Chapter 43
Zeus is attending Poseidon's birthday banquet in his true form, but Demeter, who is pregnant, is sensitive and hopes that "him" in another form will accompany her as her husband.
He had no reason to refuse; no husband could abandon his pregnant wife and let her attend the banquet alone.
Although I was reluctant, I had to put on a good show.
This is a common problem stemming from male chauvinism.
He proposed a plan to register Demeter as his wife, and once registered, Demeter would be forcibly given Zeus's surname and become his partner.
Ancient Greece practiced monogamy.
Aside from ordinary mortal couples, the nature of mate selection is the same for gods.
There can only be one legal wife (or husband), and the decision rests with whoever submits the application.
Whoever proposes it can decide whether it is the legal wife (husband) or the partner.
A deity can only have one officially recognized husband in their marital history; all others are merely partners listed in the marital history, existing as husband and wife in reality but not in name.
Zeus had this in mind. He proposed marriage registration as a mortal and expressed his loyalty and love to Demeter.
He insisted that his marital history be proposed by him, otherwise he felt insecure and threatened her with his mortal status. He wasn't sure if Demeter would agree to his status as her divine husband.
Women are always easily swayed by kindness, and Demeter agreed to his request. However, during the busy farming season, farmers faced numerous problems, and she was unable to spare the time, so she had to postpone the date.
Zeus could not marry Demeter as his principal wife; his queen goddess had to be someone whose power was equal to or even greater than his, and who could help him maintain his authority and power.
He feared prophecies and was also lustful by nature, so he had many fleeting affairs and was surrounded by beautiful women.
His goddess cannot be a delicate, timid woman.
Demeter is gentle and virtuous, but not capable of shouldering heavy responsibilities. Indecisiveness is not a good word for a goddess.
He already had someone in mind; he had longed for, pursued, and chased after him, but all he got was that indifferent face and venomous red eyes.
What you can't have is always the best.
Zeus believed him to be the best and strongest man in the world.
All he lacked was an opportunity.
Laughter filled the banquet hall. Poseidon raised her glass to him once again. He carried the unique fragrance of the sea monster. As they exchanged toasts, the knowing look in his eyes was almost overflowing.
"How about it? Our Sea God Palace's maids are no worse than yours, are they?"
After a few drinks, Poseidon's mind was already a jumbled mess, and he whispered to Zeus, reeking of alcohol.
Zeus raised his wine cup in response, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the docile goddess beside him, who was stroking her lower abdomen and waiting for her husband's return. He smiled smugly and said, "The flavors are all different, each with its own unique taste. We should try more."
Demeter, hearing their conversation, shifted her seat in utter disgust, wanting to get as far away from these two scoundrels as possible.
"Now even Demeter is going to be taken into your palace, hehe, you're quite the ladies' man."
"When choosing a wife, one should choose a virtuous one, like me, for a life of comfort and happiness."
As he spoke, Poseidon poured himself another jug of wine and said smugly.
"A man should act when the time is right."
Zeus knew his good brother's deeds better than anyone.
Amphitrite, the queen of Poseidon, was the most beautiful sea nymph in the ocean.
On a sunny day when the sea sparkles.
Amphitrite and her sisters were vacationing on the shore of Naxos, filled with laughter, song, and dance.
Poseidon, the ruler of the sea, happened to pass by this place and was instantly attracted by Amphitrite's beauty and charm. He could never take his eyes off her.
Poseidon rushed toward her like a surging wave, trying to pull her onto his chariot. Amphitrite was terrified; she had never imagined that she would attract the attention of this powerful sea god in such a way.
Instinctively, she quickly dived into the sea to try to escape Poseidon's ardent pursuit. But Poseidon would not give up so easily, so he sent dolphins, the best swimmers, to chase after Amphitrite.
With her superb swimming skills, the dolphin quickly caught up with the exhausted Amphitrite. In this chase where the odds were stacked against her, Amphitrite was exhausted and unable to escape. She could only obediently let the dolphin carry her on its back and take her back to the Sea God's Palace.
And so she became Poseidon's bride, his queen of the gods.
After their marriage, Amphitrite and Poseidon had several children. Poseidon was a womanizer and had affairs with many goddesses and mortals.
However, Amphitrite was gentle and kind, and she did not become jealous or quarrel with Poseidon in public, nor did she retaliate against or resent the women who had affairs with Poseidon.
She took on the responsibilities of the Queen of the Gods, diligently governing the seas and islands on Poseidon's behalf. Her people held her in high esteem, and her influence in the seas far exceeded that of Poseidon.
Amphitrite valued the ocean's peace and tranquility more than a man's ambiguous sincerity.
Thinking of this, a secret smile appeared on the man's lips. Once the marriage was registered, she would be forcibly given the surname Zeus and become one of his many companions.
He can continue to pursue that alluring, cold figure until he brings her under his control, until he tires of her and seeks the next novelty.
Seeing Demeter looking around, Poseidon wisely gave way, allowing Zeus to exit through the back door of the main hall.
