Type-Moon: The Human Love Simulator [133]
"Well, Hestia, this is what I call wisdom!"
With an innocent look, Athena wore the expression of a mischievous kitten. Her lovely face was so serene that even if Artemis and Suren confronted her together, she'd remain calm and entirely without guilt.
As Suren's ambitions drew nearer to completion, Athena finally started to make her own moves.
Perhaps among gods and mortals alike, Athena was the one who understood Suren best. It was something Atalanta and Europa would never grasp—why Suren had refused them, even when Europa had offered a single night together and promised to return to Phoenicia afterward.
Yet Suren had still refused.
Admiration, as they say, is the furthest thing from understanding.
True love, genuine commitment, could only be born from familiarity.
Athena had always known that Suren wouldn't accept anyone before achieving his grand dream of a golden reign, so she had let him go on his journey, bonding with others, even taking on Hera's task as Zeus's stand-in.
Athena didn't mind all that, knowing those women would eventually fade into memories, no longer relevant to his present.
But this indifference had only one foundation—Suren's ambition was too grand, leaving no room for romantic entanglements.
However, if...
If that golden reign truly dawned, then who could say?
Athena disliked "maybes." She always aimed for absolute success. Even though Suren's goal remained unfinished, she continued helping him while also putting plans in place, already nearing the final phase.
From the outset of her plans for governance, Athena had subtly arranged for all the women in Suren's life, including Artemis, to be "reassigned."
Atalanta, as Artemis's devotee, made the perfect little helper…or rather, "assistant." After all, stabilizing the River Styx could hardly be considered "reassignment," could it?
This time, Hestia had come to discuss a framework for restraining the gods. Relying solely on Suren's power might be enough to unify Greece and perhaps other realms, but bringing the gods to heel under a single code required a different strength.
That Suren hadn't been troubled by these issues was thanks to the support of three goddesses, who resolved such matters behind the scenes.
In the era of the gods, it was pointless to ignore their influence. Even the wisest rulers had to consider divine will. To the gods, mortal lives were not treasures but tools.
The gods, indifferent mechanisms brought to life by faith, had ingrained humanity's protection within their core logic. This was divine love.
Yet that love extended to the people of Greece as a whole; toward individuals, the gods' whims could be cruel. Whether for amusement or wrath, demanding mortal kings sacrifice their children was not uncommon.
Suren wanted to put an end to these gruesome, all-too-familiar practices.
Originally, it would have been nearly impossible, requiring Suren to go to each divine figure personally, using either reason or force.
But with Athena, Hera, and Hestia's support, the impossible became merely difficult. While still not easy, it was no longer unattainable.
Athena and Hestia were forces to be reckoned with.
And Hera?
Well… her husband Zeus was quite the force himself.
---
"Thank you, Athena. You've already completed the first phase of the fortification plan?" Hestia sighed in admiration after reading Athena's blueprint. "It was absolutely the right decision to have you manage this."
"Oh? Really? Hestia, you're making me blush~"
A light blush spread across Athena's fair cheeks. In that moment, she looked like a maiden swept up by affection, brightening the somber temple with a burst of life and energy.
She thought of Artemis laboring in the Underworld, Poseidon mining in the sea, Apollo refining steel on the mountain, Hephaestus forging in lava, Zeus manipulating the weather, and Persephone, studying Gigantes' characteristics with Hecate to concoct new potions…
With a self-satisfied nod, Athena said, "To think I shoulder the duties of the sky, sea, and Underworld along with the responsibilities of the twelve Olympian gods. Truly, it's a heavy burden for this chief architect! You have no idea, Hestia, just how busy my days are…"
"Actually, I have another task—a mining expedition in the Underworld with Hades. He's been nudging me for ages. Hestia, you look like you'd be perfect for the role. How about it?"
Hack, hack, hack!
Hestia immediately began coughing violently, as if she might spit up blood any moment. Athena's heart skipped a beat. Please don't die in my temple!
