Chapter 114

When you’re talking with someone, and the conversation shifts to an uncomfortable or disadvantageous topic for you, leading to criticism coming your way, there’s a highly effective solution for such situations.

“I had a quarrel with the Goddess Artemis.”

The trick is to overshadow the current topic with an even more shocking story.

And in Greece, there was no one at the center of more sensational and scandalous rumors than me.

“…What?”

Poseidon’s widened eyes seemed to ask if he had heard correctly.

Understandable—if someone suddenly claimed they rolled around with their niece, I’d have reacted the same way.

“I-is that… really true?”

“Well, Hermes, Ares, and even Hera are aware of the fact, but I made a misstep with the Goddess Artemis. She came to settle the score last night while I was meditating in the forest.”

The key here was to avoid delving into too much detail.

Conquering the Goddess of Purity was, admittedly, a tremendous achievement for any man, but Artemis wasn’t entirely mine yet.

Besides, we’d sworn an oath on the River Styx to keep that night’s events a secret.

For now, it was wiser to keep things vague and move on.

“So, what happened?”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“How could I dare to speak of bringing disgrace to the renowned goddess who ascended to Olympus? For her honor, I decided to bury last night’s events in the River Styx, so please understand.”

“Oh… to be with Zeus’s daughter and still alive…? Haha.”

Poseidon’s eyes shifted from those of a father seeing the man who cheated on his daughter to eyes filled with interest.

‘Good.’

Seeing this, I flashed a victorious smile. Whether in the Murim world or in Greece, honor was sometimes more important than life itself.

In this land, honor, oaths, and customs were under the domain of Supreme God Zeus, the King of the Gods.

Bringing up the honor of Zeus’s kin and invoking the River Styx made probing further tantamount to challenging Zeus himself.

Moreover, I’d phrased things ambiguously enough for Poseidon to infer the situation without pressing further. As expected, he nodded in understanding.

“I did hear that Zeus, that pompous fellow, granted Artemis the right to operate in the sanctuary. Haha, I never thought it was to capture my son-in-law.”

Just a moment ago, Poseidon was glaring fiercely, but my words instantly dissipated his anger.

“Looks like you’re a martial arts warrior, am I right?”

“You’ve observed accurately. Because of that, I had quite a hard time dealing with a goddess who shoots arrows and runs through the forest.”

“Hmm….”

Though Neri had misunderstood, her assumption wasn’t entirely wrong.

To be honest, Artemis was more a target of conquest or lust for me than a source of solace or affection, unlike Neri.

For now, my priority was to charm the God of the Sea before me so I could meet Neri.

Bowing respectfully, I adopted the demeanor of a devout follower before Poseidon.

“Though late, I offer my greetings. Lord of the sea, bringer of white waves, I greet Poseidon.”

“Hmm… Yes, I’m pleased to meet the reincarnated son of the Primordial Night Mother.”

“Pardon?”

Wait, what did he just say?

I was stunned by the unexpected revelation, and when I looked up, I saw Poseidon’s rough face grinning at me.

“What? Did you think I wouldn’t know the identity of the one to be my son-in-law, or rather, my brother-in-law?”

“No, but how did you…?”

The fact that my lineage, or rather, the entity that forged this body I reincarnated into, was the Primordial Goddess of Night, was known only to Hera, Hermes, and my sisters, Nemesis and Eris.

I did suspect that the story might have leaked through Hermes, but I heard that the Goddess Hera had ensured his silence.

Yet here was this god, meeting me for the first time, seeing through my lineage at a glance.

Seeing my noticeable bewilderment, the God of the Sea stroked his beard and spoke as if amused.

“Well, it seems like we both have a lot to say…. How about we chat over a drink, since your throat must be dry?”

Then, he suddenly handed me a gigantic barrel that fit snugly in his massive hand, marking the start of a peculiar first meeting with Poseidon, or rather, my father-in-law.

Now, imagine this.

You’ve fallen into the world of Greek mythology, and not just as any mortal, but as a demigod treated almost as an equal to the major Olympian gods. Then you’re summoned by your enraged father-in-law, who also happens to be a god, for upsetting his precious daughter.

And now, you’re sitting across from him, drinking together.

