Night.
In the small courtyard, the charcoal fire crackled, its warm light reflecting on everyone's faces.
On the grill, meat slices sizzled and dripped with oil.
The edges of the vegetable rolls were perfectly charred and fragrant.
Inside the oyster shells, the juices boiled, and the aroma of garlic, vermicelli, and millet chili blended together, swirling around the nose and enticing everyone's appetite.
The mundane 'smoke and fire' of the barbecue diluted the calculations of Okhema during the day.
Hysilens couldn't hide this time.
Fortunately, she was just a 'fish hiding from a cat,' not severely allergic to cat hair like Sakura.
Sakura volunteered to do the grilling for everyone.
Mainly because Pardo and Cipher were 'hairy and weak against fire,' not daring to get close to the charcoal, which gave Sakura a rare moment of peace and quiet.
Grilled meat, grilled vegetables, plus garlic roasted oysters.
Cipher's eyes were sparkling.
Seeing this, Ryuga felt helpless and started eating large mouthfuls of roasted kidneys.
Sigh! It seemed his kidneys would be overworked tonight; he probably wouldn't be able to get out of Cipher's bed without handing over some 'protein.'
Better supplement first.
Then, with a crisp "clink,"
Himeko raised her wine glass high, her crimson robe looking even more like a ball of fire in the charcoal light, her eyes burning with heroic spirit: "Cheers! *"
Cerydra gulped down a large mouthful, the spiciness hitting her throat directly, causing her to choke unexpectedly, her small face quickly flushing a faint red.
The Empress quickly wiped the corner of her mouth and muttered: "Is this the taste of wine from beyond the heavens?"
"..."
Ryuga's eye twitched, and he lamented in his heart.
It's over; Himeko is already shifting toward the rhythm of the 'drunkard' Himeko.
In fifty thousand years, these two will probably get along very well.
Of course, Murata Himeko wasn't a drunkard from the start.
First, there was her father's death.
Second, getting drunk could also cover the bone-eroding pain brought by the Stigma, allowing her to get a good night's sleep.
In St. Freya Academy, retired Valkyries who used 'artificial Stigmas' in the early days were all in this situation.
"The matter of Saepharia is in your hands, Lord Archon."
Aglaea suddenly turned, holding her wine glass, and clinked it with Ryuga's, "I toast to you."
With that, she tilted her head and poured the liquid down her throat—gulp, gulp, gulp—drinking half a liter in one breath.
Afterward, she let out a soft wine burp.
Soon, ripples of flush appeared on her cheeks.
"Don't drink so fast. Here, eat some food to settle it."
Elysia's eyes flashed with a mischievous light as she picked up a small spoon, scooped up a piece of freshly grilled food, and placed it in Aglaea's porcelain bowl.
Ryuga glanced at it—ahem, it was a 'garlic roasted oyster.'
Aglaea had never tasted an oyster before.
As expected, she didn't look closely and just picked it up and put it in her mouth.
...
At first taste, it was just fresh, tender, and smooth, then an unfamiliar savory aroma exploded on her tongue.
After swallowing, a wave of heat rose from her stomach, rushing straight to her limbs.
Aglaea was stunned, her face turning a shade redder: "Miss Elysia, what... what is this?"
It tasted good, but why did she feel so hot all over after eating it?
She had never eaten it before; she just saw Ryuga eating it happily and didn't think much of it.
"Oysters; we call them oysters back home."
"They're good for the body."
Elysia smiled mischievously and scooped another serving for Aglaea.
"Uh, th-thank you."
"..."
Cipher curled her lip and silently pushed the garlic roasted oysters in front of her away, picking up a piece of grilled fish instead.
The fish skin was charred and crispy, the meat tender.
The cat chewed in small bites, but couldn't hide the disappointment in her eyes.
Tonight's "Protein Plan," she probably wouldn't get a single bite.
Feeling a bit discouraged, her tail drooped listlessly.
Glancing at Aglaea and then at Ryuga, the Grand Cat sighed softly. How could she not see the Seamstress's thoughts?
