"Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty."
Before the divine palace, which had collapsed under the impact of the Heavenly Empress's power, seven Sea Nymphs and Nymphs stood in a row.
Summoned by Hera, the handmaidens guarding the orchard bowed in turn, expressing their respect to the esteemed deity.
However, at this moment, the Heavenly Empress was clearly not in the mood to speak much with them.
She merely waved her hand, then directly commanded:
"Alright, you've come to deliver the golden apples, haven't you?"
"In the past, I always sent someone to collect them, but I didn't expect you to deliver them yourselves this year… Since that's the case, each of you should return your harvest to storage. I permit you to stay on the divine mountain for a few more days."
"If there's nothing else, you may withdraw."
Before her words even finished, Hera turned to leave.
She didn't think these Nymphs guarding the orchard would have anything important to report; after all, they were less guards and more like artisans who managed the flowers and plants.
Sea Nymphs and Nymphs were most skilled at this; they could ward off storms from the sea and make plants grow strong.
However, just as she turned and hadn't even taken a few steps, Hera was called out by a voice from behind her.
"Your Majesty… I, we didn't come to deliver the golden apples."
"…Then why have you come?"
Frowning, Hera turned her head and asked indifferently.
"We… we came for help."
After a moment of hesitation, she then said loudly.
The leading Sea Nymph gritted her teeth slightly and, bracing herself, spoke the lie.
"The golden apples are gone. They were either destroyed or stolen, and even Ladon, the demon guarding the orchard, died at the enemy's hands."
"Your Majesty, that hateful villain is extremely cruel, showing no regard for you or the gods."
"We clearly stated our identities, yet he still dared to attack us, Your Majesty—"
Boom—
No longer able to tolerate it, an invisible aura emanated from Hera.
She had just been filled with anger from Zeus, and now, no sooner had she returned, she encountered such a matter again.
Her terrifying gaze swept over the seven Sea Nymphs one by one, and the Heavenly Empress's pressure grew stronger… but at a certain moment, she forcibly suppressed her anger, trying to calmly reconsider the issue.
"You said my garden was robbed by a villain?"
"Yes." The Sea Nymph took her words out of context: "He claimed the golden apples rightfully belonged to him, and that taking them was a matter of course and a righteous act."
"Naturally, we didn't believe him, so we politely told him: Heavenly Empress is the most just and benevolent deity in this world. If you insist on seizing the golden apples, then wait for Her Majesty to decide for herself once she learns of the news."
"We believe that if he truly has a legitimate reason to obtain the golden apples, then Her Majesty will surely give a fair ruling. Even if he has no reason, perhaps the great Majesty might still show great kindness."
"But what we didn't expect was that he would be so arrogant and rude, imperiously ordering us to 'get out of the way'."
"But we are servants chosen by Heavenly Empress to guard the garden, how could we be intimidated by a brute!"
"So we resisted stubbornly… but ultimately, he defeated us."
Having recounted the entire incident from beginning to end, the Sea Nymph believed she hadn't lied.
Anyway, that human seemed to have mentioned something about 'trials' and 'rewards,' as if the golden apples were inherently his due.
And their subsequent responses were just a little bit of embellishment; the process was, after all, still that process…
However, standing before the Sea Nymphs and Nymphs, Hera was already absolutely furious.
She never expected that there would be such an arrogant—
"Hmm?"
Suddenly realizing something, Hera couldn't help but question:
"You said he defeated Ladon?"
"Yes."
The Sea Nymph respectfully nodded.
Although she didn't know if the Heavenly Empress had been paying attention to the movements on the sea recently, these were undeniable facts.
"Then how did you survive?"
Hera continued to press.
"We… perhaps he was too arrogant, believing that only a great demon like Ladon deserved to be killed by him."
With a flash of inspiration, the Sea Nymph came up with an excuse.
"Is that so…"
Her brows furrowed again; such a reason made Hera feel very perfunctory.
But upon careful thought, she couldn't deny this possibility.
After all, there was no shortage of such beings among the gods; the power and Wisdom of deities had never been synonymous.
"Do you know this culprit? Which deity is he, exactly?"
