Noticing the divine authority of the sky gathered above Olympus steadily weakening, Samael's lips curved into a pleased smile. He knew the outcome was already decided.
In truth, ever since Hades had told him that the core key to the [Taboo of the Gods] was still firmly in Zeus's hands, Samael had understood that there was no way for him to wrest control of it away.
There simply wasn't enough time to slowly unravel the key, erase the divine imprints, and claim those old Titan gods and Typhon monsters for himself.
So Samael had changed his way of thinking. If the door couldn't be opened, then so be it. He would just add a few more locks from the outside.
If I can't get in, then you, Zeus, won't be able to mobilize the monsters inside the [Taboo of the Gods] either. That trump card was never mine to begin with, so either way, I don't lose.
Thus, during those two days spent in the Underworld, the ancient serpent erased the divine imprints from some of the human Heroic Spirits while, at the same time, doing something far more insidious in the Pure Land of Bliss. Using his own divine blood and the authority of the Tablet of Destinies, he sealed the [Taboo of the Gods] layer upon layer, inside and out, locking it down completely. He even installed counterattack formulas for good measure.
And now, in his desperation, Zeus had seized the Thunderbolt Scepter, trying to awaken his old god legion, only to be played mercilessly and pushed even faster toward defeat.
As Samael leaned in and whispered the whole story into Medusa's ear with a sly grin, even the Goddess of Vengeance couldn't help but feel a flicker of pity for the so-called King of the Gods.
"By the way, I've been meaning to ask," Samael said, climbing along the rugged mountain path while raising an eyebrow at Medusa. "Why didn't I see those two brats, Euryale and Stheno, in the Arima Caverns or Athens? Where did they run off to this time?"
"Well…" Medusa frowned slightly as she thought, then pointed toward a distant island suspended beyond the sea. "They said they'd gotten bored of both Athens and the Arima Caverns. Too dull, apparently, so they went out to have some fun."
"The last time students from the Academy of Athens saw them, it seemed to be in the Kingdom of Minos on Crete. My sisters looked like they were planning to break into some kind of labyrinth."
"The Minotaur's labyrinth?"
"Yes, that one."
"That reckless, huh?"
"Not really. From what I heard, they were invited by Pyrrha and Deucalion to investigate it together and take down the monster hiding inside, to rid the people of a threat. Apparently, quite a few Minoans went in and never came back out."
"Forget it. As long as they're having fun." Samael rolled his eyes. "Those two brats' immortality is more than enough for them to fool around a few times. Besides, those two human progenitors aren't exactly pushovers either. When it comes to familiarity with Crete, no one knows it better than they do."
Casually tossing the matter aside, Samael more or less guessed how Stheno and Euryale's little adventure would turn out.
Hah, the Minotaur's labyrinth.
At most, they'd just drag back some dumb, clumsy bull-headed monster from that place, one that could barely even speak properly.
With Euryale and Stheno, both goddesses possessing divine cores, plus Deucalion and Pyrrha, the progenitors of humanity, failing to deal with a single bull-headed monster would be downright embarrassing.
Setting those stray thoughts aside, Samael moved through the ranks of the human heroes, rallying them with the banner of rescuing Prometheus, the captive human prophet. He urged them to seize this glory and carve out a great achievement as humans.
The heroes were fired up. Whether it was the earth guardians stationed at chokepoints, reckless Magical Beasts that leapt out along the way, or the mechanisms and autonomous Magecraft left behind by Olympus, everything was smashed flat through sheer force.
Samael lingered at the rear, watching with interest as the human heroes pressed toward the mountain summit. After exchanging a glance with Heracles, who was leading the charge, he pulled Atalanta and Medusa out of the group and led them onto a different side path.
After several twists and turns, the three arrived before a hidden realm where earthen-yellow light patterns drifted and shimmered. Medusa nodded slightly and raised her hand to touch the glowing barrier. The seal rippled outward like water disturbed by a stone.
Led by the new Earth Mother Goddess, Samael gently patted Atalanta's slightly tightened fingers and guided the eldest sister inside.
As waves of pale light faded, the scenery suddenly opened up before them. Flowers and grasses flourished, green shade covered the nursery grounds, and clear streams wound and curved through the landscape. Nymphs of all sizes carried watering jugs, humming melodies as they danced lightly among the blossoms, casually sprinkling sweet dew to nourish the plants.
This was a sacred garden belonging to Queen of the Gods Hera. Rainbow arcs rose amid drifting mist, and the dense Ether was so thick it almost condensed into a dazzling haze of light, breathtakingly beautiful.
