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

"Promise, how about dedicating this painting to me?"

"So, your dream is to become a hero and fall like a meteor, leaving an indelible mark on the world."

"Is that so? Then I, Athena, will grant you such honor!"

"I swear to you,"

"I, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, will witness and guide you to become the most brilliant star in this world."

"And at the end of your journey, I will prepare the grandest finale that will astonish gods, humans, and all living beings!"

In the courtyard of the Temple of Demeter.

Bright sunlight fell on Athena, who was dressed in a flawless white gown. 

Her waist-length silver hair fluttered in the breeze, and her beautiful golden eyes, although slightly displeased, were mostly filled with joy as she looked at the young man before her.

Indeed, it had been a long time since they last met.

Since their farewell during the Calydonian incident, whether it was the hundred-eyed giant Argus and Io, God Apollo and the laurel goddess Daphne, or the seven-stringed lyre, Orpheus and his wife, or the current underworld gods Hades and Persephone, and the agricultural goddess Demeter—all these events.

Throughout this journey, Promise knew she was always watching over him, but he had not seen the flawless goddess who guided him all this way for a long time.

"Athena?"

Beside him, Demeter was also surprised to see her. 

However, she was more astonished by the golden apple in Promise's mouth.

During their previous conversation, Demeter learned about her original fate from Hera and also saw how much Hera cared for Promise.

And she also knew how much Athena, who watched over Promise, made Hera grind her teeth in anger.

After witnessing Promise's heroic feats during the trials and knowing his wishes, almost all gods had a common understanding.

That was, this child and Athena were indeed heading towards each other in mutual pursuit.

Therefore, regarding the golden apple, Hera had given strict orders. 

By rights, Athena shouldn't have been able to get another golden apple.

As for the golden apples in Hephaestus's possession, that was even simpler. 

As the god who built temples and crafted various equipment for the gods, there was nothing she didn't have.

She had piles of golden apples.

"Where did you get this golden apple?" Naturally, Demeter was curious and asked Athena.

"Oh, it was given to me by the goddess Hestia," replied Athena casually while pinching Promise's face, venting her accumulated dissatisfaction.

Hearing this, Demeter recalled the warm and gentle smile of her pink-haired elder sister and instantly understood. She nodded, "So it was from our elder sister."

Then there's no problem.

Hestia indeed dared to give and would give, and Hera would be too frustrated to make a fuss.

After all, she was their eldest sister.

Upon hearing Hestia's name, Promise couldn't help but blink.

After all, she was the last of the three great virgin goddesses of ancient Greek mythology.

The three great virgin goddesses of ancient Greek mythology: the goddess of wisdom Athena, the love-struck and foolish moon goddess Artemis, and the eldest sister of the gods, Hestia.

"Hmm, are you interested in the goddess Hestia and want to meet her?" Athena, with her keen perception, noticed his curiosity at a glance and couldn't help but ask with a smile.

Hearing this, Promise hurriedly shook his head.

Although he didn't know what kind of goddess Hestia was, out of respect for Athena and Artemis, Promise, even if curious, naturally kept a respectful distance from the last virgin goddess!

This wasn't a collection hobby; he didn't have to gather all three virgin goddesses.

"Hmm..." Seeing Promise's reaction, Athena revealed a somewhat playful smile and said, "Well, let's leave it at that for now."

"Little Promise, would you like an oracle?"

Promise, understanding the situation, immediately flattered, "Wise, beautiful, and gentle goddess of wisdom Athena, please guide those who are lost onto the right path!"

"Tsk, it would have been perfect if you added 'most loyal follower' to that," although very pleased, Athena pretended to be dissatisfied and flicked his forehead.

Seeing this, Demeter couldn't help but cough lightly from the side.

'Pay attention, I'm still here.'

'I'm not only supervising on behalf of Hera but also want some followers!'

Demeter immediately looked very jealous of Athena.

At first, she didn't quite understand, but now she did.

Why, despite many gods watching Promise, Hera only kept a close eye on Athena.

It was plainly visible that Promise's reactions when facing her, Demeter, and when facing Athena, were completely different!

The clever Athena naturally understood Demeter's feelings, so she winked at her with a smile before turning her head to continue speaking to Promise: "Alright, as you wish...

But before I give the oracle, I need to confirm one thing. 

Promise, are you planning to get involved in the matter between Hera and Hephaestus?"

Saying this, Athena rarely showed a serious and solemn expression in front of Promise.

Hearing this, the latter smiled and said to Athena, "Goddess Athena, rest assured, I am not that foolish."

Promise said this confidently, 

After all, he did not chosen to intervene in the matters between Persephone and Demeter either.

But Athena, for some reason, rolled her eyes at him.

As if those golden eyes had seen through something.

"Suit yourself, for with your nature, even if you possess the artifact, you won't use it unless you do something."

With that, Athena pinched Promise's face again, causing Demeter, who was watching from the side, to sigh and look melancholically into the distance.

'Hera, I feel like your follower has already run off with someone else.'

'Does this mean I have no chance at all?!'

"And this oracle is very simple... Goddess Hephaestus, she is the one hardest to satisfy, yet also the one easiest to satisfy."

