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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Vine
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In front of Chronos’s Temple, at the main gate. Hera stood before it and said,
“Chronos, I request a conversation.”
[…]
There was no answer. She tried again.
“Chronos, I demand you open this gate as the Queen of the Gods!”
[…]
The gate remained closed.
“…You son of a bitch.”
Hera sighed slightly, then lowered her head and spoke to Chronos.
“I beg you for the sake of your child. Please open the gate.”
[…I grant it.]
The great gate slowly opened. Hera raised her head and muttered,
“You haven’t changed a bit, you crazy old bastard.”
She walked into the temple, her face contorted.
“…Mother using honorifics? It’s the first time since father’s funeral.”
“He deserves it, I suppose.”
“Don’t act like we’re close.”
“…”
Like mother like daughter. Athena snorted as she passed Ares.
“…Did that bitch just insult me?”
“Hahahaha! Don’t worry about it, it’ll give you a headache!”
Hermes intervened. The four gods walked through the temple and approached Chronos’s throne.
“It’s been a long time, my child.”
“Chronos…”
“You’re short on words.”
“…Lord Chronos.”
“Yes. Why have you come, my child?”
“…”
Chronos sat on his throne, his eyes listless as he looked down. Hera felt a surge of disgust, but she also hated herself for being in this position. ‘If only he hadn’t been so stupid…!’ How could he appoint such an idiot and create such a mess? She clenched her fist and tried to calm herself. Ares spoke to Hermes from behind.
“Chronos was a… male god, right?”
“He was a male god, yes.”
“…I see.”
Only a goddess could come from the loss of his manhood. Ares felt a sense of possibility at seeing Chronos, a true goddess with a different meaning than his. ‘If Hera finds out, I should seriously consider getting a chastity belt.’ But for now, he should just brush past it.
“I won’t make this long… I ask you to save my child.”
“You want me to save your child? Sadly, I’m out of energy.”
He was old now. He wasn’t as strong as he used to be. Chronos didn’t even look at Hera. He stared at his fingernails. They were clean, but Chronos was flicking them as if there was dust on them. Hera knew what this meant. ‘That bastard…!’ It was not enough. She had lowered herself. Was he asking for more? She ground her teeth and glared at Chronos.
“What do you want?”
“I just told you.” Chronos spoke.
“I don’t have any more power.”
“…You…”
That was such a blatant lie.
“It can’t be helped. I’m like a washed-up old man. I shouldn’t interfere. This era belongs to you.”
“…Don’t tell me…”
Yours. Because this era belonged to them, he couldn’t interfere. Hera understood. ‘This power-hungry geezer…!’
She wanted to slap him, and break his temple to establish her authority, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t afford it. Only he held her only chance of saving them.
“Haaa…”
Hera took a slow breath. She could endure a moment of humiliation. To prevent the coming disaster, to save her child, there was nothing she wouldn’t do.
“Lord Chronos, no, my former master,”
“…Hm?”
Hera knelt. She bowed her head. The Queen of the Gods humbling herself before the power that had left her.
“I need your wisdom. Please, share your glory with me.”
“…So, you lower yourself to me? The Queen of the Gods, what an cheap neck you have?”
“Ugh…!”
Chronos caressed her head with a sinister touch.
“Good. If you are ever in trouble, come to this ‘father.’ That’s what family ‘love’ is, right?”
“Ugh…! Ugh…!”
The hand touching her hair was not harsh. It was soft, warm, and gentle, exactly what a “father” would be. This made it all the more repulsive to Hera.
“Are those your children? I don’t think I’ve seen them before.”
Come here.
Chronos addressed the gods behind Hera. Ares, Athena, and Hermes walked towards him. All three of them bowed their heads in reverence, but—
“Are you my grandpa?”
“Oh?”
—Ares didn’t bow. He walked up to Chronos and looked him up and down.
“You’re more of a grandma than a grandpa… you’ve got interesting taste.”
“…”
The blood of that family. The bloodline of incest didn’t change. Chronos was impressed.
“I wonder what type of people they are.”
“How about you spend a night with me—Ack! That bitch, Athena?!”
“Shut up.”
“Fine, but you’re going to be the one on—*Cough*! Oh! Mother?!”
“Please, just shut up.”
Athena and Hera stopped Ares. He was trying to bite more than he could chew. Chronos was not someone he should mess with. ‘Did he not have any shame? He was trying to flirt with his grandfather!’
Hera felt disgusted, but she also realized he was the son of Zeus, and it made her dizzy. ‘If he got angry…’ What would Chronos ask for? The children were suffering. Her heart began to race. Chronos seemed to enjoy Hera’s expression. ‘What a great expression…’
Chronos was enjoying the situation. Ares? Son of Zeus? He felt a sense of irritation just thinking about it. But seeing Hera groveling because of Zeus’s son only made him happier.
“So, you want to spend the night with me?”
“Oh? Now you’re talking.”
“We’re a family with a history of incest. There’s no reason we can’t share some blood, right?”
“Hehe… so tonight, you and me──*Thump*! Ack…Mother?!”
“Please, just stay still!”
Hera slapped Ares. This time, it seemed to be full force as Ares stumbled back, clutching the back of his head. ‘This is a comedy.’ If they weren’t in this situation, he would’ve laughed to his heart’s content. Chronos vowed to cherish this moment.
“Hera, my child. I will help you.”
But there was a condition. Chronos spoke to Hera.
“Give the ‘name’ of your child to my child.”
“!…That means…”
“Yes.”
Heracles, the only hero destined to end the age of gods. He was the hope for mankind. Hera understood what that meant.
“…I…”
Hera was conflicted. Her child was in danger, but the world could also face a much greater danger. She couldn’t make that decision lightly. Chronos smiled and said,
“It’s hard to decide, I understand. How can you so easily change the hero you created in your age? I understand.”
Chronos proposed an alternative.
“If he defeats that great calamity, I will give my child the name of ‘Heracles,’ I swear on the Styx.”
“What…!”
The troll was a monster beyond the capabilities of the current hero’s strength. Chronos was saying that his child could defeat such a being.
‘It’s impossible, but…’
Hera thought. If he was strong enough to kill a troll now, how powerful would he be in the future? She had seen Juno by Chronos’ side, and knew what kind of person Chronos’s child was.
‘A man of pure love who only has eyes for one person.’
If it were one of Zeus’s Apostles, they would have already been tempted, but he had refrained and kept his honor. It was only natural that she leaned toward Chronos’s child, who wanted to earn the name himself.
“…Fine.”
“Oh?”
Hera said,
“I swear on the Styx that if your child kills the troll, I will give him the name ‘Heracles.'”
“Good.”
It was done. Chronos reached out and spoke to his child in the lower world.
“Save my child, my foolish children. And spread your will to the world!”
A divine word, or an emergency mission. The apostle received his orders, and headed towards danger.
[…How am I supposed to get there?]
“…Ah!”
He didn’t know how to get there. Chronos stopped time and opened a gate. Hera closed her eyes.
“These men and their lineage…”
They were always the same. Something was always wrong.