Unable to let Hestia cough herself to death, Athena plastered on a smile and saw her out.
Oddly enough, the moment Hestia returned to her own temple, her symptoms disappeared, and she even invited Suren over for a meal.
After bidding Hestia farewell, Athena's gaze grew calm. Thinking back to something amusing, she stifled a laugh and murmured, "Suren, you really do know me well…"
"Athena never does anything without profit. I love to achieve three or more goals with one action. If there's no gain, then it's a loss!"
"I only take action if one step can fulfill multiple goals~"
During a private conversation over tea, Suren had once questioned why she took on such a grueling role. After all, for a deity, it was far from an appealing task.
Back then, Athena had merely smiled, leaving him to ponder the answer.
When it came to rivals, Athena didn't behave as Hera did. She would never stoop to clawing at her husband's lovers, ripping each other apart, dragging her title through the mud in the process.
How unbecoming.
Athena had seen Hera humiliate herself countless times, only to end up empty-handed. She chose a different approach.
Reassignment!
They would all be reassigned!
Everyone, go get reassigned!
Each would be given a task, hard enough to keep them too busy to think of home.
The path to redemption lay within (helmet included).
---
"Hmm… Hestia?" Athena's gaze darkened for a brief moment. This chief goddess truly was a formidable rival—not only clever and resourceful but unbothered by trivialities like reputation. Using moral shaming or public censure to sway her was a dead end.
In fact, Hestia's generosity was remarkable. She had willingly given up half of her powers and divine flame. Her loyalty and kindness toward Suren were unparalleled, making any attempt to tarnish her image a difficult endeavor.
When Suren's soul had drifted into the Underworld, it was Hestia who had split her divine flame, preserving his body on the mortal plane. Without her as a guide and anchor, he might have wandered earth for ages.
In the process, Hestia had weakened substantially. Yet her flame, combined with Suren's steadfast spirit, granted him immortality.
It could be said that Hestia had practically brought Suren back to life, staking more in one act than Athena had in all her efforts combined.
After a moment of thought, Athena laughed softly. "I was overthinking. Duty and love don't equate. Suren would never confuse the two."
"If Hestia has earned his gratitude, then let her continue to do so. Let him owe her as much as possible~"
---
"Not enough people are reassigned. Time to bring Artemis back for some sand-mining in space and send those rice worms driving up grain prices to work in the Styx."
Athena pulled out a quill, jotting down her latest orders on a piece of paper crafted by Suren.
"Hercules, take the imperial guards to Persia. Make those ignorant and arrogant Persians present their water and soil."
Suren, smiling gently, declared, "I will bring relief to all under heaven, spreading the emperor's grace across the world."
As the golden age approached, the era of gods reached its pinnacle at an unprecedented speed. Greece was now more radiant than in any era before or after.
Everyone found solace in this time; everyone found their own happiness.
It was a time when all could live in peace and harmony—a truly blessed era.
And yet, only Zeus, the father who knew the hidden truths of the godly age, felt sorrow. Still, he remained silent, showing his love for Greece and humankind alike.
All was the will of mortals. Zeus chose not to interfere.
As a foreign-born mechanical deity, the Olympians knew technology intimately. Even in humanity's far-off future, their technology had never matched the heights reached by the Olympian fleet.
But the gods never questioned why, after resuming life in human form, Zeus forbade the use of technology, insisting they adhere to Earth's natural development.
His reasoning was simple: they owed their new lives to humanity and should not turn them into another Olympian fleet.
In time, the gods stopped asking and eventually forgot the story altogether.
"Suren, beloved of the gods, hero of this age, do you understand that the passing of the godly era is inevitable? This fate cannot be changed."
High in the heavens, Zeus gazed tenderly at Suren, who fought tirelessly to preserve the godly age.
With a soft laugh, he thought, So be it. All things godly must come to an end.
"If it brings you joy, then let this be our final gift to you."
"Child of the gods, may you awaken without tears, for such grief does not belong to you."