When Athena spoke the oracle, the most puzzled one was not Promise but Demeter.

"The hardest yet easiest to satisfy... Athena, your words are contradictory. Besides, is Hephaestus easy to satisfy?

Athena, have you forgotten that incident? In front of all the gods, Hephaestus only forgave Hera after she apologized in such a manner and acknowledged her status as the main god."

Making Hera apologize to Hephaestus in front of all the gods and acknowledging her status as the main god was the only way Hephaestus forgave Hera.

For such a god, Demeter couldn't understand why she would be easy to satisfy.

As for her confusion, Athena did not answer but merely smiled and looked at Promise.

After all, her oracle was not for Demeter but for Promise.

And the boy pondered for a long time after hearing it.

He recalled the Hephaestus he had seen, the Hephaestus described by the gods, and the goddess mentioned by the puppets in the temple.

Finally, Promise looked up at Athena beside him, smiled, nodded lightly, and said, "I understand, Goddess Athena."

...

...

The next morning,

After nearly two days of sleep, Hephaestus had already opened her eyes and sat on the bedside without expression.

Looking at the seemingly broken chains beside her, she remained silent.

The room was very quiet, so quiet that the trembling maid kneeling on the ground could hear her own heartbeat clearly.

In the end, she hadn't dared to wake Hephaestus at that time.

Though she tried a few times, she didn't have the courage.

During this period, the maid frantically had her sisters search for Promise, trying to bring him back, but there was no news until now.

She had hoped that Goddess Hephaestus could sleep longer this time. 

In fact, given Hephaestus's severe exhaustion, sleeping for a month wouldn't be unusual.

But she woke up after just two days.

The reason for waking up was simple: Hephaestus kept thinking about Promise.

So, despite her fatigue, after a short rest, she still managed to open her eyes with difficulty.

"Where is he?" Hephaestus's amber eyes quietly stared at the broken chains for a long time before she asked indifferently.

That indifferent tone made the maid tremble uncontrollably. 

After a while, she answered, "Honorable master, he... he..."

Just as the maid was about to deliver the long-prepared explanation, Hephaestus interrupted coldly, "Get to the point. Have you found him yet?"

Hearing her words, the maid's heart sank instantly, lowering her head even more, she finally responded in a tearful tone, "No, but my sisters are still looking for him. As soon as we have news, we will immediately..."

"Enough, I'm not interested," Hephaestus yawned.

"You may leave now. Go to the foundry and destroy yourself. Before you leave, summon another doll to replace you."

She spoke casually. 

After all, in her eyes, the dolls she created were all inferior to Pandora.

And since they were inferior, they had no value.

For this reason, none of the dolls in the temple had their own names.

"... As you command, my great master."

After a long time, the maid stood up and respectfully addressed Hephaestus.

Wiping the tears from her face, she seemed to have accepted her fate. 

She was about to leave after a final respectful bow to Hephaestus when the door suddenly opened.

Before either the maid or Hephaestus could react, Promise, who had returned, took off his invisibility helmet, placed it aside, and sat down, reconnecting the broken chains in one smooth motion.

Both the maid and Hephaestus were stunned by the scene.

After locking himself up again, Promise looked at them and smiled brightly, "Good morning, beautiful and noble Goddess Hephaestus, and you, maid doll...

By the way, Goddess Hephaestus, could you please not melt the maid?"

"Why?" Hephaestus laughed, this time it was a genuine smile. 

The scene was indeed quite amusing.

Before Promise could answer, she said, "Never mind, she won't be melted. Go back to your work."

It was an inconsequential matter to her.

Since Promise wished it, she would grant his request.

To the maid, these words were like heavenly music. 

She looked at Hephaestus and Promise in shock, trembling as she expressed her gratitude to Hephaestus. 

After imprinting Promise's image deeply in her mind, she finally left.

"Did you go to the Underworld?" Hephaestus asked Promise after the maid left.

She remembered him requesting this before she fell asleep.

"Yes." Promise nodded.

"You left, so why come back?" 

She had already crafted the artifact Promise needed.

Even though Hephaestus was one of the Olympian main gods, Promise could have waited until the end to seek her out.

Before Promise could answer, she spoke again, "Did you not visit my mother?"

"No," the boy shook his head. "I didn't visit Goddess Hera. I left because of my agreement with Goddess Demeter to return Persephone from the Underworld. Now that it's done, I came back."

In fact, he should have returned earlier, but Athena had kept him for some time because they hadn't seen each other for a long while.

"Besides, don't you remember, Goddess Hephaestus? I need to paint all the gods, and you're one of them."

Hephaestus looked at the smiling young man before her.

"But you could have come to me last. If you know what I did to Hera, you understand that I can't tolerate my mother having a follower like you... or have you decided to betray her?"

"I will not betray her."

Promise's immediate answer was both expected and unexpected by Hephaestus. 

Expected because she had come to understand that he was such a person, and unexpected because she still couldn't comprehend why Promise returned.

And even more so, why did he voluntarily imprisoned himself again.

"Are you... sick?" Hephaestus muttered subconsciously, reaching out to touch the boy's forehead.

Unexpectedly, she immediately lost her balance, and fell, only to be caught by Promise's quick reflexes...