Chapter 244: Hestia’s Advice
Pure and beautiful Hemera had no intention of comparing herself to Hera; she still had a clear sense of self-awareness in her heart.
The distance between herself and Hera was insurmountable.
In her heart, there was only endless envy for Goddess Hera.
Hmm. At present, there was also full worry for her own Mother Goddess.
Fortunately, Night and Daylight had always coexisted interdependently, able to comfort each other.
As for atop Mount Olympus, that one who appeared to be drunkenly reclining upon the Divine Throne but was actually silently paying attention to the progress of her own daughter’s “work practice”—the great All-knowing Goddess of Civilization and Memory—also let out a mournful sigh.
That sigh was so light, as if turning another predestined page in the already written book of Destiny.
Even though she knew the origins and outcomes of all things, cause and effect, beginning and end.
Even though the All-knowing Goddess of Civilization and Memory was always clear-sighted and insightful, intellectual and magnanimous.
But after truly witnessing everything happening before her eyes, she still could not pretend as if nothing had occurred.
Fortunately, that long, nearly Eternal career of omniscience had made her heart exceptionally resilient.
Though she inevitably felt the sourness of jealousy, she could ultimately soothe her own heart.
The sourness swirled in her chest like fine dust, yet she smoothed it away bit by bit, sinking it into the deep well of Memory.
The one who could let go the most was, instead, Themis, this most holy Lady of Justice.
She understood how deep was the pain of “suppressing one’s own love for self,” and how tormenting it was.
Even a god as flawless as a bright mirror like her had once felt endless torment when facing the intense conflict between adhering to principles and the longing for Original Divinity.
It was thus not hard to imagine the pain that Hera, whose nature was not as tenacious and stubborn as hers yet bore an even deeper longing for Divinity, would endure.
Hera, this gentlest and most loving goddess, enduring such pain for so long was not something she wanted to see.
At this moment, with Hera finally able to alleviate it somewhat, she instead let out a long sigh of relief from the bottom of her heart.
Of course, at the bottom of her heart, there was still a little helpless resentment toward her beloved God King.
Though it was as shallow as clouds that would scatter at a breath of wind.
And the one in the most pain was still that Goddess of Wisdom.
Even though she had achieved that “supreme perfection” of wisdom; even though her disposition had reached the realm of “supreme goodness like water.”
Even though she had long known this day was inevitable; even though she herself had once advised Hera to accept her own heart, to accept her beloved God King.
But when this moment truly arrived, she still could not control the pain deep in her heart, as if it were being madly ravaged by countless giant hands.
Her beloved God King uniting with any other goddess would not hurt her this much.
Because she knew that, compared to other goddesses, the God King loved her the most.
But Hera and the other goddesses were different.
She also knew that Hera.
was the goddess most beloved in the heart of her most beloved God King.
But at the same time, there was also a faint sense of joy in her heart.
As Hera’s good friend, the kind her could not bear to see her good girlfriend immersed in such struggling pain all day long.
Eurynome sat to the side, looking at her heavy-hearted sister with full worry, wanting to speak words of comfort but not knowing where to begin.
Metis, however, gave a shallow smile and gently embraced her pure and beautiful younger sister, her jade hand tenderly stroking her soft locks.
Whether she wished it or not, her beloved God King’s intention would not change.
Since that was the case, why make her beloved God King and good friend suffer together?
Anyway, her beloved God King also deeply loved her.
It was just, why did her own heart still hurt so much…
This silent question from the depths of her heart hung the most sour and bitter clear tears in the depths of the Goddess of Wisdom’s Divinity.
While that warmest Hestia merely gave a wistful smile and swept away the faint thoughts from her heart.
They were, after all, the closest of sisters.
Even if Beloved most loved Hera, the outcome would not change.
Dear family members were always the most important, weren’t they?
She felt more genuine joy for Hera.
She knew how much Hera loved Zeus and also how immense was the double torment from her heart and Divinity that she endured.
Now, though her good sister still had a little hurdle in her heart, at least she no longer had to suffer the backlash of Divinity.
The greatest struggle had been overcome; everything afterward would be easy.
At the same time, she also felt some gratitude.
Fortunately, Demeter was still in Deep Sleep, likely not awakening for a few more days.
Otherwise, if she saw such a grand commotion, she would almost certainly fly into a jealous rage, which would harm sisterly unity.
Upon sensing Hera’s return to Olympus, she immediately set out for Hera’s Divine Palace to see her.
Asteria, who had long returned to Mount Olympus, had also learned from her sister Leto those words spoken by Zeus.
