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

In the Temple of Demeter, the Goddess of Agriculture.

Hera, who had just arrived, wore a peculiar expression as she watched Demeter fuss over and care for Promise. 

However seeing him safe, she sighed in relief but couldn't help feeling amused, so she found an excuse to send Promise away temporarily.

Then she walked along the temple corridor with Demeter.

"Hera, is there something you need?" Demeter asked gently.

Her face was kind, lacking the majesty and dignity that Hera exuded, but she radiated more of a maternal glow.

"Sister Demeter, I won't hide it from you any longer," Hera said, the sunlight falling on her beautiful golden hair as her amber eyes looked at Demeter. "Although Promise has already told you the general situation, there are still some things he hasn't mentioned... or rather, he doesn't know.

And those things, I only understood after consulting the Goddess of Fate."

"Sister Demeter, do you know that in the fate Promise changed this time, it actually included you as well?"

As Hera's words fell, she looked at Demeter, who was slightly stunned and confused. 

Organizing her thoughts, Hera gently relayed what she had learned from the Goddess of Fate.

It turns out that when Persephone was forcibly taken to the Underworld by Hades, Demeter learned the truth from the Goddess Hecate and sought Zeus's help, but to no avail.

She left Olympus in anger, causing the earth to wither and the world to become barren.

During her time wandering the mortal world, Demeter's days were far from pleasant.

Demeter caused the land to wither to force the gods to compromise, hoping her daughter Persephone could return to her side. 

She changed her appearance and sealed most of her divine power.

Unexpectedly, Poseidon discovered her disguised form and recognized her identity.

Olympus's myths were notoriously chaotic... Seeing this as a good opportunity, Poseidon boldly expressed his love (desire) for Demeter.

Naturally, the latter refused and disguised herself as a mare to hide. But even then, Poseidon did not let her go.

Later, while wandering the mortal world, Demeter encountered two children she adored and wanted to make immortal to replace Persephone and stay with her. 

However, due to an accident, she ended up burning them to death with her own hands.

After a long time had passed and many people had died, the gods could no longer receive offerings, forcing Zeus to finally relent and personally visit Hades.

Eventually, an agreement was reached allowing Persephone to freely travel between the Underworld and the mortal world, spending half of each year in each. 

Only then did Demeter return.

However, after her return...

"In the future shown to me by the Goddess of Fate, I never saw you smile again," Hera said with a complex expression, looking at Demeter.

Her eyes no longer held the current gentleness...

By the time Hera finished explaining everything, Demeter had long stopped walking. 

She stood in the temple corridor, her purple eyes staring in shock at Hera.

Realizing Hera wasn't lying, Demeter's face went through a series of emotions—surprise, anger, and finally relief.

Such fates, even if seen by the Fates, are usually not spoken of.

Their powers are special, but they do not dare to casually discuss the main gods.

Hera was informed because she, as the queen of the gods, actively sought the information, and it concerned a severed fate, so the Goddess of Fate revealed it truthfully.

"...I understand now."

After a long while, Demeter, having calmed her emotions, nodded to Hera with a somewhat grim face. "I now understand what that child has done for me.

But, the reason you're telling me all this is to ask me not to trouble Promise over the matter with Persephone, right?"

"Yes," Hera confirmed without hesitation. "But what surprised me is that you don't blame him at all. In fact, you even..."

"I even want to make him my child," Demeter interrupted, her face softening into a smile. "If I only had the thought before, now... I'm determined to fight you for him!"

Having said this, she expected Hera to be furious, but to her surprise, she merely rolled her eyes.

Seeing this, Demeter was taken aback, after all, who doesn't know about Hera's jealousy? 

"Hera, aren't you angry?" Demeter asked curiously, blinking her eyes.

"Of course I'm angry, but what's the use of being angry? Besides, seeing how you look at Promise, I had already guessed," Hera said, pouting. "And I'm getting used to it. You aren't even the biggest threat."

"Used to it?" Demeter questioned, puzzled.

"Yes, Athena, Themis, and even the youngest Fate, Clotho... Especially Athena, she's the worst!" Hera grumbled, recalling Athena's arrogant demeanor and the scene where the three of them declared their vows with Promise in the temple of Olympus.

It really made her blood boil!

