Naturally, Lorne chose not to expose the obvious pretense, nodding repeatedly and seizing this rare chance to ask advice from this eldest sister of the divine royal family.
"So how should a demigod ascend to godhood?"
"To be honest, it's not an easy thing to do..."
When it came to the point, Hestia suddenly changed her once gentle and graceful image, and her temperament became serious and earnest, and she gave a detailed answer.
"Strictly speaking, there are two kinds of gods in this world:
One kind is born a god.
They inherit some fundamental aspect or rule of the world by their very nature or bloodline, naturally possessing authority.
They can easily touch the Great Source from which everything begins.
The other kind becomes a god later.
They start as mortals and, through accumulating bloodline power, training, performing great deeds, gathering faith, and so on, achieve transformation and ascension, ultimately forging their own path and awakening their own authority..."
Lorne listened attentively and nodded inwardly.
In other words, gods born of nature and gods shaped by effort.
And this perfectly aligned with the natural evolution of mythology.
Primitive cultures originally worshipped the mysterious powers of the sun, moon, stars, sky, earth, wind, rain, thunder, lightning...all natural forces and existences.
But with the progress of time and civilization, domains such as agriculture, forging, war, wine, marriage, wealth, and so on, distinct from the natural world, gave rise to new divine authorities.
Mortal beings could thereby gain a sliver of opportunity to ascend.
Of course, the original gods still claimed the lion's share of these emerging domains.
For example, the Olympian twelve defeated the twelve Titans representing natural forces because they seized divine authority tied to society and civilization.
In the end, as history shows, the divine forces of civilization triumphed over those of the wild, securing the glory of Olympus.
At this point, Hestia paused, her gaze tinged with emotion.
"From what I know, gods born as such make up the vast majority, but their strength varies tremendously—the gap between the strongest and weakest is enormous.
For instance, the sun god, the goddess of dawn, the nine Muses—pure-blood Titan descendants; the three thousand river gods born of Oceanus and Tethys; countless nymphs of the forests and waters—all are gods.
But within each tier, the differences in power are staggering.
The strong ones even the main gods fear.
The weak... well, not only can they be bullied by powerful demigods, they could even end up as food for monsters...
Even for the weak, breaking through their bloodline limits is extremely difficult.
So, being born a god is a great blessing, but it often limits their potential for growth."
Lorne rolled his eyes and lightly interrupted this "champagne problems" speech from the privileged goddess.
"Oh please. The same problem exists for species with mortal bodies and it is probably even worse."
Hearing this, Hestia thought seriously for a moment.
Recalling the many god-blooded offspring scattered across the mortal world and even more mortals trapped by birth, aging, sickness, and death, she sighed and nodded.
"That's true. For a mortal to break through their bloodline limits, ignite divine fire, and step into demigodhood is already an immense challenge. Compared to that, yes, we who are born as gods are indeed luckier."
"So, for mortals to become gods, is it really such a difficult path?" Lorne frowned slightly.
"Difficult is an understatement. Very few manage it! Such beings are extremely rare—you could probably count them on two hands."
Hestia, hearing this, counted on her fingers and seriously reaffirmed it.
Then, to prevent Lorne from losing confidence, she softened her tone and offered some reassurance.
"But once a mortal overcomes all obstacles and successfully takes that step, their achievements often surpass those of most gods born as such."
That's true...
Lorne nodded, recalling the examples he knew of mortals who had later become gods.
The peerless warrior Heracles, the god of medicine Asclepius who could bring the dead back to life, and Dionysus, the god of wine, who in history had even ascended to the ranks of the Twelve Olympians...
These beings, once they crossed that threshold, had all become top-tier gods, even chief deities.
And the more he envisioned the future, the more curious Lorne became.
"So what exactly is the difference between a demigod and a god?"
"Immortality!"
Hestia answered solemnly, then thoughtfully added a clarification.
"Strictly speaking, it's only physical immortality. The soul remains fragile.
As long as their divinity is not destroyed, this vessel carrying their divine essence can continuously repair itself under certain conditions.
Killing a god completely is extremely complex and difficult as it usually requires a weapon with god-slaying properties or some special method."
"What about chief gods?"
"Eternal!"
Hestia answered instinctively and kindly added an explanation.
"At that level, both body and soul are linked to the world's source.
They won't easily age or die and are almost invulnerable."
But then the goddess of the hearth waved her hand and brought the topic back on track.
"Those are things for you to worry about later. Right now, you should focus on how to complete your ascension from demigod to god."
"What do I need to do?"
"Use divine fire to temper your divinity, refine it into a godhood, and inscribe your own law within it."
After explaining the method, Hestia looked seriously at Lorne and spoke sincerely.
"But before that, I suggest you first decide clearly which path you want to take."
