The next day.
Taking a carriage, Ryan headed south.
Without stopping in any of the cities along the way, we headed straight to Athens.
If it were before, Ryan might not be so direct. He might have walked all the way there like a traveler, and learned more about the local customs and culture from a mortal's perspective, but with the occurrence of the unusual events, he obviously didn't feel like doing so.
Ryan planned to go to a place where information could be spread faster to find out what was happening in all aspects after the turmoil in the world.
The information obtained from Hell is still partial and incomplete. Although there are many of their followers in the dark world today, they are not the mainstream after all. In contrast, Athens is different.
"When the time comes, it will be time for this little guy to play a role."
With his eyes slightly narrowed, Ryan was sometimes surprised at the audacity of those Hera believers. Of course, maybe they themselves didn't know the specific situation, or maybe they knew it, but their faith in God overwhelmed their fear.
You know, since the first time they met, Andrea has called herself the "high-ranking priest of the goddess." And this is not just a general title, but a real proof of strength.
In Chaos today, people divide the mortal power in various ways, such as the most traditional first-level, second-level, third-level, and fourth-level, or replace them with black iron, bronze, silver, and gold. There is no difference in essence, just different names. There are even spellcasters who simply use the level of contact with the magic network to identify, and divide the levels into one to nine rings of wizards, but in fact it is just a copy of the former - first-level one to three rings, second-level four and five rings, third-level six and seven rings, fourth-level eight and nine rings, just different names.
The same is true for clergy, and they are even more straightforward.
They roughly divided the realms below the legendary level into two levels: "low-level priests" and "high-level priests". Because the level of priests before the legendary level was mostly given by God, once the God's gift was taken back, they would return to the mortal world, so there was no need to divide them into too detailed levels. They used the six-ring divine arts as the boundary to directly distinguish the high and low among the priests.
Therefore, Andrea's title of "high-level priest" is very valuable. If the holy power in her body has not been sealed by the power of another god, she alone can crush the pagans who kidnapped him to death ten times.
With such power and her age of twelve, there is no doubt that Andrea is not only the princess of Athens, but she is actually a human elect who has been directly noticed by Athena, and may even be a candidate for the future Patriarch of the Church of Knowledge in the Pan-Athens region.
Under such circumstances, offering Andrea as a living sacrifice to Hera was no joke. Of course, if it really succeeded, it would probably cause a double blow to Athena's belief in the world and the authority of the Athenian royal family.
"Um..."
"Um?"
Ryan was leaning on the soft backrest, thinking about what he was going to do on this trip. Suddenly, a noise from afar caught his attention.
As we got closer to Athens, the road became wider and the number of people on the road increased. However, almost everyone remained alert in the wilderness and rarely approached each other. At most, they would say hello from a distance.
This was the first time Ryan had encountered an argument that could be heard from a considerable distance.
"What's the noise outside?"
Ryan asked casually, knocking on the door frame.
"I don't know."
Hearing Ryan's question, Andrea outside the car just shook her head.
"It's a caravan. A caravan from Thebes just passed by. They seemed to be talking about God's choice and justice... and then they started arguing."
"From what they said, they are planning to hold some kind of event. But the Panathenaic Games, which are held every thirty years, are still a few years away."
"Activity...Thebai?"
Ryan pulled aside the curtain and looked out.
Sure enough, a few hundred meters behind, a large caravan was moving forward in the smoke and dust.
Judging from the direction, their destination was no different from Ryan's, and they should also be heading to Athens. So if the so-called activities they mentioned did not take place in the disaster-ridden city of Thebes, then they could only be in Athens.
"Slow down, let's listen to what they are saying."
After giving Andrea an order, Ryan gathered a ray of light in his hand as the speed of the frame slowed down.
The first-level divine spell [Illusion Sound] also has a corresponding version in witchcraft - or in other words, many common divine spells are improved (copied) from witchcraft.
It was just a magical art that simulated sound, but at this moment, the object of its simulation was the faint quarrel coming from afar.
Then the vague sound immediately became much clearer, and as the distance between the two sides got closer, the clearer conversation seemed to ring directly in Ryan's ears.
"Speed up... Olympia... Priest... wise and just..."
"...selection...Acropolis...debate..."
"For... Crete... Impossible..."
The sound was very noisy, coming one after another.
After all, the magic of phantom sound is only a first-level magic. It does not have functions such as "noise reduction", "impurity removal" and "artificial recognition" in the process of transmitting sound. The amplified sound of the wind, the sound of the moving carriage and the conversation of nearly a hundred people are mixed together. Ordinary people cannot distinguish what they want at all.
Fortunately, neither Ryan nor Andrea had any problems in this regard. After listening for about half an hour, the two of them roughly understood the cause and effect.
About a month ago, that is, about half a month after Ryan learned of Hermeneus' plan, in the royal palace of Athens, the king received a high-ranking priest from Olympia.
He met the king and the Patriarch of the Church of Knowledge in turn, and the purpose of his visit was said to be to see the "prosperity of Athens."
Regardless of the era, the prosperity of a country is often reflected in its material and spiritual abundance. So at first, the Athenians thought that the priest from Olympia came to accuse them of promoting alchemy.
However, the result was far from what was expected. The priest named Noros turned a blind eye to the creations of witchcraft and alchemy, and instead praised the prosperity of Athens.
Praise from foreigners always makes people feel particularly proud... But at the end of the audience, in the temple on the Acropolis of Athens, the shepherd of Zeus put forward an additional small condition.
"Everyone of the Church of Knowledge, I have heard that the honorable and immortal daughter of the God King, Her Highness Athena with bright eyes, is a sage with skillful hands and the embodiment of wisdom. From her hands, all kinds of clever creations come into being from nothing. As her sanctuary on earth, the Athenians must be proud of their wisdom."
"And I have heard that you, the venerable King of Athens, have married Phaedra, the daughter of Minos, the son of the great Zeus. He and his brother Rhadamanthys were once kings of Crete and were famous for their just and strict laws."
"If you don't mind," Noros proposed to the people present at the time, "I hope to hold a conference, a conference that can reflect people's thoughts and abilities. I will witness the justice and wisdom of the Athenians and their decisions when faced with choices."
At least on the surface, there was nothing wrong with Noros's request.
For the countries in the world at that time, holding a large-scale conference would consume financial resources, but it was actually a way to declare national strength and spread faith in gods.
The great Olympian Games, held every forty years, were tributes to the king of gods and the queen of heaven. The Panathenaic Games, held every thirty years in Athens, were the best tribute to the goddess.
Even the games where Perseus accidentally killed his grandfather when he was young were held for similar reasons. People were eager to participate in such games and were willing to spread the names of the winners in the games so that their fame would spread throughout the human world.
Under such circumstances, King Theseus of Athens had no reason to refuse this request, so he chose to accept it. Soon, with the help of the church, they built a new huge venue that could accommodate hundreds of thousands of people in front of the Acropolis dozens of miles outside Athens, a classical wonder under the influence of extraordinary power.
