The Goddess of the Hearth Hestia sat at the round table of the Supreme Gods, gently holding a green leaf in her hand. She thought to herself, "Looks like there's no need to use this leaf after all."
"I wonder what kind of path of corruption and repentance Bolos has prepared for this Goddess of Love and Beauty."
Among everyone at the round table, the ones with the warmest attitude toward The Goddess of Love and Beauty were undoubtedly the three brothers: God of the Forge Hephaestus, God of War Ares, and Messenger God Hermes.
As sons of Zeus, whether ugly or handsome, tall or short, they all harbored affection for the goddess who symbolized beauty.
In particular, Ares was already plotting how to capture Bolos, the once-beloved child of his mother.
Ares had always harbored resentment toward Bolos—more so even than Hephaestus, who had been replaced by Bolos for several years.
From birth, he had witnessed how much Hera favored Bolos, more than Zeus favored his own son.
Originally, if Bolos had been his full-blooded older brother, Ares might not have said anything.
But to learn that Bolos was a fraud?
Now, capturing Bolos would earn him the most beautiful goddess as his wife. Ares was thrilled.
In his eyes, with his current strength, capturing Bolos should be a piece of cake.
"The Goddess of Love and Beauty, huh." Athena sneered inwardly, and noticed that Artemis and Apollo, the sibling pair, also had cold glints in their eyes.
She couldn't help recalling a story she'd heard while growing up by the seaside, something the Oceanids had once whispered about Goddess Leto.
"So should Artemis call Bolos her father, or her brother? That's quite the question."
…
The seas were home to the greatest number of Divine Beings.
Ancient Sea God Pontus had over a dozen children, especially five born with Mother Earth Gaia, and their messy bloodlines created most of the sea monsters in the world.
Lord of the Ocean Oceanus was even more prolific, with thousands of children—his sons were river gods, his daughters Oceanids.
Most of these offspring had yet to receive a Divine Office, and roamed the seas as idle deities.
Back when The King of the Seas Poseidon first married The Queen of the Seas Amphitrite, he was truly loyal, abstaining from all others in hopes of securing the support of Oceanus's family. Compared to his brother Zeus, he was like a completely different person.
At that time, many Oceanids believed their second sister Amphitrite had the happiest marriage, far better than their eldest sister Styx or third sister Metis.
But everything changed when Zeus allied with Ancient Sea God Pontus and forced Oceanus to end the war. Behind Poseidon's back, Oceanus ceded sea territories to Zeus.
From that point on, Poseidon submitted to Zeus and lost any chance of opposing his younger brother.
He believed Oceanus's family had betrayed him and took it out on Amphitrite.
Now that he no longer needed his family's support, Poseidon gave himself free rein, becoming just like his brother Zeus—scattering his affections and his offspring wherever he pleased.
With Amphitrite, he had only one son—Triton. How many other children he had outside was anyone's guess.
Poseidon even incited his children to compete with Amphitrite's siblings for Divine Offices, making her the target of blame from her siblings and parents.
"Looks like The Queen of the Seas really is having a hard time."
After the King of the Gods' decree echoed from Mount Olympus, the gods scoured the lands in search of Bolos, hoping to seize his Divine Artifact and deliver him to the Queen of the Gods in exchange for that final Supreme God seat—and the most beautiful bride in the world.
But Bolos, using a Belt of Deception to change his appearance, roamed freely and openly across the seas.
This time, he arrived directly at the sea region where The Queen of the Seas Amphitrite resided, intent on paying a visit to this sovereign of the ocean.
Avoiding her envoys, he quietly approached Amphitrite's palace—only to overhear a very intriguing conversation.
"Mother, why don't you understand? Father's children are our family. If the Divine Offices aren't given to them, should they go to Oceanus's offspring instead?"
"Triton, I am also a daughter of Oceanus!" This voice clearly belonged to The Queen of the Seas Amphitrite.
"That was in the past. Now, you are the Queen of the Seas, the sovereign of the oceans. Back then, when Father granted Divine Offices to Oceanus's family, what happened? They turned on him behind his back, cut a deal with Zeus to divide the seas, and forced Father to submit."
The male voice was filled with emotion. "Either way, I disagree with raising Oceanus's children into sea deities. Father did the right thing!"
"Triton, you don't understand. Without the support of those siblings, I wouldn't be able to keep my position as The Queen of the Seas."
"Mother, Zeus has many illegitimate children, yet none have shaken Hera's position as Queen of the Gods. You should believe in Father—he wouldn't do such a thing."
"Your father is not the same as Zeus." Amphitrite's voice held a trace of bitterness. "Zeus has always been that way. But your father—when he needed our family, he was the perfect husband. Now that he doesn't, he's a completely different person."
"Mother, Oceanus's family isn't our family! Everything Father does is for the growth of our house. Haven't you seen how Zeus's King of the Gods Authority grows stronger as Athena and the others mature?"
"In the end, you just don't trust your father!"
A Divine Being with a human upper body and a fish's tail stepped out of the palace, his face still contorted with indignation.
Bolos recognized him.
This was Triton, the only son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a messenger of the King of the Seas who could, in most cases, act on Poseidon's behalf and wield his Authority.
He even bore a trident Divine Artifact identical to Poseidon's.
After this prince of the sea stormed out in anger, the palace was left with only the beautiful Queen of the Seas, who let out a long, deep sigh.
Usually cold and dignified in the eyes of outsiders, Amphitrite now slumped on her divine throne, hand to her forehead, looking weary and forlorn.
"Father, mother, siblings, husband, child... ha... hahahaha!"
Suddenly, she laughed. Her laughter was filled with helplessness and desolation.
"Disappointment from my parents, blame from my siblings, ruthlessness from my husband, misunderstanding from my child—have these left you truly hopeless, Amphitrite?"
As she finished laughing, a figure appeared within her palace.
Amphitrite immediately straightened herself, returning to her cold and noble demeanor.
She stared at the intruding Divine Being and said with authority, "Who are you?"
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