This Is Absolutely Not Lust!
The moment two women suddenly appeared before me, I instantly knew they weren't human but actual goddesses. It wasn't just their breathtaking beauty that screamed divinity. Even in this childish body, I could instinctively sense it as a god—the subtle yet strangely familiar aura they gave off. It was similar to the so-called 'divinity' that bitch Hera had radiated. This energy marked them as immortal beings with true divine power.
One was quite tall with flowing blue hair, a voluptuous figure, and a blue dress that accentuated every curve. In human terms, she looked like a mature beauty in her late twenties to early thirties. The other seemed like her daughter or niece—a small girl who appeared no older than an elementary schooler, yet her features were so lovely they naturally drew the eye. Any ordinary man, even if he didn't realize they were real goddesses, would have tensed up or shrunk back from the way their mere presence brightened the entire atmosphere.
But that didn't apply to me. An alpha male stays cool whether he's in fire or underwater. Especially now, right after getting burned by Hera—a woman who was objectively stunning. Having just learned that the so-called goddess of marriage and motherhood was absolute trash, I wasn't about to let my guard down. No matter how beautiful these goddesses were, they could still be trash themselves. So I stayed vigilant and quietly observed the situation, ready to throw down if it came to that. Even though the smaller one looked twice my size, newborn body and all.
But then...
"Are you okay? It looks like you fell from up there. Are you hurt anywhere...?"
"...I'm fine. Perfect condition."
"Really? That's a relief. The sound was so loud I got worried. What's your name? You seem like one of us—a god."
"...Hephaestus."
I briefly considered giving a fake name or even spitting out my original Korean name, Choi Kang-chul. But that felt wrong, so I went with the name from the myths.
"Hephaestus... I've never heard that name before. Where are your parents? I don't sense any other divine presence nearby..."
"I don't have any. My parents already abandoned me and left."
"! Th-that's..."
The blue-haired goddess looked genuinely shocked. Seeing such a normal reaction—completely different from the one who had tried to instantly abandon, no, dispose of the child she'd just given birth to—sparked a flicker of interest in me.
"How could anyone... Who are your parents? How could they do something so horrible?"
"I don't know. Never heard their names."
"Ah... Then do you at least remember where you came from? Falling from the sky like that, it must have been Olympus..."
The blue-haired woman kept asking questions, her concern clearly sincere. Even though we were the same kind of beings, the fact that she was trying to help a complete stranger she'd just met made me think that maybe, in this dumpster-fire world, there were still some normal... no, decent gods.
At that moment...
"Eurynome... Um..."
"Sorry, Thetis. Can you wait just a moment? It looks like this god was abandoned right after birth. We can't just leave him here."
...Eurynome? Thetis? No way...
The conversation between the whining green-haired kid goddess and the blue-haired woman triggered a memory. The unexpected names made me realize something important.
Eurynome. One of the many sea goddesses in Greek mythology, daughter of Oceanus—the titan famous for the Roman fountains. And the little green-haired girl beside her, Thetis, was one of the Nereids, daughters of the sea god Nereus. In the distant future, she'd become the mother of the famous Achilles.
Since Thetis's mother was Doris, Eurynome's sister, the two were aunt and niece. Of course, in Greek mythology where incest runs rampant, the family tree gets messy if you look too closely. But the key point was their role in the original myths. These were the two sea goddesses who had taken in the abandoned Hephaestus and raised him like family—like adoptive mothers.
They were virtuous women who had raised an extremely ugly child they'd met for the first time, despite being distant relatives at best. From the current situation, it seemed Eurynome was the one primarily taking me in while Thetis was just tagging along. Either way, I lowered my guard toward them a little.
"Hmm... There really aren't any other gods nearby..."
"Hiiing, Eurynome... Let's go already. You promised to show me the temple."
"Haa... Can't be helped."
Eurynome let out a deep sigh at Thetis's constant whining while scanning the area. It was a reminder that nieces being annoying was universal, whether among gods or humans. She looked at me with a serious expression.
"Um... little one... Hephaestus. Would you come with me for now? I'd like to find your parents immediately, but that seems difficult at the moment."
"It's fine. If you're busy, don't worry about me. Just go."
Original myths be damned—an alpha male doesn't burden others. I didn't want to force responsibility onto someone who had things to do.
But when I tried to refuse, Eurynome lowered herself to my level, gently but firmly took my hand, and spoke.
