Chapter 72 Acting Rashly

—Make a scene, the bigger the better!

What is that monster thinking? It keeps appearing in places where gods are, and this time it even appeared in human form! What does it want to do?

Hermes stared intently at Psych, who was smiling at her, and recalled the times she had been entangled and attacked by it before. Suddenly, she broke out in a cold sweat.

Typhus possesses incredibly powerful and versatile abilities, and she has yet to find a way to truly and completely defeat it. Even the monster-slaying expert Apollo is helpless against it.

“Father God, haven’t you noticed anything?” Hermes couldn’t help but say in front of the monster, “Everyone, this is not a human being as we know it!”

Hermes decided to test the waters first, and when she encountered Typhoon again, she dared not make any rash moves.

Now she even suspects that Pan has never actually escaped the control of this troublesome monster.

Zeus remained firmly seated: "What's wrong, Hermes? Phrygius was just created by Hebe, only her gender has changed, why are you making such a fuss?"

Hera put her arm around Psych's shoulder, seemingly intimately, and looked at the pale-faced Hermes with a half-smile.

"What nonsense is this child spouting?" Hera's indiscriminate attack never stopped. "Zeus, is this the fate of every child who is devoted to you? They are all so foolish."

Zeus: "...Say less, Hera."

He finally couldn't take her vicious verbal attacks anymore.

Hera gave a cold laugh, and indeed did not spray venom like a viper again.

Even the other gods present were baffled by Hermes' words. They had not realized the danger was approaching and could not see through Psych's true form at a glance like Hermes.

Even though it wasn't long after the attack on the Temple of Apollo that night.

Of all the gods, only the wise Athena remained silent. She didn't even pay attention to Psyche, her inquisitive gaze fixed solely on Hermes, who stood stiffly.

"Shall we continue?" Athena asked. "Hermes, what do you think of Hebe's offering?"

Therefore, Hermes dared not act rashly.

She felt that she was now fighting alone.

Psych was still smiling, and even deliberately said to Hermes, "What's wrong? Your Majesty Goddess Hermes, don't you think I am His Highness Hebe's most perfect creation?"

That damned monster even dared to mention Hebe!

After bewitching Pan, its actions became increasingly outrageous!

“You are perfect, Psyher.” Hermes tried to remain calm and spoke again. “I am glad that Hebe created you, which is enough to prove that she has great power and even touches life... But if I may be frank, silver humans should only be male.”

Upon hearing this, Hebe, who was regaining her strength in Artemis's arms, paused for a moment, her gaze somewhat broken as she looked at Hermes.

Pusich tilted his head.

"Then why don't you just turn me into a man?"

What is this guy barking about?!

Apistoni and Tokei cursed in perfect unison.

Even if he were our father, we could never forgive him...

Hermes' eyes darkened.

That's not the point. Because even if Typhobes didn't become a woman capable of bearing life, she would continue to inhabit different living beings.

Even as a male, Typhus could find other women and reproduce with them, giving birth to more monsters.

Hermes couldn't understand what its purpose was.

Overthrow the rule of the gods? Become the supreme ruler? Or slaughter all the gods and create a world for monsters like it?

Either possibility poses a significant threat to her Olympian gods.

Just then, Apollo returned from the underworld with Hecate and Eris. A crack appeared in the ground, and when they appeared at the banquet as particles of light, the passage to the underworld closed.

"Aunt!" Artemis greeted Hecate happily. "Good day, what brings you here?"

Hecate did not transform into the Triad, nor did she wield the Azure Torch.

“Of course we’re here for the banquet.” The goddess of the moon then looked at her old friend Zeus. “Tartarus has quieted down. But why didn’t you invite us, Zeus?”

"Because their Olympian gods are all robbers! They are all malicious criminals!"

Eris clung tightly to Hecate's arm, her hateful gaze fixed undisguisedly on everyone present.

“This is what the Titan-born goddess of calamity looks like,” Poseidon couldn’t help but remark.

"Shut up! You're a sea stallion who'll be with anyone!"

"Haha, thank you for the compliment."

"..."

Zeus ignored the arrogant daughter of Nyx, stood up, and welcomed Hecate to sit beside him. Oh, because of her power, he reluctantly allowed that scoundrel Eris to sit with him as well.

—Under Hera’s increasingly icy gaze.

