Athena should have come to consult with Hera sooner—not only Hera but also Hestia.
These three goddesses had been Suren's earliest patrons, blessing him in the beginning, and so their support was crucial.
Athena had her own perspective, but now she sought Hera's opinion.
A curious expression crossed Hera's face, and she let out a slight laugh. "Who would have thought that our brave and wise Athena would use formal titles with me?"
"You don't even address my unfaithful husband that way. He's merely 'Zeus' to you, is he not?"
The gods treated each other with a casual familiarity, rarely using honorifics among themselves. While mortals and nymphs revered them, calling even Zeus simply by name was commonplace in divine circles, with few referring to him as "Great Father" or "King of the Gods."
Unmoved, Athena replied, "Hera, you know what I'm here to ask."
"…"
Seeing that Athena wasn't rising to her jest, Hera's smile faded, and she continued, "That boy, that beautiful, loyal child—I'm quite fond of him."
"No, actually, I'd say I care for him deeply."
A flicker of tenderness appeared in Hera's eyes. "As for his ambitions?" She shook her head, smiling. "Such a trivial concern!"
"You and Hestia nurtured him into Greece's most powerful hero. You gifted Suren the strength to roam freely across our land—of course, he'd grow to dream with a matching ambition."
"Without his kind heart and the virtue of bestowing kindness upon all, both you and I would have long rejected him, wouldn't we?"
"Would you rather have Suren become another Heracles?"
Hera's gaze turned icy, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes. "Heracles—who impregnated forty-nine maidens in a single night, who dallies ceaselessly with men and women alike…"
"Suren clearly possesses strength beyond Heracles. Do you wish to see him become another fool like that?"
Calling Heracles "trash" might have been excessive—many maidens had willingly been presented to him by their own fathers. But with Hera's view of Heracles, such a sentiment was understandable.
With her complicated feelings toward all of Zeus's progeny, Hera mixed personal grievances with a measure of detachment. Even deities as esteemed as Apollo and Artemis couldn't escape Hera's persecution.
Athena, for her part, had little issue with Heracles' indiscretions. She saw his pursuits as part of the heroic charm that defined male valor.
A hero, in her mind, ought to see it as an honor to conquer as many hearts as possible.
Though a goddess, Athena was a staunch supporter of patriarchy. Once, when Agamemnon's son, Orestes, was pursued by the Furies after avenging his father by killing his mother, Athena cast the deciding vote in his trial, symbolizing the final victory of paternal authority over maternal influence.
To Athena, Heracles' private conduct had never been an issue—she'd supported him unreservedly despite it.
But now…
The thought of Suren consorting with fifty maidens, and perhaps even with delicate, fair men…
An unbidden surge of irritation rose in Athena.
She nodded coolly. "You're not wrong, Hera."
Yet, being the goddess of wisdom, she quickly regained her composure and pressed on. "But Hera, what I truly wish to know is this—"
"How far are you willing to support Suren?"
"Is your support for him confined to the mortal realm?"
Athena admired Suren's ambition to establish divine order, yet she knew that even if he aspired to accomplish it, he couldn't voice it so directly.
Human affairs belong to humanity, and divine matters belong to the gods. If Suren didn't wish to bring the wrath of all gods upon himself, he would need divine allies who were willing to cooperate from within.
To achieve this, Athena sought Hera's endorsement. Hera, as the mother of Ares, the god of war, and Hephaestus, the god of fire, held an authority nearly equal to Zeus's. Her power and influence were critical within the Olympian pantheon.
In terms of strength, after the calamity of the White Titan Sefar, Ares had become the only Olympian god with his own "machine"—a war deity, unmatched by any other in might except Zeus himself.
And in terms of authority, Hera's dominion spoke for itself.
Thus, Hera's support was essential.
In the past, when the gods still had their divine bodies, not even a united pantheon could challenge the omnipotent Zeus. Dismantling Olympus itself would have been effortless for him.
But now, Zeus had lost his all-powerful form and had been embodied in flesh due to human faith. While he remained mightier than any other god who had lost their divine form, his power had decreased, bringing him on par with Ares.
He still held the dignity of the Great Father, but not the omnipotence of yore.
Hera noticed Athena's tense demeanor and suddenly burst into laughter, pointing at her in amusement. "For someone who claims to have a third of Zeus's wisdom, you still don't understand him at all, do you?"