Seeing Hera finally reveal her jealousy and anger, with flames almost appearing in her eyes, Demeter nodded, feeling that this was the normal situation.

"Looking at it this way, Promise is really popular," She spoke, recalling the recent days, Demeter couldn't help but smile as she nodded, "But it's understandable. After all, he's such a cute and excellent child, it's natural for him to be endearing."

Hearing her heartfelt praise, Hera couldn't help but puff out her chest and proudly responded, "Of course, after all, he is someone who brings me glory!"

Watching Hera's proud expression, Demeter smiled and suppressed the jealousy that surged in her heart, deciding not to say more.

"Oh, by the way, Hera, is there anything else you need?"

Hera nodded, "There is indeed something else, but it's not about you; it's about Promise... Actually, a few days ago, I met with Hephaestus."

When Hera mentioned Hephaestus, her expression became uneasy.

Demeter, on the other hand, was stunned, looking at Hera in disbelief, "Hephaestus... You mean the Hephaestus I know, your daughter?!"

Aside from Athena, the instigator, any god on Olympus who heard that Hera voluntarily went to see Hephaestus would undoubtedly look at the sky, wondering if it was about to collapse.

Their relationship was that strained.

Hephaestus harbored deep hatred for Hera, despising her more than any other god.

And Hera had always refused to acknowledge Hephaestus as her child, fearing her.

"Promise needs a brush and canvas, and only she can create the artifact he needs," Hera explained with a sigh.

Hearing this explanation, Demeter was even more shocked, realizing just how much Hera valued Promise.

Even when Ares and Aphrodite were caught and humiliated, Hera had never pleaded for Ares.

In fact, as far as Demeter could remember, this was the first time Hera had personally met Hephaestus!

"I'm sorry, Hera," Demeter said after regaining her senses, showing an embarrassed smile under Hera's puzzled gaze. "I now fully understand how much you like that child.

If it were anyone else, I would have given up by now. But after all that's happened, I really can't let go of him!"

So...

...

...

Some time later, by a clear spring outside the temple.

Promise summoned Pegasus and was washing its body with the help of a few nymphs who served Demeter.

Pegasus loved cleanliness. 

The first time Promise saw it, it was descending from the stars to clean itself.

And with its beautiful and elegant form, it was a symbol of art.

Athena had initially sent Promise to capture it because, in every sense, she felt Pegasus was a perfect match for him.

While Promise and the nymphs washed Pegasus, chatting easily,

Hera arrived.

And her arrival caused the nymphs to immediately fall silent and tremble, standing aside in fear.

They sensed something was off with Hera; her leaking divine power made it hard for them to breathe.

Promise didn't feel that, but when he looked at Hera, he immediately noticed her dark expression, indicating she was in a very bad mood.

It was like a volcano on the verge of eruption, ready to explode at any moment.

Did Demeter upset Hera?

As Promise blinked, pondering this, Hera walked over, scanning the nymphs who all lowered their heads, not daring to look at her, she suppressed her anger, and said, "You may leave."

In the next second, they disappeared from Promise's sight, running at a speed that rivaled Pegasus.

Finally, Promise sensed something was wrong.

After the nymphs left, he noticed Hera's gaze on him was somewhat hostile.

So, he instinctively reached out for a lifeline, hoping to find some comfort from Pegasus.

But his hand grasped nothing.

Turning to look,

You guy, when did you run off to graze again?

You fat steed, stop eating, or you won't be able to fly soon!

"Um... Great Hera, hello, I'm just cleaning Pegasus."

Promise swallowed nervously, but before he could finish speaking, Pegasus gave a soft neigh. 

In the next second, it flapped its wings and, without waiting for a response, took off into the sky at top speed, abandoning the grass it had been eating.

Now, with both Pegasus and the nymphs gone, only Promise and Hera remained.

Hera stood there, dressed in luxurious clothing, with her lips pursed, and amber eyes staring at the boy full displeasure and even a hint of resentment, that made his scalp tingle with anxiety.

He realized he had seen Hera like this before, back during the Calydonian Boar Hunt night, when Athena had helped him finish the hunt and Hera suddenly appeared with Artemis...

So, I'm not Zeus. 

Why do I feel like I'm being caught in a scandal by Hera?