Eros strolled leisurely through the forest at the island's center, shepherd's staff in hand.
Thanks to the island's mild climate, it was spring all year round. The dense greenery blanketed the land in every direction.
Sunlight filtered through the canopy in golden shafts. Morning mist clung to the leaves, condensing into crystal droplets.
A doe bounded between shadows beneath the trees.
The gentle sound of flowing water was like a nymph softly strumming a harp.
There was a reason Eros had lived here so many years.
This place was nothing short of a paradise. The scenery, the climate, the resources, everything was perfect. Not a single flaw.
As he waded through a shallow stream, a bass leapt from the water. With practiced ease, Eros stabbed it midair with his staff.
"Mmh. This grilled with the berries I picked earlier should make for a decent breakfast."
He cleaned the fish with expert hands and was about to pull out his flintstone
when something suddenly occurred to him.
With a snap of his fingers, a spark of electricity danced in the air. A small flame flickered to life.
He nearly forgot, he wasn't just some ordinary guy anymore. Why use flint when you've got god-tier perks?
"You know… I didn't expect Father to go so far as to share his divine authority with you. He must really like you."
A clear voice rang out nearby. Eros looked up, startled.
A figure had appeared without a sound.
Golden hair shimmered like liquid sunlight, and even her eyelashes and irises were a pale, luminous gold.
Though she wore nothing but a laurel crown woven from leaves, she radiated an effortless nobility.
"So we finally meet. Just as Father described, you're even more handsome than most gods."
Her voice was calm, but her eyes sparkled with admiration. There wasn't the slightest hint of shyness.
Eros was briefly startled by her sudden appearance, but quickly recovered his composure.
This goddess… really hit his XP again!
Actually, he had done some reflecting last night.
The way Zeus looked after transforming had struck him so deeply, it couldn't possibly be his fault.
It was probably just because he hadn't interacted with any women for a long time, leading to some confusion.
After all, even Hera, despite wearing a veil had killer eyes and a great figure.
And now, today's encounter pretty much confirmed it.
It wasn't like he was falling for every goddess he met. That'd be ridiculous.
Clearly, it was just that he needed more experience socializing with the opposite sex. Then he'd figure out what he really liked.
Still, this golden-haired goddess in front of him wasn't bad at all.
Elegant and composed, with a touch of sharp intelligence in her eyes. And her personality didn't seem too bad either.
"I don't believe I've asked, may I know your divine name?" Eros asked politely with a warm smile.
After all, the woman in front of him might very well be his future wife.
Hmm… blonde, poised, noble, and called Zeus her father…
No doubt about it, she had to be Athena!
Sure, she wasn't a smug, purple-haired boss lady who'd say things like "You still have HP?" But this version was… bigger. In all the right ways.
Seeing his simple yet sincere smile, the golden-haired goddess blushed slightly.
No wonder Father suddenly changed his preferences and went after a guy.
This… this feeling wasn't any weaker than what Aphrodite stirred up. It was genuinely captivating.
"My name is Phoebus Apollo," she said gently. "But you can just call me Apollo."
The goddess sat across from him gracefully.
"And you are… Eros, right? May I call you that?"
Her warm voice carried across the glade, but Eros's smile froze.
WNM! Another one?!
No way, was the "inner circle" the system mentioned actually just Olympus's Softboy Club?!
Why did they all like showing up as beautiful girls?! Were they all bottoms too?!
Quietly, Eros shifted to a posture that made him feel more… secure, keeping a polite yet uneasy smile on his face.
"Ah, the radiant god Apollo… it's an honor."
See, in Zeus's myths, there was only one male lover, Ganymede.
But Apollo? Apollo was an absolute socialite among the gods. Worshipped by many goddesses, yes, but he also had a whole catalog of male lovers.
Honestly, with how rampant the softboy trend was in ancient Greece, even Hercules had his own share of male partners.
If you dropped a black-stockinged pretty boy into this world, he'd be crowned king by sundown.
It wasn't that he was wrong for existing, it was just the wrong timeline.
Apollo blinked, slightly confused by Eros's change in tone.
Was there something wrong with her name? Or was it her reputation?
But… she'd only just been born a few years ago. She hadn't done anything yet!
Wait… could Eros be a prophet? Had he foreseen something about her future?
After all, Apollo wasn't just the god of light, she was also the god of prophecy.
It was just that in Greece, there were so many prophets and seers, her job got overlooked a lot.
"Well, may I ask why you've sought me out today?" Eros said, keeping his tone polite but subtly distancing.
Translation: If you don't have business here, please go shine somewhere else.
He couldn't afford to offend these pretty-boy gods, but Apollo at least was better than Zeus.
Apollo still cared about mutual affection. Zeus? That one didn't care if it was consensual or not.
With Apollo, it was just… unsettling. With Zeus, he had to constantly worry about his ass.
"Oh, my father sent me," Apollo replied brightly, not taking offense at all.
"He wanted to make sure Hera doesn't try to poison you, so he sent me to help."
…Well, Zeus really did work fast. He'd said so just yesterday, and now here she was.
It's just, couldn't he have sent literally any goddess?
Athena? Artemis? Hestia? Even Demeter would've been fine!
Sure, she already had a kid with Zeus, but hey, it wasn't like that mattered in mythology.
There were so many goddesses to choose from. Even a random nymph would've been okay.
But no, of course it had to be Apollo, the ultimate androgynous heartthrob.
Eros sighed inwardly.
Did he have some kind of anti-goddess curse on him?
"Eros, you… you don't seem happy to see me," Apollo said softly.
She was clearly confused by his distant attitude.
What had she done wrong?
They were technically on the same team, weren't they? She'd thought they'd hit it off right away.
"Uh, no, no, not at all," Eros quickly said, reaching for a convenient excuse. "I'm just… not very good at dealing with people."
Apollo nodded, accepting the explanation without hesitation.
"Ah, I see. Well, that's understandable."
"But don't worry, I really am here to help you. You can trust me."
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Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!