Under the Golden Age of Prosperity, Greece had become a land of wealth and abundance, its divine productivity fulfilling nearly every need that wasn't man-made.
For example, filling one's belly or even building a Gundam with one's bare hands wasn't difficult. Yet, there were always those who felt that oppressing others to serve them aligned better with their status as a superior being.
Suren served as the wedge between gods and mortals to prevent this, establishing a new world order that catered to the happiness of the majority.
If there is any dissonance, I shall strike it down.
Under the Supreme Code, Suren erected a stele for peace. Anyone daring to violate the will of the highest emperor would be met with a blow that could tear the heavens asunder and fill the seas.
Additionally, a covenant of twelve gold pacts was established with the gods, transforming Greece into a binary world shared by humans and gods, rather than a dominion ruled solely by gods who dictated everything.
"With this, the Golden Age has been achieved."
Suren considered whether it was time to lay down the crown of 'Emperor.' He would be the first—and the only—Golden King to reign over both humans and gods.
He had brought unification, law, and order to Greece, fostering equality between man and deity.
In the entire Greek Age of Gods, he held the most powerful status, authority, honor, and strength.
But Suren was not attached to any of it. He only cared about the value of self-fulfillment, and now that all his dreams had come true, the title of emperor held no special significance for him.
"Now…who should inherit it all?"
Suren was troubled. The question of a successor continued to vex him. If he chose from the assimilated nobles of the old city-states, there was a risk of them rekindling old rivalries and fracturing Greece back into city-states.
Choosing a commoner? A ruler without power would hold no authority in a society that revered martial strength and valor. No one would follow a leader who couldn't conquer the world.
"Strong enough, benevolent enough, wise enough…"
It troubled Suren; a person of strength and wisdom would lack kindness, a person of kindness and wisdom would lack strength, and a person of strength and kindness would often lack wisdom—an impossible trinity.
Apart from Suren, whose thoughts were shaped by a progressive spirit far ahead of this era, no one, not even Atalanta, could understand why he stood on the side of the downtrodden, worrying for those he regarded as mere insects.
Strong heroes were naturally entitled to take everything from the world, even if they gave nothing in return.
"Building an ideology is an enduring challenge."
In truth, it was more difficult to have powerful heroes adopt progressive thought, for they were the ones truly wielding force, many of them strong enough to render the number of opponents meaningless.
Even those heroes susceptible to defeat by sheer numbers could leave any battlefield at will, beyond the grasp of ordinary soldiers.
Just as Suren pondered how to get the heroes to accept equality among humans and between humans and gods, the voice of Heracles came from outside. He was spreading the word on the streets of Athens.
As the emperor's most loyal disciple, after Suren's defeat of him, Heracles had become a dedicated servant. Suren assigned many duties to him, which, so far, he handled well.
With something of an obsession with servitude, Heracles was particularly fond of adventure, cross-dressing, and enslavement.
Especially enslavement. Beyond his time under Eurystheus, even after completing the Twelve Labors and freeing himself from servitude, Heracles soon found himself serving the queen Omphale of Lydia.
Given Heracles' unique preferences, Suren played into it, assigning him a multitude of tasks.
If it were anyone else, it would surely be called exploitation. But in this Golden Age where every desire should be fulfilled, Heracles' wish was to be exploited, so Suren merely obliged.
Sometimes, I wish I could let him rest, but he's Heracles.
"So long as it is King Suren's decision, we must uphold it unwaveringly! So long as it is King Suren's command, we must execute it with absolute faith!"
Heracles spoke words that were, to Suren, bewildering.
He had asked the gods to bow down to stand alongside humans, not to turn himself into a monarch above both man and deity.
"Ideological education cannot be delayed."
Suren thought, Must I communicate with the gods to strip all Greek heroes of their extraordinary powers, sending them to the countryside to experience the lives of ordinary people?
He frowned bitterly. That would be tyranny and could backfire. With a heavy sigh, he lamented, Easier to conquer the world than to rule it.
Reaching the Golden Age of Prosperity had been steady and swift. But maintaining it was a struggle, and Suren could only hope the gods would assist him in reshaping the heroes' mindset.
As Suren considered testing his ideas on Heracles, who was conveniently close at hand, a young god appeared before him.
The god had a youthful face, wore an eagle-helmet, winged sandals, and radiated a palpable air of boyishness.
Suren knew this god well; he had met him almost as frequently as any other god.
"Lord Hermes, what brings you here?"
Though Suren was hailed as the Golden King, the king of all gods and ruler of gods and men, he remained reverent and respectful to the gods.
Even when he had first emerged from the forest, he had shown respect to the gods. Now, as the Emperor of Greece and Golden King of gods and men, he still maintained that courtesy.
"It's not Apollo or Artemis asking me to deliver anything this time."
Seated cross-legged in midair, Hermes sighed, "I'm here on official business."
"Suren, there is discord among the gods again. Even the Father of Gods, Zeus, cannot settle it. Ultimately, the gods have decided to seek your judgment on the matter."
---
Following Hermes' lead, this was perhaps the quickest journey to Mount Olympus he'd ever made.
Perhaps as an early god of machinery, Hermes had once opened routes and led flagships, his powers perfect for travel. With a light step, he seemed to cross vast spaces in a single stride. In the blink of an eye, Suren had crossed from the mountain's base to its peak.
"Divine powers are truly convenient, whether for battles or construction work, there's nothing better suited than a god."
