There were still ten minutes left before the opening of the commemoration ceremony, yet no one could deny that the arrival of Zeus, the absolute ruler of Olympus, marked the imminent beginning.
The twelve principal gods, seated in the guest section on the podium, all rose to greet Zeus’s descent.
Even Athena, who had been speaking with Nike down by the stage, hurried up to the podium upon Zeus’s appearance.
Zeus, the king of Olympus,
and Athena, the heroine of the commemoration event,
the two gods met and shook hands.
“Father. I am deeply grateful you’ve come to celebrate this day with us.”
“Hmm. So you’ve been well?”
“Yes. The medicinal herbs and agricultural produce that Father sends us every time have kept both me and my army always in good health.”
Above the podium hovered a translucent mist, resembling a snowball, circling around the gods, seemingly amplifying Zeus’s voice throughout the gathering hall.
After exchanging brief pleasantries with Athena, Zeus stood before the lectern with a weighty step equal to his immense presence, looking down at the gathering crowd of citizens.
Scanning the crowd with his head turning from side to side, for the briefest moment, not even a second, Zeus’s gaze met mine, but his expression remained stoically neutral.
He then spread his arms wide, causing his cape to flutter as he began to speak calmly.
“Proud gods of Olympus, and you citizens who revere us!”
“Today is a truly glorious day of victory commemorations. But what are we celebrating? What victory?”
In response to Zeus’s thundering roar, all the citizens raised their hands, shouting “Defeat of the Gigantes!”
Zeus raised his own hand high in response to the fervor of the people.
“Very good! We celebrate the brave gods and humans who have overcome the Gigantes! Today, we extol their achievements!”
“Do you recall this year’s attack by remnants of the Gigantes on the Mountain of the Gods?”
“One must feel uneasy about the ever-evolving and increasing threat from the Gigantes remnants.”
“But who is Athena? My proud daughter, and the invincible Goddess of War! She stands before you, ready to face down the enemy first. To Athena, let us grant the glory of today and tomorrow.”
A thunderous applause then erupted from the citizens.
Realizing Athena’s overwhelming power, Zeus continued,
“Therefore, I, the sovereign here, wish to give my illustrious daughter, Athena, an extraordinary gift. That is none other than the release of Athena’s mother, Metis!”
“Metis was sentenced to an indefinite confinement due to past great mistakes. However, henceforth, I forgive her transgressions and restore her place among us in this world.”
No one here knows the exact details why Metis was trapped within Zeus’s body.
And certainly, no one would dare voice these secrets aloud and risk the wrath of Zeus.
I had been watching Athena’s face rather than Zeus’s ever since Metis’s name was raised.
Given Athena’s composed demeanor, it was apparent that Zeus and Athena had already conferred in private.
Indeed, it seemed a pre-determined script.
Zeus, like Hera, is a deity who values formality and appearances.
He made sure his actions and words were recorded in history as a clean and noble gift to Athena.
“Hephaestus.”
Zeus called his son as he took a folding chair forward to the lectern.
Upon being summoned, Hephaestus appeared with a nail and a hammer prepared beforehand. He promptly approached Zeus and pressed the nail against Zeus’s forehead.
Though most citizens were shocked by the bizarre interaction, I already understood the meaning: this was to crack Zeus’s head open to extract Metis as described in the original texts.
The sharp nail positioned centrally on Zeus’s brow, Hephaestos struck it precisely with his hammer.
“Clang!”
A sound reminiscent of a large bell resonated around the podium. The mark made by the nail turned into a hole, followed by a spinning black hole that absorbed everything around it.
And amidst this whirling vortex, a small light was emitted.
The light danced around the podium like a butterfly before faintly falling to the floor.
Swiftly, the faint light expanded into the form of a human-sized figure.
Realizing immediately that this was her mother Metis, Athena waved at someone below the platform.
“Nike! Bring blankets and a stretcher!”
“Yes, Lady Athena!”
Spreading her snow-white wings, Nike soared swiftly into the sky, heading directly to the temple.
Meanwhile, the blue light from Zeus’s brow was gradually losing intensity and started to take the shape of a goddess.
When the light flashed like a camera flash,
Metis appeared naked and was received with open arms by her desperate daughter Athena.
