Chapter 37 The Revelry of the Banquet

Those were golden merits offered right in front of him, and there was no reason to refuse them. "Then it's settled. You better not complain about being tired when the time comes," Prometheus said, recalling the time when she was still a second-tier goddess, tirelessly analyzing the laws of life day and night, her appearance haggard. He couldn't help but chuckle. She had endured such hardships, showing an extraordinary resilience and pride. In that regard, she resembled someone else... Prometheus's thoughts drifted for a moment, recalling another goddess with the same striking violet eyes. "Don't underestimate me, Prometheus. The Hebe of today is no longer who she once was." Hebe lifted her head, her exquisite face radiating pride and confidence. After centuries of diligent effort, the rewards had indeed been bountiful. As one of the Twelve Olympian Gods now, she could be said to be firmly in a position of power. "Haha... that was my mistake. Your strength now is far beyond my reach." "Prometheus, there's no need to be modest. Your vast knowledge is something that no divine power can ever replace..." "......" The handsome Sun God watched coldly as Hebe and Prometheus conversed and laughed together. For some reason, the sight of it made him feel strangely irritated. She was all smiles with others, but whenever she saw him, she was distant and indifferent. After all, they had fought side by side before. This goddess was undoubtedly being a bit of a double standard. With that thought, Apollo felt a sudden surge of anger, even finding Prometheus's gentle, handsome face annoying. What kind of male god looked so delicate and weak? A god should look like him—tall, muscular, with a powerful, masculine presence! "Brother, what are you looking at?" Artemis approached and sat beside Apollo, holding a goblet of wine. Her face remained as pure and beautiful as ever, yet no longer carefree; a hint of worry always lingered in her eyes. Following Apollo's gaze, she saw Hebe speaking with Prometheus, and her grip on the golden goblet tightened slightly, her expression becoming unusually complex. She then looked back at her brother, who seemed lost in thought. Her heart clenched involuntarily. She was no naive girl; even as the goddess of chastity, she still retained the right to spiritual love. The way Apollo was looking at Hebe was clearly not normal. Why her? Artemis felt a sudden and inexplicable sense of betrayal. Recalling the humiliation she endured in front of the gods and the pain of having her divinity stripped away, a flicker of hatred flashed in her silver-gray eyes, and her voice took on a sharp tone. "Brother, have you forgotten the disgrace her mother once brought upon us?" "Ar, what's wrong with you?" Artemis's sharp voice snapped Apollo out of his thoughts. He frowned and looked down at his sister, who had been gloomy lately, not understanding why she had suddenly become so agitated. "Brother, tell me, is there something between you and Hebe..." "Ar!" Before Artemis could finish, Apollo cut her off with a stern shout. "Do you realize what you're saying? There is absolutely nothing between us!" Apollo's voice was resolute, yet for some reason, after saying this, an inexplicable sense of disappointment rose within him, as if a shadow had fallen over his heart, filling it with frustration and unease. His expression betrayed a hint of impatience. Artemis was startled by Apollo's rebuke, but after hearing his words, she also breathed a sigh of relief. Lowering her tone, she tugged on her brother's sleeve and spoke sweetly, "Brother, don't be angry. It's just that I've been feeling so troubled lately. We are the twin gods of the sun and moon by birth, and now that you've secured the power of the sun, while Selene has done nothing wrong, I can't help but worry about my own future. When will the power of the moon belong to me? And what about that position among the Olympians..." Artemis's worries were genuine. She was destined to be the goddess of the moon, yet she had been unable to obtain the authority over the moon. In contrast, her brother had already grasped the sun and ascended to the rank of Olympian, basking in glory. Even more painful was seeing Hebe, Hera's daughter, whom she had never thought highly of. Over the centuries, Hebe had risen as if in a dream, going from a lowly third-tier goddess to an Olympian, establishing numerous accomplishments along the way. Fate seemed to favor Hebe exceptionally. Why had Artemis not encountered such fortunes herself? Artemis felt as though the flames of jealousy were on the verge of consuming her. If she could obtain the power of the moon, she