"We don't recognize him."
The Sea Nymph shook her head, repeating their speculation.
"He disguised himself as a human, but how could a human defeat the hundred-headed dragon Ladon?"
"That powerful demon could only be defeated by the God King, so he must be an ancient god who concealed his identity."
"Your Majesty, he might have deliberately come for you; you must not let your guard down."
"The God King has more than one lover; perhaps it was a certain goddess who requested them…"
Boom—
In just one night, Hera unleashed her power for the third time.
Only this time, it wasn't for anything else, but because of the stupidity and presumption of these Sea Nymphs.
What a joke! Other things aside, Zeus's lover wants to usurp her and ascend to the position of Heavenly Empress?
Regardless of others, look if Zeus himself would agree!
Moreover, even if it were true, who are you to discuss such matters with me here!
"Enough—!"
She coldly rebuked them. Under the Heavenly Empress's pressure, the seven Nymphs and Sea Nymphs were already prostrate on the ground, struggling to breathe.
A moment later, as if her rage had somewhat subsided, Hera cast a cold glance at them, but ultimately did not directly kill them.
"I know you are afraid I will blame you… but that is no reason for you to come up with such ridiculous excuses."
"I will investigate who the perpetrator is myself; there's no need for you to make wild guesses here."
"Now, tell me, is there anything else you haven't told me about the entity who robbed my garden?"
"Your Majesty, yes!"
Struggling to speak, the Sea Nymph cried out loudly: "He said his name was Heracles—"
Huh?
As if suddenly discovering something crucial, a thought flashed through the Sea Nymph's mind at this moment.
Hera's glory… what a strange name…
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang—
Seven muffled thuds, with a final restraint at the last moment.
The seven Sea Nymphs and Nymphs flew backward, instantly losing consciousness.
Her face grim, Hera felt as if she had been thoroughly played.
Heracles, it was him, Zeus's son with that mortal woman. He seemed to be carrying out some so-called 'trial'?
"Detain them. I will deal with them when I return!"
She said coldly. Although Hera felt these Sea Nymphs and Nymphs were quite foolish, there was one thing they likely wouldn't dare to lie about: the golden apples were probably gone.
Heracles, how dare you empty my garden in one go?
Anger involuntarily rose in her heart, but at this moment, the Heavenly Empress also noticed a crucial issue.
The hundred-headed dragon Ladon was actually killed by him? She really hadn't paid attention to this matter.
After all, she wasn't the God of the Sea, and she rarely exercised the Authority of the Heavenly Empress in her daily life.
"If that's the case…"
A thought arose in her mind. She stood up directly and flew out towards Mount Olympus.
The ownership of a few golden apples was a minor matter; Hebe's whereabouts were her most pressing concern now.
If this human had become so capable after all these years, then she might as well have him do something.
"I wonder where Zephyrus went; it's best to leave this matter to him…"
Muttering to herself, Hera flew away.
And in the place she left, much later, accompanied by a painful groan, several Sea Nymphs awoke from their coma.
"…What… what happened?"
A trace of bewilderment flashed in her eyes, then as if remembering something, the Sea Nymph's face showed sudden realization.
Heracles… could that be Heavenly Empress's illegitimate son? No wonder he said the golden apples were the reward he was supposed to receive!
But with that realization, the Sea Nymph instantly felt despair.
Oh heavens… she hadn't recognized the Heavenly Empress's offspring and had even reported him to Hera herself. What was she to do…
A hint of fear flashed across her face, but the next moment, fear was replaced by determination.
"I cannot accept this fate!"
Clenching her fist lightly, the Sea Nymph knew that having discovered such a secret, Hera had not immediately killed them, perhaps only because she didn't want to act in anger over this matter and thus draw attention.
But as soon as the other party regained her composure, she would have a thousand and one reasons to execute her.
So the question was, looking across Olympus, who else could save her life?
"God King, I must go to him and complain!"
"Yes, only His Majesty can save me now!"
As if grasping the last straw, the Sea Nymph was extremely agitated.
As long as she continued to accuse Heracles of his misdeeds to the God King, then Zeus might, like her, inadvertently discover Heracles' true identity!
