Chapter 67 Reconciliation

Leto's beautiful and gentle face wore a smile, as her two divine children brought her a sense of pride. After so many years, she finally had a moment to hold her head high. Years ago, due to the pressure from Hera, her reputation had been trampled upon by the gods. Many deities had secretly mocked her for her weakness and helplessness. Now, with the help of Apollo and Artemis, she had regained the glory of her past! When Zeus entered into marriage with Hera, he remained entangled with Leto, leading to the birth of the twin gods. Hera, as the goddess of marriage, out of jealousy, had subjected Leto to various forms of persecution. The animosity between the two goddesses had long existed. While it was inappropriate to speak openly about it, both goddesses were secretly competing against each other, striving to prove that their own children were more outstanding than the other's. Leto casually raised her gaze to look at Hera. Her obsidian-like eyes met Hera's magnificent purple ones, and the two goddesses' gazes intertwined in the air, filling the atmosphere with a palpable tension, as if they were having a silent argument through their wills. "Your Hephaestus is ugly and a lame god!" "Your Apollo is a jinx, born to bring misfortune to his wives!" "Your Ares is all brawn and no brains, always shouting about fighting!" "Your Artemis is stagnant; it's been years, and she still relies on her brother to harness the essence of the moon!" "I have Hebe! She has risen from a minor deity to the current master of reincarnation!" Hera raised an eyebrow, first averting her gaze, a victorious smile curling her red lips as she took a sip of the sweet wine in her cup. Today's wine tasted particularly delightful. Leto, feeling defeated, couldn't help but feel a surge of frustration and resentment. For so many years, Hera had always had the upper hand. Only she knew deep down that she was unwilling to accept this. Once, as Zeus's sixth wife (though not officially recognized like Metis), her relationship with Zeus had been as sweet as honey, and Leto believed she had a chance to ascend to the throne of the queen of the gods. Not long after, Leto heard that Zeus had proposed to Hera, promising her the throne of the queen of the gods she had long desired, along with half of his divine power as a gift, all to win Hera's favor. She also learned that Hera had initially been unwilling. It was because Zeus had used despicable means, transforming into an injured cuckoo in a rainstorm to gain the goddess's sympathy. He took away her virginity, forcing her to accept his proposal. In an instant, Leto felt that her previous naivety and dreams were laughable. She was filled with resentment, unable to determine whether she hated Zeus more or Hera, the goddess who had stolen the happiness that should have belonged to her. So when Zeus later approached her, she did not refuse... 'Mother, Mother!" Leto came back to her senses, realizing that her daughter Artemis had somehow appeared before her. The beautiful goddess was dressed up today, having changed from her usual hunting attire into a long moon-blue gown, adorned with a crescent moon crown. Her silver-gray short hair gave her an elegant yet playful and lively appearance, embodying a purity unique to a maiden goddess. Artemis looked stunning. As the twin of the radiant god Apollo, who overshadowed even Zeus as the most handsome god on Mount Olympus, her beauty was no less remarkable. After her careful grooming, the male gods present were captivated, their eyes gleaming with desire. However, upon remembering her vow of maidenhood, they couldn't help but sigh inwardly, lamenting the waste of such beauty. 'Artemis, my pure and glorious daughter." Leto gently touched Artemis's beautiful face, her expression full of love. 'Mother, what are you thinking about?" After taking on the power of the moon, Artemis had developed an incredible insight and immediately noticed that her mother seemed a bit distracted. 'Oh... it's nothing. I just heard that Zeus sent someone to bring Lady Hebe back to Olympus, but I haven't seen her at the banquet." This legendary goddess, who had lost her advantage in front of Hera, had only met Hebe once when Hera was trapped on the golden throne. At that time, Hebe seemed to be a goddess of youth, looking like a young girl. '..." Artemis's eyes darkened. It was Hebe again. Why was even her mother paying attention to Hebe? Clearly, she was the star of today's banquet! As the goddess representing the incomplete crescent moon, an uncontrollable darkness began to emerge within her heart. 'Hebe has arrived!" 