In the early morning, on the island of Cyprus, in the city of Paphos.
The bright sunlight streamed through the carved windows, illuminating the room, where tattered clothes and a mess scattered across the floor extended all the way to the large bed crafted from fragrant wood.
As the interplay of light and shadow shifted, a graceful figure beneath the gauze canopy yawned, slowly awakening.
A jade-like arm stretched out, lifting the velvet blanket that barely concealed the allure of spring, revealing a flawless, ivory-white form.
The lingering red marks on her snow-white skin did not diminish the charm of this exquisite figure; rather, they accentuated a mature allure, nourished by the passion of the night.
On the bed, Aphrodite let out a long yawn.
Her falling arm rested over her ample curves, rubbing the tooth marks etched into her skin.
Her enchanting eyes glanced reproachfully outside the gauze canopy.
That rascal..
However, as her peripheral vision caught sight of her young lover before the dressing mirror, already dressed in a brand-new hunting outfit, the goddess of love instantly shed her morning languor as she quickly stepped off the bed, grabbed the hand of the handsome prince, and softly pleaded.
"...Adonis, my beloved, listen to me. Please don't go challenging the wild beasts in the forest, alright? I'm truly worried that the lion's claws or the wolf's sharp teeth might hurt you.."
The handsome prince turned at her voice, took his lover's hand, and flashed a confident smile.
"...Don't worry, they can't harm me. Tell me what prey you like, and I'll hunt it for you today!"
"..I don't want anything. I just hope you'll stop taking these risks.
Don't you know that every time you go out, my heart races with fear? Please, promise me, no more dangerous activities, okay?"
Aphrodite shook her head, clutching her chest, pouring out her worries to her lover, her captivating eyes filled with heartfelt sorrow.
However, Adonis merely gave a noncommittal smile, let go of his lover's hand, slung his bow over his shoulder, and headed toward the door.
"..This time, I'll definitely hunt something big for you. Wait for me to return!"
Watching her lover's figure gradually fade into the distance, Aphrodite, unable to persuade him, let out a heavy sigh, her beautiful face clouded with worry.
She truly couldn't understand why men were always so fond of fighting and killing, challenging dangers, and conquering the impossible..
Didn't they realize that someone was worrying for them day and night, anxiously awaiting their return, longing for a peaceful and safe life together?
In fact, as the ancient goddess of love, she had long grown accustomed to the conflicts and battles among gods and the endless cycle of human life and death.
She didn't expect her beloved to become a hero.
As long as he stayed quietly by her side, that was enough.
But even this small wish, fate seemed unwilling to grant her.
The man she had fallen in love with still yearned to prove himself in the typical masculine way...to his father, the king of Cyprus, and to her, the goddess of love.
—To prove his valor, to prove he was worthy of trust.
Of course, she wasn't incapable of using her divine powers to keep him by her side.
But that wouldn't be true love..
Aphrodite sat alone before the dressing mirror, caressing her beautiful face that no one was there to admire, feeling a quiet pang of sorrow.
Oh well, who made her fall for someone like him?
After a moment of silent, resentful murmuring, Aphrodite glanced at the muddy bedsheets and the vivid red stain at their center as a satisfied, intoxicated flush immediately spread across her face.
Though she didn't know what her young lover was thinking, there was no doubt that the love she gave him surpassed the love she had for anyone else.
At the dressing table, the goddess of love, adorned with delicate makeup, smiled contentedly at her reflection in the mirror.
Then, as always, she draped herself in a light veil, stepped out of the room, summoned her chariot and her three attendant deities, and headed to her sacred pool to prepare for the night's revelry.
At her mistress's call, two pairs of pure white swans pulled a golden chariot down from the heavens.
The three Graces, Aglaea, the goddess of splendor, Thalia, the goddess of festivity, and Euphrosyne, the goddess of joy, dressed in flowing, elegant gowns, their transparent wings woven with divine power, took their places.
One drove the chariot, while the other two flanked it, heading toward the shallow bay in the outskirts of Paphos, like a beautiful comet streaking across the sky.
On the bustling streets of the city, a figure blended into the crowd, glancing up at the comet in the sky.
Then, spotting the usual sight of a certain handsome young man riding a warhorse, leading a group toward the hunting grounds outside the city, the figure quickly pulled up their hood and quietly followed.
