As the newly formed alliance instantly collapsed, Athena came back to her senses and glared angrily at a certain silver-tongued fellow.
Sowing discord. How sinister!
'Weren't you the one who taught me that?'
Lorne hid behind Hestia and glared back without any politeness.
What "confess honestly and you will be treated leniently; resist and you will be punished severely"?
If he actually believed Athena's nonsense, then he would truly be an idiot!
Leaving aside the Nine Muses and the Goddess of Memory, if the little matter between him and Artemis were exposed exactly as it happened, he would not be getting out of bed for the next several months.
By then, the one taking action would probably not only be Athena.
It would become a group beating.
So if he wanted to survive, he had to resist until the very end.
As long as he did not admit anything and no evidence was found, then he had never done it!
Fortunately, he had always been cautious.
In public letters, he carefully chose his wording and never mentioned his relationships with those goddesses that went beyond ordinary friendship.
Therefore, even if Athena used those owl spies to catch some clues, she still had no solid evidence.
And as expected, the Goddess of Wisdom had no real proof and could only helplessly show weakness.
"Sorry. It seems I overthought things..."
After apologizing, Athena paused for a moment and looked meaningfully at the injured patient lying on the bed.
"However, I should still remind you of something. The goddesses of Greece are not easy to deal with. Do not get too involved with them, especially several at once."
"That's right!"
On this point, Hestia agreed completely and immediately nodded repeatedly.
Seeing that she could not trap him with words, Athena naturally decided to retreat.
"Alright, let him rest first. Aunt, I need to talk with you about something outside."
"But I still need to apply the medicine..."
"It's fine. Let Nike handle it."
As she spoke, Athena tossed the medicine bottle to Nike nearby and pulled the reluctant Hestia out of the room.
Watching the two goddesses walk farther and farther away, Lorne finally let out a sigh of relief.
He knew that no matter what, he had finally passed this hurdle.
However, lying on the bed for too long made his sore muscles and bones feel stiff and uncomfortable.
Suddenly, Lorne's gaze fell upon the pair of little feet walking back and forth under the bed, and he immediately got an idea.
"Nike, come here. I have a task for you."
The Goddess of Victory, who was applying medicine while holding the bottle, tilted her head and asked curiously after hearing his call.
"What is it?"
"Come up here and step on me."
"Huh?"
Nike had never heard such a strange request before.
She showed a stunned expression and froze for a moment.
"Two boxes of pastries and a bottle of honey wine."
"Deal!"
Under the naked temptation, the little girl immediately threw her doubts aside and happily jumped on the bed.
A quarter of an hour later, the little feet landed again and again.
"Mm... right side... left side... a little lower... it's fine, you don't need to be so careful... press a bit harder... yes, I can handle the pressure... ah... comfortable... comfortable..."
Lorne lay face down on the bed, humming happily as he directed her.
As the moderate pressure landed on the knotted muscles, even through the clothes, the soft sensation still made one's mind sway.
Standing on Lorne's back, Nike walked over different muscle groups as if she were simply walking normally.
At the same time, she secretly glanced down at the relaxed and seemingly very satisfied expression on his face, a huge question mark appearing in her small mind.
"No...Does doing this really feel comfortable? I don't understand...'
But it doesn't matter. As long as there is food!
Thinking about the snacks she had earned through her own effort, Nike became happy again and subconsciously walked forward a few steps.
"Stop... mm... stop. Not there."
On the bed, Lorne reminded her with a distorted face.
"Okay..."
Nike, who had been distracted, realized that she had accidentally stepped on the employer's face and quickly lifted her little foot and moved elsewhere.
As the foot moved away, Lorne rubbed his cheek and surprisingly felt a sense of lingering resentment.
Although I don't have that kind of hobby, I have to admit this new experience really feels good.
Especially when the one jumping around on his body was such a pleasing and cute little goddess.
As for some other things, well...aside from her figure and innocence, everything about her was older than even the Goddess of Wisdom, so don't call her a pervert, like in some files.
After muttering for a while, Lorne changed into a more comfortable position, lay on the bed, closed his eyes, and fully enjoyed the back-scratching service from the goddess.
Anyway, Hestia and Athena were not at home.
After suffering so much, couldn't he enjoy himself a little?
A certain increasingly degenerate magistrate thought happily to himself.
"Hm? It looks pretty fun. Should we try it too?"
Along with a curious question, Euryale and Stheno poked their heads in through the doorway.
Looking at the two figures on the bed playing some kind of game, their faces were full of eagerness.
Stepping on this bad guy was something they had dreamed of doing!
Lorne glanced at the standard... bodies of Stheno and Euryale and their white little feet.
