Atop Mount Olympus, standing amidst the gods, Athena quietly listened to the edicts of Zeus.
The sudden change of environment, the different aura of the deities around her—everything was somewhat beyond the Goddess of Wisdom's expectations.
She had merely been probing her own memories, yet she didn't expect such events to occur—especially as the words of Zeus came to an end, Athena noticed that the gaze of the gods seemingly swept over her.
Or more accurately, not just her but also Hera and Aphrodite, only more so directed at her. Realizing this shift, Athena seemed to understand something.
Everything was clearly related to what Zeus had previously stated; his references to the "battlegrounds of the mortal realm, the armies of city-states" must be deeply connected to her and the other two deities, to the extent that all the gods were awaiting their reaction.
As for why more gazes were turned toward her… The Goddess of Wisdom faintly felt that it might be because at this moment, she had become the second only to the Divine King on Mount Olympus.
It wasn't that the gods had become weaker, but rather, she now seemed stronger. At least compared to before, this familiar yet strange body of hers housed a power far greater, almost at the pinnacle of the gods…
Thinking swiftly in her heart, Athena suppressed the inexplicable thoughts and reeled in her dispersed focus. Regardless, no matter how powerful she was now, the Divine King before her was only stronger.
In response to the edict of Zeus, passivity was not advisable, nor was direct confrontation appropriate. Therefore, based on the information she could grasp at present, the goddess made a simple judgment of the situation.
She decided to grant herself more leeway and, for now, deal with the matters at hand. Hence, after a brief silence, the goddess slightly lifted her head, and under the attentive or neglectful gazes of the gods, Athena broke the silence atop Mount Olympus.
"Son of Cronus, sovereign of gods, master of the sky and earth—your power is undeniable, how could any god entertain the thought of challenging you?"
"Nevertheless, I still grieve for the loss and suffering of those beings of wisdom… They are destined to face a tragic fate, their blood to flow in rivers beneath high walls and across the wilderness—and all this could have been avoided."
There was a tinge of sorrow in her tone, and as Athena's compassionate words were spoken, the atmosphere in the hall seemed to ease slightly. At the intersection of the gods' gazes, Zeus too revealed a smile.
Above the Mount of the Gods, the clouds that had gathered due to the will of the Lord of the Thousand Thunders slowly dissipated, symbolizing the change in their master's mood. Gazing at the most radiant among the gods, the Divine King spoke with a smile:
"Do not be disheartened, Tritogeneia (another name for Athena), my most cherished daughter."
"The affairs of the mortal realm will achieve their deserved outcome… My words are not meant as a harsh reprimand. I always bear goodwill towards you."
No one dared to contradict him, and it was only natural, for everyone knew the power of the Divine King, and thus Zeus relaxed his stern expression.
Ever since Poseidon had stirred up a laughable rebellion, the Divine King often employed this method to remind these eternal deities. Now that his will had been carried out once again, the impromptu assembly could come to an end.
Now, it was time for him to descend to the mortal realm to steer the human war towards the outcome he desired.
Indeed, Zeus had forbidden the gods, but not himself. He had his own personal reasons for issuing such a decree. However, just as the Divine King was about to summon his chariot, a streak of light crossing the distant horizon suddenly caught his attention.
"Hmm—Hermes, what brings you here?"
Surprised, the Divine King paused his steps. His gaze turned beyond the Mount of the Gods, and swiftly, that figure rapidly entered the perception of the deities.
Standing aside, Athena silently observed this scene—another god she had not seen before. Hermes… The goddess silently noted the name.
After a while, as the streak of light descended to the ground, a youthful deity with the appearance of a young man appeared before the gods. A hint of irreverent amusement played at the corners of his mouth, making him seem like a cunning and clever individual.
His gaze flicked over the gods and settled on the Divine King, and then he made a slight gesture to his chest.
"Respectful King of All Gods, my formidable father, just as you commanded: I have honored your decree and conveyed the gods' non-interventionist oracle to the mortal realm."
There was a slight pause in his tone as he discreetly observed the expressions of the gods before continuing:
"But as I was preparing to return, Your Majesty, an unexpected situation arose in the city of Troy in the mortal realm."
"A strange deity attacked the city guards and ignored your orders. Even in the end, according to the humans present, he declared that he would come to Olympus, to this dwelling place of the gods, to witness your unmatched power."
In the original myths, the Wind Gods were not Zeus's confidantes. In contrast, as a son of the Divine King, ruling over travel, thievery, and eloquence, Hermes was the messenger of the gods. And prior to this, he was the one who had delivered Zeus's oracle to the humans.
Now, he also brought back this unexpected news. Moreover, he didn't express any 'personal opinions' as before; this time, Hermes stated the situation truthfully, without mixing in any other thoughts.