Actually, Athena’s “father” remark was something she said naturally, without even realizing it herself.
Athena herself became flustered the moment she said it.
It was a slip that even she hadn’t expected, something that came out unconsciously.
That was partly because she was, for the first time since being born, experiencing comfort and stability, finally sensing the existence she had only abstractly known as “a father.”
More than anything, it was also because the divine name of “wisdom,” which she had just begun to use, instinctively guided her toward choices beneficial to herself and her family.
‘Do not panic. You have to push through shamelessly instead.’
Seeing Poseidon’s startled expression, Athena did her best to control her face.
For the still-young Athena, that was the best she could do.
Then she intentionally changed the topic and began explaining her plan.
Of course, her awkward attempt was obvious, so to Poseidon she simply looked cute.
“My initial plan was to raise Metel as a goddess. As you know, there is magic that can transform a male into a female, right?”
As Athena explained, she glanced up at Poseidon.
A child’s nervous worry that he might be offended.
But contrary to Athena’s fear, Poseidon simply focused on her explanation.
Reassured by that, Athena continued.
“But apparently that doesn’t work very well once a god becomes an adult. So the thing ‘wisdom’ told me about was the Spring of the Goddesses. For my brother’s complete feminization.”
Then she suddenly darkened, hesitating.
“However… if that fails… could you accept my family as sea gods? Another possibility was… if you and my family officially became family under the presence of the Protogenoi, then we would be protected….”
With those words, Athena nervously fidgeted with her small hands and asked with a tense face:
“Wh-what do you think…?”
Poseidon listened to Athena’s plan and understood it.
Her overall actions, her phrasing—everything.
‘This was probably one method she came up with to survive.’
What fault could there be in a child just born?
Of course, they were gods, so the standards were different from humans…
But more importantly—
‘Gaia will never accept Metel and Athena’s twin adoption.’
Especially since they were Zeus’s children—children Gaia despised—and one of them was born as a spear capable of piercing Zeus.
Therefore, at least for now, he had to show opposition.
“No! How could I become your father!! Your father is that lightning brat up there in the sky!!!”
“……”
* * *
Fooled by Poseidon’s awkward acting, Athena fell silent, then cautiously approached and tightly grabbed Poseidon’s hand.
Then she looked up at him with eyes welling with moisture and said, almost tearfully:
“I… don’t eat a lot, and I don’t throw tantrums… And if you need something, I can do anything. So… can’t you accept us?”
Athena looked so desperate and sorrowful that anyone watching would have instinctively granted her request.
But Poseidon let out a baffled laugh at her sudden display.
“Good grief, the brat acts really well. Better than I do, huh? And you really use the fact that you’re a child to the fullest. But you’re still a little obvious. From now on, you need to hide that cold sharpness behind your eyes.”
Who would’ve expected her to be this bright from such a young age.
But Athena grew flustered at Poseidon’s words, and her act collapsed instantly.
She was still too young to have Poseidon’s level of shamelessness.
Blushing, Athena instinctively grabbed Poseidon’s leg and buried her face in it to hide her embarrassment.
Hahahahahaha!
Poseidon laughed and stroked Athena’s head at her reaction.
“Well… shall I try something.”
At first, considering Gaia and the whole situation, he had fully intended to refuse no matter what.
But seeing the child clinging to him, burying her face in embarrassment, he simply couldn’t reject her.
‘If even a child desperately strives to get what she wants, then as an adult, I can’t refuse to support her. I can’t stand in her way.’
* * *
At that moment, the goddesses who had been fighting arrived.
“Oh my! Who is this adorable child~?”
“So this is Athena? She looks a bit more like Metis.”
“She’s really cute… I want to take her and raise her myself.”
Poseidon, puzzled by their sudden arrival, asked:
“Huh? Why are you here so fast? You should’ve been fighting for a while.”
“Ah. Zeus seemed to sense that Athena, this child, left the palace. Hades gave a sly smile and withdrew early today.”
At Demeter’s words, Poseidon wondered what that guy was plotting again.
“Yikes, he’s always been the shadiest among us, and fights dirty. Who knows what trick he’s planning.”
