[Greek Mythology] The Demons Under My Command - Chapter 43

Zeus attended Poseidon’s birthday banquet today in his true form, but Demeter, sensitive during her pregnancy, hoped his other identity would accompany her as her husband.

“He” had no reason to refuse. No husband could abandon his pregnant wife and let her attend a banquet alone.

Although he was inwardly reluctant, he had to keep up appearances.

This was a common affliction of ingrained male chauvinism.

He proposed the plan of registering their marriage in the Marriage History. Once the marriage was registered, Demeter would be forcibly given Zeus’s surname and become his companion.

Ancient Greece practiced monogamy.

The nature of mate selection was the same for gods as it was for ordinary mortal couples.

There could only be one legitimate Queen (or King) Consort. The one who initiated the application decided whether the partner would be the principal Queen (or King) or merely a companion.

A god could only have one principal Queen (or King) registered in the Marriage History; all others were consorts/partners with the reality of a marriage but not the official title.

This was Zeus’s calculation. He proposed the marriage registration in his mortal identity, pledging loyalty and professing his love to Demeter.

He demanded that the registration be initiated by him, otherwise he would feel “insecure,” using his mortal identity to pressure her, claiming he couldn’t be sure whether Demeter would grant him the status of God-Husband.

Women were always easily swayed. Demeter agreed to his request, but since it was harvest time, the farmers had countless issues, and she couldn’t spare the time, so the date had to be postponed.

Zeus could never marry Demeter as his principal Queen. His Queen must be a goddess whose divine power was equal to or even greater than his own on Mount Olympus, capable of helping him maintain his powerful authority.

He feared the prophecy and was by nature lustful, frequently indulging in fleeting affairs and surrounded by a throng of beauties.

His Queen could not be a delicate, vulnerable woman.

Demeter was gentle and virtuous, but she was difficult to entrust with heavy responsibility. Indecisiveness was not a desirable trait for a Queen.

He already had a candidate in mind. He had longed for her, chased her, and pursued her, but all he ever received was that cold face and those viper-like red pupils.

The unattainable was always the best.

Zeus believed he was the best and strongest man in the world.

All he needed was an opportunity.

The laughter in the banquet hall rose and fell. Poseidon raised his cup to toast him again. The Sea God smelled of the unique perfume of the sea monsters, and amidst the clinking of cups, his knowing eyes were almost overflowing with implication.

“Well? Are our Sea God Palace maids any worse than yours?”

A few drinks in, Poseidon’s head was already swimming. He whispered to Zeus, smelling of wine:

Zeus raised his cup in response, glancing sideways at the submissive goddess beside him, who was touching her abdomen and waiting for her husband’s return. He replied with a smug smile: “Each flavor is different, each has its own charm. One must try more.”

Demeter heard their conversation and moved her seat away in disgust, wanting to be as far as possible from these two scoundrels.

“Now even Demeter is being brought into your palace, pfft pfft pfft, you have quite the luck with women.”

“A man should marry a virtuous wife, like me. How delightful.”

With that, Poseidon poured himself another flagon of wine and said complacently.

“A man must strike when the iron is hot.”

Zeus knew his good brother’s story best.

Poseidon’s Queen, Amphitrite, was the most beautiful of the Ocean Nymphs.

On a day when the sunlight sparkled on the sea, Amphitrite and her sisters were vacationing, singing and dancing merrily on the shores of Naxos Island.

Poseidon, the ruler of the ocean, happened to pass by and was instantly captivated by Amphitrite’s beauty and vitality. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Poseidon rushed toward her like a surging wave, trying to pull her onto his chariot. Amphitrite was terrified. She had never thought she would attract the attention of the powerful Sea God in this manner.

Out of instinct, she quickly dove into the seabed, attempting to escape Poseidon’s fervent pursuit. But how could Poseidon give up easily? He dispatched Delphin, a skilled swimmer, to chase Amphitrite.

Relying on his superb swimming skills, Delphin quickly caught up with the exhausted Amphitrite. In this uneven chase, Amphitrite was completely drained and ultimately powerless to escape, obediently allowing Delphin to carry her on his back and bring her back to the Sea God Palace.

Thus, she became Poseidon’s bride, his Queen.

After the marriage, Amphitrite and Poseidon had many children. Poseidon was promiscuous and had many private relationships with goddesses and mortals outside of their marriage.

But Amphitrite was gentle and kind. She did not become jealous or publicly quarrel with Poseidon because of his infidelity, nor did she retaliate against or resent the women involved.

She carried out her duties as Queen, diligently governing the oceanic islands. Her people held her in the highest respect, and her authority in the sea was far greater than Poseidon’s.

Compared to a man’s noncommittal sincerity, Amphitrite cared more about the peace and harmony of the ocean.

Thinking of this, the man’s lips curved into a hidden smile. Once the marriage was registered, she would be forcibly given Zeus’s surname and become just one of his many consorts.

And he could continue to pursue that cold, beautiful figure that haunted his dreams, until he brought her under his command, until he grew tired of her. Then, he would seek the next new thrill.

