[Greek Mythology] The Demons Under My Command - Chapter 37

After receiving the system’s plot welding points, Li Jia sat up, utterly bewildered in the wind.

She wanted to die.

She really, truly wanted to die.

Hera had performed the Conjugal Union Registration of Marital History with her, circumventing the divine duties required of a Queen of the Gods. However, Persephone was yet to be born.

Li Jia rubbed her throbbing temples, the core of her dilemma piercing her like an unextractable thorn: She had long known that Zeus was rotten to the core, a promiscuous, decadent, and unreliable scoundrel.

As a deity, his contributions to safeguarding Olympus could be sung about effusively by bards, and his great achievements would be written by posterity.

But the goddesses and mortals he had tricked and harmed were merely fleeting shadows in his countless scandalous affairs.

Men do not prefer ordinary women; they prefer to marry those dazzling women.

Then, they let them gradually wither, turning them into hysterical madwomen.

Fortunately, Demeter was a goddess, not a clingy vine to be manipulated at will.

Persephone was her only child. After the Goddess of Spring was born, she shared Demeter’s divine duties, and thereafter, the four seasons—spring blossoms, autumn moon, summer sun, and winter snow—became distinct.

“System, if I don’t follow the plot progression, will Demeter still meet Zeus?”

Li Jia raised her question. Demeter was the Mother of the Earth; she taught humans to farm, ensured bountiful harvests, and brought sustenance to humanity.

Such a large-hearted, diligent goddess should not be confined to the small-scale love affairs granted by a man.

In fact, Demeter acted accordingly. Upon discovering Zeus’s deception, she decisively left him, returned to the plains of Polos, and independently nurtured Persephone.

The mother protected her very well, innocent and carefree. Her simple loveliness melted the millennium-old block of ice.

She ate the fruit called pomegranate.

It became difficult for her to part with Hades, the King of the Underworld.

The Spring of the Lost Paradise henceforth forever lingered for him.

She played the tune called Love in the Underworld.

She became his Queen of the Underworld.

Li Jia strongly approved of this young couple’s story. Hades was one of the few warm and purely loving men in the entire book. Unlike his two playboy brothers who enjoyed reckless affairs, he was a genuinely good man.

Pure and Kind Goddess of Spring × Silent and Gentle Lord of the Underworld.

Li Jia quite liked this setup—a little sun should be paired with an ice mountain (≧ω≦)/

If only Zeus, the biological father, could be overlooked.

「Master, we cannot manually alter the plot. Even if you are unwilling to assist in pushing the plot points, Demeter will ultimately still meet Zeus and give birth to the Goddess of Spring.」

「Fortunately, you were one step ahead and registered the marital history with the Goddess of Marriage. Currently, no one will cast Demeter into the ninth layer of the Funnel Hell. We only need to follow the plot points to provide auxiliary guidance.」

Li Jia twitched her lips, giving a fake, unnatural smile. She felt the system was somewhat overly confident.

“Your meaning is that whether I push it or not, they are bound to meet?”

「Yes, Master. This is for the birth of the Goddess of Spring.」

「Persephone spends four months each year in the Underworld. During this time, Demeter, due to excessive grief, neglects life on Earth, leading to the human seasons of autumn and winter.」

「This is Demeter’s divine duty and the symbol of the seasonal cycle. We cannot prevent Persephone’s birth; we can only assist in it.」

Li Jia thought for a moment and then readily agreed.

The system was somewhat suspicious. Why was she so agreeable today? Ever since it discovered its “slacker” master was no longer prioritizing her own life and had developed self-destructive tendencies, the system had genuinely become afraid of this ‘Ancestor’ and was negotiating and communicating with her gently.

After all, if this mission failed again, it would have to return to the Transmigration Bureau for reprocessing.

That would be too embarrassing. Therefore, success was the only option—failure was not allowed!

Li Jia smiled knowingly. She had agreed to follow the plot, but she hadn’t agreed on how to follow it—whether to follow the good plot or the bad plot.

For instance, she could expose Zeus’s true colors in advance, letting Demeter know exactly what kind of person he was, so she wouldn’t be too heartbroken.

After the breakup, she could have Winslow prepare more grilled skewers and wheat juice. No, pregnant women shouldn’t drink wheat juice, so she’d prepare grape juice instead, and she’d personally counsel and comfort Demeter.

There are plenty of handsome grass patches everywhere in the world; why fixate on one weed that flops over toward any woman?

She would also need to borrow several books: How to Manage a Pregnant Woman’s Emotions, Golden Recipes for Pregnancy and Postpartum, A Handbook for Partner Support During Pregnancy, How to Care for a New Baby, and Preventing Postpartum Depression.

She would assist Demeter in happily and peacefully giving birth to Persephone and ensuring she had a good lying-in period.

Upon learning Li Jia’s idea, six dots flashed in the system’s brainwaves.

Didn’t you say the process is not important, only the result is?

Fighting magic with magic, the system was speechless.

Indeed, once the Goddess of Spring was successfully born, half the mission would be complete. Persephone could stabilize Hades, preventing the War of the Gods, and the entire mission would be finished.