“That’s true.”
“Yeah. His brain worked best for that kind of thing.”
“Anyway, why is this child outside?”
At Hera’s question, Poseidon thought it was the perfect moment and told the goddesses everything—Athena’s reaction and her plan.
After hearing everything Poseidon explained, the goddesses reached a conclusion.
“Yep, Poseidon should raise her.”
“Right. Poseidon already has childcare experience.”
“It certainly is the cleanest solution, though I never considered the Spring of the Goddesses.”
Poseidon nodded at Demeter and Hestia’s reactions, and he agreed with Hera’s remark about the Spring of the Goddesses.
He knew of its existence, but because of its many problems, he had never considered using it until Athena’s plan mentioned it.
To summarize those problems:
First, any god whose divine name has fully settled cannot drink it.
A divine name is like identity for a god—so gods with fixed identities could not approach it, retrieve it, or drink it.
Second, the Spring of the Goddesses was located on an island in the strait where countless sea monsters—driven out during Pontos’ era—were sealed away.
Meaning even acquiring it was a nightmare.
Third, the one who drinks it must have both female and male traits in their nature for the effect to work and let them choose their true gender.
For example, if someone was born male but their internal identity was strongly female, it would transform the outer gender to match the inner identity.
Gods were born with fixed natures in almost all cases.
Even among androgynous gods, none felt the need to fully transform their gender, so the possibility was never considered.
“So Athena, what do you think is the best solution?”
While Poseidon was thinking about the Spring of the Goddesses, Demeter knelt and met Athena’s gaze, asking gently.
Without a shred of hesitation, Athena answered:
“Yes. Please turn my brother into a girl!”
* * *
Poseidon was shocked by Athena’s firm insistence on turning her little brother into a girl.
No, seriously—he was thinking about the Spring of the Goddesses for just a moment, and this kid suddenly said what?
Of course, when Athena explained her plan earlier, she had mentioned the Spring of the Goddesses first, but still…
“What are you saying! I don’t know what will happen yet, but your brother is still young. If it fails, even a god might end up living with unpredictable side effects. There are almost no surviving records about the Spring of the Goddesses.”
As if she had prepared for this reaction, Athena took out a letter from the bag she was carrying and handed it to Poseidon.
―――
To Poseidon
If you are reading this letter, you have probably heard Athena’s plan.
In truth, Amphitrite and I heard her idea a little earlier.
Knowing you, you would immediately consider adoption.
But you must think carefully.
If you adopt them, from Zeus’s perspective they would become a constant thorn in his throat.
—omitted—
Therefore, after discussing it with Amphitrite and the goddess Gaia, we decided to try every possible method first, and if none work, we will accept adoption.
Gaia was hesitant because of Zeus, of course, but she conceded.
Honestly, I want to oppose this, but with her stubbornness, it won’t change anything… and her personality won’t fear something like this.
So let’s try everything first, then afterwards you may adopt them or do whatever is needed.
Your beloved Eurynome
―――
Hmm… reading the letter, I felt my wives really knew me well.
And they were right—I was already thinking adoption was safer than that dangerous Spring.
I’m not a coward like Zeus, terrified of prophecies.
“But setting adoption aside, is it even possible to alter the identity of a child destined by prophecy?”
Poseidon still doubted. Yet Athena, the originator of the plan, spoke with conviction.
“But my ‘wisdom’ says that with the Spring of the Goddesses, it is possible.”
Indeed, the “wisdom” of the goddesses of wisdom had prediction accuracy nearly comparable to prophecy itself.
And the fact that sea goddesses who could read fate—as well as Gaia, goddess of prophecy—said they would try everything and then allow adoption afterward… that was basically the same as saying something will succeed before adoption even becomes necessary.
‘Yeah, otherwise Gaia would never have allowed it this easily.’
* * *
So, not fully understanding but agreeing they should try, Poseidon began discussing with his sisters.
In the process, Demeter suddenly voiced a question.
“Huh?”
“What is it, Demeter?”
“Isn’t that child… a girl already?”
“What kind of nons— huh?”
