In Fuyuki City, Su Kai looked at the text displayed on the simulator and couldn't help but hold his forehead.
"Ugh, this is giving me a headache... it's not perfect at all."
"Is it missing something?"
The simulator read:
[For unknown reasons, the simulation continues. Do you wish to force quit?]
[Warning! Warning!]
[Forcing a quit may lead to unpredictable changes and reduce rewards.]
"So, Simulator, can you tell me why it's still going?"
Su Kai muttered, "You unreliable machine—never once have you done this right!"
[Unknown! Unknown!!]
[Please figure it out on your own…]
"As expected, an incomplete life is always missing something…"
"Alright, continue the simulation. Look forward to it, everyone…"
---
Once more, Suren stood at the peak of the simulation. To the Golden King's unending questions, the All-Father Zeus chuckled lightly. "Suren, the Age of Gods will end. Instead of fretting over inevitable destruction, why not enjoy the last of these beautiful days? Tell me, is there a goddess you fancy? I could arrange a marriage."
"Suren, while you still have the freedom of choice, don't let yourself regret anything."
"Is that so…"
Suren scratched his head, sighing. "Then there's no helping it. I'll try to extend the Age of Gods as much as I can, but if I can't, so be it. As long as I give my best and don't let down those who believe in me!"
"But, Zeus, how much time do we have left before the Age of Gods ends?"
Zeus raised his brows, impressed by Suren's newfound calm and clarity. Suren no longer seemed bent on futile attempts to change fate. It wasn't conquering the world that posed the biggest challenge for the wise—it was finding peace within.
No longer was he set on impossible expectations, either for himself or others. Suren had truly come to terms with his own limits.
In that moment, Zeus was certain Suren's heart had eased, and that he'd be more open to others' counsel.
Zeus laughed heartily. "Suren, I'm glad to see your understanding."
"Yes, the Age of Gods will inevitably end, but we have at least a thousand more splendid years. Destiny cannot be defied, but we can revel in each wonderful moment."
"Wow, that really is a long time! I'd better think this through."
Suren took a deep breath, grinning wide. "The Golden Age of peace and prosperity—I should enjoy it too, right?"
I've worked so hard to bring about this beautiful era, so why can't I sit back and enjoy it?
Time to return to the music and dancing!
With a booming laugh, Suren strode out, ready to enjoy the life of an indulgent king for a few hundred years.
"Wait, Suren—you haven't told me who you want to marry…"
Zeus' voice trailed off as Suren left it behind, already returning to Greece.
---
"Heracles, go fetch Helen."
Lounging on his golden throne, Suren kicked back. "Tell her I want to see some dancing. Let the most beautiful woman in Greece show me what she's got!"
While Suren wasn't particularly lustful, he still wasn't sure what exactly was the "proper" way for a king to indulge.
And on TV, the kings who enjoyed life always seemed to have parties, dances, beauties, and someone to feed them grapes.
"…Suren, are you alright?"
Heracles looked at him with some concern. "All those policies you planned, and the conquest orders you issued…"
"None of that matters, my friend!"
Suren waved dismissively. "I've already brought about the Golden Age. What else do you want me to do? Work myself to death?"
"Besides, trust me—you wouldn't want to see Suren, the overworked Golden King!"
Ah, the confidence of a second-playthrough player.
In his first life, Suren's tireless ambition and boundless love had brought unprecedented disaster, nearly destroying all of Greece with his obsessive passion.
In this second life, he'd made peace with himself.
Hey, there's still a thousand years ahead, right? A few centuries of enjoyment before tackling things doesn't seem so bad!
To Suren, it not only seemed reasonable but downright practical. He urged Heracles, "Remember, I am the Golden King!"
"…Alright, my king!"
Heracles relented, strangely relieved. All this time, he'd worried that Suren's insatiable drive and endless ambition might end up bringing ruin to Greece.
But now, this version of Suren set him at ease.
At least a king focused on feasting and watching dances wouldn't go as far as to perform human transmutation or Philosopher's Stone experiments, right?
Suren sprawled on the golden throne, utterly relaxed. Helen arrived soon after, stopping three steps from him, cautious not to cross into the emperor's sacred space.
"Your Majesty Suren, what is it you wish of me?"
"I heard from Commander Heracles that you wanted…"
This personal boundary—three paces—is one that, when breached by strangers, naturally evokes discomfort.
In the past, Suren had always been lofty, imposing, and godlike. There was a majesty to him that, when serious, made everyone bow their heads in reverence.
It was a force as solid as mountains, as deep as the abyss. No one could face Emperor Suren directly without instinctively lowering their gaze in respect.
But now, that oppressive aura was gone.
"Come closer—why are you standing so far away?"
Suren motioned with a lazy wave, nodding toward the grapes on the table. "Feed me a grape… Hey, don't think you can sneak the good ones for yourself and leave me with the sour ones!"
With a tentative step, Helen approached, realizing there was none of the usual pressure. She delicately picked a grape with slender fingers, concentrating as she brought it to his mouth.
Her expression was so focused it looked like she was carving fine tofu.
Suren took the grape, eyes half-closed in satisfaction. "Heracles should've told you what I wanted, right? He's best at these kinds of tasks!"
"I'll admit, grapes taste a bit better when fed by a beauty."
Suren lounged back into the throne, sighing. "No need to be so surprised, Helen. After all those battles, can't I indulge a little?"
"Now that I've had some grapes, go and gather a dance troupe. I want to watch a performance while I dine."
