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“Are you telling me you came back believing that ridiculous story?”

“But… if not, then it doesn’t make sense why the Ancient Gods would be hiding!”

“Maybe they have their own busy reasons! Why is it that your clever mind works so well, yet your ears fall short!”

Hermes could only bow his head at Zeus’s scolding.

It all sounded convincing when the sage spoke, but the only so-called “evidence” he had was the absence of the Ancient Gods. There were no other proofs at all.

Or perhaps he was just overwhelmed and convinced by the sage’s mysterious appearance and aura.

“But it’s true that the Ancient Gods have vanished. If the sage’s words are all true, wouldn’t the Aesir or the Ennead show some movement? Father?”

“You brat…!”

Just as Zeus was about to scold Hermes for his excuses, a young goddess beside him opened her mouth.

“Father. Please calm your anger. Hermes’s words do have some likelihood.”

“Hmm… Athena, what do you think?”

“There’s not enough evidence to reach a conclusion yet… but I’m starting to feel suspicious about that sage.”

“Suspicious?”

When Zeus asked again, Athena nodded.

“Yes. Previously, when you were at Baal’s temple…”

“Athena, don’t bring that up.”

At Zeus’s firm words, Athena paused for a moment before continuing.

“I’ve looked into the god responsible for that incident. With that sort of power, there could only be one deity fitting such a description.”

“That could only be…”

“Yes. The Goddess of Life.”

Zeus rubbed his neck. On what should have been a perfectly unmarked neck was a scar from when he’d been decapitated.

While it was possible for his severed neck to be reattached, there was no way to erase this scar.

“If a god who ranks among the strongest easily beheaded you, Father… it must be the Goddess of Life, who is said to be the foremost among the Ancient Gods.”

At Athena’s words, the gods of Olympus who had received their names from her nodded in agreement. The newer gods born in the last 300 years were just left puzzled since they didn’t know about her.

“Even though it’s unclear why a god who has been holed up in a temple for 300 years would show up at that moment… if the sage’s words are true, everything falls into place.”

“Hmm…”

“Therefore, let’s consider the possibility that the sage’s words are true.”

At Athena’s suggestion, Zeus nodded.

“Currently, the Goddess of Life is significantly weakened, but her strength cannot be denied. If she were to punish the gods… they would have no choice but to succumb. Her power is overwhelming, and she even named the gods 300 years ago.”

“Naming… I see.”

The gods who had received names from her nodded. Names—true names of gods are proofs of their existence and are words of immense power.

If the Goddess of Life threatened the gods using those names… the named deities would find it impossible to resist her.

“But conversely, this rumor and the sage’s presence… makes me think she might be offering us a bit of grace through the sage.”

“A grace?”

“Yes. Since the king of the gods she had set has disappeared, she might want the other gods to take responsibility and restore that position.”

At Athena’s words, Zeus fell into deep thought.

Grace. Why would the Goddess of Life grant the gods grace?

Why had she severed his neck when they were at Baal’s temple?

Why engage in such complicated actions instead of punishing the gods directly?

“Indeed… the key lies with the king of the gods, Baal, and life itself.”

“Yes. She is the Goddess of Life who crowned the king of the gods.”

Zeus and Athena seemed to reach the same conclusion, nodding simultaneously.

“She possesses the power to punish the gods directly, but if she did, countless lives would be sacrificed…”

“The gods who possess the fragments left by the king might be hoping to kill each other to return the king of the gods.”

As Zeus and Athena spoke, the expressions of the other Olympian gods began to harden.

It was a relief that it wasn’t an unavoidable destruction, but that meant it was a call to war with the other gods.

“But… there are still things bothering me.”

Athena spoke up again.

“Things bothering you?”

“Yes. The other gods… especially Odin, are troubling me.”

As soon as Odin’s name came up, Zeus clicked his tongue.

That one-eyed nuisance, who takes pride in his cleverness, always speaks in riddles. If he weren’t of equal power, he would’ve zapped him for any reason!

“Odin is a wise god. It’s impossible for such a god not to reach the same conclusion as us.”

“True. That guy is really smart. But I heard rumors that he’s been despairing and hiding away?”

It seemed the Aesir was trying their best to suppress rumors, but without Odin, the rest, stuffed with muscle to the brain, wouldn’t be capable of much.

Rumors about Odin had spread to all the gods with keen ears by now.

“That’s what worries me the most. Odin. I don’t want to admit it, but I can say that his wisdom is unmatched among all the gods.”

Athena’s concern was indeed valid. Odin— the wisest god. He sacrificed one of his eyes for knowledge that most gods couldn’t endure.

Without that wisdom, the Aesir would have never united into a single faction and would have fought amongst themselves until they faded away.

“If that Odin is in despair and hiding… there may be something further we’re missing.”

“Something we might be overlooking…”

Zeus rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

What are they missing? What could have plunged Odin into despair?

What could that hiding Odin be planning?

“Hermes.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Go visit the Aesir. We need to find out why Odin is hiding.”

“Going there is easy, but… I doubt they’ll tell me anything.”

“Then deliver this message: Zeus will personally visit.”

At those words, the gods of Olympus were taken aback.

For Zeus to visit the Aesir was something that had never happened before. Moreover, if a major deity like Zeus showed up, a major figure from the Aesir would have to appear as well.

There was no choice; the hiding Odin would have to come out.

“Understood. I’ll head to the Aesir. But what about the Ennead and Lokapala?”

“As for those two… let’s keep an eye on their movements for now. The Lokapala are unpredictable, and the Ennead is always trying to swallow us up whenever they find a chance…”

Zeus recalled Amun, the leader of the Ennead. They had clashed time and again since they were relatively close.

If they couldn’t avoid war, as the Goddess of Life wishes… they would be the first to take down.

“Just in case, Athena, you should separately seek out that sage and talk to her. Unlike Hermes, you might be able to obtain more useful information from her due to your wisdom.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Thus, Zeus watched as Hermes and Athena left the Hall of the Gods.

“Alright. Whatever the side… unsettling events are bound to happen. Everyone get ready. Especially Hephaestus. Your role is crucial. Prepare weapons in sufficient quantities for all the gods.”

“Ah, understood. But what about the materials?”

“Figure that out yourself. Didn’t you have connections for materials? If you need more faith, just say so.”

“That… those materials were sourced from the Dwarves, but with the Ancient Gods hiding, the trade has been cut off.”

At Hephaestus’s words, Zeus clicked his tongue in frustration.

“Then use what materials you currently have to make something, or seize what other gods have. Or melt down bronze statues and make something out of that!”

“Ah, understood.”

Thus, Hephaestus limped away, and after giving a light gesture to send the other gods off, Zeus pressed his hands to his throbbing head.

War. Is it war?

With plenty of gods and several war gods in Olympus, they wouldn’t fall behind against other factions… but there would undoubtedly be significant damage.

What exactly is that sage, to stir up such trouble?

If it truly turns out that the Goddess of Life is behind the sage and is thinking of the downfall of all gods…

Can Olympus be preserved?

Can it defend the power and authority of the heavens that constitute its very being?

Zeus sighed, rubbing his aching head.

Why is the Goddess of Life putting us through such a headache?

Is she resentful towards the other gods who abandoned the King of Gods?

After having done nothing for 300 years, now she wants to stir things up?

Zeus exhaled again, continuing to rub the throbbing scar on his neck.

 

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