---
"The Golden King, Emperor Suren..."
A faint smile flitted across Athena's pure, girlish face as she extended a playful invitation, "Might I, as the chief magistrate of the First Greek Empire—even if unofficially—have the privilege to join in Emperor Suren's grand feast?"
Suren's golden dream was a harmonious order among gods and mortals. For the human side, Heracles served as his executor, and for the divine, it was Athena and her allies who handled matters behind the scenes.
Suren was no fool; he knew that in the divine realm, powerful goddesses stood behind him, shielding him from political strife.
The Goddess of Wisdom, War, and Victory—Athena—was the most trusted among the gods. A protector when needed and unflinching when facing a challenge, she had a record of executing her plans with such grace that even Zeus himself would rarely intervene.
If a hero could secure Athena's favor and her unwavering loyalty, they would surely navigate a life as smooth as calm seas—even if they offended multiple Olympian gods.
Just ask Odysseus.
Of course, Helen had not yet come of age, and yet the old king of Sparta had already presented her to Suren. The famed beauty of Greece, Helen truly lived up to her reputation as the most enchanting woman.
It was hard to imagine a Trojan War breaking out now...right?
Certainly, Helen's beauty could launch a thousand ships, driving all of Greece to war, yet the famed Greek beauty now stood as a mere servant to the Golden King. And while many Greek men might still long for her, they would bow their heads in humility before Suren.
Suren was indifferent to beauty alone. A woman's appearance could never surpass his own, nor could it rival the goddesses'. Indeed, if Suren were to dress as a woman, his allure would surely surpass even Helen's.
True beauty transcends mere gender. Helen, with her timid and delicate demeanor, could never match Suren, who had bound gods and mortals in his rule over all of Greece.
Male heroes crossdressing was no scandal in Greek custom. Achilles once dressed in women's clothing to hide among girls, and Heracles, in disguise, had once pleased a queen.
Suren took Helen not out of desire, but because he saw her as unfit to survive in these chaotic times. In a world like this, beauty alone was no shield.
Unlike Suren, who paired his looks with strength, enough to win Athena's admiration; or loyalty, enough to gain Hera's favor; or a protective spirit, which softened even Hestia's heart.
But for beauty without power, the best one could hope for was to become a toy of Aphrodite.
Suren had taken pity on Helen. Had he rejected Sparta's offering, she would have ended up as a trophy at a grand contest, drawing every Greek man's attention as her father chose a suitor. She would have been the flame that sparked the Trojan War, forever remembered in Europe as a harbinger of chaos.
After all, how could a fragile, beautiful woman be at fault for her fate? Helen merely lacked the strength to control her own destiny.
Though Suren felt no love for her, he could at least offer her his protection.
---
"How lovely," Athena murmured casually from her seat across from Suren. "Your court seems to draw all of Greece's splendor, Suren. Even your wine servant rivals the beauty of the goddess herself."
"Come now, Helen is much more beautiful than Aphrodite," Suren said, narrowing his eyes. "Everyone just covets that tramp goddess's body. No one would marry her, much less love her."
"But Helen—well, every man in Greece would marry her, from Athens all the way to Sparta."
"Ah, and does that number include you?" Athena teased, her tone light. "After all, as the Emperor of the First Greek Empire, all lands are yours. You reign above all kings, the King of Kings..."
"Any woman—or man, for that matter—would be unable to refuse you, right?"
"So, Suren... Do you fancy this so-called most beautiful woman of Greece?"
Athena emphasized "woman" with a coy inflection, though Suren, somewhat tipsy, didn't catch the nuance.
"The king of what now… I don't care," Suren muttered, already a bit unsteady. Athena had been plying him with wine, and now he swayed slightly. "Not interested...she's irrelevant."
"She's not even as attractive as me," he scoffed, waving her off. "The so-called 'most beautiful'...she's nothing special."
His beauty alone reached a level envied by the gods—a beauty so intense that no woman of understanding and taste could resist him.
