A Promise Bound by the Styx
Oceania’s Palace.
There, Eurynome had been sharing heavy conversations with family she had not seen in a long time.
“So… divorce it is, then?”
“Yeah… even though I had a daughter to consider, I agonized over it to the very end. But I simply could not bear it any longer. Now, truly… just facing that man makes me want to vomit.”
Metis spoke with a voice heavy with pain, her elder sister.
Seeing her sister in such a state, Eurynome gently offered words of comfort.
“You’ve suffered so much… cheer up, Metis. But you’ve come back to us now, haven’t you? Rest comfortably at home for a while and sort out your feelings.”
“Yeah… that’s what I plan to do…”
Metis tried to lift her spirits, but Eurynome suspected her sister’s wounds would heal only slowly.
From the very first time they had met, how fiercely they had torn at each other?
Even now, in her mind, Metis standing there at the moment she officially married Zeus to drive out Cronus, smiling as if she possessed the entire world, remained like a symbol of happiness.
That her sister had been betrayed by Zeus and nearly died because of it brought Eurynome a profound mix of shock and pity.
How much pain must the parties themselves have felt, when even a third party like her felt her heart ache?
“The… there are no men who are always the only one for someone. Surely a better man will appear someday.”
Honestly, Eurynome wondered if any man would dare approach Zeus’s ex-wife, but she offered comfort anyway.
At that moment.
“…I suppose so?… There will surely be a… good man who appears?”
A strange warmth seemed to flicker in Metis’s eyes.
Eurynome could not quite understand why, but her sister looked a little steadier. She continued her comforting words, thinking perhaps her own attempt had helped a little.
“Ah… yes, of course. In this vast world, there must be someone far better than a faithless womanizer who truly cares for you, sister.”
Eurynome gripped her sister’s hand tightly as she spoke with sincerity.
As she watched her, a faint smile began to form at Metis’s lips.
“Thank you… Eurynome. Receiving comfort from my little sister makes me feel a little better.”
“I’m glad, sister. If you ever need my help, just tell me.”
“Will you truly help? Then… listen, Eurynome. May I ask one small favor of you?”
“Huh? Ah… yes, of course, sister.”
Eurynome looked a little surprised, but seeing her sister accept so readily, Metis gave her hand a gentle squeeze and said, “I heard that my Styx sister received an interesting right this time. A promise made in the name of the Styx River must be kept without fail.”
“Ah, I heard that too. It was for leading the army in the recent war.”
Styx, who had led the ocean god army and in fact subdued all enemies. In truth she had not swung her sword once, but she had commanded the force that ended the Titanomachy.
Because of her significance, any promise made in the name of the Styx River became an absolute oath that even the gods could not break, binding all things in the world.
“Since my sister has finally received great glory, why not use it? That oath of the Styx.”
“What kind of oath?”
Though it was her own sister, Eurynome felt a small burden knowing it was an unbreakable one.
Watching her sister, Metis spoke lightly.
“It’s nothing too grand. If I meet any man, my little brother must support me.”
“…Hehe, what? There’s no way I’d dislike a man you like, sister.”
“Of course not. I already said it wasn’t that important. But since we’re making this oath anyway, don’t you think it’s meaningful to claim our first milestone like this?”
“Indeed, that’s true.”
Her sister had been gloomy for a long time after suffering badly.
If the first oath in her sister’s name was to symbolize sisterly trust, it would make a beautiful picture.
Eurynome answered readily, wanting to lift her spirits even a little.
“Very well. In the name of the Styx River… I will support you, sister, no matter whom you choose to love.”
“Thank you, Eurynome.”
Eurynome held her hand firmly and gave the honest oath.
Watching her, the Goddess of Wisdom Metis smiled deeply inside.
‘Exactly as planned…’
*
“For the sake of peace!”
“For the sake of peace!”
Sea gods and nymphs raised their nectar-filled cups and cheered with joy.
Among them, I too lifted my cup high and raised my voice happily.
“Thank you all for your hard work.”
“The victory in this war belongs to us, no matter what anyone says!”
“Indeed, everyone saw? The Titans were forced flat-nosed before us and couldn’t speak a word.”
“All because of you, Hephaestus.”
“Of course, and my son is different from anyone else! Here, let me pour another for you.”
“Thank you.”
In the past, when I first came here, the sea gods and goddesses had worn faces that showed little favor toward my appearance.
