It was noon when Roy finally woke up. He mumbled something, rolled over, and reached out to the side—only to find the soft, delicate figure no longer there. The air was left with only a faint fragrance and the lingering scent of intimacy between a man and a woman.
At that moment, Roy became fully awake and quickly sat up from the bed.
He looked around and saw Athena sitting on the sofa, her arms wrapped around her knees. Her jade-like skin, fairer than frost and snow, resembled a precious gem one couldn't bear to let go of. The goddess rested her chin on her knees, leaving only her beautiful, night-like eyes fixed intently on Roy. Her blinking was mesmerizing, like stars in the night sky, and her silver hair was slightly disheveled from just waking up, exuding a lazy charm.
Roy was about to say something when he suddenly sensed something amiss. He swiftly moved aside and saw patches of crimson.
"You... what's going on here?"
Unable to hold back, Roy turned to Athena and asked.
This wasn't something Roy was unfamiliar with—whether it was Liliana, Erica, or Princess Alice, he had witnessed it firsthand. But with Athena, the sheer quantity was strikingly different.
"I am the eternal virgin goddess. Have you not yet understood what that means, Roy? We gods are manifestations of myth, and myths are woven by humans—they are not necessarily historical truths. Even the most promiscuous gods in mythology, like Aphrodite, possess only the temperament and knowledge from those myths, not the actual experience of those deeds."
"...My status as a virgin goddess not only signifies that I never had relations with men in myth but also that this is an intrinsic part of my divine nature. No matter what I do, I remain forever a 'goddess.'"
Athena spoke with cool elegance, as if, after mustering the courage to voice her desires and truly sharing an intimate relationship with Roy, she had reverted to her proud, divine self—no longer as hesitant and shy as she had been the day before.
Only then did Roy notice the numerous dried bloodstains on Athena's body, the sheer volume making it seem as though she had just gone through her menstrual cycle.
"Doesn't... this hurt?"
Roy frowned, asking with concern.
Athena gave Roy a puzzled look. With her wisdom, she quickly deduced what he was thinking and burst into laughter. The corners of her eyes lifted, revealing a hint of allure, as if her body had suddenly matured.
Seeing the playful glint in Athena's eyes, Roy's mind wavered momentarily. The day before, Athena had still been petite in stature, but after Roy returned the Gorgon Stone to her, she had regained her mature, Trinity goddess appearance. Now, her figure could shift freely between that of a refined lady and a youthful girl.
"I am the Goddess of War, this mere pain is almost like an itch to me, and blood loss cannot kill a woman—it only makes her stronger... Roy, your concern is truly unnecessary, but I am still delighted by your care. At the very least, you've made me believe you are not a heartless and ungrateful man. Now I have no doubts about entrusting my most precious and important thing to you."
Though Athena's current appearance was childish, her words carried remarkable maturity.
Roy took a deep breath, closing his eyes to sense the new presence within his soul. Beyond the joy Athena had brought him, there was also something called "wisdom" and "knowledge."
Athena was indeed the Goddess of Wisdom, the most iconic symbol of intellect in this world. Just like her strongest killing move, the Sword of Wisdom, it wasn't actually one of her divine authorities. Instead, it was a secret magic she had condensed from her own knowledge and wisdom.
Theoretically, even an ordinary magician should be able to wield the Sword of Wisdom. In other words, Athena possessed the ability to empower mortals with the knowledge to slay gods.
Of course, this was only in theory—after all, no ordinary magus would have the knowledge or mana required to activate such a secret technique.
Even so, it proved just how vast Athena's wisdom and knowledge truly were.
Now that Roy had acquired Athena's knowledge, many of his unanswered questions were effortlessly resolved. Though Athena's wisdom couldn't compare to Yahweh's divine wisdom bestowed upon Solomon, with the sheer volume of knowledge he had gained from her, Roy now had a deeper understanding of Solomon's human wisdom.
In fact, Roy could now wield the Sword of Wisdom himself. This technique was immensely powerful, making it one of his new trump cards. Unlike divine authorities, it was a killing move forged purely from wisdom and knowledge—a blade capable of annihilating even gods with ease!
Not only had he gained a goddess, but he had also acquired such knowledge and wisdom. For Roy, this was nothing short of an overwhelming windfall.
Yet, he still had some doubts. "...Why did you do this, Athena? I don't sense any particularly strong emotions from you. That's why, though I've long been interested in you, I've never crossed any lines."
Indeed, Athena was different from Erica and the others, whose devotion to Roy bordered on self-sacrifice. She might have harbored some feelings for him, but they weren't as deep as one might imagine. After all, Athena was a god, not a human. Her humanity wasn't as pronounced, nor was she as easily swayed by emotions as mortals.
"Honestly, the first thing you ask after claiming a woman is this? Not very mature of you. Are you implying that I don't love you, complaining that I gave myself to you too easily? ...But I'll forgive you, foolish man. Remember this, Roy—I am Athena. Do not compare me to mortals. For me, even the slightest flicker of emotion toward you is already an immense fortune on your part."
"...I firmly believe that once this flicker exists, one day, I will entrust all my emotions to you. So what difference does it make whether it happens sooner or later? Besides, you are about to face my greatest enemy. If you fail because you lacked my knowledge and wisdom, that is an outcome the Goddess of Wisdom cannot accept."
"That is why I gave myself to you—why I bestowed upon you my wisdom and knowledge. If you still fail, even if you fall into the underworld, I will never forgive you!"
Athena glared at Roy, her tone lofty and dignified, yet contradicting her words was the sweet smile on her beautiful face.
Roy looked Athena up and down with a grin and asked, "...From what you're saying, this isn't just a one-time transaction, but means I can make any request of you afterward?"
"Greedy Demon King, it seems I've made you reluctant to leave. But the fact that you could make me develop feelings for you is praiseworthy indeed. If you wish, I can give you everything—until the day you make me entrust all my emotions to you and fall deeply in love!"
Athena let out a tinkling laugh.
Roy licked his lips shamelessly and said, "...Then next time, could you take on a half-human, half-serpent form? Since you're a trinity goddess, yesterday I only saw your dual aspect. I want to know more of you."
Though Roy spoke sincerely, Athena's expression darkened. A vein throbbed on her forehead as she stared at his shameless face, her cheeks flushing red. Looking at him was like looking at a pervert, and she nearly drew her blade to cut him down right then and there.
***
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