Fate: I Heard After Death, You Can Ascend to the Throne of Heroes?

(Words: 2308)

N-No way...

"Lady Hera, are you saying...?" Promise's voice trembled, and he couldn't even bring himself to voice the suspicion in his heart.

Seeing his shaken state, Hera simply smiled, and even revealed an expression radiating satisfaction, as though she had been waiting for this moment for a very long time.

"It seems you and she are truly the only ones who haven't realized it yet."

Hera continued, "But, child, it's been obvious for a long time. I've always been watching you, and so, naturally, I noticed how she started to change because of you. Especially... after that oracle on Mount Olympus, when you shot that arrow at her."

Because from that day forward, Athena's perfect purity had been shattered by Promise's own hand.

"And, when you look back through history, can you name even one other man she has cared for as much as you or treated with such regard?"

At Hera's pointed question, Promise couldn't help but instinctively try to argue. "But, Lady Hera, that's only because I'm her follower. Everything I've achieved was made possible by her guidance—"

Hera interrupted him with a look of exasperated affection.

"If that's all it was," She said softly, "then why, when your story reached its perfect ending and you departed, did she look as though she had lost everything?"

Promise fell silent for a while, the memory of that final scene replaying vividly in his mind—Athena holding him in her arms, tears streaming down her face.

After a long pause, he finally lowered his head and muttered, "I never thought things would turn out this way."

"When I left, I told her everything. I thought that with her personality, knowing the truth would only amuse her, and she wouldn't actually feel sad because of it. And..."

"And in the future, she'd find you again, right?"

Hera's amber eyes glimmered with a teasing light as she looked at Promise. "See? Deep down in your heart, you still hoped she would find you again, didn't you?"

Promise didn't say anything else.

He wasn't slow-witted, but for certain reasons, he had never thought in that direction before.

Now, however, Hera's words had awakened him, and suddenly everything made sense.

For instance, why the Goddess of Fate had insisted that Promise tell Athena the truth before leaving.

"Wait, if that's the case... you all knew, didn't you?"

Promise froze for a moment, realization dawning on him as he looked back at Hera.

The latter's smile widened, the corners of her lips curling mischievously. "She's supposed to be the wisest of all the gods, but... when it comes to this, she's so clueless that even I find it cute."

"...But, Goddess Hera, there's still one thing I don't understand."

Promise hesitated, carefully choosing his words as he looked at her.

Seeing his expression, Hera already understood what he wanted to ask.

"Yes, I don't particularly like her."

In front of Promise, the noble and proud goddess showed surprising gentleness and honesty.

But then again, this wasn't much of a secret.

Not to mention, Athena's very existence, which was a thorn for Hera.

Born of Zeus and his first wife, Metis—the original Goddess of Wisdom—Athena was not only powerful but also beautiful and supremely intelligent.

All of this naturally fueled Hera's jealousy.

And then there was the fact that Athena had caused her trouble more than once.

Now, on top of it all, Athena had even "stolen" Hera's favorite follower.

How could she possibly like her?

"But what can I do? She's clueless, and my adorable child is just as clueless,"

As she spoke, Hera's gaze softened, though there was a trace of amusement lingering as she looked at Promise. "And to make my child happy, even if I don't like her, I can only endure it. Besides… to be honest, this whole thing is actually quite entertaining."

The mood suddenly shifted as Hera's smile turned playful. "That's why all of us chose to stay silent and tacitly agree, just to see how things would unfold between you two ."

To see what kind of amusing chaos might arise.

When Hera said this, all of Promise's lingering doubts vanished.

Because, yes, this was exactly the kind of thing they would do.

"Wait a moment."

Promise frowned, sensing something wasn't right. "Goddess Hera, you said Athena didn't realize it at first. But now... are you saying—wait! Don't tell me!"

Hera blinked innocently at him, but the slight upward curve of her lips betrayed her.

As his mouth twitched and his increasingly flustered eyes stared at her, shw finally said, "Oh, about that... I wouldn't know."

