Chapter 46 All Thanks to the Comparison with Peers

Another day dawned, and Mount Olympus was shrouded in divine light, with exotic flowers and plants exuding an eternally fragrant aroma. The tall and handsome king of the gods, Zeus, sat leisurely upon the throne of the main temple. 'O great king of the gods, master of thunder, I wonder if the devout believers on earth can receive your blessings, granting them the eternal flame of thunder so that humanity may be spared from the invasion of monsters." In order to aid the development of the new humanity, the wise prophet Prometheus once again came to the temple, pleading with Zeus to take the undying spark from his divine thunder and bestow it upon mankind. 'Prometheus, master of wisdom, I can grant the spark of thunder to humanity on earth, but divine fire is so precious that to obtain it, humans must demonstrate their faith and devotion in a manner that satisfies me, the king of the gods." Seated upon his throne, Zeus played with the thunder gifted to him by the Cyclopes, the sons of Gaia, who possessed unparalleled craftsmanship. He spoke with a relaxed demeanor. Prometheus's eyes flickered, yet his brow remained gentle, and his expression respectful, showing no signs of disturbance. 'O great Zeus, please tell me how the new humanity can demonstrate their devotion and faith to you." 'It's quite simple. Within a year, if the new humans offer me a thousand bulls as sacrifices, then this devotion will be worthy of me granting them the undying spark of fire." Zeus's lofty demand made even the usually composed Prometheus furrow his brow. He couldn't have heard that correctly, could he? A thousand bulls? Not to mention that the new humanity had only recently come into existence, and their productivity was insufficient to support the raising of a thousand bulls. Even if they could manage it, humanity was not like the gods. Although blessed by Hebe to remain eternally youthful and free from disease, hunger was not included in that blessing; they still needed to eat! Sacrificing a thousand bulls would lead to starvation among humanity due to a lack of food. Moreover, there were other deities requiring offerings as well. Zeus's demand for a thousand bulls was undoubtedly a tremendous challenge for humanity; it was clearly intended to make things difficult! If Prometheus still did not realize that Zeus had no intention of granting the spark of fire to humanity, he might as well switch places with his brother Epimetheus (the one who understands too late). '…" Prometheus lowered his head, suppressing the anger rising within him. He pondered over strategies for a moment, and after a while, he lifted his head, his expression returning to its usual gentleness and politeness. 'O great king of the gods, if this is your wish, then the new humanity will do their utmost to fulfill it. However, in light of their deep devotion to you, I hope you can grant them a grace by allowing them to keep a portion of the sacrificial bulls for their survival needs." Zeus raised his eyebrows slightly, surprised that Prometheus would concede to such an extent. Very well; he did not want to push too hard and completely offend this prophet, especially since Prometheus held the prophecy of which of his offspring would eventually overthrow him. 'O wise prophet, I am not a cold-hearted and unfeeling god. I grant your request and allow the people on earth to keep a portion of the offerings for their living needs." Thank you very much! Prometheus silently thanked Zeus in his heart. 'Thank you for your mercy and generosity. When the time comes, I will have humanity divide the offerings into two portions. O great king of the gods, you may freely choose the portion you prefer, and the remainder will be your gift to humanity." Having established this 'transaction," the two gods, each with their own thoughts, maintained a facade of peace as they parted ways. Prometheus then descended to the mortal realm to announce the great king's decision to the new humanity. The news quickly spread, and the other gods soon learned that Zeus required humanity to offer a thousand bulls as a sacrifice in exchange for the undying thunderous fire. 