"What do you see when you look at Zeus?" she asked with a smile. "A tyrant who lusts for power? A foolish king obsessed with indulgence?"
"Why do you assume Zeus would oppose Suren's proposal?"
Hera's words took Athena by surprise, as though she had unwittingly made Zeus her imagined adversary from the beginning, convinced he would thwart them.
Have I been among mortals for too long? Athena thought irritably, absorbing too much of their political schemes…
Hera continued, "Zeus was the first Olympian to descend and embody himself in mortal flesh. He lost his mechanical mind but gained the rare gift of emotion. Do you think his love for humanity is any less than yours?"
"Zeus is Olympus's greatest lover of mankind."
Zeus had many children—not only his own but also some he accepted as his own out of compassion.
Whenever a mother bore a child out of wedlock or bore a child through tragic circumstances, she would claim that her child was Zeus's if she wished to protect it. If she was met with disbelief or scorn, Zeus would appear and declare the child his own.
Take Perseus, for instance. His mother Danae bore him with the king of Seriphos, Polydectes. Perseus's life was spared only because Danae raised him as "the child of Zeus."
Thus, Perseus received Zeus's blessing and, as a son of Zeus, the patronage of Athena, embarking on heroic adventures.
With such boundless compassion, how could the Great Father be a power-hungry god? From the start, Athena had misjudged Zeus.
Hera, who had known Zeus intimately over the centuries, was well aware of his heart. Although he was often unfaithful and easily distracted, he was a god of profound empathy and generosity.
"Besides, Athena…" Hera continued, "did you forget?"
"Gods…"
"I know!" Athena interrupted sharply, then quickly lowered her head and apologized. "Forgive my rudeness, Hera."
"I understand. It's just a child's dream, a beautiful but fleeting illusion. So, why must we tear it apart?"
"Tell me, Hera… will you support Suren as well?"
"...I will."
"Um… Excuse me, Hera, Athena. Are you both… discussing Suren?"
A timid, soft voice interrupted their exchange. When the two goddesses looked up, they saw Hestia standing hesitantly at the temple entrance, visibly nervous.
Hera had dismissed her nymphs and lesser goddesses, but even so, it was clear that Hestia had wrestled with her shyness to speak up.
"Hestia, sister? You're here too?"
While Hera had anticipated Athena's visit, Hestia's presence was an unexpected surprise.
After all, Hestia rarely left her abode and seldom attended Olympian gatherings. On the yearly Hearth Festival, she would disguise herself and mingle among mortals, keeping her interactions with other gods to a minimum.
To avoid suitors, she had even sworn—much like Artemis—to remain unwed for life.
But her vow had been curiously phrased, as she swore upon "the beard of Zeus…"
That was rather amusing.
When Artemis vowed on Zeus's "lightning bolt," it came with the implicit threat of annihilation if broken.
But with Hestia's "beard" oath… if Zeus shaved, wouldn't that nullify her vow?
And even if Zeus never shaved, what would his beard do to stop her?
Look at Athena, for instance. She made no vow, yet her autonomy over her relationships remained unquestioned.
"Um… are you talking about Suren?" Hestia repeated, her cheeks flushed with nerves as she asked her sisters, having little comfort even in familiar company.
Patiently, Athena recounted the entire discussion for Hestia, who, after listening, took a steadying breath and said, "Yes, Hera is right. Zeus would definitely support Suren."
"As for the other gods, though… they might take more convincing."
"After all," Hestia continued thoughtfully, "we, the divine machines, have now been embodied in mortal form through human faith. While it has given us truer forms, it's also bestowed upon us new emotions."
"I cannot say for sure what the others' intentions may be."
Hera then added, "Athena, you should seek Apollo and Artemis's support. If you can gain the approval of half the gods and Zeus's consent, it will be enough to help Suren pursue this vision."
Ultimately, it was Zeus's approval that mattered most. With it, even the three of them could champion Suren's cause.
But since a perfect victory seemed achievable, why not try?
"No," Athena replied, shaking her head slowly. "I can speak with Apollo anytime."
"What we need now is to consult the Moirai—the Sisters of Fate—for a prophecy."
"Even if it's only an illusion, a dream, shouldn't we secure the support of fate itself?"