The Acropolis of Athens, originally built to defend against foreign enemies, has almost never been actually used. Instead, at its center, the largest temple of Athena on earth, the famous Parthenon, is more widely known.
Establishing the venue here naturally meant "dedicating the conference to the goddess", and the priest who came from afar did not raise any objection to this move.
The matter was settled, and the relevant information was immediately spread around the world in various ways. Previously, the caravan from Thebes had caused a dispute because of this.
After all, although this conference happened suddenly, many famous foreign wise men still came here after hearing the news. The people in the caravan were arguing about the superiority of those wise men, although their arguments were only "possible", "heard" and "guessing".
"So that's what this is. A conference that is partly a debate... Andrea, have you ever seen anything like this?"
After thinking for a moment, Ryan asked.
"No, this should be the first time. The Panathenaic Games are a competition of both skills and martial arts, debates and decisions... There has never been such a competition before."
Shaking her head, a gleam of light flashed in Andrea's eyes.
She had never participated in such an event, not even the Panathenaic Games, the last of which had been held before she was born.
She had been curious about this for a long time, but unfortunately she had never had the opportunity to witness it in person. Now that she had such an opportunity, she was still a captive.
"Hello--ah, Mr. Irving."
Andrea sat upright, looking very serious.
"We are not far from Athens, right? Well, I mean, when we get there, will you let me go back?"
"What do you think?" Ryan glanced at the nervous little princess and closed the curtain.
"Keep going. Don't fantasize about impossible things. If I was planning to send you back home, why would I bring you all the way here?"
"All right."
A little disappointing, but not that disappointing.
In fact, Andrea didn't think that Mr. Irving came to Athens just to send her home. He must have his own things to do.
Although there was not much communication along the way, the little princess realized that this mysterious guy was probably no ordinary person.
The older the time is, the less information is available, so a person's experience and knowledge are largely linked to his status.
Although this 'Mr. Ivan' showed unfamiliarity and ignorance in many areas, he was also very knowledgeable on many higher levels. He was like a helmsman or key figure of a major power, but he had little contact with the countries in the world.
"Mr. Ivan, you probably have something for me to do."
Clenching her fists, Andrea said loudly, "Since there is still room for me to contribute - I mean, can I put forward some conditions?"
"But you are my prisoner."
Ryan spoke lightly, realizing that Andrea had probably never learned the skill of bargaining.
"But..."
"And I saved you."
"but..."
"You don't even know what your use is - maybe your use doesn't require active cooperation?"
"…"
"Let's go, destination is the Acropolis."
With a little laugh in his heart, Ryan said casually: "I have never seen an Olympian priest before, and I don't know what is different about the followers of the God King."
"Besides, it would be a shame if you don't go to such a grand event."
"good!"
A response came, the voice was obviously more energetic, and soon the carriage started moving again.
Leaning back, Ryan stopped talking to the little princess and thought about the conference.
Maybe it was a coincidence, it was just an accident, but Ryan didn't believe in coincidences. Selecting fair and wise people...what was this for?
No matter what the reason was, since the priest from Olympia made such a request at such a sensitive time, he had to see it with his own eyes no matter what.
Chapter 324 Acropolis of Athens
The further south the road goes, the more vegetation and water systems there are.
Perhaps because there were frequent cleanups or patrols, Ryan encountered no more trouble after crossing a wide river and arriving on the plain.
Even if they occasionally encountered some teams with the same goal, most of them would avoid the alchemical carriage and had no intention of getting close. Such an expensive thing was not something that ordinary people could afford, and Ryan was happy to be alone.
So when the positive displacement of the starry sky moved to the position of the sixth house of the ecliptic, the outpost of Athens, the sanctuary on earth of the goddess of wisdom, the Acropolis of Athens was finally within sight.
…
When the carriage reached a hill, Ryan opened the curtain and looked at the Acropolis in the distance.
The real Athens is still further away - perhaps in real history, the distance between the two is not far, but this is not the case in the mythological world.
It is the barrier of Athens, the core of the church, and a city built on a hill, or a fortress built on a hill.
Its real name was Acropolis, which translated into Athenian language as 'high city' or 'city on a high hill'.
In the original trajectory, this was just a small city covering an area of only four square kilometers, and it was only passed down to later generations because of the existence of the temple. But now it is a truly magnificent wonder.
The city wall was built against the mountain and is divided into several layers of barriers. The natural mountain means that people can only climb the Acropolis from the west side.
The east, south and north sides are all cliffs, and the terrain is very steep. Doric and Oiangian columns are cleverly arranged in front of the city gate, making people feel the solemnity and charm of this city.
There was a surge of people at the city gate, while the scene inside the city was blocked by the city walls and difficult to see with the naked eye. There were only two huge beams of light shooting up into the sky, which were clearly visible even in the daytime.
One rose from the center of the city, where stone columns towered taller than the city walls. That was undoubtedly the Parthenon, the sanctuary of Athena.
It is said that there is also an Erechtheion Temple opposite it, where Athena and Poseidon once let the people of the city choose their own beliefs. Today, it enshrines some of the main gods of the Olympian pantheon that have no obvious conflicts with Athens, but these gods have not cast any power on it.
As for the location of the other beam of light, it was probably a little further north in the city. Although he could not see the style of the building, Ryan had heard before that it was the Temple of Artemis, one of the few places in the world where the Lord of the Wilderness, the Crescent Moon Goddess, was publicly worshipped.
As for the reason...it is said that this goddess is hostile to the gods of Mount Olympus, but few people know why.
"Andrea, how much do you know about the Crescent Moon Goddess besides what is in the books?"
Motioning for the carriage to move forward, Ryan asked.
The Panathenaic Library is rich in information, but mostly restrained. In many places, it seems to be superficial, such as the story about Artemis.
Although this crescent goddess was to some extent another patron saint of Athens and a good friend of their main god, the description of how she came to Athens clearly used the Spring and Autumn style of writing.
The book hints that Artemis has a conflict with a certain god, but why there is a conflict and what the cause and effect are are not recorded in the book.
"Well... if you ask that, ahem, it is said that - I just heard it."
Andrea coughed twice and was sure that she would never discuss matters between gods before she was kidnapped.
But now, after thinking about it, she decided not to refuse to discuss the gossip among the gods.
"I once heard my father tell me a bedtime story, saying that the respected Her Majesty Artemis originally lived in the southeast of the continent, in seclusion by the shore of Falling Star Lake."
"She hunts and shoots arrows every day, running in the wilderness, honing her skills, and not developing her own followers. If a mortal is lucky enough to meet her, he will be tested by the goddess - if he can hunt the prey designated by the goddess, then the goddess will give him an extra gift."
"Of course, gods are always noble, and Her Highness Artemis naturally wouldn't live alone. In addition to the moon goddess who often rode her in a silver chariot, because of her identity as the Lord of the Wilderness, many nymphs born among rocks, trees, water, and flowers spontaneously gathered around her and worshipped her as their master... Just like what is described in the story, this period of life was so beautiful, and it should have continued forever, until one day, the king of the gods came here with thunder and lightning and dark clouds to look for his children."