"Y-yes, Your Majesty…"
Helen's face, as flawless as marble, flushed a delicate shade of pink. Casting aside the tales and rumors, purely in terms of beauty, Helen was one of the few who could rival Suren.
Her beauty rivaled that of goddesses. There wasn't a man in all of Greece who didn't want to marry her.
"Such beauty is truly worthy of launching the Trojan War."
Suren stretched out on his throne, propping himself up. It was a truly motivational pose for a man with his feet up, looking ready for a long day of relaxation.
"Ah, Athena is the goddess of the arts, crafts, and protection, skilled in weaving, cooking, gardening, pottery, and other crafts… as well as painting, music, poetry, and dance…"
Suren mumbled to himself, "If Athena could dance with the nine Muses, that would be a performance even Zeus couldn't overlook!"
Apollo could play music, Hestia could cook, Athena could dance, and the Muses could join in…
As for Lady Artemis, well, she was an excellent hunter.
And if Apollo couldn't perform, then Pan's music would do. If Hestia wasn't cooking, Dionysus could serve drinks.
If Athena couldn't dance, then Helen would do just fine…
But Lady Artemis? Hmm… besides hunting, she also rules over the wilderness.
"I'm not in the wilderness, though!"
Suren scratched his head, stumped on how to work Artemis into the mix.
Humanity may have originated from the wild, but civilization would always pull them forward, making Artemis, the goddess of the wild, weaker in the face of Hera, the symbol of civilization.
No wonder Apollo and Artemis always had a hard time around Hera—they were, in a way, subdued by her.
---
Evening soon arrived, and Suren glanced over at Heracles, who stood beside him, filling the role of a servant.
Told you, this guy thrives on being treated like a servant, being ordered around. Asking him to pour tea and serve people—it's heaven for Heracles.
Noticing Suren's look, Heracles asked, "My king, do you have any other requests?"
"Requests? None. Start the show!"
Suren's eyes sparkled. "Bring out the Tyrant's Trifecta—beauties dancing, beauties feeding me, and a banquet of excess!"
"My king…" Heracles said, his voice wavering, "the first two are easy enough, but when it comes to a banquet of excess, well, even an average citizen of Athens could afford that."
"Hmm… if you're really set on being a tyrant, you could just confiscate their food and wine."
This was, after all, the Golden Age of the Gods, Greece at its peak. Even an average household boasted an abundance of resources.
A banquet of indulgence?
Who knows what kind of feast King Zhou's pool of wine or forest of meat might have been.
"Why all the chatter?" Suren snapped without hesitation. "Forget confiscating! If I want a wine pool and a meat forest, you're going to make one right here!"
"You say any commoner could enjoy one, then suggest seizing people's stuff just to act tyrannical? Why are you rambling?"
Suren's eyes lit up with sudden clarity. "Ah, I get it—you're letting your masochistic side out and trying to provoke me into punishing you, aren't you? Well, I won't give you that satisfaction."
Honestly, in a way, he really was a king gone mad.
With a sigh, Heracles gave a weary nod and, within moments, carried a mountain of meat to the hall, digging out a pool with his bare hands beside the throne, and filling it with wine.
All of it took less than a quarter-hour, a testament to Heracles' strength and efficiency as a demigod hero.
Having satisfied Suren's little whims, Heracles announced, "Presenting the exclusive banquet of indulgence for King Suren!"
No one knew where Helen found such a talented troupe, but the moment the performance began, Suren's eyes widened in awe.
The truth is, appreciating art is simple—just look with your eyes, feel with your heart, and connect with your soul.
You might love a song that others find plain or even unpleasant. That's because it resonates with your heart and spirit, and not everyone experiences that.
Sure, it sounds abstract, but it's simple: something that delights both highbrow and lowbrow alike.
Forget deep meaning. Sometimes, all that matters is that it's really damn good.
And now, that's exactly how Suren felt. He sat up, his entire body relaxing into the ambiance.
The dance was beautiful, and the ten dancers were stunning—every movement and smile exuded grace.
"Listen, I'm highly cultured, but all I can say is—it's really damn good!"
"Amazing. Just amazing!"
"Keep the music going, keep the dancing going!"
Feeling inspired, Suren burst into poetry on the spot: "The banquet's grand, the wine's divine, life is fine, truly fine. Being the Golden King is truly great, everyone's here to serve my fate!"
Somehow, Heracles had slipped away in the meantime.
Suren downed the wine brewed by Dionysus, rich enough to intoxicate the gods themselves.
As the dance ended, Suren squinted, feeling a slight double-vision and struggled to focus on the woman before him.
She appeared to be the lead dancer. Satisfied, he nodded. "I... I'll reward you… But first, remove your armor!"
Greek dance was known for its variety, from graceful, slow movements to joyous, lively ones, all highlighting flexibility and coordination.
But Suren couldn't shake a sense of disappointment—true Greek dancing, he'd heard, was performed without clothes…
The lead dancer sighed gently, reaching out with a delicate hand to massage his temples, soothing his hangover's phantom ache.
"Remove your armor… I want you to remove it…"
Suren mumbled, slipping further into a drunken daze. "Zeus, that old fox, talking about marrying a goddess… how could he even suggest such a thing?"
"Lucky I pretended not to hear. If Athena finds out, she'd chew me out…"
"And if I had a harem, would it have two sections? A mortal harem and a divine harem… Ugh, would Hera turn me into some breeding stallion if she found out?"
"…"
"Suren, are you really drunk?"
The lead dancer laughed softly, her voice light and carefree. "You really know how to make trouble for me, bad boy."
---
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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