Karl sat upon the throne within the sealed castle of the Shadow World, quietly enjoying a rare moment of peace.
Before him stood two of the most revered figures of the Olympian pantheon.
One was Hera, former Queen of Olympus and wife of Zeus.
The other was Gaia, the ancient Earth Mother, one of the primordial beings who predated much of the Greek pantheon itself.
In Karl's previous life, such figures had existed only in mythology and comic-book lore. Yet now they stood beside him, attending to him personally.
The grand hall remained silent except for the soft rustle of clothing and the distant sounds of fountains outside the castle.
Karl closed his eyes and relaxed.
Meanwhile, Hera and Gaia occasionally found their gazes drifting toward him.
Both women felt emotions they struggled to understand.
As goddesses who had lived for countless years, they had witnessed heroes, kings, gods, and cosmic entities alike. Yet none of them had ever affected them the way Karl did.
The feeling was unfamiliar.
Dangerous.
And increasingly difficult to suppress.
Their hearts beat faster whenever they stood near him.
Even they found it difficult to understand.
This was, after all, the man who had destroyed Olympus and slain Zeus.
Yet every time they saw him, the resentment they believed they should feel seemed to weaken.
Karl could naturally sense everything.
As a mid-stage Single-Universe-level being possessing the powers of the Mind Stone, Soul Stone, and Self Stone, hiding emotions from him was nearly impossible.
He could clearly tell that their reactions were genuine.
That was what made the situation so interesting.
To outsiders, their behavior would seem incomprehensible.
Yet Karl found it strangely amusing that two of the highest-ranking goddesses of the Greek pantheon had developed such complicated feelings toward him.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Neither woman noticed.
Their attention remained entirely focused on him.
After some time, Hera slowly moved to Karl's side.
Gaia followed shortly afterward.
The two goddesses continued their efforts to make him comfortable, acting with a level of care that would have shocked the remaining Olympians.
Karl finally opened his eyes.
The moment their gazes met, both Hera and Gaia froze slightly.
A faint blush appeared on Hera's face.
Even Gaia, who had witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations long before Olympus existed, found herself looking away.
Karl observed them quietly.
Then he raised a hand and gently touched each of their cheeks.
The reaction was immediate.
Neither woman withdrew.
Instead, they unconsciously leaned closer.
The atmosphere in the hall became increasingly strange.
Neither goddess seemed willing to break the silence.
Karl simply watched their reactions with interest.
To him, the proud Queen of Olympus and the ancient Earth Mother now seemed far removed from the legendary figures described throughout the cosmos.
At that moment, they appeared more like ordinary women struggling with emotions they could not fully control.
Unknown to them, two other figures had arrived outside the hall.
Persephone.
And Aphrodite.
The Queen of the Underworld stared through the partially opened doorway with disbelief.
Her entire worldview seemed to have been overturned.
The women before her were Hera and Gaia.
Two of the most respected figures in the Greek pantheon.
Yet the way they looked at Karl was unmistakable.
Persephone found it difficult to comprehend.
Aphrodite, however, remained far calmer.
As the Goddess of Love, Beauty, and Desire, she understood such emotions better than anyone.
One glance was enough.
She immediately realized what had happened.
Hera and Gaia had already been conquered—not through force, but through emotions neither of them had expected to develop.
A thoughtful look appeared in Aphrodite's eyes.
As one of Olympus's most beautiful goddesses, she had never been known for blind loyalty.
Throughout Olympian history, she had always pursued her own desires.
Now she found herself studying the man seated upon the throne.
Young.
Handsome.
Powerful enough to destroy an entire divine pantheon.
Powerful enough to make even primordial beings submit.
A dangerous curiosity began to form within her heart.
Meanwhile, Karl had already noticed both observers.
He made no attempt to expose them.
Instead, his gaze briefly swept over Persephone and Aphrodite before returning to Hera and Gaia.
That small glance did not escape Aphrodite's notice.
Something flickered within her eyes.
As for Persephone, she simply stood frozen.
Looking at Hera and Gaia, she suddenly felt as though the proud Queen of Olympus and the ancient Earth Mother she once knew had completely disappeared.
...
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