Meanwhile, at the Waterside Treehouse.
The Goddess of Justice, seated before her desk and studying a parchment scroll, lifted her gaze toward the black serpent that had slithered onto the tabletop. Its intelligent eyes gleamed as it flicked its tongue at her. Her lips pressed together tightly.
Her delicate fingers—clenching and unclenching several times—finally trembled as they reached out to stroke the serpent's fine scales, tracing them again and again. Her fingertips seemed to cross the barrier of space itself, brushing against the familiar contours of a certain face.
After a long pause, Themis lifted the black serpent to her cheek, suppressing the molten surge of emotion within her as she whispered softly,
"Long time no see, Samael..."
Reunited after centuries apart, they naturally exchanged words of longing. When their emotions had finally settled, they began to share what they had each experienced.
Samael, who had been slumbering for a hundred years, spoke briefly of his current circumstances and confirmed that Tina was safe. Beyond that, there was little to add.
In contrast, Themis's stories were far richer.
From the perilous moments of fending off Olympus's pursuers to the dramatic intervention of Gaia, the Earth Mother... From the reluctance of abandoning Mycenae to the satisfaction of watching Athens flourish... From teaching humanity the foundations of social order to presiding over the deliberations of the rising Areopagus... From the mockery and shock that followed Olympus's downfall to the painful decision of setting aside personal grievances and stepping forward once again...
Themis spoke calmly, without embellishment. Samael, propping his chin on his hand, listened with quiet attention and a faint smile.
Now and then, the ancient serpent interjected with commentary—praising her foresight in shifting focus from Mycenae to Athens and sharing his own thoughts on the development of human civilization.
Eventually, his curiosity got the better of him. Together, they reenacted the famous Areopagus trial, with Samael arguing from Poseidon's perspective, employing his trademark sophistry.
The Goddess of Justice countered with seasoned ease, and soon the two divine beings—at once teacher and friend—were caught in a lively debate over "attempted crime" and "excessive self-defense." Even Themis found herself struggling against Samael's shameless logic and relentless wordplay.
As their debate reached its peak, Themis lost her composure, teeth gritting in frustration. When they both finally realized how far they'd gone, laughter broke through the tension. A quiet understanding flowed between them, dissolving the centuries-old sense of distance.
Though time had passed and the stars had shifted, they were still the same—two ancient beings once more talking as they had in ages past.
After revisiting their classic debate, Themis bit her lip, her voice lowering, her expression tinged with guilt.
"Samael, about the Olympus War... I'm sorry."
Though Themis had long confirmed Samael's safety through the vitality of the black serpent that remained by her side, Zeus had nonetheless attacked them more than once. Prometheus imprisoned, Typhon's offspring subjugated, Samael exiled to the Oceanus—each was a heavy price they had paid.
Yet at the critical moment when the King of Monsters, Typhon, rebelled, they had chosen to stand beside Olympus. If one were to judge by reason alone, such a decision could only be seen as betrayal in Samael's eyes.
"Athena's idea?"
In the quiet room, the ancient serpent rubbed his chin, brow furrowed as he asked.
"Yes..."
Bound by her nature to tell the truth, Themis hesitated for a long while before finally admitting it. Still, she pressed her lips together and took the burden upon herself.
"But it was our collective decision. As the elder, the main responsibility lies with me."
"Hiss!"
The black serpent slithered up Themis's shoulder and playfully nipped at her sensitive earlobe.
"Snap!"
Within the Magecraft array, Samael's face tightened as he flicked his fingers through the air—punishing the goddess across the distance.
"What are you thinking? You think I'm that petty?"
His brow relaxed, and he rolled his eyes with a faint snort.
"I just wanted to know what excuse that brat Athena used to convince you all. Ever heard of curiosity? Or our supposed mutual understanding?"
From what he knew, Athena's grasp of the situation was impeccable. Her choice wasn't unexpected. But Themis and Medusa, both prone to emotion, should've been harder to sway.
Themis's cheeks flushed faintly. After calming herself, she revealed the truth.
In fact, the Goddess of Wisdom's persuasion had consisted of only two simple arguments.
First—"Even the worst order is better than no order at all."
Second—"If Typhon destroys the gods, which race do you think he'll destroy next?"
After three days and nights of deliberation, Themis and Medusa decided to ascend Olympus together to repel Typhon's invasion.
