All night, I peeled tangerines for my girlfriend to eat.
It was a day no different from being an easily exploited slave, rather than being a boyfriend.
However, the rising sun of the next morning was so dazzling, as if a person who had only lived underground was seeing the ground for the first time.
As if celebrating the arrival in a new world.
Surely, it must be because my emotions are full that everything looks good.
“Good morning!”
My secretary Maia, who looked cheerful in a different way, came to the priest’s office holding an iced Americano in one hand.
Like a nosy neighborhood aunt who heard some interesting story and likes to talk about others,
She kept looking at me with a smirk while moving to her seat.
Despite having a guess, I pretended not to notice while checking the complaints.
“What’s making you so happy that you’re smiling so brightly as you come in, Maia-ssi?”
“There you go again~ after you so courageously rushed to the clocktower!”
Maia pulled her chair closer to me while sitting down,
and poked my cheek with her fingers like she was poking tteok.
“Sorry, but I can’t give you the result of the confession immediately. Not until we know the position of the Olympian gods.”
The fact that I was even trying to gauge the stance of the Olympian gods implied that the confession had ended successfully.
Still, I answered like this because of all the help Maia has given me so far.
Like a doctor who doesn’t tell the gender of the fetus in an OB/GYN but hints by saying ‘the baby looks strong’ or ‘the baby looks pretty’,
She is someone who understands hints, so she would be able to deduce the results from my answer.
However, Maia rather tilted her head with an expression that asked “What are you talking about?”
“Huh? I’m talking about you guys getting together. I already know. I was just going to tease you about peeling tangerines all night…”
“Eh? How does sis know that?”
“That’s… hohoho~”
Realizing she said something she shouldn’t, Maia tried to smooth things over by covering her mouth with her hand and laughing.
“…”
“…”
But a moment of silence quickly filled the office, and an awkward atmosphere enveloped us.
Although Maia remained silent, the person she was pointing to was only one.
Artemis.
“That talkative goddess must have blabbed about everything, right?”
“Haha. Don’t be so angry, Ark. We just happened to talk about it at breakfast this morning.”
Maia’s gentle explanation of the situation.
But I know her tendencies since we’ve mainly talked in the same office.
Let’s interpret Maia’s language:
-Upon seeing Artemis at breakfast, she proudly boasted about treating her boyfriend like a servant last night. Let’s not press this because it would be embarrassing for you.
That’s what it means.
“By the way, sis. How did you know that Artemis and I are dating? This morning?”
“Hoho. Have you forgotten? Hermes came the day of the clocktower confession. Our servant demon showed it live through the bronze bell, remember? It was pretty intense when you went in, puhehe~”
“Auuu…”
As the clear image of that day came back to me, I tightly shut my eyes out of embarrassment.
But hearing the story of that day through a third party’s voice made me realize once again that Artemis and I are truly dating.
“Sis, does anyone among the believers of this temple know about this besides you?”
“Nope, only I know. Of course, we can assume most Olympian gods know.”
“Thank goodness.”
“Kind of. Ark, you do know that this is just the beginning… right?”
“Yes. That’s why I asked you to send gifts to the gods of each city. We’ll find out as the reply letters arrive from today.”
“I’m still worried though. The only god I can think of who still supports you is Athena.”
“Actually, I feel the same.”
“Haa~ You’ve just started to get along with Hera and adapt to life here, but I don’t know if you’re not being sucked into the whirlwind of storms again.”
“Hahaha. Let’s keep a positive attitude. I also have to do my best to protect this happiness.”
I eased her worries with laughter.
But I, too, was deeply worried about the situation, being like being on thin ice.
Most of all, the defection of the gods who supported me was my biggest concern.
As for the gods who disliked me, it’s only one more reason for them to hate me anyway.
“Ark, why don’t you try writing it down?”
“Huh? Write what?”
“There are many gods, but let’s list the Twelve Olympians and see who’s on your side and who’s on my side. Then we can think of the worst case scenario and prepare for it, right?”
“Hmm…”
It’s a valid suggestion.
Secretary Maia has also become quite good at presenting my rational thinking algorithm while working with me.
There’s a saying, “Strike while the iron is hot.”
I shoved the pile of complaint documents and clutter on the desk aside and spread out a large piece of paper.
Then I started listing the names of Olympian gods on a small piece of paper.
* Priest Ark’s situation after officially dating Artemis.
1. Approve of the relationship.
-Artemis, Athena, Hermes.
2. Oppose the relationship.
-The other 9.
There’s no room for neutrality in this case.
Even Hestia, who was friendly toward me, is a virgin goddess at her core.
Would the Goddess of Purity be happy that Artemis has a boyfriend?
I don’t think so.
