Chapter 54 Wedding Banquet
"What's wrong, dear brother Apollo?"
After that incredible kiss, Hermes followed Apollo back to the banquet hall.
Today, Mount Olympus is bustling with activity. The spirits of nature have carefully decorated every place and prepared many delicious foods and clear spring water. This rare feast is for a newlywed couple blessed by the king and queen of the gods—Aphrodite and Hephaestus.
The Three Graces deliberately spread their blessings, making all the gods who came to the banquet feel happy. Then they played around and sang and danced with other gods.
The place was now filled with deities. As the nymphs, serving as cupbearers, danced and sang among the gods, even the proud nine Muses joined in, playing beautiful music to the hymns. Laughter and cheers filled the air as everyone raised their glasses to celebrate this yet another joyous day.
"Why don't you go play the piano and sing with the nine Muses? You are in charge of music, and you even have a seven-stringed lyre that I made myself, Brother Apollo." Hermes looked at all this dazzling sight and couldn't help but clutch the robes of the tall male god beside her.
"I have never liked banquets."
Apollo gently took Hermes' hand, both protecting her and keeping her firmly within his grasp.
"But if I am with you, I will feel happy and I will be content with this."
As expected of him, sometimes he can even out-argue her, the goddess of deception and debate. He's incredibly cunning.
Although Hermes was quite happy to hear these words.
After all, she really enjoyed watching him wag his tail and beg for her like a cute big puppy.
Yes, that's right, she has this wicked sense of humor, and she only does it to him. She admitted it.
As Apollo and Hermes passed table after table almost touching, they were both greeted with homage and cheers from the gods.
"The wise and benevolent Hermes! The radiant Apollo!"
"May you two deities have a pleasant day!"
In Olympus, high status and great power were indeed very important conditions.
Hermes sat down next to Maia and nestled into her mother's arms as if she had never left.
"Oh, you're finally back, my darling daughter." Maya stroked the flaxen braids of the girl in her arms, her serene face filled with tenderness and affection. "What's wrong? Is something on your mind?"
Hermes, recalling how foolish she had done that with Apollo, blushed instantly, feeling utterly ashamed.
She mumbled something indistinctly, unsure how to respond to her beloved mother.
At the same time, the golden-haired, white-robed God of Light paused at this table.
Apollo merely glanced at his seat at the next table before swiftly moving to Hermes' side.
He slowly sat down next to her, just as he had on the way back, close to her.
Upon seeing this, Maya was stunned: "Apollo, you...?"
Why did the atmosphere between these two children become so strange after they came back from that trip? Has it changed that much?
What just happened to them?
Hermes lifted her head from her mother's arms, tilting it to the side and glaring weakly at the annoying male god sitting next to her.
"This is utterly absurd," Hermes muttered lazily, feeling somewhat dazed after the embarrassing incident that had just occurred. "Are you still going to keep bothering me, Brother Apollo? This is too much..."
Upon hearing this, Maia was stunned again, and even Athena and Prometheus, who were watching, were somewhat taken aback.
It seems something truly significant has indeed happened between the two of them...
Apollo paid no heed to the stares and speculations of the other gods. Even though the questioning look from his sister Artemis at the next table was almost burning a hole in his clothes, he was determined to stay there.
The reason was that he wanted to stay by Hermes' side, as if it were a tender moment after a passionate embrace.
Thinking of this, Apollo's eyes darkened, regretting that he couldn't keep an eye on this despicable and cunning little devil all the time.
Fortunately, he has accepted everything about her.
And he received a response from her.
If Hermes' reaction just now wasn't just a feigned act, then there's nothing to worry about.
Apollo was quite confident that he could go further with her to even more distant places.
Just as he finally got his wish and kissed her.
“Now that you have accepted my pursuit, you have nothing to fear, Hermes,” Apollo said in a deep voice, as if coaxing her, “whether it be the past or the present.”
Hermes twitched her lips and pulled away from her mother's embrace: "What nonsense are you spouting? And how did I accept your advances? I only agreed to do 'that' with you, okay!"
