The Greece Antagonist

Although she could not be considered smart, she was someone who would listen to reason.

Luo En handed Hestia a cup of the filled fruit wine and, looking towards the half of the night sky outside Knossos City that was almost as bright as daylight, he spoke unhurriedly.

"If you show up on the battlefield, Poseidon will have a reason to intervene."

"What's there to be afraid of? With Nike and the Aegis Shield, he isn't necessarily a match for Athena!"

Upon hearing this, Hestia's brows relaxed, and she confidently spoke out.

Clearly, she had high expectations and confidence in her great-niece's combat abilities.

Luo En's eyebrows quirked up in an expression that was both smiling and not smiling.

"And then what?"

"What?"

Hestia blurted out reflexively, only to see Luo En's face had already turned cold, his voice taking on a more mocking tone.

"You don't really think Crete Island only has to face Poseidon, do you?"

"...?!"

The unexpected counter-query left Hestia somewhat dazed.

"Do you still remember why Athena descended from Olympus ahead of time?" With a meaningful reminder, Luo En looked towards the vast sea under the night sky and spoke somberly, "The favor from Poseidon is not so easily repaid."

In an instant, Hestia grasped the underlying meaning, her mind jolted, her complexion slightly shifted.

"You mean to say that Ares and Aphrodite might also be involved in this!"

"What else?"

Luo En glanced at the Goddess of the Hearth, who only now seemed to have an inkling of realization, and snorted coldly as he spoke.

"The messy affairs on Mount Olympus had barely ended, and the temple of the God of the Sea made a move against Crete. King Minos has been stirring trouble for many years, and Poseidon hasn't come knocking for justice; yet now, of all times, he acts. You don't think that's just a simple coincidence, do you?"

"..."

Hestia had no response, but vented the frustration in her heart towards those shameless relatives of hers.

"They actually conspired together! Shameless!"

"Ares, as the god of war, has always coveted the scepter of victory; when Aphrodite was caught in adultery, Athena once supported Hephaestus... With these old grudges and interests as a link, and Poseidon having just vouched for them, their collaboration is almost to be expected," Luo En paused and then added to Hestia softly.

"Besides, given Poseidon's nature, if he hadn't bided his time with some assurance of victory, how could he possibly have troubled himself to target Crete?"

"They are bullying us because we are fewer in number, right? Then we can also call Artemis and Hephaestus!"

Hestia clenched her fists, indignantly defending her great-niece.

"You're the only one who can summon help? Is Ares's good mother Hera, who just slept with Hermes, not a concern? Not to mention, I haven't even accounted for the multitude of marine deities hidden in the nooks and crannies of the Sea of Okeanos! Poseidon represents not one, but a group, you understand?"

Luo En was amused by the Goddess of the Hearth who had fat in place of brains.

"Why do you think Hephaestus lost last time despite having reason on his side? Isn't it because of this?"

He then looked at Hestia, who still had a look of indignation, and spoke softly.

"Furthermore, the Ocean Goddess Thetis, who raised Hephaestus, is beholden to the God of the Sea Poseidon. Have you heard that Artemis's brother Apollo has a grudge against King Minos of Crete? Just think, do the two deities you mentioned really wish to wade into this murky water for Athena and King Minos?"

"..."

Faced with this ironclad reality, Hestia searched her feelings and suddenly felt deflated.

Indeed, based on what she knew of those nieces, nephews, and siblings, it wasn't necessarily so.

"If it were a matter that could be solved simply by calling people and brawling, the Goddess of Wisdom could handle it herself—why would it be necessary for you to speak up?"

Following thorough analysis, which quelled Hestia's impulse to show off her intelligence, Luo En earnestly advised her.

"On the contrary, only by prohibiting the deities of Olympus from participating do the Minosians have a slim chance of winning against this storm. That's why I need to speak so much nonsense with you..."

"So, you've been specially watching over me tonight?" Hestia finally understood.

"You just now realize that?" Luo En spoke irritably.

Realizing she had almost caused a fiasco, Hestia couldn't help but show an embarrassed expression.

But as the rumbling along the coastline grew more oppressive and the sounds of flesh being torn echoed one after another, this good-natured Goddess of the Hearth still found it difficult to remain seated. She gently lifted her hand and nudged her "chaperone," asking cautiously.

"So, what do we do next?"

"Wait!"

Luo En glanced over and replied succinctly.

Hestia pursed her lips, her face showing hesitation.

"But..."

"This is only the first wave of testing. If the Minosians can't even withstand this bit of turmoil, and need the gods to personally intervene for them to barely cling to life, then even if you assist them once, you won't be able to a second or third time.

To survive, they must first rely on themselves, struggle with all their might, and then it won't be too late to pray to the gods for help."

Luo En spoke calmly, his purple eyes exuding a tranquility and insight far beyond that of ordinary people.

After all, he had experienced death twice.

First rely on oneself, then on the gods?

Hestia's heart trembled, suddenly enlightened, extinguishing the reluctance within her.

She had always been perplexed as to why Athena had always adopted a laissez-faire attitude towards the development of the Minosians.

Quietly watching them step out of the cradle, not embracing;

Quietly watching them stumble, not lending a hand.

Now, it seemed she found the answer to her confusion in those words.

The child will eventually grow up; the mother is not always a nanny.

"With such a major event unfolding, neither Athena, Poseidon, nor the Atlanteans have shown their faces on Crete Island, and on the sea, there are only these Sea Beasts which offer no handle to grasp..."

As he enlightened Hestia's granite-like mind bit by bit, Luo En murmured a few words before gazing toward the sacred mountain adorned with stars, and spoke faintly.

"If I'm not mistaken, our Goddess of Wisdom must already be on Mount Olympus, devising a way to prevent Poseidon and the Atlanteans from intervening."

"Yes, Athena mentioned it before she left."

Having some inside knowledge, Hestia nodded slightly, her gaze growing more peculiar as she looked at Luo En.

Guessed it again? How can he be so uncannily accurate, like he knows what's in people's bellies?

No wonder Athena is so eager to have him as her Lesser Deity; these two are cut from the same cloth!

Wait, cut from the same cloth...?

"So, are you listening?"

The prolonged cold voice in her ear interrupted Hestia's thoughts, bringing her back to reality, awkwardly looking at the face that had approached, nodding rapidly like a pecking chicken.

"Listening! Listening!"

Accustomed to this by now, Luo En maintained his composure and reminded her once again.

"I want to say, before the situation becomes clear, you'd better not engage in futile actions to avoid backfiring."

"Certainly! Certainly!"

Hestia nodded earnestly, appearing obedient like a well-behaved child.

After imparting his final piece of advice, Luo En yawned, stood up, and went upstairs.

Left behind, Hestia blinked in confusion.

"Where are you going?"

"To sleep, to fully recharge my energy..."

Luo En, on his way up, waved his hand nonchalantly, his voice filled with tiredness.

"Come morning, we'll probably have someone inviting us over for a meal. It looks like another day of hard work is in store for us."

Someone's treating us? How come I don't know about it?

Hestia scratched her head, clearly baffled.

As Luo En pushed open the bedroom door and stepped inside, realization suddenly dawned on her, and she hurriedly dashed up the stairs.

"Wait! Have you guessed something again?!"

"Bang!"

The door slammed shut and locked, signaling a refusal to answer.