Such is the power of divinely bestowed beauty.
"Yes, yes, the beautiful Suren—you are indeed the fairest in all of Greece," Athena said, smiling with ambiguous intent.
Then, a wave of dizziness swept over him. Suren blinked, realizing he'd finally succumbed to the wine's strength.
"Tch-tch," Athena clicked her tongue in amusement, noting his stupor. "It took Dionysus's divine wine—a brew strong enough to intoxicate Zeus himself—to finally get you to pass out..."
Her cheeks flushed red as she admired the effects of the wine that had just as deeply affected her. For a brief moment, she looked the part of a bashful goddess, tinged with allure.
Yet as she glanced at Suren, slumped over the table, Athena held back from any further action. She knew he'd regain consciousness soon enough with his resilience and the ever-burning holy flame that dwelled within him.
Downing the last of her own wine, she took his arm and vanished from the scene.
Helen, who had been informed but dared not resist the goddesses' plan, had already replaced Suren's wine with divine vintage and now lingered in the empty hall.
Watching Athena carry away the man she most adored, Helen felt a turmoil so profound it could've shattered her heart.
Helen, once Athena had gone, tidied up the remaining traces of their private feast. Then, lifting Suren's empty wine glass, she downed the last drops of the divine wine he'd left behind, murmuring softly, "Suren…"
And with that, Helen too succumbed to the wine's power, drifting into a sweet, vivid dream.
---
Wine held a revered place in Greek life, almost like a cure for sorrows in ancient Eastern philosophy. Greeks, too, had a saying for it: "One sip to forget all cares." And this was no ordinary wine—it was a creation of Dionysus himself. Just a single sip would lead one into the most mesmerizing dreams.
A place known as the land of reverie.
---
"Ugh... my head... what kind of wine was that?" Suren mumbled, half-awake, feeling a strange, potent dizziness. But rather than a headache, he felt an oddly refreshing clarity mixed with the buzz, like he was on the verge of a bright awakening.
This was unusual. His constitution could handle even vast quantities of mortal wine—an entire sea of it wouldn't make him drunk. The most it would do was leave him mildly tipsy, at best.
Suren, while he enjoyed the mild effects of wine, was no heavy drinker. Greek wine, in his experience, was more like flavored water—a playful indulgence for someone like him.
After all, as the Golden King and founder of the golden era, shouldn't he enjoy life to its fullest?
But, unlike those infamous kings who would summon their favorites to feed them grapes draped in fine silks, Suren had never gone so far. Yet now, consciousness slowly returned, and he felt the haze lifting. His mind drifted from a hazy nothingness to sharper awareness.
First, his sense of smell returned. A distinct, divine fragrance wafted through his nostrils—one not found in the mortal realm. Suren searched his memories, finally recalling where he'd encountered it.
Mount Olympus.
During a council gathering, he'd smelled this very scent. This was the air of the gods, a purity unique to the heavens.
"So... that means I'm on Olympus?" Suren muttered in bewilderment. "Why would Athena bring me here?"
Yet he felt no anxiety, remembering how he'd passed out in the company of Athena herself.
With Athena around, what was there to fear?
She was one of the few he trusted fully. In all of Greece, if there were anyone Suren could place his complete trust in, it was undoubtedly Athena.
He shifted, noticing a hard surface pressing against his back, and beneath him, a similarly solid sensation—suggesting he was sitting.
"Is Athena planning to pull a prank on me?" he wondered. "At least she left me sitting up… that's a little dignified."
Suddenly, his ears caught the sound of cheering. This wasn't just one voice but the united chorus of the gods themselves.
"King of Kings!"
"God Among Gods!!"
"King of All Souls!!!"
"Suren... past, present, and future King!!!!"
Praise resounded, weaving countless titles and epithets to honor a majestic ruler.
"Irrelevant… who're they even talking about?"
More senses returned to him, and only his sight remained in the dark.