In her heart, there was both joy and sorrow, both grief and pity.
The joy was that her Father God and Mother Goddess had finally received the God King’s personal promise of forgiveness as an outcome.
Though they still needed to endure torment for a time, there was ultimately concrete Hope.
What grieved her was her dear sister, who had borne the price for all this.
The God King’s meaning was already very clear.
He already intended to claim her sister.
Even her own sisters, He wanted!
The reason for her pity was precisely this matter.
If His Majesty the God King truly loved her sister, then so be it.
Becoming the God King’s wife was not a humiliation for her sister.
After all, her sister also harbored some special feelings for the God King.
But the problem was, with their sisters’ current status, it was unlikely they could become His Majesty the God King’s wife!
She feared they could only be the God King’s lover!
Moreover, she herself would likely face the same fate.
Being a lover…
For radiant and glorious Asteria, this was really somewhat unacceptable.
Indeed, His Majesty the God King was the greatest God King, the most handsome and valiant god, the most courageous, strongest, and wisest god.
He was the god among gods, King of the Gods, Master of all things.
But Asteria did not like it.
She just inexplicably did not like it.
Dislike was dislike.
Asteria was the radiant goddess, the glorious goddess, the dazzling goddess. What she pursued was uprightness, clear conscience, freely displaying all her radiance!
She admitted that, in the Universe, the most charismatic god was the God King.
She also admitted that she deeply revered the God King’s power and Authority, including His abyssal, unfathomable strategy.
Sometimes, she would fantasize what it would be like to have a husband like the God King.
But she did not want, after becoming a god’s wife, to still humbly look up at Him.
The relationship between husband and wife, even if not absolutely equal, should at least be relatively close to equality.
But before the supreme God King His Majesty, how could there be equality?
Even as the God King’s first wife, even as the God King’s most beloved Goddess Hera, were they truly equal before the God King?
One must know that even the great Eternal Holy Goddess Queen Rhea, His Majesty’s birth mother, still had to lower her most noble head before His Majesty the God King.
She could accept becoming the God King’s subject, even becoming the God King’s Attendant.
But she could not accept being both His wife and His servant.
She could not accept reining in all her glory and radiance, becoming an insignificant speck of dust beside the majestic God King.
Attendant status was acceptable, wife was not.
Husband and wife should not be like this.
And now, forget unequal wife; she feared it would be to become that inglorious lover!
Even, in a worse situation, with no feelings between them at all, it would be purely a plaything.
What would that be?
And there was Goddess Hera.
Goddess Hera was the most gentle and loving, always sheltering their Two Sister Goddesses, treating their sisters with utmost generosity.
Though said to serve before her, in truth she treated their sisters as her own dear younger sisters, caring for them.
Goddess Hera also loved His Majesty the God King so deeply.
This… how could their sisters steal the Mistress’s Male God!
How could they face Goddess Hera?!
If they truly submitted to the God King, then afterward, how could they have the face to see Goddess Hera!
But all of this, their sisters had no power to choose.
All principles were also powerless to uphold.
Before the God King’s Will, they had almost no choice.
Not to mention they who had no honor; among all gods of the Universe, who could defy His Majesty the God King’s Will?
Principles could be held high, but resistance had to face Reality.
All lofty creeds, all firm principles, before the truly supreme God King Zeus, were all just thin morning frost, dispelled with a flick of the sleeve.
How could this not make radiant and brilliant Asteria grieve for it?
For herself, and for her sister.
Compared to Asteria’s brightness and stubbornness, the seemingly delicate and melancholic Leto saw even more clearly.
The insightful and perceptive Goddess Leto deeply knew that in this world, there were no perfect outcomes; one always had to make trade-offs.
No matter how unwilling, no matter how helpless, things in the world were always thus.
Ultimately, a choice had to be made.
The God King had too many goddesses; their Two Sister Goddesses were not lacking.
As for Goddess Hera…
Ridiculous; could their two sisters pose even the slightest threat to Goddess Hera?
Matters of failing Goddess Hera could be compensated slowly later, finding opportunities; kindness could also be repaid slowly.
But defying the supreme God King His Majesty was absolutely, absolutely not allowed!
That promise left by His Majesty the God King still echoed long in the depths of Leto’s Divinity: In the Future, He would forgive Coeus and Phoebe.
Leto was not unaware of what price lay behind that casually stated “Future” to pave the way.
Even, before that, earlier…
she had already made more realistic plans for herself and her own younger sister.
On the barren wilderness of choices, what could be done was never to be picky, but to endure.
The reason of Heaven and Earth was never something that could be rewritten by wishes.