Seeing Demeter looking around, Poseidon tactfully gave up his seat, allowing Zeus to slip out through the main hall’s back door.

The men were unusually unified. They might have internal competition, but when it came to women, their focus was the same. They would cover for each other and keep each other’s secrets.

Zeus slipped out the back door and, with a concentration of power on his fingertip, changed his appearance: his gilded divine robes faded into plain cloth, and the King’s majesty transformed into a mortal’s mildness.

He stood in the corridor for a moment, allowing the sea breeze to carry away the smell of wine and temptation from his body. Only then did he pick up the honey water prepared in the warm chamber and slowly walk back.

“Why were you gone for so long?”

When Demeter saw him return, she immediately reached out and gently looped her arm through his, tenderly saying, “Is this your first time in the gods’ territory? Did you get lost?”

The man naturally held her hand, his voice so gentle it could drip water: “Luckily, the maids here were kind enough to show me the way. I begged this from the cook in the kitchen.”

In early pregnancy, Demeter suffered badly from acid reflux, and only warm honey water could relieve it. Zeus used this as an excuse to go to the warm chamber to vent his frustration ( a euphemism for sexual relief).

Since she became pregnant, Demeter had been very careful with the child and avoided sleeping with him at night. Zeus was about to explode from the restraint. Fortunately, Poseidon understood him and had arranged a beautiful sea siren for him early on, allowing him to have a good time.

He handed the honey water to Demeter, looked down at her small abdomen, his eyes filled with perfectly-timed concern: “Are you tired? Do you want to rest for a while?”

Demeter shook her head, leaning close to him, her face filled with a contented smile: “No, having you here is enough.”

After staying with Demeter for a while, the man excused himself again to get her some sour plum candies, quietly disappearing from the hall.

The figure that replaced him was Zeus the God of Thunder. He couldn’t be absent for too long; he enjoyed his divine identity more.

…

Li Jia, wearing a veil, ascended the central platform of the palace with the dance troupe. Her heart was a mess. She couldn’t dance at all. She had sneaked in only because she needed to get close to Zeus.

The auxiliary function came with a tiny dizziness pill . As long as Zeus took it, his divine power would instantly collapse during intercourse, no matter how strong he was, and his face-covering spell would stop working. This was her only chance.

The music began in Li Jia’s ears, giving her no time to react. She could only desperately try to blend in. Since there were so many people, she just followed along.

Unexpectedly, this dance was performed in pairs, making her instantly stand out as the extra person.

“What’s going on?!”

“Where did she come from?”

The troupe leader immediately sensed disaster and was about to rush her away.

“Come sit next to me.”

The woman’s gaze swept over the girl’s flustered expression, and she waved her over.

The Queen of Marriage, who was always arrogant and looked down on others…

…was actually asking an unknown dancer to sit beside her.

The leader’s heart leaped into her throat. She swallowed, stuttering, “Your Majesty, she’s new…”

“It’s nothing. Let her come over.”

The leader did not want to lose her life. She quickly dragged the stunned girl to the golden-haired goddess and forced Li Jia’s shoulder down into a seated position.

The song and dance performance continued, oblivious to the minor commotion beside them.

Li Jia was on tenterhooks, her eyes darting everywhere. She couldn’t find Linai.

Hera looked at her and smiled: “A new little dancer, don’t you know how to pour wine?”

The dome of the Sea God Palace was studded with luminous pearls. The cold white light intertwined with the flickering flames in the hall, making the shadows of the people lengthen and shrink erratically.

Li Jia stared at her shadow on the ground, her body’s instinct kicking in.

—She wanted to play dead.

Perhaps that way she could be completely swallowed by the clamor of this Gods’ banquet.

But the woman was relentless, pushing the wine pot and cup towards her.

She tapped the table with her knuckle, signaling Li Jia to pour the wine.

Li Jia froze in place. Her legs felt like they were filled with lead. She didn’t know whether to stand or sit.

She never thought that the dance troupe, which seemed large, was actually carefully choreographed. Now she couldn’t return to the formation.

She had nowhere to go. She could only clutch the hem of her dancing dress, submissively moving to the empty seat beside Hera, and obediently stay by her side.

Li Jia secretly felt pleased. Luckily, she had concealed her appearance. Hera didn’t recognize her, or she would truly have no way to explain herself.

She had refused Hera’s invitation to come yesterday, and now she was disguised as a dancer appearing before her. If Hera found out, she wouldn’t even have room for.

Li Jia picked up the wine pot. The rich aroma of wine immediately wafted to her nose. It contained this year’s newly brewed wine. The dark purple liquid poured down the wall of the pot into the wine cup, creating delicate ripples at the bottom.

Even with her heart pounding as if it would burst from her throat, Li Jia didn’t forget her mission. Her peripheral vision quietly skipped over the crowd, watching every move of Zeus and Demeter.

Seeing the girl’s gaze glued to Zeus, Hera’s expression darkened. She picked up the wine cup and emptied it in one gulp.

The liquid wet the corners of her lips, but she didn’t seem to care, slamming the empty cup onto the table and saying coldly: “Serving only me isn’t enough? Is your heart still lingering on someone else?”

