Chapter 21 New Goals
She absolutely has to steal everything from that pesky Apollo!
The Arcadians recently held a celebration ceremony to mark the completion of the temple they had built for Hermes. The news that she had become one of the twelve Olympian gods had already spread throughout the land via an oracle from Delphi. This goddess, who had always worked diligently to help them, would be worshipped eternally in Arcadia and beyond.
The Temple of Hermes stands atop Mount Courne, her birthplace. It is of medium to large size, with sacred altars both inside and outside the temple. The temple's frescoes vividly depict her birth and upbringing in the Courne cave by Maia, her teaching of writing, weights and measures, fire-making, competition, and trade—even including her stealing cattle from Apollo and inventing the lyre and flute for him. In addition, the artisans meticulously sculpted statues of Hermes as children and young girls, accompanied by animals such as tortoises, cattle, sheep, chickens, and snakes, especially the snake. The scepter of the god of commerce held by the main statue in the temple encircles this representative of the maternal deity.
It is worth mentioning that the Temple of Hermes was designed in the same way as the temples of Apollo and Artemis. Just as Leto was often worshipped by believers alongside her and her brother, the Temple of Hermes also enshrined her mother, the mountain goddess Maia.
Of course, the Arcadians did not forget the symbols of their worshipped gods, so wings were carved on the huge stone pillars at the entrance, signifying Hermes' speed, which allowed her to traverse mountains and skies in the blink of an eye, free and unrestrained.
On the day the temple was completed, Hermes felt the power within her growing stronger, drawn from the respect and faith humans had for her, which indeed made her more powerful.
Hermes then taught the Arcadians to light a sacred fire on the altar, similar to the method of making fire by friction. She asked humans to contribute the food that had been burned, because even the highest gods loved cooked food just like humans.
When the offerings from mortal sacrifices are burned to ashes in the flames, a sumptuous feast appears on the table of the gods worshipped by humankind.
Hermes also perfected her concept of commerce, with money being of paramount importance. She guided people to mint the world's first gold, silver, and copper coins and made these measures of value mass-produced for use in daily life.
By this time, Arcadia had developed paved roads and shops selling goods. Every Arcadian enjoyed the conveniences brought by Hermes, and those who loved her erected winged stone pillars at every crossroads they passed, symbolizing the goddess's protection of passersby, merchants, and travelers.
Once Athena's craftsmen had built the sailing ships, the Arcadians would travel to many places with trade goods, coins, and small statues of Hermes. These inventions and deeds would spread throughout Greece and even beyond, spreading the faith in this powerful and virtuous goddess.
The Arcadians had already identified Hermes as their patron goddess.
The elves who lived there also heard the news, especially the nymphs who often accompanied Hermes.
On a snowy winter day, a nymph found Hermes cuddling with Maia in the cave of Kulenne and asked her to let her become a priestess of the temple.
Perhaps it was the Pythia priests of the Temple of Apollo in Delphi who inspired this beautiful nymph.
"Please~ the cutest, most adorable goddess Hermes! I know so much, I definitely won't let you down!" Perius hugged Hermes in her child form, pleading sweetly in the girl's warm embrace, "I live longer than humans and know more, my sisters all say I'm the most suitable to be your priestess!"
The nymphs here have a very good relationship with Hermes, so they are extremely close when they are together.
Hermes looked up and met Maya's gaze for a moment, her expression hesitant.
Just before Periusa came knocking, she and her mother had agreed that humans should be her priests, that they would build her temple, and that they would be the ones to worship her. This idea was absolutely necessary.
However, her sister Peyoppe was very kind to her, often staying by her side to encourage and cheer her up. When Artemis tried to harm her, it was Peyoppe who always tried to protect her.
Moreover, the Nymphs are also beings of Arcadia.
“Hermes, why don’t we do this: establish a High Priest and ordinary priests?” Maya spoke gently, trying to ease her daughter’s worries. “Who says a temple can only have one priest?”
Great idea!
Hermes' eyes lit up. She agreed with her mother's brilliant suggestion and marveled at how amazing her mother was to have given birth to such a clever girl!
Wait, isn't she being a bit too arrogant? She's actually praising herself, hahaha!
In short—
"So, what do you think of what my mother goddess said, sister Perius?" Hermes gazed at the beautiful nymph who emerged from her arms, her small, round face, radiant with a rose-like hue, full of smiles.
