As the bathwater settled, Allen leaned back, letting out a relaxed sigh. Tiamat and Raviel, still nestled against him, showed no signs of moving anytime soon. Their bodies clung to him, enjoying the warmth of both the water and his presence.
"Alright, you two," Allen murmured, running his hands through their damp hair. "If we stay here any longer, we're going to turn into prunes."
Raviel hummed lazily. "Mmm, I could be a little longer, my legs are still weak~."
Tiamat, resting against Allen's chest, slowly blinked up at him. "Allen… smells good," she murmured, nuzzling against his neck.
Allen chuckled, pressing a light kiss to her temple. "We can cuddle later. Let's get dressed—unless you want the others to barge in here looking for us."
Raviel pouted but eventually stood up with weak legs, stretching her arms over her head. "Fine, fine. But only because I'm curious about how those three are handling themselves out there."
Tiamat, still reluctant to let go, finally released him and let Allen stand. He stepped out of the bath, grabbing a towel before offering his hands to help them up.
Once they were dry and dressed, they made their way toward the dining area. The villa was filled with a cozy warmth, the evening air carrying the scent of freshly prepared food.
.....
As they entered, Allen immediately spotted Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera sitting at the dining table. Aphrodite, as expected, lounged with an easy smirk, while Athena sat properly, her gaze calmly scanning the room. Hera, on the other hand, looked slightly stiff, her arms crossed in what could only be described as forced composure.
Aphrodite was the first to notice them. "Oh? Look who finally decided to show up~. Let me guess, you took your sweet time in the bath, huh?"
Allen gave her a flat look. "We were just relaxing."
Aphrodite's smirk widened. "Mhm. Relaxing. Sure."
But the goddesses could see that Raviel and Tiamat were walking with trembling legs.
Hera, who had taken a sip of her drink, suddenly coughed lightly, her face slightly turning away as if to hide her reaction.
Allen raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Tiamat quietly sat beside Allen, her usual sleepy expression unchanged. Raviel, meanwhile, happily plopped down next to him, grinning. "Dinner smells great~! Did you three cook?"
Athena shook her head. "No. The servants prepared it."
This made Allen sigh, because they had casually brought servants into the villa, he felt that this villa was no longer his, even though it actually wasn't.
Aphrodite playfully nudged Allen with her elbow. "You should feel honored, you know. We usually eat at the temples, but someone keeps dragging us here."
Allen glanced at Athena, who remained composed. "You're the one choosing to come here, not me."
Athena took a sip of her drink before responding. "The atmosphere is… different."
Hera let out a quiet huff. "That's one way to put it."
Allen smirked slightly. "So what, do you all actually like it here?"
Aphrodite grinned. "Maybe~."
Hera scoffed. "Don't get ahead of yourself."
Allen simply chuckled and started serving himself food. The meal was simple but well-prepared—freshly baked bread, roasted meats, and various side dishes.
As they ate, the conversation shifted between casual talk and the occasional teasing remark from Aphrodite. Hera, despite her usual attitude, seemed more flustered than usual. Allen noticed the way she avoided looking directly at him for too long, especially after the bath.
Athena, as usual, remained analytical, watching the flow of conversation while eating at a steady pace. She didn't participate in the banter as much, but Allen could tell she was listening closely.
Raviel, enjoying the moment, leaned against Allen's shoulder. "This feels nice~. I could get used to dinners like this."
"Allen," Hera said, her voice steady, "I advise you to be my follower?"
The table fell silent.
Athena glanced at Hera, then at Allen, while Aphrodite smirked as if she had been expecting this.
Allen, however, remained composed. He finished the sip of his drink before responding, his tone neutral yet firm.
"I appreciate the offer, But I'm an atheist."
Hera studied him carefully. "You're a human. And why do you seem to dislike gods."
Allen met her gaze. "Maybe. Well, I don't like some gods, but don't worry, I like you girls quite a bit."
Athena, who had been quiet for most of the dinner, finally spoke. "You don't seek a place among the gods? Even with your strength?"