At this point, Andrea paused, a faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, as if she was waiting for Ryan to ask her what was next.
However, Ryan, who was sitting in the car, had already gotten the answer after hearing this. He just nodded slightly and said with some emotion:
"As expected, no matter how it changes, a dog will always eat shit."
"ah?"
Andrea was stunned for a moment as she didn't expect to hear such a sentence suddenly.
"Isn't it?"
"So the second half of the story is that the child the king of gods was looking for was actually Artemis, but she was not at home on the day he came - so the 'respected' king of gods had to wait here for a while, and ended up running into her beautiful maid. Just like the Crescent Moon Goddess herself, her maids all swore to remain chaste, so the king of gods changed into Artemis's appearance to approach her, and finally succeeded, just like he once changed into a cuckoo to deceive Hera's trust."
"After returning and discovering all this, Artemis was naturally furious. She refused the recognition of the king of gods, but she was no match for Zeus and could not punish or expel this annoying guy. So she made a prompt decision and moved directly to Athens to keep the goddess of wisdom company - that's what happened, right?"
"…you asked me even though you knew that!"
Andrea snorted lightly, expressing her dissatisfaction.
"No, I really didn't know that before... at least I didn't know it would happen here, but this is also in line with the character of the God King. He can always release his energy that has nowhere to vent in any situation, regardless of whether there is something serious to do or not."
Spreading his hands, Ryan would definitely not say that there was such a passage in the original myth, and that the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper were born as a result. He just attributed it to the nature of Zeus.
The flaws of the God King in this regard were already widely known, and even for most mortals at this time, if the existence of the Queen Hera was not taken into account, Zeus's romanticism was not even a flaw. After all, most of their ancestors came from this way, and it was naturally impossible for them to blame this behavior now.
During the chat, another puzzle was solved, but the carriage did not stop. Not long after, the alchemical carriage arrived at the foot of the hill where the Acropolis was located.
Not far away, a large-scale circular building was almost completed, and it looked a bit like the ancient Roman Colosseum. However, this venue for selecting people of "justice and wisdom" was circular, and there was a suspended alchemy platform in the center.
I don't know if it was prepared for the 'judges' or for the contestants, or if Athens was going to play up the characteristics of a classical republic and directly cancel the judges and let the audience decide the winner...
"Aiwen, are you sure you want to take me in like this?"
Standing outside the circular arch some distance away from the city gate, Andrea raised her eyebrows.
"You mean the [Spell Invalidation Barrier] that is fixed on the portal, right? Don't worry, I have specially held a divine ceremony to give you a permanent disguise that cannot be broken no matter how high your 'Magic Penetration' is."
Ryan didn't know if there was a gaming term similar to "magic penetration" in this world, but this kind of coined word could be understood literally.
"Besides, wouldn't it be great if your identity was exposed? Soon you can return to your palace and be a princess."
"Humph, as long as you are not afraid of being killed as a kidnapper."
Puffing out her cheeks, Andrea drove the carriage through the archway called the [Gate of True Vision].
As a city built in the form of a fortress, it is natural that there are magical devices that can identify non-human life, break invisibility, stealth, and appearance changes. However, as Ryan said, Andrea still did not change until she passed through this door.
Following the crowd and going up the ramp, Ryan and the others entered the city without any surprises.
Passing through the towering city gate, Ryan took a look at the tall spires on both sides. The power of the elements gathered at the bottom, and at the top of the tower there were two things like "lightning rods".
Looking at this shape, Ryan couldn't help but think of a magical creation he had discussed with Hecate through the Book of All Laws. At that time, he just recalled a weapon used by the Arcane Empire in a game before coming to this world, but now, has it been realized?
Without personal contact, it is not easy to draw conclusions without authorization. After all, this thing has probably not been used since it was created, because no enemy has really reached the gate of the Acropolis, and it is unknown whether there will be a chance in the future... Looking away, Ryan looked at the scene behind the city gate again.
The bluestone-paved road led all the way inward, connecting the main roads and alleys in the city. Glittering crystal lamps hung beside the road, but because it was daytime, they were not lit.
At a glance, there are residences, public baths, and various workshops. Not far from the city gate, there are bronze statues of the contemporary kings Theseus and Phaedra.
Well... seeing this, I have to mention again Chaos' outrageous behavior of going from a god to a mortal.
The father of the current Queen Phaedra of Athens is actually the King of Crete, the son of Zeus and Europa, and the King Minos who was previously called "just and strict" by the Olympian priests.
But in fact, Minos did not have a good relationship with his son-in-law, King Theseus of Athens.
According to legend, although Minos was an excellent king, he was probably not a person of high moral standards - this was also the norm among Chaos mortals. In short, his throne was not inherited, but usurped the position of his brother Radamanthys.
After ascending the throne, perhaps out of worry or perhaps because of uneasiness in his heart, in order to prove the legitimacy of his ascension to the throne, the King of Crete naturally turned his attention to God.
Needless to say, although Zeus was theoretically his father, on the one hand, the situation between him and Europa was well known, and on the other hand, Hera was world-famous for her jealousy. What's more, he usurped the position of his own brother... So Minos finally chose Poseidon, the king of the sea, as the object of sacrifice.
Poseidon was very happy that the son of Zeus prayed to him, so he not only did not make things difficult for the king, but even took the initiative to give him a sacrifice to be sacrificed to himself - a white bull that walked out of the sea.
Logically speaking, as long as Minos sent back the bull, which was obviously sent by Poseidon himself, as a sacrifice, everything would be happy and nothing would happen, but the gods and people of this era were so arrogant.
Just like Tantalus, the son of Zeus, who thought he could hide from the gods, he was reluctant to offer such a beautiful bull to the gods, so he secretly replaced the sacrifice and kept the white bull given by the sea king.
As for the result... Of course, Poseidon found out. The angry Poseidon thought he was being mocked, so he cursed Minos' wife and made her suffer from zoophilia.
In other words, it means that her gender preference for men has changed to the unique aesthetic concept of a certain Maurya Dynasty person.
Chapter 325 Thetis
From that day on, the queen cursed by the gods became more interested in animals than humans, and the king of Crete obviously could not tolerate this happening to his queen.
So in order to solve this problem, he asked Daedalus to make a wooden cow for Queen Pasiphae and then locked the queen in it.
No one knows why the king did this, because he did not forbid others to touch the wooden bull. There are also rumors that this is actually a beautified history. In fact, Minos did not know that the queen was cursed at first. The wooden bull was made by Pasiphae herself to satisfy her own bestiality.
In short, Daedalus was indeed a skilled craftsman. The wooden bull he made was so lifelike that even a real bull could not be distinguished. So much so that the god-given white bull that aroused the king's greed was attracted by it and then mated with it.
As a result, Pasiphae became pregnant and gave birth to the Minotaur, a monster with the head of a bull and the body of a man, which means "Bull of Minos".