Yet now, all of them showed me friendliness and support without regard for that past.
It reminded me of the scene in that leaf village where they had once said, “We believed in you.” But to win others’ hearts, one must demonstrate such ability.
Oceania, who had accepted me without hesitation from the start, was truly magnanimous.
She had treated me with no special consideration after our first meeting, and had accepted my achievements without reservation. These gods clearly possessed great virtue.
After talking at length with many of them and taking a short rest, Nerites and Thetis, who had also endured much as war leaders, approached me.
“You’ve worked hard, little brother.”
“My older sister and brother also worked hard.”
“Haha, how unusual. When we came back from Tartarus before, it wasn’t this bad.”
“Obviously, the name of Cronus carries more weight than the owner of a place you’ve never visited.”
Thetis sipped the nectar that had dried her throat.
But right after, she frowned slightly and discreetly set down her half-empty cup.
“Brother, don’t you have any of that? The one you made.”
“I don’t have any. It was probably too much trouble to bring all the way here anyway.”
“But… ugh, this place really calls for a drink.”
“I agree.”
Unlike before, Thetis now genuinely enjoyed and appreciated alcohol.
Because of that, I had come to enjoy drinking even more, but sadly there was only sweet nectar here; the world’s bitter taste was absent.
Perhaps for real alcohol to appear at a divine feast, Dionysus would need to step forward.
Feeling a slight ache of regret, our conversation with the nectar gradually turned to matters of business.
“Speaking of which… it was truly difficult. I never expected the aftermath to be harder than the war itself.”
“Speaking of which, how are the sacred flames doing? Do humans listen to them?”
“So far, yes.”
Visible results would take time, but the work was progressing smoothly.
Formal faith had spread from Greece, where Olympus stood, centering on Zeus, but Prometheus—humanity’s direct father—and I, who had delivered the fire, had also gained many followers.
No matter how, the faith that gathered supplied kindling to the sacred flames in the form of sacrifices, manifesting as miracles on the surface and influencing the mortal world.
If this continued smoothly, the world’s wounds would soon begin to heal.
“Hehe, you really are a capable person. Without you, we would have been in trouble. Thanks to you, we got to enjoy a proper feast this time.”
“You flatter me.”
Thetis pulled my arm to her chest.
The familiar embrace was even bolder today. I slowly stroked her hair.
“Well… our territories have indeed grown. It’s made management a little more troublesome, though.”
“No… even compared to that, you’ve still left your brother half-abandoned…”
Thanks to the war’s merits, Thetis and Nerites had greatly expanded their domains within the Mediterranean.
Though Poseidon remained the official ruler, Cyprus and the wide area stretching to the Red Sea now belonged to Nerites.
Thetis governed the entire Aegean, elevating her status even further.
Before, she had been just one of many sea gods; now she was the sole ruler of an entire region.
Of course, Thetis’s own domain was hers, but Nerites spent most of his time locked away on Lemnos Island playing board games.
Speaking of history, the Mediterranean region extending from the Red Sea toward Israel was said to be quite volatile with the sea.
A reasonable doubt arose that the cause might lie here.
I silently watched the two gods enjoying the feast among the others.
At that moment.
“Ahem… Hephaestus?”
“Hm?”
Aphrodite approached me with a small cough.
Immediately she offered me a cup filled with nectar.
“P-please, have a drink with me.”
“Of course.”
Aphrodite, who had slipped away from the other sea goddesses, raised the cup I gave her and examined her appearance.
As always, she was the most beautiful among the many beauties here.
Though in legends she had shamelessly flirted with countless males, Aphrodite before me showed no such trace.
Whether it was because she had been with me since birth or because the chastity education with Eurynome had borne fruit, she only gave lukewarm reactions even when handsome men came into view.
Just earlier she had lightly ignored several male gods who had tried to flirt with her and come only to stare at me.
In that sense, I felt a faint relief… the relief of a father raising a daughter.
I emptied the cup Aphrodite had given me cleanly.
At that moment.
“…All gone?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“Mm… good… Then, let’s go somewhere for a bit… yeah, a… walk. Walk. I’ve been at this crowded place for too long and am getting a little claustrophobic.”
“Of course.”
Aphrodite spoke with an oddly tense tone.
Thinking she must be tired too, I set down my empty cup and walked out of the hall with her.
Feeling slightly tipsy from the nectar.