Before true Order and Power, individual likes and dislikes were but a light feather.
She knew there were not many paths to choose; she never deceived herself.
She only turned no-choice into a viable path.
Moreover, the supreme God King His Majesty was never a bad choice.
Though His Majesty the God King was greedy and promiscuous, he was also affectionate and generous, powerful and dazzling, and always remembered his promises, wasn’t he?
When the warm Hestia arrived at Hera’s Temple of Fertility, what she saw were two goddesses with varied expressions in the courtyard.
One appeared calm in expression, and even in that calm, faintly revealed a trace of ease and delight.
While the other had an obviously heavy expression, gloomy demeanor, brows lowered, as if shrouded by twilight clouds.
The temperaments of these Two Sister Goddesses had completely reversed from before.
The formerly melancholy Leto was now clear as a mirror, while the radiant Asteria had retracted her glow, lost in thought and silent.
Though Hestia was slightly surprised, she did not mind much.
This was, after all, Hera’s Attendant; she should not interfere too much.
Anyway, in this entire Universe, there would absolutely be no god daring to disrespect Hera.
Goddesses each had their own flames and shadows; some selfishness and private matters were perfectly normal.
Upon seeing Hestia arrive, Leto immediately approached with the most gentle smile, her demeanor composed as she led Hestia directly into the palace.
With Hestia’s noble status, naturally no announcement was needed.
Although Goddess Hera’s mood now might be rather complex, it was no big issue.
On the contrary, the warm fire of the Universe could instead warmly soothe the Mistress’s struggling heart; this was a good thing.
Leto could understand Hera’s struggle and persistence, but she really could not comprehend it.
To receive the God King’s virtually infinite doting, what was there to struggle over?
Having received the God King’s greatest love, yet still wanting the sole God King, was that not a bit too greedy?
How could the God King possibly belong only to one goddess?
He was the Sky, the Universe itself; like the sun, radiating glory was His Nature.
Demanding exclusivity was no different from Mortal Spirits attempting to hide the sun in their embrace—far too unrealistic.
Even gods like the Ocean God of the Entire Universe, there was only one.
Even her own extremely affectionate Father God and Mother God—Father God was not exactly honest in private either.
Though Leto directly invited Hestia into the palace, she discreetly used Divine Thought to subtly remind Hestia: The Main God is currently in a complex mood; please Your Excellency comfort her.
She did not follow Hestia into the palace; after leading this noble goddess to the front of the hall, she quietly departed.
Her own too-straightforward silly younger sister still needed proper comforting.
Within the Divine Palace, clear light flowed like water, starlight falling into golden ripples, utterly tranquil.
Beautiful Hera sat upon the Divine Seat, eyes closed in meditation, her breath distant and prolonged, her thoughts rising and falling like tides, immersed in contemplation for a long time.
She recalled Zeus’s final gaze upon her before parting.
That gaze was clearly imprinted in the depths of her Divinity, always reappearing before her eyes time and again, impossible to dispel no matter what.
It held love fierce enough to pierce nebulae, and also rare guilt like the deep sea.
Complex like a rainbow after thunder and storm.
She still cared, but no longer wanted to avoid it.
She still ached, but had learned to weave this pain into a song of sweet happiness, turning it into the first silent lullaby, sung to the child yet unborn in her womb.
She was attempting reconciliation with herself.
And also thinking how to compensate and balance with those goddesses she sincerely respected and who had become her beloved God King’s wives.
“Love” should not come at the cost of harm.
What Hestia saw upon entering the palace was thus a scene—her dear good sister quietly seated on the Divine Seat, her closed-eyed divine visage clear and serene, like the sea after spring rain.
Her good sister had become even more beautiful.
Not any specific change in appearance.
But that quality and charm emanating from within.
After thoroughly uniting with the Great Father God, the already complete “Great Mother Goddess” had her beauty fully bloomed.
Truly possessing even more the supreme poise of a “Great Mother Goddess.”
The warm and restrained poise of the Great Mother Goddess, like spring waters filling rivers, with an indescribable richness and stability in her Divinity.
This maternal radiance nurturing All Spirits made Hera, among all goddesses, unquestionably the first（ among multiples tied）.
Hera’s beauty was in no way inferior to Aphrodite’s.
The Mother of All Spirits was naturally the most beautiful, radiant like that great Mother of All.
Even, more profoundly beautiful.
Hestia’s gaze, in the first moment, unconsciously turned to Hera’s lower abdomen.
There it was still slender and flat, one flawless beautiful jade hand unconsciously lightly stroking it.