It was born with great power, and even the king who discovered it could not kill this evil creature. Of course, this is probably because he did not dare to do so. After all, the birth of the Minotaur meant that the white bull was more than just a bull.
Two mortals could not give birth to such a being, and no one knew what this white bull was... Was it the son of Poseidon, or simply his incarnation? It was no wonder that the sea god would curse it.
In desperation, Minos ordered Daedalus and his son Ikaros to build a huge labyrinth and imprison the Minotaur, a man with the head of a bull, inside.
After the labyrinth was built, in order to keep the secret, Daedalus and his son were also imprisoned in it. However, it was precisely because of this that the two later fled across the sea, and Ikaros wanted to get closer to the sun and was eventually burned to death.
The monster trapped in the labyrinth was hungry for blood, so the baby was offered as a sacrifice to the Minotaur. This cruel behavior continued for many years until one day, Theseus, who had not yet inherited the throne, came here, went deep into the labyrinth and killed the monster, turning it into an embellishment of his legendary life, and took away Phaedra, who later became the queen.
Of course, according to Ryan's guess, there is some element of transaction involved.
The King of Crete did not dare to take action himself, so he let others take the blame, and the young Theseus agreed without hesitation.
It's just that Theseus in the original myth was raised by Poseidon's followers, so he had a very close relationship with the sea king, so he killed the Minotaur without being retaliated against. But now there is no such connection between Theseus and Poseidon.
Think of the Athenian princess Andrea who did not exist in the myth. She happened to be attacked by the Resurrection Church that believed in Hera on the sea. After the incident, the King of Athens immediately chose to fight with an incarnation of the sea god... Obviously, this was most likely a joint plan of Hera and her brothers, but it has failed now.
"If that's the case, Athens really has enemies everywhere..."
He once again secretly lamented the absurdity of Chaos God - a king like Minos was actually a well-known wise king. But in addition to this, Ryan also realized the undercurrent beneath the calm surface of Athens.
At the level of the gods, it is hard to say which god on Mount Olympus Athena is on her side, while Ares, Aphrodite and Hera are obvious enemies.
On the earthly level, Athens had no allies to speak of, either at sea or on land.
"It's a bit strange. Would Athena put herself in such a predicament..."
I don't know, and I don't know. Ryan didn't think about it anymore, and asked Andrea to find a hotel that would accommodate foreign visitors.
After taking some time to arrange the trip and parking the bike, Ryan immediately took Andrea to a crowded place.
Ryan noticed this place when he entered the city. It was a place to register the identities of outsiders, and different levels of stone tablets were issued according to the different visitors.
It is not mandatory, and the identity verification is very broad. But considering the possible conference in the near future, I am afraid that an identity is really needed to enter.
"You two, do you want to register your career rank or bloodline rank?"
Not long after, Ryan and Andrea arrived at the place. The clergyman in charge of registration looked up and smiled politely.
"Bloodline level."
Speaking softly, Ryan signaled with his eyes.
Andrea hesitated for a moment but still raised her hand and pressed on a crystal ball in front of the priest.
"laugh--"
There was no change at first, but the next moment a bright red light appeared and the entire crystal ball seemed to have turned into a large magic lamp, illuminating a large area around it.
Many people nearby cast their attention in this direction, but no one dared to step forward.
"This is... the divine blood of the fifth generation or less!"
He let out a low cry, but the priest in charge of the test quickly calmed down.
In today's world, although bloodlines within five generations of gods are uncommon, they are not that rare either. It's just that he has rarely been seen.
Maybe she is the illegitimate daughter of a foreign king, just like the King of Athens before he inherited the throne, or she is simply a princess of a certain country... In fact, there are hundreds of foreigners who gather at the Panathenaic Games held every thirty years who are descendants of gods of this level.
There are still quite a few of them even now, but most of them will directly reveal their identities and accept audiences with the church and the king. Very few come here to receive their identity tablets on their own.
"This is your temporary stone tablet. It has traces of the goddess's holy power on it and cannot be copied. If you lose it, please come and register it in time."
His attitude became much more respectful, but as a clergyman, the middle-aged priest was just following the rules.
"Thanks."
After taking the stone tablet, Andrea thanked him politely, and Ryan did not conduct any more tests.
This one was enough, and the priest obviously treated him as a guard and didn't pay any more attention to him.
"You want to be 'low-key', right? I don't see how this is low-key."
After finishing the work, the two left quickly, but before they had gone far, Andrea tugged at Ryan's clothes.
In theory, there is nothing wrong with this choice. After all, she and Ryan are a sealed priest of Athena and a priest of Hell respectively. It is obviously impossible for them to register as professionals. And as the daughter of the King of Athens, Andrea is indeed a descendant of the gods with the highest bloodline.
Anyway, the error of this kind of measurement is extremely large, and it can only roughly determine a range. Otherwise, the answer of "descendants of God within five generations" would not have been obtained... But no matter how you look at it, this has nothing to do with hiding one's identity.
"You are hiding your identity. You don't really have to pretend to be an ordinary person. If you meet someone, you will be ridiculed. If a conflict occurs, you are more likely to be exposed."
"The small seclusion is in the mountains, the middle seclusion is in the world, and the great seclusion is in the court. Learn it well. If you really maintain the identity of an ordinary person, I will probably be secretly noticed when I go with you to buy some high-level ritual materials."
If it was to avoid being hunted down, then of course he would just do it in an ordinary way. But if he knew he was here to cause trouble, then it would be more effective to first give himself a vest with a high status.
In the next period of time, Ryan plans to upgrade his level first, and then consider how to participate in this strange conference.
His intuition told him that something must be wrong when things are out of the ordinary. The priest of the King of God suddenly made such a request, most likely for some reason. But it was not suitable for him to go into battle and win a championship himself - and it would be even more embarrassing if he failed. Regardless of the existence of authority, Ryan thought it was better to be cautious.
But no matter what, Ryan still hopes that the final winner will come from his own hands...so about this matter, he thought about it and felt that he still had to cheat.
······
East of Chaos, the Sea of Pontonoris.
This is right above Chaos's originally largest trench, but it became second only after the great whirlpool in the East China Sea appeared.
This was the birthplace of Pontus, the ancient sea god who once symbolized the "concave surface of the earth", and it was also the place where he later rested.
It is always peaceful here, because its owner instinctively rejects his former rival and nephew. That is the power of the Lord of Ocean Currents, and Poseidon is unwilling to display the power of the storm here and offend this ancient sea god who poses no threat.
Therefore, the Sea of Pontonoris is considered by many mortals to be the Dead Sea, not a 'sea without life', but 'like dead sea water'.
Considering its long-sleeping owner, this description is actually quite appropriate. However, today, the tranquility of this peaceful sea was broken by the sound of thunder.
"Boom boom—"
Lightning flashed across the sky and dark clouds transformed into a chariot, a sign of the coming of the God-King.
Zeus did not hide his whereabouts, but noticed the arrival from afar. Nereus, the eldest son of Pontus, the current ruler of the Pontonoris Sea and the gentle sea, had been waiting for a long time.
