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(Fate) Chapter 199: Mass Production!
🕑 Added 2024-11-16 15:46:06 +0000 UTC"Where’s mine?"
Once everything had settled down, Athena, dressed in a pure white gown, found Promise, who was taking care of the Pegasus, in a corner of the high mountain of Pelion in Greece.
By now, night had fallen at some points as the sky loomed dark above, with stars spread across like a reachable galaxy, as if one could just reach out and just touch it, making the scene strikingly beautiful against the mountainside.
Under the full moon’s glow and the flicker of flames, Athena extended her hand, looking calmly at the hint of confusion in the boy’s green eyes and said softly, “The golden apple dedicated to the fairest... Don’t tell me you only have that one.”
After she finished speaking, before Promise could respond, Pegasus shot him a look of utter shock.
After all, by now all the gods knew of Promise’s vow to Hera, the queen of heaven.
The title of “most beautiful goddess” now belonged to someone who was spoken for.
'But aren’t you, Athena, the virgin goddess who’s vowed eternal chastity?'
Very good..you are really worthy of being my little master!
Alright, I’ll be off to eat grass now; you carry on.
With this thought in mind, Pegasus turned around and was about to eat grass and become invisible, but Promise noticed it and grabbed him tightly.
You hungry horse, if you don’t want to be written down in my little black book, then stay put!
After glaring at the dishonest Pegasus, whose talent for sneaking away to graze was nearly maxed out, Promise turned back to Athena, whose calm expression betrayed no hint of her thoughts.
After hesitating for a moment, he asked her with some curiosity, “Why do you think I have more than one golden apple like that?”
Athena chuckled, replying, “Because it would be easy to get out of your vow to Hera. Just as Father god Zeus, upon learning his own fate, frantically began producing offspring... well although, in his case, his desires played a big part.
“But if you want to keep Hera from pursuing the vow for a long time, all you’d need to do is prepare more ‘apples of beauty’ and distribute them.”
After all, Hera is the most loyal supporter of monogamy.
“And surely, you must have realized this too—after all, you possess my wisdom.”
Promise’s fate was intricately interwoven with this goddess of wisdom.
After hearing what she said, Pegasus looked at the boy in a strange way, and then he suddenly realized something..
Well, if anyone were to receive a golden apple, it would have most likely been to the two goddesses, either Athena or Clotho... or maybe Hecate, just to annoy her a little.
But giving it to Thetis? That was unexpected.
So, after all this time, you’re planning to mass-produce this so-called “most beautiful” golden apple?
This is totally something you’d do!
“......Actually, I didn't really think about it that much,”
Looking at the goddess in front of him, Promise did not struggle.
There was no point in hiding it, so he said frankly, “I mainly intended to save one for the goddess Artemis.”
“Artemis?” Athena nodded as if she understood something. “You’re really afraid around her... By the way, if I recall, she seems to gave never done anything to you, right?”
"But Artemis knows how to hunt."
And he was particularly concerned about her penchant for strangling necks!
Speaking of which, where's that guy Orion these days? It just... vanished?
After saying that, and seeing Athena’s smile turn a bit more mischievous, Promise couldn’t help but roll his eyes before changing the subject. "Goddess Athena, do you really want one?”
“Yes, of course,” Athena nodded and said. “Anyway, even if I don’t take one now, it’s only a matter of time before Hera, Clotho, and the others each end up with one. So, better to just make it straightforward.”
Following her line of reasoning, Promise thought it over and realized it could indeed end up that way. So he took out another golden apple inscribed with “To the fairest” and handed it to Athena.
Even though she’d already expected this long ago, when Promise actually produced a spare apple, he had clearly well-prepared for a long time, both Athena and Pegasus couldn’t help but fall silent.
"I’m beginning to think I was wrong. It won’t just be Hera and Clotho with their own apples in the near future. Soon, most goddesses will have one, right.” After weighing the golden apple in her hand, even Athena looked at the boy with a somewhat strange look.
After all, over the past two years, Promise had accumulated enough golden apples that he no longer had to ration them as he did at the beginning.
And since these golden Apples, 'to the fairest' were now crafted by him, not by the goddess of discord, Eris, the right to define them belonged solely to him.
