Inside the hall.
Seeing Lorne and his entourage arrive, Heracles broke into a broad smile across his rugged face.
He rose promptly, waving to invite the apostle of Dionysus, who had aided him considerably, to take a seat beside him so they could drink to their hearts' content.
Lorne nodded with a smile, taking the seat beside Heracles as Helen, Medea, Hippolyta, and Caenis followed suit.
Meanwhile, the Gemini brothers and Telamon naturally took seats across from them, sharing a table with the trio from the Sea God Temple.
With all participants formally present, King Admetus clapped his hands, summoning maidservants to serve lavish delicacies and treasured fine wines to entertain the allies who had traveled from afar.
Rising to sweep a gaze over the room, he wore a humble and courteous smile, setting aside his status as a king to pour wine for each table and express his solemn gratitude.
These allies before him did not merely represent themselves, but also the factions standing at their backs.
To be honest, he could not afford to offend a single one of them.
Heracles and "Hylas" took orders from the God King Zeus, serving as spokespersons for the Olympian lineage and symbolizing Thessaly's primordial faith;
Triton and the two companions beside him hailed from the Sea God Temple, backed by Poseidon and more than half of the oceanic divine faction, and had brought vast amounts of precious orichalcum that could elevate Thessaly's defensive capabilities by several tiers;
The teacher of the Athens Academy and his student Medea were an apostle of the Dionysian Cult and the direct disciple of the Great Witch Circe, respectively.
Subordinate to War God Mountain, the Wisdom Goddess Athena and that Earthly Shepherd commanded extraordinary influence across every city-state;
Hippolyta and the Amazon female warriors under her command served the Hunt Goddess Artemis, forming a legion-scale combat group that Thessaly urgently lacked at present;
Finally, the three Spartan royal siblings studied under his bosom friend Apollo, proving reliable, dutiful, and formidable in combat.
Furthermore, the contention between Apollo and the Craft God Hephaestus over the faith of light seemed close to settling, and having freed his hands, that close friend had already relayed an oracle to Sparta to dispatch reinforcements to Thessaly.
Before long, a formidable Spartan force of a thousand warriors would march to Thessaly under the leadership of the two princes, confronting the invasion of the Gigantes together.
It was fair to say that the five factions above were the most influential and powerful representatives among all the allies present, virtually deciding the trajectory of this war.
Fortunately, those attending the banquet on behalf of these five factions were not overbearing figures.
Under King Admetus's cautious and attentive hosting, the atmosphere inside the hall quickly grew warm, with everyone maintaining basic decorum and dignity.
After several rounds of wine and food, King Admetus felt reassured after successfully warming up the crowd.
Steeling his focus, he brought the conversation onto the right track, beginning to discuss Thessaly's current predicament and the movements of the Gigantes.
"During the previous siege, Thessaly's defensive system suffered catastrophic damage, nearly collapsing entirely.
Although it was repaired through everyone's hard work, it will likely struggle to withstand the earth tremors unleashed by the Gigantes. Therefore, before the next crisis arrives, I intend to exhaust every means to reinforce the Thessalian defense line.
If anyone has valuable advice or suggestions, please feel free to speak your mind."
"We brought over twenty tons of orichalcum this time, along with over a thousand pounds of mithril, which should elevate Thessaly's defenses and armaments by several tiers.
If that proves insufficient, the Sea God Temple is also willing to dispatch a detachment of mechanical soldiers for you to command."
Triton rose with his cup raised, taking the lead to state his stance.
Hearing the merman prince agree so readily, Admetus nodded in satisfaction.
The last lingering trace of worry in his heart dispersed, and the smile on his face grew all the warmer and more sincere.
Given that Sea God's notorious reputation, he truly had no confidence in whether private promises would hold up in the future.
Yet with so many witnesses present, the materials and assistance Triton promised in public could at least be guaranteed authentic.
After a brief pause for thought, Admetus turned his gaze toward Lorne and Medea, speaking in a solemn voice. "I heard that the resolution of the beast calamity in Arcadia and the return of peace owed a great deal to you two.
Furthermore, the Demonic Beast Front that successfully repelled wave after wave of beast tides was also designed and executed with your participation. Therefore, regarding the reinforcement of the Thessalian defense line, I wish to place the matter entirely in your hands."
