Chapter 3 Apollo
"Then I'll take you there."
Stealing a cow may bring momentary pleasure, but it harms the whole family...
Hermes suddenly remembered that she only had her mother, Maya, who had round, emerald-green eyes and slightly chubby cheeks.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She tried her best to ignore the large hands supporting her and to control her voice from trembling. "I've been staying at home with my mother."
Her gaze passed over the broad shoulders of the handsome man in front of her and landed on Maya, the mother who gave birth to her, standing behind him, covering her mouth and looking at her with surprise and fear.
She thought to herself that she had to fight for it, otherwise she would never be able to dispel the gloom that had already spread to them.
Hera, the Queen of the Gods, will find out about this sooner or later, and the mother and daughter cannot continue to hide like ants forever.
not to mention……
Hermes shifted her gaze back, refocusing her attention on the God of Light before her and his seemingly arrogant and aloof face.
Isn't there a ready-made example here?
Apollo, son of Leto, and his sister Artemis, like Hermes, were Zeus's illegitimate children. Yet, Artemis and Apollo eventually returned to Olympus with their mother Leto, even securing a position as one of the chief Olympian gods.
This God of Light is her perfect role model.
After a while, whether he noticed her deliberate actions or not, Apollo's blue eyes rippled, but the corners of his eyes turned up slightly.
"Is that so?" he said, but without using a questioning tone. "Then who do you think is the little thief who stole fifty of my cows and drove them all over the place?"
These words, tinged with obvious irony, clearly indicate that the speaker had already given them considerable thought.
Hermes recalled that she had indeed closed the gate of another barn last night, but before that she had tampered with the gate so that the cattle could easily break through it and escape the small, old barn.
Even more so, there was the crow that had been watching all along.
The God of Light spoke in a calm and even tone, so light that one might think he was just giving a casual greeting. However, Hermes keenly caught the fleeting glint of malice in his pale eyes, and was nearly sent a chill down her spine.
After all, if she accidentally makes a mistake, the consequences will definitely be dire, right?
The giant serpent Python, who had once helped Hera persecute the pregnant Leto, could not escape the pursuit of Leto's son even after fleeing into Gaia's oracle. Apollo, seeking revenge for his mother, came to Delphi, shot Python dead with an arrow, and built his own temple there.
Hermes steadied herself and looked directly into Apollo's eyes, meeting those all-seeing gazes.
"How would I know? Respected Apollo, I have been obediently staying by my mother's side and haven't gone anywhere!" She insisted on her previous statement, but when the other party narrowed his eyes dangerously upon hearing this, she quickly looked away, feigning a guilty look as if she dared not meet his gaze again. "I'm telling the truth, I swear, don't you believe me, Brother Apollo!"
Yes, Hermes did it on purpose, deliberately making herself appear flawed so that the other party could find something to hold against her. She maintained a humble yet assertive attitude throughout, firmly grasping the other party's suspicions about her.
Only in this way could she have the opportunity to go to Mount Olympus, the sacred mountain where the gods reside, and seize the opportunity to take the initiative, so that she and her mother could rest easy.
The medium through which she was brought to question him about the fifty cows she had stolen—Lord Apollo.
Hermes naturally noticed that Apollo paused noticeably when he heard the word 'brother'.
She guessed that he might have already confirmed that she was the cow thief, so she quickly pressed on, saying, "If you don't believe me, ask my mother. My dear mother Maya is an upright and sincere goddess, and she can testify to this."
Lost in her own thoughts, Maia was suddenly jolted awake. Before the god of light, prophecy, music, and healing stepped into the cave and seized her beloved child, she had tried to stop him. But his overwhelming force and pressure were too much for her to handle, and she could only watch helplessly as he pulled Hermes out of the cradle.
Now, the mountain goddess gazes at Apollo, who is glancing at her from the side. He shields Hermes in her infant form, yet she can still sense her daughter's thoughts.
Maya wondered if the child had broken her promise, since she had promised to be careful and not cause trouble.
But the mother, who held a special place in her heart for her beloved daughter, still said, "Hermes did not lie."
“Apollo.” Under that emotionless gaze, Maia almost thought that her master had seen through everything, but she still insisted on saying, “I can testify for my daughter that she was on Mount Kulenne yesterday, by my side. Hermes did not lie.”
In truth, Maya knew that her daughter had lied, and for her daughter's sake, she lied too.
At this moment, she could only be thankful for two things: first, she hadn't asked Hermes why she returned home late last night, and in a way, it was better to know less; second, she had buried the winged sandals that Zeus had given to Hermes deep underground before dawn and hid them away.
As Hermes' mother, Maya always had a vague sense of something, such as Apollo's sudden visit today.
Hermes was deeply moved when she saw her mother lie to Apollo, one of the chief gods, to protect her, which strengthened her resolve to bravely walk this perilous path with all her might.
So she stretched out her chubby little arm, wanting to touch the male god in front of her.
Apollo noticed this and turned his head.
Just as the short fingers were about to touch the golden hair that shone like sunlight, the tiny baby emitted a dazzling white light.
Apollo's eyes darkened as he saw a girl who looked to be about ten years old standing in front of him after the white light disappeared.
The girl's flaxen baby hair had grown longer and was braided into two plaits that hung over her shoulders. Her chubby face had matured a little, glowing with a rosy pink. Her emerald green eyes were still big and round, bright and clear, completely unlike her cunning, wicked, and scheming nature.
He lowered his eyelashes and looked at the girl's hand that he had grasped.
Ivory-white skin and a soft, boneless touch.
"If you really are unwilling to let me go, then please take me to the holy Mount Olympus, and let the great and omnipotent King Zeus, and the noble gods—distinguish right from wrong and judge this unwarranted conflict!"
The childish voice transformed into a clear and pleasant one.
Hermes, the daughter of Zeus and Maia, did not break free from his restraints. She simply stood there with her head held high, her eyes fixed intently on him.
In an instant, Apollo felt a strange echo reverberating within his chest.
It was something unfamiliar, but he didn't dislike it.
Not to mention Hermes's existence... which is already a cause for concern.
Apollo looked at the clever and cunning child, but his handsome face remained expressionless.
He released her slender wrist and said calmly, "Then I'll take you there."
Let all the Olympians witness this newborn god of deception.
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