When Ryuga wasn't around, the Seamstress would often take out the gifts Ryuga had given her and look at them silently.
The entire Holy City was laid bare under her web of golden threads.
She didn't need to come in person to know what was happening in the Archon's courtyard.
Yet she was the one who came to the courtyard most frequently.
Whenever asked, she would nonchalantly brush it off as 'misleading the Lykos.'
As if anyone couldn't see through it.
Ryuga cleared his throat and changed the subject: "By the way, Cipher, how did you persuade those Chivalrous Thieves?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm really curious too."
Elysia scooped another oyster into Aglaea's bowl, her eyes bright as she listened to the story.
"I didn't really persuade them; most of them came to me voluntarily."
Cipher shook her head.
"Voluntarily?"
"There must be some benefits, right?"
Elysia raised an eyebrow and picked up a skewer of grilled chives, eating it happily.
"If you're talking about benefits, it's probably 'glory'."
Cerydra thought for a moment and said, her fingertip gently tapping the wine glass, making a clear sound.
"Glory?"
Elysia was even more confused.
"That is the magnificent 'Dolos God-Deception Plan'."
"Just as the end of a hero's glory is ascending the throne, for a thief, using a 'Great Deception of God' as the peak finale of their career is a supreme honor, isn't it?"
Cerydra took a sip of wine and said distantly.
After a pause, she continued.
"Who would have thought that mortals could actually toy with the high and mighty Titans?"
"Weaving a heavenly net with lies to lure a god into a trap? Such a feat is enough to be praised by future generations for thousands of years."
"Oh, I see now."
Elysia realized and nodded gently.
Supreme honor. "Mm, it's that simple."
"Hearing that the Great Deception of God was about to begin, one hundred and three Chivalrous Thieves took the initiative to find me."
"One hundred and eighty-seven happened to be in Dolos; I spent three months visiting, inspecting, and persuading them one by one."
"The rest were a bit troublesome—either living in seclusion or in prison."
"I exhausted my efforts—sneaking, disguising, bribing, rescuing... it took a whole year, but I finally gathered them all before the next 'Ghost Day'."
Cipher took over the conversation. Although she spoke nonchalantly, she couldn't hide the fatigue between her brows.
Only she knew the hardships of that year or so.
Hajimi-Cipher took a small sip of draft beer, the foam popping at the corner of her mouth.
"Ghost Day?"
Pardo's ears perked up, and she asked curiously.
"In the Amphoreus calendar, a week has seven days, a month has four weeks, and a year has twelve months, totaling forty-eight weeks. And the last month occasionally has an extra day, which is called 'Ghost Day'."
Cipher explained slowly.
Then she looked up, ate a skewer of grilled fish, and her gaze gradually deepened.
"And the true body of the Titan of Guile, 'Zagreus,' only appears on this day. He is attracted by excellent guile and lies."
"With 300 Chivalrous Thieves gathered, weaving an unprecedented feast of lies with their lifelong skills—such a scam is enough to draw out Zagreus."
"And I will personally receive Zagreus at the final moment of Ghost Day, during the twilight hour."
As she spoke, Cipher took another long gulp of draft beer, her tone gradually becoming solemn.
"That is one month from now. If we miss it, we'll have to wait four years."
"I see."
"So you'll be able to get the demigod authority then?"
Elysia pulled off a piece of grilled meat, asking while chewing.
"Of course it's not that simple."
Cipher shook her head, a flash of complexity in her eyes.
"Zagreus is different from other Titans. He has no interest in fulfilling his divine duties; he is only obsessed with creating divisions on the paths of the gods, toying with them, and creating all sorts of chaos and disorder."
As she spoke, she gave a bitter smile.
"Wanting to get his recognition? That's as difficult as climbing to heaven. Moreover, becoming a demigod means... slaying a Titan."
After saying that, Cipher shook her head.
If it were in the past, it wouldn't matter; they were enemies anyway. Now it's different.
They are allies.