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. Medea and I will certainly not fail your trust." Lorne pressed a hand to his chest, nodding in response.
Receiving a definitive reply, Admetus could not help but sigh in relief.
Although the Sea God Temple had brought the precious materials Thessaly lacked most, to be safe, he still did not dare lightly entrust the design of the city's defenses to Triton's trio.
In contrast, the two Athenian allies, who possessed experience in constructing and defending fortifications in Arcadia and harbored far fewer conflicting interests with Thessaly, appeared much more reliable.
After all, of the two main Gods on War God Mountain, one was the former Mother of Humanity, while the other was the current Shepherd of Humanity.
Neither in stance nor in integrity did they possess any reason to stab him in the back.
Seeing that the trio from the Sea God Temple raised no objections,
Admetus relaxed completely, turning to share another secret discovered recently with the gathered allies.
"Everyone, ever since the last siege battle, the Gigantes have made no moves, as though they completely vanished from this land."
"Vanished?"
"Yes. We dispatched divine descendants of Hermes to delve into the subterranean tunnels carved by the giants to investigate, only to return empty-handed.
Furthermore, neighboring Thessalian cities have reported no sightings of Gigantes activity..."
Admetus paused, a frown creasing his brow.
"Though this sounds like good news,
I constantly feel they won't let matters rest so easily."
"From what I know, when a boxer draws back his arm, it is rarely out of retreat, but rather to deliver an even more powerful strike."
Pollux, one of the Spartan Gemini who excelled at boxing, used his own experience as an analogy to remind King Admetus earnestly.
"Precisely," Lorne nodded in agreement, swirling the wine cup in his hand as he pondered aloud.
"The Thessalian region was once the battlefield of the Titanomachy, where the Gigantes can awaken the divine nature and power of the Twelve Titans to the greatest extent underground.
This is the most suitable bridgehead for them to launch a counterattack on the surface, so they will never let matters rest.
Moreover, they seem to have already rebuilt a temple underground in Thessaly to worship the Old Gods, making it even more impossible for them to abandon this chosen holy ground. Therefore, the Gigantes will definitely return—it is only a matter of time."
"I naturally understand what you mean."Admetus nodded, though a helpless, bitter smile showed on his face. "Yet those ground rats are blessed with the protection of the Earth Authority, coming and going without a trace while hiding in intricate underground caverns.
Even if I wanted to locate their lair and find out what schemes they are brewing behind the scenes, my reach falls short of my ambition."
Hearing this, the crowd could not help feeling a slight headache.
The enemy was in the shadows while they stood in the open, forcing them to remain on guard day in and day out, which was indeed a troublesome issue.
Yet after some discussion, they truly had no better method to settle the matter in a single stroke for the moment, leaving them no choice but to concentrate on reinforcing Thessaly's defenses to prepare for the bitter battle ahead.
Once the two topics were discussed, the banquet shifted into a lighter and more cheerful phase.
Medea set her sights on the delicate pastries, wandering about to forage for treats;
Caenis, slightly tipsy, swayed her hips in the center of the hall, breaking into a fiery dance;
Helen, driven by an unknown surge of competitiveness, followed up with a ritual dance she excelled at, exuding elegance and grace in every movement to win cheers from the entire hall;
Afterward came wrestling matches between Telamon and Heracles, boxing bouts between Pollux and the Mechanical God Ares, and other light entertainment, casting a harmonious and joyful atmosphere over the entire hall.
Without the entanglement of the fierce women around him, Lorne enjoyed the peace, leaning against a stone pillar while leisurely sipping the newly brewed ambrosial mead of Thessaly.
"Doesn't drinking alone feel too boring?"
Accompanied by a sweet, sultry voice echoing by his ear, the Mechanical God Aphrodite walked over with a beaming smile, holding two cups of wine.
"Regarding what happened when I entered the city last time, it was my offense. Take this cup of wine as my apology."
Lorne's eyes flickered as he spoke with a smile: "Consider it getting to know each other through conflict. We're all in the same boat now, so there's no need to be so formal."
He politely accepted the wine cup, draining the crimson liquid in one gulp under Aphrodite's smiling gaze.
Seeing him drink the wine symbolizing reconciliation, Aphrodite's smile grew even more radiant.
As she took back the cup, her fair fingertip lightly brushed across Lorne's palm, whether intentionally or not, leaving a trace of electric numbness and an indescribably delicate touch.