..
..
..
At the same time, in the wilderness beyond the city's outskirts, a silver-haired, blue-eyed huntress sensed a faint resonance from the mark of Hermes on the back of her hand.
She immediately spread out a map of the terrain, aligned it with the direction of the swan-drawn chariot, and strode forward.
Soon, a stream of light descended to the ground.
Aphrodite stepped down from the swan-drawn chariot, crossed the forest path, and arrived at a pristine marble pool.
With a wave of her hand, she summoned the pure seawater from the shallow bay outside Paphos to fill the pool.
Paphos, on the island of Cyprus, was her origin, where she was born from the foam of the sea.
Thus, this place was not only her sacred sanctuary but also imbued with her divine power.
The blessed seawater would wash away all her past anxieties, fatigue, and aging, restoring her to the pure, youthful beauty of her maiden days.
In Kanathos, near Nauplion, there was a similar sacred spring, but it could only be used briefly during the spring season.
That was a gift from Aphrodite to her mother-in-law, Hera, infused with the divine charm of the love goddess that captivated men.
Thus, every spring, Hera would perform a ritual bath to renew her chastity, maintaining her eternal marital bond with Zeus.
During this time, Zeus would love only Hera, setting aside his wandering desires.
It was this generous gift, along with a certain favoritism, that led the queen of the gods to turn a blind eye to the entanglements between Aphrodite, Hephaestus, and Ares.
The goddess of marriage suffered from her husband's infidelity.
The goddess of love lacked a love of her own.
Perhaps there was no greater irony in the world.
Aphrodite gave a scornful shake of her head, then gazed at her radiant, peach-blossom-like reflection in the sacred pool, unable to suppress a satisfied smile.
But now, she was far happier than that woman.
At that moment, the three Graces, having settled the chariot, approached and sprinkled spices and flower petals into the pool.
They chanted divine words, activating the pool's blessing to restore chastity.
While waiting, Aphrodite suddenly furrowed her brows, clutching her chest as her heart began to pound violently.
An unprecedented sense of fear and unease swirled within her.
..It felt as if something terrible was about to happen!
.
.
.
Meanwhile, in the dense forest on the outskirts of Paphos.
The handsome Prince Adonis was chasing an injured stag with his entourage.
Seeing the beautiful prey driven to an open clearing with nowhere to escape, the dashing prince, mounted on his horse, excitedly drew his bow and aimed at the stag's eyes.
Perfect.
He would take this flawless deerskin as a gift for his beloved.
However, just as the prince pulled the bowstring taut, ready to fire, his horse let out a dull thud, followed by a shrill whinny.
It was sent flying backward at high speed, the crisp sound of breaking bones echoing through the air.
In an instant, Adonis, seated on the horse, was thrown far off, crashing headfirst into nearby bushes.
Moments later, the prince stood amid the shocked cries of his entourage.
His gaze swept over his dying horse, barely breathing, and the stag that had escaped in the chaos, before landing on the culprit of this collision.
In the clearing stood a massive wild boar, its mottled fur gleaming, its body as imposing as a small mountain.
It snorted heavily, its eyes glowing with violent scarlet.
..Damn it!
Seeing his perfect hunt ruined by this beast, Adonis was consumed with rage as he fired the arrow he had readied.
..Thud!
The arrow, imbued with divine power, sank into the boar with a muffled sound of metal piercing flesh.
..Roar!
The boar, in pain, let out a low growl and charged into the depths of the forest.
..Damn beast, don't think you can escape!
Adonis, who was consumed with anger, Adonis had no intention of letting it go.
He seized a horse from one of his entourage, mounted it, and raced after the fleeing boar.
Despite its massive size, the beast moved through the forest like the wind.
And its speed seemed to increase, driven by its survival instinct.
Determined not to lose it, Adonis gritted his teeth, channeling divine power into the horse beneath him, relentlessly pursuing the boar regardless of the cost.
His entourage, however, lacked the strength and determination of the divine prince.
One by one, they fell behind, their figures and shouts fading into the jungle.
Adonis didn't care.
Compared to his poorly trained, ceremonial entourage, he trusted the four-legged companion by his side far more.
..Go! Don't let it escape!
At its master's command, the four hunting dogs let out low growls, darting out from the bushes to flank the boar, baring their teeth as they lunged at their target.
