Promise did not come here without a plan after all, he had dealt with such matters before.
To be honest Io's issue wasn't too troublesome, as Zeus hadn't succeeded with her.
Therefore, Promise knew what he needed to do was simple.
Just like in the myth, he needed to soften Hera's heart and ensure that Zeus would no longer target Io, showing Hera that she posed no threat.
With this in mind, the boy swallowed the golden apple and focused on the white cow before him.
At that moment, Promise realized that something was slightly off.
As he prepared to draw Io on the canvas, what appeared before him was no longer the white cow but a beautiful woman, crying in sorrow, with skin as lovely as milk.
Her green eyes sparkled like stars in the night.
But soon, Promise stopped overthinking it.
Using the advantage brought by the golden apple, although he didn't enter the same state of inspired frenzy as before, he quickly calmed down and focused.
Apollo, though puzzled as to why Promise was drawing instead of playing the flute, found watching the boy paint enjoyable and did not interrupt.
And Argos, sensing danger, was somewhat unsettled, but the strong aura of Hera on Promise couldn't be fake, so after hesitating for a while, he did nothing.
Thus, under the faint moonlight at the highest peak of the silent mountain, the only sound was Promise gently moving his paintbrush.
This time, it didn't take long, just a little over two hours, for him to finish the painting.
He looked at the painting in his hand and smiled with satisfaction.
Then he stood up, holding the painting, and found the best scenic spot.
Before Apollo and Argos could react, he began:
"Noble and beautiful Queen Hera, I am your most loyal follower, Promise, student of the centaur sage Chiron. At this moment, I wish to offer you a tribute, a painting. I hope you will like it."
Promise offered the painting to Queen Hera.
And just as he finished speaking, the goddess appeared before him, as if she had always been by his side.
"A painting?!"
Hera's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Promise.
She had arrived so quickly that she still held a piece of wild boar meat in her hand.
"Where is it, Promise? Are you offering me a painting?!"
At that moment, seeing Hera appear in front of Promise, both the hundred-eyed giant Argos and Apollo were stunned.
"Huh, wait a minute, Apollo, why are you here... and Argos?"
Hera then naturally noticed Apollo standing nearby, as well as the towering giant Argos.
Seeing Argos, she was momentarily taken aback, then quickly realized what was happening and looked at Io, who was also stunned by the sudden turn of events.
Upon seeing Io, Hera's face showed undisguised disgust, but she restrained herself when she saw Promise.
"Who sent you here... was it Athena again?!"
She asked, barely containing her anger.
Promise said nothing in response but handed the painting to Hera.
The latter took the painting with a frown, and as soon as she saw it, she was stunned.
The painting depicted a beautiful woman with snow-white skin, holding a snow-white cow and crying beside a large tree under the night sky.
Next to them was a wooden house with lights on.
The door was open, and cries could be heard from inside.
Several people, who resembled the woman, walked by her repeatedly, their faces showing exhaustion.
Despite the woman's cries and calls, her relatives could only hear the cow's mooing.
As Hera looked at the painting, a sense of pity and reluctance welled up in her heart.
Meanwhile, Promise had quietly approached the cow and untied the rope around her.
He brought Io before Hera, making her kneel and look up, her eyes filled with pleading as she cried.
Finally, Hera was moved.
She looked at Io and then at Promise, feeling a little flustered and a little reluctant, but at the same time she gritted her teeth, unwilling to let Io go easily.
Promise then bent down, gently patted the cow's head, and smiled, saying, "Io, when you return home, do you vow to become a loyal and kind follower of the noble Queen Hera for the rest of your life, and never betray her?
Do you promise to pray to Queen Hera at her temple every day?"
Hearing this, Io seemed to awaken from a dream.
She nodded frantically at Promise and looked pleadingly at Hera.
Seeing this, Hera's expression finally softened.
She looked at Io, then at Promise.
After a long while, she sighed softly.
She reached out and patted Promise's head with a mix of fondness and helplessness, pinched his cheek, then turned and left with the painting.
The moment she left, Io felt an intense itching all over her body and she couldn't help but scratch the itchy spots.