Oddly, though, he hesitated to open his eyes.
But it was futile to resist. The holy flame within him burned ever-constant, and, reluctant though he was, he knew he would have to face this strange reality.
"Awake! Suren is awake!" a powerful, older voice declared.
"How dare you speak the name of the King of Kings so casually, you foolish god! Such disrespect deserves an eternity of toil in the Styx!" Another voice growled—a tall young man with blue hair, wielding a trident.
"Hey~ it's just me, Zeus…"
Ah. No wonder, then. A handsome elder… so it was Zeus.
"Zeus, what? As if Zeus could dare to show disrespect to our great Golden King, the creator of the golden age, the King of Kings and God of Gods!" snapped another voice, belonging to a goddess with arms as white as lilies, her appearance that of a matron.
"Yes, precisely! Everyone should be punished equally, don't you think?" another goddess added, holding a stalk of grain.
"Golden King, just say the word! Just one command from Your Majesty, the King of Kings, and we'll arrest Zeus right now and send him off to labor in the Styx!" The blue-haired, trident-wielding youth echoed with fervor.
"Oh, the loyalty, the loyalty!" A red-haired goddess with a feline expression praised him wholeheartedly.
"Loyalty! Devotion! As the heavens have but one sun, my heart has only one king! That king is the Golden King!!" declared a tall, somber young man with black hair, his tone solemn. Suren knew this one well.
"Zeus? God-king? Irrelevant!" This time it was a youthful, handsome god with winged shoes and a winged cap.
This god with the winged shoes held an opulent crown in his hands—a crown too grand to describe, radiating the boundless glory and authority of all the Greek gods.
Suren stared blankly, too stunned to react. As he gazed down at the loyal crowd before him, his mental defenses finally cracked.
"I came to drink. What exactly are you doing?"
"Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, Aphrodite, Hades… Hermes… what are all of you trying to pull?"
"Where's Athena? Athena!" Suren smacked the armrest of the throne as he tried to stand, the remnants of wine still making him woozy, nearly toppling over in the process.
Fortunately, his athletic prowess saved him from disgrace, a talent honed by winning gold in every Olympic event. His reflexes allowed him to catch himself before slipping off the throne.
Perhaps it was his shout, but Athena's voice rang out immediately, "Athena is here! I present myself before the great Golden King, King of Kings, God Among Gods, Lord of Souls, Ruler of All, Master of Past, Present, and Future…"
Wait a second…
With so many people, could Mount Olympus even hold them all?
"Your Majesty's most loyal follower, Athena, awaits your command. Just say the word, and Olympus could yet bear your name!"
Then Athena signaled to Hermes with a subtle glance. Hermes understood instantly, stepping forward and remarking, "As I see it, great Golden King, King of Kings (and so on)… something is missing, a certain… accessory."
With that, he placed the radiant crown on Suren's head. "Majesty requires marvels to match it, and this is the gods' humble gift."
Stunned into silence, Suren stared at Hermes, utterly disoriented. From the moment he'd woken to now, the gods' antics had left him questioning reality itself.
Was this a dream induced by Dionysus's wine, or was it true that these revered gods were… well, so absurd in private?
Poseidon and Hades had seized Zeus by the shoulders, holding him firmly. One word from the Golden King (and so on), and they'd throw him into the Styx.
But Zeus, still struggling, cried out, "I have something to say! I have something to say!! I bled for this great golden reign! I contributed to the King of Kings! I demand to see the Golden King—I demand to see the King of Kings!!"
Amidst his haze and confusion, Suren caught Athena's meaningful glance.
Everything became clear in an instant. He understood that this was Athena's scheme, one fully supported by the gods.
But why? What were they hoping to achieve?
Suren took a deep breath, still hesitant but now resigned. He straightened the crown atop his head and sighed, "You all are going to be the death of me…"
"Yes, you'll be the death of me!"
