[Greek Mythology] The Demons Under My Command - Chapter 55

When Li Jia woke up, she didn’t feel like she’d been run over by a truck as described in novels; on the contrary, she felt exceptionally energetic.

Li Jia wasn’t in a hurry to get up. She squinted her eyes and turned on her side, her gaze naturally falling towards the desk.

Hera was sitting there, her fingers tracing the black booklet that Winslow had given them, looking down and flipping through it.

Golden strands of hair cascaded from her shoulder, and the morning light outlined the soft contours of her profile, making her as beautiful as a medieval oil painting.

Li Jia watched, lost in thought, even pausing her original intention to roll over, completely captivated.

Who would have thought that when she first stepped into this world with ulterior motives, she would, in order to survive, become an ambitious and calculating strategist, successfully completing her mission and leaving this place.

Having struggled in society alone for many years, Li Jia had long learned to appear as the weaker party, playing the pig to eat the tiger, and then secretly using the most ruthless methods to pave her way, solely to complete the strategy missions.

Climbing step by step from the very bottom, she was never a naive and simple woman.

Food, clothing, and all aspects of respectability required money.

Anyone who could earn money in society without relying on their parents was no simpleton.

The intense desire to make money compelled Li Jia to climb higher and higher.

She wanted to be a capable adult to protect the last shred of her childish innocence.

In all her calculations, she missed one step.

But the person she met was a target who would love her.

Although Hera appeared quite late, Li Jia was still happy about her arrival, as all past suffering was rendered void.

She wanted to stay by Hera’s side forever; she loved only her and desired nothing else.

For the first time, Li Jia understood Lena’s feelings, hoping she would be safe, happy every day, eat well, and have no worries.

And perhaps, occasionally, think of her.

From an outsider’s perspective, Li Jia slowly deviated from her original intention as a strategist, but in reality, if someone was willing to cover all the risks for oneself, who wouldn’t want to be a lying-flat slacker?

Ninety percent of people constantly try and fail in the dark with their investment, calculating the worst-case scenario for every decision to see if they can withstand it, and only daring to enter the game after figuring out all possible outcomes.

Li Jia was a pragmatic woman. Here, she didn’t have to work 996 for capitalists, nor deal with complex interpersonal relationships. She could just eat, drink, play, wander around, and do things she was interested in.

Lying flat sounded pretty good.

Striving desperately was meaningless; everyone dies in the end anyway.

Many things, a hundred years later when you look back, you realize were not important.

Just as she was thinking, the person at the desk suddenly moved.

Hera closed the booklet, and when she looked up, her gaze met Li Jia’s. A tender smile instantly bloomed in her eyes: “Awake?”

She got up and walked to the bed, holding the small booklet between her fingers, and gently waved it in front of Li Jia, her tone carrying a hint of mischief: “Want to try everything?”

Li Jia was stunned, her mind still catching up.

Try what?

She opened her mouth, but before she could ask, she saw Hera smile, turn around, and step out of the palace door with a light pace, leaving the small booklet resting quietly on the edge of the bed.

Li Jia suspiciously picked up the booklet, flipped through a couple of pages, and saw two little figures in various poses.

The more she looked, the more wrong it felt; her ears were so red they could drip blood.

“Winslow!”

An angry roar echoed from the deep palace. The person currently making croissants in the kitchen let out a heavy sneeze.

Who is it, secretly cursing me behind my back.

Sighing, the small dough ball, now contaminated with saliva, couldn’t be made into a croissant. Throwing it away seemed wasteful, so she decided to turn it into bread crisps for Dorin to take as travel rations.

Dorin: … I really appreciate it.

Perhaps thanks to that little booklet, for a whole week, Hera came to conduct real-life practice with her every night.

The practice was so strenuous that Li Jia’s dark circles deepened by two shades, making her look like a large panda.

Lena, seeing her best friend looking utterly drained, said earnestly: “Young people still need to practice moderation. Kidney supplements are good, but don’t overdo it.”

Li Jia shot a glare like a flying knife; it was all their fault anyway.

Inside the deep palace.

After their final passionate embrace, this time the woman was too intense. She clung to Hera’s arm until the last ounce of her strength scattered with her gasps, and her body went as soft as a silk soaked in warm water, completely passing out.

Hera lowered her eyes, gazing at the person in her arms—her eyes faintly red and her lips slightly parted. Her fingertips gently smoothed Li Jia’s sweat-dampened temple hair.

A silver cup on a gilded tray held cool, sweet water. She reached for it, carefully supported that slender neck, and tried to bring the rim of the cup to her lips.

But the little one was sleeping too soundly, her jaw clamped shut, not even her tongue moving.

A faint laugh escaped Hera’s throat. She tilted her head, held a mouthful of the sweet water, and bent down to cover that soft mouth, slowly passing the clear, warm sweetness inside.

Her fingertips gently massaged the back of Li Jia’s neck until the person in her arms unconsciously swallowed, and her long lashes fluttered. Only then did Hera slowly pull back, using her thumb to wipe away the moisture on her lips.

“Greedy little thing, unwilling to let go even in your dreams.”

Hera murmured softly, holding the person even tighter in her embrace. After a long while, she pulled the wool blanket higher, covering Li Jia’s pale ankles.

She removed her own ruby ring, which she wore on her middle finger, and slipped it onto her wife’s right thumb.

Be healthy.

Be long-lived.

“Creak”

The door opened and closed again, leaving behind only silence.

The light of the night lamp shone, granting her a night of sweet dreams.

The branches of the Divine Tree coiled like cast silver, every leaf shimmering with a pale golden luster. Thousands of gold-sealed Fate Scrolls hung from the branches, like being adorned with solidified starlight.

Hera stood beneath the tree. Her golden hair was lifted by the wind, and her skirt brushed against the roots. She reached out to gently touch the corner of a hanging scroll, closing her eyes to feel the love in every Fate Scroll.

“Your Majesty.”

Dorin stood behind Hera. Even though she knew she shouldn’t ask, Dorin suddenly called out to her.

“If Li Jia finds out, she will probably hate you.”

Hearing Dorin’s words, the woman slightly curved her lips: “She won’t.”

“You’ve been by my side for so many years. If this person were Winslow, you would be crazier than me.” Hera looked at her and said, “After all, you’ve been crazy once, haven’t you?”

Dorin was momentarily stunned. How could she question the choice of the Divine Master? Everyone had their own choices, and giving everything for one’s faith was not pain, but happiness.

Among thousands of Fate Scrolls, Hera found the one belonging to her and Li Jia without any effort. She opened it, looked at it for a long while, and then said: “Hera, the Goddess of Marriage, voluntarily dissolves the Marriage Pact and eradicates the marital relationship with Li Jia. All disasters and misfortunes shall be borne by me alone and shall not affect her.”

Gods do not swear lightly.

Hera used her divine power to erase her name from the Marriage History, but Li Jia’s name, no matter what, could not be erased.

Divine power can erase everything, but true feelings do not lie.

She loved her, and thus, could not be erased.

“Dorin, do not be sad. A god’s lifespan is infinitely long, and I have long been weary.”

“The only thing in this world I cannot let go of is her.”

“Watch over her for me. I must go bear what I must bear.”

The Goddess removed her divine robes, dressed in a plain gown, and walked barefoot up the Divine Mountain.

She returned to Gabriel’s side. The angel spread his wings, welcoming her arrival.

Over thousands of years, the Divine Mountain welcomed its first judgment candidate.

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