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(Fate) Chapter 216: Athena’s Grand Stage (2.4k)
🕑 Added 2024-12-03 17:03:48 +0000 UTC"That's a nice thought."
Athena’s immediate reply drew a ripple of light laughter from the gods present.
After that brief moment of levity, the gathering fell silent as all eyes turned toward Promise, awaiting his answer.
To be honest, thinking about it carefully, this wasn’t an earth-shattering matter for everyone involved..well, though for goddesses like Hera, it was of immense significance.
This was precisely why many gods viewed it with the detached amusement of spectators enjoying a good drama.
Still, Promise had had plenty of time to think, so, he couldn’t deny that he had seriously considered the question, and now, at this moment, he knew the time had come to give his answer.
But...
“Athena, didn’t you say we’d wait until the moment our pact was fulfilled?”
Promise glanced at Athena with a hint of resentment.
Even if he had to provide an answer, was there really a need for such an elaborate spectacle?
"I did say that,” Athena admitted without hesitation, her tone composed as ever as she smiled and said, "But I also said that this moment would be the best time for it.
Because no matter who you choose, I think everyone here would want your decision to be known to all. After all... you are that important to us."
Promise fell silent for a moment, his brows furrowing as he looked at her. "You already knew that I had made my choice, didn’t you?”
If she hadn’t, Athena wouldn’t have orchestrated this scene, which felt like she was pressuring him to answer.
"With your personality, you wouldn’t have let a matter drag on this long,” The one, who interjected this time was Themis.
With her white cloth removed, she gazed steadily at Promise and said:
"So when you didn’t make a choice, we all guessed it was simply because you didn’t want to disappoint us. But the truth is, you don’t need to worry about that."
In fact, Promise had indeed fallen into a mental trap.
He knew he would leave this world after his death, but the gods didn’t.
They waited no..they even looked forward to the day he passed, when he would become immortal and remain with them forever.
Because of this, while Hera and the others cared about his choice, they wouldn’t be overly heartbroken even if he didn’t choose them.
After all, to the gods, time was abundant, and patience was their greatest asset.
Yet, it was precisely because of this, Promise treated the matter with the utmost seriousness.
And so did the petite goddess of fate, Clotho, who was more nervous than any of the other gods present.
"Themis, goddess of justice, I have always held you in great respect.”
Promise made his decision and turned to Themis, who was looking at him quietly and continued,
"Because you were the one who guided me when I was lost and showed me the path forward.
If not for the Sword of Judgment you lent me, and the way you tipped the scales in favor of justice during my trial, I would not have come this far so smoothly. So... thank you.”
Promise spoke sincerely and solemnly expressed his gratitude to Themis while bowing his head.
Themis, smiling faintly, silently replaced the white cloth over her eyes, her role in this drama complete.
Promise then turned to Hera.
The moment their eyes met, Hera’s widened slightly in surprise, but she quickly regained her composure, a gentle smile forming on her face.
"Noble Hera, May I ask, have I brought you honor?"
"The honor you’ve brought me is immeasurable,” Hera replied, her tone uncharacteristically soft and kind. “You will always be my most cherished follower.”
Many gods glanced at Hera in astonishment, completely unprepared for such tenderness from the goddess known for her jealousy and pettiness.
“I think,” The eldest sister Hestia laughed as she looked at her younger sister, who looked relieved rather than disappointed. "she made peace with her decision the day she found Promise and let him go. Perhaps... she already knew the answer even then.”
Leaving Hera’s side, Promise walked toward the petite goddess of fate as Clotho, cradling her crystal orb, stood quietly waiting.
Yet as Promise approached, an unmistakable trace of disappointment flickered across her face.
"I’m sorry," Promise whispered softly.
Really sorry.
Clotho gently shook her head and turned away, not listening to Promise’s words.
To be honest, no further words were needed between them.
"I will always watch over you."
Then, cradling the crystal orb of fate in her arms, Clotho spoke a poignant and meaningful line before departing:
"No matter the past, present, or future, I will... always watch over you."
As soon Clotho left, the outcome was clear, with no room for further suspense.
