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(Fate) Chapter 193: Erato
🕑 Added 2024-11-10 15:39:15 +0000 UTCIn Greek mythology, there existed creatures with the heads of women and bodies of birds.
They were called the Sirens, daughters of a river god.
Beautiful and alluring, they once possessed wings and enchanting voices.
However, after losing a contest to the Muses, goddesses of the arts, they were stripped of their wings and imprisoned on an island.
So, from then on, filled with resentment, they lured passing ships with their hypnotic songs, leading sailors to crash upon the rocks or transformed into mermaid to lure them, dragging them into the depths of the sea.
The Greek hero Odysseus had famously encountered the Sirens but, with the help of the witch Circe, successfully sailed past them.
The heroes on the Argo had encountered them as well.
In the original myth, it was Orpheus who suppressed their singing with the sound of his lyre.
This time, however, it was Promise who arrived on the Sirens’ island, descending from the sky on Pegasus.
Just like in his usual travels, it was a god who had summoned him.
The heroes who knew about this did not leave, because they were not far from the island, so they asked Poseidon, the god of the sea, to change the direction of their sailing and prepared to join in the “fun” on the island.
Even before Pegasus landed, Promise spotted the radiant figure of Apollo waiting below, confirming who had called for him.
“It’s been a while, Promise,” Apollo, the god of light, looked at the young man brought by Pegasus with a smile on his face.
Beside Apollo stood a goddess with a crown of flowers and short, orangish hair, who looked sweetly charming.
"Pegasus, long time no see!" When Promise got off the Pegasus, she couldn't wait and immediately came over and hugged the Pegasus.
Noticing Promise’s curious look, Apollo explained with a smile, “This is Erato, one of the nine Muses.”
The Muses were the goddesses of the arts in Greek mythology.
There were nine of them and each governed different aspects of creative inspiration.
Erato presided over love poetry, her symbols being the seven-stringed lyre and the harp.
“I get along well with Pegasus, you know. Back home, I’m usually the one who helps clean him up, so I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time,” Erato said, her head tilted as she smiled at Promise in a delightfully sweet way, much like her name, which in Greek means “lovely” (and can also mean “lover”).
Hearing her words and seeing how close she was to Pegasus, Promise’s impression of her immediately improved, shifting from mere acquaintance to friendliness as he smiled and nodded. "Hello, Goddess Erato."
Erato nodded, then let go of Pegasus and circled Promise a couple of times before clapping her hands happily. "Great! I approve of you, kid!"
“No wonder the esteemed goddess of wisdom entrusted Pegasus to you. You two make such a perfect match. And those clear green eyes of yours—so beautiful!”
After speaking all this, she did not even wait for Promise's reaction, and suddenly hugged him, rubbing her cheek against his as if he were an adorable kitten.
Before Promise could push her away or Apollo could step in, Erato was struck by a sudden chill that made her shiver in fright.
She quickly released him and looked around in bewilderment.
“What… just happened? I felt like I was about to be killed…”
Erato looked puzzled, while Apollo coughed lightly beside her to change the topic. Turning to Promise, he said, “Promise, Erato is here because she wants to challenge you to a competition.”
"A competition?" Promise looked at Apollo who was smiling at him in confusion.
"Yes." The latter nodded. "Erato is the goddess of love poetry.
Ever since she heard about your performance on the seven-stringed lyre in the underworld, she’s been very interested in meeting you.”
“Yes, very interested!” Erato chimed in, pouting slightly, her gaze holding a hint of longing as she looked at Promise. “But it’s been impossible to catch you alone."
You really do have quite the crowd of gods around you!
“If it hadn’t been for this situation with the Sirens, I might never have gotten the chance."
“Sirens?” Promise blinked at her in surprise.
Apollo gave a quick explanation. “The Sirens were once a group of fairies known for their enchanting singing, but over time…”
Erato proudly lifted her head, cutting in, “And I defeated them! It's impressive, right? I even used their wings to make this flower crown. Isn’t it pretty?”
