As soon as Athena said that, she turned her gaze toward the other children and asked in a tone filled with surprise:
"What are you all doing here, children?"
Hades' eldest daughter was no less curious. Their presence had raised her suspicions as well. She turned to her sixth brother with a bewildered look and asked him directly:
"Why are you with those twins, brother?"
The moment Hades' sixth son heard her question, he replied quickly, answering both her and Athena at the same time, his voice firm:
"We were protecting them from a crazy bitch who wanted to ruin their mood."
As soon as he said that, the three twins turned to look at him, exchanged glances among themselves, then spoke in unison:
"Come on, children… let's leave this place."
The moment the twins said that, they began walking away from the warehouse, and the three children followed beside them, moving like loyal guards.
When Hades' eldest daughter saw her sixth brother doing that—walking alongside the three twins as their protector—she couldn't believe her eyes. She was about to speak, to call out to him or stop him, but Odin's voice stopped both her and Athena at the same time and made them realize what was truly happening.
Odin said mockingly:
"Hah… these children are truly opportunistic.
The moment they heard about the twins' power, they became their followers.
What do you think, Athena? Don't they resemble our brother quite a bit?"
As soon as Odin finished speaking, Athena burst out laughing. She immediately remembered Poseidon's similar behavior earlier and couldn't control herself.
When Hades' eldest daughter saw Athena laughing, she quickly understood what Odin meant by his sarcasm. The moment she grasped it, she laughed as well, unable—no matter how hard she tried—to suppress it. She felt that laughing like this in front of Odin, the ruler of Asgard, was an insult to him, but she simply couldn't stop.
Odin, however, wasn't thinking about it the same way. His mind was occupied with something entirely different.
He was thinking that it was a mistake for that girl to be Hades' daughter… and not his.
Odin looked at Hades' eldest daughter with a gaze mixed with pity and sadness, for being the child of that fool—as he saw him—instead of being his own.
But after a few moments, a sudden idea crossed his mind. He wondered silently:
Doesn't my own son also possess the potential of rulers?
As soon as that thought settled in his mind, a wide smile spread across his face. He then turned to Hades' eldest daughter and said in an unusually friendly tone:
"How are you feeling now?
Was awakening your power painful, or did everything go smoothly without pain?"
Athena looked at her brother in silent astonishment, a strange curiosity appearing on her face. She had never known Odin to speak in such a warm tone to anyone—young or old. That alone was enough to unsettle her and make her stop in place, completely forgetting that she had intended to leave with her eldest daughter to encourage her to awaken her own power, just as Hades' daughter had.
As for Hades' eldest daughter, the moment she heard Odin's words and gentle tone, she answered quickly, smiling with calm confidence:
"I'm fine, Lord Odin.
Awakening my power wasn't painful at all—quite the opposite.
It was refreshing, something I had never felt before.
As if I had found my destination… and the path I will walk in the future."
The moment she finished speaking, Odin's smile widened even more, and the idea became firmly rooted in his mind.
The girl wasn't just powerful… she was composed, clear-minded, and honest in her words.
He said to her in the same friendly tone:
"No need for titles, my little one.
Right now, it's just you and me.
Call me… Uncle Odin, without any formalities."
At that moment, Athena's curiosity turned into genuine shock. Her desire to call out to her daughter or leave vanished completely, and she stood there watching the scene in silence, staring at her brother Odin and her niece with almost unreasonable focus.
The girl smiled slightly, then said calmly:
"Alright… Uncle Odin."
Odin accepted her response with unsettling ease, then suddenly asked her—before she could realize what he was planning in his mind:
"What do you think of the children who possess the potential of rulers, my little one?
Who is… the kindest among them, in your opinion?"
At that, Athena frowned slightly. Suspicion began to creep into her mind because of the strangeness of Odin's question, but she didn't interrupt the conversation and merely listened.
Hades' eldest daughter answered after a brief moment of thought:
"In my opinion, Uncle Odin…
I think it's your eldest son.
He may be slightly younger than the three twins,
but he has a kinder heart than most of the children."
Odin chuckled softly to himself. He had expected this answer exactly. He had asked the question specifically to pave the way for what he was about to say next.
He said, changing his tone slightly, pretending to be sarcastic:
"My eldest son?
Isn't he just a foolish boy who can't do anything right?
I think you're mistaken, my little one.
How could my son be the kindest?
Or are you… flattering me?"
At that moment, Athena sharply furrowed her brows. She could clearly see the hypocrisy and cunning in Odin's words, and she did not like what she was hearing at all.
As for Hades' eldest daughter, she responded immediately, without hesitation, with clear sincerity:
"No, no, Uncle Odin.
Your child is one of the kindest children on the island—believe me.
I'm not lying to you or flattering anyone.
I'm only telling the truth."
When Odin heard that, he smiled sideways, then said in a mocking tone, directing his words straight at her:
"What's wrong with you, my little one, defending that fool like this?
Are you… fond of him?
Or what?"