In fact, my biggest concern is Zeus and Apollo.
Zeus is Artemis’s father.
He was even the mediator of the Twelve Labors.
And given all the past incidents where Zeus didn’t like me, he might take advantage of this event and provoke a full-scale conflict.
Therefore, Hermes, who is a messenger and stays close to Zeus, even if he secretly supports us,
Won’t be able to openly show his support.
Apollo…
Is the one who schemed to eliminate Orion, with whom Artemis was close.
What more is there to say?
“Dark outlook. It looks even darker now that I wrote it down.”
“Seems like it, huh?”
“Yes. Despite forming friendly relationships with various gods through the Labors, it looks like everything is about to go to waste.”
So fed up with the locked future, I crumpled up the paper with both hands and threw it into the trash can.
Then I stretched and leaned back in my chair with my eyes closed.
“Maia-ssi.”
“Yes?”
“Would any gods view a human who took the Goddess of Purity well?”
“…Ark.”
Unable to find a proper answer, her spirits sagged at my self-deprecating question.
This was proof that Maia, too, clearly saw the grim future ahead.
Now that Artemis is freed from the wishes bound by the oath of the River Styx,
It would be easier for the Twelve Olympians to forcibly tear us apart than to twist a child’s wrist.
If Zeus intervenes using the excuse that Artemis stopped the Twelve Labors midway because he snatched her heart,
There would be no way to stop it.
“Haa~ The only couple plunged into crisis the moment they started dating is us.”
Bang!
The sound that broke the oppressive silence of the priest’s office like a creeping mist of gloom came as the door forcibly opened.
Standing proudly by the opened door, with her arms crossed, was none other than Artemis.
“Artemis? What’s going on? Aren’t you supposed to go hunting now~?”
“How dare you talk about hunting!”
She swiftly approached me and secured me in a headlock around my neck.
“Ah! It hurts! It really hurts!! Why are you doing this?!”
“Damn you! I knew you’d cause trouble someday!”
“What? What did I do wrong?”
“My mint-colored lingerie has gone missing from the dresser in the master bedroom!”
“Why would that connect to me? Am I a guy or something?”
“More! Like! That! Was there anyone else in my room last night except you?!”
She tripped me forward with her leg after putting me in a hold that twisted my arm behind my back, all happening too fast.
Before I could feel the pain in my joints, I ended up kissing the floor.
Without further ado, Artemis climbed onto my back and began pounding it like mincing meat.
“This! This! This! You’re already plotting lewd thoughts after just starting a relationship?! Die! Die!”
“Ouch! It hurts! I didn’t do it!”
“What did you do with my lingerie?! Kyaaa!! Don’t say, just die!!!”
Then she began to beat my legs mercilessly after locking her fingers for a more powerful punch.
“Is this your leg? The one who stole my underwear!!!”
“Typically, you’d point to hands, right? Besides~”
“CLOSE YOUR MOUTH!!!”
Bam! Bam!
Artemis, who wouldn’t listen to me,
In her state of humiliation from her underwear being stolen, she couldn’t see or hear anything.
Then Maia, who had been watching, approached and tapped Artemis on the shoulder.
“Um… Artemis-sama.”
“What??”
“Is there… only one mint-colored bra?”
“So what?!”
“It doesn’t seem like Ark stole it…”
Her fists that were hitting me suddenly came to a stop.
Thinking that Maia was taking my side?
With a very displeased expression, Artemis slowly raised her rear off my back.
“Maia, are you forgetting your place because you hang around Ark lately? Whose side are you taking now? Keep doing actions I don’t like like this?”
“Artemis-sama, weren’t you not wearing underwear today?”
“Huh? What are you talking about? I usually don’t wear it anyway. I only wear tank tops, so what?”
She mumbled to herself while pulling on the tank top, then checked the cleavage.
“…”
“Judging by the dangling mint shoulder strap…”
My innocence proven by their dialogue.
I pushed away her leg pressing on my back and abruptly stood up.
“Artemis, how do you plan to compensate for this groundless accusation?”
“Stop with the groundless talk!”
“What?”
“This is an expression of affection! Can’t you tell?”
Two expressions of affection and a person could die.
Anyway, looks like I’m out of suspicion of committing a crime.
Not worth calling it a favor,
But thanks to her lively nature, my pointless gloom disappeared all at once. Let’s just let this incident slide.
Sensing the relaxation on my face, Artemis smirked and pulled out a bunch of flowers from her pocket to give me.
“What is this? An apology offering?”
“It’s an expression of affection, I said! These flowers are good ingredients for eye recovery. I worked hard to get them, so be thankful.”
“Is that so? You found them quickly; shall we depart at once?”
“Sure.”
That day, we headed straight to the stormy road to meet Clotho.
