123. Hera's Patronage
123. Hera's Patronage
Hera
Queen of the Gods
Goddess who protected family, domestic ethics, and marriage
Yet for Hera, who had Zeus as a husband—a god one couldn't tell if he was the god of lightning or the god of wind—and suffered quasi-NTR practically every other day,
"There is something promised, so I cannot give you nectar and ambrosia, but for everything else, you may eat as you please."
"....Huh?"
Chrono was 'the real thing.'
At least in Hera's eyes, there was no one more 'real' than him—well, not exactly no one...
...But at the very least, Hera highly valued that he possessed such 'power' and 'ability' yet stubbornly adhered to 'pure love' to the very end.
'And what's more, he even 'loves' the mere livestock given to him by Cronus...'
At a glance, words that might make him seem like a fur-lover, a beastkin-lover, a bestiality freak who did it with animals.
Yet to Hera, this sort of thing was entirely 'plausible.'
She had already seen a queen who slept with a bull, so why couldn't there be a person who slept with a horse?
And if that horse was not a mere land horse but a divine beast created from the flesh of a god, its standing couldn't be said to be bad either.
Put another way, from a certain perspective, they could be a well-matched pair.
'But that is close to impossible.'
However, the heavenly mandate given to them. The fate of the heavens and the principle as main gods.
The 'livestock' handed over by Cronus was born solely to be used as 'livestock.'
Outwardly a peerless beauty,
yet a slave with no human rights, unable to resist anything.
Hera was already sick and tired of knowing how to handle such things, but—
"Fufu... does it suit your palate?"
"It's delicious?"
"Yes, try drinking this too. The taste is truly wonderful."
"......???"
Oh my.
A child who made her smile just from watching.
Hera was watching. She was watching from beginning to end.
From the moment he defeated the troll,
from the moment she bestowed upon Chrono the name 'Heracles (Hera's child),'
and ever since then, she observed all the narratives that unfolded between Cronus's livestock and Chrono.
At first, she was flustered.
She never imagined he would resort to such a trick.
Then she regretted it.
Why hadn't she considered this point?
['Mental Resistance'....why is this appearing now?]
Although she belatedly bestowed upon Chrono a fitting 'reward' for a fitting 'achievement' he had accomplished, she still felt a bit uneasy.
Ultimately, that anxiety approached as reality and tried to pressure Chrono, and without realizing it, Hera shut her eyes tightly.
She simply despaired, regretted, fretted if there was no way—and finally, though she was a god herself, she prayed.
The prayer of a main god. A prayer directed at no one knew whom. And it was truly... ironic that it was none other than pure love that turned this prayer into reality, into hope.
'Even the ending is too good.'
A situation where hands might have been short, of all things.
In that fleeting moment, creations that climbed the connection to Chrono and bared their fangs at their own creator to protect their master.
If she herself had been in such a situation, she would have clutched the back of her neck and collapsed, but since it wasn't her story, +1 point.
On top of that, the entire process was done purely 'of their own will,' so +1 point.
Furthermore, the source of that will being 'pure love' gazing at one person, +a million points.
"It seems it suits your palate. Enough to get it smeared around your mouth while eating."
"Uhp, uh, I'm sorr—"
"—Stay still."
"......Huh...?"
Hera wiped the fruit juice smeared around his mouth with her finger.
Chrono flustered by Hera's action. Even that sight was so endearing.
'And yet, when he makes love, he was truly...'
Sometimes fresh and youthful,
sometimes passionate love.
Watching Chrono directly embody the pure love she herself had wanted to feel, Hera was subtly even feeling vicarious satisfaction.
"Chrono....Once, taking you as my child was something that happened due to Cronus's threat. But it is not so now. Even if it were not Cronus, I would have surely accepted you as my child."
".....Gulp."
Hera's sincere love (maternal love).
And Chrono, who was steeped in that maternal love—
'....Save me...!'
He was on the verge of dying from the burden.
*****************
".......Oof."
He was thoroughly patted.
Thoroughly fed,
and just as he was about to be embraced as a finale, Hera stepped back, saying that was indeed going too far.
Ultimately, after a blur of things, he opened his eyes and found himself back inside the tent.
"I feel dizzy."
He definitely slept, but this feeling like he hadn't slept at all.
As he turned his head around, bothered by the slight dizziness remaining,
"──Keu-eup...!"
"....What the?"
Mai, who had been sleeping beside him, was letting out a long burp.
Looking closely, her belly seemed a bit bulging, and something was smeared all around her mouth, giving the feeling she passed out after eating something.
'....No way.'
Just in case, I asked Mai.
"Hey, you too?"
"....Mai too."
Oh.
My god.
I was at a loss for words.
At least my body was here, so I wasn't physically full, but Mai must have been fed everything without exception.
'She practically piled it on like a countryside grandmother.'
Thank you for the meal, grandmother.
Huh? You want me to eat just this before I go?
Could it be that the standard for 'just this' became one wash basin while I was away...
...Aha, the heroes of old all ate this much? Hera really, seriously.
"Good work."
"........Nn..."
Perhaps it was the sympathy of shared suffering.
I gently stroked Mai's head.