By the time he regained his focus, the red-haired, golden-eyed Mechanical God had already drifted away, leaving a crumpled little paper ball in his hand.
"Thirty minutes later, the palace gardens."
Seeing the delicate handwriting on it and the alluring pink lip print at the bottom, Lorne took a deep breath of the lingering fragrance left in the air by Aphrodite, a trace of amusement showing deep within his eyes.
Well, the scent of this green tea seems quite strong...
Accompanied by a silent movement in his throat, a wisp of crimson wine quietly seeped from the corner of his lips.
~~
The moon hung high in the sky as crisp insect chirps composed a pleasant natural melody, while shadows of roadside trees and garden blossoms danced in the breeze, producing a rustling symphony.
Beneath the clear silver glow, the red-haired, golden-eyed Mechanical God of Love leaned inside a gazebo, languidly stretching her limbs to reveal a slender waist and alluring curves across her chest.
He already drank that cup of wine, so why hasn't he come to the rendezvous yet?
That shouldn't be...
Just as Aphrodite frowned and muttered inside the gazebo, a faint whisper sounded by her ear:
"Mm, you smell so nice..."
As a sudden warm breath drifted into her ear, the red-haired Mechanical God shuddered and leaped away, instinctively entering a state of combat readiness.
"Why so nervous? Weren't you the one who invited me?"
Lorne looked at Aphrodite leaping away in alarm, his gaze carrying a touch of grievance.
"Who told you to appear behind me so suddenly, scaring me half to death?"
Recovering her wits, Aphrodite wore a coquettish, feigned pout on her enchanting face.
"Fine, consider it my fault."
Lorne raised his hands in a gesture of surrender before getting straight to the point. "So, what is the matter that made you seek me out privately so late?"
"Naturally, to do things only two people can do in private."
Aphrodite stepped forward, gently tracing circles on his chest with her fingertip, her words dripping with ambiguity.
"Right here?" Lorne paused in surprise, then reached down toward his belt.
Seeing this, Aphrodite froze slightly: "What are you doing?"
"Getting straight to the main event, of course," The man answered matter-of-factly, not forgetting to urge her on, "Who knows when the banquet will end, and there are many people coming and going here, so hurry up too."
Seeing that he had already undone his belt and reached his hands toward her, Aphrodite took a few steps back in a hurry, cursing silently in her heart.
Trying to fuck straight in from the get-go, isn't this brute a bit too impatient?
"Wait, hold on a moment!"
Seeing him pounce toward her once again with burning eyes, Aphrodite could not help raising a hand to stop him.
Lorne stopped in his tracks, wearing a look of surprise. "Didn't you invite me here for this?"
"Ahem, actually, I'm quite interested in you and wanted us to get to know each other better..."
Aphrodite's eyes darted around as she cleared her throat to answer.
Yet before she could finish, the man who had been burning with passion instantly turned cold, waving his hand and turning away without hesitation.
"No time, deal's off!"
Seeing him about to walk out of the gazebo, Aphrodite grew anxious, rushing forward to grab Lorne's arm, her voice softening. "Don't be so hasty. Once we get to know the surface, can't we engage in deeper exchanges afterward?"
"Then when do we go deeper?"
Turning his head at her words,
Lorne asked eagerly, his eyes burning as he looked at this alluring beauty.
Watching his undisguised desire and his hand brazenly moving toward her waist, Aphrodite felt the veins on her forehead throb slightly.
Does this lecher not know what restraint means?
Or did that wine fry his brain so thoroughly that he only has mating on his mind now?
Just as Aphrodite was grumbling internally, Lorne, having waited in vain for a response, loosened his grip in disappointment.
"It seems you're unwilling? Forget it then, I'll just go find someone else."
"How could that be!"
Coming back to her senses,
Aphrodite hurriedly grabbed his arm once more, leaning into his embrace while pointing toward the brightly lit palace hall in the distance, her watery eyes full of coquettish reproach.
"I just feel it's too noisy here, the time is too short, and we wouldn't be able to enjoy our conversation to the fullest. Why don't we find a quiet place to get to know each other deeply and slowly?"
"To my place! I guarantee no one will disturb us there!"
"Alright, whatever you say."
This time, Aphrodite did not refuse, nestling bashfully in Lorne's embrace as she followed this divine descendant out of the palace, arriving quietly at the courtyard where he resided.