Who are you trying to fool?!

Could you at least hide her "ready-to-watch-the-drama-unfold" expression a little better?!

Thud.

With a light tap, Hera knocked Promise on the head and spoke with a bright smile, "It's impolite to be disrespectful to your goddess. Don't forget, I'm the Queen of the Gods."

Holding his head, Promise stared at her with a sense of bleak despair.

Because now, he finally understood the meaning behind Hecate's cryptic words not too long ago.

No wonder she said that in the fated future she saw, he was always being "strangled by the neck."

When he pressed her for specifics, she only smiled mischievously and refused to elaborate.

Love...

So this was it, wasn't it?!

No matter how cautious he had been, he still hadn't seen this coming.

In the end, he was bound to be "strangled by the neck." The only difference was that the one holding the leash had shifted from Artemis, the Moon Goddess, to Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom. Right?!

Wait, no! Hold on a second!

Suddenly realizing something critical, Promise didn't care about propriety anymore.

Smack!

Before Hera could react, he grabbed her delicate hands, bent down, and looked up at her with an expression filled with complex emotions.

"Ah, beautiful and gentle Queen Hera, I praise you. You are so noble, like the dawn tearing through the darkness—radiant and dazzling. Therefore... gentle Goddess Hera, surely you'll protect me, won't you?"

Hera was stunned for a moment.

"...Hmm wait, let me think this through." She paused, her amber eyes narrowing slightly before a light of understanding flashed through them. "Oh, I see. You're worried I'll tell Athena about seeing you here, aren't you?"

After all, having been Promise's goddess for so long, Hera could still follow his erratic thought process.

Seeing Promise's hopeful face, his eyes shining with anticipation like a pleading kitten, Hera almost gave in.

Well..if it were any other request, she'd surely have agreed without hesitation.

But for this matter...

Hera barely suppressed her laughter, blinked at Promise with an innocent look on her face: "Oh, my dear child, so this is a part of your true nature, hmm? You're quite adorable, you know."

"But I'm sorry. It's not that I don't want to help you, but... have you forgotten something?

She is the Goddess of Wisdom.

While your little Goddess of Fate has been helping you, keeping something like this hidden from Athena... well, that's quite difficult."

"And here's another fact for you."

When Promise' whole body stiffened, Hera gently pulled her hand out and couldn't help but touch his head again.

"The truth is, the Argo's voyage was her idea in the first place. It was she who told me Jason would meet you in the future, and at the same time... it was she who informed me that I would see you today."

She knew everything.

After all, when Athena got serious, not even a Goddess of Fate could completely block her all-seeing gaze.

Unless the ancient Goddess of Night, Nyx, intervened to shield everything, but... well, Nyx was probably off in a corner somewhere, grinning from ear to ear, eating melons and grass with Pegasus and the others.

So, you mean she's been watching me this entire time?

Promise's thoughts froze as he stared blankly at Hera.

Now that he knew the truth, though surprised, he wasn't entirely shocked.

Still... in this moment, his eyes grew vacant.

Question: If Athena knew everything, why hasn't she appeared yet?

Answer: It's the calm before the storm.

And knowing Athena's personality, the longer she delayed her appearance, the more devastating the storm would be when it hit!

"Goddess Hera, perhaps... perhaps you should all just consider me dead."

Promise genuinely felt that dying might have been the better option.

A few days ago, regarding the matter of Ishtar and Ereshkigal, Promise had been sneering at Hecate's words and didn't care.

But now that he thought about it...it turned out that girl knew everything, so she was looking at him with pity at that ime!

Promise was a little scared.

He was terrified that the moment he stepped outside, Athena would be waiting for him with a sweet smile, holding a set of divine chains forged by Hephaestus herself.

Then, no matter how much he struggled, she'd bind his hands and feet, slap a collar on his neck, and—

Wait, no! Why is my imagination running wild?!