might barely manage to ascend to the level of an Olympian. At that point, with only one position left, she could rely on their father's favor to contend for it. She was tired of being looked down upon and treated as inferior. "Sigh..." Apollo understood the knot of frustration in his sister's heart. He truly cared for his twin, and he couldn't help but softly comfort her, "Don't worry, Ar. The power of the moon will soon be yours. Just give your brother a little time." As he stroked his sister's silvery-gray hair, a cruel glint flashed in his bright blue eyes. Selene, huh... "Hebe looks truly beautiful today," Zeus remarked, picking up a grape from a golden platter as he gazed at his stunning young daughter in the plaza, a strange hint of interest flickering in his eyes. "Put away those filthy thoughts!" Hera's hand nearly crushed the golden armrest of her throne as she let out a cold snort. She knew the depths of the King of the Gods' depravity better than anyone. "I may tolerate others, but if you lay a hand on Hebe, I will make you watch the entire divine realm crumble before your very eyes." The goddess's voice carried a bone-chilling coldness. Her children were her last line of defense, and she was prepared to snuff out any threat to them before it even began, especially if it involved Zeus's repulsive and vile intentions. "...Uh, my esteemed Queen, how could you so misinterpret a father's concern for his child?" Zeus felt both embarrassed and displeased at having his thoughts exposed by Hera. However, with all the gods gathered today, it would be undignified to argue with her here, so he decided to laugh it off. What he truly thought, though, was known only to him. "Ahem! Gods, today we are gathered to celebrate the addition of two more Olympians to our sacred mountain. And now, it is time for the formal commencement of the ascension ceremony." Zeus stood from his throne, his muscular arm raising the scepter of the King of the Gods high above, and his voice reverberated throughout Mount Olympus. "In the name of the King of the Gods, I hereby elevate Apollo, God of the Sun, to the Twelve Olympians, and Hebe, Goddess of Life, to the Twelve Olympians." The scepter in Zeus's hand emitted a golden light, and on Mount Olympus, two magnificent beams of light shot up into the sky—one radiating a dazzling, scorching gold, and the other shimmering with a mix of gold and green, full of vitality. In the Hall of the Olympians, two new thrones rose to join the nine existing ones. One of the thrones bore the shadowy outline of the sun, within which a half-open eye was engraved, symbolizing Apollo's dominion over the sun and prophecy. The other throne was adorned with intricate patterns, featuring images of flowers and vines, with the changing scenes of spring, summer, autumn, and winter flowing seamlessly over its surface, representing Hebe's dominion over life and her role as the Mistress of the Seasons. The ascension ceremony was officially complete, and Hebe felt a profound power descend upon her. Moments later, her soul felt lighter, and her connection to the laws of the universe became even stronger. It was as if every word she spoke could command the power of the laws themselves, allowing her to shape reality with her will. A sense of relief swept over her, and an invisible force seemed to leave her. She was now absolved from the manipulation of fate, granted freedom by the very laws she governed. Sensing the transformation within herself, the heavy weight in Hebe's heart finally lifted. The position of Olympian was now hers at last... After receiving Zeus's official proclamation, Hebe no longer felt like mingling with the gods in the boring and extravagant banquet, exchanging superficial pleasantries. After chatting with Hera for a while, she found an opportunity to slip back to her temple, instructing the nymphs not to let anyone disturb her, and shut the doors tightly. The gods, immersed in the revelry of the banquet, drinking and making merry, paid no attention to the fact that the guest of honor had long since left. It was a brand new day. To the west, darkness still lingered, while in the east, a faint white light began to appear. The Goddess of Dawn gently waved her rosy fingers, spreading light from her fingertips, washing away the ink-like darkness of the night. Brilliant golden rays filled the sky, and at the farthest edge of the heavens, the Sun God's chariot, burning with fierce masculine flames, streaked across the sky under the guidance of the handsome and robust Sun God, bringing new light to the earth. Apollo, shrouded in divine radiance, gazed down with his blue eyes at the snow-covered land below.