“I have always trusted you the most, dear Hecate,” Zeus said with a smile. “Look, my son Apollo has brought you here. It’s good that you haven’t missed too much of this feast.”

"Hermes, what are you standing there for? Come and say hello!"

Hermes: "..."

That means don't drag her into this kind of thing! And I didn't see you ask Athena and Ares to greet Hecate, you old geezer!

"Good day, Goddess Hecate." However, out of courtesy, Hermes obediently complied. "Excuse my intrusion, but have you noticed anything amiss?"

Surely Hecate, who knows everything, is more reliable than these lazy guys?

Hecate glanced at Psyche, who was being held by Hera's arm, and then at Hermes, who seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

"Zeus, what have you been doing with this child? She seems strange today."

"Don't worry about her, she's been driven mad by Hera. Hera just sent her to your underworld."

"Oh? That's really interesting."

Hera: "..."

Hermes: "..."

I think you're the one who's really stupid, you old geezer!

Hermes was utterly speechless. She exchanged a glance with Apollo, who was standing close to her, and instantly realized that this was the true ally who could fight alongside her.

He also saw through Psych's true identity as Typhoeos.

Wow~ For the first time, I think that bastard Apollo is actually quite reliable! Right, Tokei?

[Ah, yes, yes, it would be even better if he didn't have designs on our Highness.]

Epsiloni and Tokei started chattering again, but Hermes didn't find them noisy.

Because Apollo is indeed reliable.

See! Even though Brother Apollo can be annoying sometimes, he'll never let you down when it counts!

Apollo reached out and touched Hermes' head; the warmth from his palm soothed her frightened heart.

"It's alright, little genius," he said gently.

When Hermes met those gentle and trusting blue eyes, she felt her heart soften completely.

As expected, Apollo is the most reliable brother!

Under Psych's gaze, Hermes threw herself into Apollo's arms, tightly hugging his strong waist, snuggling against his spacious embrace that always gave her a sense of security.

"I missed you, Brother Apollo," she whispered to him sullenly. "Why did it take you so long to come?"

Apollo chuckled and put his big arm around the little guy who had become so clingy in just a short while.

“Because of you.” Then, he leaned close to her ear and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, “An important message—it is the goddess Gaia who truly wants to destroy peace, whether it is us or humanity.”

Hecate is on Gaia's side.

Hermes had no doubts about Apollo.

Although she had already anticipated the truth, Hermes was still terrified when she heard it with her own ears.

She felt heartbroken. Even though Gaia protected her and gave her extraordinary power, she was indeed harboring deep ulterior motives and only wanted to use her.

But what was the point of Gaia doing this? Hermes was eager to find out.

Now, she took a deep breath and finally mustered the courage to face Typhoon, who had taken her human form, once again.

Through her repeated encounters with this terrifying monster, she has confirmed who conceived it and who commands it—the answer, of course, is Gaia, the mother of monsters.

“I know your true identity, so no matter what your purpose is or how you infiltrate us, I will find you and kill you.”

Amidst the diverse gazes of the gods, Hermes departed Apollo's embrace and slowly walked toward Psyche.

Hermes didn't miss the fleeting glint in Hera's eyes. It seemed that Hera hadn't been unaware that the 'human' Hebe had created was actually a monster; she had been acting for far too long.

Psykh remained silent, and Hera released her and stood in front of her.

Hermes then stopped in front of Hera.

"Gentlemen, let the truth come out—this so-called Psych has been possessed by a monster. I have named it Typhus because the storms it brings have repeatedly harmed me, and even the invincible Apollo."

"Are you all truly indifferent to the destruction of our temple? This monster is trying to confuse our minds; it intends to destroy us!"

Hermes chose to make the matter public, regardless of whether their minds were still under Typhoon's spell, she felt that she could no longer back down.

This is not something to be taken lightly.

Hermes gazed at the majestic Hera, whose purple eyes, which concealed too many secrets, had already narrowed.

She had so many questions, such as—why did Hera turn a blind eye to Typhus's actions and defend him? And what was Her Majesty the Queen of Gods' choice?

Then, she turned to look at Hebe, who had been silent for a long time.

The goddess of youth was lost in thought, her dull golden eyes reflecting Hermes's image in a blank stare. Her mouth was slightly open, her face blank, as if she had realized what she had done.

Hermes didn't bother to check the expressions of the other gods.