Promise stepped forward toward the flawless goddess with golden eyes who smiled warmly at him as sighed and said, "You’re really confident, my goddess."
"Hmm... Actually, you’re wrong," Athena responded with a slight raise of her brow, surprising Promise with her answer.
"In fact, up until just now, I thought for sure you would choose the goddess of fate."
Hearing her words, Promise looked at her skeptically, unsure whether to believe her. "Really?"
"Why would I lie to you?"
Athena gave him a playful glare, but the radiant smile on her face betrayed her emotions.
She was trying hard to suppress the joy that threatened to overflow, striving to maintain her composure.
Amidst the envious gazes of the other gods, she asked,
"So, I’m genuinely curious now, Promise....why did you choose me?"
Athena was really curious at this moment and was looking forward to his answer.
Because she wasn’t lying; she had truly believed that Promise would choose Clotho.
After all, that day, when Clotho, who was typically shy and reserved, played straight balls, expressing her thoughts so directly, Athena herself couldn't stand it..not to mention...
She had long suspected the reason Promise was so afraid of Moon Goddess Artemis.
And she herself, like Artemis, was also a virgin goddess.
"The answer is actually quite simple," Promise began, as he gave a long-thought-out answer to Athena’s curiosity and the gaze of all the gods present.
"Since the day I came down the mountain and walked until now, I have received a lot of help along the way, including the goddess Artemis, the god Apollo, and the goddess Demeter.
I remember those moments clearly, and I’m deeply grateful for them. But..."
Having said that, Promise' clear emerald eyes quietly reflected the figure of the goddess in front of him.
In that moment, he also saw every step of his journey, all the marks left along the way.
"But from the very beginning, the one who truly held my hand, who always believed I could make it, and who led me to where I am today... was you after all."
When Promise said this, Hera let out a deep sigh from the side.
She had already guessed that this would be the reason.
Not just Hera—most of the gods had the same reaction.
After all, it was an undeniable truth, something everyone had seen with their own eyes.
Whether it was the golden apples that Promise had always eaten, Pegasus, or the brush he got from Hephaestus that could paint the gods—these were all things that Athena had guided Promise toward, holding his hands, step by step.
Every place Promise had been, Athena’s presence had left its mark.
Her figure was woven into every part of Promise’s hero’s journey in ancient Greece, from the very beginning to its end.
Athena took a deep breath, trying to maintain her usual elegance and composure, but at this moment, she found it nearly impossible.
The expectations she had carried for so long had finally turned into reality—she had truly become Promise’s goddess.
Athena had known she would be happy about this, but she realized now that she had overestimated herself a little..or maybe underestimated the depth of her own emotions.
How could one describe what Athena was feeling at this moment?
As she gazed into Promise’s clear emerald eyes and saw her own reflection within them, she felt as though an arrow had pierced her heart.
The impact of that arrow made her breath catch, her chest tighten.
The overwhelming emotions that surged forth were so intense that even she, the goddess of wisdom, found them frightening.
Ah... it seems I care about him even more than I thought.
And so, in that moment, Athena came to a deeper understanding of her own feelings.
When her golden eyes filled completely with Promise’s image, Athena silently made a decision in her heart:
She would never, ever let herself be separated from Promise.
"Still, that being said," Promise suddenly said with a smile, breaking the heavy air and addressing Athena.
"My goddess, if you could calm down once in a while and stop dragging me all over the place, that’d be even better!"
"Hey!"
Athena shot him a mock glare, pretending to be offended. "What’s that supposed to mean?"
"What do you think it means?"
Promise let out a sad sigh, then gestured to the people around him who were lining up to watch the show.
.
.
Well..everything that happened was beyond words..
In the end, Promise finally chose his goddess and the scene came to an end.
After the lively spectacle, those who had gathered naturally dispersed.
The clever Hermes was the first to leave, running away as fast as he could.
After all, if they didn’t leave, not to mention Hera, even Themis, the goddess of justice, might feel the need to "talk some sense" and vent her current emotions...
Knowing was one thing, accepting was another.
