"Respected mother, my great mother goddess, I want to ask you something."
In the temple adorned with various blooming flowers, Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld, looked seriously at Demeter and asked, "Am I your daughter?"
In the courtyard pavilion, Demeter, with golden hair and purple eyes, wearing a crown woven from golden wheat, looked at her puzzled and said, "Yes, why?"
As she spoke, she fed a washed grape to Promise.
In ancient Greek mythology, grapes were considered one of the gods' delicacies.
Therefore, grapes symbolized sanctity and nobility in ancient Greek culture.
Moreover, the ancient Greeks believed that grapes had healing properties and would drink grape juice to pray for good health.
Persephone silently watched this scene and said, "I feel like I am no longer your daughter... Mother, at least look at me. I just returned from the Underworld!"
"But weren't you the one who kept insisting on going to the Underworld?" Demeter replied indifferently. "And you even told me in front of all the gods that you wanted to stay in the Underworld forever."
Persephone was speechless.
Hearing these words, the nymph standing nearby, waiting to serve, couldn't help but chuckle, which earned a glare from Persephone causing her to restrain her laughter and lower her head.
This scene showed that these attendants lived very well under Demeter's care, unlike in Hephaestus' realm, where the atmosphere seemed to freeze.
"I feel like there's no need for me to come back," Persephone continued, feeling downcast.
"You don't have to come back."
Demeter's indifferent answer silenced the atmosphere completely.
At this point, Promise, who hadn't spoken, blinked while watching the mother and daughter bicker.
As an observer, he could naturally understand the situation at a glance.
Demeter couldn't possibly be indifferent to Persephone so she was expressing her displeasure in this way.
Although most of the problems had been resolved, and everyone's fate had changed, with the three Fates working frantically to complete nearly impossible tasks, Demeter had not yet relented.
Even though Persephone's role as the Queen of the Underworld had been tacitly approved by the gods, Demeter had not given her consent, which was why Promise brought her back.
Later, Persephone, who was angry with Demeter, ran away.
Once Persephone was gone, Demeter stopped pampering Promise, and looked at the direction where she went with her purple eyes.
After a long time, she smiled and looked at Promise, softly saying, "I thought you would persuade me."
The boy shook his head without speaking.
"Are you no longer planning to persuade me to let my daughter stay with Hades?"
Promise responded, "I never intended to... Though I don't really have the right to say this, given that it was me who took Goddess Persephone to the Underworld, whatever my reasons might have been."
Hearing this, Demeter affectionately patted his head.
"No, you certainly have the right. You not only completed the difficult trial I set for you but also... child, do you know that you changed my originally tragic fate?"
Promise was taken aback and looked at her in confusion.
Demeter couldn't reveal the conversation she had with Hera or her original future.
This was one reason why she was so fond of Promise.
"After experiencing so much and hearing her express her wish in the Underworld, I actually... had already compromised."
In the boy's surprised gaze, the goddess softly said, "I originally intended to let her witness the ugliness of the underworld so that she would give up staying by my side forever and being protected by me, but I didn't expect that she would show me her growth and determination instead."
"At that moment, I understood she had grown up and I shouldn't keep her by my side forever.
Now, keeping her by my side was no longer protection but a constraint."
Promise was silent for a moment before praising Demeter, "Goddess Demeter, you are truly a wonderful mother."
"But if she hadn't returned, I wouldn't have agreed."
Saying this, Demeter winked playfully at Promise, surprising him again as she continued, "Hera already told me. She will spend half of each year in the Underworld and half with me."
"By the way, don't tell her. Let her experience half a year first... She didn't respect me as her mother!"
Seeing Demeter's pouting and resentful expression, Promise wisely kept quiet and nodded obediently.
Though he couldn't lie to the gods, he could avoid mentioning it if Persephone didn't ask.
As for Hades, Goddess Hera would inform him.
After all, she had long promised him a wedding.
"Oh, by the way, child, what do you plan to do next? I heard from Hera and Athena that you are looking for companions to embark on the adventure for the Golden Fleece?"
Although the Golden Fleece, famous throughout Greece, couldn't compare to the artifact in Promise's possession, it was still Hera's trial.
Promise nodded but then shook his head, answering Demeter, "Yes, Goddess Demeter, I have been preparing for the Golden Fleece adventure. But before that, I plan to return to Goddess Hephaestus."
Leaving Hephaestus was accidental, as the magic Goddess Hecate left was timed to send Promise out of the Underworld, leaving a trace behind.
Because she found it troublesome, Hecate left this task to her familiar, the Underworld butterfly.
In other words, if Hecate had paid more attention and noticed Promise's situation, he wouldn't have left so easily.
After meeting Medea, Hecate didn't know if sealing her temple doors would help!
"Child, you plan to go back?!" Demeter was shocked and confused by Promise's response.
Hera was already anxious to find Zeus. You managed to sneak out and now want to return and be imprisoned again?
"Yes." The boy nodded and took out the artifact, explaining the situation to Demeter.
Though returning meant imprisonment, the oath with Hephaestus to complete the carving of the Olympian gods was a must to obtain the artifact.
Due to the oath, Promise knew Goddess Hephaestus wouldn't harm him and only wanted to use him against Hera.
After understanding the situation, Demeter looked at the boy strangely.
"If I'm not mistaken, you plan to help Hephaestus?"
Help Hephaestus against Hera!
Promise was silent but this silent more so confirmed his stance.
Yes, this time he intended to be on Hephaestus' side.
After all, although this artifact is subject to oath restrictions, it doesn't make much difference if you pick it up for free.
"I respect Goddess Hera and am grateful for her efforts for me.
I don't plan to help Goddess Hephaestus against her, but...
I want to do something for that goddess," Promise said.
He remembered Hephaestus, who was thrown off Mount Olympus, breaking his legs, with a marriage that became a joke, wearing a mask, known as the ugliest god.
Promise wasn't foolish.
Although he had no specific concept at the beginning, he could see the reactions of Demeter, Persephone, and even Hades.
From their shocked look, he had naturally determined that the artifact Goddess Hephaestus had made for him was a creation that even the gods would marvel at!
Therefore, under the influence of these circumstances, Promise really cannot remain indifferent.
Seeing his determined expression, Demeter, knowing he had made up his mind, didn't say more.
"Then I bless you."
Smiling, she gently said, "I've witnessed the miracles you've created, and I'm one of them. So... I believe you will create another miracle."
"Thank you, Goddess Demeter."
Although Promise answered like this, there was actually some confusion in his eyes.
Because he actually hasn't figured out what to do after returning to Goddess Hephaestus.
After all, he couldn't really stay there imprisoned forever and wait for Hera to rescue him.
He had to complete his heroic journey and then have a glorious ending.
Oh, if at this time...
"It would be nice if a beautiful and wise goddess appeared at this time, just like she did before, and gave the boy who longed to become a hero and ended up like a hero an oracle to guide him on the way forward, that would be great...right, Little Promise?"
While the boy was thinking, the sound of silver bells that he hadn't heard for a long time rang in his ears.
Hearing those words, Promise was stunned, and turned his head in surprise, looking at the silver-haired, golden-eyed goddess who had come behind him at some point, wearing a flawless white dress and showing a beautiful smile.
Before he could speak, she reached out and fed a golden apple into his mouth.
By the way, she gently pinched his face and complained: "Little Promise, do you know that it is so difficult to see you now!"