Does Hera Know? She Doesn't.

The goddess of justice, Themis,

She does not belong to the Twelve Olympian gods but holds an extremely noble position among the gods, second only to Queen Hera and King Zeus.

Because she is the creator and guardian of order.

She often appears in the world in a white robe, holding a scale in her left hand and a sword in her right, listening meticulously and making indisputable judgments.

The white cloth over her eyes does not mean Themis cannot see; rather, when the day came that all humans and gods needed someone to stand up, she chose to cover her eyes with the cloth.

This signifies that she will never be swayed and will always make the most just judgment.

Therefore, Themis seldom smiles.

To be precise, even the gods do not remember whether she has ever smiled in the long years.

Representing absolute justice, she is always meticulous and impartial.

Only the beauty mark at the corner of her mouth adds a touch of allure to her otherwise unfeeling demeanor.

Thus, at this moment, if the gods... even Athena were here, they would certainly be very surprised.

Because in this small mud hut, by the dim lamp light at the night table, she revealed her true face in front of Promise, clearly showing a faint smile.

"One last question."

The cold, emotionless voice sounded again.

Themis quietly 'looked' at the boy in front of her.

Though her eyes were covered by a white cloth, so she could not see the boy's appearance.

Yet, just as the goddess of fate, Clotho, who governs the future, cannot see the present but can see the future,

Themis, though unable to see, can see much more.

"What kind of thoughts brought you here, standing in front of a god?"

"What kind of thoughts?" Promise was slightly stunned.

"Wealth, glory, life..." Themis said coldly, "What makes you, understanding that this matter could anger the gods and might even lead to your death by their hands, choose to stand before that goddess?

And that goddess is the Queen Hera whom you believe in."

As Themis finished speaking, Promise did not notice that the scale on the table was shaking even more.

Unbeknownst to him, the scale had been gently swaying all along, never stopping.

Promise instinctively believed it was judging whether he was lying, forgetting one thing: lies are inherently useless against the gods.

Even though Athena had tied a strand of her silver hair around his wrist, it merely prevented the gods from peeking into his heart.

Except for Athena herself.

And this was the scale of Themis, the goddess of justice, the symbol of absolute fairness and justice, measuring all things in the world!

"To become a hero, for glory," Promise instinctively answered.

Themis did not comment on this response; she just waited quietly, and the lightly swaying scale did not settle.

Looking at it, Promise fell silent for a moment.

Finally, he hesitantly raised his head, looking at Themis, and after a moment of uncertainty, he answered, "I seem... I didn't even think about this question?"

The goddess of wisdom had pointed him in the direction, telling him that this was a path to becoming a hero and spreading his reputation, so Promise came here.

Halfway through, when he realized what the matter truly was, Promise's thoughts were only about how to get Hera to willingly lift the curse, nothing more.

For this answer, the previously swaying scale finally settled.

Themis smiled again, although the smile was fleeting.

She stood up, raised the scale in her left hand, and under Promise's puzzled gaze, she turned and left, leaving only one final statement: "Then go save this kingdom, and I will witness your trial."

With that, Themis, holding the scale, pushed open the door and disappeared into the night.

Late at night, Promise walked out of the room.

To be honest, Promise couldn't quite understand Themis or what she was thinking, but after giving it some thought, he realized it wasn't necessary to understand.

His goal was clear: to get Hera to lift the curse on this kingdom.

Even if he had gained a special audience, and that audience was a goddess, it wouldn't change anything.

It might even add an extra note to the legend on his Heroic Spirit class card.

Extra points.

So Promise decisively chose not to dwell on it.

Let the gods do whatever they want.

After all, she was a goddess of justice, not some unpredictable figure.

Feeling relaxed, he took advantage of the night and headed to the tower where the goddess Aegina resided.

Everyone in the kingdom knew their goddess Aegina lived in that tower, but there were no guards around.

Because the tower was surrounded by a deadly plague, manifesting as a green gas, constantly wielding the scythe like the Grim Reaper.

The gas seemed intelligent, attacking any living being that approached.

But because of this, when Promise approached, the gas parted, making way for him.

After all, he carried the aura left by a goddess, Hera...

Thus, in a place where everyone else was stopped, Promise easily walked in and followed the lit lamps up the tower.

.

.

About half an hour later, he reached the top of the tower.

The only room at the top had its door open.

The dimly lit room was illuminated by lamps, and the moonlight shone through the window, highlighting the goddess sitting quietly by the window, gazing outside in a daze.

She was the river goddess Aegina, who had been captured by Zeus in the form of an eagle.

She wore a light blue gown like a layer of thin gauze, with blue hair cascading over her shoulders.

Her once beautiful and gentle eyes were now clouded with sadness.

She did not cry and seemed very calm about Promise's arrival.

Only the rain outside the window had not stopped until now.

"Did Hera send you?"

Aegina did not turn her head.

Her voice did not carry the resentment or anger that Promise had initially expected but was incredibly flat.

There was no emotion in it.

"Goddess Aegina, it is an honor to meet you," Promise offered a slight bow, acknowledging he was a follower of Hera.

The latter did not respond to his words, continuing to quietly look out the window.

"I have come here hoping to help you lift the curse," Promise said.

When he said this, Aegina finally turned her head slightly to look at him.

And in that brief moment of eye contact, Promise realized that this once beautiful goddess had now become an empty shell, devoid of a soul.

Aegina only glanced at Promise before looking back out the window.

Although she did not know who Promise was, she understood from the strong mark Hera left that she was extremely fond of this young man.

Thus, she did not care about Promise's words, assuming he was here to humiliate her on behalf of his goddess, Hera.

In the past, she might have been angry and driven Promise away.

