The End of Myth (2)
The End of Myth (2)
Ten years had passed since we fled the island of Crete under Cronus's assault.
Olympus had become a sprawling, formidable complex.
If I had to describe it, it was like seeing an underground shelter in an NTube ad, built to survive hordes of zombies.
Defensive structures lined the ridges, ready to face our enemies.
The natural terrain above the mid-slope had been designed to radiate majesty and grandeur.
And at the summit, a colossal temple stood ready, a place where the Twelve Olympians would one day proclaim their full authority.
Even on the surface, Olympus was magnificent, but there was one massive, cylindrical staircase descending underground from the central temple at the peak of Mount Olympus.
As you spiraled downward, the main 'residential zone' unfolded.
Though it received no sunlight from outside, a fusion of my modern knowledge and Metis's wisdom had created an underground complex capable of housing many goddesses.
The so-called Olympus Hotel.
I'm the general manager.
Initially, it was as bare as my early days on Crete, but over time I had developed it into something rivaling proper suites.
What I focused on most were quarters designed to rival an ordinary family home.
These were for my family, my wives, and my 'daughters.'
That's right.
In those ten years.
I had become a father.
But I should clarify one thing: surprisingly, the mother of all these children was a single person.
"Lord Zeus, excuse me."
As if on cue, that very person came looking for me while I rested on the throne.
Themis.
My aunt and now my wife stood before me, wearing glasses and carrying a massive tome.
"The draft of the Law you shall rule by is complete. Please, review it."
"Right. Leave it there. ...So, Themis, are you feeling all right now?"
"Yes. Thanks to your concern, Lord Zeus, my postnatal recovery now takes only a week."
"Still, you gave birth to triplets."
"I'm fine. Rhea helped me. Hehe, speaking of which... darling?"
Themis pushed up her glasses and smiled softly.
"Rhea bore five, but I bore six. Rhea was a bit miffed, so please soothe her soon."
"...You had two sets of triplets, but Rhea gave birth to quintuplets. Don't compare yourselves."
Themis casually flaunted her birthing record.
Unlike the other women, the only one to bear my child before Themis was Rhea, so Themis felt immense pride in comparing herself to Rhea when it came to bearing my children.
That's right.
I had been having sex for over ten years on Olympus, but Themis was the only woman who had borne my children.
'When are children like Athena, Hermes, or Ares going to be born?'
My memory clearly placed them among the Twelve Olympians.
I had even reserved positions for each of them once they grew up, so they should have been born by now.
I was putting in the effort.
Especially with Hera, who was a sure bet to bear my children, I had been pumping loads into her daily, daily, and daily again.
Hera was making every effort to conceive, and not just her, but everyone from Demeter to Neptune was diligently receiving my seed.
Yet as if bound by some law of the world, pregnancy never occurred.
Only Themis could conceive my child.
Eunomia, Dike, Eirene.
These three were the triplets born right after Themis arrived. After consulting with Metis, I named them the 'Goddesses of the Seasons.'
The roles their mother Themis entrusted to these daughters were Order, Justice, and Peace, respectively.
Themis would devote herself to Olympus as the guardian of the 'Law' that encompassed them all.
And following these three sisters, Themis gave birth to new triplets this year.
We named them the 'Moirai.'
What abilities they possess is yet unknown, but being of Titan blood, they will be born with some special powers.
"You did well. It must have been a sudden pregnancy, and you delivered all three beautifully again."
"Indeed. It's not like I stopped having sex for ten years... I never imagined I'd suddenly give birth after a decade, while everyone else couldn't conceive."
"You know, talking like that, it could sound like you're mocking them?"
"I have no intention of mocking. It's just purely strange."
Themis placed a hand on her cheek and tilted her head.
"Lord Zeus's seed has no issues, nor do the others, so why can't they get pregnant? Specifically... why only me?"
"That's what I find strange as well. But still, be careful. A woman's jealousy is truly terrifying. I trust you, as a woman, know that better than I do... still."
Some women might try to raise Themis's children as their own daughters.
"I'll leave the childcare to your mother. Themis, from now on, dedicate yourself to raising them."
"Understood, Lord Zeus."
Themis bowed deeply and withdrew.
I was left alone on the throne to catch my breath.
"Hoo..."
Pregnancy.
Zeus is notorious for being such a lecher, so why is it so hard for me to get anyone pregnant?
Is it because I took over Zeus's body?
But Themis gave birth to six children?
I couldn't figure out the reason.
If pregnancy were completely impossible, I could assume a problem with my sperm, but Themis undeniably bore my children from my seed.
