The King of the Gods Zeus had one particularly notable trait that set him apart from his grandfather and father.
He loved hosting banquets.
No matter how big or small the event, as long as he was on Mount Olympus and not out indulging in pleasures elsewhere, he would always find a reason to hold a feast and enjoy performances by the Muses.
This time, the ascent of The Goddess of Love and Beauty to Olympus was undoubtedly a major event, and so, as expected, one of Zeus's beloved banquets quickly began.
With The Goddess of the Hearth Hestia and The King of the Seas Poseidon arriving one after another at Mount Olympus, Zeus was even more delighted.
"The twelve Supreme Gods of Olympus are finally almost complete."
At that moment on Mount Olympus, Zeus sat atop the throne of the King of the Gods, with Queen of the Gods Hera by his side.
Below them sat his elder sister The Goddess of the Hearth Hestia, his brother The King of the Seas Poseidon, and the newly welcomed Goddess of Love and Beauty Aphrodite.
In addition to these five Divine Beings, there were six of the younger generation: The Goddess of Wisdom Athena, The Goddess of the Hunt Artemis, God of Light Apollo, God of the Forge Hephaestus, God of War Ares, and Messenger God Hermes.
In other words, of the twelve Divine Beings who governed the heavens and the earth, eleven were now seated.
Only one seat remained. Once filled, the Olympus Divine Realm would be complete.
Zeus could faintly sense that when that moment came, his strength would undergo an unprecedented leap.
By then, he would have the confidence to battle even the primordial rulers themselves.
While Zeus was high-spirited and confident, the other ten Supreme Gods were each deep in thought.
Queen Hera was delighted as well. As Queen of the Gods, the completion of the Divine Realm would greatly enhance her own power.
Poseidon, however, was full of jealousy. If it weren't for Metis's schemes and drawing lots, that position might have been his.
Zeus's children were either pleased, cautious, or quietly scheming—each with their own thoughts.
Hestia was full of worry. She wasn't sure whether she was more concerned for Zeus or for Bolos, her heart too conflicted to decide. She simply gave up thinking about it and turned her gaze to Aphrodite, uncertain what choice the Goddess of Love and Beauty would make.
Sure enough, midway through the banquet, Zeus asked Aphrodite, "Supreme God of Love and Beauty, can you tell me who it was, before your birth, that attempted to take you away and draw you away from the Olympus Divine Realm?"
He had never forgotten the words of the Fates. He had been waiting for Aphrodite's birth to reveal who the enemy was.
Aphrodite's expression instantly changed. She hadn't expected to be questioned so directly the moment she arrived on Olympus.
After a moment's thought, she said bluntly, "King of the Gods, that Divine Being was your son—God of Opportunity and Creation Bolos."
Upon hearing the name, Zeus's expression darkened immediately. The entire great hall of Olympus filled with a terrifying pressure, as though thunder was about to descend.
"Wait. At that time, Bolos had only just obtained his Divine Office, and you were already a Supreme God. How could he have entered the place where you were being conceived? Don't speak nonsense!"
Hera spoke up, immediately rebuking Aphrodite.
Her words made sense, and many of the Divine Beings not seated at the main table nodded silently in agreement.
They had witnessed Bolos being granted his Divine Office firsthand. At that time—and even now—it would have been nearly impossible for him to enter a space controlled by a Supreme God.
Hearing Hera's questioning, Aphrodite gritted her teeth and thought to herself, "That man was deceiving me from the start. He claimed I wasn't part of Zeus's family and that I could never become one of the Supreme Gods of Olympus."
"But the Horae were waiting for my birth. Becoming a Supreme God of Olympus was something destined by the will of the heavens."
"If he lied to me first, then why should I keep his secrets?"
With that, she said aloud, "He obtained a Divine Artifact left behind by Father Uranus—one that naturally restrains me."
At those words, Zeus's expression grew even darker. His voice turned cold: "So it was a Divine Artifact left behind by the first King of the Gods... No wonder it caused such a major disturbance."
Aphrodite hadn't said which artifact it was, but Zeus instinctively assumed it was the one that once shone light across all of creation—the artifact Bolos had possessed before his disappearance.
Knowing it came from Uranus made Zeus even more wary.
"Hera, Hestia, you heard it too. That boy has been plotting against our Divine Realm ever since he left Olympus. Are you still going to protect him?"
Hestia remained silent, but Hera responded, "I won't believe any of this until I see Bolos with my own eyes."
"Hmph, then we'll capture him first and decide later."
Zeus struck the palace floor with the Staff of the King of the Gods and proclaimed, "Spread my decree: there is only one seat left among Olympus's twelve Supreme Gods."
"Whoever it is—Divine Being, demon, or giant—if they can capture Bolos and bring me the Divine Artifact in his possession, they shall become the twelfth Supreme God."
Upon hearing this, Hera's eyes sparkled, and she suddenly smiled. "As Queen of the Gods and Goddess of Marriage, I'll add one more condition: whoever brings Bolos to me shall marry the Goddess of Love and Beauty Aphrodite."
"What?!"
Aphrodite cried out in alarm.
"Hera, what are you doing?"
Even Zeus was displeased, staring at the Queen of the Gods beside him.
He had been drawn to the newly arrived Aphrodite the moment she stepped onto Olympus.
But with Hera right beside him, he hadn't dared show any sign of it.
Now the idea of Aphrodite being married off to another Divine Being was something he greatly disliked.
Hera cast Zeus a cold glance. "If you want Aphrodite for yourself, then go and capture Bolos and bring him to me. I'll gladly give up the position of Queen of the Gods and let her have it."
"You're talking nonsense. The Queen of the Gods can only ever be you—no other goddess could take your place."
To Zeus, Hera was ultimately irreplaceable.
"Fine. Let it be as you say."
Still, Zeus began to scheme. Perhaps he could send his ugly and somewhat pathetic son Hephaestus to complete this task.
Then Aphrodite would be stuck with an unattractive husband, and anything that happened between her and Zeus after that would be completely natural.
And so, with just a few words, the King and Queen of the Gods decided the marriage of Aphrodite, without even considering her own will.
Anger flashed in Aphrodite's eyes, but there was nothing she could do. Deep down, uncertainty crept in.
"Was my decision a mistake?"
She failed to notice the look of pity in Hestia's eyes as she gazed at her.
Nor did she see the coldness in the eyes of Athena, Artemis, and Apollo as they watched her silently.
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