Single, divorced, with a child, wealthy and powerful, and her son-in-law is the King of the Underworld—this looked like a profitable deal no matter how you viewed it.

「Then, as the Master wishes.」

“Since I’m an NPC, how should I assist in the progression? How did they originally meet in the book?”

The system immediately inserted the original plot into Li Jia’s mind. In the original book, the sky and the earth had many connections but maintained their respective mystery and order.

Zeus could not tolerate Hera’s cold, icy demeanor after marriage. Although he had forcibly taken her to gain the Kingship of the Gods, the two had an agreement to leave each other alone, with Hera only fulfilling her divine duties.

Nevertheless, Zeus suffered from the flaw that all men in the world are prone to: Hera’s beauty was breathtaking. The unattainable is always the best. Now that she had registered the marital history and become his Queen, he felt he was entitled to possess and own her.

Late one night, he forced his way into Hera’s private chambers, but before he could get close, he was repelled by a red divine force, causing a painful, unbearable itch all over his body.

“Don’t harbor improper thoughts.”

Her red eyes were bloodthirsty; she glanced at the reckless fool.

The terrified man saw the silver serpent’s true form behind her, flicking its tongue, ready to tear him limb from limb and devour him.

He was forced to abandon his filthy intentions.

While recuperating on Mount Olympus, Zeus, utterly bored, peeked at the human world’s beautiful scenery through a mirror of light and saw the flawless Demeter.

He had only met her a few times and wasn’t familiar with her.

At the time, Demeter, as the Goddess of Agriculture, was focused on the affairs of sowing seeds on the earth, unaware that someone was spying on her.

When he saw Demeter’s actions on the earth, and how she was supported by the people, Zeus deeply understood that if he could establish a closer bond with Demeter, he could better rule the earth and solidify his position.

If he could have two goddess wives, his power would become stronger and unquestionable.

So he conceived a plan. He had already found out that Demeter often visited a valley with rich soil and clear springs to cultivate new seedlings.

The next day, he transformed into a strikingly handsome mortal farmer, holding a few faintly glowing, peculiar seeds in his palm, waiting patiently in the valley.

When Demeter appeared with her woven basket, he deliberately spread his hand open. As expected, the glowing seeds made the goddess pause.

“Where did you get these excellent seeds?” Demeter’s eyes were full of curiosity.

Zeus smiled and concocted a story: “I found them by chance in Xining. They can yield a full granary of fruit even in barren soil.”

The goddess immediately invited him to discuss farming, and Zeus readily agreed. His insights into cultivation techniques and soil humidity were articulate and, surprisingly, perfectly matched Demeter’s views.

She gradually lowered her guard, completely unaware that the man before her was Zeus.

In the following days, Zeus always brought new methods or sights from distant lands. Demeter was also happy to share her cultivation experiences.

A mutual affection grew amidst their laughter and conversation. Zeus’s gentleness gradually touched the goddess, and the two eventually followed the trajectory of fate, drawing closer and closer.

By the time Demeter realized it, she was already pregnant.

In the early morning, the man’s shoulder still carried the scent of wheat from Demeter’s hair, and the woman’s lovely sleeping face rested on his arm.

The moment was profoundly peaceful and serene.

Soon, that sweet warmth was abruptly shattered by unease.

He looked down. The Marital History Pact linked to Hera on his chest was slowly fading from brilliant gold, inch by inch, to a deep, ominous red.

That was a sign of Hera’s rage as the Goddess of Marriage burning on Mount Olympus.

He remembered the whisper he had made in Demeter’s ear the previous night: “I love you. I will only ever have you as my wife in this life.”

At this moment, Zeus found it absurd. Recalling the Queen of the Gods back home whom he dared not offend, he cared nothing for promises. He hastily mumbled something about his “mother passing away and needing to rush back to deal with it.”

Then he vanished into the valley mist, making a swift, headlong escape.

He wasn’t overly panicked because he knew his Queen of the Gods would fulfill her duty as the Goddess of Marriage and clean up his mess.

Before half a day passed, Hera’s peacock chariot rolled over the wheat in the valley and stopped in front of the wooden cabin. The wheels, patterned with silver serpents, pressed deep tracks into the mud.

She pulled back the curtain, her gaze as cold as ice, peering through the dust-streaked window.

The woman was sitting on a wooden stool, her hands gently resting on her slightly protruding belly. Her fingertips held a cautious warmth, and her eyes held a softness that surpassed all the world’s wonders.

It was the quiet blossoming radiance of motherhood.

Hera watched that tender warmth, a look she had never displayed herself, and a chilling arc curved on her lips. Her knuckles subconsciously clenched the chariot curtain.

Hera pushed open the wooden door and walked in. Demeter recognized her: the world’s most just, yet also most heartless, deity.

Demeter shielded her belly and watched Hera warily, questioning how she knew she was here and what her purpose was.

Hera got straight to the point: “Do you think I wanted to step into this wretched place? Idiot, Zeus deceived you. You are carrying his child.”

Demeter froze, her face instantly pale. Her hands desperately clung to her abdomen, muttering, “He’s Zeus… No, impossible. My husband couldn’t be Zeus.”