As the battle escalated, Typhon drew upon his dominion over the Abyss and the Earth to mass-produce grotesque monsters, rapidly incubating them within the fiery heat of volcanoes.
To stem the tide of the demon horde, the Goddess of Justice even called upon her personal connections, inviting the Titan gods to aid in the defense. Medusa likewise led the Typhon offspring into battle.
Only when Zeus reclaimed the Thunderbolt and rallied the gods for a counterattack was the Abyss's encroachment finally held back. The defeated Typhon now serves his sentence imprisoned within Mount Etna.
Athena, who single-handedly held back the progenitor of demons on multiple occasions, earned the allegiance of Nike, the goddess of victory, for bringing the dawn of triumph to Olympus. With Nike's power, she forged the Scepter of Victory, strengthening the authority of the war god.
Samael listened intently to the firsthand account of the events, unable to suppress his admiration for Athena, who led Mount Ares to stand as a rival to Mount Olympus. Her ability to discern the essence of a problem at a glance, to provide the optimal solution among myriad possibilities—this divine wisdom was truly extraordinary.
Recognizing the sincerity in the ancient serpent's praise, Themis's unease gradually dissolved, and a gentle smile returned to her face.
"I'm sorry for putting you through this while I was away..."
The guilt that echoed in the ears of the goddess of justice warmed her heart. Those few words spoke volumes.
After briefly calming her emotions, Themis asked softly, her voice tinged with anticipation.
"Now that you're here, when will you return?"
"No rush. I'll see if I can bring back some local specialties."
Samael narrowed his eyes slightly, responding with a light chuckle, his expression tinged with teasing.
What were the local specialties of the Greek city-states? Heroes, of course.
Just as the ancient serpent prepared to soothe his disappointed former lover, Themis's reaction was calm yet tinged with an inexplicable sense of relief, as if she had anticipated this outcome all along.
"You guessed it?"
"It was Athena. She said long ago that you'd never return to Areopagus with your tail between your legs..."
"Well, having a foster daughter like that puts a lot of pressure on me."
Samael, his thoughts exposed, found himself both amused and exasperated.
"By the way, since you have your own plans, the gift Athena left you should come in handy."
"A gift?"
"Yes. But Zeus has been rather idle lately, keeping a close eye on Areopagus. Acting too brazenly wouldn't be wise. You'd be better off performing a sacrifice. And having an audience would enhance the effect."
Themis spoke in a mysterious tone, projecting the ritual steps from the Magecraft array diagram.
...
The next day, unable to contain his curiosity, the ancient serpent gathered all the necessary items for the sacrifice. Claiming he'd received divine inspiration, he dragged Atalanta and Circe along to witness the ritual.
Who would've thought that his own foster father, in this day and age, would need to bribe his foster daughter just to get a gift?
Samael muttered his complaints under his breath, patiently completing the secret rites step by step.
Finally, recalling that infuriating prayer that made him cringe, he curled his lip, pounded his chest with his right fist, and bowed solemnly before the makeshift altar in the courtyard.
"Great Athena, wise Athena, beautiful Athena, grant me your favor and guidance!"
Simultaneously, the sky's light patterns twisted. Several white owls emerged, each clutching a crown woven from olive branches. They flapped toward the courtyard, circled three times, and finally landed on Samael's shoulders.
The little creatures loosened their grip slightly, and the emerald olive branches settled atop the ancient serpent's head. A solemn, otherworldly voice echoed within his mind.
"Lost child from the sea, you are not favored by Poseidon. Guided by wisdom, pierce the mist of fate, recognize your true self, and build a great enterprise!"
"Thy name is Theseus, future King of Athens, the dawn of Prosperity in Greece!"
In the eerie stillness, the solemn, divine tone abruptly shifted to a playful, dry cough.
"Ahem. Walking the earth under an ancient divine name proves inconvenient. Thus, I've prepared a mortal identity for you as a contingency."
"How thoughtful, right? Good to know you appreciate it! Don't wander too long. Return soon. The goddess you worship awaits you—her new king to inherit Athens."
As the light on the altar faded, the owls scattered into the night, leaving Samael alone, disheveled in the wind, his mind raging with internal complaints.
This is your gift—a set of disguises?
And Theseus! You clearly have no idea about the endless string of grudges that guy will accumulate in the future!
...
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