The Thirteenth Trial(?)
I told Lady Adamantia I needed to cool my head and just started walking toward the stream. If I stayed there any longer, I really might've done something stupid.
Of course, this was ancient Greece, and as a man, even if I did something to a woman, as long as I took responsibility, there'd be no issue. Back in old Korea, it was kinda like that to some extent, but here they straight-up call kidnapping and ravishing someone courtship. If I seriously went for that kind of courtship and proposal, Lady Adamantia would accept it. She'd been a virgin for seven thousand years, after all—she hadn't sworn on the River Styx or anything, and even if she was worried about the aftermath, she'd say yes, marry me, and we'd live happily ever after. This wasn't an era that punished that sort of thing; it was one that tolerated it.
But it was strange. I didn't want to do that. It didn't matter that she was a goddess and I was a demigod, or what kind of retribution I'd face for defiling a goddess as a demigod. None of that mattered. I just didn't want to be rough with Lady Adamantia and force myself on her.
The Heracles in my head seemed to agree; when I imagined throwing her down, my lower half immediately calmed down. But the impulses heating my mind and the pounding in my chest wouldn't settle no matter what.
I needed water. A simple thought: if I dunked my head in the cool, clear stream, it might calm me down a bit. Hopefully it'd have some effect...
What did I even want? No matter how long I thought about it in the water, I knew no answer would come. My longing and possessiveness toward Adamantia, the one messing up my heart, were genuine. Eros had lit the fire, but I knew this was an emotion I'd always had. That's why I didn't want to handle her roughly. At least I—because I'm me—wanted to cherish her, since she'd become mine anyway.
That's what I thought. And then.
"Lord Eros, is watching a man bathe that entertaining?"
"...Oh crap, you caught me. How long have you known?"
"You weren't even hiding. Since I first stepped into the stream."
"As expected of Achaea's greatest hero—your senses are sharp."
In the creepiest way possible, Eros had been hiding and watching me bathe. He must've been puzzled that I'd taken his golden arrow and still managed to walk out without making a move. This powerful little god had been stealthily following me ever since I stormed out—stealthily, even though he could hide his presence perfectly, like a mischievous kid playing a prank.
It was brazen enough to make my blood boil, but the reason he'd come to me was obvious.
"You're wondering why I left, right?"
"Yeah, any normal man or god would've jumped her right there. That's what I was aiming for when I shot that arrow, after all."
"...I figured as much."
"Why? Not many gods know of Adamantia's beauty—probably just me and Gaia. If you'd grabbed her like I intended, she'd be yours. So why didn't you?"
"..."
The truth was, even I didn't have a good answer. I'd bolted on pure instinct. But if I had to give a reason... well...
"I guess because I wanted her. I mean, Lady Adamantia."
"What nonsense. If you'd just gone for it there, she'd be yours. But you walked out."
"No, it's just a feeling, but if I'd done it there, I'd only get Lady Adamantia's body—"
"...Don't worry, I'm here. She can't hear this conversation."
"...I thought if I'd done it there, I'd only get her body. That's why I left."
"Ho ho."
Amused by my answer, the boyish god Eros pursed his lips, making a little "ooh" sound as he flapped his wings excitedly. He didn't fly up, but he looked thrilled.
"Now I get it."
"Pardon?"
"You're a naughty boy."
"...What do you mean by that?"
"Love is my domain. But you invaded it with your own will, Heracles. What a bold rascal."
"..."
He could interpret it that way? Well, the god of love knew best, so he was probably right. Was I in for some punishment? But the god of love just kept grinning.
"But it's fun. You're the first to resist my arrow, free will or not."
"...Thank you."
"And I like that the reason wasn't just lust. I'm the god of lust too, you know—I never even thought of holding back because you wanted both body and heart."
"..."
Oh no, this was a black history generator. But luckily—or unluckily?—the god of lust Eros did something totally unexpected. He pulled out a ring from who-knows-where and offered it to me.
"Take this."
"What's this, Lord Eros?"
"Can't you tell? It's a ring."
For some reason, it felt like I absolutely shouldn't accept it.
"It's fine—no poison or anything. Think of it as a reward for saying something amusing. Just a gift."
"What amusing thing did I say?"
"As thanks for showing such lecherous ambition—wanting both the body and heart of the mightiest goddess, despite lacking the guts to pounce right then."
Definitely not a gift I should accept. But if I refused and offended him, he might shoot a lead arrow at Lady Adamantia. Better to take it graciously.
"Thank you. I'll treasure it."
"Wear it well—it's my mom's."
"Pardon?"
"Like I'd have a ring? It's obviously my mom's. It'll make you more attractive to the opposite sex. Mom hardly wears stuff like this anyway, so no worries."
"Thank you so much!"
"Hahaha, you really are fun, you."
A ring that boosts attraction to the opposite sex? Eros was the best god ever for giving away such a treasure so freely. No wonder Apollo was an idiot—he'd even shown off his arm-wrestling strength to me!
But his next words were weird.
"You seem to like women more than men, so I prepared a ring that boosts attraction to the opposite sex."
"You said it was your mother's—how could you even think of giving it to me?"
"I told you, because you're fun. If you weren't, I wouldn't have. Though I never imagined you'd amuse me by invading my domain."
"I see."
I was grateful. But his following words were even stranger.
"Like I said, I gave it because it was fun. In other words, if I get bored of you, I'll take it back."
"Understood, Lord Eros."
"And obviously, since it's a big gift, if I take it back for being boring... I'll punish you."
"Punish me?"
"How about making you a eunuch like Grandpa?"
"..."
The blood that had been rushing hot to my head cooled in an instant. No joke—I seriously forgot about Adamantia for a second. The tiny boy-god glanced slyly at my lower abdomen and flashed a wicked grin. He had no taste for men to begin with, but laughing at the thought of castrating me? It felt like staring at a monster.
But he was a god, so I couldn't hit him. This was awkward.
"Hahaha, no need to worry that much—I don't get bored that easily."
"That's a relief to hear."
"But you get it, right? The moment I'm bored, I'm ruthless. I'll definitely make you a eunuch."
"...That's terrifying, Lord Eros."
"A hero who's scared of me? First time—ah, hilarious!"
Thankfully, my reaction pleased him. Greek heroes basically had irreverence toward gods as a passive skill, and their stories usually ended in ruin because of it. Honestly, I didn't get the mindset of a mere human challenging gods.
I was Heracles now, so I'd challenge gods eventually, but still.
"But remember why I gave it to you: because you invaded my domain."
"?(?)"
"Lust and love are my domains. My intent was for you to jump her right there, but you didn't. So I gave you this to boost your confidence and make it easier."
"Ah, I see."
"Remember this as another trial, Heracles. That ring's power is immense—it can make any woman fall for you, and once they do, it won't fade because it's all real. That's its magic."
"..."
"It's filled with the divine power of the god of love and fertility, after all. Love has no lies. Not like what humans think. Anyway, you could make any woman yours with it—even a goddess can't escape. But if you can't claim both body and heart like you said, I'll castrate you."
"..."
"What you said is that outrageous. Only fools would try it. But that's why I like it—and why I'm giving you this chance. See how far you get. Got it?"
The more he spoke, the clearer it became: this god was angry at me. Calling it a gift was probably a lie. He was imposing another trial on me, shoving me into a pit for daring to harbor feelings different from his idea of love.
Eros indeed. A vicious god. Behind that grinning prankster face was a true monster.
And now I was Heracles. In this moment, Eros had become a wall I had to overcome, my enemy.
One thing I was certain of.