Shaking his head furiously, Promise once again turned to face Hera, who was laughing so hard she was almost in tears and his expression became one of grievance and indignation, as he exclaimed, "Goddess Hera, how can you still laugh at this? You claim I'm your favorite child, but right now, you're clearly persecuting me!"

"But all I did was tell you the truth," Hera replied, barely containing her laughter. "The situation you're in now isn't my doing—it's entirely your own making."

"...Goddess Hera, you're not actually Hera, are you? You're Hestia in disguise!" Promise accused, narrowing his eyes.

"Of course not." Hera turned her head slightly, a faint smirk on her face. "Although, before I came here, Hestia did speak to me about this. She asked me to help her get a little revenge on you..."

No wonder she's this devious...

Promise stared at Hera, feeling a bit speechless.

His accusatory gaze, however, had no effect on the Queen of the Gods.

If anything, it only made her laugh harder.

And she couldn't deny that seeing Promise's helpless, about-to-cry expression, it felt as if all the resentment she had harbored up until now had been swept away instantly.

Maybe she knew this would happen, that's why Hestia, the eldest sister, had come to her with this request—though Hera suspected Hestia's desire for revenge was also genuine.

After all, during Promise's last prank, even the ever-gentle Hestia had been so furious that she'd seriously considered shoving Athena into the abyss.

But since Hera wasn't Hestia, she eventually relented under Promise's pitiful gaze.

She stopped teasing him and smiled warmly. "My child, I think you've already decided where you'll go next, haven't you?"

"...Yes."

Promise nodded.

After a moment of hesitation, he smiled wryly and said, "It's actually because of that decision that I've always been afraid you'd all be disappointed in me. That's why I wanted the old me to die in front of you back then."

"Because what I'm about to do is the complete opposite of what I sought before. I no longer yearn for a grand, glorious ending. Instead, I'll struggle and fight just to stay alive."

Promise's next destination was Chaldea, and his motive was to stop the incineration of humanity.

Such a mission was indeed the opposite of his actions during the Age of Gods in Greece.

Back then, he had sought death.

Now, he would fight to survive.

Hearing this, Hera said nothing further.

However, her gaze remained soft and gentle, filled with pride.

After all, the very fact that Promise was standing before her again meant he was no longer lost.

"It seems this will be another long journey,"

As a goddess, especially the Queen of the Gods, Hera glimpsed fragments of the future the moment Promise spoke.

"Yes... I just hope this journey can satisfy her and ease her anger, even a little." Promise sighed heavily and spoke with a sorrowful expression.

Hera chuckled and then asked with a curious smile, "Now that you've set out on your new journey, when do you plan to visit your little Goddess of Fate?"

"Hmm?" Promise looked at Hera with confusion upon hearing her words.

"She's special," Hera said with a meaningful smile. "As long as you wish to see her, she will appear before you."

"Like Goddess Hecate?" Promise asked reflexively.

Hearing this, however, Hera froze for a moment, her amber eyes narrowing slightly in confusion. "Hecate… you've already met her?"

Promise fell silent.

He felt like he'd accidentally thrown Hecate under the bus again.

Wait… again?

Oh, right.

Now that he thought about it, she seemed to know everything and had the unique ability to appear in the modern world without issue…

Is this the privilege of being a creator of magic in the Type-Moon world?

In Greek mythology, the very concept of magic was created by Hecate.

Hera did not ask any further questions when she saw this, but just took note of it secretly.

"And what about when this journey of yours finally comes to an end?"

After all, every journey must eventually come to an end.

Promise lifted his gaze, meeting the expectant look in Hera's eyes as he smiled and shared the conclusion he had already decided upon. "When my journey truly ends, I'll let everything written in history become a reality."

In Greek mythology, Promise was remembered as the God of Painting.

On the very first day Promise returned to the modern world, he had visited the Clock Tower's library and read about himself in the historical records.

The records stated that on the day he defeated Typhon, the Primordial Demon King, he was elevated to the ranks of the immortal gods, embraced by all the Olympian deities.

That ending… was the final destination of Promise's journey.