After a brief pause, the goddess of the hearth pursed her lips and gave a serious reminder.
"To be honest, I think the authority of war is powerful, but most of it has already been divided between Athena and Ares.
Even if you succeed in ascending, you would likely end up as one of their subordinate gods, which probably isn't your first choice."
Lorne could hear the concern and sincerity in Hestia's words, and he frowned, falling into deep thought.
Indeed, with Ares and Athena around, there wasn't much of the war domain left.
Moreover, when the Olympian gods descended to aid their respective city-states in battle, they frequently boosted their war-related domains.
Whatever remained was likely just scraps.
Furthermore, too many gods were eyeing the war domain.
Trying to encroach on their turf would come with huge risks.
And most importantly:
Sometimes, choosing the right path matters more than effort.
If he chose a domain that didn't suit him and ascended, even if he managed to become a god by sheer luck, it would be hard to take the next step toward becoming a chief god.
Not to mention, the one he intended to challenge in the future was none other than Zeus himself.
As his thoughts churned, Lorne stood at a crossroads of fate, momentarily unsure of what to choose.
"Can't figure it out?" Noticing Lorne's hesitation, Hestia smiled and gently pulled him up, then led him to the edge of the balcony to look down at Knossos beneath the night sky.
"Heh..."
Lorne, feeling puzzled, instinctively wanted to ask why.
"Shh, don't rush. The time is almost here. Listen carefully, watch closely..."
Hestia immediately raised her hand to stop him, her voice serious and low.
Perhaps influenced by this solemn tone, Lorne obediently remained silent and followed Hestia's gaze.
Beneath the heavy night sky, the entire city lay in silence, like a sleeping infant.
And across this dark expanse of land, Olympus alone was cloaked in starlight.
The undying sacred flame burned quietly in the halls of the gods, proclaiming immortal brilliance and splendor.
But—
Such grandeur was too distant from mortals;
Such nobility was hollow and meaningless;
Such power served only private desires and ambitions...
Though they had reached immortality and brilliance, they were merely the cold, lonely backdrop of the universe—unchanged over millennia.
That's it?
Just as Lorne began to feel a little disappointed, the crimson morning sun slowly rose, its rays piercing the night and spilling across the land.
The city, once submerged in darkness, awakened like a crying infant emerging from its swaddling clothes.
Wisps of cooking smoke rose from homes, filling the air with the scent of food and the chatter of children.
Street vendors set up their stalls, arranging their goods and shouting to attract buyers, hoping for today's profits.
Farmers beyond the city tended grapevines sprouting tender shoots, wiping sweat from their brows, dreaming of next year's harvest.
At the port, tall sails caught the wind. Fishermen cast their nets into the calm sea, yearning for the ocean's bounty...
A world that had seemed dull and lifeless was now alive with noise and commotion.
"Compared to cold, lifeless Olympus, I still prefer life here..."
Hestia leaned against the edge of the balcony, cupping her chin in her hand, gazing at the bustling streets and smiling neighbors, her face glowing with a pure smile.
"That's probably why I chose to guard the hearth and became the goddess of the hearth."
As she spoke, a loud newborn's cry echoed from a birthing room in the city.
"It's born! The little one from the Contaneos family next door is born! Come, let's go take a look, maybe we can get some sweets!"
Perking up, Hestia called to Lorne excitedly and ran downstairs, eager to share in the joy of new life.
Along the way, seeing familiar faces and the joyful crowd gathering toward the birthing room, Lorne couldn't help but smile.
The laws of the cosmos were grand and magnificent, the splendor of the gods dazzling, but in the end, they were cold, lifeless things.
Human life was as fragile as a reed, yet people still fought against the world's injustice with enthusiasm for life, seeking sparks of joy in the darkness of suffering.
No matter how powerful the gods were, they were still slaves to fate.
But life truly worth respecting should not be like that!
Even without the immortality of the gods, without absolute truth, without mastery over the source of all things, life should be unique, without predestined paths, without anyone dictating its course or erasing its possibilities.
He was like that.
Others were like that.
The entire world should be like that.
Whether outcast anomalies or mortals as humble as ants!
If the gods cannot bestow this possibility, then I shall bestow it myself!
I will grant dignity to life through the joy of living, and proclaim life's equality through unrestrained delight!
Hahahahaha... Humans! So fleeting, so fragile, so inconvenient, and yet never defined solely by death and despair.
Instead, they embody the love and hope that even the gods cannot attain...
An outsider who had always felt separated from this world now grinned freely, laughing from the heart and expressing a sincere sentiment.
"How delightful it is—praise be to this joyful life—!"
Moving forward, Lorne boldly grabbed the hand in front of him. Amid Hestia's joy and surprise, he laughed and ran down the broad road toward new life.
(End of this chapter)