Apollo: "Starting to be unreasonable again? It's alright, even so, I will still take responsibility for you."
Hermes: "...I'm really looking forward to it. I hope it can surpass everything that just happened, my dear Apollo Brother!"
"I will certainly not disappoint you, Hermes."
That's it?
Although Hermes was being sarcastic towards Apollo, the way she and he talked caused the expressions of the onlookers who were eavesdropping to change, and they could no longer hold back.
Especially the mountain goddess Maia, who stared at her beloved daughter and the god of light who had clearly taken her daughter's hand, her expression complex, hesitant to speak.
Prometheus patted Maia on the shoulder with a smile.
"Congratulations in advance, dear Maia, and your all-powerful daughter," the prophet said meaningfully.
Athena's reaction was even more outrageous; she immediately turned around and went to find her best friend at the next table.
“I told you long ago, Al,” Athena chuckled. “Our Hermes and Apollo are definitely waging a war without gunpowder. Only, in a different form.”
Artemis, who was whispering something to Leto, raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.
"Indeed," the Goddess of the Hunt said with a half-smile, "I wonder who will win and who will lose?"
Asteria interjected, "Wouldn't a lose-lose or win-win scenario be more appropriate?"
"Well, we'll have to see if they're willing!"
In fact, their intentions towards this suspected couple went beyond simply trying to matchmake them. After all, they all shared a love for watching the drama unfold and having fun.
Except for Leto, who remained silent on the matter from beginning to end and never expressed his opinion on it.
The goddess of night and nurturing, always dressed as a widow, calmly gazes upon her proud son, and the god of deception and theft born of Atlas's daughter.
After a moment, she frowned slightly and looked away.
Did Hera know about this? Or rather... what about Zeus?
Will my poor children meet with misfortune again?
Leto thought to himself with such concern.
That said, Hecate and Eris, who arrived before Hermes and Apollo, were not at any of the tables present. Although Hecate was born in Asteria, she rarely spent time with her mother; their close relationship was entirely based on her help and care for Leto and her two children.
Even the cold and indifferent blood ties are no exception at this time.
Once the gods had quieted down, Hermes immediately stopped arguing with Apollo and looked around.
Not only Hecate and Eris are not here, but Triton is as well.
Hermes gazed at Poseidon, Thetis, and another sea goddess wearing a crown and veil, who were seated beneath the main throne where the king and queen of the gods were located—the slender and delicate goddess seemed to be Amphitrite, Triton's mother.
Also seated below Hades was Persephone, dressed lively as the goddess of spring and grain. She nestled close to Demeter's embrace, a sweet and beautiful smile on her face. Demeter was ultimately forced to bring Persephone out of her protective shield and expose her to the gods.
The God King and God Queen appeared on the high throne amidst thunder and lightning.
They were all elegant and noble, wearing crowns inlaid with precious jewels, and looked down at the gods below amidst lightning and thunder.
"My immortals, I—the noble Queen Hera and your king Zeus—welcome you!"
With her black hair and golden eyes, Hera raised her lily-white arm and, in a booming voice, announced the start of the banquet in place of her husband sitting beside her.
Zeus, with his blond hair and blue eyes, sat beside her, expressionless, his hands clasped on his crossed thighs, looking completely nonchalant.
Seemingly noticing Hermes' gaze, Zeus looked at her and then smiled slightly.
But that smile only lasted for a moment.
Zeus then turned his gaze away from one of his children, his expression turning cold again.
Damn it!
Hermes gritted his teeth.
How did that old man learn such a trick? Just smiling at her like that... Does he even care about her, his illegitimate daughter?
Hermes was stunned for a few seconds upon considering this possibility, finding the reason rather absurd.
"Ugh," she muttered under her breath. "Did you think doing this would change my opinion of you? You old philanderer..."
Apollo heard Hermes's complaint and couldn't help but look down, where he saw her with her head bowed and her hands tightly gripping her scepter.
Her every move was so sweet and lovely that it made his heart flutter.
Even though she often uttered vulgar language and did bad things, the more he looked at her, the more he felt that she should be so free and unrestrained; she was born to be different.