But that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be disappointment or unhappiness.
Athena once again took Promise’s hand and placed the rare treasure of Colchis, the Golden Fleece, into his hands.
"Congratulations, Promise. This journey... you’ve finally reached its end."
Promise looked at the beautiful goddess before him, smiling brightly, and said:
"What are you talking about? This fleece is tied to Medea’s father’s life, and there’s Medea’s situation.
If I don’t change her fate, do you believe Hecate won’t really fight me to the death?"
"So hurry up, Athena. Give me the next oracle?"
"What kind of tone is that?" Athena said, knocking Promise lightly on the head.
"You dare hit me?" Promise held his head and shouted, "Believe it or not, I will run to the goddess Hera right now. Do you think she will accept me?"
"You..."
Athena clenched her fists tightly.
And then she suddenly remembered—the person in front of her was the only one who had ever broken her flawlessness and left a blemish.
"...Atropos, the goddess of fate!"
Feeling a sudden wave of humiliation, she gritted her teeth and uttered the name.
Promise glanced at her in surprise, surprised that she was not acting as a riddler no more, and then answered impatiently,
"Of course, I know I need to find her. She’s the eldest sister who cuts the thread of life. But Athena, do you really think I won’t be kicked out the moment I show up?"
After all, he had just rejected Clotho.
And the eldest and second sisters are fiercely protective of Clotho and who wouldn't.
"If you get kicked out once, just go back two more times," Athena replied offhandedly and when she saw Promise staring at her with wide eyes, she burst out laughing.
"Relax, go ahead and don't worry... In fact, even if you don't go, the other party will probably come to find you. After all, that little goddess Clotho will not make things difficult for you."
Saying this, Athena suddenly seemed to realize something, and she glanced at Promise.
That’s right... even though Promise chose me, it doesn’t mean much. They won’t let go of him anyway.
Thinking of this, Athena couldn't help bur furrow her brows and felt a little angry.
She didn’t realize that at first, that she, who always thought that Promise would choose Clotho, had been thinking the same way as Hera and the others had been now,
That there was no rush, that there would be plenty of time in the future.
But soon, Athena tilted her head slightly, a look of confusion appearing on her face.
She didn’t understand why her jealousy and possessiveness were so strong now.
It was as if she had become like Hera.
She knew she shouldn’t feel this way.
After all, she was the wise and flawless goddess, the most dazzling pearl of Olympus—Athena!
Thinking this, Athena found herself staring at Promise, unable to look away.
"Um, what’s wrong?" Promise asked, puzzled.
Athena shook her head and didn’t continue.
She even stopped herself from thinking further because, deep down, she had an inexplicable feeling—or rather, as the goddess of wisdom, she had an unspeakable yet clear warning.
'Do not take another step forward.'
Because one step forward will lead to the endless abyss!
Athena was, in many ways, truly flawless.
She was the goddess of absolute wisdom, second only in power to Zeus.
But the true source of her perfection lay in her oath, the vow of a virgin goddess.
That vow shielded her from falling into the dangerous domain of love—a poison, or perhaps more accurately, a curse.
And this curse was even more devastating for those with unparalleled wisdom.
Metis, Athena’s mother, was proof of this.
Metis, the first goddess of wisdom in Greek mythology, had fallen in love with Zeus and helped him save his brothers and sisters, overthrow the second generation of gods and establish the new Olympian order.
Then, she was swallowed whole by Zeus.
Metis, with her absolute wisdom, must have known about the curse of the king of gods, must have understood Zeus’s fear of her intellect so, she must have know what would happen.
Yet even so, she chose not to abandon love.
This was why those with wisdom should never fall in love.
Because once they did, they were destined to love more deeply, and more destructively—than anyone else.
"It’s nothing," Athena finally said, shaking her head and smiling at Promise.
"Go back now. Your teacher and friends have been waiting for you for a long time. And..."
She paused for a moment as she looked at Promise, staring at his emerald pupils, not matter how much she tried, she found that she couldn’t hide it.
"I’m truly happy."
"Incredibly happy... that you chose me."
