Mnemosyne laboriously lifted her lids a sliver; the lingering springtide still drifted in her deep, beautiful eyes like a slow-rolling nebula.
She shot Zeus a sultry, exasperated side-eye and scolded him without much goodwill.
This beloved, far-too-formidable God-King truly forced her to be magnanimous!
When she spoke, that lazy, bewitching, singular charm washed over him. "Zeus—my student Zeus, I am very displeased with your recent conduct!"
"Hm?" Hearing this, Zeus was about to embark on a new round of earnest apologies.
Frightened, the all-knowing goddess quickly pressed a hand to his chest and spoke at speed: "But… there's always a but!"
"Student Zeus—let Teacher finish. Don't be so hasty~"
Only then did Zeus nod, pausing for the moment and putting on an air of humble receptiveness.
"Ahem," Mnemosyne coughed twice, cleared her throat, and continued, "But, today's performance—I am satisfied."
"I shall accept this most sincere apology for now."
"But!" Her tone turned stern again. "You must not make the same mistake again!"
"Absolutely no marrying those strange, unclear goddesses as your wives!"
Mnemosyne tossed Zeus another coquettish side-eye. Her lace-gloved little hands began to idly trace circles upon Zeus's firm chest.
In a wheedling tone the all-knowing goddess said sweetly, "Student Zeus! You must know! Only I—and your Teacher Themis—truly care for you most, protect you most, think of everything for you, and prepare all manner of great surprises for you!"
"If you still want… us to 'tutor' you."
"Hmph~ Your future conduct will determine whether I invite Teacher Themis to give you an even bigger surprise together."
Mnemosyne deliberately put her gold-rimmed glasses back on.
And she placed special emphasis on "Themis" and "surprise."
At this, Zeus's eyes flashed bright—truly glowing!
The holy, immaculate Themis, who presides over Justice—if she, too, dressed like this, as a solemn, serious schoolteacher…
Then…
Zeus grew excited just imagining it.
He felt half his body go weak, all his strength hardening elsewhere.
Lust swelling anew, the God-King spoke with utmost gravity, solemnly pledging, "Teacher Mnemosyne! I understand!"
"Rest assured, I will study diligently, to repay my Teacher's graciousness like a bubbling spring!"
"I will persevere, be unyielding, bury myself in hard work, and ensure that Teacher Mnemosyne is so satisfied with me she could not be more satisfied!"
The all-knowing goddess glared at Zeus again, not kindly. She was no other goddess; the mischief hidden in Zeus's words was crystal clear to her.
She couldn't help clicking her tongue lightly. "Student Zeus, you're hopeless! You can't learn a single good thing!"
Zeus bristled at this and protested righteously, "My dear Teacher Mnemosyne, I will not have you speak that way of yourself!"
"Every day with such an excellent Teacher as you, under your careful instruction—how could I not learn well? What I learn is only the best."
"Now, allow me to prove my learning outcomes!"
The already-exhausted all-knowing goddess was instantly aghast. She cried, "Student Zeus! Wh-what are you going to do now?!"
"Why, this," Zeus answered with the most decisive action.
By the time Zeus left the all-knowing temple clear-headed and refreshed, Teacher Mnemosyne's heart held not a trace of grievance.
Moreover, she had thrice commended Student Zeus's tireless, persevering spirit and excellent performance—only then granting this pupil a temporary leave.
Zeus strode back in high spirits, still relishing the memory: Teacher Mnemosyne—absolutely amazing!
And if Teacher Themis, too…
As Zeus floated in pleasant fantasies, he saw dear Iris waiting for him upon the divine road not far from the all-knowing temple, looking quite anxious.
Only then did Zeus think to check his mind-messages—and sure enough, many were unread again.
Among them, the most urgent were clearly from Clymene.
That much was obvious from the images she sent and her urgent tone.
Zeus's expression grew solemn at once. He set aside the rosy thoughts and returned to proper business.