But now, she only wanted to sit quietly and wait for everything to end.

Seeing this, Promise bowed to her once more and left.

And in the end, the goddess didn't give him another look.

Promise left the tower.

When he stepped outside, the night had not lifted, but the kingdom, shrouded in gloom, could not see the brilliant night sky.

He walked out of the kingdom.

The calamities and miasma within the kingdom automatically avoided him as if death itself feared him.

He left the kingdom and walked for a long time, changing locations several times.

Until the night goddess Nyx and the sun god Helios exchanged their duties, and it was afternoon, Promise finally sat down on a high hill.

He lowered his head, overlooking the small town below, shrouded in gloom.

Taking out his canvas and paintbrush from his luggage, he stared at the town below for a long time, yet he did not start painting.

He even maintained that posture, sitting there for an entire day and night.

"What is he doing?" asked the always observant goddess of justice, Themis.

"Painting," Athena, who stood beside her, replied.

They stood just behind Promise, not hiding their presence at all.

However, he did not notice them... or more accurately, he did not pay attention, as they were not concealing themselves.

"Look!" Athena said proudly, taking out the gift Promise had given her and showing it off to Themis.

The latter remained silent.

She remembered this painting, which was prominently displayed in Athena's temple.

It was placed right at the entrance.

Just as Hera proudly informed the gods that Promise was recognized by the goddess of fate, Athena also showcased this unique offering to the gods.

The painting had captured a divine essence, and being the work of a child, it even piqued the interest of Apollo, the god of light, who praised and inquired about it.

However, she remained tight-lipped, simply telling them to ask Chiron.

Chiron, naturally, knew who it was, but he was wise enough to understand the implications when Athena kept silent.

As a good teacher, he certainly wouldn't jeopardize his student.

So, in the end, he simply hid, refusing to see anyone.

This situation sparked a strong interest among the gods of Olympus.

And now, Themis knew.

"Did he paint it?"

"Yes," Athena nodded and explained, "It was his first offering to the gods... and yes, it's mine!"

As she spoke proudly raised her head.

But if Promise knew, he would definitely be dumbfounded.

After all, this painting was less of an offering to Athena and more of something she forcibly took at the time... although it was also because of this painting that Athena left that vow.

"Hera doesn't know?"

"No, she doesn't."

Themis understood why Athena had kept silent about it.

Recently, Hera had been constantly talking about Promise, neglecting even Zeus's matters.

Everyone knew she had taken such a follower and could see how much she valued and cherished this child.

At this time, if Athena were to say that the child's first offering was not to Hera but to her, Athena, Hera would probably have the urge to kill her.

Especially since she was extremely prideful and had a very strong sense of jealousy.

"Are you planning to compete with Hera?"

Themis couldn't help but ask again, curious about Athena's current attitude towards Promise and the fact that she even specifically let him meet herself to ensure that even if something went wrong, as the goddess of justice, Themis could intervene.

"No, but... actually, there was one more thing the goddess of fate didn't tell Hera."

Athena's lips curled into a smile. "That child can not only bring glory to her, Hera, but also to me."

At this moment, if it were other gods, such as Hermes, the messenger of the gods, or Apollo, the god of light, they would certainly find it amusing.

They would rush back to Olympus to spread the news, eager to see if Hera and Athena would fight over this matter.

But Themis wouldn't do that.

Although she would find it interesting, that was all.

"So, he plans to paint this kingdom of Aegina and offer it to Hera... and that will make Hera willingly lift the curse?"

"Half right," Athena said with a smile, looking at Promise's back. "But don't worry. This matter is basically settled because he has fully understood the meaning of my oracle, 'Hera's indulgence'."

Promise sat motionless for another day, finally looking at the blank canvas in front of him and sighing helplessly.

Ever since Athena took the painting that day and Promise realized that his paintings could leave a recorded legend, he had been eager to paint for all the twelve Olympian gods. However...

.

.

.

They all became blank files, next time for sure.

Since that day, Promise found that he could never recapture the feeling he had then.

Despite all his efforts to think, focus, and even force himself like he did today, inspiration is elusive; when it doesn't come, it truly doesn't come.

It might never come again in his lifetime.

So now, helplessly, Promise could only try his best to muster up his energy, dip the brush in water, and paint the kingdom of Aegina on the pristine canvas.

By the third morning, when he finally finished the painting, he staggered up, taking the painting back to the kingdom.

On the way, he opened his package, looked at the two golden apples for a moment, but ultimately did not eat them.

He returned to Aegina and handed the painting to the goddess.

When Aegina, who had given up on everything and was quietly waiting for the end, glanced at the painting Promise handed over, she was stunned and quickly snatched it.

In the painting, she saw the familiar kingdom.

It was her happiest moment every day when the dawn broke the night and shone on the land.

She would open her eyes and see its bustling beauty.

Since she was captured by Zeus in the form of an eagle and left here, she had poured all her efforts into creating this kingdom.

This tower was not initially built for imprisonment.

It was created so that Aegina could see the most beautiful scenery in her heart every morning when she woke up.

So she stared at the painting, until a tear fell on the painting, wetting it.

She woke up in a panic, hurriedly wiping her face and carefully trying to dry the wet corner of the painting.

The more she wiped, the more anxious she became, and the tears wouldn't stop falling on the painting.

But as a result, the incessant rain finally ceased, and after a long time, bright sunshine once again illuminated the city.

"Beautiful!"

Athena, hiding in the clouds with Themis, clapped her hands in delight.

"Now the second painting isn't Hera's either!"

Themis glanced at the happy Athena beside her, feeling that if she had to judge between them, there was no doubt that Hera would win.