After revealing his true form, Eros waited a while, but the familiar thunderbolt never came.
Only then did he finally exhale in relief. It seemed Hera's energy wasn't infinite after all. She couldn't possibly monitor every location at once.
"Be careful," Hermes reminded him. "She may not be able to see you now, but her ears are still sharp."
"Don't say her name out loud. In fact, avoid saying your own name if you're not protected. She might pick up on it."
"And definitely avoid temples that worship her. That will expose you to her gaze too."
Hera had countless eyes watching the world, how else could she always catch Zeus the moment he sought out another lover?
Now, that same surveillance was focused entirely on Eros.
The pressure that Zeus once endured was now squarely on Eros's shoulders.
The stress was overwhelming. It was practically forcing Eros to learn how to create alter egos, just like the rest of them.
"Thank you, Lady Hermes, for both your help and your warning. I'll be cautious."
Eros inhaled deeply, breathing in the fresh sea air laced with salty moisture.
This feeling, it was nostalgic. It reminded him of the joyful days he once spent on the Throne of Oceanus.
"By the way, where did you bring me?"
He looked around. It seemed they were at sea, on an island that wasn't particularly large.
Hermes had whisked him away with such speed that Eros hadn't had time to register his surroundings.
"Oh, this is Delos. The island formed from the fallen star goddess Asteria," Hermes said casually.
"I didn't know where else to drop you, so I just picked a central spot in the sea. That way, you can go anywhere you want from here."
Delos?
Eros's thoughts raced. A moment later, he remembered, this was the island where Leto had taken refuge when she couldn't give birth to Apollo, and her sister sacrificed herself to become this land.
This was also the birthplace of Apollo, right in the heart of the ocean.
It was a coincidence, sure, but not an unwelcome one.
Eros began recalling the rough map Athena had given him.
He currently had three main objectives: rescue the young cow Io, pay a visit to Hephaestus the smith-god, and find Amphitrite.
As it happened, Delos was right in the middle.
Westward lay Argolis, where Io, transformed into a cow, was still being watched by the all-seeing giant Argus.
Southward was the deepest part of the ocean, home to Oceanus and the throne where Amphitrite should be.
And to the north was Mount Vulcan, a volcano located on the island of Lemnos, where Hephaestus resided.
Just like Hermes to drop him off dead center.
Eros looked up, about to say something, only to find that Hermes had already vanished into the wind like a breeze.
Only her farewell lingered in the air:
"That's as far as I can take you. The rest is up to you."
In and out in a flash, that was Hermes.
If Zeus hadn't mentioned her beforehand, Eros might've suspected she was secretly assigned to guide him.
He had planned to ask about the state of the ocean, but now that would have to wait.
Eros shook his head, glanced at his surroundings, and began walking toward the coastline.
Though the age of abundant silver was long gone, and the world had suffered through Demeter's harsh winter, the climate of Greece remained warm and pleasant.
Low shrubs and thickets covered most of the island.
Walking through this wilderness stirred a sense of nostalgia in Eros, reminding him of his carefree days herding sheep.
He wondered what the humans on this island were like. Perhaps he should go and take a look.
After all, these humans were from a new era, and Eros was quite curious.
But before heading into their midst, he had to prepare.
He recalled the attire of the souls he'd seen earlier, and with a burst of magnetic field energy, reshaped his clothing.
Now he wore a long linen tunic, suitable for the times, though it was a bit breezy down below.
Yes, ancient Greece had no trousers. Just underwear.
Women usually wore long robes that reached their ankles, covering everything, while men were… far less modest.
Linen tunics generally only covered down to the knees at best, and whether or not to wear anything underneath was entirely up to the individual.
Among the gods, Eros could behave however he liked and no one would care.
But among humans, it was best to blend in.
He had no desire to be worshipped the moment he stepped into town.
Besides, now that he was among mortals, he needed a disguise.
Eros searched through the forest, eventually gathering the materials he needed.
After some quick processing, he cast a spell to diminish his presence.
