——————
Hearing Ryo's answer, Athena smiled. "Only 'do your best'?"
"…Do you want me to go all out and bury Algol?" Ryo looked genuinely surprised.
So she wanted him to completely throw Algol under the bus?
Athena met his gaze with a serene smile. "Someone has to bear everything."
Right. She wasn't planning to kill Algol — celestial star spirits can't be killed. Which meant she was suggesting something worse than death.
Why not just destroy her face? That'd be more direct, Ryo complained inwardly.
And I'm not stupid enough to make Algol my mortal enemy. There's nothing in that for me.
He straightened a little and said, "Personally, I agree with the approach, but…"
"This is Athena's suggestion," Athena interjected smoothly. Then with a soft laugh, she added, "I think Algol will understand."
So all the responsibility falls on Athena? Wow. You're making sure Algol knows exactly who threw her into the pit? That grudge must run deep…
Ryo sighed. "…I'll consider it. In the meantime, I'd like some support from your side."
He paused, then said pointedly, "For example… assistance in promoting [No Name]'s community rank."
And before she could comment, he added, "Naturally, this can be counted toward the original payment."
He was referring to the reward for sabotaging the Cross's faith base.
Community rank advancement in the Garden was notoriously painful — territory negotiations, integration procedures, multiple official channels. A bureaucratic nightmare. But with the backing of the Greek pantheon? That changed everything.
Athena's smile paused for a beat. She looked straight at him, then chuckled quietly. "A reasonable request."
Interfering with the Cross was extremely risky. Asking for compensation was only proper. Honestly, if he hadn't disgusted her earlier, she would've brought it up herself.
She held his gaze, smiling. "But I expect to see exceptional results."
Ryo frowned. "…You will."
He couldn't openly mention Rama. Revealing that name too early risked drawing the Garden's full observation, leaving him exposed to countless near-omniscient gods.
The first being in the Garden to speak the true name of the King of End would be flagged without mercy.
Still, with the weight Rama would bring, Athena's gains were guaranteed. She'd profit massively. Just… only once the name went public.
"I understand," Athena said after a moment. Then she laughed lightly. "If you agree about Algol, I won't pursue that 'little one' any further."
To the Garden's Athena, the Athena from the Campione world was just a 'little one.'
Her lips curled with satisfaction. "And I can provide [No Name]'s support in advance."
Still so obsessed with Algol, huh? Ryo thought with a complicated expression.
But as long as it got Athena to drop the matter of the other Athena, his original goal for coming here was basically accomplished.
He thought it over, then nodded. "That sounds fair."
Hearing that, Black Rabbit — who had been quietly listening — could barely contain her excitement.
A deal. This was a proper deal. They split Athena's faith, escaped punishment, and even got benefits?
That wasn't luck. That was Ryo pulling miracles.
"..."
Seeing his agreement, Athena's lips curved slightly.
She lifted her hand. A silver necklace appeared in her palm, its center set with a clear blue crystal. She placed it on the tea table in front of Ryo.
"This contains the priesthood of Pallas… a piece of my essence."
She glanced at him — his stunned look was plain to see. "Give it to her. She'll understand my intent."
A fragment of Athena's essence. She was… supporting the other Athena's path to a Trinity Queen tier?
Ryo's eyelid twitched violently. This wasn't mere faith-sharing. This was giving away part of her own existence.
What was Athena planning?
"If she accepts it," Athena continued, "she'll be able to participate in any Gift Game under the name of Athena, Metis, or Medusa."
"Huh?" Black Rabbit froze. Completely dumbfounded.
Did that mean the fake Athena at home… would become an official Athena?
Athena glanced at Black Rabbit with amusement. "Though I recommend she appear as ' a Pallas' for now. It will benefit her greatly."
In some older texts, Pallas was considered her original name — but that knowledge was limited in circulation. If the other Athena used it, most would just think she was an incarnation. Or perhaps the daughter of Triton, the one Athena accidentally killed.
So Athena was hinting that she wanted the other one to lay low…
Ryo frowned deeply. He couldn't make sense of her true intentions.
Of course, lack of intel was the issue. He hadn't been in the Garden long enough. He simply didn't have the foundation yet.
He glanced sideways at Shiroyasha. She was quietly drinking tea, making it very clear she had no intention of being involved.
Ryo exhaled. "…I'll let her know."
Though honestly, he knew — no one would refuse a path straight toward triple-aspect divinity and a clear road to three-digit, even two-digit tier. He wouldn't refuse either.
Ryo rubbed his forehead. "…I'm starting to think I walked straight into a trap you set."
Wasn't he the one scheming around? He had prepared the Trinity and the "One and Only True God" divinity for his silver-haired Athena, sure — but his plans after that were abruptly cut off just now. And honestly, this path was even better, with the other Athena helping his Athena.
"You jumped in on your own," Athena said with a playful smile as she finished her tea and stood.
"I should go," she muttered. "In this current state, if I want to shake off suspicion in the eyes of the gods, I'll need to confront Algol directly."
"Ugh. I hate seeing her. Breathing the same air makes me sick."
She shot Ryo a glare. "And you have warned. Understand? You should know what happens on the third."
Ryo's mouth twitched. Hadn't they already cleared this up? Why was she still holding a grudge?
But all he could do was smile stiffly and say, "As long as you're happy."
Athena gave a small nod. Her form dissolved into a scattering of radiant golden light and vanished from the tea room.
Once she was gone, Ryo turned to Shiroyasha.
She sighed helplessly. "Don't look at me. I've got no idea what she's thinking."
After a pause, she added, a touch uncertain, "If I had to guess… she plans to drop the current Athena authority and create a new divinity—something separate from Athena's name, with the same power but far less tied to faith. She's a control freak, y'know. Still, that's just my guess. No one really knows what Athena's thinking. She probably just ran a hundred different plans through her head in the last second."
"Huh? She can really do that?" Black Rabbit blurted, wide-eyed.
A god throwing away their identity to become someone else entirely? That was a thing?
Ryo, on the other hand, muttered under his breath, "…I knew it. That woman won't ever come out losing."
Shiroyasha gave him a sidelong glance, set down her cup, then pulled a slip of paper from her pocket. She scribbled something and handed it to him.
"Tell me honestly. Does this have anything to do with you?"
Ryo looked down.
On the paper were the words: {Investigate the true name of the King of End.}
He blinked, baffled, then confused. "…How did you know?"
Shiroyasha narrowed her eyes, voice dripping with knowing amusement. "As expected… this was your doing, wasn't it?"
.
.
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