As for Olympus, since Zeus returned from the Underworld, Olympus had been unusually peaceful.
And Zeus himself felt very happy.
His firstborn Hephaestus and his second son Boros had already swiftly grown into graceful youths, and true maturity was not far off.
Harmony at home, wife and children at his side, the whole cosmos flourishing, and the Heavenly Order ever more complete.
Everything was so beautiful, so worth rejoicing over.
Even if, among his beloved goddesses, there was occasionally a little "undercurrent" of tiny collisions, that was merely a trivial, adorable bit of spice in this blissful life.
Just as he was playing with the cute little goddesses before him in his temple, Prometheus returned to Olympus to seek audience and make his report.
The temple was still very lively at that moment.
The Maia sisters, Iris, Arke, along with Amalthea, Ida, and Adrasteia, and even the usually dignified and reserved "house steward" Clymene were all present.
The whole temple was filled with trilling voices and sweet laughter, spring in full bloom.
For the licentious His Majesty the God-King was playing hide-and-seek with them.
Not the sort of hide-and-seek where catching meant heh-heh-heh.
After all, though His Majesty the God-King was beyond saving, he still needed a bit of a king's face before so many cute little goddesses.
A bit.
Only, after catching them, he would inevitably take his fill of liberties before letting go.
Though the rules of the game forbade use of divine power and authority—the very principled God-King would never cheat in such matters—
there was no stopping one-two-three-four-five-six little goddesses from "accidentally" letting themselves be caught by His Majesty.
Because of this, they had to add a special supplementary rule: any goddess who was caught was not allowed to join the next round of the game, and had to wait until the current round ended before she could play again.
Yet even so, the process of His Majesty's hide-and-seek was truly not very difficult.
Clymene had at first been unable to put aside her reserve.
After all, playing such an overly suggestive, rowdy game with her granddaughters' generation of little goddesses to amuse the God-King was truly too much to ask of her.
But she could not withstand Maia and the others' soft-hard pestering, and then those golden eyes of the God-King filled with expectation…
A trace of inexpressible warmth in her heart made it hard to refuse harshly, and Clymene half-coquettishly followed the youngsters in their mischief.
Once she began playing, she quickly settled into the light, cheerful atmosphere.
Until she was caught by His Majesty—and held fast in his arms…
In that instant, she felt all her divinity begin to tremble uncontrollably under the God-King's searing palm.
The God-King's strong, solid arms, and the rich, domineering thunderous aura emanating from his divine body, made her legs go weak and her tendons numb almost at once; she could hardly stand.
Daughters of Ocean seemed utterly unable to resist the charm of this great God-King.
Even with so many goddesses gathered around, she could not bear to leave his embrace at once.
When she was caught by the God-King and scooped up in a tight bear hug, she told herself: 'It's fine—everyone's like this.'
When the God-King's burning hand impolitely circled her slim waist, she told herself again: 'It's fine—just a game; everyone's like this.'
Even when his hand, following that astonishing curve, slid down from her slender waist to that fullness below, to that place that absolutely ought not to be touched…
She still kept reassuring herself: 'It's fine—just a game; no need to make a fuss. Everyone's like this.'
Soon the God-King's hot breath was wafting upon her satiny cheek, his lips even lightly skimming her profile.
She continued to explain to herself: 'It's fine—just a game. No need to annoy His Majesty over such a trifle; after all, everyone's like this.'
Until…
The God-King's lips seemed to slide, as if by accident, across her pink lips.
And apparently, he really meant to go further…
Only then did she dare no longer let him have his way.
She mustered all her strength, yet could only, with difficulty and softness, break free and flee that embrace that made her heart pound.
At last she escaped to the side of those little goddesses who had already been eliminated, and immediately hid in a corner, too shy to look at anyone.
She felt she had truly lost her head.
In these children's eyes, her image as an elder was probably… utterly ruined…
Though… His Majesty's embrace had truly set her heart thundering.