Well done!
Seeing his hounds block the boar's escape, Adonis excitedly drew his bow, preparing to deliver a fatal shot to the beast.
"..Pfft, pfft, pfft!"
However, with a series of teeth-grinding thuds, the four carefully bred hunting dogs suffered devastating blows.
Two of them had their heads crushed into pulp, blood and brains splattering the ground, their limbs twitching in their final moments.
One was impaled on the boar's tusk, dangling miserably like curing meat.
The last, though it managed to leap onto the boar's back thanks to the sacrifice of its companions, bit down fiercely.
But no matter how it clawed or gnawed, it couldn't leave a single mark on the boar's hide.
Instead, the boar's needle-like bristles pierced the dog's body, leaving it bloodied and battered.
At the same time, the intercepted magical boar halted its hooves, a scarlet, viscous glow of blood bursting from its body.
"..Bang!"
In an instant, the dog still clinging to the boar's back, biting desperately, was crushed as if by an invisible hand, exploding into a mist of blood and flesh.
Not far away, Adonis witnessed this gruesome, brutal scene, his heart jolting, his pupils constricting.
This wasn't a wild boar, it was a magical beast with divine blood flowing through it!
As the beast shook off the dog's corpse hanging from its tusk and turned its massive, mountain-like body, its scarlet eyes locked onto him with an eerie gaze.
A chill crawled up Prince Adonis's spine.
Instinctively, he released the bowstring, firing the arrow he had readied.
Thanks to his passion for hunting, his archery was highly skilled, so even this instinctive shot hit its mark with ease.
But before Adonis could rejoice, the bronze arrow, imbued with divine power, was deflected by the boar's bristles, falling uselessly to the ground.
How could this be?
Adonis, incredulous, stared at the other arrow still lodged in the boar's body.
That earlier shot…
As if answering the prince's confusion, the boar shook its bristles, and the arrow, previously embedded an inch into its flesh, was effortlessly dislodged.
With a deformed arrowhead, it clinked onto the ground.
It was deliberate!
As this realization struck, Adonis sucked in a cold breath, a sense of dread rising within him.
He tightened the reins, attempting to turn his horse and put distance between himself and this eerie magical boar.
But in the instant he reacted, the boar charged forward with the speed of the wind.
This is bad!
Facing the monstrous creature barreling toward him like a mountain, Adonis's scalp tingled as he drew the longsword at his waist, holding it before him, his divine power surging wildly within.
"..Crack!"
But in the moment of contact, an overwhelming, ferocious force erupted like a landslide or tsunami, shattering the bronze longsword wrapped in divine power inch by inch.
Not only that, but Adonis's arm, unable to withstand the brutal recoil, dislocated instantly.
The horse beneath him, catching the intense scent of a top predator, reared back in panic.
Adonis's other hand couldn't hold the reins, and his body tilted backward.
In that instant, the boar, like a seasoned swordsman, seized the opportunity.
Its two gleaming white tusks, sharp as daggers, plunged into the horse's belly, lifting the unprepared steed high before slamming it to the ground.
Caught off guard, Adonis was pinned beneath the horse, dazed and disoriented, spitting a mouthful of golden blood that splattered into the bushes.
This monster is too strong!
Reeling from successive failures, Adonis was gripped by fear.
Without time to think, he raised his hand, invoking the divinity of spring in a final act of resistance.
Instantly, the bushes soaked in his divine blood sprouted wildly, green tendrils snaking forward like serpents, wrapping around the boar's limbs in an attempt to halt its rampage.
Moreover, countless sharp thorns grew from the vines, aiming to pierce the boar's hide and inject various plant toxins into its body.
But even these divinely spurred plants couldn't restrain the frenzied magical boar, nor could they penetrate its unnaturally tough hide.
In mere moments, the vines wrapped around it were uprooted entirely.
"..Roar!"
Freed, the boar let out a deep, rumbling growl, then charged without hesitation, its tusks bared, heading straight for Adonis, whose lower body was pinned beneath the horse's corpse.
Staring at the gleaming white tusks rapidly closing in on his chest, Adonis's eyes filled with terror and regret.
He should have listened to Aphrodite's warnings.
He couldn't conquer the wilderness, nor could he conquer nature.
"..Stop!"