"Your Majesty, welcome."
The old sea god smiled warmly and paid respect to the god king who came down from the cloud chariot. Zeus also showed respect and laughed and gave Nereus a hug.
"Nice to see you, Elder of the Sea. I know my visit today may be a little abrupt, so please don't be offended."
"As the king of gods, you have the right to go anywhere in this world without prior notice."
"Hahaha..."
Laughing, Zeus waved his hand.
At the invitation of Nereus, he walked into the ancient sea god's former palace, which seemed to have been deserted for a long time.
None of Pontus' children lived here, and even Nereus had built a new home nearby. However, in order to show his respect for the visitor, he still used this dusty palace.
Along the way, Zeus saw many descendants of the ancient sea gods, especially the daughters of Nereus. Amphitrite, the queen of the sea, was once one of them, but now she has become the queen of Poseidon.
"I hope they're not all that stupid... But whether they're stupid or not seems to have nothing to do with me now."
Without changing his expression, Zeus sat on the golden throne that Nereus had prepared.
The sea nymphs sang and danced, and the sea gods toasted each other. As time went by, more sea gods came here after hearing the news, and the God King seemed to be just attending a banquet, feasting with the gods.
A long time passed in a flash, Zeus' face turned red and he seemed to be a little drunk.
He shook his head, no longer maintaining the demeanor of a God King. At one point, he patted the old Poseidon's shoulder intimately and suddenly pointed at a dancer in the audience.
"Nereus, who is she?"
"This is my daughter Thetis. Is her dancing good enough for your majesty?"
Smiling in response, Nereus glanced at his daughter.
Like Amphitrite, she was the most beautiful of his fifty daughters... Did the God King like her?
If so, there was nothing wrong with that. Wasn't it for this situation that he followed the example of the Ocean Lord and gave birth to many children? It was a pity that none of his children were true gods... He thought so in his heart, but the next moment, Zeus' response made his heart skip a beat.
"No, Nereus, I'm not planning on doing anything."
Intoxicated, Zeus seemed to say unintentionally: "How dare I fall in love with her? That is impossible. After all, she is so special and so favored by the world... just like Metis."
"She will give birth to a child more powerful than the father... This is a prophecy, and also fate... She knows this herself, because she once foresaw it inadvertently, but the goddess of fate also knows this. She told me, hoping that I can help them have a happy marriage."
"Nereus, this is a good thing. Everyone hopes that their offspring will be stronger than themselves... So I plan to choose an excellent husband for her. What do you think?"
"Of course, your majesty, it is her pleasure."
Nereus said with a smile, his expression unchanged.
"Very good, then arrange it as soon as possible."
"I will have all the gods come to celebrate for her, Nereus. This is the honor she and you both deserve."
Nodding, Zeus drank another glass of wine, and then enjoyed the singing and dancing in front of him.
It's begun... Let her ignite the beginning of everything.
Chapter 326 Opening and Game
The King of Gods was interested, and Nereus did not intend to refuse, so everything went smoothly.
Wings grew on the letter paper, and it flew out from under the heavy sea water and flew towards the netherworld.
In order to show his importance to this matter, Zeus invited almost all the true gods in the world, even those who had long since withdrawn from the world.
Of course, an invitation is an invitation, but whether they are willing to come is another matter. In addition to the gods who have long had grudges with the ancient sea gods, Zeus also wants to see in advance how much influence he has in the world with his current status.
This matter must be dealt with urgently... Thinking of these things, when Zeus drove his cloud chariot away from the Sea of Pontonoris, he suddenly stopped and looked towards the direction of the earth.
Although the God-King had never performed any miracles at the Erechtheion Temple, it did not mean that he could not hear the prayers of his believers through his statues.
Someone was reporting to him the progress of the matter, and everything was going very smoothly. The mortal named Noros had done a good job, and he was worthy of being promoted to a holy spirit.
With a satisfied smile, Zeus set off again. His cloud chariot crossed the sky and headed in the direction he came from.
The only thing that remained was the still calm sea.
But Zeus did not notice that under the shadow of the sea, a dark shadow that he had never noticed from beginning to end appeared until he finally left.
"...Heh, it seems I thought too much. It turned out to be just an accident. I thought his strength had secretly improved so rapidly that he could even detect my whereabouts outside of Olympus."
"He came here for other things? That's more normal. If Chaos's kingship is so terrifying, I'm afraid I would have changed my mind in advance..."
The voice sounded faintly, and the shadow was relieved a little. However, he still planned to postpone his schedule, at least until Zeus finished what he wanted to do.
He just peeked at the envelopes that flew out from under the sea. They were wedding invitations. The bride was Nereus' daughter, and the groom was a guy he had no impression of. But no matter who it was, it meant that this place would probably be bustling for quite a long time in the future, and Zeus would definitely come again.
In order to prevent any accidents, it is better to be cautious. He does not want others to know what he is going to do... Thinking of this, the black shadow flashed and fled to a farther place in the sea.
Thousands of years ago, when that unexpected adventure ended, he saw a special scene on his way back. But he didn't care at the time, after all, it was just a junior, and he still had injuries to treat, but now it's different.
Anyway, the Ocean God has a feud with the Ancient Sea God that has lasted for an era, so the other party will not come to this wedding. It would be fine to take advantage of this time to adjust the order of one's actions.
…
Acropolis, Athens.
Compared with half a month ago, this city closest to Athens has once again welcomed a large influx of people.
Tens of thousands of visitors flocked here from various city-states and countries just for the upcoming conference.
Various activities, foreign goods, and exotic costumes were everywhere. Although the real competition was far from beginning, the prelude had already begun in various places in the city.
Most of these are speeches, poetry competitions, or discussions on a certain issue. After all, for those who have already gained fame, they may be directly qualified to join the conference.
But if the rest of the people don't want to just be spectators, they may need to do something to get an admission ticket.
"Not only them, you need a ticket too."
Ryan seemed to be in good spirits, as he had just been promoted a few days ago.
He looked at Andrea, who had been transformed by his dressing, and felt very satisfied with his craftsmanship.
"Your bloodline allows you to be a guest of honor in the audience, but it does not mean that you can go on stage as a contestant. After all, this is not a competition to test your strength. So you need to let everyone know you as soon as possible and make them think that you are a rare wise man in the world."
"But I'm a woman."
Andrea said, frowning.
"The goddess of wisdom is also a woman, and this is Athens, and your father's old lover is the queen of the Amazons. So if it's just about taking the stage, this will be a minor obstacle at best."
"But I'm probably not as smart as you think. I can neither make people think that I'm a learned and wise man, nor can I win after taking office. This is based on the assumption that your disguise can really deceive the gods. Otherwise, we will all be burned at the stake for blasphemy."
Refusing again, the little princess looked at her new look in the mirror.
She seemed as if she was a dozen years older, elegant and charming, making people unforgettable - but her temperament was a little bit inconsistent, after all, she was actually too young.
