Chapter 162
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: The Morning After the Hot Night
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As was usual the morning after a feast, the faces of those gathering one by one at the breakfast table were filled with exhaustion.
Yet among them, there were fifty men who looked particularly worn out but grinning ear to ear for some reason.
Thin scars like those left by a leopard's claws dotted their backs and necks here and there, and some even had bandages on their necks and shoulders.
They had changed clothes and washed up, but the marks left by the women they met on the beach told the tale of just how wild their nights had been.
On sandy beaches, behind rocks, under bushes, even in the sea itself.
Drained down to their souls in every imaginable way, they looked as if they had truly left their minds back in the ocean depths.
"Ugh! Sand's still falling off my wings."
"I'm going crazy from all the scrubbing."
"Acti, you... okay? Looked like you went into the water..."
"Ah, I'm fine. Hehe. It felt too good."
Just what kind of ecstatic time had they spent? The onlookers were dying of curiosity.
"...Heh, ahem!"
Even Jason, who had steadfastly endured the aura reminiscent of Tartarus from Dianes, was struggling to compose his melting face.
The memory of last night shared only among the chosen fifty had solidified their bond, while stirring envy and jealousy in those not selected.
And at the center of that emotional whirlwind, the protagonists of the previous night finally made their appearance.
"...Looks like they had fun over there too yesterday?"
Someone glanced amusedly at the pair crossing between the tables and remarked.
Black-blue, black storm, the one who charges and shatters, advisor who gained the friendship of many gods.
Standing on two legs, Chiron, and more.
The protagonist who had earned countless nicknames from that single war yesterday was scanning the surroundings with his lover as they headed to their seats.
The red-haired woman hanging on his arm leaned her head against him with a face full of happiness, as if she owned the world.
The red brand etched on her vibrant brown skin that had captivated so many, and the fiery scars left on her curvaceous body that had brought countless to their knees, proudly proclaimed that the two had shared an intensely passionate time as well.
-Clink!
Seeing this, the beautiful women from the Heroes' Forest whom they hadn't seen before exchanged subtle smiles and raised their glasses in toast.
-Dianes!
At the appearance of their lord who had chosen them and led them to this paradise on earth, the fifty warriors rose from their seats, offering their cups and cheering.
Dianes.
That short name was no longer just a hero's name.
It was praise for the mightiest warrior and a synonym for respect toward those who carved their own paths.
In response, Dianes gave a slight smile and a nod of greeting, but perhaps wanting to savor the afterglow of last night, he sat with his lover at a quiet spot a bit removed.
What could they be talking about?
A few gods in disguise cheered joyfully at the sight of them smiling tenderly and caring for each other, while a certain goddess in hiding ground her teeth in anguish.
Just as the hall buzzed with lively chatter at the protagonists' arrival, heavy hoofbeats silenced the room.
-Clop, clop.
The master of the forest, teacher of heroes.
Chiron, the leader whose sanctuary's inviolability had been acknowledged by the Twelve Olympians, appeared with a dark expression.
"This morning, I have an announcement to make."
Heroes, gods, spirits.
Amid the gathered crowd, Chiron dove straight into the matter without any greeting.
Realizing something serious had happened, the listeners tensed and straightened up.
"...."
Confirming attention focused instantly, Chiron bowed his head gravely, then dropped a bombshell.
"Last night, Prince Theseus of Thebes committed a grave sin in the sanctuary.
He insulted the gods, trampled the authority of the Supreme God, and in refusing to accept his rightful defeat, committed atrocities against his comrades.
However, by Dianes's mercy and the Supreme God's final compassion, he was spared death and instead stripped of all honors and sanctuary privileges, banished just moments ago.
May the Erinyes permit him life."
With that, Chiron turned and left.
But his declaration plunged the morning feast into chaos once more.
In stark contrast to the fantastical month and a half with the sea goddess, my night with Atalanta was extremely primal and animalistic.
Intensely so.
It was her first night originally, and I was sleepy from accumulated fatigue, so we fell asleep sweating together.
When I opened my eyes, there was this warm, plump something nestled in my arms, still connected, fast asleep.
In the end, with the morning vigor + morning wood situation buff, we'd just finished a round and come straight here.
"Hehe, hehehe..."
