Humanity, with its own blood and sacrifice, truly moved many of the gods present.
All that cost was worth it.
Because Zeus was pleased as well.
The God-King did, at present, quite like humankind.
They were simple and pure, diligent and resilient, full of a vigorous upward life force, and they knew how to be tolerant and united.
Whatever little schemes Prometheus might be harboring in his heart, whatever small tricks he had played,
they truly had nothing to do with humankind right now. At this moment, humans were genuinely obedient and reverent.
Right now, humans did indeed harbor the most sincere adoration toward the gods.
People like a blank sheet of paper, simply listening to the gods' commands—that was not their fault.
Although the all-knowing God-King already clearly saw that some more complex, darker things named "selfish desire" were quietly sprouting in human hearts,
still, those seeds had not yet truly blossomed and borne fruit.
So the God-King was satisfied with the "purity" humankind displayed at this moment.
As for the future, if humankind became complicated…
that would be a matter for later.
It would likewise be an indispensable factor in the civilizational process, an unavoidable change in the development of any intelligent civilization.
"Good" and "bad," "goodness" and "evil," are two sides of the same developing whole, ever entwined and spiraling forward.
So long as that "whole" still presses upward, it remains worthy of guidance and protection.
Zeus gave an almost imperceptible nod, a gentle smile touching His face, and said, "Prometheus, you truly put thought into this."
"Humankind also truly did their utmost. By their actions, they have proved their devotion and reverence. This comforts Me."
Then He slightly turned His head to the great gods beside Him and asked in a gentle voice, "Gods, what do you think? Is this newborn intelligent life worthy of our protection?"
The eternal, holy Queen of Gods, Mother Rhea, was the first to nod slightly; her iridescent hair drifted like flowing light.
A smile that could make heaven and earth swoon curved upon her peerless face, and her voice flowed like a warm spring: "They are all very good children. I can see that their presence will make this world more flourishing and manifold."
"With their service and companionship, we gods perhaps will not be so lonely."
"Prometheus and the others have indeed done very well."
The goddess of the Sacred Just Order, the flawless Themis, also nodded in turn, and with her cool, majestic voice she said softly, "The honored Queen speaks rightly."
"They have received from the Goddess of Wisdom that priceless, growing wisdom—they are truly intelligent life. Though they are mortals, they already differ in essence from other foolish mortal beings."
"They are tough and tenacious, active and upward-striving, willing to learn and humble, and they possess infinite possibilities to develop a splendid future."
"They can indeed bring this world a different hue, and they already have the qualification to thrive under the Sacred Just Order. They are worthy of the gods' protection."
The illustrious and gentle Hera, the loving Great Mother of Fecundity, now voiced her agreement as well: "These mortals, though their lives are brief, can, through generation-to-generation inheritance, accumulate deeper wisdom."
"More precious still, they are many in number and breed swiftly; perhaps very soon the whole world will be filled with the light of wisdom."
"Especially rare, they are deeply affectionate, kind and simple, knowing union and mutual love. Their attachment to kin and their cherishing of companions are the firmest soil upon which propagation may continue."
"Now they are also full of respect and admiration toward the gods. They are good; this world will be more prosperous and lively for their presence. Loneliness will no longer be the gods' lot. They are worthy of a god's care."
At last, the bright-eyed, violet-haired Goddess of Wisdom, Metis, also smiled and spoke.
"At first, upholding His Majesty the Supreme God-King's intent to 'make the cosmos more flourishing and keep the gods from loneliness,' I bestowed upon them the wisdom that can be continually accumulated and grown."
"Though each individual's life is brief and small, the wisdom of 'civilization' can be passed down and accumulated generation by generation."
"Under the gods' correct guidance and teaching, I believe they can grow into a sufficiently splendid civilization. Indeed, in a sufficiently distant and splendid future, the fruits of wisdom cultivated by humankind may benefit even us gods."
Hearing these highest-ranked and most cherished (beloved) great goddesses speak so highly of humankind surprised not a few great gods who had not cared before.
They could not help but look more seriously upon those tiny humans on the ground and observe them closely.
Many more quick-minded gods had already made a private resolve: after today, they must take pains to learn more about this newborn race called "humankind."
