Fate: I Heard After Death, You Can Ascend to the Throne of Heroes?

Happy gaming, Hermes, Messenger of the Gods!

As the game concluded, the painting of Hermes that Promise had been working on was simultaneously completed. 

The painting depicted the sky, ocean, and underworld of ancient Greece, corresponding to the realms ruled by the King of the Gods Zeus, The God of the underworld Hades, and the God of the sea Poseidon. 

Hermes, true to his nature, was depicted wearing his winged sandals, freely traversing the domains of these three mighty gods. 

However, wherever he went, the skies were filled with storm clouds and crackling lightning, Cerberus, the three-headed beast, howled incessantly in the underworld, and the seas churned with raging waves.

In the painting, Hermes is shown holding onto his winged helmet as he flees, with a host of gods and a beautiful Pegasus chasing after him.

His clothes were tattered, and he appeared utterly dishevelled.

Yet, despite his ragged appearance, Hermes wasn't angry—in fact, he was smiling.

Because…

"Indeed, happy gaming, Promise!"

With the guidance provided by Clotho, the goddess of fate, who could peek at the future and the chains from the god of craftsmanship, Hephaestus, which could bind even gods, at the moment when the sun set, marking the end of the third day, Hermes was captured and suspended from a large tree. 

However, looking down at the gathered gods and the figure of Promise atop Pegasus, Hermes didn't show any frustration at being caught, nor any anger from the exhaustion he'd accumulated. 

Instead, he squinted his eyes and, with a broad smile, said to Promise, "That was a really fun game. I had a great time so that painting is yours!"

"Is that so... then let's play again sometime when we have the chance," Promise nodded gently, responding with a smile.

"No, absolutely not!"

Hearing this, Hermes' expression changed, and he hurriedly exclaimed, "Once in a lifetime is more than enough for this kind of game!"

"But, hey, Lord Hermes, didn't you say you had a great time?" Promise blinked, his tone innocent. "Shouldn't we play a fun game more often?"

Hearing his words, before Hermes could respond, Apollo chimed in with a cheerful tone, "Promise is right. Since you enjoyed it so much, we should definitely play again. 

And no matter how many times you want to play, I'll be happy to join, Hermes."

"I liked it too," added Artemis, the moon goddess, as she raised her bow, smiling while pretending to aim at Hermes. "And next time, Hermes, I'm definitely going to hit you!"

"...Ahem," Hermes coughed awkwardly, then raised his head and declared loudly with all the resolve he could muster, "Respected and beautiful Hera, I was wrong!

In the matter of the golden apple and persuading Hercules to cut down the golden apple tree, I offer my most sincere apologies to you, the most honourable one!"

"And to Hercules and the centaur sage Chiron, I deeply apologize for dragging you into this!"

Seeing Hermes apologize so earnestly, without any concern for his divine dignity, especially in front of countless onlookers, both mortal and divine, everyone fell silent.

Only then did Promise finally dismount from Pegasus. 

He lowered Hermes from the tree, took back the chains and returned them to Hephaestus, who was still seated in her wheelchair.

With that, everything came to an end. 

The gods looked at each other, then left one by one with a smile.

Those who had been summoned by Promise's painting dissolved back into the artwork, vanishing into the sky.

Artemis, though pouting slightly and wanting to linger, was gently pulled away by Demeter.

As they departed, Hera's amber eyes swept over the surroundings, and those who had been secretly watching the spectacle wisely took their leave. 

Although the game was over, they knew this entertaining event would be the talk of the gods for at least a century!

The group returned to the cave at Mount Pelion, Chiron's dwelling place.

But for some reason, when he returned here and saw Hercules again, Promise always felt that the way he looked at him was full of respect and fear.

Even teacher Chiron's smile was brighter than usual.

However, before Promise could question their strange behavior, Hestia took Hermes away, and Hera walked towards Promise.

Seeing Hera approach, Chiron and the others tactfully excused themselves.

Under the moonlight, Promise looked at Hera, who walked toward him in her regal attire, her golden curls cascading from beneath her crown and couldn't help but smile as he spoke say, "Lady Hera, happy gaming! Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Yes," The goddess replied with a gentle smile and nodded. "I had a lot of fun. And… thank you, my child, for punishing Hermes on my behalf and helping me vent my anger."

"What are you saying, Lady Hera?" Promise blinked innocently. "I was just playing a game with Hermes, one that everyone enjoyed."

Indeed, they had all enjoyed it, and the outcome had been perfect, with Hermes being the only one who got hurt.

"And Lady Hera, about my friend Hercules…"

"I will no longer hold him responsible for the matter of the golden apple," Hera said, pausing slightly as she gazed at the boy in front of her with her amber eyes. "Considering that everything he did was out of concern for you."

However, hearing her words, Promise didn't show any signs of joy or relief. 

Instead, after pondering for a moment, he shook his head and said, "No, that won't do, Goddess Hera."

"My friend Hercules made a mistake—that's undeniable. 

And since I am your devotee, Goddess Hera, regardless of the reasons, we must face the corresponding consequences.

Therefore… please impose a trial as our punishment, my esteemed goddess."

Before Hera, who had begun to frown, could respond, Promise suddenly smiled as if something had just occurred to him and added, 

"And after the trial, I hope to receive a gift from you, Lady Hera… that small golden apple tree."

Hearing this, Hera was momentarily taken aback, then turned her head to look inside the cave, where the golden apple tree had been planted by Chiron beside the clear spring.

The tree would take many, many years to grow and bear fruit. 

But if Hera acknowledged it now, it would truly belong to Promise from that moment on.

"And... I know, Lady Hera, that you deeply despise Heracles, but he is my friend, and you are the goddess I revere. 

I don't wish to see this stalemate between you two.

So, although I know what I'm about to ask is quite presumptuous, I still hope that when we complete our trial, my esteemed goddess, you will turn your compassionate gaze toward my friend."

Hera listened to Promise's earnest plea and couldn't help but smile wryly. 

"You must understand, the trial I will give will not be easy, because I am Hera, the Queen of the Gods. 

All the gods are watching me, and they are watching you as well."

"Of course," Promise replied.

The twelve labours of Hercules were anything but easy.

"And your request is indeed quite presumptuous, my child. Do you truly understand who Hercules is?"

Hercules was the son of Zeus, but he had no connection to Hera.

And what Hera hated the most was this kind of existence

Promise thought for a moment before honestly nodding his head.

He was fully aware of the situation.

"You know all this, and yet you still intend to pursue this?" Hera's expression grew serious, and the weight of her divine authority pressed down on Promise like a towering mountain.

But even under such pressure, the boy continued to look up at her, his gaze unwavering.

"...Ah, you really are something," Seeing this, Hera sighed. 

The oppressive aura of the Queen of the Gods lasted only a few seconds before the concerned Goddess allowed it to dissipate. 

Then, with a helpless look on her face, she stepped forward, gently caressing Promise's cheek with a soft smile. "Just this once, and never again... But, you are my most cherished child."

In the distance, Hestia, the eldest of the Olympian goddesses, witnessed this scene.

And blinked, then muttered to herself, "If I were to really take that child away, seeing Hera like this now, she might actually go mad... Unbelievable, unbelievable!"

Hearing this, Hermes looked at Hestia, who was clearly saying something very scary but was smiling extremely happily and even ready to make a move and couldn't help but subconsciously move away from her at this moment.

Even Hermes, notorious for his mischief, felt the need to distance himself from such danger. 

This kind of death, he wouldn't dare touch—it was genuinely lethal!