“Mother! Mother! … Mom!!”
Despite Athena’s heartfelt cries, Metis, trembling like a newborn chick breaking out of its shell, was unable to open her eyes.
Bowing her upper body, Athena shielded Metis from the eyes of others.
“First let’s find some clothes! Nike! Nike! Are you taking too long?”
Since Nike was taking longer than expected, Athena fidgeted with nervousness over what to do next.
At that moment, a large cloak big enough to cover the sky and the sun descended gently like a breeze and settled on Metis’s body.
“Congratulations, Athena.”
“Father…”
“To you, this is the true gift I wanted to give.”
“Father… I—”
Before Athena could finish, Zeus opened a space tear and stepped into it, disappearing immediately.
The other gods of Olympus, noticing Zeus’s sudden departure right after his speech, seemed somewhat disconcerted.
It was customary for them to remain until the very end of the commemoration ceremony.
The high gods exchanged glances silently as they sought opinions from their neighbors seated beside them.
Before they could reach a conclusion, Athena stood up.
With red-shot eyes brimming with tears, Athena gazed at each Olympian god present and slowly began to speak.
“There is no need for you all to be disturbed. Father has his own business that requires his time.”
“Hmm, that’s right. Hehehe, Athena? Well done.”
“Yes, sister, congratulations. I’m sure you’ve had a tough time?”
“Thank you, Lady Hestia. Thank you, Hermes.”
“Hehehe~ Now you can travel and make many good memories with your mother.”
“Aah, of course.”
Hestia and Hermes stepped forward first to congratulate Athena on Metis’s release.
Following their lead, the other gods gradually gathered around Athena to offer their congratulations.
One goddess remained apart.
“Lady Hera…”
“…”
Even after Athena’s call, Hera made no move.
She seemed lost, merely staring at the citizens below the podium.
“Lady Hera—”
Demeter approached to interject but,
Athena waved her off and turned to Hera to say gently,
“Lady Hera. I must first settle my mother Metis in the temple before I return.”
“…”
“At this time, Ark will ascend here to deliver the final speech.”
“…”
“Upon my return, I hope we can laugh together and celebrate this night’s festivities together.”
Athena, familiar with Hera’s mood after overhearing disrespectful whispers from lower-ranked gods before the ceremony, did not expect much of a response and departed immediately with Metis toward the temple.
Before she left the podium, Athena sent me a trusting look, delegating the remaining responsibilities.
Receiving her gaze, I made my way through the cloud of people toward the podium.
After bowing successively to the higher gods at the back of the podium and to the mid and low-ranked gods below it,
I stood proudly on the lectern.
A tiny cloud floated around me, prepared to amplify my voice as Zeus’s had been previously.
The signal to start was given.
Clearing my throat, I surveyed the crowd below.
Their eyes were filled with an expectant look,
that expectation being the reason why I, a mere priest, was permitted to address Athena’s commemorative event.
“First, my deepest gratitude to esteemed Lady Athena for allowing me this platform, to the gods of Olympus, and to the citizens present. Arcturus, a priest of Artemis, humbly acknowledges you all.”
I stepped aside from the lectern and bowed deeply from the waist to the spectators below.
My bow was greeted by the small but growing applause of a young girl seated in the front row, spreading throughout the great city of Athens.
“Thank you. The reason I ascended this lectern today is to make an important declaration.”
“It is no less than the Glory of Hera.”
At the unexpected mention of Hera’s name, murmurs arose from the crowd.
Quickly continuing my speech, I redirected their whispers back to me.
“On this day of Lady Athena’s mother Metis’s release, it’s certainly joyous to see her return.”
“We all have not only a father but also a mother. Sons and daughters… who wish for their children not to toil as they do. They toil under the sun until their hands grow rough, working tirelessly through the night. Yet they always worry about our wellbeing.”
“I love my mother. And I believe all of you do, too.”
“When we grew old enough to understand our mother’s love, our mothers may have already grown old… or may even be no longer with us.”
Mentioning mothers brought a shift in the cheerful expressions of the people celebrating the festival.
The corners of their mouths dropped to their normal positions,
while some who resonated with my words dabbed at their tears and running noses.