If humankind truly could develop to the point that even the gods could benefit from them…
then they were worth a little "investment" ahead of time—worth some extra care and attention.
Zeus nodded with a smile, recognizing the words of His dear goddesses.
Seeing that His Majesty the God-King had no objections, and the core great goddesses had expressed approval one after another,
the other gods naturally would not behave without sense and voice dissent.
Zeus smiled slightly and issued His final proclamation: "It seems the gods have no objections. Humankind, this newborn intelligent race, is indeed worthy of the gods' care and protection."
Only now could Prometheus at last set down the heaviest stone in his heart, if only for the moment.
He felt relieved, and his heart brimmed with an inexpressible comfort and joy.
He bowed once more and said, in a voice full of gratitude, "Humankind is fortunate to grow under the care and protection of the gods; everything they have is granted by the great Majesty and the great gods!"
"His Majesty treats all beings with peerless mercy and compassion, with equal love! This is the luck of the whole cosmos!"
"Under His Majesty's benevolent radiance, what they learn must be His highest virtues!"
"Under His Majesty's mercy and justice, humankind is full of endless respect and admiration toward the gods; their filial longing overflows beyond words!"
"This, I believe, will never change!"
"His Majesty is the loving Father of all beings! That humankind should receive His Majesty's favor is their supreme honor and good fortune! This honor and good fortune will be forever engraved in their souls!"
"They will also prove with their actions: they will forever have faith in and revere the great gods!"
Zeus smiled slightly and raised a hand, telling him not to go on: "Every being who keeps My Sacred Just Order is My child."
"I will love them without distinction and likewise, without distinction, protect them to live beneath the radiance of My Sacred Just Order."
Here Zeus's tone suddenly turned incomparably solemn and austere; His voice, like rolling thunder, rang through heaven and earth as He declared in a great voice:
"From this day forward! I—Sovereign of the cosmos, God above gods, King of all gods—Zeus—on behalf of all the gods, establish a holy covenant with mortal beings!"
"From this moment on! All mortal beings may build temples, set up altars, praise divine names, present offerings, keep divine law, and perform divine rites! Let devout obedience be honored! Let true fidelity be revered! This is—'faith'!"
"If a god manifests and is willing to receive faith by means of a divine image, it shall be deemed that the god extends favor to mortal beings—then the 'covenant of gods and mortals' is established!"
"All who possess faith may pray to the god they worship for shelter and blessing!"
"Mortal beings must, devoutly and enduringly, have faith in the god they venerate! No slackness is permitted! No profanation is permitted!"
"Regardless of which god mortals worship, they must not show disrespect to any honored god!"
"For any mortals who are disrespectful to the gods, the gods may all descend chastisement!"
"Wherever a divine image is set up, the god who receives that faith likewise bears the duty to shelter and guard the devout souls who worship them!"
"Mortals revere the gods! The gods shall return love!"
"Whoever violates this holy covenant—be it god, human, or any other being—shall endure the absolute, just punishment of My holy thunder!"
On the earth, when humans heard this holy covenant, their hearts surged with complex emotion.
Their reactions differed—some amazed, some joyful, some glad, some afraid.
All the blood and tears and sacrifice given to this point seemed to have found their final home and meaning before this covenant.
People bowed again in full prostration, pressing their foreheads into the dust and, in the most primal and sincerest way, cried their praises to the holy name of the God-King Zeus.
In heaven, when the gods heard the God-King declare thus, none raised objections.
This "covenant of gods and mortals" was, in essence, a classic set of one-sided terms—a take-it-or-leave-it clause—of great benefit to the gods and no harm.
The only "constraint" was this: if you "take" and "receive" mortals' offerings—accept their faith and devotion—then you must shelter them.
That is the basic responsibility, and aside from that, all the power of choice lies firmly in the gods' own hands.
If mortals build temples and set up altars, and a god does not wish to accept that faith, does not wish to bear that responsibility, they need only refrain from sending oracles and disallow the setting up of a divine image.
And even if faith is accepted, the "shelter" to be borne is only to guard the devotees who worship oneself, ensuring they are not struck by any "catastrophic" blow—that suffices to have fulfilled one's duty.
As for whether to bestow blessings and answer prayers—that purely depends upon each god's own mood.
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