Beneath the moonlight, the two stood in the courtyard gazing into each other's eyes, their gazes practically tangling like threads in mid-air.
"Shall we go inside and sit?"
Aphrodite pointed toward the spacious master bedroom, a blush rising on her cheeks as she issued an invitation laced with subtle implications in a soft voice.
Facing such blatant seduction,
Lorne swept his gaze across the Mechanical God of Love's golden-ratio figure, swallowed audibly, and swept her into his arms without ceremony, striding forward.
Bang!
As the bedroom door shut, the two closely entwined figures pressed tightly against each other.
Snap!
With a crisp sound, Aphrodite freed her fair hand from his grasp and shattered the glowing stone on the wall that illuminated the room.
"Why extinguish the light?"
"Isn't the atmosphere better this way?"
Soothing him with a gentle voice, she rolled atop him, her red hair cascading like serpents over her shoulders.
Though her facial features sunken in darkness could not be seen clearly, they still radiated a breathtaking beauty under the moonlight filtering through the window.
Like an enchantress emerging from the waters of a lake in the dead of night, she seemed to beckon a lost traveler, luring him step by step into the swamp to sink deep into that gentle paradise, drowning in the mire before he even realized it.
For a moment, Lorne's heart pounded furiously as his blood surged, staring in a daze.
Immediately after, a sensation of weightlessness struck as slender jade fingers pressed against his chest pushed him flat against the headboard.
Then, that enchanting figure climbed onto the bed, straddling Lorne's waist while pinning down his wandering wrists with both hands.
Lowering her upper body slowly, her beautiful head framed by cascading hair approached inch by inch with an eerie sense of pressure, until she embraced the neck of the favored lucky man.
A mysterious, sultry smile rippled across that stunning face.
Yet the atmosphere felt strangely eerie.
Lorne squirmed within her restraint, voicing his confusion. "Why are you pinning me down?"
"Because I like being on top."
A sultry chuckle drifted out as the enchanting silhouette beneath the moonlight leaned down toward her prey's neck, gazing greedily at the golden divine fluid exuding a sweet aroma within his veins, her lips brushing close to his ear as she spoke playfully. "You smell so good—I really want to eat you up bite by bite..."
"Understandable."
Lorne smiled, murmuring faintly.
"After all, the food for the Gigantes probably isn't very good..."
Hearing the words, Aphrodite's body froze slightly before she looked up with a curious smile. "What are you talking about?"
"Do you know the first rule of deception?"
"?"
"To fool others, you must first fool yourself."
Lorne answered with a smile, adding a deeper analysis. "When playing a role, you must first forget your own identity and understand the words and deeds of the character you are portraying.
Regrettably, the Mechanical God Aphrodite is merely arrogant and willful, not a vixen, and given her personality, she would never throw herself into someone's arms of her own accord."
The red-haired beauty tapped her forehead with a hand, displaying an expression of vexation and confusion.
"So you saw through me from the start, but how did you know it was me?"
Lorne smiled, answering with an innocent face. "Didn't you just tell me yourself?"
"..."
Hearing this, the red-haired beauty's
face darkened. "You bluffed me?"
"Not entirely, just a bold hypothesis followed by careful verification.
After all, there aren't many who are this interested in my flesh and blood, are there?"
"Hmph, so what if you know?"
A wicked smile spread across the red-haired beauty's face as masses of reddish-black mud appeared on Lorne's hands and feet out of nowhere, forming a powerful restraint.
"Now, you seem to be all alone..."
As she spoke, the fair hand hidden behind her back drew an ancient golden shortsword, quietly thrusting it toward her prey's heart.
"Pfft!"
A dull sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh rang out, followed by a burst of blood.
Yet the red-haired beauty's smile froze as she turned around stiffly, looking at a witch who had crawled out from beneath the bed to appear behind her, along with the purple dagger with a curved blade stained with blood in her hand.
Hecate's divine construct—Rule Breaker!
"The one who's all alone seems to be you."
Accompanied by the mischievous laughter of a certain black-bellied God, Pandora instantly lost control over the body, her vision going dark as she collapsed heavily onto his chest.
(End of Chapter)
P.S: The Patreon run is fifty chapters ahead of this one, if you'd rather read it there: [Patreon.com/abhi28]