With that last, exasperated sigh, Suren felt the remaining alcohol haze evaporate, leaving his mind sharp once more. He rose from the throne, approaching the "prisoner" Zeus. Resting a solemn hand on his shoulder, Suren said with a weighty sigh, "Little Zeus, it's not that I don't want to show mercy, but do you understand the gravity of your crime?"
"You've violated—violated the fundamental Greek law of Justice," Suren continued, pausing for effect, then adding with righteous clarity, "The crime of…Arrogance!"
"Yes, that's it—arrogance," he affirmed, crossing his arms with regal detachment. "Your disrespect for the Golden King places me in quite a difficult position."
"Know this…" Suren declared, his expression lofty, "I am the Golden King! King of Kings, God Among Gods, Ruler of Souls, Master of All Beings, and King of Past, Present, and Future. My presence commands the obeisance of the gods themselves."
"No!" Zeus resisted, straining against the divine hands holding him in place. "It's not enough! Merely calling him 'the Golden King' doesn't do justice to our esteemed Suren…"
Zeus continued, tone more conspiratorial as he added, "There's another title to consider—Conqueror of the Gods. What say you?"
"Yes, yes! It has a bold ring to it!" he added, clapping for his own suggestion.
"Virtuous King! Exalted, most benevolent, merciful king!" Athena chimed in, quick to follow. "How blessed am I to be born in this era, to witness such a glorious ruler!"
Suren's expression soured to a faint shade of green. He'd severely underestimated the gods' mental state here.
He felt an overwhelming urge to launch himself at Athena in protest, though he knew she'd likely only watch with cold amusement as he made a fool of himself.
The sheer quantity of titles he'd just heard could offend half of Olympus, even make rival pantheons abroad uneasy. Could anyone bear such epithets?
A "Conqueror of the Gods," as though he'd reduced them to mere thralls?
On second thought, hadn't Athena, on his behalf, mobilized numerous gods into labor? Thinking back, nearly every god here had, in fact, worked under his orders…
Perhaps that title wasn't entirely unfitting.
"…Thank you, thank you all—you are truly the best gods a king could ask for."
Finally, with a half-smile, Suren allowed himself to sink back onto the great throne. His expression was now composed and free of the reverence that once clouded his view of the gods. Now, even with the Twelve Olympians gathered before him, he sat serenely, without fear or unease.
Why waste the goddess's efforts?
Though her approach was intense, Athena's method had been remarkably effective at helping Suren shed any misplaced awe toward the gods.
She understood that he held them in too lofty a regard. Through her actions, Athena had shown him that gods weren't meant to be revered from afar like statues of stone, but were, in fact, sentient beings with personalities, unique as any human soul.
Gods had the right to rule, but they also had the right to love humankind.
Gods could act as friends, as companions to share in laughter and play.
They were a baffling, endearing lot, and the idea of abandoning them brought an unspoken sadness.
After all, wasn't his dream of a golden age for Greece motivated by the desire to preserve these rare, beautiful beings of this divine era?
That night, Mount Olympus transformed into a grand celebration, far more jubilant than any council the gods had ever held. From his throne, Suren invited the gods to drink freely in a spirit of camaraderie.
And, disregarding their godly composure, each one gave in to the revelry, revealing their truest selves...
Zeus, wielding his lightning, tried his hand at roasting meat. When his first batch charred to a crisp, Hestia shooed him aside, taking over as the grand chef of the feast.
Poseidon, with a wave of his trident, summoned forth seafood from the depths of the seas, filling the tables with delicacies, while Artemis, not to be outdone, brought in an array of wild game for the banquet.
All the gods gathered, celebrating with unreserved joy, savoring the fine ambrosia.
"Let's stay here—let's hold on to this moment forever," Suren thought to himself. "This age of the gods, where all beauty converges…let it never fade, never disappear…"
For Suren, it was the purest, most heartfelt wish he had ever held.
---
T/N: At least the chapters are very long! It's like 3 chapters of the other stories
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
Posture and water check! Remember this is a fan translation!
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