"Since you refuse to swear upon my sword, then we have nothing more to discuss."
"Son of Kronos, leave the Cilician Marshes at once! You are not welcome here!"
Themis's face remained cold and expressionless. Her voice was sharp as she raised the hilt of her sword and pointed toward the door.
Zeus, whose charm had never failed him, now found it shattered like fire colliding with ice. His confidence was instantly extinguished. Looking stunned, he awkwardly tried to persuade her.
"Aunt Themis, we can still talk—"
"Out!"
The goddess of justice spoke in a low, commanding voice. She pressed her hand on the sword, rising to her feet as half an inch of the blade slid free from its sheath.
"The enforcement of law will surely require my help. You—"
Before Zeus could continue his protest, a shadow shot through the doorway. A massive three-headed dog, as powerful as a young bull, stormed inside and snarled at the King of the Gods.
"Cerberus, sit!"
At the command, a man with shoulder-length black hair and blood-red serpent eyes stepped into the room.
"Woof!"
The three-headed hellhound, completely tamed, immediately bounded to his side, wagging its tail and panting like a loyal pet.
"You're here, Samael..."
The moment Themis saw him, her expression softened. She turned toward the familiar figure, grasped the ancient serpent's hand, and leaned gently against him, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.
Zeus's face darkened at the sight, humiliation surging in his chest.
"Themis, for this wretch, you dare reject me!"
But before the god king could act, the air inside the room turned frigid, and a solemn hum rose from the ornate scabbard.
"Boom!"
In a flash, a sharp arc of light burst forth like the edge of a crescent moon, tearing through the air as though to rend the world apart.
Caught completely off guard, Zeus was struck by the blast wave and sent flying.
"Themis! You've lost your mind!"
He staggered up from the bushes, disheveled and furious, roaring his outrage.
Yet an even fiercer slash came at him, ripping a trench dozens of meters long into the ground.
In haste, Zeus summoned his thunderbolt scepter to block the descending blade of light.
Sensing the torrent of divine power surging within the half-destroyed house, he cursed under his breath before transforming into lightning and retreating to a safer distance.
She's serious!
The realization hit Zeus, his teeth clenched in fury, his gaze edged with wariness. With his decisive battle at Mount Othrys drawing near, he couldn't afford to waste strength clashing with this madwoman.
Just a woman... Let her go insane.
This power-hungry being weighed the cost and chose to swallow his anger, turning back toward Olympus.
...
Inside the half-collapsed treehouse by the marsh, Samael slowly pulled his hand back, his serpent eyes narrowing as he looked into the depths of the forest. Almost unconsciously, he began to take a step forward.
Though the aura of the unwelcome intruder had already vanished, it would be wise to confirm any lingering traces.
Yet before he could free his right arm from Themis's grasp, an immense force yanked him back.
Samael nearly stumbled, a sharp crack sounding from his shoulder as his bones shifted out of place.
Then, a cool and delicate hand caressed the side of his cheek. Through the veil of black silk, a pair of burning eyes gazed into his with unwavering intensity.
"Don't go, Samael..."
The whisper at his ear was warm and damp, seeping straight into his mind, laced with a pleading softness that was hard to resist.
Samael forced himself to endure the stabbing pain in his shoulder blade. His body stiffened as he turned, placing his left hand on the shoulder of the goddess of justice and speaking in a stern, commanding voice.
"Wake up! Something's wrong with you. Did that guy do something to you?"
But Themis only bit her bright, flushed lips and twisted her body closer against him.
"No... I'm perfectly awake. More awake than ever before!"
"Samael, you heard it just now, didn't you? My True Name is Themis, goddess of justice and order among the Twelve Titans."
Not pretending anymore? She's revealing herself this fast?
The ancient serpent stared at Themis, whose face was flushed, her spirit abnormally high, her words spilling out endlessly like someone intoxicated. He couldn't make sense of it.
"I... I heard... Themis, goddess of justice and fairness. Truly, it's a great cause for you."
If humoring her would keep this overexcited goddess from dismembering him, then so be it.
Samael forced a laugh, nodding hastily in agreement while his mind raced for a countermeasure.
"Exactly! In this world, only you can understand me! Only you know what the law means for the future of civilization!"
Themis ripped away the veil covering her eyes. In her gray irises, a strange radiance flickered as her voice rose, unusually bright and fervent.
"Thank you, fate, for guiding me to the Cilician Marshes. You are my greatest treasure!"
"Whether it's the Twelve Titans or the prosperity of Olympus—they're nothing compared to you!"
Uh... well, your chest is big, so I guess you win.
Samael glanced sidelong past his useless right arm at the bouncing weight on her chest. The sight dulled his pain, and he nodded again and again.
"As time passes, the old gods will sleep or perish. Their so-called strength, their so-called glory—it's meaningless."
"Their clay idols, their broken ruins, will crumble into dust."
Themis's gaze swept toward the two sacred mountains, each ruled by a different pantheon. Her voice grew lofty and proud, her presence burning with fervor.
"As long as laws exist to restrain the beast within, any creature can attain true divinity!"
"Through rule and civilization, even the weakest creation can become the new gods of tomorrow!"
Samael used the moment to reset his dislocated shoulder. With his pain easing, he found himself listening more intently to the vision she spoke of.
What the other gods would dismiss as absurd fantasies would, in time, become real. Humanity itself would rise, through self-restraint and self-discipline, to dethrone the gods and rule the earth.
Samael couldn't help but admire Themis's foresight, and her calm acceptance of the gods' decline.
As expected of the mother of the Moirai! Her vision was unmatched.
He even wondered if this goddess of justice carried the script of myth itself—of the ages of gods, heroes, and mankind. Unlike his own false pretense of foresight, she truly saw across the river of time.
But before he could voice his admiration, Themis pressed her hand against her chest, her face flushed red.
"Samael, I love justice and righteousness... but I love you, who perfects it, even more."
"So become the executor of justice. Become my divine servant. Together, let us create the future we dream of!"
"My companion, my teacher, my beloved—I will never let you suffer, and I will never let you leave."
Do you love the truth more, or your teacher more?
After teaching you so much, you're just plotting to push your teacher down?
Her confession was fiery and bold. Her lips drew closer, brimming with temptation, her curves swaying in his vision, overflowing with allure.
Pressed into the corner by an unseen force, Samael struggled to keep a straight face. His throat went dry, his heartbeat thundered in his chest, and dangerous thoughts began to grow wild in his mind.
So, someone tell me—at this point, do I give in like a beast, or restrain myself to be worse than one?
...
(50 Chapters Ahead)
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