Not refusing their service, he immediately closed his eyes and sank into this corrupt and joyful life, letting out a satisfied nasal sound.
"Sure."
Three girls serving him together meant three times the enjoyment.
Just thinking about it made him a little excited.
Just as he closed his eyes and comfortably prepared to welcome the new experience, cheerful counting sounded beside his ear.
"1, 2, 3!"
Lorne froze slightly, and a bad premonition suddenly arose in his heart.
The next moment, pale purple hair fluttered as two small figures jumped high into the air.
Boom!
In an instant, dust filled the air, and the entire bed shattered into pieces.
Feeling the strange sensation under their feet, Stheno and Euryale's eyes sparkled brightly as they clapped their hands and cheered excitedly.
Yes! This is the feeling!
Amazing!
The strange sense of satisfaction made the two little girls blush with excitement.
They could not help standing on tiptoe and stepping on the motionless human-shaped object lying on the ground a few more times.
"You... two!"
Immediately, the human-shaped object beneath their feet crawled up from the broken bed boards.
His teeth ground loudly, and his gloomy tone seemed to freeze the surrounding air.
Oh no!
With their alertness fully activated, Stheno and Euryale saw Lorne's face as dark as the bottom of a pot and immediately realized the situation was bad.
They turned around and ran.
"Stop right there! I'll beat you to death!"
The wonderful experience had been completely destroyed.
Lorne could no longer endure it and immediately jumped up from the ground, chasing the two troublemaking Gorgons around the courtyard despite his still aching body.
Seeing that he was truly angry behind them, Stheno and Euryale ran while turning their heads to complain.
"Why are you chasing us? You were the one who told us to step on you! And when Nike did it, weren't you enjoying it?"
"How the hell is that the same?
That was a massage. You two tried to kill me! You even jumped first to add acceleration! Stop right there. I promise I won't beat you to death!"
Veins bulged on Lorne's forehead.
Dark blue veins twisted under his skin like earthworms as rage almost burst from his eyes.
But Stheno and Euryale were not stupid.
Knowing that if they were caught by this guy they would inevitably be whipped again, they ran even faster.
One big and two small figures chased and fled around the courtyard, knocking over bottles, jars, tables, and chairs along the way, turning the entire place upside down.
Just as the two sides were wreaking havoc on the poor house, another knock sounded at the front gate.
Instantly, the three of them shivered at the same time.
Lorne quickly repaired the bed, jumped under the blanket, and lay still.
Stheno and Euryale hurriedly arranged the overturned items in the courtyard and house.
Then one grabbed a medicine bottle and the other picked up some pastries, putting on the appearance of attentive service.
As Nike, who had been pushed aside, opened the door, a tall purple figure walked in.
Seeing her, the three of them immediately relaxed their tense nerves and let out long sighs of relief.
"Medusa? So it's you. You scared us to death."
Stheno and Euryale rolled their eyes at their younger sister in mild annoyance.
They had thought Hestia had returned to beat someone up.
"You are all here?"
Medusa glanced at the three people in the room.
Her gaze fell on the medicine bottles and food in their hands.
She subconsciously moved the hand holding the basket behind her back and spoke casually.
"It's nothing. I just came by while passing through. You can continue..."
As she spoke, Medusa turned around as if preparing to leave, but the trace of disappointment on her face could not be hidden.
"Wait, you came at the right time. Take this!"
Before Medusa could step out of the door, Stheno and Euryale rushed forward and stuffed the medicine bottle and pastries into her hands.
They had just seriously offended the guy inside and definitely did not dare to stay here any longer.
For the sake of their snakeskins, escaping was more important.
To completely remove their sister's worries, Stheno and Euryale grabbed the little goddess of victory who was drooling at the pastries.
"Nike, let's go!"
"But Master said..."
Remembering Athena's instructions, the little girl hesitated.
Stheno and Euryale looked at each other and spoke casually.
"By the way, didn't a pastry shop with great taste open down the mountain?"
"That's right. Not only does it taste amazing, but if you buy one box, you also get a cup of honey water."
"I want to go!"
Before they even finished speaking, Nike, who was swallowing her saliva, completely surrendered and took the initiative to grab her two good friends as they rushed toward the foot of the Hill of Ares.
A moment later, only two opposing figures remained inside the quiet room.
After a short silence, Lorne looked at the beauty, smiled slightly, and spoke first. "You've grown up, Anna."
In every sense.
"Mm..."
Hearing that familiar nickname, a trace of a nostalgic smile appeared on Medusa's face.
The cold expression on her beautiful face melted away as she finally gathered the courage to step into the bedroom.