“Ah, mother. Those three words are enough to stir our hearts, …mother. I love you. I love you.”
“We all love our father and mother alike. That bond is eternal, isn’t it?”
“Considering what you may have thought when you saw Lady Athena and Metis today, don’t you feel that you may have neglected your own mother simply because she was always by your side?”
Taking a pause, I turned my head to look at Hera.
I gave her a warm smile as I caught her disoriented gaze, then turned back to address the crowd below me.
“Why do our mothers manage so well when we neglect them? Even if they are not our biological mothers, who among us plays the role of a spiritual mother? Who is the one that watches over our homes from afar? Who else but Lady Hera?”
“… …”
“… …”
The audience remained silent.
Their eyes were fixed only on Hera, seated behind me.
Until a young girl from the front row shouted, “Hera!,” prompting others to join in,
“Yes. It’s Lady Hera. Why does the word ‘mother’ make my chest ache so much…”
“The ungrateful cry. Mother…”
Deeper introspection followed the confession, uniting their hearts.
“Hera! Hera!”
“Hera! Hera!”
In unison, they called out to Hera, drawing parallels between Athena and Metis’s moving reunion to Hera’s role as their shared maternal figure.
“You’re right! We have two mothers. The one who gave birth to us, and the spiritual mother who watches over us all, Lady Hera.”
The roaring crowd fell silent at my statement.
This silence was a gesture of consideration not to interrupt my speech.
Touched deeply by their consideration, I spoke with more conviction,
“Therefore, I, the priest Arcturus, declare this manifesto here today.”
I extended my arm skyward, pointing with my index finger.
“And hereby announce the first article.”
I unfurled a large parchment before the lectern so the citizens standing nearby could see it clearly.
“March 15th shall be designated as Mother’s Day! This day is Hera’s Day. On this day, all children should give flowers to their mothers!”
“Wait!”
Just as I was about to continue my impassioned declarations, Hera, who had remained silent until then, interrupted.
“Who gave you the authority? Do you think flattering me will make me waver?”
“Lady Hera.”
I pulled a carnation hidden in my sleeve like a magician revealing a trick, knelt down on one knee, and offered it to her.
“Lady Hera, in place of the Golden Pen that was not presented to you, I offer you this carnation with all my respect.”
“Hmph! Do you think—”
Crash!
At that moment,
The twin gates installed on either side of the podium burst open.
Out poured a colorful swarm of children, each with their own distinct colors, like candies.
Though differing in eyes, nose, and gender, each child held a uniformly red carnation in their tiny right hands.
“Lady Hera!”
“Mother Hera!”
“Mommy!!”
Close to a hundred children stormed the podium like a charge into a toy store.
Using their hands to climb the narrow staircase, they all shared one goal:
Lady Hera herself!
As one of the children stumbled and nearly fell,
“Be careful! She’s about to fall!”
Hera’s maternal instincts kicked in instinctively, and she rushed to catch the child.
“Mother Hera!”
Was it a cunning trap set by the child?
The child held fast to Hera so she couldn’t escape, and the other children started running toward Hera with open arms.
“Wha, what!”
“Lady Hera, take this!”
“Mother’s day, right? Congrats!”
“The carnation looks just like Hera!”
Surrounded by the children, Hera.
Protesting that they were out of control, Hera chuckled but accepted the carnations offered one by one by the children, unable to resist.
Treating each one like a precious treasure, she handled them with care.
In this way, the bitterness that Hera, once infamous for her disdainful grievances toward the world of gods and humans, faded away amidst the innocent joy of the children celebrating her.
At the same time, the blank canvas of Hera’s face gradually filled with the vibrant colors of joyful laughter, just like the colors of the children’s hair.
“Hmph.”
Watching the scene for a moment with satisfaction, I stood up again to continue my unfinished declarations at the lectern.
“To celebrate Lady Athena’s victory and the establishment of Mother’s Day, this year’s soda monopoly rights will be freely transferred to Hera! And tonight, during the festival, soda will be distributed to everyone!”
“Yayyyyyyyyyy!!”
“Metis! Athena!”
“Hera, Hera, Hera!”
The citizens cheered.
And then,
“What is this, What the FXCK!!!!”