Suren's eyes sparkled, wholeheartedly agreeing with Athena at that moment.
Her deployment of gods for such labor was, in Suren's view, the finest maneuver he had ever witnessed.
Athena: 0.o What does 'maneuver' mean?
The gods were still arguing. A god holding a vial spoke out:
"Why shouldn't I save him? Even as he dies, he believes in us and prays to us. As a god, I shall answer his prayer."
"This is unjust."
Another god opposed, "If everyone relies on divine intervention, what meaning remains in what Suren has built?"
"Humankind is still like infants unable to leave their parents' cradle. Should we cast aside Suren's ideals and revert to upholding Father Zeus's vision?"
"If we choose to aid some selectively, does that not undermine justice for others?"
"This issue arose because you intervened recklessly!"
Ares, with a cold, mechanical tone, began pointing out the logical inconsistencies and flaws, addressing the god who governed disease and plague. "Since we made a pact, we gods should not meddle in the natural course of the human realm."
"When kindness is given freely, so too is malice."
"The greatest act of kindness the gods can show humanity is to refrain from interference," Ares continued, sighing, "This is precisely why Father Zeus was willing to let go. Humanity has grown; it should no longer remain forever sheltered in the gods' embrace."
The gods muttered among themselves, yet the god of healing was not convinced. He sneered, "Ares, if we gods could be as emotionless as your mechanical nature, would we not then defy the primordial Chaos itself by protecting humanity?"
"We are no longer mere mechanisms; why must everything be weighed in probabilities and logic? Humanity, even as it matures, can still rely on us. Just as grown children do not refuse their parents' help."
"But we have too many 'children.'"
Ares replied calmly, "When you save this one child, you are being unjust to all others."
"If word of his salvation spreads and others follow his example, yet receive no divine aid, then whose fault will it be?"
"That fault is mine," a new voice interjected—it was Suren's. "It is mine alone, for I am the Golden King who governs Greece."
Suren strode forward, stepping into the center of the gods. "It is already an immense honor for me that the gods have chosen to believe in, support, and assist me."
"No matter what errors any god may have made, ultimately, it is my oversight in not managing everyone's roles effectively, in not allocating this world's resources properly."
"Thank you," he addressed the god of healing. "You have borne the criticism on my behalf, for it is my dream to bring happiness and beauty to all in this golden age."
Then he turned to Ares, saying, "And I thank you as well for your correction. Your vigilance reminds me constantly of where I have fallen short."
A gentle smile appeared on Ares's face. The usually violent, bloodthirsty, and most mechanical of the gods offered Suren a warm expression.
"No need to thank me, Golden King. You, child of the gods—I help you because I believe in you."
"It is precisely because I give you my full support that I hope you do not exhaust yourself only to meet with disappointment."
"That will not happen," another voice chimed in—Athena. "All will share in the joy and beauty of this age, and that includes—no, must include Suren!"
This minor disturbance quickly passed, as it was merely a small matter.
Displaying his charismatic leadership, Suren won over the gods, who amicably set aside the disagreement.
Amid the laughter and cheer of the gathering, a faint, drifting voice reached Suren—it was Zeus.
"Suren, if you find time, make a trip to Tartarus. Visit the ancient goddess of the triple-aspect, the godmother of Persephone, Lady Hecate."
"Zeu...s…" Suren turned sharply, but Zeus, accompanied by Hera, had already departed from the banquet, leaving only his retreating figure.
Suren's expression grew serious, though the lively atmosphere around him soon distracted him.
"What are you waiting for, Suren? Come and join in the moment!"
"In the revelry of the gods, there is nothing to worry about. Just trust us, and we will help you fulfill any wish!"
"Trust...you all?"
Suren cast one last glance at Zeus's fading silhouette. Then, he turned back and wholeheartedly joined in the gods' merriment.
---
"Persephone, Zeus has instructed me to visit Tartarus and seek an audience with the renowned goddess of the three faces—Lady Hecate."
After the banquet, Suren made his way to the Underworld, where construction was still underway.
The Underworld had undergone a remarkable transformation, now bearing no resemblance to its former state. Within the Fields of Truth, a massive scale stood beside a river. Anyone who arrived here would first have their life's sins and merits reflected in the river's waters.
Then, a god would weigh their merits and sins on the scales. If their merits outweighed their sins, they could immerse in the river to cleanse their memories and reincarnate.
If their merits outweighed their sins, the dead could be reborn in their desired life.
However, if their sins outweighed their merits, they would serve as laborers in the Underworld capital until their sins were absolved.
Of course, not all sins could be offset, especially grievous sins that no amount of merit could pardon. In such cases, merit and sin were treated separately, and they would still need to atone before reincarnation.
It could be said that the Underworld, too, was shaped by Suren's vision. Having achieved such self-fulfillment, one would think he had no unfulfilled desires.
Persephone looked at him quizzically, "Strange, Suren. How do you know of Lady Hecate? She is a recluse, and even among the Greek gods, few know her name…"
"And why would you seek her out? While Hecate is a goddess who can fulfill others' wishes, you've already achieved your dream. There shouldn't be anything left you desire."
"I can't be sure it was Zeus's voice I heard," Suren said, shaking his head, "but why was it only I who heard it?"
He looked away thoughtfully. "Indeed, I no longer have desires. But I must go, nonetheless."
"For no other reason than peace of mind."
"If there are no issues, I'll be leaving soon."
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Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
Posture and water check! Remember this is a fan translation!
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