Not knowing if this method would work, the Sea Nymph could only assume it would… Closing her eyes again, she continued to feign unconsciousness.
Now she seemed to be imprisoned. Although no one thought she could escape Olympus, and thus the prison's guard was extremely rudimentary, she couldn't leave rashly either.
She had to find a day when she was certain to see the God King to complain, and it had to be before Hera returned.
Silently praying, the Sea Nymph hoped this day would come soon.
But at the same time, she also felt some annoyance.
She just wanted to eat a few golden apples, was that wrong? How did it unknowingly escalate to this point.
However, since the matter had already happened, the Sea Nymph could only tell herself that if anything else happened because of this, it was absolutely not her problem, and she had no need to be responsible for it.
Hmm… the culprit was that human.
Heracles, right? Once the God King discovers your true identity, he will personally act and ensure you have no burial place.
······
On Earth, the Heavenly Empress had left the divine mountain, and the battle between the evil entity and the Archbishops continued.
However, facing a demigod priest, rare in the mortal realm, even if the ancient evil entity's power was strong, it was destined to be unable to overcome the power of the twelve Seraphim and the artifact projection.
The outcome was already clear, and the prayers the Archbishop had made beforehand had consistently received no angelic response.
Instead, on the direct battlefield where Ares was about to be confronted, a special divine oracledescended, falling upon the other two individuals who were spreading the Lord's glory in the mortal realm.
Respectfully receiving the divine oracle, the two Archbishops discussed for a moment.
They quickly reached a consensus regarding the explanation for what happened in Nafplion.
However, unlike before, this time a certain Archbishop, whose attitude had always been radical and fervent, actually abandoned his own opinion and instead accepted the idea of the other.
Because the other told him that, in such matters, her way of speaking would only cause most uninformed mortals to misunderstand the Lord's glory… but his way of speaking was different.
"Language is an art."
The old man said this, and the Old Woman ultimately chose to accept.
But when the decision was made, they still did the same thing: they relayed the events to Goddess of the Magic Web Hecate.
Allowing wizards to control the Mystery Lock had already proven to be a wrong decision, and they gradually realized that perhaps for wizards above Legend, it was indeed difficult for them and the church to coexist peacefully.
Because they would desire eternal life, desire to become powerful, desire to ascend to godhood… but the church did not.
Immortality was not something humans could obtain; for wizards to obtain it, they would almost inevitably touch upon taboos.
Kill one batch, and there will be another… Expel one batch, and there will be a new batch.
A certain decision brewed in the Old Woman's heart, but no matter what she intended to do, it could not bypass the existence of Goddess of the Magic Web Hecate.
So on Earth, as the War between the youthful-looking Archbishop and the evil entity drew to a close, in the starry sky, on an unnamed desolate star, Hecate received three pieces of information from different sources.
These were marks she had left herself, disseminated through the omnipresent Magic Net.
One came from Chiron, one from the young man with him, and the last from the direct battlefield confronting Ares.
However, looking at these messages, Hecate did not read any of them.
She merely moved her fingers, casually erasing them from the starry space.
Beside the red-dressed maiden, a silver chariot was parked.
Noticing the three consecutive messages that flew in, and watching Hecate erase them, Selenecouldn't help but feel a little curious.
"…Hecate, is that Centaur?"
"It is him, but not only him."
"But it doesn't matter… I can probably guess why."
Waving her hand, the red-dressed maiden shook her head indifferently.
However, as the deity most familiar with her, the Moon Goddess immediately saw through her insincerity.
"Hecate… no matter what it is, you can tell me."
Pressing her lips together, Selene spoke softly;
"Perhaps I cannot defeat your enemies, but many things in this world are not resolved by force."
"Perhaps by looking at the problem from a different angle, I might be able to give you a new idea?"
"…"
"Hmm—yes, you're right."
After a moment of silence, Hecate lightly nodded her chin.
She looked at the Moon Goddess beside her, then pulled her over.
"Since you want to hear it, I'll tell you."
"The Artificial Magic Net… you should have heard me mention that term, right."