Sometimes Apollo even wondered if he was cursed by Hermes, for he had developed such a strange and inexplicable feeling for her.
But there's nothing we can do; that's just how fate is.
Even the God of Light, who possesses the power of prophecy, had to submit to its arrangements.
It was destined that he would be entangled with her forever.
"Do you hate the Father?" Apollo suddenly asked, even though he already had the answer in his heart.
Hermes paused upon hearing this. She had never really considered such a thing before.
Does she really hate old men?
Her first impression of Zeus came from her mother, Maia. In her eyes, he was not good to her, so she always held a prejudice against him.
Zeus also gifted her precious winged shoes, and even though he made her a messenger of the gods, she was well aware that this was also Zeus's unique way of protecting her.
Only those of high value have the opportunity to occupy a stable position at a higher level.
However, it was precisely for this reason that Hermes chose Hera over Zeus.
“Actually, I don’t really hate old men.” Hermes leaned back into her mother’s arms and sighed like a little adult. “It’s all too complicated. I’m lost, Brother Apollo.”
Upon hearing the last sentence, a smile flickered across Apollo's eyes.
He gently brushed a stray strand of flaxen hair from the side of her face with his fingers. Had Maia and the other gods not been present, he would have wanted to do even more.
“Then stop thinking about it, Hermes.” Apollo’s voice softened, as if he were comforting her. “You will find the answer in the near future.”
"for example."
Apollo's throat tightened, and his gaze toward Hermes became unpredictable.
"Once you've decided to be with me, you should come and stay in my territory often."
Apollo looked unusually serious, as if he were betting his own dignity on waiting for her response.
Hermes stared at him, remaining silent for a long while.
Are you still holding a grudge against me for not keeping my promise to go to Delphi?
“No,” Apollo said. “Perhaps.”
Hermes: "..."
Don't do weird things in weird places! You bastard Apollo!
Watching this scene quietly from the side, Maya wore a bitter smile, her five fingers slightly clenched, gently holding the shoulders of her daughter in her arms.
When he met Hermes' round, green eyes, so similar to his own, Maya kissed the corner of her eye, hoping to ease the sorrow in his heart.
Two days ago, Maia received a letter from her childhood best friend Thetis.
The letter was filled with his longing for her and his warnings.
Meanwhile, Athena and Prometheus noticed Maia's emotional outburst and exchanged a secret glance.
Prometheus suddenly exclaimed in a high-pitched voice, "The bride is truly beautiful; she is indeed the goddess of love and beauty!"
Maya slowly recovered from her daze and looked up at the pair of gods in the center of the banquet.
Hermes, along with Apollo, looked in the direction from which the gods had uttered their exclamations of wonder.
The two protagonists of this wedding banquet, bestowed by the gods themselves—Aphrodite—stood beside Hephaestus, her right arm linked with his, her beautiful face radiating youthful vitality beneath the transparent veil.
Wearing a flower crown and a floor-length white gown representing purity, she held a bouquet of vibrant roses in her left hand and a sweet smile on her face, exuding the grandeur of a bride.
The gods were surprised that the goddess of love and beauty, who usually seemed to love the limelight, was dressed so simply on such an important day. Then they looked at her betrothed husband beside her, who was also dressed simply, and they immediately understood.
The bride and groom are a perfect match.
Hera, who governs marriage, childbirth, and family, descended from the Holy Throne and came before Hephaestus and Aphrodite.
Her Majesty remained aloof and proud, even when she placed her right hand on the bride's forehead to bestow blessings, her words were brief, and her bright and beautiful face held a cold smile.
“I bless you, Aphrodite.” Hera’s voice, sweet as honey yet possessing a penetrating majesty, resounded throughout Mount Olympus. “You have married my eldest son in great glory, and you will surely be happy and radiant in every moment thereafter, as bright as the sun and the moon.”
Hera looked at the newlyweds, her bright, jade-like golden eyes brimming with emotions that no one could fathom.
Aphrodite, who was being given special attention, lowered her emerald green eyes, casting shadows on her smiling, youthful, and beautiful face.
