"...I am truly sorry, Your Excellency, but I did not intend to spy. It's just that your skill is so exquisite that I forgot to reveal my form."
Apologizing sincerely, Apollo spoke from the heart. He noticed the other's changing complexion, but the young deity still thought it was due to his own rudeness, making him feel even more embarrassed.
"In fact, I came here specifically to inquire about a matter."
"Your behavior hardly matches your looks, stranger deity. No more excuses, we have nothing to discuss,"
Hephaestus dismissed the apology without a second thought in a cold voice.
Faced with this, Apollo furrowed his brows slightly but, considering his purpose for the visit, he steeled himself.
"I apologize once again for my actions, but Prince Hephaestus, I also hope you can understand my feelings and listen to the injustice I have suffered."
"Before I was born, my Mother Goddess and I were persecuted by the Heavenly Empress, who prevented me from descending to the Mortal Realm so her child could be born before me. Her schemes failed, and I eventually arrived in the Mortal Realm, but this only made her even angrier.
A serpent of immense strength was sent by Hera; it guarded the land and forced my mother, stripped of her divine power, to wander the seas raising me. Now, I must find that serpent to prove to the world that the dignity of the Heavenly Empress is inviolable—but so is Apollo's!"
With a grave expression, Apollo was prepared to be rejected again, but if so, he would have no choice but to seek others who might know of the place.
Unexpectedly, after listening to Apollo's story, Hephaestus's demeanor underwent a subtle change. He glanced at the unfamiliar god and asked for confirmation:
"You mean you were persecuted by the Heavenly Empress, and now you wish to seek retribution?"
"Yes, that is precisely what I intend to do."
Nodding, Apollo didn't know why the other's attitude changed, whether it was his words that had moved him or something else. He chose to approach Hephaestus precisely because, despite being the foster son of the Sea God's daughter, there were rumors that he didn't get along well with the sea gods.
He didn't want his grievances against the Heavenly Empress to be known to the other deities of Olympus prematurely, so Apollo had few to consult. As for his Mother Goddess Leto, she indeed knew where Delphi was, but she insisted her son find that most ancient temple on his own.
"This is a test from your father," she told Apollo. Although the young deity didn't want any tests, he agreed nonetheless.
"Seeking trouble with the Heavenly Empress... interesting, but Apollo, you might not be quite qualified for that,"
After sizing Apollo up, Hephaestus quickly surmised that this was a younger deity than himself. His godhood's strength was still undetermined, but with such feeble divine power, how could he possibly stand against Hera? Even if the Heavenly Empress was not as powerful as the Divine King, after sharing some of Zeus's authority, she remained a formidable goddess.
"So I come seeking a piece of information, Prince Hephaestus. I want to know where Delphi is located, for there lies both the whereabouts of that serpent and a means for me to gain strength."
Leto had informed Apollo that the serpent that once prevented them from approaching the land now lived on the plains of Delphi, and there, his father had left treasures for him. Apollo harbored doubts about the father he had never met, but he still believed the words of his mother.
"It sounds intriguing, and since you aim to vex the Heavenly Empress... I might offer you my help. But in return, you'll have to agree to a condition,"
Indifferent, Hephaestus didn't really care whether Apollo succeeded or not; causing some trouble for that woman was enough. Ever since his arrival, the Heavenly Empress seemed to have forgotten him, and compared to the scorn of other creatures, this was even harder for him to accept.
And facing his request, although Apollo didn't know about the god before him and the Heavenly Empress's past grievances, he accepted earnestly and with visible joy.
"Of course. Should you resolve my quandary today, I too will fulfill my promise when the time comes that you need it. This is Apollo's pledge to you, and I will surely honor it."