Peripera lowered her head and thought for a moment, then raised her head again, her light purple eyes gleaming with an inexplicable light.
“Anything is fine! My beloved Princess Hermes!” The nymph embraced her again, filled with joy and affection. “As long as I can stay by your side forever and contribute to your glory and splendor…”
And so the matter was settled.
At that moment, the two green snakes that had been sleeping intertwined by the campfire slowly opened their sharp eyes.
"I think I've sensed something unusual," Apistoni whispered to her companion.
"Yes," Toke replied lazily. "That nymph is pregnant, but she doesn't seem to know it."
"Oh, that's really strange. Whose child is she carrying?"
It belongs to nature.
[Natural? That's amazing!]
Finally, they fell into a deep sleep because the winter was too cold, and the topic was left behind.
Hermes was woken up the next day.
She rubbed her eyes and groggily woke up from her dream, and then she saw the golden Apollo sitting by her bedside, his face cold and indifferent, plucking the strings of his seven-stringed lyre.
The music was a far cry from the melodious elegance he once loved; it was so violent and chaotic, as if she had stolen his Temple of Light and the entire city of Delphi.
Even Apistoni and Toki, who were still hibernating, were awakened by the noise. They opened their blood-red mouths to bite Apollo, but reluctantly shut their mouths because of his previous threat.
Wait, I feel like I've forgotten something important?
It seems they forgot to complain to Hermes about Apollo threatening them back in Olympus!
"Boom——"
A thin string broke.
Apollo waved his hand and restored it.
Even though the music was beautiful and melodious, it was still noise, and it started playing again.
Hermes: "..."
What's wrong with that damn Apollo so early in the morning? And why would he travel all the way from Delphi to Arcadia? And why would he come here and make noise to wake her up?
She didn't actually steal his Temple of Light and Delphi!
Just as Hermes voiced her question, the forest goddess Maia entered from outside the cave, carrying a copper pot filled with water made from melted snow.
"Are you awake? Good morning, Hermes." Maia greeted her with a smile, pouring two glasses of snow water and handing them to her daughter and the God of Light. "Let's go to Delphi with Apollo after breakfast. You'll have the energy to work if you're full."
Apollo stopped playing his lyre, took the water glass, and nodded his thanks to Maya.
Hermes, however, was stunned, holding the water glass.
"Going to Delphi with Apollo? To work?" She repeated the words, her face full of confusion. "What do you mean, Mother Goddess?"
Maya was also taken aback, and asked Apollo, "Didn't you tell my daughter?"
"Hermes was sleeping too soundly; I just woke her up." Apollo took a sip of his snow water, his gaze icy as he glanced at the idiot. "Why are you calling me by my first name? You're not calling me 'brother' anymore, are you?"
It's obvious that the God of Light is being sarcastic and unsettling.
Seeing this, Hermes, who was already bewildered by being woken up by the music, almost choked on her breath and instantly understood how Ares felt when he was confronted by Apollo in the main temple last time.
This guy is so annoying!
So you really want to hear her call him "brother"?!
“Well, dear Apollo, brother—” Hermes drawled, meeting Apollo’s raised eyebrow with the same sarcastic tone, “So what brings you to my house so early in the morning and to play such beautiful music for me? What mysterious business are we going to Delphi for?”
That brat is quite aggressive.
This is a far cry from her previous sweet-talking self.
Apollo put down his cup and said casually, "It's nothing. It's just that the Father God ordered me to complete the planning for the athletic competition in Delphi as soon as possible, and I just happened to think that since it was you who made this suggestion, you must be particularly good at it."
Hermes: "..."
Absolutely amazing!
To make matters worse, Apollo added insult to injury: "Are you leaving now or after breakfast?"
Hermes couldn't hold back any longer: "...I'm just going to walk!"
That's something you should do yourself, don't drag me into it so easily!
She puffed out her cheeks angrily, looking just like a cute little pufferfish.
"And don't forget, I'll be herding the sheep for you!"
It's really annoying to think about. Originally, herding livestock in Arcadia was a punishment that the old man gave to Apollo, but after she became the chief god, this punishment was transferred to her, and she even had the audacity to say that 'Hermes is also the goddess of livestock'!