It felt as if she was shedding a heavy layer of clothing.
Finally, she emerged from the body of the white cow.
She was indeed a very beautiful person, with skin as white as snow, and even exuding a faint scent of milk.
Emerging, she looked around in confusion with her bright eyes until Promise took out a piece of clothing from Pegasus and draped it over her.
She then finally came to her senses, looking up and staring blankly at the boy in front of her.
It was as if she wanted to imprint his image in her mind forever.
It was not until this moment that Apollo, the God of Light, finally came back to his senses from the series of events before him.
The main issue was that things progressed too quickly; he hadn't even had a chance to say a word!
Apollo then looked at Io, who had returned to her human form, and then at the hundred-eyed giant Argos, standing nearby, stunned for a while.
Wait a minute, fate... was it rewritten so easily?
.
.
.
At this moment, in the ancient and majestic Temple of Fate.
"Hey, Clotho, your Promise has altered fate again."
The sickly second sister Lachesis said to the goddess of fate Clotho.
"Yes."
And the goddess of fate Clotho simply responded indifferently.
---
.
.
In the kingdom of Lerna,
As the sun god Helios brought the sun to light up the night and dawn illuminated the world, a Pegasus descended from the sky, flapping its silver wings and arriving on Earth.
Under the incredulous gaze of the middle-aged king, who was also Io's father, Inachus, the Pegasus brought back his daughter, who was as beautiful as a flower.
In the palace of the kingdom, Promise dismounted from the crouching Pegasus, helped Io down, and watched as she and her father embraced each other, crying tears of joy.
Surrounding them were some attendants, guards, and Io's family members who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion.
Seeing that it was finally over, Promise then turned and prepared to leave on the Pegasus.
"Wait, brave warrior!" Inachus quickly called out to Promise.
He looked at the boy sitting on the Pegasus, who appeared as dazzling as a God descended to Earth, and after a moment of awe, said, "No, great god, can you tell me your noble name?
I don't know exactly what happened, but I know it must have been a difficult journey. So please stay here for a while. I will prepare the grandest feast and offer you rich rewards to show my gratitude!"
After Inachus finished speaking, Io couldn't help but look at Promise.
Her beautiful eyes were filled with expectation.
She hoped Promise would stay, as she had many things she wanted to say to him.
"I am not a great God. My name is Promise, a student of the centaur sage Chiron and a follower of the noble Queen Hera."
Promise smiled and replied,
"As for the feast and rewards, they are unnecessary because it wasn't me who saved your daughter, Io. You don't need to thank me. Thank the kind-hearted Queen Hera... And Io, remember your promise.
From now on, go to Hera's temple every day and pray to her!"
'Zeus, if you dare to lay a hand on Io in Hera's temple, all I can say is, you truly are something!'
Hearing that Promise wasn't a God, Inachus was visibly surprised.
However, at this moment, Io stepped away from her father, nodded firmly to Promise, and said, "Lord Promise, don't worry. I will keep my vow. From today on, I will be like you, a lifelong loyal follower of Queen Hera.
And my father, although I can't tell you exactly what happened while I was missing, I can tell you that it was Lord Promise who called upon Queen Hera for help and forgiveness.
That's how I was able to return to your side!"
Hearing this, Inachus looked at his daughter, who couldn't take her eyes off Promise, and instantly understood something.
As he was about to say something, the boy smiled, shook his head, and said, "No, I really didn't do much. Just thank Queen Hera."
With more and more people gathering to see what was happening, Promise gently patted the Pegasus's head, which flapped its wings and prepared to leave.
"Wait!" Io became anxious and hurriedly took a step forward, saying, "Lord Promise, please stay. My father will prepare the grandest feast and give you the most precious treasures!"
"No need," The latter replied instantly. "I don't deserve such treatment, but if you really want to reward me... I hope you can spread my name.
I am Promise, a student of the centaur Chiron and a follower of Queen Hera. I will become the brightest hero in this world!"
With that, the Pegasus carried Promise into the sky, flying towards the morning sun, watched by Io and the others.