"Don't say that. Come with me. I can't possibly leave a newborn like you all alone. I promise I'll find your parents later, no matter what."
"..."
Her actions carried real desperation. The slight tremble in her hand suggested she was worried I might refuse. Even though I was a 'god' she could talk to, I was still a baby small enough to hold in one hand. Objectively, from her perspective, whether I refused or accepted didn't matter—this would end up going the way the responsible adult wanted.
Yet despite that, she was gently persuading me while considering my feelings as a child. It was something she could easily ignore if she chose to drag me along. I couldn't help but conclude she had a truly mature and admirable mindset.
After confirming her determination once more, I quietly nodded.
"Understood."
"Ah...!"
Eurynome's face lit up with genuine joy at my response. I noticed this didn't seem to stem purely from pity, but I didn't dwell on it. As a 'baby,' I let her pick me up and carry me toward the interior of the island.
Then...
-Gurgle.
"Ugh..."
My stomach growled again at the worst possible moment. Eurynome smiled softly when she heard it.
"Hehe, you must be hungry. Once we reach the temple, I'll feed you right away. I'm not used to handling divine power this way, but I should be able to produce milk without any trouble."
Gulp...
At the word 'milk,' I reflexively swallowed. This is absolutely not lust. As I've said, an alpha male like me never gets shaken by such temptation. This was simply a natural reaction from a baby less than a day old feeling hunger.
Even if my face was buried in breasts the size of my torso, it was definitely just 'appetite.' Definitely...
Slurp...
Ahem. Well, this is just a baby drinking milk, so it can't be helped. A-anyway, it looks like things are proceeding according to the original story so far.
From Hera trying to throw me right after birth to coincidentally landing on an island where Eurynome and Thetis happened to be—everything matched the original flow. However, unlike the motherly figure Thetis had been in the myths alongside Eurynome, this little elementary-school-aged Thetis was currently staring at me with a clearly unwilling expression.
Recalling the minor differences—like falling for nine minutes instead of nine days—I realized that while the major plot points might stay the same, there could be divergences from the original in the smaller details.
It was trivial, but these could become important variables depending on the situation. I filed that fact away in my mind.
Leaning against Eurynome, who had been holding me like a precious treasure from the start, I eventually started dozing off. A baby's body really was exhausting.
*
A young male god, presumably just born into the world. Hephaestus.
Eurynome carried the child who had fallen asleep in her arms toward the Temple of Oceanus on Lemnos Island. She could feel the many gazes directed at her—from hidden nymphs and lesser gods protecting the fields and mountains to animals, plants, and humans alike.
In this moment, feeling those eyes upon her with her entire being, one emotion she couldn't openly show to others stirred in the heart of Eurynome, goddess of the 'sea of order.' It was a feeling that could be interpreted as joy.
The child in her arms had an appearance far too rugged to be called divine. To gods who prized soft, noble beauty like that of a deer above all else, his lion- or bear-like features could only be described as ugly.
But regardless of his looks, to Eurynome this child had already become a precious treasure.
She was a mother with grown daughters, yet among all her children, she had no son. Unlike Tethys, who had given birth to thousands of sons and daughters, or her sister Doris, who had borne fifty daughters and one son, fate had never allowed a son to enter Eurynome's womb.
She had despaired and suffered over that fact for years. But now, in her arms, was the 'son' she had longed for so desperately.
A pitiful baby born to filthy parents who had abandoned him simply because of his appearance—unlike her, who had earnestly desired a son. Though she had made a promise, Eurynome had no intention of actually searching for his parents.
Whoever they were, they had abandoned their own child and disappeared. They wouldn't be grateful to have him returned, and she had no desire to hand him over to such people anyway.
Above all, in this moment—though she hadn't given birth to him herself—simply walking while holding an existence she could call her 'son' filled Eurynome with joy as if she possessed the entire world.
This had to be the son fate had gifted to her, who could not bear one of her own.
Furthermore, the extraordinary divine power she sensed from this newborn baby drew her interest even more intensely.
A baby with this much divine power... In terms of potential alone, he might even surpass me and Thetis...
Without a doubt, this child must have inherited Gaia's blood thickly. Perhaps he possessed qualities rivaling even that Zeus who had recently overthrown Cronus.
Amid such immense expectation and joy, feeling the long years of humiliation and thirst as a woman being washed away, Eurynome unconsciously flushed red with slightly roughened breath. In her heart, she made a firm resolution.
I'll raise you well... My treasure who came to me... My son... Hephaestus.