Being able to save a Titan's life means having one more teammate to fight against the Lykos.
Though it might not be of much use.
"The current strategy is to use the prophecy of my Master's 'Threshold' authority to calculate the moment Zagreus appears."
"At the instant the God of Thieves appears, I, who have already been lying in wait, will lock Zagreus with the Golden Thread of Truth."
"Finally, Saepharia will take Zagreus's Fire Seed."
Aglaea felt hot again and hurriedly took a sip of ice-cold draft beer. The coldness entered her throat, but it couldn't suppress that mysterious rising heat in her body.
After eating some oysters and nuts, she felt even hotter.
"Eh? You can catch a Titan?"
Pardo's ears stood high in surprise.
"How should I put it..."
"Although Zagreus is a Titan, he is an anomaly. His operational logic always serves the essence of chaotic lies. And Moneta's golden thread has the ability to identify lies—that is, 'lies are revealed in every detail'."
Aglaea regained her composure and explained softly.
"I see."
Pardo realized.
The golden thread was exactly the nemesis of Zagreus's lies.
"But now, we feel it would be more appropriate for Lord Archon to step forward."
Tribbie suddenly spoke.
Everyone's gaze turned toward Ryuga.
"Alright."
Ryuga nodded.
The power of the Titan of Eras already countered the 'Thief Spirit' Bathrus; eras are time, which can also counter Zagreus.
Now, he had even absorbed the Fire Seed of 'Thresholds,' and with the power of time, his prophetic ability was unprecedentedly strong.
With both the power of time and thresholds, he was as good as two Titans.
"Cipher, when the time comes, you directly have Zagreus start the demigod trial. Then, in the demigod trial, use the lie authority you've obtained to save his life."
"I believe he will agree."
"If necessary, you can reveal a bit of the truth. I think... as a demigod of lies, he should also want to cast a lie that deceives the entire world."
"The Great Deception of God is the supreme honor of the Chivalrous Thieves."
"And this, naturally, is Zagreus's lifelong pursuit."
...
After three rounds of drinks, the moon was high in the sky.
"We're going to sleep first."
"Leaving, leaving."
"..."
After a few mumbled goodbyes, the sound of footsteps faded away, the candles were extinguished one by one, and in the blink of an eye, the courtyard was empty.
Only Ryuga remained, sitting in his place, holding half a glass of draft beer, his gaze dazed.
Aglaea leaned against the rattan lounge chair, her eyes blurry with wine, a smile on her lips as if she were dreaming of something sweet.
The moonlight fell on her, covering her with a layer of shimmering gauze, looking so holy it seemed unreal.
"Eh?"
"Wait, you guys just left like that?"
Ryuga suddenly snapped out of it, looked left and right, and couldn't help but twitch his mouth.
Although he had noticed it long ago.
Not only was Elysia pouring glass after glass of wine for Aglaea, but she also peeled the oysters and sent them to Aglaea's lips.
Her eyes were full of mischievous smiles.
The others also cooperated very well, intentionally or unintentionally playing matchmaker.
But, damn it, they really all left; isn't this a bit too obvious?
They scattered in a flash, not even leaving anyone to clean up.
Ryuga took a sip.
"Sigh."
Ryuga felt helpless and had to lean over, supporting Aglaea's back, passing through the crook of her knees, and picking up that full and soft body in his arms.
A warm fragrance filled his arms, his nose filled with the scent of wine mixed with the body fragrance of orchids.
Ryuga's heart trembled, and he made his footsteps even lighter.
Aglaea unconsciously hooked her arms around his neck, her forehead pressed tightly against his chest, murmuring something he couldn't quite hear.
Ryuga's ears turned slightly hot as he quickened his pace toward the bedroom.
Just as he was about to put her on the bed, a sudden change occurred.
Aglaea's chest suddenly heaved, and a suppressed groan escaped her throat, "Ugh~"
She threw up.
She threw up all over herself and splashed half of Ryuga's chest.
The romantic feeling vanished instantly.
"..."
