Chapter 176: Chapter 30 Marriage and the Divided Goddess of Beauty_2
But upon careful reflection, Laine found that the relationship between the gods and humans of Chaos seemed just like that.
The Fire Thief who deceived the Divine King, the king who feasted on his own child, the mortal who brazenly claimed his skill surpassed that of the deities⊠Such individuals, be they gods or humans, were not exceptions; they were a common sight.
It appeared that these beings, once they possessed a bit of wisdom, relished in challenging authority as a means of proving themselves, only to be used as negative examples to highlight the greatness of their superiors.
âAnd there are my old friends; it seems they are getting a bit restless.â
Pondering slightly, Laine sensed that, aside from the gods of Olympus, with the birth of the Bronze Humanity, some among them also had their own reactions.
For instance, through the perception granted by the Spiritual Authority, Laine could tell that his unique incarnation had been disturbed. Clearly, a remnant from the old era had taken an interest in the new humans, or more precisely, their souls, and was now testing Laineâs attitude.
Furthermore, within the Spirit Realm, a âgood childâ who had listened obediently for many years was now quietly undertaking his own schemes.
He probably didnât realize that just because the angels of the Spirit Realm addressed Laine as âYour Highness,â it didnât mean he was truly separate from the realm itself. It could be said that due to a less ancient birth, he indeed caused quite a few misunderstandings.
âThis is why youâre still so good, Liana.â
Nodding, Laine suddenly praised.
âAh?â
Confused as to why she was complimented out of the blue, Liana felt puzzled yet pleased.
âI will continue to worship you as I always have, Your Highness.â
âHehe, good.â
With a light chuckle, Laine responded. Under the effect of [Secrecy], the two of them brushed past Prometheus, who hurried back.
This wise foreseer had already seen his brother waiting in the distance. He approached the other with a smile, completely unaware that right next to him, two Ancient Gods had just passed by and then blended into the crowd dispersing from the sacrifice.
He just tilted his head, feeling that he might have missed something, but soon dismissed it as an illusion.
âŠ
Since the first act of deceiving the deities, the role of âPriestâ was born among the Bronze Humanity.
In the past, sacrifices to the gods were performed individually by the Bronze Humans, but now, the Priests appointed by the creator had taken on this responsibility. They just needed to offer up enough sacrifices.
The Bronze Humans were satisfied with this arrangement because the Priests saved them time and often bestowed food or other things on their behalf; the deities were also satisfied since the unified rituals performed by the Priests certainly saved them time and energy.
The Priests themselves were satisfied too, for from then on they didnât have to labor, merely keeping the shared secret. Although among them some were still concerned, fearing that one day the gods would uncover the truth, ultimately no one objected.
Thus, starting that year, under the manipulation of the Priests, the Bronze Humanity began to subtly reduce the offerings to the deities, but, on the surface, the sacrifices seemed more plentiful than ever. Since ordinary humans were unaware of this secret, their faith in the deities didnât change drastically.
As a result, human life became ever more prosperous, and the godsâ blessings were unceasing. The Priests couldnât help marveling at the creatorâs wisdomâa simple trick that constantly bore fruit due to the deitiesâ disdain for mortal matters.
Time passed until one day, perhaps nudged by the Goddess of Justiceâs counsel or a spontaneous warning from the throne of the Divine King, Zeus suddenly announced atop Mount Olympus that he would wed his sister, Hera, the Goddess of Fertility.
The ceremony would be witnessed by the Master of Law, and he, in the name of the Divine King, would share his Divine Authority with the new Heavenly Empress, including his Thunder, without exception.
âŠ
The relationship between the Divine King and his sister was not without its signs; in fact, recently, had it not been for the accidental discovery of a cult of faith, this love affair of the Divine King would have been of paramount concern to all the deities.
In recent years, as Zeusâs throne became increasingly stable, he began to act more freely, no longer as cautious as before, moving between more than one goddess. Therefore, while his sudden marriage to Hera was surprising, it wasnât entirely inconceivable.
Compared to that, the promise made by the Divine King was an even greater surprise to the deities, Hera included. Initially, she was actually unwilling to accept this relationship, until, after being cunningly possessed by the Divine King, Hera accepted the situation, albeit reluctantly.
But the promise Zeus made immediately afterward thoroughly moved her, for to a Divine King, nothing symbolized his affection more than relinquishing his power.
âUnder my witness, you two shall share each otherâs Divine Authority. No matter how the future may change, this oath shall remain eternal.â
Within the grand hall of Mount Olympus, standing above, the Goddess of Law held the Golden Scales in her hand and spoke with a solemn face.
Unlike before, at Zeusâs request, the Divine Power of the King was now bestowed upon the Divine Artifact, coupled with the vast Divine Power of Themis, enabling this artifact, which weighed all things, to unleash unprecedented might.
At this moment, as the words left the goddessâs mouth, an invisible force stretched out from both sides of the scales, connecting to the two deities before her.