“A-a- Athena-sama?! When did you get here??”
Startled, I hastily asked in a flustered voice,
Athena, wearing a slightly serious expression, quietly signaled me to be silent by gently placing a pinched finger on her lips.
Though her resolute action made me close my chattering mouth, there was something essential I had to confirm.
It was Nike’s character!
If she hadn’t heard the entirety of our conversation, I had to somehow deflect and gloss over it.
“Umm… tha… where did you hear that…?”
Just at that moment, as I tried to confirm whether Nike was aware of her being busted,
“Hey, you mangy old pig! Why did you bring this pathetic brat here and create chaos?!”
“Why are you taking it out on me because you lost your big sis? You psychopath blonde control freak!”
From inside the reception room, the voices of the two goddesses growling and bickering loudly resounded across the entire corridor.
I pressed my pinched finger against my temple, lamenting Nike’s fate.
Farewell, Nike.
She won’t get too far.
Already seeming to know everything, Athena casually nodded towards the end of the corridor with her chin.
“Shall we take a short walk?”
“Ah…”
Incapable of saying I need to use the restroom under the sweet sound of Athena’s voice, I nodded dumbly like an idiot.
Athenea started walking ahead with a wistful smile, and I followed a step behind, watching her back.
When we stepped outside through the back entrance of the corridor, a cute little backyard greeted us.
At the heart of it was a circular tea table that could comfortably seat at least ten people, surrounded by a colorful garden that looked as if rainbow-colored confetti had been scattered across the ground.
On those flowers, kittens were playing with a toy ball.
The backyard scene formed a stark contrast with the grand statues and cold weapons dominating the temple’s front courtyard, captivating me into a brief daze of admiration.
Seeing my expression, Athena chuckled and lightly tapped my shoulder.
Following her signal, I followed her to the tea table.
“Isn’t the backyard beautiful?”
“Yes. I didn’t know the Temple of Steel had such a hidden gem?”
“Yes. Nike carefully created this backyard because she believed focusing only on weapons made the soul desolate. I tried to talk her out of it, saying it was meaningless, but now this has unintentionally become a place where I seek solace more often than Nike.”
As she explained this backyard to me with a tired voice, like sharing a personal treasure with a friend, she seemed almost pitiful.
She then picked up the teapot set on the tea table.
Last time, I would have stood up again to offer my help, but Athena waved her hand, signaling that it was fine, and poured the tea into the cups herself.
Holding the teacup as instructed by her gesture, I brought it to my lips.
Although the tea had cooled down completely, its fragrance still lingered and was perfect for easing the tension in my shoulders stiffened by the intense debate with Nike.
“When did you learn about Nike’s… well, her true nature?”
“Honestly, only recently.”
She took another sip of tea before continuing,
“Upon returning from my rest at the Temple of Artemis, I found her enforcing discipline among the believers—something she had never done before.”
“Were you disappointed?”
“Hmm… I’m still not entirely sure.”
“I don’t believe she concealed her true nature out of malice. Knowing her own character and respecting the person she admires—Athena-sama—she probably didn’t want you to find out.”
“Hohoho. What a strange one. Why are you defending Nike, the one who pushed you into a corner?”
Taken aback by a fact I’d never considered before, I found myself at a loss for words.
Athena is right.
Why am I defending Nike?
I pondered it like a difficult math problem, lost in deep thought for quite some time.
Eventually, there was only one conclusion:
Because I see Artemis and myself reflected in them.
“I guess, from wishing that the two of you won’t accumulate misunderstandings that could strain your relationship.”
“Such a kind-hearted Acre. Nike will someday realize that the truth of your nature isn’t about intelligence, but about your warm heart.”
“Thank you. But why have you seemed so worn out since we came to the backyard?”
Athena, who had appeared drained since we entered the backyard, still appeared listless.
Her voice lacked strength and her shoulders drooped.
“That’s…”
She seemed unable to continue easily.