It's all thanks to some wicked fellow.
Yes, that's right. After the meeting at the Temple of the Sun ended that day, Apollo grabbed her and caught up with Zeus as he left, pretending to remind her that someone had to take over the herding duties that he had once undertaken.
Those divine bulls came from the great island of Crete, and were originally given by Gaia to Zeus to punish Apollo, so naturally they could not be neglected in any way.
So when Apollo brought out the bewildered Hermes, Zeus stroked his chin and agreed that she should take over Apollo's position and herd sheep in Arcadia every day.
How kind of God of Light is to us!
Although the cows are adorable and she enjoys herding them, it's not her job in the first place; it's taking up so much of her time for no reason!
Time is money! Is Apollo trying to compete with her for the title of God of Thieves?!
Hermes was heartbroken and furious whenever she thought about it, and vowed to make him experience the same torment.
Unexpectedly, Apollo's primary concern was quite peculiar. After listening to her words, he frowned, conjured a flute, and struck her on the head.
“No swearing,” he lectured quite seriously. “Besides, don’t worry, I’ve found you some help beforehand. Zephyrus will be happy to help you herd the livestock while you’re at Delphi.”
—Although the West Wind God's expression was a little stiff when he agreed, it wasn't a big problem.
After hearing what Apollo said, Hermes covered the large bump that had suddenly appeared on her head, her eyes filled with tears, her anger mixed with grievance.
This guy really went to great lengths to get her to work in Delphi!
It was annoying enough that she was forced to wake up because of the ear-piercing noise, but Apollo went on to cause trouble for her everywhere, even hitting her on the head... This is simply outrageous, you bastard Apollo!
Sensing the change in their lord's emotions, the two green snakes immediately transformed into human form and jumped onto her bed, one on each side. After many days, they once again stretched out their arms to block her from the figure and gaze of the God of Light.
“That’s absolutely impossible! With us here, you can’t possibly bully Princess Hermes!” Apistoni and Tokei shouted in unison, even at the risk of being retaliated against by the petty Apollo.
"By the way, Your Highness," Tokei said, turning back to Hermes despite Apollo's pressure, "Last time in Olympus, after you transformed into Hebe, the goddess of youth, this ill-intentioned fellow viciously attacked us, even threatening to strip all our poor snake scales off!"
“Yes, my dear Your Highness!” Apistoni chimed in, forcing out a few tears. “It’s absolutely horrible, that two-faced villain!”
Hermes reacted quickly.
"This is outrageous! I will never allow my good friend to be harmed in any way!"
She jumped out of bed, looking furious, as if she was about to shove the snakes aside and give Apollo a good beating.
“Brother Apollo, I have always respected you as a trustworthy elder, and I have always held you as the utmost truth in my heart. Yet you have so humiliated my companion! How could you do this? How could you betray my trust?!”
Apollo: "..."
Looking at the indignant Hermes, Apollo was speechless this time—who was the one truly hiding two faces?
Did he really think he couldn't see that she and those two damned snakes were working together to pretend?
Hermes, that guy, talks a better game than he sings.
He truly deserves to be called the God of Deception, a master of fabrication.
It was Maya's words that broke this wonderfully strange atmosphere.
"Isn't everyone hungry?" The Mountain Goddess smiled and pointed to the table full of delicious food. "Breakfast is ready, come and eat, children!"
Hearing her mother's call, Hermes grabbed the snakes' hands, jumped off the bed, and ran over in a flash, completely ignoring Apollo who had been left out.
"Yay! Long live Mother Goddess/Princess Maya ≧▽≦~"
And so, the god and the two serpents began to feast under Maya's loving smile.
It was as if the event of uniting to fight against the God of Light had never happened.
Apollo walked to Maia's side and silently watched them happily eating, his gaze pausing when it fell on Hermes's cheeks, which were stuffed full.
Is this a small pufferfish?
She's become adorable again.
“Apollo.” Maya suddenly turned her head to look at him, her eyes seemingly hiding some unspeakable secret. “Thank you.”
—The mountain goddess did this for her daughter.
Apollo did not reply, but simply nodded to Maya, acknowledging his gratitude.
After all, he had indeed helped Hermes on several occasions, though with ulterior motives.