The man who was notoriously promiscuous and sowed seeds everywhere.

Hera scoffed. She had expected this reaction. Women in love are always willing to deceive themselves.

She pulled out the Mirror of Light and played the entire scene for Demeter: how Zeus set his eyes on her, how he disguised himself as a mortal to approach and seduce her.

Demeter was a rational and sensible goddess.

Her disbelief quickly turned to doubt, and finally, she quietly accepted the truth.

Demeter knew exactly what Hera intended to do.

As the Goddess of Marriage and the Queen of Heaven, Hera had to fulfill her divine duties. Demeter had heard rumors of Hera’s jealousy.

At this moment, she adopted the most humble posture, begging Hera to spare her child.

Unexpectedly, Hera forced a strained smile, and her tone actually softened a degree: “A woman can understand a woman; a woman can protect a woman. The fault is not yours.”

“Though I am the Queen of Heaven, I am first and foremost the Goddess of Marriage. Protecting the rights of women and children is my duty.”

She paused, her gaze settling on Demeter’s abdomen: “Will you keep it?”

Women have the absolute right to choose regarding the creation of life.

To keep or to leave—both were her rights.

No one had the right to judge her.

“Of course. She is my child. No matter who her father is, I will keep her, raise her well, and ensure she lives every day happily.”

When speaking of the child, a determination Demeter had never shown before shone in her eyes.

“Go back to the plains of Polos with the little one.”

“No one will ever disturb your lives again.”

Demeter suddenly looked up, tears instantly welling up. She looked at Hera and stammered, “But you haven’t fulfilled the Goddess of Marriage’s duty to the marriage. Divine Punishment will surely descend upon you from Mount Olympus.”

“Stop crying, Mother-to-be.”

Hera interrupted her, a rare trace of softness flashing in her eyes.

“She will be a very beautiful girl.”

…

The remaining plot was briefly flashed through Li Jia’s mind in text.

Hera accepted the Divine Punishment.

The following spring, the Goddess of Spring was born on the plains of Polos, and the four seasons were distinct ever since.

The wind poured in through the window, messing up her curled hair but failing to dissipate the melancholy in her heart.

Li Jia raised her hand and pressed her eye socket. Her fingertip touched a patch of wetness, and she realized, with a start, that she was crying.

The helplessness, anger, and heartache suppressed in her heart all turned into scalding tears that streamed down between her fingers, dripping onto the pillow and staining a small, dark patch.

“What did she do wrong? Does she have to endure all this just because she’s a goddess…”

Li Jia’s voice was hoarse, as if rubbed with sandpaper. Seeing Li Jia shed tears out of pity for Hera, the system, although unable to comprehend human emotion, remained silent.

The system’s mechanical voice was silent in her mind; even its usual prompt tones were gone.

Let the Master cry for a bit.

The book 100 Ways to Comfort a Girl said that comforting someone after they’ve cried is most effective.

It had also searched its information library for a large collection of comforting, vulnerable quotes, such as: “Today I bought a fish named ‘Love You to Death and Beyond.'”

“Today I ate a peach. Guess what kind of peach? A ‘Love You, Can’t Escape’ peach.”

“When I rise to power, I’ll take you to roam the ends of the earth.”

The Author (of the chapter): …How did I invent this little (stupid) darling T_T

Fortunately, before the system could utter these and even more heartbreakingly cliché pickup lines, the person beside Li Jia noticed her movement.

Hera sat up and pulled her into her embrace, gently wiping away her tears with her fingertips, patiently asking, “Why are you crying?”

“I had a nightmare. I dreamed that you received Divine Punishment and bled heavily to protect someone else,” Li Jia’s voice was full of uncontrollable grievance: “Your Majesty clearly did nothing wrong, yet you keep taking the blame for those who deserve to die.”

“And protecting others had to be done in secret… Divine Punishment is so painful. Why can’t you protect yourself first?”

Hera lowered her eyes, looking at the trembling person in her arms. She gently stroked Li Jia’s back, urging her to relax, and lightly smoothed her messy hair.

Who told her about the Divine Punishment?

Was it Dorin?

Or Artemis?

It seems I couldn’t keep it from her after all.

She was silent for a moment, her voice carrying a hint of elusive softness: “Because some things are more important than one’s own safety. Just like now, your tears hurt a thousand times more than me accepting Divine Punishment.”

She then secretly kissed Li Jia’s cheek—the texture was excellent.

Hera reached out and measured her waist. After half a year of nurturing, it was an accomplishment; she felt greatly comforted.

She whispered, “It’s alright, don’t cry. The me in your nightmare isn’t so fragile. The me in reality will protect you even better.”

“I will protect you too.”

“Your Majesty, you must believe me.”

She would prevent all things that could cause Hera to suffer Divine Punishment.

Afraid that Hera wouldn’t believe her, Li Jia shook Hera’s arm and gently rubbed against her: “I am telling you this as your wife, so you must believe me.”

“I believe you. I never didn’t believe you.”

The system genuinely couldn’t bear the couple’s display of affection. It seemed that the messy books weren’t always right; sometimes, people were more reliable than books.

It dropped the next plot point and vanished.

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