Allen set his utensils down. "I don't seek much of anything, really. I go where I please, live as I choose." He gave a small smile. "That's enough for me."
Hera's expression didn't falter, but there was something contemplative in her eyes. "Even gods need a home, Allen."
Aphrodite chuckled. "Oh, come now, Hera. He's a magician so it seems natural for him not to stay in one place and they are very eccentric. Just wandering as he pleases." She glanced at Allen with amusement. "Almost romantic, don't you think?"
Allen just looking at them with a faint smile but didn't respond.
Hera let out a quiet sigh. "Man without a home… You are a strange one."
"Hey, don't say that like I'm homeless. Home for me is where I am with my wives". He said while kissing Raviel and Tiamat
Despite the shift in conversation, Allen could still feel Hera's gaze lingering on him from time to time.
Athena remained composed, though he noticed the occasional thoughtful glance in his direction.
Aphrodite, on the other hand, seemed entirely amused by the situation, enjoying the dinner as if she were watching an entertaining play unfold.
As the meal continued, Hera eventually spoke again, her voice measured.
"Even if you don't seek a place in Olympus," she said, "would you at least consider acting as an ally?"
Allen raised an eyebrow. "An ally?"
Hera nodded. "There is value in forming connections, even if one does not belong to a pantheon. Olympus has many enemies, and having a magician of your caliber as an ally would be beneficial."
Athena finally added, "It wouldn't require you to submit to Olympus' rule, merely to acknowledge a mutual understanding. It also helps you so that Gaia doesn't have to worry too much about you".
"Ohh so you can talk to Gaia about this"
Allen leaned back slightly, contemplating their words. This was different from an invitation to become follower—it was a strategic move.
A way to ensure he wasn't a potential threat, while also securing a possible advantage in the ever-shifting landscape of divine politics.
Also if he joins as an ally he doesn't have to bother explaining his origins anymore,~ maybe.
Aphrodite chuckled. "Oh, look at you two, speaking like war councils during a dinner. How boring." She rested her cheek on her hand, giving Allen a playful look. "Though, I am curious—what do you think, Allen? Would you be our ally?"
Allen tapped his fingers lightly on the table before offering a calm smile. "I don't mind being an ally."
Hera's eyes glinted. "Then you accept?"
He nodded. "As long as it remains a mutual understanding. I won't follow Olympus' orders, but I also won't act against it. If a time comes when you need assistance, and I see reason to help, I will."
Athena studied him closely, as if measuring the weight of his words. "You're choosing cooperation, not servitude."
"That's how I've always been," Allen replied evenly. "And I expect the same respect in return."
For a moment, there was silence. Then, Hera exhaled softly, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips. "A fair arrangement."
Aphrodite grinned. "Well, there you have it. No oaths, no chains—just a human who chooses his own path but walks beside us when it suits him."
Hera gave Allen a long, unreadable look before finally shifting her attention back to her meal. "Very well. Let's leave it at that for now."
Allen knew the matter wasn't entirely settled. Hera wasn't the type to let things go so easily. But for now, at least, the conversation had reached a satisfying conclusion.
And with that, dinner continued, though Allen could feel the goddesses now viewed him in a slightly different light.
.....
The morning sun bathed the villa in golden light, the sound of waves lapping at the shore blending with the crisp morning air, creating a peaceful atmosphere. Allen sat on the terrace, enjoying the sunlight and the morning breeze, when the sound of soft footsteps approached from behind.
He didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"Hera," he said casually.
The goddess stopped beside him, wearing a simple, thin robe—less ornate than her usual attire, yet still carrying her signature elegance. Her golden hair was slightly unbound, swaying in the breeze as she gazed at the garden before them.
"You noticed quickly."
Allen glanced at her briefly. "It's hard not to notice your presence."
Hera gave a small smile, then stepped down into the garden. "Come with me."
Allen didn't respond immediately, but after a brief moment of consideration, he followed her.