Apollo waited a long time for Hermes to finish her meal. Even though she only had a glass of water left, she kept chatting and joking with Apistoni and Tokei. It took her a while to pick up the glass and take a small sip, but she just wouldn't finish it.
It's obvious they're trying to stall for time.
Tsk...
Apollo narrowed his eyes slightly.
Seeing this, Maya shook his head helplessly, but still showed a doting smile on his face.
She stepped forward, intending to urge her daughter to finish her water quickly so she could go to Delphi with Apollo, when she felt a cool breeze rush past her.
Upon closer inspection, it was Apollo striding towards Hermes, his blue cloak swaying sharply in the corners.
Hermes was discussing with the serpents how to make Apollo regret his actions that day, when she was about to reveal her brilliant plan—to steal the Triangular Cauldron from the Temple of Light in Delphi—a cold wind blew past her.
Immediately afterwards, someone grabbed the back of her clothes with a large hand and lifted her up like a chick.
The snakes: "Your Highness!!!"
Hermes turned her head to look, and sure enough, it was her good brother Apollo.
"Damn it! Put me down right now!"
Hermes punched and kicked in mid-air, desperately trying to break free from Apollo's clutches, but to no avail.
Apollo, expressionless, carried her toward the cave entrance, not forgetting to use his divine power to help her pick up the scepter of the god of commerce, winged sandals, and winged hat that were placed to the side, and even waving goodbye to Maia, who was watching this scene with a smile.
"Goodbye, Your Excellency Maya, and have a pleasant day," he said quite politely to the mother of the brat he had caught.
"Mother Goddess! Save me!" Hermes cried out to her mother, but all she received in return was Apollo's happy response.
The mountain goddess smiled and waved goodbye to them: "Be a good girl and listen to your brother Apollo when you go to Delphi, Hermes! Mother Goddess will wait for you to return~"
Hermes cried out in despair, "Mother Goddess!!!"
Apollo's icy voice came from above her head: "Calling anyone won't help, you brat. Just like your mother said, you should listen to me obediently."
That arrogant and haughty bastard!
Hermes' Pain Mask.
"You big bad guy, let go of our prince! I'll fight you to the death!"
"Your Highness, don't be afraid! We're coming to rescue you right away!"
Apistoni and Tokei chased after him, intending to bite off the villain's arm with one snake, but they were repelled by the light power surrounding him.
Apollo completely ignored the two noisy green snakes and grabbed the still struggling Hermes, intending to get on the swan chariot parked at the entrance of the Courne cave.
Seeing this, Apistoni and Toki had no choice but to grit their teeth and transform back into snakes, wrapping themselves around the deep golden scepter that Apollo was controlling to fly, secretly vowing to make the arrogant God of Light pay the price in the future.
Only after the swan chariot had flown high into the sky did Apollo release his grip on Hermes and return her symbol to its rightful owner.
Hermes was still sulking, silently snatching the things that belonged to her, completely ignoring Apollo, who was even more willful than her.
She transformed back into her girl form in a flash, quickly putting on her winged shoes, winged hat, and sturdy her staff, while giving Apollo a petulant glare.
—I must steal his triangular cauldron! No, I'll steal everything he owns!
Hermes swore in the name of the god of thieves that she would turn Apollo into a penniless pauper who had nothing but gold.
Anyway, she had already achieved her goal of returning to Olympus and even became a chief god... wait, he also played a part in all of this...
Hermes pondered for a moment, then couldn't help but look up at the towering God of Light, a hint of hesitation in her eyes.
What a coincidence, Apollo was looking down at her just as well.
Her face was unexpectedly reflected in those hazy, beautiful light blue eyes.
The way he looked at her so intently suggested that no matter what bad things she did, he would choose to tolerate and forgive her.
It was truly unbelievable. As he fixed his gaze on her, which was no longer so unpredictable, she began to have a bad feeling—if she were ungrateful, she would be eaten by Cerberus.
Then Apollo's voice came to her ears: "I forgot to tell you, before I came to find you, I asked the Father God that I wanted you to co-host the athletic competition in Delphi, and the Father God agreed."
Hermes: "..."
She changed her mind instantly and set a new goal.
She absolutely has to steal everything from that pesky Apollo!
[Author's Note]
The next chapter will be a reverse-V (paid subscription), so those who have already read it don't need to buy it anymore ( ).
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