Magic and sorcery weren't like the convenient systems seen in games or modern fantasy.
Rituals, chants, and offerings were all essential components.
This was the raw, ancient reality of black magic and shamanism, not something that could be done with a single command.
What? Why could Hecate skip all that?
Well, she was the goddess of magic. She had the authority to override the rules.
Even then, Hecate carried daggers, staffs, and snakes, all common tools of the craft.
Eros, on the other hand, used his herbs without chanting. In Hecate's view, this kind of sorcery wasn't even true magic, more like potion-making.
The special scent of the herbs would trigger subconscious avoidance in mortals, naturally lowering their awareness of him.
Why not just change his appearance or wear a mask?
Well, for one, Eros had far too much confidence in his own beauty. He could transform into a beast, but never tamper with his perfect face.
As for masks, in this era, anyone wearing one would immediately stand out.
Masked individuals were usually priests or secretive figures with hidden agendas.
This wasn't a movie. A strange masked figure would raise suspicion.
Once all preparations were complete, Eros leisurely strolled toward the human settlement on Delos.
From afar, he could already sense the gathering of life energy, and the faint sparks of their inner cosmos.
As he drew closer, Eros realized these humans had developed far more than he expected.
He'd imagined a small village, but what lay before him was the early form of a bustling port town.
Sailboats bobbed on the sea, fluttering in the wind, already showing signs of the lively maritime world to come.
Thanks to his disguise, Eros blended in seamlessly. Even with the magic reducing his presence, he still drew a few curious glances.
But at least no one fell to their knees or treated him like a god.
He observed the townsfolk with great interest, especially their clothing.
Most didn't seem wealthy. Fabric was scarce.
Men went shirtless, wrapped only in a simple cloth around the waist.
Women had slightly more fabric, but clearly valued economy, tight tops and short skirts were the norm.
Sleeves were short, necklines open, and the overall style was bold and unrestrained.
Hiss… such frugality!
Why couldn't the goddesses learn from this noble example of material-saving thrift?
Eros shook his head in exasperation. A good queen should lead by example and promote fabric conservation!
If only he held an official post on Olympus, he'd surely petition the goddesses to learn from the hardships of mortals.
Looking at these people, he suddenly thought of the neighboring land of the Nile.
It was even hotter there, the clothes surely even more revealing. He had to visit someday and broaden his horizons.
After wandering the port for a while, Eros gained a decent understanding of local life.
Though technically a port, it was more like a trading hub.
The boats weren't built for long voyages, only short trips for fishing or traveling to nearby Mykonos.
The island didn't have much farmland, so the people had developed diverse means of survival.
Fishers, hunters, olive growers, and goat herders all came here to barter their goods.
A simple currency system had already emerged, with gold, silver, and copper used by weight.
From what Eros could tell, Athens hadn't yet risen, there was no sign of the drachma silver coin.
Given how close Delos was to Athens, its absence confirmed that timeline.
Standing amidst the crowd, listening to people haggle over grains or wool, Eros felt a long-lost sense of familiarity.
Here, he could feel the energy of human life again.
"Well then, let me blend in for a while too."
With that, Eros headed toward the boats anchored at the pier.
Some were just returning from fishing trips, while others were ferrying passengers to nearby islands.
Seeing that Eros had no ship of his own and wore a full-body linen tunic, the sailors quickly realized he was a potential customer.
They swarmed him, each promoting their services.
"Hey, friend! Where do you want to go? My boat can take you anywhere!"
In a sea-based world like Greece, owning a boat meant owning a piece of the means of production.
Eros smiled, not rejecting them outright. He waited until they had all gathered around before speaking.
"Gentlemen, your ships are far too small. They can't survive Poseidon's storms."
"What I need are brave, capable sailors, and a vessel strong enough to weather any tempest!"
"And if you can offer that…"
He raised his hand.
Tiny, gleaming pieces of gold trickled down under the sunlight.
"…I'll pay you with riches beyond your wildest dreams."
Thank you, Odyssey. It really helped Eros understand the layout of the Greek world.
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