The Greece Antagonist

In Knossos City, Hestia and Medusa each clung to one of Luo En's arms as the trio walked along, laughing and talking about their recent experiences and the changes around them.

Meanwhile, the two formerly haughty criminal serpents ahead hung their heads low, wiping tears from their eyes and sucking in cold air. Under the dread might of the Goddess of the Hearth behind them, they supported each other, limping towards the door of their home.

As soon as everyone crossed the threshold, the door behind them closed automatically with the flow of air, and a gentle inquiry reached their ears,

"Back already?"

At the same time, a bright hearth fire ignited within the home, and a silver-haired, purple-eyed goddess sat elegantly in the living room, her smile warm and radiant.

"It seems you all had a great time…"

The gaze as brilliant as stars swept over everyone; Stheno and Euryale, at the front, felt an inexplicable tingling in their scalps. Carefully shifting their feet, following their serpent-like instincts, they receded into a dark little corner.

Hestia, Medusa, and Luo En behind also gave a shudder, subconsciously releasing each other's intimately linked arms.

Sensing the subtle change in atmosphere, Luo En braced himself and approached Athena in the living room, squeezing out a smile on his face.

"Is the Olympus matter settled?"

"Fortunately, Poseidon relented for some reason, so it's temporarily concluded," Athena replied softly with a smile, then stopped delving into that subject. Instead, she flipped through a crumpled note on the table with interest.

Recognizing the familiar handwriting, Luo En's eyelid twitched.

This was the very note he had entrusted to the Golden Hound for Hestia before he and Artemis set out to sea.

The simple and gullible homebody beside him might be easily bamboozled, but getting past Athena was a different story.

It was possible that the Goddess of Wisdom with a mind full of tricks would detect some clue or another.

At that thought, Luo En broke out in a fine sweat on his forehead.

The living room fell into deathly silence once more, the eerie quiet spreading, like an invisible swamp pulling everyone down.

Eventually, it was uncertain whether the prolonged silence lasted a second or a year.

Athena set aside the note, which she had inspected inside and out about seventeen or eighteen times, and lifted her smile-brimming face. She seemed casually to initiate conversation.

"Looks like you got along quite well with Artemis during this time."

"Wasn't that your advice? For safety's sake, you had me stick by her side…"

Luo En with eyes on his nose and nose on his heart, recited in a flat tone, trying to appear as if he was merely following orders, unwilling to take any blame.

Athena chuckled, lowering her arm, and caressed the head of a dog peeking out from under the table with her long, crystal-clear fingers.

"So in the end, even without bringing along this Golden Hound, she would have protected you? Hmm, seems like you've done a splendid job."

"…!"

Luo En grasped the implication and felt more beads of sweat form on his forehead, muttering inwardly.

Are you possessed by Sherlock Holmes? How could you make such a connection?

"That's only because you had paved the way beforehand. Considering your word, how could Artemis make things difficult for me?"

Luo En began with insincere flattery, continuing to pass the buck while defining his relationship with Artemis strictly as a matter of employment.

"Besides, who would abandon their guide before the journey is over?"

"That's not right! Before they parted, they were clearly affectionate, even hugged each other! We saw it with our own eyes!"

Just as Luo En couldn't help mentally patting himself on the back for his cleverness, two heads popped out from the corner, confidently objecting.

As they spoke, Stheno and Euryale sent gleeful looks toward Luo En, their eyes brimming with the joy of vengeance.

Athena's eyes narrowed slightly, her scrutinizing gaze becoming somewhat more subtle and deep.

"Hiss~!"

This dishonorable, shameless sneak attack made Luo En involuntarily suck in a breath of cold air.

A snake's bite pierces deep into the bone.

These two femme fatales had actually thrust a knife into his back at such a moment!

Caught off guard and attacked from all sides, Luo En turned to see the treacherous Stheno and Euryale, grinding his teeth in resentment.

"I definitely should have been harsher just now! I should have hung them up and whipped them a hundred times each!"

"No, I can't let these two vixens keep spilling my dark secrets. I must find a way to get rid of them first."

At this moment, realizing the situation was getting ominous, Luo En put on a stern face, revealing an expression of righteous indignation.

"Isn't it just because I couldn't stand you bullying Medusa and taught you a lesson? And you have the nerve to make up rumors about me and a virgin goddess!"

At the same time, an expectant external brain looked towards its symbiote.

"Exactly! The one who taught you a lesson was me! If you've got the guts, come at me! Don't even think about smearing Artemis's reputation!"

Hestia, also a virgin goddess, driven by her simple sense of justice, stepped forward bravely to draw fire to herself.

She really is... I'm about to cry...

Looking at the solid windbreak in front of him, who once again took a ton of bashing for him, Luo En was so touched that he was almost in tears, and conveniently leaned back to avoid Athena's seemingly casual glance.

"Hmph, as the older sister, you actually find joy in bullying your younger sister. It looks like the lesson I gave you wasn't enough!"

An infuriated Hestia turned around, rolled up her sleeves, and strode into the corner where Stheno and Euryale were hiding, pulling out the two vixens who were attempting to sneak away.

"Elbow, come inside with me!"

As she said this, the Goddess of the Hearth dragged the pale-faced Stheno and Euryale—and scooped up the still-dazed Medusa along the way.

"Anna, you come too! Even if she's your sister, it's not right to just bear with everything when you encounter injustice!"

Their voices faded away, Luo En looked at the four figures neatly entering the backyard then at the empty surroundings, sinking into deep thought.

—Somehow, something doesn't seem right?

Moments later, Luo En stiffly lifted his head, his gaze passing through the unobstructed living room to meet the gentile smile from the eerily approaching Athena.

The shield I just claimed was gone.

And by the way, my backup reserve armor was gone as well...

At this precise moment, Luo En realized something was terribly wrong as he looked at the deserted living room and the Goddess of Wisdom walking towards him, and he couldn't help but swallow hard.

This is a high-level game!

Fortunately, Athena didn't dwell too much on the closeness between him and Artemis but instead smiled and stepped forward, posing another question.

"I heard that auntie already taught you the path to godhood?"

At that moment, Luo En's face darkened, instantly realizing why Hestia had run off so quickly.

After all this time, that woman's loose lips had inadvertently sold him out.

Carefully glancing at Athena's expression to make sure it was as usual, Luo En carefully nodded.

"What Divine Office did you choose?"

Athena's second light and airy question made Luo En's heart skip a beat.

Looking into those caring purple eyes, he steeled himself and uttered a dry word from his throat.

"Wine..."

"Oh..."

Athena drew out her words, looking as if she'd just realized something.

"So it's the office of the hearth."

The empathetic Goddess of Wisdom gently patted Luo En on the shoulder as a form of encouragement.

"Not bad at all. This way, I am spared the trouble of selecting a Divine Office for you."

However, this unexpected show of concern caused Luo En's forehead to sweat even more.

He was now absolutely certain that during his absence, Hestia's big mouth probably sold him out more than once!

"Oh, by the way, I made a trip to Knossos Palace earlier, and King Minos told me he wants to marry his daughter—my High Priestess—to you. The whole island of Crete is his prepared dowry. What do you think?"

The seemingly light question rang heavier than a thousand pounds in the ears of Luo En, who faced being betrayed in and out by his teammates, looking crestfallen and on the verge of tears.

—What do I think? Am I supposed to kneel and behold?