How would that feel?

The answer: surprisingly enjoyable.

“Ugh~ At that time, I really thought I was going to die! My father-in-law smashed my head with an undersea volcano. It was right after the war with those damned old men ended, and my half-severed neck had barely reattached. Hahaha.”

“Hohoho… Honestly, didn’t you think you deserved it, brother? But an undersea volcano?”

“Of course, you fool! But to be honest, Amphitrite was so beautiful. What could I do?”

“No matter how beautiful, you abducted a woman on the spot, so you should expect to be hit by her father. Honestly, I wouldn’t go that far. But a volcano?”

“You crazy fool. I don’t know what ‘abduction’ means, but I do know you insulted a god. Aren’t you afraid of my trident?”

“Whether it’s gods or people, if I can’t speak my mind, how can I live without fear? I’d rather bite my tongue and die. But really, a volcano?”

Since the god generously brought the liquor, it was naturally my responsibility to prepare the snacks.

Fortunately, in the bountiful Messenia, from sea to land, with just a little effort, one could gather enough snacks even from bare ground.

Moreover, as I am also a god who handles divine power, I could create something from nothing to some extent, and in no time, Poseidon and I were drinking with a pretty decent spread before us.

“That damn volcano, I can’t even stand the sight of it, but Amphitrite decorated it behind her palace as a souvenir of her annoying husband’s misfortune.”

“Hahaha! Well then, for the deep-sea volcano that struck the noble Poseidon’s head…”

“Cheers!”

The massive jars collided with a deep thud, frothy white foam spilling out like an erupting volcano.

Beneath the froth lay fresh raw fish and something resembling spicy stew.

It looked just like a fisherman’s banquet.

By the way, as for spices, thanks to Poseidon’s sponsorship, we poked around since there were many trade ships traveling through the Mediterranean, and they generously offered all kinds of spices.

The God of the Sea, delighted to finally use the various offerings received, was a bonus.

“Ah… Wine is good, but when men drink, this mead is the best. It’s cool and fizzy, nothing beats it.”

“Heh~ It’s my first time tasting mead in this town, and I missed this taste.”

Huh?

Not long ago, I’d been in all sorts of trouble, yet here I was, drinking with my… father-in-law?

Since when have I been calling the God of the Sea among the three major Greek gods ‘brother’?

I mean, honestly, since Neri’s older sister is Amphitrite and her husband is Poseidon, calling him brother instead of father-in-law might actually be more fitting…

“Hey, kid. Isn’t that stew cooked yet?”

“Does it matter? Neither of us is the type to get sick from undercooked food, right?”

Oh, whatever.

As long as it’s fun.

At first, it was awkward, especially with the guilt I felt regarding Neri. I even had to bow my head.

“….And so, when the Emperor thwarted the secret meeting between the master and the Imperial Princess, the man rushed alone to the Imperial Palace with his spear. A massive gate, far surpassing the Temple of Athena, opened, and inside, ten thousand troops advanced towards him.”

“Ooh… Do you truly swear on Styx that it was ten thousand? How could there be so many soldiers?”

“It’s quite different in terms of population here. It’s not like Greece with all those kingdoms running rampant. Would they call it an empire for no reason? Anyway, with that storm-like spear, soldiers were blown away like leaves in the wind….”

I recalled the Twelve Divine Demons… and the martial arts tales I’ve experienced.

“Do you know of Antaeus? He’s my proud son. That boy went independent, established a kingdom, and holds a wrestling tournament every month with a golden skull as the prize. If you defeat him, you get the golden skull as a reward. If you lose, the skull is offered to me and Gaia in the temple, and the loser is recruited into his army. But so far, that golden skull has never left his territory.”

“Ah, so it’s not a real human skull, but a golden skull shaped like one…”

“You fool! If people were cutting off heads to offer as tribute, Zeus would never let it pass! Anyway, go visit him sometime. I’m sure he’ll welcome someone like you with open arms.”

“Oh, I’ve heard of him. He’s part of Gaia and Poseidon’s priesthood. He doesn’t leave his country much, but if he ever does, Greece will be turned upside down. There are many who will try to find him when he leaves the forest.”