The possibility of infidelity?
None.
Even without scientific DNA testing, the power of the Titan gods could verify paternity.
-It's yours, husband.
Hera confirmed it.
Hera, who would become the Guardian of the Home, possessed the 'Power of Paternity Discernment.'
Thanks to this, she brilliantly resolved the 'infidelity' suspicions that once arose against Themis.
She also personally captured those who slandered Themis with accusations of adultery and threw them into Tartarus.
Her anger wasn't just about her own failed pregnancies; it was also a stern warning against anyone casting suspicion upon Zeus.
-Zeus is good at sex, but he can't get anyone pregnant.
In Greece, procreation held more significance than one might think.
In this world, spreading one's strong seed to many was considered a virtue, not a flaw.
...The original Zeus went overboard and stuck it into any woman he could find, but I wasn't like that.
'Should I be having even more sex?'
I truly didn't know.
If only I knew the condition for confirmed pregnancy, I could go around sowing my seed everywhere, but I couldn't puzzle it out.
Worries about childcare?
Titans grew up quickly, in barely a year.
Just like my younger sisters, the childcare period was very short.
A human takes twenty years to become an adult, but a Titan reaches adulthood far faster.
That's why the three Horae sisters, who are technically ten years old by birth year, are already active as proper goddesses of Olympus, faithfully fulfilling their duties.
The same goes for the Moirai.
What kind of work would they end up doing?
I summoned the one being who could vaguely guess their abilities.
"Prometheus."
"Yes, Lord Zeus."
A man who had aged a bit over the past ten years.
But still, a man whose head shone as brightly as the sun even inside a cave.
"You once prophesied that I would have countless children. That more children would be born than all the goddesses gathered here in Olympus."
"Y-yes, that is correct."
"But strangely, my children haven't come forth. I haven't even grasped the reason why Themis became pregnant. Nor you, nor even your sister Epimetheus."
"Y-yes, that is so..."
Prometheus trembled.
Seeing him like that reminded me of when Cronus used to neglect him, so I steeled my own heart.
"The future comes in its own time. Don't worry too much. Ten years isn't a short time, but it passes surprisingly quickly."
"Ah... Lord Zeus...!"
Prometheus wept.
"Thank you for believing in me until the very end...!"
"I never doubted you in the first place."
Because my faith in my background knowledge was stronger than my faith in Prometheus.
I just thought there was some restriction preventing the births.
For instance, maybe I could only get goddesses pregnant after defeating Cronus.
"In that case... please hear what I have to say without misinterpreting it."
"Alright, speak."
"From now on, you must put your heart and soul into your ejaculations."
"...Huh?"
Prometheus grinned slyly at me.
"Apologies. A Thread of Fate that even the Mother of Life could not interfere with has been constricting you, Lord Zeus. It made the world wait and wait until it could accept the approaching future. However, things are different now. The power to weave the threads of fate has been derived from you, Lord Zeus, and has now taken form in new life."
"Just get to the conclusion."
"With the birth of the Lady Moirai, impregnation sex is now possible."
"...What do you mean?"
I couldn't comprehend it.
"What do Themis's triplets have to do with getting others pregnant?"
"The era has now truly passed to you, Lord Zeus."
"I'm asking what that means."
"Simply put, the world was afraid of your fertility, Lord Zeus."
"..."
I didn't really get it, but it made me feel significant, so I'll take it.
"If your children, Lord Zeus, had been born day after day, the world would have quickly become yours."
"Hmm, so?"
"The world needed time to accept your reign. That time was ten years."
"Hmm."
"During that time, you, Lord Zeus, gained the stigma of 'Zeus the Rape God' while caring for many goddesses, but the time has finally come for those ten years of restraint to shine."
"The conclusion?"
"From now on, be truly careful, Lord Zeus."
Prometheus gave me sincere advice.
"The goddesses who have waited ten years for pregnancy might be scheming up any number of plans to covet your seed."
"..."
According to Prometheus.
Now that the World's Restriction had been lifted and the power of fate entwined with me had passed to the three Moirai sisters.
"If you ejaculate inside, it's a 100% pregnancy. And that moment... will likely be about one hour before I came to find you."
"...Ah!"
I immediately turned my head to the side.
"Metis, you're pregnant."
"..."
Before Prometheus arrived.
I had spent a pleasant time with my wife, Metis.
"...Preg...nant?"
My overflowing joy at embracing her lasted only a moment.
"I... am?"
For reasons I couldn’t explain, Metis had turned deathly pale at the realization that she was pregnant.