The most eye-catching sight, without question, was the tall and resplendent golden apple tree, its branches laden with rich amber fruit. Beneath it lay a silver-white, hundred-headed great dragon, dozing peacefully. Meanwhile, the three daughters of the Night Goddess climbed up and down the dragon's back, hands on their hips, directing the nymphs at work.
"Yo, Ladon, looks like you're living pretty well," Samael called out with a grin, waving from afar. "Alright, mission complete. Come on, let's go. We've got a big job to pull."
The hundred-headed dragon jolted awake at the sound, blinking as he recognized Samael and Medusa. A hint of delight flickered in his eyes.
But as the ancient serpent drew closer, Ladon's nostrils flared and his expression turned sharp.
"Why do you smell like that thief? Where is he?"
"Oh, you mean the Colchis Dragon?" Samael replied smoothly, not batting an eye. "He ran off to the Underworld to dodge his debts. Once this business is over, I'll take you there and we'll drag that bastard back for a proper beating."
Without a trace of guilt, Samael promptly sold out another student.
True enough, he had deliberately left the Colchis Dragon behind to be used by Medea and to keep her safe. But since that fellow had pulled such a stunt, he fully deserved a righteous beating from his own sister.
As for the bribe money? That was stolen loot. And stolen loot, of course, had to be confiscated.
With that perfectly reasonable justification in mind, the ancient serpent shamelessly pocketed the Colchis Dragon's "protection fee."
Now that the Colchis Dragon had been labeled a class enemy, the enraged Ladon was more than cooperative. He was practically itching to charge into the Underworld, beat his brother senseless, and reclaim his glittering little treasures.
"Then we should—" Medusa began, gesturing toward the peak of Mount Caucasus in reminder.
But Samael's serpent pupils flickered as his gaze greedily swept over the sacred garden, overflowing with rare fruits and precious flora. He rubbed his hands together, muttering with a sly smile.
"Well, since we're already here…"
"Skipping a good haul would be a waste," Ladon naturally finished for him.
The dragon and the disreputable teacher exchanged a knowing nod, then swept through the garden like a whirlwind, looting its treasures with reckless efficiency.
After all, Areopagus was nothing but rocks and empty space. It could really use some flowers and trees.
As for the funding, that could go to Athena, who had a bit of a collecting habit anyway. He and Ladon would split the spoils evenly afterward.
Naturally, this outrageous behavior drew cries of alarm from the nymphs, and the three daughters of the Night Goddess stepped in to try to stop them.
But when the ancient serpent slyly flashed the radiant mark of Nyx, the three girls, as Nyx's daughters, could only stare at each other helplessly and watch as one man and one dragon continued their plunder.
Fortunately, Samael's conscience hadn't completely rotted away. He left behind a portion of the garden's stock as decoration, at least sparing it from total devastation.
Even so, after harvesting the garden's goods, the ancient serpent set his sights on two more targets.
One was the trio of Night Goddess daughters, skilled in cultivating flowers and plants. The other was the long-famous golden apple tree itself.
The former, tempted by free food and lodging, light workloads, weekends free to roam outside the garden, and a little persuasion from Nyx's mark, decisively defected, bringing along a large number of flower nymphs.
The latter, however, was far less cooperative.
The moment Samael reached out, the golden apple tree whipped a branch across him, lashing him without mercy. It had clearly recognized a certain insatiably greedy individual.
Maybe I should just dig the thing up and transplant it to Areopagus, Samael thought darkly. Let's see how arrogant it can be then.
Just as that malicious plan formed, the golden apple tree's sap rustled softly. Its branches gently coiled around Medusa's and Atalanta's arms. Two golden apples detached from their stems and dropped neatly into their hands, as if offering its fruit to these two guests.
One was the Mother of the Earth, the other a child raised by nature itself. They were clearly far more welcome than some scheming troublemaker.
Seeing Medusa and Atalanta accept the gift, Samael withdrew his ill intent. With a casual wave, he bade farewell to the now thoroughly ransacked garden.
"Big Sis, these are the real deal," Samael said brightly as they left, giving Atalanta a light pat on the shoulder. "Pure, natural golden apples. Eat one when you get the chance."
As his hand dropped, the soft fingers that had reached out tightened around his arm, gripping it firmly.
No matter what his identity was, no matter how many secrets he carried, he was still the same brat she had known back then.
Atalanta pressed her lips into a smile. The tangled worries that had weighed on her for days faded away, leaving her gaze clearer and her spirit more confident than ever.