'Look, it's Princess Hebe!" At that moment, the assembled gods exclaimed in surprise, for it was Hebe, the goddess of life and the current ruler of reincarnation, returning to Olympus. She wore an exquisite golden gown that accentuated her tall and perfect figure. As she walked, the enchanting fabric of her gown shimmered with light, reminiscent of a starry river. A necklace made of pearls adorned her neck, making it appear long and graceful, while her golden hair, shining like gold, was decorated with beautiful gemstone accessories. This goddess had long since shed her youthful appearance; her features, a blend of her divine parents' traits, had matured into a stunning visage, striking and luxurious, like an unattainable flower of wealth, captivating all who beheld her. Though unintentional, Hebe's arrival undoubtedly overshadowed Artemis, stealing her spotlight. Hebe walked directly toward Artemis, as Zeus had summoned her back to celebrate Artemis's acquisition of the moon's powers, and she naturally had to congratulate the goddess first. With an appropriate smile on her face, Hebe approached Artemis, accepting the golden cup of wine handed to her by a nymph, and said warmly, 'Pure and lively Princess Artemis, congratulations on becoming the goddess of the crescent moon. Your radiance will bring tranquility to all living beings on Earth." 'Thank you for your blessing, esteemed Princess Hebe." Artemis forced a smile as she returned the gesture with a cup of wine. Hebe raised an eyebrow slightly, noticing that this goddess had not yet moved on. It had been many years; dwelling on the past would only cause one to lose sight of the future. This goddess's vision was not long enough. Hebe then turned to greet Leto, who was standing beside Artemis. 'Goddess Leto of the Night, it's an honor to meet you." 'Likewise, life's Hebe. It's been a while, and you look even more radiant than before." Leto quickly returned the greeting. Although she was the mother of two new deities, Hebe was the daughter of the king of the gods and one of the twelve Olympians, so Leto could not afford to act aloof. 'I must go greet my father and mother, so I won't disturb you two any longer." After the polite exchange, Hebe nodded to the two goddesses and turned to leave. Accompanied by Hermes, the messenger of the gods, Hebe approached the thrones of Zeus and Hera, bowing respectfully. 'Great King of the Gods, Zeus, and noble Queen Hera, the goddess of life, Hebe, extends her highest respects to you." 'Hebe, my dear daughter, you have finally returned from the dark underworld. You have no idea how much your mother has missed you." Seeing her daughter shine and immediately capture the attention of all the assembled gods, Hera felt a sense of joy in her heart. She looked at her daughter, who made her so proud and radiant, her own beautiful purple eyes filled with affection. 'Hahaha, my dear daughter Hebe, you've worked hard to establish the cycle of life for all beings. Enjoy the fine wine and delicious food to your heart's content!" Zeus, seeing Hebe in her stunning attire, felt both impressed and satisfied. It seemed his daughter had understood his intentions; wearing that gown was a sign that she had agreed to reconcile with him. 'Great Father, thank you for your generous gift." However, Hebe had no intention of reconciling with Zeus; she had merely rushed back upon hearing that Eros was about to be born, eager to witness the excitement. While this father-daughter pair was enjoying their conversation, on the other side, the god of darkness and intellect, Coeus, was quietly conversing with his wife, the goddess of light and prophecy, Phoebe. 'Is that Hebe, the youngest daughter of Zeus and Hera?" Coeus observed the golden-haired goddess sitting beside Hera with his wise and profound gaze. The immense divine power hidden within her made even him feel a sense of awe. It was rare among the Titans to find a deity with such strength. He had heard that she had initially been a third-rate goddess. 'Indeed, she is extraordinary. Phoebe, after the banquet, make sure to instruct Apollo and Artemis to reconcile with her as soon as possible. Apollo will likely need her assistance in the future." Compared to Hebe, Coeus felt that his two grandchildren had not yet faced enough challenges. A figure like her was someone everyone sought to ally with, and there was no need to jeopardize potential cooperation over a minor disagreement from the past. 'Understood." Phoebe nodded. Their family had managed to emerge unscathed from the previous Titan war, thanks not only to her ability to glimpse parts of the future as the goddess of prophecy but also to her husband's planning and foresight.