(Titus's Point of View)
Back in Arcadia, I briefed Scathach and Atalanta about my recent discoveries, deliberately omitting the pact I made with Aphrodite—and the fact that I had, well, bullied her a bit. The main focus of our discussion was on Draco, the Whore of Babylonia.
"Hmm~" Artoria was contentedly resting on my lap, her eyes closed as she savored our closeness. Since our return, she had become quite attached to me.
"Kh." Atalanta, on the other hand, seemed less pleased with these developments. Her expression was tense, though I couldn't tell if it was jealousy or anger at my harsh words about the Olympian gods.
"This is troublesome," Scathach commented. "I've also sensed that the mana in the air is unusually high. If the Beast has made direct contact with the gods, it's likely that Zeus and the other higher gods already know about us."
Scathach's words made me realize a possibility I hadn't considered.
"It means I'll eventually have to face one or probably all of them…" I muttered, sighing. While I was undeniably strong and could take on armies, facing the entire pantheon alone would be a monumental task.
"Wait, this Whore of Babylonia… is she really that powerful?" Atalanta inquired.
"Yes, she was born from my abilities. She possesses almost the same abilities as me. Just like I can travel back in the past and change histories without facing Alaya's wrath, she can do that too. She can also grant beings a chance to survive and alter fate, even after the departure of the age of gods," I explained Draco's powers to Atalanta.
I wasn't entirely sure of Draco's exact abilities, but after many encounters and general hypotheses, I concluded that she had similar powers to dreamshift to other timelines like me. However, unlike me, she had much more freedom and was always a step ahead.
"What's worse is that I can't use my Eyes of Fate to track her down," I added.
My Eyes of Fate could foresee almost any possibility, and I initially thought tracking Draco would be straightforward. However, I hadn't foreseen Aurora's relationship with Draco, nor Aphrodite's corruption and connection to her.
You could say Draco is like Oberon. In FGO, Oberon couldn't be seen by Merlin's clairvoyance, and I think it's safe to assume that I couldn't see Draco in the same sense.
"Plus, if gods with clairvoyance can easily find me…" I trailed off, considering the implications.
Clairvoyance was indeed a formidable ability possessed by many characters in the Nasuverse. Merlin, Solomon, Gilgamesh, Odin, and others had this power, allowing them not just to see the future but also to locate someone across timelines.
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that, disciple," Scathach interjected. "Anyone bearing a curse or harboring hatred for another cannot use any form of clairvoyance. Foresight might be possible, but seeing prophecies or tracking others is not feasible for anyone with such a curse."
"Are you sure?" I asked. If Scathach was right, then my task would be much easier.
"Definitely. I can assure you of that," Scathach confirmed. "I once possessed a similar blessing, but I lost it after succumbing to darkness."
That was a bit awkward.
"Anyway, the short answer is that the gods here are cursed. That's the main point. So, for the next plan—"
I was about to continue when Atalanta abruptly stood up.
"Stop speaking ill of our gods. They aren't corrupted or cursed. If they were, Lady Artemis would never have adopted me," Atalanta said sharply and began to walk out of the room.
I exchanged a glance with Scathach.
"Yeah, you guessed it right. People here have a blind faith in their gods, regardless of their actions. It means that the age of gods will linger for much longer if we don't intervene," Scathach said, and we both sighed.
Great. Not only did I have my own tasks, but now I also needed to enlighten people about the true nature of the gods.
However, Atalanta was my primary concern. As I was about to get up to follow her, Artoria spoke up.
"Let me talk to her," Artoria said, muttering something like, 'Can't even enjoy sniffing unkie in peace.'
After Artoria left, Scathach gave me a meaningful look. "You know, disciple, it's not good to leave your teacher alone," she said, licking her lips suggestively.
I rolled my eyes, deciding to maintain my distance if I didn't want to complicate things further with Atalanta.
---
(3rd Person's POV)
Atalanta's gaze remained fixed on the bright moon, a symbol of her savior and mother goddess, Artemis. Artemis had rescued Atalanta, who otherwise might have perished, either devoured by wild animals or succumbed to starvation. Gods typically held no obligation towards mortals, yet Artemis had gone out of her way to nurture Atalanta as her own daughter. It was Artemis' love that inspired Atalanta to master archery and build a reputation, and it was that same love that motivated her to save other children who were less fortunate.
Consequently, Atalanta was deeply disturbed by Titus and others speaking ill of the gods. To her, the actions of the gods were always just.
"So you are here," a voice interrupted her thoughts. Seeing Artoria soured Atalanta's mood even more.
"If you are here to change my views on the gods—"
"Nope, I couldn't care less about your faith or your philosophy. Your character development is up to unkie. I just wanted to tell you that I kissed unkie," Artoria said, grinning with rosy cheeks. "And man, his fingers are awesome. My butt felt so good when he fondled it during the kiss. Ah~!"
