Just as he said, Zeus knew that the God of West Wind was merely offering flattering words, but he still felt very pleased.
After all, no other gods ever spoke to him like that, especially those with power greater than intermediate divine power. In this light, Zephyrus suddenly stood out.
And so, as they engaged in casual conversation, time ticked away. It wasn't until the night began to fade, and the sun peeked out with a faint glow in the east, that Zeus finally remembered some serious business he had to attend to.
He didn't summon Zephyrus today just to listen to his flattery—although it indeed made him quite happy—he actually had another important matter.
"Zephyrus, my most trusted subordinate, you have always been loyal to me."
"So now, I have a task for you to complete."
His eyes slightly narrowed, Zeus's expression became formal. Beside him, the God of West Wind immediately stated:
"Your Majesty, as long as it's within my capabilities, I will certainly get it done for you."
"Of course, you can do it... Zephyrus, you have quite a number of believers, right?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, thanks to your blessings, every god in Olympus has their own believers."
Not sure what Zeus meant, but acknowledging the obvious fact, Zephyrus nodded in agreement.
"Yes, everyone has them, it seems like anyone could try, but they're not as obedient as you."
Shaking his head slightly, Zeus did not wish to dwell on this. He believed that time and shared interests would gradually change everything. For now, he needed to establish these shared interests.
By that time, perhaps many of the Titans and deities who he currently had no way with would voluntarily join his camp without the need of coercion.
"Zephyrus, do you know that in recent years, as gods gain more understanding about humans' faith, each of them has developed their own ways to garner belief. But in my view, it all comes down to two expressions: the fear of the unknown and the yearning for the beautiful."
"A precise exposition, Your Majesty."
Zephyrus complimented again, while Zeus simply waved his hand and continued:
"As gods, it is very easy for us to instill fear in mortals. But if we wish for them to yearn, it's not that simple. That's why not long ago, I created a world on Mount Olympus, attempting to solve our dilemma."
With a change in expression, the God of West Wind almost couldn't contain his shock. Creating a world within Mount Olympus, a feat that had gone unnoticed by others, is this the power of the Divine King?
"Don't be so surprised, it's not that difficult a task... But Zephyrus, the task I want you to do is also related to that place."
Appearing quite casual, Zeus naturally claimed the existence of Asgard as his own achievement, readily accepting the admiration from his subordinate. Now that place had already been cleared by him, showing no sign of previous inhabitants, so Zeus wasn't afraid of anyone discovering its truth.
But what he wanted to discuss wasn't this issue, rather it was something else.
Early in the exploration of this otherworldly divine kingdom, despite most of it having been destroyed, Zeus still found an existence with some utility. It seemed to be a place where Odin's lingering thoughts had once dwelled, and it revealed itself with the disappearance of these remnants.
That place was called 'Hall of Valor' by the original residents of the divine kingdom, and through the murals in the palace, Zeus also learned of its former use.
As its name implies, this palace was where the deity race of Asgard once nurtured human heroic spirits, possessing the capability to nourish and maintain the spirit. So although the number of heroic spirits it could retain wasn't high, if carefully selected, each could have extraordinary combat prowess.
However, what Zeus needed was not a few capable heroic spirits; what he truly wanted to learn was how these heroic spirits were created. But some things remain a mystery, and they do not clarify simply because one's power is greater. Thus, Zeus ultimately failed to learn that technique, managing only to grasp a surface-level understanding.
Initially, the Divine King was somewhat disappointed, and he even thought of Metis—if she were still alive, she probably could decipher the secret of the heroic spirits. But it wasn't long before Themis left Olympus, that Zeus suddenly realized that perhaps this cursory knowledge was far more valuable than the real heroic spirits.
He did not lack some fighters; they held no real value for him.
"Zephyrus, in the world that I have created, I bestowed upon it a special rule. There, the souls of life after death can live as they did before—the only difference is, you can use divine power to materialize everything mortals desire, easily fulfilling all their dreams without expending too much strength."
"Just like the sun." Pointing to the distant rising red sun, Zeus said with a smile, "People just have to look up to see it."
"And a Perfect Realm, a kingdom belonging to the gods, is likewise something that mortals aspire to."
"...Your Majesty, so are you intending to prevent souls from returning to the Spirit Realm, to break the cycle of reincarnation?"
With a hint of hesitation in his tone, standing behind Zeus, Zephyrus easily understood the implications of Zeus's words.
What perfect realm? Isn't that just like the Divine Kingdom that the Goddess of Law supposedly established in the Spirit Realm?
When the existence of the afterlife kingdom created by Themis's followers spread among humans, who knows how many believers it attracted to her. Thus, of course, it's a good thing; it can certainly deepen mortals' faith, but it also invites disaster.