Poseidon, too, suddenly realized something.
He hadn’t considered it at all because they were gods, but…
“No way?”
What surfaced in his mind were transgender people from his previous life.
‘Wait, didn’t they say that being born with a male body but having a female gender identity was essentially the same thing?’
Unlike humans, whose identities could change as they grew, gods were born with fixed identities.
Unless something extremely unusual happened, a god’s inner identity was absolute.
“Is that even possible for a god…?”
“It isn’t impossible,” Demeter said. “The child may have been born with a unique divine nature or divine name.”
“Wait—so that’s why Gaia hinted at permission? Because she already knew how it could be resolved, and now she gets to spite Zeus again?”
At Poseidon’s final guess, the surrounding goddesses exclaimed in admiration.
“That makes sense. Gaia may have known the solution long ago…”
“And given how Zeus’s reputation fell because of this… honestly.”
““She really is ruthless.””
* * *
Poseidon noticed that his wife Gaia’s reputation was starting to take a bad turn, so he quickly stepped in to redirect the atmosphere.
“Alright, enough guessing. Let’s all get to what we can each do. I need to talk to Metis. She’s coming this way anyway.”
“Poseidon!!! What are you trying to do to my daughter!!!”
“Oh come on, I’m not Zeus. What would I even do? And look around. Demeter, Hestia, and Hera are all here.”
Just as Poseidon said, Metis—who had flown in from afar—immediately hid Athena behind her and revealed hostility.
Under normal circumstances she would never behave like this, but her condition was severely deteriorated.
And judging by the aura clinging to her, she had suffered attacks from Geras and Oizys.
‘Ha, so that’s why they retreated so quickly. They used the moment Athena slipped out of the palace without Metis noticing.’
‘Seriously…’
Seeing Metis consumed by Geras’s deprivation and Oizys’s anxiety and despair, Poseidon raised both hands above his head to show he meant no harm.
“Metis, this reaction hurts my feelings. I might become the kids’ father soon. Haha.”
“Nonsense!!! As if I would trust Zeus’s brothers! All of you are moldy filth.”
Metis completely lost it at Poseidon’s joke, clearly reminded of Zeus.
DIIIIE!!!
“Hestia!”
The moment Metis looked ready to attack Poseidon, completely forgetting Athena—
Hestia’s flames enveloped her.
To finish it, Poseidon flicked a pearl and said:
“I hope you didn’t mean what you just said. If you help someone and they treat you like Zeus, it pisses me off. And I’m not Zeus—I’m not going to force anything.”
The flames and the pearl merged, enveloping Metis completely.
“Ugh… I’m sorry… Poseidon.”
Metis finally regained her senses.
But even with her mind restored, her body trembled weakly from the aftereffects of the corruption.
The nearby goddesses hurried to sit her down on the ground.
Nngh…
Poseidon wanted to let Metis rest longer, but the situation didn’t allow it. So he spoke immediately.
“Listen carefully even if it’s hard. There’s no time. I’ll explain once and we act right away. It’s your daughter’s plan.”
Hearing that her daughter had made the plan, Metis’s eyes widened—her dull gaze gaining a spark of life.
“So you’re telling me… my daughter came up with this?”
“Yeah. Of course, no one knows if she’ll fully become a girl, or end up somewhere in-between, or fail horribly.”
“Really… my son… can live?”
“Yeah. At this point, even Zeus will have to accept it. If not, then whatever. I’ll put the kids on my family registry and we’ll go to war or something. There will be a way.”
At those words, tears welled up in Metis’s eyes—then burst out all at once.
Aaaahhhh… aaah… aaang…
“Th… thank you. Tha… nk you. Hic… th… ank you.”
Everything she had been holding back poured out like a broken dam.
She cried for a long, long time.
When she finally calmed down somewhat, she pulled Athena into her arms and spoke.
“Thank you… my daughter… your mother is blessed… to have… a daughter like you.”
“Me too. Sniff.”
Sniff, waaahhh—
As Athena burst into tears after seeing her mother cry, Poseidon and the goddesses quietly stepped back.
This was a moment the struggling family needed.