The garden was spacious, filled with various plants and trees arranged beautifully. At its center was a small pond, its surface reflecting the morning sunlight. They walked in silence for a while, accompanied only by the rustling leaves. Allen allowed Hera to start the conversation.
"I want to know," Hera finally said, her voice calm but carrying genuine curiosity. "Why are you so certain about staying outside Olympus?"Hera asked because when Allen Hera asked because when Allen became an ally of the olimpus he was allowed to be in the palace inside the olimpus by Zeus, it seems that he is a god who respects people who have power compared to other gods who are somewhat arrogant.
"You're still on this?" Allen shrugged. "Because it's not my place."
Hera glanced at him from the side. "Many gods are born without a home, yet they still seek a place to take root. You're different."
Allen smirked slightly. "I prefer living freely. Pantheons, rules, politics—none of that suits me."
Hera crossed her arms and looked at the pond. "You speak as if those things are shackles."
"Aren't they?" Allen turned to her. "The gods of Olympus have roles, duties, responsibilities. Even you, with such a high position in Olympus, cannot escape the system that binds you."
Hera fell silent. She didn't deny it, nor did she immediately confirm it. There was something in her eyes—something faint, a weariness that could only be seen in moments of quiet.
"From a certain perspective, yes," she finally admitted. "But duty also gives meaning. A god without purpose… would be nothing more than a wandering shadow."
Allen studied her expression with interest. "Is that your belief, or something Olympus has always told you?"
Hera looked at him, slightly surprised, then let out a quiet chuckle. "You speak as if I am a victim of fate."
"Not a victim," Allen shook his head slightly. "But someone so accustomed to her role that it's hard to imagine life without it."
Hera held his gaze for a long moment. Something shifted in her expression—not anger or frustration, but a deeper curiosity.
"You're right," she admitted. "I've been within Olympus for so long. It's difficult to picture life beyond it."
Allen gave a small smile. "That's the difference between us human. We don't always follow fate"
Hera exhaled softly. "I wonder… If I weren't bound to Olympus, how different would my life be?"
Allen raised an eyebrow. "Interesting question. What would you do if you weren't bound by all that?"
Hera remained silent for a moment, then looked up at the sky. "I don't know."
For the first time, her words sounded truly honest. Not Hera, Queen of the Gods, but Hera as an individual. Allen realized that, perhaps for hundreds of years, she had never truly asked herself that question.
Silence fell between them again. The morning breeze carried the scent of flowers and the fresh water from the pond.
"I understand now," Hera finally said.
Allen turned to her. "Understand what?"
"Why you choose to walk alone."
She looked at him with eyes softer than before. "A freedom like yours… is difficult for someone like me to find."
Allen smirked slightly. "You could try it."
Hera chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Easier said than done," she murmured.
Allen slid his hands into his pockets as they continued walking along the stone pathway. The morning sun filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows over them. "It's only difficult because you've never tried," he remarked.
Hera glanced at him, a faint smirk playing on her lips. "And what would you have me do, Allen? Abandon Olympus? Cast aside everything I have built?"
Allen stopped near a flowering tree, brushing his fingers over a delicate blossom. "Not abandon—just take a step back. You don't have to be Hera, Queen of the Gods, all the time." He turned to her, his gaze steady. "Just be Hera for once."
The goddess regarded him silently, the golden hues in her violet eyes reflecting the morning light. "Hera… without Olympus." She spoke the words slowly, as if testing how they felt on her tongue.
Allen shrugged. "You asked what your life would be like without those chains. Maybe it's time to find out."
Hera exhaled softly, looking away as the breeze played with her hair. "And if I did?" she mused. "What would that even mean?"
Allen smirked. "It means you'd get to decide for yourself—for once."
Hera was quiet, her expression unreadable. Then, after a long pause, she took a step forward and plucked a flower from the tree. Twirling it between her fingers, she smiled—small, subtle, but real.
"Perhaps," she said, "I will give it some thought."
Allen didn't push further. He merely watched as she continued walking, the morning light catching in her hair.
And for the first time, Hera did not walk as a queen—but as a woman simply enjoying a quiet moment.
*****
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