Under her gaze as Master of Fire, she could clearly “see” an extremely powerful, extremely majestic god quietly in Deep Sleep in that most holy place of Life, nurtured by endless Motherly Love.
Though still slumbering in the sea of Reproduction, His divine radiance burned like countless Stars ablaze, dazzling and blinding, almost impossible to look upon directly.
That pulse of Law was familiarly heart-shaking.
It was the most Original power of their once brutal Father God.
That was the Old God King’s supreme Authority of “Creation.”
After Zeus’s second Weaving, sublimated into the more precise “Law of Creation,” and now gestated anew in Hera’s womb.
Moreover, first gestated by the Law Origins of Great Father God and Great Mother Goddess, then continuing gestation in this Great Mother Goddess’s womb.
He was destined to be born in the form of a top-tier Great God!
Even though Hestia had quietly entered the palace, Hera still kept her eyes closed, as if wandering on distant seas, lost in thought.
The warm Master of Fire silently sighed.
She came to her gentle and beautiful good sister’s side, extended both arms, and gently drew this tender-as-spring good sister into her embrace.
Her embrace was warm like the core Universe Hearth Fire at the Universe’s birth.
The flames’ temperature was not scorching, just perfectly warm.
Hera’s Divine Body trembled sharply; she started in surprise, finally coming back to herself, and upon realizing it was Hestia, instantly relaxed.
She too embraced this warmest sister, dependently burying her head in this warmest embrace.
Hestia could clearly sense the undisguisable melancholy and wistfulness in Hera’s Divinity.
She smiled faintly and said softly: “My dear Hera, congratulations on having the most lovely Child.”
Hera’s lips curved in a complex smile, happiness and sweetness, struggle and bitterness all within.
She sighed lightly, did not speak immediately, but held her sister tighter, as if drawing courage from this warm Tranquility to face the Future, face herself, face her good friend.
Hestia gently stroked her golden long hair, soothing softly: “Hera, you don’t need to struggle over these things. You deeply love Zeus, and Zeus deeply loves you; we can be together forever—this is already enough.”
“I know you endure too much grievance and torment. But that bad fellow, no matter how indulgent he is, the one he loves most is always you, isn’t it?”
“As Ruler of the Universe, He both cannot change His nature and must bear the heavy burden of perfecting the Universe. My gentlest and most loving Hera, just be a bit more tolerant of him, and of yourself.”
“You can’t leave him, he can’t leave you; why make each other suffer this unnecessary sorrow? Why make each other struggle in sweet and pain?”
Hera sighed muffledly in her embrace, her voice muffled from within: “Dear Hestia, my warmest sister… I know all that. I have already… willingly accepted Him.”
She paused, then said lowly and sincerely: “But… how should I… how should I face that generous Metis? She is my best friend, always so gently treating me, encouraging me.”
“She even said she didn’t mind me becoming Zeus’s wife, welcoming me as her closer sister.”
“But—but she loves Zeus the most. Before me, Zeus loved her the most. She is Zeus’s first wife; now… how do I have the face to see her?”
Hera’s voice even carried a sob: “She—she always wanted to gestate a lovely child with Zeus, bear Zeus’s Eldest Son… But now, Zeus’s Eldest Son is already in my womb…”
Hera raised her eyes, her gaze clear yet pained, her voice lightly trembling: “Dear Hestia, please tell me, how should I face my best friend?”
Hestia blinked her golden-red flame eyes, nearly speechless.
If not for truly knowing Hera so well, she would almost think Hera was boasting to her.
Hmm… These words in other gods’ ears would ten out of ten seem like boasting.
This “Zeus loves most,” that “God King’s Eldest Son”—no matter how heard, it sounded like showing off.
But she knew Hera’s nature; Hera was not such a god.
This goddess who would soften at birds tormented by wind and rain would not use her own happiness to hurt others.
What she truly cared about was loyalty’s principles, friends’ dignity, the beautiful happiness of affection.
Now, Hera was truly feeling guilty over this, sincerely feeling she had wronged Metis.
Though this was completely not her fault.
But her noble and holy Divine Quality still made her suffer conscience’s torment, aching for wrongdoing not her own.
Hera knew the pain of being deeply trapped in love’s honeyed pool.
She also knew the sourness of deeply loving a Male God yet having to share him with other goddesses.
Hera was absolutely not the type to, having been rained on herself, make other goddesses get rained on too.
What’s more, the one to get rained on this time was her best friend.
And her good friend originally had an umbrella.
Though this umbrella was indeed a bit tattered, at least it existed.
But now, she had personally snatched this already tattered umbrella from her best friend’s head.