"You don't need to worry about this either. I let you go because you meet both the requirements of 'descendant of God' and 'obedient', and there is no one else who can replace you for now. In fact, I have already thought of your 'path to fame', so there won't be any problems. What's more, even if you do qualify to participate in the conference, you probably won't need to actually go on stage."
Smiling and shaking his head, Ryan said calmly: "In fact, as long as the winner is not the Athenians, I don't care who wins in the end."
Having said that, Ryan felt that the final winner of this conference must be an Athenian, or even a believer of Athena. Even the reason why this conference was held in Athens was probably just to make this result seem more reasonable.
Ryan had no idea why this was the case. So if the result could not be changed, he would replace him with someone he could control.
"… Even if what you said makes sense, if these aren't problems, why don't you go on stage yourself?"
With a raised eyebrow, Andrea asked again.
"Of course it's because it's dangerous."
Ryan spoke briefly and smiled at Andrea's accusing look.
"Like you said, what if you are discovered... But you won't be burned to death. Anyway, Miss Captive, go ahead. You are already a well-educated person. Just based on what I have taught you, it should be enough for you to sweep away these so-called wise men."
It goes without saying where the danger comes from. Although Ryan's disguise technique, which is blessed by the power of the Atrium Serpent, can deceive almost everyone, it is doubtful whether it will still be useful in front of those great or near-great beings.
After all, "He" is not a being who specializes in disguise. His ability in this area is entirely due to his great strength and the help of the authority of Ketu, who joined the Nine Hells a long time ago.
In contrast, Andrea was different, she was originally the princess of Athens. Even if Zeus or anyone else saw her identity, they would only think that this was arranged by Athena behind the scenes.
As for the so-called sweeping of the wise... Ryan can only say that the gap between philosophy in ancient and modern times may not be that big, and no one can even guarantee that some smart people will not suddenly have an epiphany or something, but mathematics is different.
No one should be able to suddenly gain an epiphany about mathematics... She thought to herself, and in front of Ryan, after staring at each other for a while, the defeated Andrea turned around helplessly and walked towards the wooden table that had been prepared not far away.
At this moment, a large circle of people had gathered around the wooden table, and a large sign was standing diagonally on the side of the road.
People were whispering to each other, and there was a pile of gold coins on the table.
In today's world, the circulation of gold is far less than that of silver, but in many places, the consumption of gold is higher than that of silver.
Whether it was the construction of temples or the preparation of certain alchemical products, they would consume a large amount of gold reserves, so that as a precious metal, an Athenian goldstat was not only officially exchanged for twenty large silver coins, but it was common for the actual exchange rate to increase by 50%.
This pile of gold coins was like displaying millions of cash on the street in later generations. The visual impact was quite strong. And right next to the wooden table, there was another open box full of gold coins.
This is almost equivalent to having an unguarded money truck filled with bills next to millions of cash. If this was not the Acropolis where the conference was about to be held, I am afraid someone would have been unable to resist doing something.
"Ahem, make way, everyone, make way."
She felt a little timid, but while reviewing the so-called "mathematical knowledge" she had learned last night, Andrea mustered up her courage and walked through the crowd to the wooden table.
Although she said before that her "wisdom" was not up to standard, as a follower of Athena, who wouldn't be proud of their intelligence? Now that she had the opportunity to try it out, the little princess was actually quite excited.
"Are you the owner of this newly opened casino?"
The crowd made way as they were told; they had been waiting here for a long time.
Not long ago, they heard that someone had set up a wooden table here and was willing to gamble with everyone who came here, and the cost of participating in the gambling was one tenth of one's wealth.
Of course, if you lose, there is no need to worry about it, but if you win, then no matter how much you bet on the table, you can get a hundred times the wealth from the other party.
No one thinks that the other party cannot afford it. After all, shiny gold coins cannot be fake.
"Yes, sir, but this is not a casino. After all, I am alone. And this is not gambling, it is just a game."
Walking behind the table, Andrea put on a naive smile, but her current appearance made the viewers' hearts waver.
"Anyone want to give it a try?"
"How can I guarantee that you will keep your promise?"
He didn't even ask what the game was. It was obvious that the young man who was talking was dazzled by the gold coins.
After hearing this, Andrea simply placed a holy emblem of Athena on the table and spread her hands.
Obviously, there are people who dare to cause trouble in front of the holy emblem of the gods. After all, the holy emblem is not a statue of the gods, and even the statue of the gods may not be noticed by the gods. But in the Acropolis, if you dare to violate the contract in front of the holy emblem, even if the goddess Athena does not punish you, the clergy and guards on the street will not be vegetarians.
"Are you a witness to the game? I don't know what the rules of your game are. If the rules are very biased towards the dealer, I'd better stay away from it."
Some people questioned that he was a middle-aged wealthy businessman who looked harmless, but no one would believe that he was such a simple person.
But Andrea was not in a hurry. She stretched out her hand and spread the pile of gold coins flat on the wooden table. The shining golden light made people's minds waver, and even more people in the distance were attracted by this scene.
"The game is very simple. There are three rows of gold coins on the table, and there is no limit to the number of coins in each row. The players and I take turns to take coins from one row at a time. The minimum number of coins to take is one, and there is no upper limit. The one who takes the last coin wins. It's simple, right?"
"However," Andrea smiled and said as if she remembered something, "For the sake of fairness, if I decide the number of gold coins in each of the three rows at the beginning, then the participant will be the first to take the gold coins. Conversely, if you plan to arrange a reasonable start by yourself, then I will decide who will take the gold coins first. No one should have any objection to this rule, right?"
As soon as the words were spoken, there was a burst of discussion at the scene, but no one thought there was anything wrong with it.
This is a very fair and reasonable behavior, just like the twelve-sided dice gambling game that is popular among people nowadays. The person who shakes the dice cannot guess the number, and vice versa.
"Okay, I bet!"
The first person to speak was a young man. He immediately sat down at the table and threw a big purse and even a freshly written document on the table, as if he was afraid that someone would come to snatch it from him.
Andrea took a glance at it and saw that it was a proof that the other party promised to mortgage his house in the city.
In theory, this has no legal force, but if it is written before the holy symbol of Athena, in full view of all, then it becomes binding even if it was not binding before.
but...
"Sir, are you sure this is one-tenth of your wealth?"
There was a look of suspicion in her eyes, and Andrea could probably see what the other person was thinking.
However, Ryan was not short of money now. She was just here for an admission ticket, not to make money, so they stipulated that only one-tenth of the wealth should be bet. But no matter how you think about it, it doesn't seem like one-tenth.
"Why, can you tell at a glance how much money I have? Stop talking nonsense and get started."
The young man waved his hand, obviously having no intention of stopping.
A hundred times... This is simply a game that changes destiny. He may only have this one chance in his life.
He knew that others were still waiting and watching, but he couldn't wait. Although there were a lot of gold coins in that box, many people present were either rich or noble. If he only took out the equivalent of 1% of his wealth, I'm afraid many people could do it.
As for whether you can win... everyone knows that the casino is a sure win, but that doesn't mean no one has ever made money in a casino.
