What a nuisance...
Hermes tipped his hat down slightly before looking up, flashing a bright, cheerful smile at Apollo.
"Well, if it isn't Apollo! Long time no see."
His face wore that trademark insincere grin.
Truth be told, the relationships among gods were generally quite good. Even with those they weren't particularly close to, interactions tended to be casual and relaxed.
True hatred simply didn't exist between them.
After all, what would be the point? They were all immortal—none could truly destroy another.
Even if some grudges did form, given enough time, animosity could easily melt away into reconciliation. Time had a funny way of smoothing things over.
That said, while outright hatred was rare, likes and dislikes still existed. For the gods, these feelings were little more than spices to season their endless lives.
Whether disliking someone or being disliked—it was all just another flavor of experience.
Hermes didn't particularly dislike any god, but if there was one he'd rather avoid, it was Apollo.
Though known as the God of Light, Apollo was also, like Freya, an embodiment of "Beauty."
You could call him the God of Beauty among male deities—though compared to Freya, whose being was over ninety percent beauty, Apollo's was maybe fifty percent.
He embodied a distinctly masculine beauty.
And that was exactly why Hermes wasn't fond of dealing with him.
Gods were mature, yet precisely because of that maturity, they were also deeply immature—each had their own quirks and flaws.
Especially after descending to the mortal realm, that immaturity became magnified, and gods were no longer quite so perfect.
A god who established a Familia would influence their children, and in turn be influenced by them. Unlike the gods, who remained unchanged over eons, humans could transform in just a year.
The gods deeply admired that capacity for growth.
So it was a relationship of mutual influence and change.
Asfi was a good kid. Hermes felt that his personality in the mortal realm had actually improved—a change he credited to her influence, and one he was quite happy with.
But just as there was good change, there was also bad.
In Hermes' eyes, Apollo was a prime example of a very bad change.
Back in heaven, though his essence was the same, Apollo had been more restrained—less arrogant, more gentle and kind.
Combined with his embodiment of beauty, even his… unconventional preferences didn't stop him from being quite popular among the gods. Sure, his private life was messy, but among the Greek pantheon, nobody really had room to talk.
As the embodiment of "Beauty," Apollo had been the source of many amusing tales, more so than the other Greek gods.
But now...
To Hermes, Apollo's "beauty" had taken on a greasy, unpleasant quality.
And coupled with Apollo's… indiscriminate tastes regarding gender, Hermes really didn't want to be anywhere near him.
Usually, Apollo stayed within his Familia's home, being waited on by his children, and never showed up in a tavern in Orario.
After all, as an embodiment of "Beauty," both Apollo and Freya possessed a natural charm that could captivate ordinary humans at a glance.
This ability was innate—even with their divine power sealed, it never faded.
That's why Freya and Apollo rarely appeared in public. When they did, they concealed themselves completely.
This time, though Hermes didn't know why he'd shown up, Apollo was still draped in a black cloak, hiding himself to keep that charm from running wild.
"Hermes~ long time no see~~" Apollo's face lit up with delight.
Though he embodied "Beauty," Hermes was also quite handsome—with a bright smile and refined elegance.
"I've missed you~ Are you here on a date with Asfi?" Apollo asked, looking curiously at Hermes.
"Something like that," Hermes replied with a light smile. "Are you here for a date too?"
Behind Apollo stood one man and two women—four people in total, including Apollo.
"No~~" Apollo shook his head. "I'm here because of Cassandra's prophetic dream. I just wanted to show her that her so-called prophecy was nothing but a nightmare."
Cassandra Ilion.
A member of the Apollo Familia, a Level 2 adventurer known as Mirabilis. She was always going on about some bleak future, muttering ominously.
On her Status, there was a Skill even divine hieroglyphs couldn't decipher.
Her prophetic dreams likely came from that Skill.
So, the gods didn't realize that Cassandra's prophetic dreams actually foretold the real future. Because of that Skill, even the gods didn't believe the futures she described.
"A prophetic dream, huh." Hermes glanced at the timid-looking girl behind Apollo, who hid her face behind long hair as if shy or afraid.
"Well, Apollo, I've got things to do, so I'll be on my way. It's already nighttime, after all."
Hermes tipped his hat again and smiled.
"Alright then, till next time. But I do hope you'll find time for a long, deep conversation with me someday, Hermes." Apollo smiled.
It should have been a similarly bright smile, but to Hermes, it just felt off—unpleasantly oily.
"Asfi, let's go." Hermes moved to block Apollo's line of sight.
He wanted to prevent Asfi from seeing Apollo's face, and also keep Apollo from noticing Alice's presence.
But...
Just as Asfi, under Hermes' cover, was about to leave the tavern—
Apollo's nose twitched slightly, and his eyes lit up with excitement.
"Wait just a moment, Asfi the Almighty of the Hermes Familia." Apollo's voice was trembling with eagerness. "Might I take a look at the girl you're carrying on your back? She smells wonderfully of the earth."
Even without seeing Apollo's face, Asfi could feel his burning excitement.
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
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