At Athena’s comment, Promise was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up as he responded with a mix of earnestness and feigned confusion, nodding while saying, “Oh, no, of course not. How could I possibly do that? But honestly, yes, whether it’s Goddess Hera, Goddess Artemis, or Goddess Persephone, I do consider them all the most beautiful goddesses... Oh dear, it’s all so complicated.”
Now even Pegasus, who was standing next to him, couldn't help but want to kick Promise.
Athena rolled her eyes, yet as she held the golden apple in her hand,
she couldn’t help but smile.
In fact, in recent times, she herself felt that she seemed to have become a little strange.
She’d always known that she valued Promise, far more than anyone else, but recently, she found out that, this relationship had changed a little,
More precisely, it had morphed into something else—a kind of possessiveness, almost as if Hera’s influence were rubbing off on her.
Just like this time, even though she’d guessed Promise’s plan from the start, when she saw the golden apple, she still had infinite expectations.
At that moment, she found herself longing for him to abandon his logic and wisdom and give it to her, right there in that moment.
Simply put, it was...
“Why are there four threads of fate and not just one?”
Holding the golden apple in her hand, Athena stared at the boy in front of her and murmured softly.
“Hm?” Promise looked at her in confusion. “Did you say something, Goddess Athena?”
“...I was just thinking about how to make you choose me,” Athena's beautiful golden eyes stared at the boy in front of her as she said. “To choose me as your one and only goddess... And this time, please don’t go bothering Hecate. If you’re not serious, even if she doesn’t destroy everything, I just might give it a try myself.”
'Oho—here we go, here we go!
Pegasus jumped excitedly nearby, barely restraining himself from cheering them on.
Well..embarrassing his master was stirring the winged horse mind crazily.
As Promise’s mind raced to find a way out of this awkward moment, Athena said. "Never mind, I won’t pressure you. If I lost out because of that, it’d be a shame for me. But... there should still be some kind of time limit, don’t you think?”
After a moment of serious thought, Athena smiled and said, “Then, let’s say by the time we fulfill our vow. Before that vow concludes, Promise...
I’ll be waiting for your choice."
'After all, once you make your choice, you’ll join us and never be separated,'
Athena thought to herself with a smile, holding the golden apple in her hand as she walked away.
But just as Athena left, and Promise was about to finally relax and catch his breath…
“...Sister Lachesis, what exactly are you up to?”
Promise turned around with a helpless expression and looked at the sickly second sister, Lachesis, the goddess of fate, who was approaching him quietly from behind.
In her hand was a wooden stick, and the petite goddess Clotho, the youngest of the Fates, stood silently at her side.
“I’m here to hit you on behalf of my little sister!” Lachesis declared, brandishing the stick with conviction. “And who gave you permission to call me ‘sister’? I definitely don’t approve of you and my little—”
Before she could finish her sentence, Promise presented her with a golden apple inscribed 'to the fairest.'
Looking at the golden apple, Lachesis blinked and pointed at herself, and the moment Promise nodded, she decisively dropped the wooden stick from her hand.
“Oh, great! I agree!”
After saying this, Lachesis happily took the golden apple and ran off in delight.
As soon as Lachesis left, Nuoyan looked at the quiet little white-haired girl in front of him, and the expression on his face couldn't help but relax.
He took out yet another golden apple and said with a smile, “Goddess Clotho, here’s a golden apple 'to the fairest' goddess.”
At this time, Pegasus, who had slipped away at some point and was eating grass on the side, glared at Promise in disdain.
How many of these apples do you even have?
And didn’t you just tell Athena you wouldn’t hand them out to every goddess you saw?
I, Pegasus, hereby declare you the most shameless!
The young goddess Clotho, dressed in her traditional white Greek robe, didn’t immediately reach for the golden apple in Promise’s hand.
Cradling her crystal orb, she looked at him with her usual childish yet overly dignified tone and asked, “Why didn’t you choose Athena just now?”
Promise was caught off guard.
“In fact, everyone knows that when it comes time to choose, the goddess will only be one of us, and Athena is clearly the best option.”
“Hmm... it’s not that I don’t understand these things,” Promise looked at the delicate goddess of fate in front of him and couldn't help laughing, saying.