What pained her more was that deep in her heart, she felt irredeemably sweet from the warmth under this umbrella.
In the thorough Divine fusion with her beloved God King, she could clearly feel she was her beloved God King’s unquestionable, sole “most beloved.”
This nearly made her blissfully mad!
Sweet and pain stirred into a tide in her heart; she knew not which part to present to whom.
The unstoppable happiness from embracing—this feeling, she could not deceive herself about.
This complex emotion weaving sweetness and guilt, with Hera’s Divine Quality, truly made her feel utterly ashamed, mortified to the extreme.
Hestia’s purpose this trip was precisely to comfort Hera.
Deeply understanding her own sister, she naturally knew Hera’s current heart dilemma.
Before coming, she had already prepared a solution.
She pityingly held her beloved sister, soothing softly:
“Hera, my dear Hera, my gentlest and kindest Hera, this is not your fault, not at all; you are innocent.”
“You neither schemed nor took initiative; you even used all your strength to refuse.”
“If blame there be, let Zeus bear it—this is all that bad fellow Zeus’s fault!”
Hestia paused an instant, holding Hera tighter, her voice even softer: “But if you truly feel bad about it, I do have an idea you might consider.”
Hera abruptly lifted her head, her tear-filled eyes igniting with urgent flame, asking hurriedly: “Good sister, is this real? Please tell me quickly!”
Hestia weighed for one or two moments, carefully organizing her words, then slowly said:
“I know you and Metis are best friends. And Metis, she has always been close and friendly with me too.”
“She is likewise warm and kind, merciful and enthusiastic god; she truly should not suffer innocent harm due to that bad fellow Zeus’s wrongdoing.”
“But Hera, now that it has happened, avoidance is useless; we should actively face the problem, confront it, handle it.”
“Your incomparably precious friendship should not be harmed by this. I think this is also not what Zeus wants to see.”
“Metis is generous and magnanimous goddess, worthy of the title God King’s first wife. I believe sharing Zeus’s love poses no problem.”
“As for… as for the matter of the Child…”
She looked at the jade hand lightly covering Hera’s abdomen, paused, her voice becoming even gentler and solemn: “Though Metis has no child of her own yet, and the God King’s Eldest Son is already determined… you can still fulfill her.”
“You can share the God King’s Eldest Son with her.”
“Hmm?!” Hearing this last sentence, Hera abruptly lifted her head from Hestia’s embrace.
Her golden eyes filled with extreme shock and doubt stared straight at her warmest sister.
This proposal truly shocked her immensely.
Having a supreme Great Mother Goddess share her own Child with other goddesses—nothing could be more excessive or absurd.
Hestia naturally knew this reasoning, so she continued: “My good sister, don’t misunderstand; I haven’t finished speaking.”
“The ‘sharing’ I mean is not like the severance and change of Origin between Goddess of Night and Goddess of Daylight.”
“My meaning is, when you later birth this lovely Child, you can invite Metis to be this Child’s sole ‘Godmother.'”
“This is likewise the most sacred intimate bond; under this name, let the Child also call her ‘Mother,’ and ask her to participate in caring for and guiding.”
“You see, your this Child possesses the extremely great Authority of ‘Creation.'”
“But this Authority of ‘Creation’ is equally inseparable from the nurturing of ‘Wisdom.'”
“Wisdom is the cornerstone of ‘Creation.’ Creation without Wisdom is but futile illusion and chaotic accumulation.”
“Only with Wisdom can ‘Creation’ burst forth with infinite Inspiration and power; only with Wisdom providing direction can ‘Creation’ break free of existing shackles.”
“You are the great Mother Goddess leading all ‘Evolution,’ while Metis is the Goddess of Wisdom who can make ‘Evolution’ even better.”
“Thus calculated, this Child becoming your shared Child is the best choice both for Him and for the entire Universe.”
Hera listened quietly, her chest’s heaving gradually calming, slowly nodding.
This proposal, she could accept.
As long as it was not like Aether and Hemera, even changing the Origin birth.
Moreover, this was truly a multifaceted good method.
For the Child’s future development, it was indeed most beneficial.
Hera’s mood, tangled from guilt, finally relaxed somewhat; her face finally showed a smile once more.
She said softly: “Dear good sister, thank you for this proposal; it truly is the best method! I’ll go find Metis now, hoping she accepts.”
Saying so, the decisive her moved to rise, but was gently tugged back by Hestia on her small hand.
Master of Fire chuckled lightly: “You, always so hasty?”
“No rush for this moment; I haven’t finished speaking yet.”