Faced with this opportunity that may only come once in a lifetime, he is still willing to take a chance.
"Well, you come or me?"
It's hard to persuade the damn ghost with kind words. Seeing the young man's reaction, Andrea remembered the words Ryan said to her before the beginning of today.
Let go of the desire to help others and respect their fate. When this box of gold coins is placed here, many results are already determined.
"I'll do it!"
The young man who was speaking was not going to miss the opportunity. Who knows if there is any trick in the process of arranging the gold coins? He heard that there are many ways to cheat in the twelve-sided dice, but most of them require personal experience.
So he decisively took the gold coins and laid them out in three rows on the table.
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●●●●●
It is said that the simpler the task, the more it tests your luck, so the young man had no intention of laying out a long row of dozens of gold coins. He just prepared a number that looked neither too much nor too little.
His back was already sweating a little, and when he put the last gold coin away, his hands were shaking a little. The game that would decide his fate was right in front of him, and he took a deep breath, as if to use the sound to cover up his nervousness.
"I'm ready, you go ahead."
"good."
"As agreed, I choose to go first in this round."
Andrea spoke softly and said no more. When the gambling started, she put aside all her thoughts.
This is a good start... She glanced around and a string of 1s flashed through her mind.
Well, then she decisively reached out and took the two gold coins from the second row.
Chapter 327 Binary and Young Odysseus
Two gold coins were taken out, and the situation on the table changed immediately.
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Sitting opposite Andrea, the young man's brain was working rapidly.
The crowd was also talking and making a lot of noise. After all, no matter whether the first challenger won or lost, the chips he put on the table were destined to not be able to take away all the rewards, not even one-tenth of them.
So they also want to take this opportunity to think about the solution to the game, hoping to seize this opportunity to get rich quickly, or to use it to show their abilities in front of everyone.
Unfortunately, although everyone is thinking hard, mathematics is not something you can figure out just by thinking about it, especially for people who have basically no basic knowledge. They may be able to do many things when they are extremely nervous or angry, but they will never be able to solve a math problem.
"I...I'll take one from the first row!"
His voice was trembling, it had only just begun and the young man was already sweating.
The onlookers are just there to watch the fun, but only he himself knows what kind of pressure gambling with all his assets at stake will bring to people.
He wanted to move a gold coin, but his shaking arms were unable to do anything. He had no choice but to speak and express his meaning.
"Okay, I understand."
Nodding, Andrea reached out and took a gold coin from the first row, then calculated it in her mind.
'-4-1+2=-3'
"It's my turn."
Speaking again, it was her turn. Andrea took three gold coins from the third row, and the situation on the table changed again.
●●●
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In just two or three steps, the number of gold coins on the table had decreased a lot. However, the increasingly nervous young man still could not see the result. Most of the onlookers around him could not understand it either. Only a few bystanders who were obviously well-dressed did not say anything, but secretly sighed.
They don't understand the secrets of this game yet, but as professionals of a high level, they can see, even with the most primitive exhaustive method, that when the situation is 3-2-1, the person who takes first is bound to lose.
Sure enough, when the young man took away two gold coins from the first row again, Andrea immediately took away the remaining two coins from the third row.
At this time, there were only two rows of gold coins with one each. At this time, everyone understood the outcome of this gamble.
"No, it's impossible, you cheated, you tricked me!"
The young man stood up from his chair tremblingly, took a step back, and then rushed forward. He wanted to take back the chips he had placed on the table, and watching his actions, Andrea did not raise her hand to stop him.
But the next moment, a sharp spear was placed on the young man's neck - obviously, if one wanted to carry out such an activity in the city, it would be impossible not to inform the city guards. After all, a large number of outsiders had recently poured into the Acropolis, and they also had to prevent casualties in places where crowds gathered.
Normally, the guards only maintained order and would not care what the people in the city did. However, the young man's attempt to openly violate the agreement made in front of the goddess's holy emblem would obviously not be accepted by the guards who maintained order.
"This is a fair game, and I have already stated the rules in advance."
After successfully completing the first game, Andrea's nervous heart also eased a lot.
A sense of confidence surged in her heart. Watching the young man put down his purse and deed in despair, and staggering back under the gaze of the guards' sharp weapons, Andrea did not feel any pity in her heart.
The goddess testified that she only asked for one-tenth of the wealth, which would not bring too much loss to a person. Since the other party tried to deceive the gods first, it was not surprising that he ended up like this.
Putting the wealth left by the young man aside, Andrea indicated that these things would also be included in the gambling. As she won more and more times, I'm afraid this "gambling money" would also increase.
"Who's coming next?"
Andrea looked at the crowd expectantly with a smile on her face. Compared to her initial nervousness, she had gradually found the fun in it.
It's really interesting to surpass others by relying on your own thinking... As she finished her words, two more people walked out of the crowd, and they all wanted to start the next round.
Theoretically, the two of them needed to decide the order, but considering that their stakes were not too high, even if they won, they would not win the entire box of gold coins, so there was always a chance for a second person, so after talking to each other for a while, the two of them politely decided the order.
In this regard, Andrea just thought that they were probably overthinking it. There is no way you can win this game.
…
Round after round, the sun slowly shifted in the sky, and soon, Andrea won several times in a row.
However, in the later games, each time took longer and longer.
This was not because someone was delaying intentionally, nor was it because they couldn't count. It was simply because most of the latecomers chose to pile huge amounts of gold coins on the table. There were even quite a few rows of hundreds of coins at the end.
They seemed to think that Andrea was just competing with them in terms of calculation power, relying on the speed of mental arithmetic in an exhaustive manner to achieve success. In this case, they naturally chose the corresponding response method, and the game time was naturally prolonged - but the result was no different.
Andrea won every game, and even became more excited the more she played. Beside her, the winnings piled up higher and higher.
As a result, this game, which she promoted as "only a truly wise person can crack", spread to more people's ears, attracting more onlookers in the city.
During the game, some people questioned the fairness of the game, but Andrea simply stated that if someone could crack the secret of her victory, it would be considered winning the bet.
So, for a while, those who thought they were smart gathered together and gathered around this small wooden table, watching one person after another come forward to try it, and some people even played games with others secretly, trying to get a glimpse of the secret.
However, just like Gobang in later generations, although this is a game with winning rules, people who don't know the rules can still play it back and forth. For a time, even more people thought that Andrea really won the victory by relying on her own wisdom.
After all, so many people have not found the pattern, so it is very likely that there is a simple difference in strength.
"Ah—it looks like I win again."
With the corners of her mouth raised subconsciously, Andrea took the last gold coin on the table.
Another game ended, but this time she didn't rush to call the next person.
I looked up at the sky and saw the sun setting. Today was about to end.
The first day's mission was successfully completed. All she had to do was defeat a few more celebrities who had heard the news, and then she would have completely achieved her goal... Patting her chest, Andrea calmed down her slightly excited mood and smiled politely at the crowd.
She didn't care about fame alone, but she liked the process of earning fame with her own abilities. Although it was a learned ability...but apart from the ancient gods who were born with knowledge, whose knowledge was not learned?