She seemed to love it that much—Atalanta kept grinning nonstop, whining that her hips felt broken, so I princess-carried her all the way here, but she looks way too fine now.
"Was it that good?"
"...Yeah."
I tossed the question teasingly on purpose, but got a straight fastball in response, packed tight.
And as a bonus, the shy yet pleased smile from this mythic beauty that melted away reservations.
"....Ahem."
The complete opposite of last night— the morning skirmish started with my provocation, but Atalanta took the reins, pinning and grinding me down by the end.
I was glad she'd gotten so skilled she could even use martial arts in bed, but honestly, she squeezed me to near-insanity; it was a bit scary.
Sharing that pleasant exhaustion and languor, we began our quiet meal together.
Atalanta paid it no mind, but as I chewed over my salad along with Chiron's speech, I couldn't hold back a smirk.
'Obvious. Too obvious.'
Given Chiron's personality so far, he wouldn't have crafted that declaration himself; it might as well have come straight from Zeus.
Strip away the flowery language, and the message boiled down to one thing.
'He's backing me up blatantly while dragging Theseus down just as blatantly.'
Just as I'd steered toward neutrality and friendship with Olympus and Zeus, he seemed to be steering toward appeasing me by handing over one of his own bloodlines.
As an impartial judge punishing even his own kin while openly crediting me for it—clear as day.
Even glossing over Theseus being crushed under my name with banishment instead of death; masterful touch.
'Not just some simple playboy lecher after all, huh?'
Either way, Zeus was more reasonable and understandable than I'd thought.
His uncontrollable lust for power and recognition were familiar types to me, so as long as we kept boundaries, maybe no death match with the Supreme God.
Truth be told, properly claiming his daughter did prick a bit, but I had the justification, and if it went surprisingly well, it might not be an issue for them either.
"Dianes? What're you thinking so hard about?"
"Huh?"
"You were just... thinking about something else, right?"
I didn't know what those three ellipses implied, but hesitating even a little here would be dangerous.
Even as she smiled beautifully, her flashing eyes told me that much, so I quickly changed the subject.
"I-I'm thinking a lot too. Suddenly lost a talent I had my eye on."
"Reaally...?"
She glared suspiciously, dragging out the word, refusing to drop her doubts, but luckily, I had reinforcements.
"Ata~lan~te~!!"
Eye candy overload.
Afro, Ares Sisters, and their gang came dashing over, colorful hair flying in the breeze, having led the charge.
"Wha? Huh?"
"Lord Dianes! We'll borrow Atalanta for a bit!"
"By all means. Just bring her back safe~"
I smiled brightly and gave permission, and Atalanta's loyal warrior women swiftly bundled up their leader and dashed off somewhere.
Apparently, from last night's risqué outfits to getting her to my room, it was all their orchestration, so they were collecting their due reward.
And given the open atmosphere here, that reward was surely last night's hot night stories.
Tuning my ears, the love house participants I'd arranged last night, along with Atalanta's warrior women, were swapping vulgar tales over breakfast that would earn censorship warnings if repeated verbatim.
'Honestly, Aunt Hera's the impressive one...'
In a place where outdoor play and one-to-many are practically basic, marriage and family ethics as divine duties?
Like going vegan at a meat buffet.
If it were me, I'd have quit long ago.
'Not that I can talk from the start...'
Just yesterday, rolling around with Nesneria in the sea until landing on shore, then mixing with Atalanta the very next night—that was me.
Lucky they both understood.
But if Neri ran crying to her junior or Atalanta tearfully pleaded to her guardian deity...
Might end up beaten to a pulp not by Supreme God lightning, but Mom's roar.
If I could just handle the divine duty thing, I probably wouldn't die.
"Anyway, shall we start with Oedipus?"
The first divine labor assigned.
Time to meet our tragic hero, the cosmic horndog-skinned Oedipus.
"Where...?"
I started to rise, wondering where to find him, when suddenly heavy masses clamped my shoulders, pinning me down.
And just like that, three hulks blocked my left, right, and front, grinning as they sat.
"Hey, had a fun night, little bro?"
"First night with a lady, next morning boozing with the elders."
"Feeling neglected~ You put so much effort into training Atalanta, but ignore this guy cuz I'm a dude?"
Ares, Poseidon, Heracles.
The ultimate muscleheads who should never be grouped together had me surrounded.