But Hera simply shifted her gaze to her eldest son, Hephaestus, who was no longer lame.
"Under the protection of my god of marriage, fertility and family, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, you will be together forever, until death do you part."
"..."
The gods watched this scene with great fervor.
Hermes noticed that from beginning to end, Zeus, the king of the gods, did not look at the bride and groom once, nor did he accompany his wife Hera to bestow blessings upon them.
Zeus, seemingly bored, rested his cheek on his hand on his throne and yawned, as if impatiently waiting for the wedding banquet to end.
But most importantly, Zeus did not bring his thunder scepter this time.
Hermes opened her eyes wide, and as she found new clues, she felt a churning sensation coming from her abdomen.
It did not cause her pain.
On the contrary, it excited her.
Because what she had swallowed with utmost caution was the sacred treasure she had discovered in a mountain cave in Cilicia.
Or, to put it another way, it could be called—the exclusive weapon of Zeus, the king of the gods. It was a world-destroying relic custom-made for him by the Cyclopes imprisoned in the abyss of Tartarus.
“I am willing to marry Hephaestus, and I am very happy to have such a capable husband.”
As Aphrodite's alluring voice and words drifted on the wind, Hermes was startled and placed her hands on her belly, where the treasures were stored.
Just as Aphrodite possessed Hephaestus, Hermes now possesses the Thunder Scepter.
Apollo once said it was an illusion, but even he, who was born with the ability to foresee the future, still made a fatal mistake.
But the cunning and treacherous Hermes seized it.
At the same time, they also grasped the future.
Hermes.
Apollo suddenly called her name and looked at her, once again.
When Hermes could no longer contain the overwhelming excitement welling up from the depths of her heart, she suddenly raised her head, her emerald green eyes, which were gradually turning cloudy, wide open as she stared at Apollo.
"What's wrong, dear brother Apollo?"
Hermes felt that she was very strange, and had always been very strange.
She is the goddess of nature, yet she is bound by nature.
Apollo stared at Hermes, who wore a strange smile, for a long time, then rubbed his temples and said with a sigh, "Come to my Delphi after this banquet is over."
In the darkness surrounding them, the originally peaceful air gradually began to ripple.
The Lord of Discord and Conflict was embracing the Great Goddess of the Three Realms, who already knew her fate, and watching this good show of the Olympian gods with a smile.
From the very beginning, Eris, who could plunge everything into chaos, planted the seeds of doubt in their hearts.
Now, they are about to take root and sprout!
This was followed by the God of Light's grand words to the God of Deception and Theft—
“I will let you enter the triangular cauldron again to see your body and soul clearly.”
*****
Even in the dead of night, the gods' revelry was far from over.
Since Maia got drunk and collapsed in Prometheus's arms, and Apollo had disappeared without a trace, Hermes had no choice but to go elsewhere with Athena.
They stepped into the magnificent and solemn palace, and in the main hall, past a large group of drunken, dancing gods, they found the goddess of youth playing alone in a corner.
In just a few days, little Hebe had grown into big Hebe. Her golden hair had grown longer and was tied into two buns at the back of her head, making her round and delicate face look lively and cute.
When Hebe saw her two familiar sisters coming towards her, she instantly perked up, her golden eyes, inherited from the goddess Hera, shining brightly.
"Sister Hermes! Sister Athena! You've come!"
Hebe, now a graceful young woman, ran towards Hermes and Athena, her arms outstretched, and she threw herself into the arms of her two dear sisters with fiery passion.
She missed them terribly. Ever since returning to Olympus from that sea, the Mother Goddess had never allowed her to leave. Every day, besides the magnificent palaces, she saw only the nymphs who were loyal to the Mother Goddess. The feeling of emptiness and confusion in her heart was unbearable.
She missed the time she spent with Hermes and longed to travel the world with her again—if only she could escape this cage-like place, she would be like a chirping bird, soaring freely through the sky like them.
But the Mother Goddess placed too much hope in her. The loving yet strict Mother Goddess always wanted her to do more meaningful things. Although she was saddened by this, she had to muster up the courage to respond to the Mother Goddess's expectations.