"Everyone, it's already late today. I'll stop playing the game for now, but don't worry, I'll come back tomorrow."
"Now that Acropolis has gathered so many wise men in the world, and nobles from various countries have gathered here, they will compare their wisdom and justice at the conference. Even the gods will cast their eyes on this. I think there should be someone who can crack my secret, right? Otherwise, the competition of 'wisdom' may be declared over in advance."
"Of course not, Miss Leah, your trick will be discovered!"
A cold snort came from in front of him, and the young nobleman who had just suffered a defeat pushed his bet away nonchalantly.
The gold coins fell on the table, hitting the box with a clinking sound, and he just stared at Andrea's smooth face.
"My dear friend Odysseus, the prince of Ithaca, has also come to Athens. He heard about the grand event in Athens while traveling around the continent, so he came here to offer the champion as a gift to the gods... His resourcefulness is well known to the world, and he is also recognized as an eloquent orator. And soon, perhaps he will be able to spare some time to see through your conspiracy."
"Then let him come. I have heard of him, Odysseus... Hmph, but I am leaving now."
In just half a day, Andrea felt that she had become more confident.
She raised her head slightly, nodded with her chin, and then motioned for everyone to make way under the annoyed gaze of the young man in front of her.
As for the riches, they were left where they were. Now, the Athenian guards would never allow the treasures to be stolen and bring bad reputation to the kingdom.
"Well, you'll see."
Gritting his teeth, the young noble stepped aside, but he did not do anything rude.
He realized that, just like many people who were debating and competing in the city today, the game in front of him was probably a similar one. This beautiful woman named Leah also came for the conference, but her methods were more powerful. If no one could crack her game, others would probably have to admit that she was indeed smarter than themselves in some aspects.
The actual tournament hasn't even started yet, but she already wants to 'win outside the arena'. She's really something.
But that wasn't going to happen... He trusted his friend more than the confidence that Andrea had built up in a day.
Odysseus's character and wisdom impressed the young nobleman. He believed that as long as the other party was willing to come, the result was predetermined. He would be able to solve the other party's puzzle and take away the woman's treasure. At that time, he could also laugh at her arrogance.
…
"Yeah... I'm so happy~"
Feeling very happy, Andrea walked briskly back to the place they rented.
Although she has left, she still misses the feeling of being watched by people, the gazes filled with admiration, envy, or unconvinced challengers.
Then she could defeat her opponent severely and enjoy the feeling of victory - an experience she had never had before as a princess.
In the past, everyone respected her, but that was all. Their respect came from their fathers or the favor of the gods, but this time, everything came from herself.
I didn't know I was so awesome...
Boom——
"ah--!"
Covering her forehead, Andrea looked at Ryan angrily, while Ryan, sitting at the table, just drank a sip of tea as if no one was around.
The first-level universal spell, knocking, is used to trigger traps or explore secret rooms, but it is also a very good spell for knocking people.
"Be more restrained. At least don't giggle in the room. Miss Captive, you have to understand that you are just using the knowledge I taught you to beat the primitive people. There is nothing to be proud of."
"And the fact that you can win is essentially because they are still playing the game with you according to the rules. You have read history, so you should know the story of the Queen of Thebes, right?"
"...I know, Mr. Ivan, but I won't laugh at God like she does." Andrea puffed her lips and sat in the chair opposite Ryan.
Although she disliked this kind of violent reminder and didn't think she would be like the former Queen of Thebes, Ryan's reminder did make sense.
Thebes... that was a city-state kingdom founded by Cadmus, the famous city builder who had helped the God-King during the Typhon Calamity. The caravan they met on the road started from there.
This hero from Phoenicia ultimately failed to find his sister Europa - perhaps he knew that it was the work of the God-King, so he chose to remain silent.
In short, he married the daughter of the goddess of beauty and harmony, and continued his bloodline in the world - it is said that Aphrodite was very dissatisfied with this, as she did not want her daughter to marry a mortal, but perhaps in order to show that he was clear about rewards and punishments, this result was not changed in the end.
However, this was just the beginning... Thebes was one of the most disaster-stricken city-states in human history. It was not known whether it was the secret revenge of the goddess of beauty or the instruction of the king of gods.
Just like the queen Ryan just mentioned, in this era where having many children is considered a sign of strength, the woman who gave birth to seven sons and seven daughters was once proud and complacent, and even felt that God was no more capable than her.
Even Leto, the black-robed goddess in the sky, had only one son, Apollo.
She thought so and told her followers so, but her words were overheard by Leto. So the Titan goddess, who was hurt, called her son in anger and asked Apollo, who was driving the golden chariot, to shoot the queen's seven sons one by one with his unparalleled archery skills in the sky, and then shot her seven daughters to death in front of her.
Leaving aside the queen's pain and regret, it can be seen from this that competition is only meaningful within the rules. But without the protection of the rules, the so-called victory or defeat is nothing but a joke.
"Tell me about your experience today. Did you defeat anyone special, or encounter any troubles?"
Seeing that Andrea had calmed down, Ryan didn't intend to lecture the twelve-year-old girl too much.
He had not watched the entire day's gambling game in one place, so he now planned to confirm whether there was any more valuable information.
"No, this is the first day, the news probably hasn't spread yet, and most of the people who came are unknown..."
After recalling it, Andrea shook her head, but then seemed to remember something.
"But before I left, someone said that he would find Odysseus to be my opponent tomorrow - I have heard of him, he is the prince of Ithaca, and a very capable guy, well... you know him."
"Know."
Ryan's mood didn't change when he heard the familiar name.
He certainly knew Odysseus, and a considerable part of the later records about the myth of Chaos centered on him.
But at that time Odysseus had already grown up and inherited the throne of Ithaca.
He once led the Greek coalition forces, was also the originator of the Trojan Horse strategy, and led his army back after the ten-year Trojan War, and then experienced another ten years of drifting on the sea.
After returning to his homeland, he once again faced a group of enemies who thought he was dead and occupied his kingdom. In terms of the length of mythological records alone, he may not be much less than Hercules.
But that was all about his later life. There aren't many clear records about Odysseus when he was young.
"If it's him, he probably won't follow the rules of the game. He's not a rule-abiding person."
Ryan spoke with a smile and looked at the little princess in front of him.
"So how have you mastered the 'Double-Digit Balancing Method' that I taught you? If there are more than three rows of gold coins, can you still calculate it?"
"Of course, I am very good at mental arithmetic!"
She raised her chin slightly, and then quickly shrank back into her seat under Ryan's gaze. Since Andrea was so confident, Ryan would just believe her.
"Since you are so confident, then let's do this."
"If you can defeat Odysseus, you should have won half of the battle."
Winning half of it is basically equal to winning everything, because Andrea is a priestess of Athena. Others can't see through this disguise, but Zeus probably can.
So in the following competitions, as long as she performs well, it will be fine. If the God King really intends to do something... as long as his plan is related to Athens, Andrea will almost certainly be chosen.