---
"Artemis, what exactly do you even like about Suren?"
Apollo's frustration reached its peak, and he demanded, "Is it just because he's unreasonably beautiful?"
Artemis's eyes sparkled like stars as she gazed off dreamily. "Apollo, isn't beauty enough?"
She sighed, infatuated. "Suren, my Suren, the most beautiful in all of Greece… My beloved son. Isn't that alone reason enough for me to love him?"
As the goddess of the moon, Artemis was the original love-struck romantic. Before she embodied herself in mortal form, she'd been cold, a weapon of divine retribution. But now, with her newfound knowledge and heart, she acted… oddly different from other gods.
If Aphrodite's appeal was flirtatious and insistent, Artemis's was a strange mix of hopeless romantic and air-headed innocence.
"…"
Apollo felt a surge of helplessness. He couldn't argue. Beauty alone was enough reason for any god or goddess to take interest in mortals. All gods, after all, had a weakness for pretty boys and girls…
Honestly, he also found Suren quite charming—just not to the obsessive extent of Artemis.
But if Suren ever posed a threat to his sister, Apollo's admiration could quickly turn to murderous intent.
Apollo narrowed his eyes. He knew his sister well—strong-willed and utterly lost in her romantic fantasies. Trying to discourage her directly would be futile; as the saying went, "when blocking fails, redirect."
Simply telling her the dangers of falling for Suren wouldn't work.
It would be better, he thought, to make Artemis lose interest in Suren entirely. A single, lasting solution.
"My sister, Artemis… you say you're drawn to Suren's beauty?"
Apollo asked gently, "But tell me, is it only his outward beauty you cherish, or does your affection extend to his inner beauty too?"
Artemis didn't hesitate. "Of course, it's everything about Suren that I adore! Everything that makes him who he is!"
With a blissful expression, she added, "Can't you see it? Suren is striving to establish a code of conduct for the gods, a vision only our father, the almighty Zeus, could rival."
"I'm sure he's set his sights so high so that he'll be worthy of me someday! To help me free myself from my vow!"
Apollo was utterly speechless. Does Suren even know who you are? Does he know anything about your vows?
Forcing a smile, Apollo cleared his throat and said, "But I think true love must be tested, sister. Inner beauty can't be confirmed by mere words. Don't you trust me, Apollo?"
"Um…"
Artemis blinked, looking at her brother with a clear and unguarded gaze that made him feel deeply guilty. Finally, she patted him on the shoulder, giving him a resolute smile.
"Of course I trust you, my dearest brother! It's so strange, though. Why would you ask me such a strange question?"
Apollo turned his face away, replying lightly, "I have an excellent idea to test Suren's love and his inner beauty as well. Are you familiar with the island of Lemnos, the one cursed by Aphrodite?"
"I don't know it!"
Artemis shook her head, sounding irritated. "Apollo, don't bother with useless details. Just tell me what we need to do!"
"…"
Apollo was at a loss once again. He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Alright, listen closely, Artemis."
"Lemnos is a place where, due to Aphrodite's curse, all the men fled. Only women remain. These women try to lure passing men to them, and with the number of men aboard the Argo, each one could easily find ten women willing to indulge them…"
"What?!"
Apollo hadn't even finished before Artemis exploded, shouting furiously, "Absolutely not!"
Don't even think about tempting him!
"Which is why…"
Apollo held her back as she reached for her bow, clearly about to turn Lemnos into ruins. "This is precisely why it's the perfect opportunity to test Suren."
"Didn't Suren claim that true love endures? If he can't withstand this minor temptation, how could he claim to embody true love?"
With a disdainful tone, Apollo added, "That would reveal him as nothing more than a hypocrite spouting lies about morality—a mere man with nothing but a handsome face."
"Artemis, keep your eyes open and see if Suren is truly worthy of a goddess's heart!"
Artemis bit her lip, her naive and romantic nature leaving her utterly confused by Apollo's logic. Part of her felt uneasy, but his argument sounded strangely convincing.
Had she been Athena, she would have easily sidestepped Apollo's rhetorical trap. After all, what was a "test" but a self-imposed inconvenience?
But she was Artemis, the innocent and carefree moon goddess, as pure as a fawn wandering through the forest.
---
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