Go to hell, Zeus!
Yesterday you only asked for a strategy—you never said I had to reveal it in front of everyone. That's not how this works!
Feeling the invisible pressure from the throne, Prometheus broke into a cold sweat. He muttered inwardly, dodging the subject, his eyes shifting restlessly.
But before the prophet could think of a countermeasure, his dull-witted younger brother Epimetheus—who had eaten and drunk his fill under everyone's gaze—stood up and began boasting.
"Your Majesty, according to my brother's plan, dividing the remaining seven Titans is very simple. And in the process, you will benefit greatly. It is truly a brilliant strategy!"
The ignorant fool, completely unaware of the murderous glare Prometheus was throwing his way, stood proudly before the gathered gods. His face, flushed with wine, shone with admiration as he enthusiastically explained his brother's plan.
The twelve Titans and the six newly born siblings were arranged in even numbers so they could be paired, ensuring the continuation of a pure bloodline. But just because the numbers matched didn't mean the gods and goddesses would actually choose one another. Among them, the goddess of justice, Themis, and the goddess of memory, Mnemosyne, were still unmarried.
If, at this moment, the young and handsome new God King Zeus were to seduce the two goddesses and draw them into his camp, he would not only win their beauty but also gain powerful allies, making his position unshakable. The balance between Mount Olympus and Mount Othrys would collapse.
Furthermore, the sky god Coeus and the prophecy goddess Phoebe had two beloved daughters—Leto, the goddess of nurturing, and Astraea, the goddess of falling stars. If, just like forming an alliance with the family of Oceanus, Zeus were to win over one of these daughters, then the heavenly couple would surely support their son-in-law's rise.
In that case, the twelve Titans of Mount Othrys would be reduced to just three. By then, even if Kronos still held the authority of the God King, along with his two staunch supporters, they would never be able to withstand the betrayal and assault of the other gods.
Epimetheus finished blurting out the brilliant strategy in one go, then sat back down, quite satisfied. He basked in the "respectful" and "amazed" gazes of the gods, swelling with pride.
Only Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, remained indifferent with her usual listless look, and Demeter, the goddess of fertility, sighed softly. Hera, Poseidon, and Hades, meanwhile, offered false smiles and insincere flattery.
To use women to divide the Titans—never mind whether Zeus really had that much charm. Didn't you see that even your elder brother Prometheus didn't dare to speak up and claim it as his own idea? And what about Queen Metis's feelings? Forcing a mistress on her husband—did you really think this goddess of wisdom only knew how to use her brain?
This rare prophet would one day be ruined by his own foolish brother.
Why didn't we get such a "good" little brother? Hades and Poseidon, both ambitious, exchanged bitter smiles and muttered inwardly.
At that moment, Prometheus felt the god-king's gaze upon him. His back broke into a cold sweat as he hurried to defend himself.
"Your Majesty, there is not yet a proper way to win the favor of the goddesses. Perhaps I should wait until I have a concrete method before reporting back."
Zeus narrowed his eyes. In his hands, the Thunderbolt and Aegis Shield materialized. A crushing divine pressure swept across the hall, and his voice turned icy.
"Prometheus, you dare mock the gods!"
"Your Majesty, please, calm your anger! It was… it was my idea. My brother had nothing to do with it."
The dim-witted Epimetheus struggled to explain, but the colder Zeus's gaze became, the more his wine turned to sweat.
He's really going to kill us!
The prophet, helpless, pulled his foolish brother back, his own eyes darkening. A plan that drove a wedge between the God King and the Queen of the Gods—if it couldn't be carried out, then Zeus would certainly find someone to take the blame, to prove his sincerity to his wife.
To be honest, Prometheus almost wanted to return to the Titans. They weren't the brightest, but following a ruler who was too clever was just as dangerous. Ever since Zeus's birth, every prophecy related to fate had grown uncertain. No matter how much he pondered, a strange fog always clouded his vision, leaving the future hazy.
His foresight was gravely weakened. He could only faintly see that Olympus would one day emerge victorious. That was why he had come to surrender. Yet he hadn't expected this God King to be so treacherous—forcing him to propose a plan to divide the Titans, demanding a token of loyalty, and now preparing to use him as a scapegoat.
Even though he had been cautious, refusing to step into the trap, he couldn't stop his foolish brother from blurting everything out in front of the gods. And now, he too was dragged into the mess.
Was I too impatient after all?
There was no other choice. He had to gamble.
Prometheus sighed inwardly. He raised his hands without resistance, stepped forward, and bared his neck for execution, his clear eyes fixed on the throne. But his gaze lingered quietly on the face of Queen Metis.
Just as the new God King, Thunderbolt in one hand and Aegis in the other, reached the peak of his fury, the divine authority of the sky pressed down to its utmost. Then, a soft chuckle from beside the throne eased the tension.
Metis lifted her slender hand, gently resting it on her husband's wrist, caressing him with a gaze as calm as flowing water.
"Forgive them, my king. Put aside that narrow suspicion, and show the magnanimity a ruler should possess."
"Prometheus is a great prophet. What he sees may not be the whole truth, but daring to speak it makes it possible."
The divine will bearing down on him finally dissipated. Having escaped death, Prometheus's back was soaked with cold sweat. He bowed deeply in humility and gratitude, then pulled his dazed younger brother back to their seats.
Meanwhile, the goddess of wisdom drew her husband to sit down, gently stroking his chest as though soothing his anger. She nestled against him and asked playfully,
"My king, will your love for me ever change?"
"Of course not. I would cut open my heart right now and show you my sincerity!"
Zeus immediately put away the Thunderbolt and Aegis, his gaze soft and filled with affection.
"Oh, stop it. Why would I want to see your heart…"
Metis giggled, tracing circles on the god-king's chest with her fingertips before pausing, her smile radiant.
"Go to the far end of Oceanus, where the sky and sea still wrestle with each other.
Perhaps there lies what you seek.
For there exists a supreme being who hates Kronos even more than Gaia, the Earth Mother."
All the gods, save for one, immediately understood. Their eyes lit up in sudden realization.
That's right—Sky Father, Uranus! How could they have forgotten him?
The grudge over the theft of his manhood—an enmity that could never be forgiven!