Attempting to lighten the mood a bit, I opened the conversation first,
“I’m truly grateful for Athena-sama’s thoughtfulness.”
“What do you mean?”
“I know you deliberately avoided my presence in the reception room.”
I had realized something when I saw Athena waiting outside the corridor.
It was that Athena had actually left the reception room, pretending to go to the kitchen, to give Nike and me space.
She knew that if she were present, Nike wouldn’t speak her mind freely.
Thanks to that, we discovered that Nike was lying about supporting me.
“That wasn’t thoughtfulness, though.”
“Huh?”
Athena, gripping her teacup tightly with both hands, bit her lower lip.
Then, like a bride sharing her secret emotions with someone, she struggled with a heavy heart to speak.
“I have always been troubled. I neither embraced nor criticized Nike’s fiery temperament. As usual, I just fled like today—leaving the reception room.”
“…So, I take it you needed time to truly accept Nike’s temperament?”
“Yes.”
Athena must have been bewildered and conflicted upon realizing she didn’t fully understand Nike’s character despite knowing her for over a thousand years.
It made perfect sense why she didn’t know how to approach Nike.
Perhaps she blamed Nike for tricking her.
Maybe she trembled at her own insensitivity.
“Thus, I wanted to know—though Nike claimed to support you in front of me, what were her true thoughts?”
“The conclusion was… she was against it.”
“Exactly!”
Athena slammed her fist on the tea table.
Still agitated, the fist she slammed on the table continued to tremble.
“Simply opposing you would have been fine! Thought processes naturally vary, but why did she make such a reckless declaration pushing you to that cliff?!”
“While hearing that reckless declaration from the corridor, I was filled with anger and resentment. I rushed to enter the room, preparing to slap Nike and order her to withdraw her declaration.”
“…”
Covering her face with her hands, Athena continued to honestly share her feelings.
“However, ironically, I finally understood Nike’s emotions at that moment—it was jealousy toward you, Acre. Ultimately, I was a coward unable to even touch the doorknob.”
Athena had learned about Nike’s real nature recently.
Her temperament, characterized by intense feelings and expressions of dissatisfaction.
Until recently, she likely dismissed any behind-the-scenes criticism of you as simply Nike’s personality.
So, she failed to recognize the underlying jealousy buried beneath.
Finding real feelings within a fabricated personality is an incredibly difficult task.
“I planned to slowly introduce the good qualities of Acre from tomorrow on, as you need allies now.”
“Correct.”
“Yet, blinded by jealousy, she drove you toward a perilous fate! I’ll never forgive Nike for this!”
Athena vented her intense emotions while thinking about Nike.
She truly believed Nike was deeply rooted in her heart. Impelled by insecurity, Nike had reacted impulsively.
Her extreme tactic: eliminating Acre, a potential rival.
“But… I suspect I can’t possibly punish Nike…”
“…Athena-sama.”
The final emotion of venting her anger culminated in tears.
In the single teardrop that fell beneath the tea table, all the importance and affection Athena has for Nike was encapsulated.
“I’m a fool.”
A brief self-reprimand.
Unable to piece together her tangled emotions like the pieces of a puzzle, she ultimately lowered her head.
At that moment, I extended my arms and gently encased her hands wrapped around the teacup.
“Don’t worry, Athena-sama. Everything will turn out alright.”
The tea, which had grown cold, once again began to emit warm steam.
As Athena felt the warmth of the tea, her mind started settling, when she suddenly stood up and pushed me away.
It wasn’t out of disgust.
It was self-blame—she didn’t feel worthy of receiving comfort like this.
“Acre, do you understand your current situation?”
“I do. Like a candle in the wind.”
“Exactly. Your situation is like being a fragile candle flame. But I take the responsibility for creating such a predicament. I cannot lose you, Acre!”
In her tear-swollen eyes, a sense of indeterminate resolve manifested.
