Chapter 52 Dissatisfaction

She knew Hecate was referring to something.

Before dawn, Hermes found Pan in the same spot.

At that moment, Pan was curled up on the cliffside rocks in the Strait of Messina. He seemed to be drifting into a sweet dream. His handsome face was serene and peaceful, and even his flaxen hair was not blown away by the sea breeze.

But most importantly, the goddess with silver hair and bloodshot eyes is also here.

Hecate, still dressed in black, stood atop a sharp rock high above Pan's head, holding a torch in her hand.

"Good day, Your Excellency Hecate." Hermes bowed slightly to the great goddess of the three realms.

Hermes did not ask Hecate why she was there; the goddess who came and went as she pleased always had her own reasons for doing things.

Just like when Persephone was abducted by Hades, it was Hecate who forced Hermes to witness this incredible scene and did not intend to tell her the reason afterward.

Thinking of this, Hermes' eyes darkened for a moment.

Unexpectedly, Hecate changed her previous style this time, and said with slightly pale lips, "I sensed a strong evil power, so I came here in search of it."

Evil power...

Hermes approached and glanced with a cool gaze at Pan, who was still curled up asleep.

She knew Hecate was referring to something.

“Please forgive me, Your Excellency Hecate,” Hermes said, her heart filled with the calm before the storm. “Pan was born of my Arcadia nymphs and has my blood in him. I have always done my best to educate him.”

“You know this child’s true nature perfectly well,” Hecate said calmly, the torch in her hand gleaming in the sea breeze. “He devoured Periope’s life, and naturally he will consume everything you have; this is how he lives.”

Hermes gripped the golden scepter tightly, unable to discern what Hecate was worried about. She would not allow Pan to unleash his true nature, much less let him harm her in the slightest.

Did Pan do something terribly wrong while she and Apollo were in Cilicia?

But looking at the calm scene, Pan was even sleeping soundly, as if nothing had happened. Besides, her blood was coursing through his veins, and she could sense everything about him.

Hermes frowned. "I can't possibly be so cruel as to completely eliminate him."

Hecate looked down at the young, innocent girl from her high position.

“I am not instigating you to kill this child,” the Goddess of the Moon said slowly. “If one day you are powerless to stop the cruel fate from coming, Pan will bring us good luck.”

Hermes was taken aback upon hearing these words.

Wasn't Hecate just condemning Pan's evil? How come she's...?

Under Hermes's puzzled gaze, the Goddess of the Moon gently blew out the blue flames of the torch in her hand.

"But if that day ever comes, you will be the one destined to perish, Hermes."

Upon hearing this, Hermes' eyes widened, and her pupils contracted sharply.

“Excuse my bluntness, Your Excellency Hecate,” she said, feeling bewildered by these words that sounded both prophetic and cursed, “what…what did you just say mean?”

But Hecate didn't say anything more.

A gust of wind blew by, and the tall goddess with silver hair and bloodshot eyes disappeared from the spot, as if she had never appeared at all.

Hecate, who comes and goes without a trace, is like a ghost hiding in the shadows.

But after this conversation, Hermes felt that Hecate was more like Eris, who stirred up trouble and brought misfortune everywhere.

Because her hard-won affection and trust for Pan dropped to zero again.

Hermes immediately nudged Pan's shoulder and spoke coldly as he gradually regained consciousness and looked dazed.

“Whatever happens, Pan.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him off the cold rock. “From this day forward, you are not to step out of Arcadia again.”

After that, Hermes selectively forgot her promise to go to Delphi to find Apollo and spent her days with Pan.

She could never take the warning from the goddess of the underworld as a joke.

Pan did not press her for why she made such a cold and cruel decision, nor was he saddened by it.

As Hermes continued to teach Pan Xin, he would, as always, stick close to her side, coaxing her to tell him more interesting things.

The elves of Arcadia often accompanied them, and when they visited Maia, they would cheerfully tell her how harmonious and happy the mother and son were every day.

To Hermes' great surprise, Apollo did not come to Arcadia to settle scores with her this time—because she had deceived him and broken her promise.

For some reason, I'm in a particularly bad mood.

That guy clearly showed he liked her before, but now he's too lazy to even come see her once.

What kind of liking is this?

Hermes even thought that Apollo was annoyed by her teasing and had turned to tease her in return.

hateful……

Hermes stabbed the humanoid puppet that Athena had recently given her in her hand.

"That wretched Apollo! That lying Apollo!"

Even when the humanoid puppet bit her finger in extreme dissatisfaction, she did not give up cursing the God of Light at it.

After all, she named it 'Apollo,' so let it bear the brunt of her wrath in his place!

"That's perfect, since I was planning to steal everything from you anyway, so I won't feel guilty or heartbroken later!"

"You wretched Apollo!"

"..."

Pan, who was herding sheep not far away, witnessed the bizarre scene of his mother goddess venting her anger on the little doll. He couldn't help but frown and purse his lips before looking away.

Under Hermes's tutelage, Pan learned to hide any negative emotions he might have and to wear a mask of pretense at all times.

Even though it wasn't exactly like Hermes, Pan stubbornly believed that achieving one's goals always required certain essential conditions.

For example, he is gradually learning to hide his true feelings from her—feelings filled with all sorts of dark thoughts.

Fortunately, Hecate didn't tell Mother Goddess what I had done last time. Pan thought to himself. Otherwise, I would have been abandoned, surely.

Days passed by one by one.

Soon, a grand feast was held on Mount Olympus, and all the gods were invited to attend.

The theme of the banquet was very simple: to have all the gods witness the marriage bestowed by the king and queen of the gods. The two parties in this marriage were Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, and Hephaestus, the god of fire and forging.

Hermes left Pan in Arcadia, instructing Epsilon and Tokei to take good care of him, while she herself took her mother Maya to Olympus.

[Rest assured, Your Highness, we will definitely complete the task you have assigned us!]

Please don't forget to bring us back some divine food from the sacred mountain!

Before Hermes left, Pan grasped her right hand and stared intently at her as she turned to look at him.

“Mother Goddess…” Her child seemed hesitant. His eyelashes trembled, but in the end he could only say these words: “Please come back soon, Mother Goddess.”

Hermes nodded in agreement, and then flew with Maya, who had been silently observing everything, toward the mountain range bathed in brilliant holy light.

On Mount Olympus stands the palace of the immortal gods.

They headed straight for the central circular courtyard planted with exotic flowers and plants, encountering many deities who greeted them along the way.

After Hermes became the chief god, Maia's status also became more noble—after all, Maia's father was Atlas, the sinful god who was punished to support the sky with his shoulders.

“It’s been so long since I’ve been here,” Maya exclaimed. “Nothing has changed. I really miss it.”

Hearing her mother's words, Hermes hugged her arm even tighter and said sweetly, "If you want to come often, I can bring you back frequently, dear Mother Goddess!"

"You probably won't believe it, but I also have my own palace here, it's right here—"

Before Hermes could finish speaking, her gaze fell upon several figures slowly approaching from afar.

It is Leto, Artemis, Asteria, and...

When Hermes saw the god-like man who shone with gold wherever he went, her expression changed and her face immediately fell.

"Mother Goddess, let's go quickly!" she said through gritted teeth. "There's an annoying fellow there, and I don't want to run into him!"

Maya looked back and instantly understood.

“Well, my daughter,” Maya said gently. “Look, Athena and Prometheus are waving to us at that table by the rose bushes.”