“Kahaha! As expected of someone with a hero’s potential. You certainly have high expectations. By the way, do you know what the name of his army is?”

“What is it? I feel like I might know…”

“The name of the defense force is Gaia’s Shield, and the attack force is called Poseidon’s Spear! Kahaha! Isn’t that truly admirable? There’s no filial son like that in the world!”

The truth of the myth I originally knew and the intriguing behind-the-scenes of the myth told by Poseidon, etc.

As the alcohol flowed, the atmosphere between me and Poseidon was completely disarmed during the ongoing conversations.

Surprisingly strong and refreshingly ancient beer, as I drank it with both my power and divine power suppressed, both of us became instantly drunk.

“Wow… This tastes good? It would be great to boil it while fishing.”

“The ingredients were good. Especially the fish was fresh.”

Thus, we paused the endless drinking and chatting for a rest break.

After so much talking, my jaw was numb, and I stopped my throat from stinging from the constant beer drinking.

Poseidon and I slowly started munching on snacks.

“Brother… uhh.”

“Why? Judging by your face, I can tell without you saying anything.”

Poseidon chuckled as he chewed on a large slice of unknown raw fish.

“Heh… About Neri. Did she cry a lot?”

“Well, I thought Neri would suffer like Amphi, with you already messing with the Goddess and having a human woman as a lover. Turns out, you’re surprisingly decent.”

“But not with Artemis, that crazy woman…”

Though I felt quite guilty inside, I couldn’t exactly say I violated the Goddess of Purity, so I tried to evade the topic. Just then, the empty bottle Poseidon was holding hit the floor with a thud.

“Haha, what kind of bull steals and leaves pig hooves behind?”

With a throat as big as a baby’s fist, Poseidon downed another beer in one shot and looked at me, seemingly incredulous.

“Young demigod, son of Nyx. Do you think a god who’s lived since the era of the Titans is something to be taken lightly?”

“That runaway colt of Zeus just retreated after losing to you?”

Ha! It’s more believable if Cerberus was caught by someone and walked on land, isn’t it? Poseidon shook his head, looking as if he couldn’t even entertain such ridiculous thoughts.

“I can’t swear by the River Styx, but Artemis, if that lunatic lost the fight and there’s no sunlight or lightning falling on your head, you must have done something to shut her up.

Of course, if a man was involved and it was enough to keep her loose lips sealed, it was probably something scandalous.”

Right?

I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut at Poseidon’s words, making eye contact over the raised glass.

It was insight befitting one of the greatest gods.

Or perhaps the account of someone involved in countless scandals.

“Ahem, well, it’s just that…”

“Huh? I’m not here to scold you. I actually want to praise you.”

“What?”

What was he talking about now?

“Surprised? I’m not defending Artemis. I’m defending you.”

“That… really?”

Wasn’t Artemis his niece?

Also, I’d touched another woman while involved with Neri, so I thought it would be hard for me to escape trouble.

But Poseidon just quietly laughed and continued eating.

“Hehehe. Honestly, let me tell you how I feel. I even want to give you an award.”

-Crunch!

The ocean-blue eyes, reminiscent of the Mediterranean, flickered with intense emotion, and the bottle of alcohol in his hand started to crack, reflecting his growing anger.

But there was one difference: this time, his fury wasn’t directed at me, but at someone else.

“Artemis, Apollo. The places those half-baked youngsters took were not originally theirs.”

“What?”

What was he talking about now?

With Poseidon’s mood suddenly changing and the unexpected flow of the conversation, I quietly put down the bottle and listened intently.

“The radiant Olympus, the splendid Olympus. The twelve thrones at its center. Those who should have originally occupied two of them were not the twin brats who got their divine rank merely through their father’s backing!!”

As if responding to his anger, the endlessly crashing waves calmed, and dark clouds quickly covered the bright sky, and a fierce storm began to gather.

-Swooosh..!

“Charybdis, my lovely daughter. Antaeus, my proud son. As the fierce goddess of storms and the fierce deputy of earthquakes, the children who should have originally ascended to the divine status of Olympus were those children!”

“Oh….”

The other side of the mythology that I never knew.

The stories of the gods, told by the gods themselves, were now being revealed.