Soon, Mai closed her eyes and accepted the touch.
Presently, by some unknown principle, Mai's belly slowly began to deflate inward...
[Summoned Creature: Pegasus][Rank: B (EX)]
-Heavenly Demon who received Hera's blessing
-A 'child' whose future is anticipated.
-Trait: Transformation
-Trait: Time Passing
-Trait: Wise Mother and Good Wife
-Trait: Empty Hourglass(Unlock!)
-Trait: [Locked (Unlocked at A Rank)]
-Trait: [Locked (Unlocked at S Rank)]
-Trait: [Locked (Unlocked at EX Rank)]
-Trait: Pure Love Blessing(New!)
[Empty Hourglass][Rank: B(Ex)]
-Pegasus's body is the flesh of that one
-There is not even a hint of resistance in accepting that one's power.
-Can grow according to the main body's rank
-Time Stored [0/30:00(min)]
[Pure Love Blessing]
-A blessing imbued with Hera's heart
-May that heart remain unchanged until the end
-When loved by the one she loves, growth speed increases proportionally to the degree of love received
"....???"
"???"
What kind of situation was this?
While we were staring at each other flustered, another window appeared before my eyes.
[Received Hera's grace in Hera's temple]
[The quality of the soul increases]
"....Uh..."
['Intelligence' increases by '5'.]
['Divinity' increases by '10'.]
['Trait: Pure Love' is created.]
[Pure Love]
-One who loves is strong.
-One who is loved is strong.
-Therefore, pure love is the strongest.
-[Bond Rank]% increase to All Stats
-Current multiplier: 27%
"............"
I slowly raised my head upward.
Well.
Didn't I say something like this before?
Weren't all the gods watching up there just a bunch of voyeurism addicts?
"Thank you."
Since they were giving out admission fees like this, I was starting to think it might be okay to be somewhat open about it.
...
..
.
After we both calmed down to some degree,
Mai lightly clenched and unclenched her fist and rose from her spot.
"Huh?"
Mai lightly grasped the hem of her dress, repeatedly lifting it up and down.
Then she turned her head toward me and asked,
"Wanna do it?"
"....Why doesn't anything change with you even when you grow?"
"Heavenly Demon must remain consistent."
"Yeah, your poop is thick."
I ignored Mai and folded the tent.
No, I tried to fold it.
"Haven't heard an answer yet."
"..........."
But Mai spread her arms and blocked me, as if she must hear an answer.
I pondered for a moment, then lightly exhaled and said.
"Barely illegal."
"...Barely legal."
...You little—
"Illegal."
"Legal-like illegal."
"Illegal-like legal."
"...So it feels somewhat legal, you're saying?"
"Honestly, compared to before, it seems much more plausib—
....Are you leading the witness right now?"
"Mai knows nothing."
Now she was turning her head away, pretending not to know.
And yet her wings were trembling flutteringly—she really was a kid who couldn't lie.
"Yeah... the Heavenly Demon doesn't do stuff like lying."
To me, it just looked like she couldn't, but let's just say so.
I finished folding the tent and packed it into my backpack.
Now all that remained was to exit the dungeon with the Athena Guild members and go up to the surface.
"Heu-aaaahm, oof."
I sat quietly in place and waited for the Athena Guild members to move.
Blankly. Sitting and waiting for about 5 minutes.
"Mai, has something to say."
"What."
Mai came and sat beside me.
"Trait, Pure Love Blessing. When loved by Big Brother, growth speeds up."
"......Hey."
No matter what, outdoor exposure play was a bit much.
The things said inside the tent were joke talk, could we really do that sort of thing with everyone watching?
When I looked at Mai with coldly soured eyes, Mai shook her head as if denying it and said,
"Kiss me."
"No."
It was the same thing anyway.
A firm refusal.
Mai stared into my eyes for a moment, then spread her arms wide.
"Then hug me."
"Are you joking?"
"Not that either?"
So even though everyone else was watching—
At my firm refusal, Mai stared at me with sullen eyes.
'No matter what, it's a bit...'
Maybe if we were inside the tent, that'd be different.
Ultimately, as if understanding, Mai brought her head toward me.
"Pet me."
"...If it's just that much."
I gently stroked Mai's hair back.
"Forehead flick."
".......Big Brother."
Sorry.
I'll pet you properly.
I placed my hand on top of Mai's head and gently stroked her.
"Huuuuu.....!"
Mai narrowed her eyes as if pleased, her wings trembling lightly.
[Trait: Pure Love Blessing activated.]
[Growth Bonus +3%]
It seemed Hera deemed it roughly a 3% level of love.
As an aside—
"There... right thereeee....."
"You're so demanding?"
The two(?) engaged in affection officially recognized by Hera.
"....Athena."
Minerva, hiding herself behind a rock, quietly called Athena's name.
"It wasn't like this before...."
She pressed firmly near her chest and said,
"Right here. It stings a little."
[Goddess Athena:............]
"Athena....."
[Goddess Athena:...Do not worry, Minerva.]
At this, Athena spoke.
[Goddess Athena: As the goddess of wisdom, I shall bestow wisdom upon you.]