“Father, please make your judgment.” She looked directly at Hera and said coldly, “Cast that vile monster into Tartarus, and never let it out again!”

Because she still had some sense, Hermes did not expose Hera as someone who knew the truth, and it was very likely that Hera was also manipulating Typhus, just like Gaia.

But that doesn't mean she'll just let things slide.

There was no need for the banquet to continue. She wanted to fly to Crete immediately to find Gaia and confront her about why she and the others had been treated so cruelly.

Typhoeos remained motionless, still using the identity of the human woman Phrygius, comfortably hiding behind Hera's cover. It seemed fascinated by everything that was happening, unconcerned that its true identity had been exposed, let alone the abyss of hell, which posed little threat to it.

Even the gods' surprise, anger, fear, and bewilderment upon hearing Hermes' words pleased Typhoon greatly.

—Let me remain restless forever, for my omnipresence and eternal immortality.

Hermes noticed Tiphius's smugness and frowned, inwardly cursing him as a disgusting fellow.

Does it really think they can't do anything to it? Even with the protection of the Earth Goddess, can it guarantee that it will be safe and sound under the siege of the gods?

Speaking of which, why isn't that old geezer saying anything?

Just as she was thinking this, Hermes heard a voice behind her, but it did not come from Zeus.

“That’s very strange, Hermes.”

Hermes was taken aback and turned to look at Athena, who had suddenly spoken.

She remembered that Athena had come here to report an important matter to Zeus, and that Athena had gone to Arcadia earlier.

My heart skipped a beat, followed by a surge of unease.

"Now it's my turn, Father God, please don't stop me anymore."

Athena raised an eyebrow and glanced coolly at Zeus, who was whispering something to Hecate—for his previous neglect, even though she had made it clear that this was a very important matter.

Zeus immediately raised his hands in surrender: "Very well, please continue, our wisest Athena."

He seemed to have completely disregarded Hermes's words, while Eris put his arms around Hecate's shoulders and laughed heartily around her neck.

The goddess of discord had malicious eyes, like brightly colored flowers blooming with deadly poison, which she offered to all the Olympian gods present.

Let them make a scene, the bigger the better! Eris loved creating chaos.

At that very moment, Athena walked towards Hermes expressionlessly. As she passed Apollo, she lightly touched his left shoulder, seemingly casually.

Apollo gazed serenely at his sister, who had inherited Metis's wisdom.

"Athena, there is another way."

The God of Light possesses eyes that can see the future, so he can foresee many things.

But Athena had heard these words far too often, so much so that she began to waver and her doubts grew.

"Your Highness, I think I smell something strange."

That was a bad feeling...

Hermes clenched her fists, remaining calm as she watched Athena approach her.

Even if it's an ominous sign, she's prepared—

"Why did you hide this from us?" Athena leaned down slightly to meet the little guy's eyes, her probing gaze never wavering. "What you just said is indeed true, and I have also investigated some things about you from Maya."

Hermes was stunned.

Maya, her dear mother...?

“Typhous is of your lineage, it is connected to you by blood, and it possesses the power inherited from you. It is your child, just like Pan is your descendant.”

What exactly is Athena saying?

"Tell me, Hermes, why did you deceive us?"

"What is your purpose in giving birth to such a monster?"

【ah? 】

Hermes began to tremble uncontrollably.

"How...how is that possible? I've never done that before, how could that monster possibly..."

"There's no need to make excuses."

Especially when she heard Hera's ambiguous chuckle, Hermes felt her entire mind go completely blank.

What did her mother say to Athena? Why did Athena suspect her so much? Especially in front of all the gods!

Could it be...?

Apollo's large hand suddenly rested on Hermes' shoulder. He had somehow reappeared beside her, and the aura of the god of light enveloped her terrified body.

That warmth she longed for returned.

"Don't worry, I'm here for you." He seemed to be comforting her.

“Father, I propose that Hermes and that monster be imprisoned together in Tartarus.” Athena concluded at the opportune moment, “Please consider this carefully.”

"..."

Hermes understood instantly and was relieved.

She understood Athena's true intention in saying those words.

Yes, it's both a conspiracy and a solution to a difficult problem.

Because wisdom can never be blinded.

Athena was also putting on an act, but Hermes wasn't sure if she shared Hera's opinion.

But it doesn't matter, she'll soon be going to the underworld as Hera wished.