"But if I did that, you’d feel disappointed—and unhappy, wouldn’t you?
Just like with this whole business of the golden apple to the fairest.”
As he spoke, he stepped forward and gently yet subconsciously placed the apple into Clotho’s outstretched hand.
After saying this, Promise half-expected Clotho to act like her usual self, perhaps with a touch of arrogance, saying she wouldn’t be disappointed or upset in the least.
After all, Clotho had always such a cute little tsundere goddess.
But…
“You’re right. I might really be unhappy.”
Huh?
Looking at Clotho who suddenly said this after accepting the golden apple, Promise couldn't help but blink at her.
"After all you are the one who, regardless of my wishes, forced me into a vow back then, letting me glimpse a beautiful future… So…
“Why can’t I be the goddess you choose!”
As Clotho spoke these words, even Pegasus was stunned, lifting his head in shock and stopping his grazing altogether.
Cute, cute, so cute!
The usually proud and distant Clotho was now acting shy—no longer arrogant!
Looking at the little goddess puff out her cheeks slightly and lift her head as if to "meet" Promise’s gaze…
Though her vision was clouded by fate’s curse, rendering her eyes pale and unable to see the present, she still managed to capture the moment with her spirit alone.
Although, Promise had once given her a gift to help her see the world, an enchanted doll that could relay images to her, but she didn’t have it with her now.
Looking at Clotho like this, Pegasus couldn’t help but agree with Promise's earlier sentiment.
Indeed, this petite goddess of fate was far cuter than the moon goddess, Artemis and the others!
“So, Promise… I hope you’ll choose me.”
Saying these words were probably her limit so, after she finished speaking, she turned and ran.
As she left, Promise noticed her ears glowing bright red.
"How terrifying,” After Clotho left, Promise came back to his senses after a while and couldn't help but sigh: "I almost couldn't help it just now, and almost gave in."
'Indeed,' Pegasus chirped in agreement, nodding deeply.
What else could you expect from a companion who perfectly mirrored his master?
“Well, why not just give in then? I myself nearly couldn’t resist running out to hug her in my arms and shower her with affection.”
Just then, a soft, amused female voice was heard.
Promise and Pegasus both turned their heads, unsurprised by the speaker.
They tilted their heads and looked to see the goddess emerging from the shadows of the trees.
The moment he caught sight of her, Pegasus turn around and took off skyward, moving with such decisiveness and speed that it was clear that he’d mastered this escape with daily practice.
Promise ignored Pegasus’s swift escape, his clear green eyes reflecting the familiar figure of a gentle goddess.
He quietly reached into his pocket and pulled out his little notebook of revenge…
“Wait, wait! What do you think you’re doing?”
Thetis quickly jumped in front of him, grabbing his hands to keep him from writing.
Promise looked at her with a faint smile and asked, “What do you think, lovely goddess Thetis?”
“Well…” Thetis looked at the bky who was smiling in front of her, lowered her head, and mumbled weakly: "Actually, I can explain.”
“Go ahead, then. I’m listening.”
With Promise’s arms crossed in front of him, Thetis suddenly lost her confidence.
She racked her brains to think about it, and finally said tentatively: "I have nothing to do with Peleus, and I’m not interested in him at all.”
“Why are you explaining that?” Promise was a bit speechless.
Thetis blinked, then her face fell slightly as she said. "So… you don’t care?"
“...Well, to say I don’t care at all would be a bit of a lie.”
After he finished speaking, Promise looked at Thetis whose eyes suddenly brightened, and felt a little helpless as he said.
"Goddess Athena represents wisdom, Goddess Themis stands for justice and kindness, and Goddess Clotho embodies fate.
As for that matter you didn’t tell me about, about Queen Hera—I think it’s a combination of divine favor and chaotic love, isn’t it?”
Thetis just gave a gentle smile, neither confirming nor denying his guess.
“The adventure of the Golden Fleece... I think it’s coming to an end soon.”
He spoke hesitantly, feeling somewhat conflicted due to various factors, but after a moment, Promise extended his hand to Thetis.
“So, wise one of the sea, gentle goddess Thetis, would you be willing to join the heroes of the Argo as we approach the end of this journey?”
“Of course I would.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Thetis placed her hand in his.
.
.
.