Coming to the bedside, the purple-haired goddess placed the medicine bottle she had received earlier aside, then took out a more delicate wooden box, opened the lid, and revealed a dark red ointment inside that carried a strong medicinal fragrance.
"I heard you were injured, so I specially asked that doctor, Asclepius, from the Academy of Athens, to prepare some medicine."
However, smelling the faint bloody scent within it, which felt somewhat familiar, Lorne sighed softly.
Even without asking, he already knew what ingredients were inside that ointment.
This girl...really.
Even after growing up this much, she had still not changed at all.
When she wanted to treat someone well, she would spare no cost.
Although he was really happy that he was this important in her heart, he didn't want her to hurt herself for something that wasn't necessary.
After all, she was important too.
However, Lorne did not say any words of blame.
Instead, he only showed a faint smile and spoke. "Perfect timing. Help me test the medicine."
"Okay!"
Medusa nodded firmly and immediately scooped out a piece of the dark red ointment, carefully applying it to the bruises and swelling on Lorne's body.
Seeing the young man sighing from her gentle movements, a genuine smile bloomed on her cold and beautiful face, carrying a sense of satisfaction and comfort.
~~
At the same time, outside the door.
Stheno and Euryale clung to the wall, their rectangular demon eyes wide open as they peered into the distance.
They observed Medusa's behavior and the interaction between the two inside the room.
However, seeing this storyline purer than boiled water, they felt completely bored.
That's it?
After muttering for a while, Euryale complained first.
"She is just applying medicine. What a waste of the opportunity we created for her!"
"Tsk. Isn't our little Medusa always like this?"
Stheno, the eldest sister, sat on the wall supporting her cheek with one hand.
Her pale feet swung in the air as her lips curved downward and a trace of dissatisfaction appeared in her eyes.
The good show she had been expecting did not happen, and she could not enjoy any entertainment from it.
As the elder sister who had watched her younger siblings grow up, no one knew better than her about the pessimism and timidity hidden deep inside Medusa.
A typical example of standing still yet somehow moving backward.
Although she liked that bad guy, she was too timid to speak, not to mention taking any action.
The second sister, Euryale, picked up a pastry and stuffed it into her mouth while chewing, a mischievous expression appearing on her face.
"Hehe. It makes sense. She has become much stronger, but her nature hasn't changed at all. She has never been proactive or confident."
While complaining, Euryale looked at her own flat chest and petite figure.
Then recalled Medusa, who used to follow behind her and Stheno all day, worrying about her height and large chest.
The smile on her face gradually froze, and her teeth unknowingly began to grind.
Feeling inferior because she was tall, worrying because she developed too well, being afraid because she had too many scales, and not daring to look people in the eye because her demon eyes were too powerful to control.
These traits were things that they, as her sisters, wanted even more than Medusa did.
Yet that girl was never satisfied and constantly complained about them in front of them.
No, she was showing off!
Completely showing off! How hateful!
Inhale... exhale...
Calm down. Calm down.
How could we possibly tease our own sister all day out of jealousy?
We always do it with absolute goodwill!
For example, right now.
As a snake goddess of strong desire, how could she live like such a timid victim?
After empowering herself with this justification, Euryale suddenly felt a strong sense of mission as an excited blush appeared on her pretty face.
And an eager urge to try something...
"Sister, she didn't take the bait."
"It's fine. We still have Plan B."
Stheno's lips curved upward into a pleasant smile.
She beckoned to Euryale, who jumped down from the wall.
In the spreading dusk, the two beautiful snake women quietly slipped to a small house at the foot of the mountain and sneakily knocked on the door.
When the young doctor with silver-white hair, dressed entirely in a sealed black work uniform, came out of the house, Stheno and Euryale surrounded him and impatiently stretched out their hands.
"Hey you, hurry and hand it over!"
"You are sure you want this kind of medicine..."
Asclepius frowned and spoke, intending to confirm the patient's request again.
However, before he could finish speaking, Stheno and Euryale snatched the small suspicious bottle of pink medicine from his hand and ran away without looking back.
Forget it.
Since it concerns the patient's privacy, perhaps it is better not to know.
Anyway, this was a fair trade.
Looking at the two bottles of still warm Gorgon blood in his hand, Asclepius shook his head and walked back into the house.
He twisted the fluorite lamp, lighting up the dark laboratory.
Just as the future god of medicine was about to start his usual work, he looked at the snakes inside the insulated box engraved with secret runes.
They were twisting, hissing, and mating excitedly.
He frowned slightly.
Has it already been three days?
The strength of the medicine's effect was a bit unexpected.
Perhaps he should have told them earlier that this thing was best used after dilution.
(The End of This Chapter)