As she spoke, Erato grabbed the wreath on her head and shook her crown towards Promise with a smile as the latter looked at her with subtle eyes.
Using someone else’s wings as an accessory and then coming here to flaunt it—are you really not afraid those Sirens will come back, furious, to beat you?
“Hmm… so, to put it simply, if I compete against Goddess Erato and win, I can lead the Argo past the trial of the Sirens, right?”
Promise quickly grasped the situation, thinking it over.
After two years of taking on trials, completing them, and steadily building his reputation, he was used to it by now.
Sure, his reputation might be stuck at a certain point for now, and IR was quite difficult to raise it, but each place he passed left a mark.
Once the adventure for the Golden Fleece was over, he could settle it all in one go.
“It’s a trial, but it’s more like an assessment,” Erato said, tilting her head thoughtfully and said subconsciously. “Even if your lyre playing doesn’t surpass mine, just based on your paintings, we’d have to grant you part of our divine domain anywa—mmpf!”
Her words were cut off as Apollo clamped a hand over her mouth.
Looking at the struggling goddess in front of him, and then looking at Apollo, who gave him a friendly smile, Promise couldn't help but blink.
Divine… domain?
“Ahem,” Apollo cleared his throat. “In short, Erato wants to have a competition with you. If you win, the Muses will formally recognize you, and Erato will give you a special gift.”
Hearing his words, Erato’s eyes widened as she looked at Apollo.
'When did I ever say I’d give a gift!'
Apollo shot her a look.
With the way you just couldn’t resist sticking to Promise, if you don't leave something behind, do you believe that you will be shot by a goddess as soon as you leave him?
Not to mention, that you talk too much, and I'm sure many guys will want to have a “chat” with you latter!
Then Apollo let go of Erato, who immediately fell to the ground, wiping the nonexistent tears from her face as she said. “So unfair. So unfair! Everyone’s so stingy. All I did was touch him for a little while, and you want me to give a golden apple as a greeting gift and a reward!”
“Um, Goddess Erato, I actually don’t need a gift…” Promise began speaking, but before he could finish his words, Erato stood up in a flash.
Pointing at the young man, she said unhappily: "Well, I, a goddess, gave you a gift and you still don't want it. Do you look down on me, the goddess of art? Sure, your paintings are amazing, and apparently, your lyre skills are impressive too, but are you saying you’re too good for my gift?”
Do you look down on me?"
With that, she threw her arms around Pegasus, dramatically “crying” her frustrations.
Pegasus even gave her a comforting pat with its wing.
“Then… I accept?” As soon as he finished speaking, Erato immediately let go of Pegasus, put his hands on his hips and said to Promise, “So that’s how it is! You’re confident you’ll win and get my gift, huh? You think you can beat me, don’t you?
“I’m a Muse, a goddess of the arts, and I defeated the Sirens. I’m amazing!”
...Ugh, this goddess is so noisy.
Just when Promise subconsciously had this thought, he saw Apollo giving him a slightly apologetic smile.
Then—
“Oh, I don’t care! I have to give you the golden apple and the gift? It’s too much!”
After speaking these words, without waiting for a response, Erato threw her arms around Promise again.
“Let me just snuggle a little! Mmm… as I thought, you smell so nice, Promise. I almost want to take you home as a pet and keep you.”
Erato grinned mischievously, then glanced around and said, “Alright, alright, I won’t ‘steal’ him—please stop glaring at me like you’re ready to kill! Just a little hug, is that too much to ask? So stingy!”
She muttered under her breath, finally letting him go with a pout, looking as if she’d just been abandoned.
“Ahem, let’s stop messing around and get started with the competition,” Apollo, who was watching from the side, finally intervened, shaking his head with a sigh.
Clearly, he thought this goddess had nerves of steel, after all, even he wouldn’t dare to do what she’d just done.
“Yes, let’s start,” Promise agreed quickly.
This goddess was a bit too lively, and for once, he found himself struggling to keep up.
So much for being experienced in handling goddesses!
Promise had initially assumed Apollo would be the referee for the match, but instead...
"Then let's get started."