Sometimes she really didn't know what kind of shape her mother goddess wanted to mold her into.
But when she asked that question, the Mother Goddess would sigh and tenderly embrace her, kissing her cheeks and forehead.
Why would you think that, my dear little youth?
—You are one of a kind in this world, my child, Hebe.
No matter what you grow up to be, I will always support you and love you.
Is that true?
Hebe was puzzled and couldn't figure it out.
So Hebe told all these troubling thoughts to her two sisters, who had finally reunited with her, hoping they could give her the answers to the mystery.
Athena frowned slightly after hearing this and remained silent for a while.
Hermes then ran outside and brought in a huge pile of wine.
“How could we do without something like this at a time like this?” Hermes said with a smile. She sat cross-legged on the ground and called out to her two sisters who were looking at her in surprise, “Come on! Come on, my dear sisters!”
"Shouldn't we go all out tonight?"
Seeing Hermes' earnest and sincere expression, Athena and Hebe actually sat down on the ground, and the three goddesses formed a small circle in this corner.
Facing the combined gazes of Athena and Hebe, Hermes picked up a bottle of cider and generously gulped down the sweet liquid.
She gurgled, and glistening liquid dripped from her lips, staining her fair and tender skin and body.
Even that constantly moving throat makes one's mouth dry.
A drunken god staggered past, and his eyes dazzled when he saw Hermes drinking. He blushed completely and felt incredibly hot all over.
"Your Majesty and the beautiful Goddess Hermes, would you do me the honor of accompanying me?"
Before he could finish speaking, Zephyrus, the god of the west wind, felt a chill creeping up his back.
Wait a minute? Was someone watching him from the shadows?
When Zephyrus turned to look in that strange direction, he froze instantly.
"—I apologize for disturbing you, Goddess Hermes. I'll be leaving right away!"
As expected of the god of the west wind, his speed in rushing out of the palace was comparable to that of Hermes, who was incredibly fast.
But……
Hermes tilted her head: "Huh? Did someone just call my name? I heard it... hiccup... I really heard it hiccup..."
She seemed to have fainted, her whole being was in a daze. Not only her face, but even the skin below her neck was tinged with a light red, emanating a sweet cider scent from top to bottom.
It looked like she was just short of rushing over to the group of drunken gods and jumping around with them.
Seeing this, Athena and Hebe exchanged a glance, both finding it amusing.
How could there be such a person? She was the one who suggested drinking to relieve her sorrows, but she ended up being the first to get drunk, and she even looked like she was completely unconscious!
"Really, Sister Hermes..." Hebe puffed out her cheeks, "I thought you'd be super cool, you should be sipping your drink while you're trying to persuade me!"
Athena touched Hermes' burning forehead and shook her head helplessly.
"Never mind, it's alright." The goddess of wisdom waved her hand and collected all the empty wine bottles scattered on the ground. "I'll go outside and collect some fairy dew; it can help Hermes sober up."
"Hebe, can you keep an eye on this clueless idiot for me before I get back?"
“Of course!” Hebe nodded excitedly, supporting the swaying Hermes with both hands. “Don’t worry, this task is much simpler than the one Mother Goddess gave me!”
Athena gave Hebe a deep look, then turned and walked out of the palace.
After that tall figure disappeared among the gods, Hebe lowered his head again and gazed at a goddess who was lying in his arms, hiccuping incessantly.
“Oh my god, Sister Hermes,” Hebe murmured, stroking Hermes’ tightly closed eyelids. “So you have such a low alcohol tolerance? I never knew that. I thought you could drink hundreds of bottles of wine like me…”
"Ugh... damn it... hiccup, you bastard..."
"Huh? What are you talking about, sister?"
The intermittent sounds were too indistinct to understand. Hebe blinked and curiously leaned closer to Hermes's constantly opening and closing lips.
Then she was shocked.
“You wretched Apollo, hiccup…you can’t do that to me, hiccup…you awful, hiccup…”
Hebe: "...?"
Huh? Apollo? ???
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