The aftermath of a hangover, while sparing one from headaches, was far from pleasant.
Suren sat slumped on the golden throne, his eyes lifeless and his mind blank, unsure of what occupied his thoughts.
His private banquet of debauchery—a lavish event meant only for himself—had already ended. It dispersed quietly the moment he succumbed to drunkenness, leaving nothing behind but an empty hall.
"Is there really anyone who could live like this every day without getting bored?"
Propping himself up, Suren let out a sigh. He felt utterly disinterested.
The indulgences of wine pools, feasts, and beauties feeding him grapes felt like an elaborate roleplay. Suren played his part so convincingly that he could be hailed as a textbook example of a decadent ruler.
Yet, his heart remained detached, calm, and unperturbed.
"So that's it… I'm no longer moved by these trivial pleasures."
A sense of clarity dawned on him. The various amusements and indulgences of mortal life no longer held any appeal for him.
Even though he spoke of giving up, deep down, he couldn't let go of this inevitable end to the Age of Gods.
"Hardworking to the core, aren't I?"
Suren mocked his restless nature. But even as he ridiculed himself, he heaved a sigh, dressed, and began wandering the streets of Athens.
"Golden King! Golden King!"
"All hail the emperor who has blessed us with happiness and peace—King Suren!"
"Brothers and sisters, we've arrived at the greatest city in the world: Athens!"
The streets roared with noise and chaos. Athens, home to no less than 500,000 people, was a miracle of its time—a metropolis unparalleled in size and grandeur.
Athens was a sacred place in the hearts of Greeks, a sanctuary where the Golden King resided. Every Greek dreamed of one day journeying to Athens to pay homage.
However, in such a densely populated city, the diversity of its inhabitants naturally led to peculiar encounters.
Suren's sharp ears caught the sounds of a heated argument nearby, with his name unexpectedly dragged into the mix.
"Ah, my happiness is simple—waking up to a meal and sleeping until I'm hungry again. Is that so wrong? Even King Suren endorses my way of life. Why are you trying so hard?"
A lazy man, sprawled comfortably on the ground, retorted to a disgruntled visitor:
"You think I'm one of those beggars from Sparta who came to Athens to scrape by? I was born here! King Suren likes us Athenians—why else would he choose Athens as Greece's capital instead of Sparta?"
Suren: Please don't drag me into this.
"Narrow-minded fool! Do you think the Golden King is as dim-witted as you? How dare you compare yourself to him!"
The Spartan, less adept with words but skilled in action, grabbed the man's collar and prepared to strike.
For Spartans to settle in Athens, they had to compete fiercely, overcoming countless obstacles to gain entry.
Meanwhile, the lazy Athenian, born into the city, enjoyed his status effortlessly—even if he spent his days lying around.
"..."
Suren glanced at the commotion, shook his head, and walked away.
The lazy man wasn't wrong—Suren supported any pursuit of happiness, so long as it was genuinely fulfilling for the person in question.
Whether someone found happiness in idleness or in striving relentlessly, as long as it didn't infringe upon others' peace, Suren would support them.
Even if someone were to approach him and request the throne of Greece, Suren would readily agree.
Child, do you wish to sit on this golden throne?
Wonderful! Here's the crown, too. And this is Helen, the most beautiful woman in Greece. You can either marry her or use her to spark another Trojan War.
In short, as long as a request was deemed someone's path to happiness, Suren would grant it. To the Greeks, he was an all-powerful wish-granter.
This boundless indulgence reflected his love for the Age of Gods, for Greece, and for humanity itself.
Yet Suren actively restrained this love, knowing that unchecked, it would inevitably lead to destruction.
He sought to redirect this overwhelming affection away from the world and Greece, turning it inward as a personal desire.
He was trying, with great effort, to hold back his nature. Otherwise, he would have already intervened in the quarrel, siding with the Athenian even if he had been in the wrong.
In truth, Suren would have defended anyone. His all-encompassing love only grew stronger with time.
But now, massaging his temples, he grappled with the discomfort of suppressing his true nature. It was an exhausting struggle, but a necessary one.
If he couldn't transform his overwhelming love into something more personal, his affection might one day destroy Greece.
"Suren!"
A soft voice called out, prompting Suren to turn. Standing there was none other than Hestia, the goddess of the hearth.
Athens' overwhelming crowds clearly made the twin-tailed goddess uneasy. Glancing around nervously, she shuffled closer to him, whispering, "Suren, I'm not used to this. Can we go somewhere quieter?"
"Hestia, do you… need something from me?"
Suren scratched his head, still occupied with uncovering his own preferences. He had no time for casual outings with goddesses.
"Well… we ran into each other by chance."
Hestia took a deep breath, finally steadying herself. "The gods are all praising your Golden Age of Governance. Every deity is singing your praises—I couldn't help but grow curious."
"Besides, I can't stay cooped up in my temple forever, can I?"
She refrained from admitting that ever since Suren had unsettled her heart, she could no longer endure the solitude of her temple.
Hestia wasn't antisocial—she simply disliked dealing with the oddities of other gods.
With her aversion to chaos, she preferred avoidance, even if it meant staying isolated for centuries.
"You're right. This era is indeed beautiful—worth stepping out to experience."
Suren's words acknowledged her reasoning, but he felt she needed a gentler introduction to the outside world. Thus, he guided her back to his golden palace.