Ryuga stood frozen in place, looking down at his soaked clothes, and gave a bitter smile. What kind of situation is this?
He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth.
"Those bastards, I'll settle the score with each of them later."
Helplessly, he had to carry Aglaea into the Wallpaper House and put her in the bathroom.
The shower was turned on, and warm water fell like rain, washing away the messy traces.
"Ahem~"
"Pardon me."
Ryuga murmured softly and tremblingly unbuttoned Aglaea's clothes.
They were covered in vomit.
The clothes were removed layer by layer.
Until a body that could be called a miracle of creation appeared before his eyes.
Although he had seen it once before, seeing it again still made his heart race. Her skin glowed with the luster of pearls like congealed fat, her shoulder and neck lines were as smooth as poetry, and her waist was slender yet not lacking in strength.
It was as if a Titan had gently carved it, without a single flaw.
Ryuga's eyes were fixed.
"Ahem~, it's because they all ran away; I had no choice."
Ryuga took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down, then squeezed out some body wash and worked it into a foam as dense as snow.
Then, tremblingly, he began to wash Aglaea.
The shower water meandered down, washing away the dense foam and the filth, but it couldn't wash away the rising heat in Ryuga's heart.
...
Finally, after washing Aglaea clean, Ryuga was already covered in sweat, his clothes soaked and in a mess.
Seeing that Aglaea's breathing was steady, as if she had already fallen asleep.
He simply took off his clothes, intending to give himself a quick rinse.
Just as he turned off the water and was about to wipe himself dry, a sudden sound of splashing water came from behind him.
Ryuga turned his head abruptly, his pupils shrinking.
He saw Aglaea with her eyes half-open and a dazed look, swaying as she stood up from the bathtub and walked toward him.
"Lord Archon~"
A murmur, like an incantation.
Suddenly, Aglaea's foot slipped, and she fell directly into his arms.
At that moment, Ryuga's last bit of reason collapsed like a sand tower.
"You started this."
He pushed her against the wall.
...
The next day, noon.
"..."
Aglaea opened her eyes, and what met her gaze was an unfamiliar ceiling.
Her eyes froze.
She closed her eyes and opened them again; closed them again and opened them again.
She was certain that this was definitely not her bedroom.
She rubbed her forehead, which was heavy from the wine, slowly propped herself up, and looked around.
The quilt, the bed, the room style—none of it was her bedroom.
"I am in..."
Suddenly, she realized that she wasn't wearing any clothes under the covers.
She turned her head abruptly; a man was lying on his side next to her, sleeping soundly.
"Lord, Lord Archon!"
How could she not know what had happened between the two of them?
Memories flooded back, and scenes from last night flashed through her mind in rapid succession.
Aglaea took a deep breath; she hadn't expected that she was the one who took the initiative?
"Ha~"
Ryuga yawned, sat up lazily, and looked at Aglaea with a playful smile.
"You're awake?"
"I... Lord Archon, can you put on some clothes first?"
Aglaea turned her head away, her face flushed.
"I didn't expect you to be so quiet."
"I... last night, actually... I woke up later and still had some reason; I... I knew what I was doing."
"Oh? That's beyond my expectation."
Ryuga raised an eyebrow, a flash of interest in his eyes.
With that, he stood up calmly, his bare feet stepping on the soft carpet, and walked straight toward the bathroom.
When he came out after washing up, he saw Aglaea wrapped in a bathrobe, sitting on the sofa, seemingly thinking about something.
Looking at her face, it was burning even more intensely.
She was reminiscing.
"So, it really was me first..."
Aglaea murmured to herself, remembering that she had thrown up all over Ryuga, then was carried to wash up... and so on, scene after scene.
And finally, she was the one who took the initiative.
Ryuga watched her quietly, seeing her ears turn red and her flustered little appearance, and his appetite was suddenly whetted.
He took a step forward, put his arm around her, and picked her up in a princess carry, walking toward the bedroom.
"Such a good time shouldn't be wasted."
To be continued…
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