'A thousand bulls? Do the humans on earth have such capability?" In the Temple of Life, Hebe sighed upon hearing the news and shook her head. Her father, the god, was truly so reckless. She couldn't help but recall the legend from her past life about how the god of wisdom had once tricked the king of the gods, and she felt a sense of worry for this mentor and friend. She wished to help Prometheus, but Zeus had already ordered that the gods were forbidden from using their divine powers to assist humanity. Even though Hebe was now a chief goddess, it would not be wise for her to openly defy him. However… recalling the artifact she had recently obtained, the purple-eyed goddess felt she could still offer some assistance. Time passed swiftly, and tonight's night was presided over by the starless and moonless goddess Leto. As the night faded, dawn arrived as expected. In the distant east, the sky began to lighten, and the rosy-hued goddess of dawn, Eos, appeared on the horizon, driving her chariot pulled by pure white steeds. With her rose-colored hands, she scattered light into the sky, transforming the scattered morning light into streaks of dawn, as beautiful as roses and as bright as fire. A beam of morning light silently descended to the mortal realm, landing in the temple of Prometheus, the creator of humanity and the god of foresight. 'Prince Prometheus," Hebe softly called out to the statue within the grand hall. The statue of Prometheus emitted a burst of light, and an invisible domain opened up, sealing off the space and blocking the prying eyes of the other gods. The morning light that fell to the ground blossomed into a dazzling figure, transforming into a goddess with golden hair and purple eyes. As the dawn and new beginnings were intertwined, Hebe utilized the power of the goddess of dawn to cast her projection, evading the attention of the other gods and quietly visiting this prophet. At that moment, the statue of Prometheus also underwent a transformation. The true form of the wise god descended, stepping down from the altar. He looked at the golden-haired, purple-eyed goddess before him, his eyes sparkling with a warm smile. 'Noble goddess of life, beautiful Princess Hebe, I truly did not expect you to dare come to see me under the command of your domineering father. It seems our friendship is even stronger than I imagined." Prometheus felt a touch of gratitude that Hebe could withstand the pressure from Zeus to visit him. Not all gods were selfish and cold-hearted. 'That one who knows of my good relationship with you is keeping a close watch on me. My true form is too conspicuous; what has descended here is merely a projection." Upon hearing this, Prometheus realized that the goddess's figure bore a subtle hint of illusion; if one were not careful, they might not notice it and would assume it was her true form. The goddess had become increasingly profound in her mastery of the realm of life… 'Your Highness, to keep it brief, there is a rumor among the gods about your wager with the king of the gods. A thousand bulls— even if humanity exhausts all their strength, it will still come at a tremendous cost. I have come to offer you some assistance." As Hebe spoke, divine light shimmered in her hands, and a golden staff adorned with intricate patterns, decorated with golden ears of wheat and fruits, was transmitted from the divine mountain. 'The Staff of Wheat and Gold!?" Seeing the golden staff before him, Prometheus couldn't help but show surprise in his eyes. 'This artifact has not appeared in the sight of the gods since the fall of Chryses… Did Your Highness inherit his legacy?" Prometheus looked at Hebe. This legendary goddess always managed to surprise him, continually growing stronger and advancing. Her resilience and self-improvement reminded him of his most perfect creation, humanity… 'It was just luck," Hebe replied with a calm smile, not wanting to say too much. While she admired this god, she feared that his keen intellect might allow him to deduce something from her words, jeopardizing her grand plan. 'With the help of this artifact, the fodder produced on the earth will double the growth rate of the cattle. Even in winter, it will provide a continuous supply of fodder. Thus, raising a thousand bulls before next year is not impossible." When the time comes for Zeus to hold her accountable, she wouldn't be to blame, especially since even the goddess of agriculture, Demeter, would be unaware that the Staff of Wheat and Gold was in her possession. '…Your Highness, I will forever remember the help you have given me and the new humanity. If there is ever an opportunity in the future, I will surely repay you, swearing an oath by the River Styx," Prometheus said solemnly as he accepted the artifact. 'There is no need for such formality, Your Highness. If it weren't for you lending me the Vessel of Life to comprehend the laws, I wouldn't have been able to condense my divine essence so quickly. Helping you now is only right. Besides, I am also a creator of the new humanity, and I cannot bear to see them suffer due to the whims of the king of the gods." Although a significant part of her motivation stemmed from some unspoken reasons, Hebe had indeed gained tangible benefits, and she couldn't deny that. 'Well, my time in this projection is limited," Hebe paused, glancing at Prometheus. Still feeling a bit uneasy, she added, 'Prince Prometheus, now that there is a solution at hand, regardless of your original plans, you should reconsider." '…"