“What are you standing over there for?
Come here quickly.”
The beautiful Queen of the Gods, Metis, pouted discontentedly at her little brother, who stood dumbfounded at the door.
She beckoned him over, urging him to hurry.
“Ah?
Ah!”
Snapping back to his senses, Hephaestus pulled at the corners of his mouth helplessly.
He obediently stepped forward, walked up to Metis, and was immediately pulled into an embrace by the noble Queen of the Gods.
“Mmm-hmm, mmm-hmm You naughty little brother.
You haven’t come to see me for so long.
I’m going to punish you now”
She gently stroked the broad back of the young man in her arms.
Her words were full of complaint, but the smile on her face was so gentle and kind—radiating with maternal brilliance.
“Sorry, Sister Metis.
I had some matters to attend to.”
A slightly muffled voice came from Metis’s embrace.
Hephaestus felt warmth spread through his heart.
From childhood to adulthood, the ones who cared for him most and treated him best were his adoptive mother, Tethys, and his sworn sister, Metis.
Before awakening his past-life memories, he had been delicate and sensitive—and particularly clingy.
The other young companions at that time hadn’t been familiar with him and had been quite repulsed by his terrifying appearance.
So he had often clung either to his adoptive mother Tethys or to his sworn sister, like a little shadow.
Since his adoptive mother had many children, she sometimes couldn’t look after him.
Most of the time, it was his sworn sister who took care of him.
Perhaps, from her perspective, he was less of a brother and more of a son.
“Hmph hmph hmph~~ Not even if you had matters to attend to!”
With that, Metis playfully tapped Hephaestus’s head as if punishing him, a mischievous smile on her exquisite face.
Although she was already a married woman, the charm Metis displayed at this moment was no less than that of a young girl.
“Yes, yes, yes.
I was wrong.
I was truly wrong.”
“Hehehe~~”
Hearing Hephaestus’s helpless grumbling, Metis chuckled.
But as she looked down at her brother in her arms, her deep and mysterious purple eyes held a strong sense of doting and affection.
For this brother, who had suffered since childhood, Metis always felt a bit more sympathy and pity—and she always became gentler when dealing with him.
And this brother did not disappoint her affection.
He always thought of her first for anything delicious or fun.
All of her divine artifacts had been personally crafted by Hephaestus.
For weapons, equipment, even jewelry—there was nothing she could imagine that this brother couldn’t do.
However, she had also noticed that her good brother had become a little different.
He seemed more composed.
More confident.
Is it because he was granted the position of a Chief God?
Thinking of this, Metis’s purple eyes narrowed into two crescent moons.
It had not been in vain that she’d twisted Zeus’s ear and forcefully ordered him to grant her good brother a seat among the Twelve.
“How is it?
Did Hera say anything to you?”
Metis asked happily.
In her opinion, now that Hephaestus was already a Chief God, Hera should finally acknowledge him as her son.
That way, Hephaestus could finally be truly happy.
“No, Sister Metis.
I am completely disappointed in Hera.”
To her surprise, Hephaestus shook his head and calmly uttered those words.
“Eh?!”
Hephaestus wasn’t surprised by Metis’s astonished expression.
After all, his previous filial demeanor had left a deep impression on the gods.
He sighed, and with a somewhat desolate tone, slowly said, “Sister Metis, I have seen through Hera’s true nature.
For her, only those who can increase her power and highlight her glory are her children.”
“…”
Metis fell silent.
As the Goddess of Wisdom, how could she not see through the true nature of her sister?
The jealousy toward herself.
The certain delusions regarding her own brothers.
She saw it all.
“Good child, good child…”
Metis reached out and gently stroked Hephaestus’s hair, feeling the soft, thick strands.
She wanted to comfort her deeply wounded brother.
But as she stroked, she suddenly felt something was off.
“Eh?”
The texture was wrong!
Normally, when she touched it, she could sometimes feel the wrinkled scalp beneath.
But why did it feel so silky smooth today?!
“Hephaestus, could it be that you…”
The Goddess of Wisdom immediately guessed the truth.
She grabbed Hephaestus’s mask and pulled it off.
Upon seeing the face beneath the mask, Metis involuntarily covered her mouth.
Her amethyst-like eyes became veiled with a faint mist of tears.
A slightly stern, handsome face.
High-arched brows.
Thin lips.
Fiery crimson eyes, calm and melancholic.
Just one glance possessed a demonic charm that seemed to capture the soul.
Metis instinctively touched Hephaestus’s cheek, feeling the smooth sensation from her fingertips.
The Goddess immediately burst into tears of joy.
She was happy for her brother.
Happy that he had finally broken free from that cruel curse.
“This is wonderful.
Truly wonderful.”
Metis’s lips trembled, and her soft murmurs reached Hephaestus’s ears.
Her sincere words made him feel incredibly warm.
However—warmth aside—Sister, isn’t the time you’re stroking my head a bit too long?