Li Jia’s heart suddenly missed a beat. She hurriedly pulled her gaze back, her fingers instinctively tightening around the wine pot.

Before she could think of an excuse, Hera pointed to the empty cup, her tone unreadable: “The wine is gone.”

“Fill it up.”

Li Jia nodded in agreement, but her hand paused. She stared at the dark purple liquid refilling the cup.

A growing suspicion arose in her mind. She remembered that Hera usually disliked drinking. Even at banquets, she would only take a shallow sip, let alone drink so greedily as she was today.

Seeing that she was only moving and not answering, a faint smile appeared on Hera’s lips. Her voice held a hint of inquiry: “Can’t speak? Why don’t you answer?”

A fresh layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on Li Jia’s back. Divine power could change appearance, but it couldn’t change voice.

The moment she spoke, that familiar voice would certainly let Hera see through her identity. That’s why Li Jia didn’t dare to speak; one word and she would be exposed.

So, Li Jia came up with a plan: pretend to be mute.

The girl pointed to her mouth, shook her head, and deliberately added a look of timidity to her eyes, feigning an inability to speak, like a startled fawn.

Hera took another sip of wine. The alcohol gradually took effect, a faint flush rising on both cheeks, and her originally sharp eyes softened slightly.

She rested her chin on her hand, her gaze settling on Li Jia’s veiled face. The veil completely covered the girl’s cheeks, leaving only her eyes exposed.

Hera’s red pupils met Li Jia’s gaze. Her tone carried a hint of careless realization: “Oh? So you’re a little mute girl who can’t speak.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Hera straightened up. Her tone lost the previous inquiry, leaving only the matter-of-fact command.

“I’m tired. You come and rub my legs.”

When Li Jia heard this, her suspended heart completely sank, and she began to feel annoyed.

She had an important task today, but one minute she was being told to do this, the next that. She couldn’t focus at all.

However, given the circumstances, what could a small fry like her do? She could only crouch down to massage her legs.

Yet, as soon as she bent her knees, Hera frowned and said faintly, “Sit down.”

Li Jia was stunned, thinking the demon had suddenly taken pity on her. She thought, maybe this wasn’t so demanding after all.

But the next second, the woman’s chilling voice shattered her illusion: “As a cushion, it’s comfortable.”

With that, Hera lifted her legs and placed them directly on Li Jia’s lap. She leaned back, sinking languidly into the gilded armchair, not even sparing her another glance.

Li Jia sat rigidly, the heavy weight on her legs almost suffocating her. She could only watch the figures of Zeus and Demeter not far away, filled with anxiety but unable to move.

Hera closed her eyes, her head resting on the back of the chair, uttering just one word.

“Press.”

Li Jia’s fingertips stiffened abruptly. She could only slowly raise her hands and place them on Hera’s legs, which were covered by a velvet skirt.

The heavy touch conveyed through her fingertips made her increasingly anxious, but she didn’t dare to glance toward Zeus again. She could only stare at Hera’s pale calves, massaging and kneading mechanically, keeping her breathing extremely soft.

The more she pressed, the more displeased she became.

A moment’s tolerance brings peace, but a step back leads to greater resentment.

Initially, Li Jia was only pressing reluctantly, but the more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She gritted her teeth and increased the force, turning the pressing into pinching.

While pinching, she muttered curses under her breath:

You XXX

I told you not to come, but you insisted.

You XXX

…

The anger dissipated with time, replaced by a momentary realization, followed by a post-bitterness that filled her mouth.

When she was absent, Hera could be this intimate with a complete stranger, exposing skin that only she used to touch, allowing another person to touch and massage it.

This realization drained Li Jia of all strength, leaving her in a cold stiffness. She stopped her hands, stunned in place.

Just as the music ended, the dancers slowly retreated. Li Jia didn’t know where she found the courage. She struggled to get up, bowed slightly to Hera, and tried to retreat with the group.

Seeing her about to leave, Hera suddenly smiled. She rose, grabbed her arm, and pulled her entire body into her embrace. The two of them lay together on the armchair, in an extremely intimate position.

Li Jia was startled, instantly terrified. She tried to get up from her lap, but Hera’s arm was wrapped around her waist like an iron hoop, giving her no room to move.

Li Jia struggled in her arms. She just wanted to flee this place quickly. The chaotic emotions were driving her crazy, making her forget why she had even come here.

Hera reached out to lift her veil. Li Jia turned her head to dodge, feeling angry and refusing to let her pull it off.

Seeing the little one throwing a tantrum, the woman raised an eyebrow and leaned close to her ear: “You’ve been following me for so long.”

“Still can’t hold your temper, little sister.”

The warm breath from the last few words landed in Li Jia’s ear, making her heart churn.

Seeing that she still wouldn’t speak, Hera pressed against her back, like a cold snake finding warmth and coiling tightly around it, whispering like a ghostly murmur.

“Sister, whatever you want to do.”

“What time, what place, what stance.”

“Tell me, and I will solve it for you.”

“No need to go through all this trouble.”

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