That intimate taste was all the harder to forget…
The seasoned God-King, of course, only felt more clearly the Oceanid's softness and suppleness in his arms.
It was indeed a graceful, bewitching figure—he truly could not bear to let go so soon.
But, in the end, he still had a little face to uphold.
A little.
To go further would truly make it impossible for Clymene to show her face.
After all, this was in public view.
Still, this incorrigibly licentious God-King was secretly calculating many more excessive things in his heart…
His wicked taste was, truly, beyond cure…
Naturally, Clymene was also relieved.
Fortunately Prometheus had returned a little late.
Otherwise, if her own son had seen that scene just now, she would truly have had nowhere to hide.
Moreover, she had thoughts in her heart she scarcely dared pursue.
She was also grateful that Prometheus had come back a little late.
So that she, too, finally knew and savored that heart-trembling "naughtiness" of His Majesty the God-King.
That "naughtiness"—it seemed… she did not dislike it.
Prometheus's arrival at last interrupted His Majesty's rare (not at all) happy life.
To spare His Majesty's face, and to restore her "chief house steward's" dignity, Clymene hurriedly and sternly directed the youngsters to quickly straighten up the great hall filled with glowing charm.
When Prometheus walked into the temple, what he saw was still that most awe-inspiring, most sacred God-King's throne.
And seated upon the throne, His Majesty the God-King—the greatest, most supreme, noblest of all.
As usual, His Majesty sat upon his supreme God-King's throne, his expression solemn, his gaze deep. His majesty was such that even gods did not dare look up.
Behind the royal seat, the Olympian messengers Iris and Arke stood in solemn attendance.
Above the starry dome, the brightest Pleiades bathed the entire hall of the God-King in endless starlight.
And among those endless stars, the brightest North Star shimmered with steady brilliance above the God-King's head.
As for his mother, Clymene—where was there a trace of the fluster and shyness from being caught just now?
Regally dressed, noble and majestic, poised and dignified, she stood gracefully at the God-King's right hand, perfectly fulfilling her duties as "the God-King's chief house steward."
Endless holy, dazzling radiance filled the entire hall; the God-King's awe and splendor weighed down like substance, pressing all the gods who came to audience so they could not lift their heads.
All the gods could only bow and await, presenting the most respectful posture before the supreme, sole Sovereign, the God above gods, the Eternal Father—the God-King Zeus!
Facing such boundless splendor and abyssal majesty, Prometheus—already somewhat guilty at heart—dared not lift his head from the instant he stepped into the hall.
The light in the hall felt like blades burnished by time; every beam seemed to carry irresistible order. Prometheus felt his very divinity grow heavy under that light.
He strode rapidly to the center of the hall and, in a posture faultless in every way, bowed respectfully: "Prometheus pays homage to the great, noble, and honored supreme Sovereign, the God of gods, King of all gods, His Majesty the God-King Zeus! Long live His Majesty!"
After saluting Zeus, Prometheus turned toward his mother and gave a slight bow in respect.
Clymene gave the barest perceptible nod.
The waves in her heart were not yet wholly calmed, making her forced composure seem a touch stiff.
She dared not meet Prometheus's discerning eyes, afraid he might see something.
Zeus smiled faintly; his voice, as usual, unruffled and richly magnetic, sounded slowly: "Prometheus, my dear friend, my loyal servant."
"Since you have returned from the mortal world to Olympus, I imagine you already have a definite answer to 'how humans should revere the gods.'"
Even with great matters hidden in his heart, Prometheus still noticed at once that his mother's reaction seemed a bit odd.
Outwardly she appeared as dignified as ever, but as Clymene's son for endless ages, he needed only one glance to see a slight abnormality in her expression—a strange look mixing embarrassment and shyness with a forced air of authority.
It seemed… she didn't quite dare look at him?
So strange. He had never seen Mother like this before…
But before he could think further, the God-King's words had already come.
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