After all, with a little effort, even the most socially anxious could transform into social butterflies.
"Alright, you can stay with me for a while," Suren said. "Coincidentally, I might need your help over the next few days."
What he referred to, however, was his ongoing exploration of his own desires—an attempt to shift his focus away from the Age of Gods and humanity.
But Hestia misunderstood, her face reddening briefly before her brows furrowed. "Suren, don't let desire cloud your will. You are the Golden King, the sovereign of gods and mortals alike. You shouldn't indulge…"
She trailed off, her mind racing with memories of the man who had reshaped the world, captivating her with his unwavering resolve.
…but that resolve was precisely what Hestia feared he might lose. She had grown to admire Suren not because of his appearance or his divine status but because of his extraordinary determination to create miracles where none should exist.
She couldn't pinpoint the exact moment she started to like him. It wasn't during their first meeting—back then, she merely found him intriguing, a tiny figure worthy of curiosity, even pity.
After all, such a beautiful mortal would surely catch the eye of the more eccentric gods, who might whisk him away for their own amusement.
Moved by this pity, Hestia had initially bestowed her blessings upon him without expecting anything in return.
But over time, Suren's actions shattered her expectations.
Time after time, he faced insurmountable odds, creating a better world from chaos. His choices and resolve were nothing short of astonishing, reshaping the world so beautifully that even someone like Hestia—who held a spiritual aversion to imperfections—was compelled to leave her temple to witness it.
Yet, she couldn't bear the thought of him becoming like Zeus or Poseidon, succumbing to indulgence and excess.
"Alright, alright!"
Suren raised his hand in mock surrender, a wry smile on his face. "I know the wine pools and feasts were over the top. I won't waste resources like that again, happy?"
"…Huh?"
Hestia was caught off guard, as if her thoughts had been abruptly interrupted. It took her a moment to process his words. "Wasting resources?"
Her eyes darted around the room, finally noticing the remnants of the previous night's debauchery—a pool filled with wine and a mountain of cured meats.
But in the grand scheme of the Age of Gods, such extravagance was inconsequential. No matter how much Suren wasted, it would be a mere drop in the ocean compared to the boundless resources available to gods.
Realizing she had misunderstood, Hestia's face flushed with embarrassment. Her gaze swept the room, as if searching for a crack in the floor to crawl into.
Still, Suren remained oblivious to her flustered state, too preoccupied with his own musings to notice.
After all, he had no idea that Hestia harbored feelings for him.
Apart from the straightforward advances of Artemis and her attendants, Suren was utterly clueless about how others perceived him. The idea of love—whether his feelings for others or theirs for him—never crossed his mind.
To him, such matters were trivial, not worth considering amidst his grander responsibilities.
As Athena had predicted, Suren wouldn't address his personal desires until his vision of the Golden Age of Governance was fully realized.
"Honestly, it's all so pointless," Suren said with a sigh. "Pouring wine into a pool doesn't make it any more enjoyable to drink, and stacking meat into a mountain doesn't change the fact that it still needs to be eaten piece by piece.
"And performances? Sure, I can recall every intricate detail with perfect clarity, but once you've seen one, what's left to experience?
"Even being fed by others—it doesn't make the food taste better. If anything, it slows me down."
Everything felt monotonous, uninspiring.
Was he the only one who found the pleasures humanity cherished so dull?
Suren's joy didn't stem from the indulgences humans invented but from humanity itself.
His happiness came from expressing his love for them, from influencing and guiding them toward a greater purpose.
Because at his core, Suren embodied humanity's love.
But these truths were ones he avoided confronting. Deep down, he hoped to convince himself that he was just like everyone else, capable of enjoying the same simple pleasures.
Hestia's embarrassment began to dissipate as she noticed Suren's preoccupation.
Curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "Suren, you're not someone who enjoys indulgence. Why put yourself through this? What are you trying to achieve?"
"Oh, it's nothing too complicated!"
Suren glanced at her, rubbing his temples as he spoke. "I'm just trying to figure out what I truly like—what I really need.
"What does 'Suren' enjoy beyond the Golden Age of Governance?
"What else can I do to bring happiness to myself?"
Hestia frowned, her concern for him growing. "And have you found the answer?"
"Not yet," Suren admitted with a small sigh, though he didn't seem particularly troubled. "But hey, as the saying goes: the heavens never block the path for those who seek it.
"I'll find my way, eventually. Maybe this is just a way to unwind, you know? I'll discover my interests in due time, right?"
"…"
Hestia's worry deepened. Even as a goddess—a being far removed from humanity—she could sense something deeply unsettling about Suren.
How could someone have no desires?
No, such a thing was impossible.
If Suren hadn't yet identified his desires, it could only mean one thing: they were so overwhelming that even his subconscious had to suppress them.
She truly hoped Suren would uncover his preferences and wishes but felt powerless to help him.
Hestia offered a tentative suggestion, "Suren, are you hungry? Let's not dwell on these troubling thoughts for now. How about we eat first?"
"That sounds good. Food first, then."
Suren nodded, conceding to her idea. Abandoning his plans to leave, he stepped into the kitchen to help Hestia prepare a meal.
After all, cooking could also become a hobby.
---
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
Posture and water check! Remember this is a fan translation!
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]