Atalanta glared at Artoria and clicked her tongue in disgust. "Cheh. So disgusting. And if you're here to mock me, you're wasting your time. I also don't care about whatever you three do in your personal time."
Artoria's grin persisted. "Ho? Then why do I sense jealousy here?"
"What! It's not..." Atalanta blushed and wanted to refute, but her proud nature held her back.
"Anyway, I just wanted to tell you something about unkie—Titus," Artoria turned serious. "He will do anything for you. He will save children. He will protect you. He will even protect your friends if you ask him. However..." Artoria paused for a moment, "Don't trust your heart to him. He will deceive you just like he deceived my sister."
Atalanta listened to Artoria's words, visibly shaken. She knew of Titus's involvement in helping Morgan, Artoria's sister, ascend to the throne, but his subsequent death left Morgan alone and pregnant. Atalanta found Titus's actions reprehensible, yet a part of her couldn't fully despise him.
"If he's such a liar, why do you still stay with him?" Atalanta questioned.
"Because I love unkie, and so did my sister, even after his betrayal," Artoria replied with a smile. "Unkie is a selfish person who acts in the best interest of his loved ones, regardless of others' opinions. Even after his death, I loved him and sealed myself away to aid him. My sister, even on her deathbed, never stopped loving unkie."
Atalanta's eyes widened, bewildered at the thought of loving someone despite such betrayal.
"Anyway, the thing is..." Artoria continued, looking directly at Atalanta, "you can trust unkie with anything, but don't give him your heart if you're so fragile. He will shatter it into pieces."
---
(Titus's POV)
I was in the bedroom, engrossed in a book, when Atalanta entered, donning her usual Greek robes. Yet, her demeanor was tense, her expression troubled.
"Is it true that you will deceive me?" she blurted out unexpectedly.
I sighed and set the book aside. "Yes, it's true. I am a deceiver," I admitted.
Atalanta's expression hardened at my words. I smiled softly and patted the bed, signaling her to sit beside me. She sat down hesitantly, and I gently lifted her chin to meet her gaze.
"Atalanta, I promise that within my power, I will fulfill your every wish. You're free to ask for my help with other matters too. However, please don't interfere with my objectives. I've lost my children before, and to prevent the same tragedy, I must do everything within my power," I explained, my voice sincere.
Her expression softened slightly, and she nodded. "Actually, about the oracle... I think I should tell you about it."
She proceeded to share her prophecy with me. While it didn't provide new information, it mirrored her goals and signified a level of trust in me.
"Well, if not me, you can always trust the oracle," I said with a smile.
Atalanta blushed and shook her head. "No, I believe in you."
"Very well," I responded, extinguishing the lamp. "It's getting late. We need to embark on our journey early tomorrow."
Atalanta hesitated for a moment before lying down beside me, quickly falling asleep. Despite my suggestion of separate rooms, she preferred to share one. It seemed the concept of sleeping separately wasn't common among Greeks, though I suspected another reason for her preference.
As she slept, Atalanta turned and instinctively wrapped her arms around my waist, resting her head on my chest. It was clear she found comfort in this closeness.
I chuckled softly, returning to my book, and spent the rest of the night reading while she slept peacefully by my side.
---
(3rd Person's POV)
A giant demigod was rampaging down the roads, his enormous strength turning everything in his path to rubble. His destination? His own home, where his family awaited him.
'Stop! Please! Stop!' the demigod cried out in desperation, but his own body defied his pleas. Cursed with madness, he was unable to control his actions. He begged the gods for help, but his prayers went unanswered.
'Someone! Please stop me!' he implored again.
That's when he saw his wife, Megara.
'Get away from me!' Tears streamed down the demigod's face, but he was unable to speak. All he could do was roar like a beast driven mad.
"Lord Heracles?" Megara uttered in confusion, but it was too late. Heracles, the son of Zeus, stood before her with his massive club raised high.
'Please... no...' With tears and a sense of helplessness in his eyes, Heracles swung the club.
BAM!
As the cloud of dust settled, enveloping the scene in a thick haze, Heracles's heart plummeted into the depths of despair. He was convinced that no one could withstand the might of his attack, and the thought that he had killed his own wife, Megara, filled him with unbearable agony. The weight of what he believed he had done – taking the life of his beloved under the curse of madness – was a burden too heavy to bear.
He stood there, frozen in horror and grief, as the dust slowly began to clear, revealing the true outcome of his devastating blow. It was when he saw something unusual.
!!
His eyes widened in shock when he saw Megara stopping the gigantic club with her bare single hand.
Megara met Heracles's gaze and smirked. "Surprise, motherfucker."
Heracles knew it wasn't his wife after all.