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Near the heart of the city, on a bridge spanning a narrow stream. A tall, curvy woman stood there, wheat-toned skin, white hair tied into a high ponytail, red eyes glinting with mischief.
She gazed toward a distant high-rise, a teasing smile playing on her lips. That building was where Hermes was staying.
"So the first ones to stir up trouble ended up being the Greek gods," she murmured, amused. "That eager to cut ties already?"
Her smile was the kind you'd see on a spectator outside a circus tent, full of anticipation for the show about to begin.
Tap, tap.
Footsteps echoed behind her.
The white-haired woman wasn't surprised at all. She turned her head and saw Uesugi Kenshin approaching, dressed in a suit, carrying a bag of beer, looking exactly like an exhausted office worker just off the clock.
As she drew closer, Kenshin sighed helplessly. "Figures. Anywhere something interesting happens, you're never far away, Prithvi Mata."
One of the Twelve Deva of the Heavenly Army: Prithvi Mata, the Earth deity.
A three-digit-ranked goddess, and also one of Little Garden's most infamous gossip queens.
That was the true nature of the white-haired beauty.
Seeing a familiar colleague, Mata didn't look the least bit surprised. Instead, she laughed. "Kenshin, your timing's perfect. The show's about to start."
"The show?"
Kenshin followed Mata's gaze.
At her level, she naturally spotted the old acquaintance inside the guesthouse not far away.
"Hermes. The Greeks sent him to try and rope Ryo Yagami in?"
"Rope him in?"
Mata's expression turned strangely delicate, like she wanted to laugh but was forcing herself not to.
"If this counts as 'roping him in,' then things are about to get really interesting."
Without waiting for Kenshin's response, she continued, "Just watch. A lot of eyes are already on that place."
"Oh?" Kenshin narrowed her eyes thoughtfully and glanced once more at Hermes.
Crack!
The glass stemware shattered in Hermes' grip. The remaining red wine spilled down, staining his palm.
"That look just now… it was Prithvi Mata!"
Hermes' face twisted with a mix of conflict and humiliation.
Prithvi Mata, the Earth Deity, was Little Garden's most notorious gossip goddess. Every four-digit community knew that.
But only a handful of well-informed three-digit figures knew the rest.
Mata was also the editor-in-chief of the Spring News Society, a news community specializing in paparazzi work.
Being watched by Little Garden's number one gossip hound was bad enough.
Being watched right when he was about to make a fool of himself was infinitely worse.
Hermes could already imagine Mata drafting an article in her head.
As one of the Twelve Olympians, stooping to harass a mere six-digit community was already humiliating enough. At this rate, the next time he visited the pleasure districts, even the escorts there would probably laugh at him.
That would hurt even more than being mocked for poor stamina.
While those thoughts raced through his mind, Hermes felt several familiar divine senses sweep over him.
"Damn it. Not even trying to hide it anymore, are they?"
Regret washed over him.
He never should have listened to Zeus and gotten involved in a six-digit community's promotion Gift Game.
If it weren't for Zeus waving the Thunderbolt around, if it weren't for Athena holding the Spear of Victory… well, no, actually, maybe he could accept this kind of disgrace after all.
He took a few deep breaths to steady himself, then leaned back on the sofa, legs crossed, slumping like a salted fish.
Nothing left to fear anymore.
Knock, knock.
"Lord Hermes, people from Arcadia have sent dancers." A trembling male voice came from outside.
"Dancers?"
Hermes blinked in surprise.
Did Yagami lose his damn mind?
Knowing full well Hermes was picking a fight, and he still sent dancers?
As Hermes' thoughts drifted there, the smile on his face grew increasingly twisted.
'O Athena above, was it you who hinted to that scavenger-from-the-ruins to show kindness to a thrice-great god like me?'
Unable to suppress his grin, Hermes called out, "Let them in."
"Yes!" came the relieved reply from outside.
The door opened.... And.... Three men walked in.
They wore strappy outfits that barely covered the important bits. Their arms looked strong enough to race horses, their muscles hard as stone.
They even had cat ears.
"Hey there, Lord Hermes! We're here to serve you!" one of them said in a booming, rough voice.
"..."
The twisted smile froze solid on Hermes' face.
All the divine senses spying on the room paused at once. Some who were peeking through Gifts cut their connections entirely.
At that moment, the lead beastman puffed out his arms, each thicker than Hermes' refined head, and spoke earnestly: "Even though this outfit is really embarrassing, since it's Lord Hermes' request, we can only accept it."
'My… request…'
Hermes finally processed what was happening. He let out a muffled grunt as blood leaked uncontrollably from the corner of his mouth.
Faintly, he could hear strands of will exchanging thoughts.
"So Hermes is into men now? Didn't he used to like delicate women?"
"Wow. He really takes after his father. Even his tastes are just like Zeus'."
"Right, he's Zeus' kid. That makes sense."
"Oh crap. From now on, when we negotiate business with Hermes, does that mean we can't use beautiful women anymore? Fellow gods, any ideas? I don't mind expensing food and drinks, but I really don't want to accompany a guy who likes men!"
"Uhh... same here."
...
Hermes' face turned ashen.
'Don't act. Don't act. That man, Ryo Yagami, he's doing this on purpose, trying to bait me into attacking…' Hermes forced himself to calm down.
Then the man across from him asked sincerely, "Lord Hermes, I heard you're the bottom? Just lay on the bed and let me do the job, ok?"
Hermes fell silent.
Between being violated and being seriously injured, he chose the latter.
"I'll take the loss."
With that, Hermes casually waved his hand. A surge of air swept through the room, blasting the three men into the wall and leaving them badly injured.
He didn't dare kill them on the spot.
Buzz—
The air suddenly solidified.
Beams of golden light descended from the sky, piercing floors and space itself, illuminating Hermes' indescribably sorrowful face.
A furious shout rang out, "Hermes, you've gone too far!"
In the sky, a lion formed of golden lightning revealed its savage head. Crackling with electricity, the golden lion lunged downward, as if to devour Hermes whole.
Hermes' expression twisted as a scepter appeared in his hand.
Atop it, two intertwined bronze serpents with wings on their backs lit up with eerie light in their eyes.
"You're the one who's gone too far, you damn brat!"
The next instant, a violent gale erupted. Howling winds surged upward, slamming straight into the lightning lion.
Wind and lightning collided in that very moment.
.
.
.