The same unwavering spirit, even willing to face d*ath, as during the Battle at the Mountain of the Gods.
This resolve seemed somehow ominous, prompting me to propose off-handedly,
“Athena-sama, I’ve thought about it. What if I give the Golden Pen to Eros?”
Eros is the god who promoted me to 8th Grade Special Class.
It could cleverly help us evade the conflict with both Eros and Nike.
“Foolishness! Properly, a god must accept the Golden Pen, but even in an acknowledged hostile relationship, rejecting the pen would not invite any objections.”
“I see. It was a rather good idea in my mind…”
My calm demeanor as if speaking about someone else’s affairs irked Athena, who glared in agitation.
But it lasted only a moment.
Exhaling a deep breath, she steadied and fixed her determined eyes on me.
“Acre, gift me the Golden Pen on that day.”
“Then, Eros’ arrows are likely to fly towards me, right?”
As I stated the obvious,
“Exactly,” she pointed her spear directly at my face.
“Yes. Before that, I will destroy Eros with this spear.”
“Eh?! Destroy? Eros, you mean?!”
“That’s the only way.”
Indeed, if Athena slayed Eros on the spot, we could avoid the conflict and achieve the mission safely.
Still, it’s a worst-case scenario.
Aphrodite, Eros’ mother, would intervene, and surely Ares, who admires Aphrodite, would join the fray.
With armies mobilized, the defense at the Mountain of the Gods, where demons are locked away, would weaken.
Ultimately, an outcome harmful to all.
Why is the wise Athena thinking so drastically, like Ares?
“Stop it. That would start a war among the gods!”
“I understand! But it’s the only way to atone for the sins of Nike and me! Even if I d*e, even if the entire world turns against me, I Acre must save!”
“Snap out of it, dimwit!”
SMACK!
I dealt Athena a firm smack on the head, losing all composure.
Stunned by this sudden rudeness, Athena stood in a daze, looking confused.
“Such heroic lines are reserved for cool, manly types like me!”
“How, how dare you?! Acre, how could someone as polite as you commit such sacrilege!”
“Shut up, rigid, close-minded Maiden Goddess!”
“What?!”
Should I call her conservative?
Or someone with a sense of duty too high for her own good?
She’s like someone who insists that holding hands necessitates marriage.
That’s why gods who have lived for thousands of years are beyond help.
“To assume you can’t fault a precious subordinate and take the blame upon yourself… that’s genuinely foolish!”
“Even if that’s not the case, the fault of the subordinate ultimately reflects on their superior. It’s my responsibility!”
“Then what about me?”
“W-w-what? What about you, Acre?”
“Athena, if you’re insisting you’re the offenders, then I’m the victim, right? Why aren’t you even asking for my opinion?”
“Of course… the responsibility, uh…”
Her trembling voice couldn’t quite finish the sentence.
I gently approached and tenderly patted her head.
And like soothing a crying child, I patted her back, saying everything would be fine.
“It’s alright. Athena, Nike, me, and Artemis—we all genuinely care for and value one another, and I’ve confirmed that.”
“But someone must take responsibility.”
“I get it! Nike—later, I’m going to give her an exceptionally fun punishment. Just wait and see! Hehehehe…”
I have no intention of overlooking Nike’s impulsive actions.
I’ll hold her accountable once this trial is successfully completed.
I have devised a delightful punishment she can look forward to.
“As for you, Athena. Did you assume beforehand that I’d fail at this mission?”
“Is there… a way? I still find myself trapped in an inescapable labyrinth.”
“Did you forget who I am?”
“…Acre.”
“No, that’s not right.”
Shaking my head side to side, I moved forward and stood by the back gate,
And then, turning my back to Athena and waving my hand,
“The thief of happy endings.”
I left her with these words and entered back into the temple through the back gate.
And,
Time flowed, and the day of Panthegrasia’s special promotion celebration meeting approached.