If I hadn’t been raised by you since childhood, I’d really suspect you were taking advantage of me.
“Alright, alright.
No more teasing.”
Noticing Hephaestus’s discomfort, Metis stopped and withdrew her hand.
She said generously, “My dear brother, you didn’t just come here to visit your neglected, ignored, weak, pitiful, and helpless sister, did you?”
“What ‘neglected and ignored’?”
Hephaestus was both amused and exasperated.
He didn’t believe for a second that Metis didn’t know Zeus wanted to rebuild the Hall of the Gods on Olympus.
But deeply aware of this sister’s secretly dark nature, he could only obediently state his true purpose for coming.
“Oh~ A palace, you say?”
Metis feigned a dignified hum.
Then her eyes lit up as she leaned in and whispered something into Hephaestus’s ear.
“??!!”
After hearing Metis’s request, Hephaestus—though he didn’t quite understand—was greatly shocked.
No, wait.
Is my sister actually the dominant one?!
Thinking of Zeus being [beep-boop] or [beep-boop], and [beep-boop]—for some reason, Hephaestus nearly burst out laughing.
“I hope you can build it quickly.
That way, when this child is born, they might be able to see it.”
Metis gently stroked her slightly swollen abdomen, her face radiating maternal brilliance.
No, no.
I don’t think that scene is suitable for children to see.
Although Hephaestus was complaining inwardly, seeing Metis’s expectant and happy expression, he suddenly felt a wave of complexity.
Because, according to the future he knew, what awaited Metis was not happiness—but despair.
Thinking of this, Hephaestus’s expression suddenly became serious.
“Sister Metis.”
He looked earnestly into Metis’s purple eyes and said solemnly, “Zeus is not a good match.
Don’t forget Cronus’s curse.
He has already been to the temple of the Fates.”
In Greek mythology, curses and prophecies were eternal themes.
From the first King of the Gods onward, every generation of Divine Kings had been troubled by the curse laid upon them by the previous one.
Uranus had cursed Cronus—who overthrew him—that he would surely be replaced by his own child.
And Cronus, in turn, had learned from his father and laid the same curse upon Zeus, his son, who overthrew him.
And this curse would come true for Metis.
The first daughter Metis gave birth to would possess power equal to her father.
And the first son she gave birth to would possess power surpassing her father—and would overthrow his rule.
Soon, Zeus would go to the temple of the Fates and receive this prophecy.
At that time, this seemingly gentle and passionate—but in reality ruthless and unfeeling—scumbag would not hesitate to swallow his wife and daughter to consolidate his rule.
It would be fine if he didn’t know.
But since Hephaestus already knew the future through his past-life memories, he would never allow his beloved sister to fall to such a fate.
“Zeus might be immersed in the joy of victory right now.
But when he comes to his senses, you—”
Hephaestus trailed off.
His eyes filled with worry as he looked at Metis.
“…Silly brother.”
Metis paused.
Then she gently poked his forehead with her index finger, smiling as she said, “Do you think your sister is the Goddess of Blind Folly?”
Metis made a playful joke—but Hephaestus couldn’t laugh at all.
“Remember to take good care of my child.
If it’s a son, then this child will be your little shadow—just like you followed me when you were little.
If it’s a girl… how about marrying her to you?”
“Hmm?
Eh!!”
Hephaestus was first stunned, then reacted with sudden shock.
But before he could say anything more, Metis pushed him out the door.
“Go, go, go.
You should go ask the other gods what kind of temples they want.
And remember—don’t let me down with my palace~”
SLAM.
The door closed.
Metis gently stroked her lower abdomen.
The smile on her face receded slightly—but remained sly.
“My dear daughter… what do you think of the husband Mother has arranged for you?”
Her slightly bulging lower abdomen suddenly twitched—as if responding to her mother’s question.
Outside the door
Looking at the closed door, Hephaestus silently put on his mask.
He had a feeling.
Metis… she might have already anticipated such a future.
And quite happily, opened her arms to embrace it.
My silly sister.
Why are you so foolish?!
Do you think I would truly stand by and watch you walk into a fiery pit?!
“Ai~”
Hephaestus sighed—but the gaze beneath his mask grew increasingly resolute.
Pat-a-pat-a-pat-a—
Suddenly, a series of light footsteps reached Hephaestus’s ears.
He followed the sound and saw a nymph with blue hair and silver eyes, dressed in a silver toga that revealed her exquisite curves and fair skin.
Hephaestus knew her.
She was a favored servant of his despicable mother.
She had always been the one to convey Hera’s demands to him.
“Hephaestus.
Hera commands you to her temple to receive her teachings.”
The beautiful nymph bowed gracefully to Hephaestus.
Her sweet voice carried a subtle, almost imperceptible scorn.
She raised her head, her beautiful face confident and composed.
Her self-assured demeanor instantly worsened Hephaestus’s already sour mood.
He calmly spoke three words to the arrogant nymph:
“Get lost.”