"Don't think things will be easy for you," Athena stated firmly. "I have seen what transpired before I appeared here. Before I consider becoming your summon, you must face a trial. As one of the intellectual goddesses of Olympus, I won't be lenient. Even though the king of the Greek gods is already your summon, you must still prove your worth to me."
She paused, her gaze piercing as she continued, "Now answer me: what is stronger, wisdom or physical strength?"
Before Athena had fully materialized, she was taken to a place devoid of anything but the light beneath her, where she observed Leonard choosing his summon. His thoughts were loud and clear to her, echoing in the void.
Amused by his reasoning, the summoning became easier for her, yet she remained aware of the Trial Summon she would need to initiate. After Leonard made his choice, everything went dark for Athena. Suddenly, a white, faceless humanoid figure appeared before her, standing still. Before she could react, it passed through her, and though startled, she understood it was harmless.
The white figure had imparted the necessary information to her, fueling her desire to test Leonard.
As Athena posed her question, Leonard found himself deep in thought. He had anticipated such a question from her but had never prepared an answer. His heart pounded, but he forced himself to calm down.
'Hoo…'
Though he hadn't yet spoken, the answer was already clear in his mind.
"Lady Athena," Leonard began, his voice steady, "wisdom guide strength, and strength enforces wisdom. Alone, strength may falter, but with wisdom, it finds purpose and direction. True power lies in the harmony of both."
A heavy silence fell over the group. Even Zeus, who had been watching from the sidelines, remained quiet. He had no particular expectations of Leonard, prepared to accept whatever outcome might arise. Even if Leonard failed to win Athena as his summon, Zeus had already devised a plan to help him grow stronger. What he truly desired from Athena was her wisdom, her knowledge of warfare and craftsmanship.
'This girl… she really is suspicious of Leonard's capabilities. I don't know why she asked that, but this answer should be enough for her to accept him as her master,' Zeus mused, shaking his head.
Athena remained silent, processing Leonard's response. She observed the way his eyes moved, how they reacted to her presence. Her senses extended outward, assessing the situation and the gravity of her summoning.
She had thoughts before being summoned. This was another world. After seeing Zeus, her father, standing behind Leonard as if he were a supporter, she couldn't help but be amazed by this world.
Her stern personality wasn't enough to quell her curiosity, but Athena had already noticed Zeus's frequent disappearances from their abode. Since the connection to Earth was long sealed, there seemed to be no other reason for Zeus to vanish, especially since most of the other gods from different mythologies visited Olympus.
Moreover, the allure of another world was already in the back of her mind. Even though she could easily jump to a world recognized by her affiliates from different realms, she wanted to experience it firsthand.
So, there wouldn't be any harm in becoming a summon. There were no thrills left for her in Olympus. The technological advancements of the people on Earth had erased her interest in their affairs. Peace among the gods had suppressed her bloodlust for war.
However, if she were to become a summon, her master needed to be worthy of her service. Even if Zeus was already a summon of this young boy, Leonard, she still wanted to be assured of the character of the individual she would serve.
Now, realizing how genuine Leonard's answer was, the Trial Summon became easy for him.
[Trial Summon Successfully Accomplished!]
[Congratulations! Athena – Goddess of Wisdom, War, and Craftsmanship has become your summon!]
[Summons: Zeus, Athena]
[Summoning Power: 2]
Leonard closed his eyes and released a heavy sigh of relief. Even though it was just the first chance, he couldn't have been more relieved to have succeeded.
He still didn't know if the summoning scroll would disappear if he failed the Trial Summon. It would be a waste of resources if that happened.
But he couldn't be happier than he was now. Successfully summoning was a milestone for a summoner. Even though he still didn't fully understand what it meant to be a summoner, he felt accomplished.
"Athena… do you really want to be my summon?" Leonard asked, still in disbelief.
Athena nodded and approached Leonard. Her hands touched his arms and then lifted them slightly.
"You look like a twig, master. You need to do something about this."
Leonard's eyes and lips visibly twitched at her words.
"Are you insulting me just now?"
Athena chuckled and shook her head. "Of course not. I am just stating the fact."
Leonard didn't react, but he still had a question in mind. "Are you expecting me to be a smart summoner? I know that you are smart, but please don't expect that I am smart. I might tell you my story so don't expect that much."
"I have only one expectation of you, master. Just don't die because of overestimating your wisdom or strength. As you've mentioned, they should be in harmony."
Leonard nodded. "I know that. But, can you please not call me master? It gives me an uncomfortable vibes."
"Why not? It is a sign of respect to you."
"I know that you feel obliged to respect me since you are my summon. But don't need to overdo it."
"Right… So, I will call you, Young Lord Leonard? Would that do?" Athena asked purely with curiosity.
Leonard closed his eyes as he spoke, "Still no. That is still overdoing it. Just Leonard or Leo will do."
A smile came from Athena. "I understand, Leo."
Watching the both of them became already familiar with each other, Zeus couldn't help but interject between them.
"You two seems to be already casual. What happened to your graceful and imposing aura, Athena? Why does it seems that you already accepted your fate and bowed down to a mortal?"
Athena faced Zeus as she heard the question to her dignity as a goddess. She dismissed it with a shake of his head as she supported them. "You can ask the same thing to yourself, Father Zeus. You might not feel this, but I feel more stronger connection to Leo than to you. Even if it is just our first time meeting."
Leonard snorted and looked at Zeus with teasing eyes. "You heard that, Zeus?"
Unbeknownst to them, Zeus and Athena's connection to Leonard differed. Not because of the way they were summon, but because of the registry. Officially, Athena was Leonard's first summon, not Zeus as he appeared and became a summon out of normal ways. Zeus was an anomaly.
Passing Note: The novel will be free until around chapter 60 or so.