The men are exceptionally united. They may compete and compare among themselves, but when it comes to women, their guns are all pointed at the outside world.
They will hide things from each other and cover for each other.
Zeus slipped out through the back door, and the power concentrated at his fingertips transformed: his gilded divine robes faded into plain cloth, and the majesty of the god-king turned into the gentleness of a mortal.
He stood under the eaves for a moment, letting the sea breeze carry away the smell of alcohol and the alluring fragrance from his body, before slowly turning back and picking up the honey water prepared in the warm pavilion.
"Why did it take you so long?"
When Demeter saw him return, she immediately reached out and gently took his arm, saying tenderly, "Is this your first time in the land of the gods? Can't find your way?"
The man took her hand and spoke in a voice so gentle it could melt your heart: “Luckily, the maids here are very understanding and gave me directions. I asked the cook in the kitchen for it.”
In early pregnancy, Demeter suffered from severe acid reflux, which could only be relieved by drinking some warm honey water. Zeus used this as an excuse to go to the warm pavilion to relieve his nausea.
After becoming pregnant, Demeter cherished the child and refused to sleep with him at night. Zeus was about to explode with pent-up desire, but fortunately Poseidon understood him and arranged for a beautiful sea siren to bring him pleasure.
He handed Demeter the honey water, looked down at her lower abdomen, and his eyes were filled with just the right amount of concern: "Are you tired? Do you want to rest for a while?"
Demeter shook her head, leaned against him, and smiled contentedly: "No need, it's enough with you here."
After spending some time with Demeter, the man made an excuse to bring her some preserved plums and then disappeared quietly from the hall.
He was replaced by Zeus, the god of thunder. He couldn't stay away for too long; he preferred the status of a god.
...
Wearing a veil, Li Jia followed the dance troupe onto the empty platform in the center of the palace. Li Jia was in a state of turmoil. She couldn't dance at all. She had sneaked in only because she needed to get close to Zeus.
The auxiliary function comes with a small stun pill. As long as Zeus takes it, his divine power will instantly collapse during intercourse, no matter how strong he is, and his masking technique will no longer be effective.
This is her only chance.
The music started playing in Li Jia's ears, giving her little time to react. She had no choice but to try anything, since there were so many people around, she could just go along with it.
Unexpectedly, this dance was a one-on-one performance, and she suddenly became an extra person.
"What's going on?!"
Where did she come from?
The foreman immediately sensed something was wrong and was about to send the people away.
"Sit next to me."
The woman's gaze swept over the girl's flustered expression, and she beckoned her over.
Always arrogant and self-important
Your Majesty the God of Marriage...
She actually allowed a complete stranger, a dancer, to sit next to her.
The head waiter's heart leaped into his throat. He swallowed hard and stammered, "Your Majesty, she's new..."
"It's alright, let her come over."
The foreman, not wanting to lose his life, quickly dragged the stunned girl in front of the golden-haired deity and forced Li Jia to sit down.
The song and dance performance continued, oblivious to the little farce unfolding nearby.
Li Jia was trembling with fear, her eyes darting around, but she couldn't find Lina no matter what she did.
Hera looked at her and smiled, "New little dancer, don't you know how to pour wine?"
The dome of the Palace of Poseidon is adorned with luminous pearls, and the cold white light intertwines with the leaping fireworks inside, casting shadows that appear to grow longer and shorter.
Li Jia stared at her shadow on the ground, her body reacting instinctively.
—Trying to play dead.
Perhaps in this way, we can be completely swallowed up by the clamor of this feast of the gods.
However, the woman persisted and pushed the wine pot and cups away.
She tapped the table with her knuckles, signaling Li Jia to pour the wine.
Li Jia stood frozen in place, her legs feeling like lead. She couldn't stand or sit.
She never imagined that the dance troupe, which seemed to have a large number of people, was actually all choreographed, and that she couldn't rejoin the group now.
With nowhere else to go, she could only clutch the hem of her dancing skirt and obediently move to the empty space next to Hera, staying quietly by her side.
Li Jia was secretly delighted. Luckily, she had concealed her appearance so that the other woman wouldn't recognize her; otherwise, she would have been in a real predicament.
She refused Hera's invitation to come yesterday, but now she's disguised as a dancer and appears before her. If Hera finds out, she probably won't even have a chance to explain herself.
Li Jia picked up the wine jug, and the rich aroma of the wine immediately filled her nose. It contained this year's newly brewed wine. The deep purple liquid poured down the side of the jug into the wine glass, creating tiny ripples at the bottom.
Even though her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of her throat, Li Jia didn't forget her mission. Out of the corner of her eye, she secretly watched Zeus and Demeter's every move.
Seeing that the girl's gaze was fixed on Zeus, Hera's expression darkened, and she picked up her wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.
The wine stained the corner of her lips, but she didn't care. She slammed the empty glass heavily on the table and said coldly, "Isn't serving me enough? Who else is on your mind?"
Li Jia's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly looked away, her fingertips unconsciously tightening their grip on the wine pot.