The Mother of All, Gaia, had come to see him.
She was now waiting in his temple.
Her expression was heavy; her face was very unpleasant.
Zeus glanced at Iris and only nodded lightly, indicating he understood.
He said no more—he tore space directly and took the sweet goddess who had flown so far along with him back to his temple.
Clymene's slightly anxious face turned to delight the instant she saw Zeus return.
She hurried up, about to explain.
Zeus merely smiled faintly, lifted a hand to still her words, and said mildly, "I already know. No need to say more."
Clymene relaxed completely at once and respectfully led Zeus into the hall.
At a glance, Zeus saw the Mother of All, seated at the guest place, face like still water, brows tightly knit.
It was plain the Mother of All was in a complex and unhappy frame of mind; she was clearly holding down her anger and irritability.
No wonder even Clymene felt a little panicked.
Seeing Zeus return, the Mother of All rose slowly.
Her lips parted slightly, but she said nothing.
She only fixed her deeply complicated gaze straight upon Zeus.
Zeus, however, acted as if he had not seen the Mother of All's ugly expression at all—as if he had no idea why she had come.
Laughing heartily, he flashed forward and actually gave Mother Gaia a big, powerful hug.
"Honored Mother, welcome! Your presence makes all Olympus shine!"
"I wonder what great matter brings you to me today? If it be in my power, I will do all I can."
This move left Gaia momentarily stunned—and then inwardly full of distaste.
She did not believe Zeus could be unaware of her purpose in coming.
A few days prior, the news that Demeter had newly received several powerful laws—and had even become "Earth Mother"—had shocked and alarmed her.
"Abundance" and "Lushness" were laws she had once cut from herself, given to Rhea to be offered in Zeus's stead—and then swallowed by Kronos.
Later Zeus kept those two laws himself and did not return them to her.
But that small matter was not worth fussing over.
Even now, for him to transfer those two to Demeter was no surprise.
But the law of "Growth"—that belonged to Kronos!
When Gaia heard the news, she wanted to find Zeus at once to ask plainly.
But she forced down her anger and urgency and first sought out Themis, hoping to learn the specifics.
Themis is a god who does not lie, but she did not wish to reveal all.
However, facing her dear Mother—seeing her anxious and grieved—she could only tell what could not be hidden, what Zeus himself had no interest in hiding.
Themis told her that within the Heavenly Order several powerful laws had changed hands—and had been fully integrated into the Order.
Then she hinted to Gaia that, though the ownership of those laws had changed, the gods' source-divinities had not changed in the least.
Beyond this, she said nothing more.
But that was enough—Gaia understood what had happened.
Her children, cast into Tartarus—their laws had all fallen into Zeus's hands.
As for her children's fate, Gaia—though panic-struck—was not utterly despondent.
In her understanding of Zeus, he would not strike to kill.
With Themis's hint besides—Themis's word she could absolutely trust—
She managed to keep herself calm.
After Themis kindly counseled her for a long time, Gaia basically calmed down.
Then she bade Themis farewell and came at once to find Zeus.
And ended up waiting several days.
Though her heart was long frayed and burning, on the surface, this Mother who clutched at one last thread of hope
Still forced a slightly abased, stiff smile upon her lovely face and gave Zeus a light embrace.
Barely holding a gentle tone, she said, "Your Majesty the God-King, your warmth moves me deeply. I thank you for your hospitality."
Watching Gaia's look—plainly unwilling within, yet forcing a gentle smile—Zeus could not help chuckling inwardly.
Still, he had to admit: even a feigned smile from this Mother of All was beauty enough to make the universe itself pale.
As one of the universe's fundamental sources—and the first "existence" to be born—Gaia is the source of all things, the Mother of All, the supreme source of all matter and antimatter.
The vastness of her divinity is unquestionably second only to Zeus and his avatars.
Even the primordial Lady of Night, by comparison, was a hair below her in source-divinity.
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