"You are too modest, Prince Iapetus," said the centaur, bending respectfully to the ancient deity, "Although your fame is not prominent, all who are versed in the tales know the grandeur of what you and your progeny have accomplished. Even if ten thousand years pass, their deeds shall never be effaced."
Within the luxurious manor, the servants had already departed.
The centaur bowed deeply, paying homage to the old divinity.
It was unexpected, a mere whim had led to an encounter with a Titan of the old era, and Chiron could scarcely believe the surreal moment.
As for his words just now, he was not merely flattering. After all, though the God of Speech had never possessed great strength, to the creatures of the world, he and his offspring were truly a part of the Creator Family.
From proposing the creation of life in the Golden Age, visiting the Spirit Realm, to aiding Mother Earth in creating life during the Silver Age.
The Bronze Age was universally known; the renown of Prometheus still circulated among humans to this day.
And in the fourth generation of humanity, Iapetus had not been left behind.
Deucalion and Pyrrha, who had given birth to a new race by casting stones, called him grandfather. Though they were no longer immortal deities, their bloodline connection remained unbroken.
From this perspective, the God of Speech's ties with the created beings were indeed unusually close—of course, his poor relationship with the Divine King was just as notable.
In the time of the first Divine King, Uranus was the common enemy of he and his brothers; during the second Divine King, he went against Cronus' orders to partake in the creation of the Silver Generation.
Now, under Zeus's rule, none of his wives, sons, or daughters were neglected.
This strange 'fate' was easily overlooked when not considered.
But once tied together, it left any observer in silence.
It was unclear whether it was the inherent conflict with kings or a natural affinity with created beings... However, Chiron felt that although it was their first meeting, Iapetus was still trustworthy.
No one suspected this deity would side with Zeus; at worst, he would simply refuse.
"...So this is the dilemma I face, respected Titan."
"My student has been captured by the War God, and his life hangs by a thread—though he has committed the sin of impiety, it was an unintentional fault."
"Furthermore, Achilles shows no disrespect to deities beyond Olympus, especially the sage who stole heavenly fire, one whom he greatly admires."
Pleading earnestly, the centaur did his best to speak well of Achilles.
However, to Iapetus, these were futile efforts.
No mortal can lie in front of the God of Speech, at least not Chiron.
Without showing emotion, he was able to discern truth from exaggeration and lies.
The demigod named Achilles may indeed have respected some deities, but that certainly did not include him.
As for Prometheus... perhaps merely as 'a fine god'.
Nevertheless, Iapetus did not expose this.
If he did not wish to assist, he would not change his mind based on whether a mortal respected him or not, and vice versa.
As for whether he was willing to help... to Iapetus, the key to this matter did not lie in Achilles, nor in Chiron or himself.
Whether the mortal could survive was entirely up to Zeus and the other Primordial Deities.
The Divine King's intentions were becoming clearer, even he could see the signs, how could the Primordial Gods not know?
So on this matter, only one question remained.
Who was unwilling to see Zeus unite the Mortal Realm and who chose to turn a blind eye?
And faced with potential resistance, how would Zeus respond?
He sighed with a sense of helplessness.
If possible, he had no desire to become involved in such matters.
However, his sons had attracted a considerable amount of hatred, and Zeus could not tolerate his leisure any longer.
With no path of retreat, it was best to take the initiative and probe the situation to see who played their pieces and who merely watched.
By then, he would not mind returning to his old profession, aligning with the right side, and becoming an envoy who persuades the gods.
"...Chiron, I too regret the difficulty you are facing."
"But as you know, I do not flaunt my power among the gods, thus I cannot assist you directly."
"However, having lived for many years, I can indeed offer some help in certain matters."
Once the decision was made, Iapetus no longer hesitated.
To test the outcome was most appropriate at the start.
Thus, the God of Speech gestured, and a map floated from within the house.
A warm, enduring strength emanated from it.
Bathed in this force felt like basking in the springtime sun.
"This is a secret passage in Mount Olympus that leads directly to the Temple of the Sun God." Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire
"Its creator was the former Sun God, Helios; as for why he built it... I do not know."
To claim ignorance was surely a lie, for in truth, Iapetus knew all too well.
Long ago, he was aware of his wife, Clymene, the Goddess of Renown, secretly meeting with Helios.
But at that time, their rendezvous points were typically above the ocean deep.
Home to the Oceanides and Clymene's most familiar territory.
Countless marine lives could pass messages for her, keeping her secrets concealed... Yet Clymene thought herself well-hidden, though Iapetus had known all along.