[ Anorlon - The Mansion of House Athena ]
“How long has it been?”
“Ever since the final meeting, I don’t think we’ve ever talked.”
After the holy war ended, [The Astrea Expansion Program]’s meeting was held by the Goddess of Magic Olivia herself, where all the major gods of the neutral faction and a few Chaos gods were invited to discuss the future.
That was the last time she and I were face to face like this.
After everything that happened tonight, I had to at least come here.
The owner of this domain, the silver-haired woman holding the title of the Goddess of Wisdom and War.
The silver earring that glistens in the dark room that has very little decorations.
Athena watches me, maintaining a critical frown.
“How did you, a goddess with two [Divine Concepts], let your guard down around someone like the Abyss Prince anyway?”
I roll my eyes.
“I didn’t let my guard down… It just wasn't as strong as I thought.”
Right. In reality, I knew full well what Karzio was trying to do from the beginning. Letting it happen was just something I can use to control him afterward as payback.
—In the end, it backfired quite decisively, huh…
—But at least I managed to get something out of it, so it wasn’t so bad.
“But rest assured. No one will be able to do something like this to me again.”
Walking over, I take my seat on the velvet red sofa on the right side of the room.
“So, let’s cut straight to the chase.”
Swinging my head a little to the side to turn, I narrow my eyes and look at her.
“I was hoping you wouldn’t notice but… I guess your nose is too sharp when it comes to this sort of thing.”
Glancing at her from the corners of my eyes, I, coldly, and deliberately, give her my question.
—I’ve been skirting around the question, trying to not trigger a bad reaction from that ‘person’, but if it’s her, I think I can just ask.
“What is Eden?”
“...”
“I inspected his physique. He’s neither an angel or a demon, or any variants of Order or Chaos race. He seems to be human but with a distinct lack of internal mana circuit.
“Which means that he can’t use magic, which means that he can’t ascend or [Evolve] his body to a higher rank, which means that he’s not a god, which means he can’t use [Faith], [Domain], [Imprint], or [Concept].
“How could a being with no [Divine Concept] sneak into a god’s dream and just—does whatever he likes?”
….
“...”
After a few moments, as the air in the room begins to grow heavier.
"I don't know," says the silver-haired goddess, breathing out slowly.
“You don’t?”
“Um.” She nods.
My eyebrows furrow at that reply.
Athena continues to look at me, before starting to speak. She puts her hand on the table, each finger softly rapping on the surface.
“Eden was found three years ago, floating along the River of Styx. Scarred, tattered, barely even alive, but somehow even with such a weak and frail body, the soul cleansing currents of that river were unable to consume him.”
With her voice steady, and her gaze drifting into recollection, only for a bit.
“We don’t really know how long he has been floating along there for, or where he could have possibly come from.
“All we knew was that all those who laid eyes upon him would immediately become infatuated to the point of insanity, whether it was mortals, angels, or demons.
“Only after my contract with him was established that most of the extreme effects of his power were controlled.
“And that power… frankly, is quite unfathomable.”
Athena looks straight into my eyes.
“Eden—seems to have near infinite power over any being with a consciousness.
“The limit of his capability is not well-defined, but according to what we have inferred, as long as it’s a function related to an existence’s psychological state, he can manipulate them regardless of what kind of resistance might already be in place.
“He can go into anyone’s dream, influence anyone’s mind, read anyone’s thoughts.
“Despite having no mana connection, despite having no trace of divinity—his influence seems to be unstoppable.”
Athena cast her gaze down, to her hand that was on the table.
“The gods of Astrea are bound by the chains of [Faith], and only by amassing the will of the collectives can they gain the power to alter reality.
“A god with no believers is not a god, that is the only rule that allows the mortals and divine beings to coexist in mutual benefit.
“Absolute authority that couldn’t be rivaled. Infinite power that seems to exist without a source. Eden is the first being in the history of this world to have seemingly broken that rule.
“If the secret of his existence is known. If there’s a possibility that he could be controlled by some groups of people.
“Eden’s existence could upturn Astrea’s entire divine hierarchy.”
Athena concludes, letting her words hang in the air for dramatic effects.
“So far, I’ve done everything I could. I’ve revealed the fact that he might be human to Vena and Altarin as a red-herring. Certain people who are aware of his existence seem to have certain misconceptions about him, and I’m not intending to change it. But one day, the time will come that he’ll have to make a decision.
“That’s why for the last three years, I’ve been slowly teaching him.
“Carving within him a sense of familial, motherly love.
“Make sure that whenever he remembers what he is—
“Wait a second. Hold on.”
The silver-haired goddess raises her eyebrow at me.
“What is it?”
—Well, Eden is really powerful, an extremely strange existence that could upset our current world order, I get that part.
But…
“Did you just say, ‘motherly love’?”
“Yes, why?”
“Eden doesn’t love you like a mother. Like, at all.”
“...”
“...”
….
….
“What?”
“Earlier when I asked him if there was anyone he liked, he said, ‘Eden… likes… Athena.’ With a very sincere face.”
“...”
“He even said that he wants to do this with you.”
“...”
With a straight face, I bind my fingers and clasp my hands together twice—very roughly.
Pa~! pa~!
Although I may have misconstrued the tone a little bit, I’m still technically relaying the correct message.
And as a result…
“Huhh?”
—Her face is now redder than a bead.
“Did you… really not notice?”
“T-that is… no… wait why are you… wait a second.”
—She suddenly pauses.
“No… but I.”
—Becoming redder with every word.
“I-it’s not like I was…. I mean.”
Who would have thought that after being told this, the revered Goddess of Wisdom would break down blushing flusteredly?
Now that I think about it, hasn't it always been like this with her? Aside from the epithets related to the Goddess of Wisdom and War, she also has another one gained from her reputation of being disinterested in carnal desires.
—The Goddess of Purity. The Virgin Athena.
"Did I really… but… that doesn't…
“No, no, no… that can’t be right…"
Athena continues to blush and stutter. It seems like there’s a lot of things that have just started to make sense in her memories.
Heeeh~
Resting my chin on my palm, the corner of my lips slightly raised.
Whatever Eden ends up being, I don’t really care all that much, to be honest. But this…
Am I witnessing, for the first time… the beginning of a heart-pounding romance of a 2000-year-old maiden?
If that’s the case then, there’s no way I’m moving away from the front row seat, you know?
—————……….