Before she could think of an explanation, Hera pointed to the empty glass, her tone devoid of emotion: "The wine is gone."
"Let's continue."
Li Jia nodded in agreement, but her hand paused for a moment as she stared at the deep purple liquid that had been refilled in the wine glass.
Doubts began to rise in her mind. She remembered that Hera did not like to drink alcohol, and even at banquets she would only take a small sip, let alone drink so much as she did today.
Seeing that she only moved without answering, Hera smiled faintly, her voice tinged with inquiry: "Can't you speak? Why aren't you answering?"
Li Jia felt another cold sweat break out on her back. Divine power could change appearance, but it couldn't change voice.
As soon as she opened her mouth, Hera would recognize her identity with that familiar voice, so Li Jia dared not speak, for opening her mouth would give her away.
So Li Jia came up with a plan: to pretend to be mute.
The girl pointed to her mouth, then shook her head, deliberately adding a hint of timidity to her eyes, like a frightened fawn, pretending to be speechless.
Hera picked up her glass again and took a sip. The effects of the wine gradually rose, and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. Her originally sharp eyes softened a little.
She rested her chin on her hand, her gaze fixed on Li Jia's face, which was covered by a thin veil. The veil completely concealed the girl's face, leaving only her eyes visible.
Hera's red eyes met Li Jia's gaze, and she said with a hint of casual realization, "Oh? So she's a little mute who can't speak."
As soon as she finished speaking, Hera straightened up, her tone losing its previous inquiry and becoming merely a matter of course, a command.
"I'm tired, can you massage my legs?"
When Li Jia heard her say that, her anxiety completely died, and she began to feel a little irritated.
She had things to do today, and she kept being asked to do this and that, so she couldn't concentrate at all.
But given the circumstances, what could she, a nobody, do but squat down and massage her legs?
As soon as she bent her knees, Hera frowned and said calmly, "Sit down."
Li Jia was taken aback, thinking that the demon had taken pity on her and that it wasn't going to be that torturous.
But the next second, the woman's chilling voice shattered her illusions: "It's comfortable to use as a cushion."
After saying that, Hera lifted her legs and placed them directly on Li Jia's legs. She leaned back and slumped into the gilded armchair, not even bothering to glance at her again.
Li Jia sat stiffly, the heavy weight on her legs making it hard for her to breathe. She could only watch Zeus and Demeter's figures in the distance, filled with anxiety but unable to move.
Hera closed her eyes, leaned her head against the back of the chair, and uttered only one word.
"according to."
Li Jia's fingertips suddenly froze, and she could only slowly raise her hand and place it on Hera's leg, which was covered by a velvet skirt.
The heavy touch from her fingertips made her increasingly anxious, but she dared not glance at Zeus again. She could only stare at his fair calves, mechanically kneading them, even her breathing was extremely soft.
The more I press it, the more annoyed I get.
A moment of patience brings peace, but taking a step back only makes you angrier.
Li Jia's original plan was simply to put the sedative pill in Zeus's wine cup and make him drink it. Demeter would then naturally realize that "he" was not him and would not register a marriage with him, thus completing her mission.
Unfortunately, a snake appeared on the road blocking our way.
I have to do so many things for no reason.
At first, Li Jia was only pressing reluctantly, but the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She gritted her teeth and increased the pressure, turning the pressing into pinching.
While kneading, he quietly chanted a spell:
You XX
I told you not to come, but you insisted.
You XX
...
The anger dissipated with time, replaced by a sense of realization, and a belated bitterness filled my mouth.
Even when she was not around, she could be so intimate with a dancer she didn't know, exposing her skin—the kind of skin only she could touch—to others, allowing them to touch and knead it.
This realization left Li Jia feeling utterly powerless, her body stiff and cold. She stopped what she was doing and stood frozen in place.
Just as the dance ended and the dancers slowly left the stage, Li Jia, not knowing where the courage came from, struggled to her feet, bowed slightly to Hera, and tried to leave with them.
Seeing that she was about to leave, Hera suddenly smiled, got up, grabbed her arm, and pulled her into her arms. The two of them lay down on the armchair together in an extremely ambiguous position.
Li Jia was startled and instantly terrified. She tried to get off Hera, but Hera's arms were wrapped around her waist like iron hoops, leaving her no room to move.
Li Jia struggled in her arms, wanting nothing more than to escape. Her chaotic emotions were driving her crazy, and she had forgotten why she had come here in the first place.
Herla reached out to lift her veil, but Li Jia turned her head away, annoyed, and wouldn't let her pull it off.
Seeing the little one throwing a tantrum, the woman raised an eyebrow and whispered in her ear, "You've been with me for so long."
"Still can't keep your composure."
The last few words, spoken with fervent breath, landed in Li Jia's ears, burning her and leaving her in a state of utter confusion.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Hera pressed against her back, like a cold snake finding a source of warmth, and then wrapped herself tightly around her, whispering like a ghost.
"Sister, whatever you want to do."
"What time, what place, and what stance."
"Tell me, and I'll take care of it for you."
"There's no need to go to such lengths."
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