It's been half a year since I began looking after Callisto and her son. In that time, Apollo somehow found out and came by often, but whenever Callisto wasn't around, I always wrapped up our talks one-on-one.
Since no one else would help, I expected my leave to be anything but restful, but Callisto's example changed my mind. Though she didn't choose to have a child, she was already a wonderful mother.
Back in my past life, there were places where students could secretly place a child they'd given birth to, and I even volunteered at one of those facilities, so I couldn't ignore Callisto. That love she felt for her child… I couldn't turn a blind eye to it.
"Ugh, so embarrassing… and now I have to go back… damn it!"
I'd originally headed out to gather ingredients to change my menu because Arcas was cutting his first tooth, but I'd left the very tools I'd need to collect them behind. That's why I have to go back into the cave now.
On my way back to the cave, I was thinking only of that, when I abruptly shoved aside thoughts of the child and swore at the sky darkening overhead.
"This goddamn Olympus…"
I've seen the sky shift like this and the clouds descend like an elevator several times. No… at least once a month without fail.
Descending clouds usually mean a divine spirit is coming down. This time it wasn't Apollo, but the moment I saw that goddess, I knew exactly who it was. The instant I recognized her, my body moved before my rational mind did.
Goddess Hera. Zeus's current legitimate wife and known as the Queen of the Gods. Famous for her fierce jealousy, she relentlessly torments Zeus's illegitimate children and their mothers, considering them destroyers of her household.
Although Zeus is higher in power, even other gods fear her presence, and at times Zeus himself has to watch his step around her. The reason a goddess like that has come to this cave is obvious.
"H-Hera…! Please, have mercy…! I was forced by Zeus—"
"That beautiful face that distracted Zeus… I will take it from you right here…!"
"Wait!"
Just before the worst could actually hit, I managed to halt Hera. I called out to stop her before she even uttered the curse.
Seeing Hera—clearly in a foul mood—I found myself wondering what on earth I was doing. Yeah, getting involved with Hera never leads to anything good. I know that all too well from my experience with Apollo. Hera must be seeing me for the first time; she paused in mid-gesture toward Callisto and turned to face me.
"Hmm…? And you are—"
"Pleased to meet you, Goddess Hera. I am Iskios."
"Iskios…? You?"
When I introduced myself, the redness that had flushed across Hera's face from anger receded, and she looked at me with puzzled eyes.
That whole incident with Apollo was one that summoned all the Olympian deities to convene. Even a divine spirit who generally doesn't care about mortals would have heard my name.
"Then show your face! Hiding your face before a goddess—there's no greater impiety than that!"
"…That was very rude of me."
She did know who I was, but she was angry that I concealed my face. Well… it can't be helped.
But I wear this mask as part of my everyday life because Apollo and others get thrown off by my face. Reluctantly, I removed the mask hiding my features.
"Ah…"
"Oh my… what a cute man…"
The moment I took off the mask, Callisto and Hera both blushed at the sight of my face, just as I expected. And it wasn't instant—it spread slowly.
My face tends to attract men often, but apparently it works on women too. Once, I took off my mask briefly to wash up, and a woman who saw me by chance confessed to me. Of course, I rejected her confession—for her own good.
Callisto quietly admired me, and Hera looked at me with a sweet smile. The fury she'd shown moments ago was nowhere to be seen. Seriously, the gods of this end-times Greece really do have every emotional extreme in spades.
"Truly… I'm so envious of Selene. To have borne such a cute son… and look at me… sigh…"
Showing another emotional swing, Hera suddenly sighed and looked down at the ground. Surely she was thinking of her sons.
There's workaholic, ugly-faced Hephaestus and the brutal but whiny Ares, who complains like a child whenever he's on the receiving end. Hephaestus doesn't seem like a bad god, but Ares offers no defense.
As Hera sighed thinking of her obviously ungrateful sons, she looked at me with a blank expression and asked. My one and only request to Goddess Hera was…
"By the way… what brings you before me? Son of Selene."
"Then I'll speak plainly. I ask you to forgive Callisto's sin."
"…What did you say…?"
I never thought this world would ever be fair. This is end-times Greece, where the strong rule by violence and instinct in a brutal existence.
However, in this world… in these end-times, I've seen that it's not all hopeless. There are still "humans" in Greece. Weak humans who struggle beneath the boot of powerful beings.
In my past life I helped people as much as I could. Saving everyone was never possible. This world isn't small enough to be changed by one person's power alone. So I do what I can for those around me.
But now, compared to my past self, I have more capability, and I can directly protect the weak from the tyranny of the powerful. Even if that power is the divine spirit called the Queen of the Gods…
"Son of Selene, do you know what you're saying right now?"
"Yes."
"I had no intention of touching you, the son Selene took such pride in. So I'll give you another chance to take back your words. Are you now daring to argue with me for someone you have no connection to and have never met…?"
I could sense killing intent coming from Hera. Her emotions had swung wildly, but the sheer pressure I felt from her almost made me tremble.
Indeed, with this kind of pressure one can claim to be the Queen of the Gods. But there's a saying: even in a tiger's den, if you keep your wits you can survive. Turn this crisis into an opportunity… Iskios! If I back down here, Callisto will fall into ruin.
"Hmm, you seem to be in your right mind. I thought you'd gone mad, seeing you take this stance to protect that impious woman whose only talent is her beauty…"
I mean it. I'm here ready to accept any curse on myself in order to shield Callisto. My old self would've called this utter stupidity, but now I understand the heart behind it.
At first, I planned to ignore Callisto and carry on. But from her I discovered a mother's love and a truly human heart. In this age of despair, even in these end times, I saw glimpses of humanity.
"I was simply… doing what I could."
Callisto stands alone. Raped by Zeus, abandoned by Artemis, cursed by Hera, and later nearly killed by her own son… no one will protect her from misfortune. Yet she loves her child and is determined to take responsibility to the end.
Now I'm certain: if protecting these weak is something only I can do, then like in my past life, I'll keep doing what I can. Now… there's nowhere to run, and I've thrown away any chance to avoid this crisis.
-If you want to open someone's heart, first open your own.-
Hera first heard of Iskios when Selene, normally passive and taciturn, proudly boasted about him at [the temple of Olympus].
She was so proud and showed it wholeheartedly for none other than her son. She claimed he possessed beauty akin to that of a woman. Of course, that very beauty later made him the target of Apollo's pursuit.
Hera listened to the story and lightly shrugged it off, but Iskios spent two years on the run from Apollo, protecting himself. A human guarding himself from a god is unheard of. It was after that that Hera met Iskios in the flesh for the first time.
When they met face to face, Hera saw that he stood up to protect a woman and her child with whom he had no deep connection. He knew exactly who she was, yet he showed no fear, speaking boldly and manfully. Seeing that Iskios, she smiled gently, as if her earlier anger had vanished.
"I like it, Iskios! That recklessness—throwing your body on behalf of someone you don't even know! Though she's impious, you protected her to the end. That boldness of yours, I do not dislike it."
Even Zeus watches his step when it comes to her wrath. Watching that was beyond pathetic—it was utterly disheartening. But Hera couldn't help but be moved by Iskios's actions.
In Hera's presence, most bow their heads or tread carefully. Even Heracles, who stands out above other mortal heroes, is nothing before her. Yet this man—half divine spirit though he may be—stood confidently and spoke his mind, standing up for a woman and child with whom he had no ties.
Though she still harbored anger over Callisto bearing Zeus's child, today she changed her mind. Meeting Iskios for the first time moved her to an uncharacteristic resolution. She still looked at Callisto with a cold gaze, but Hera gave up cursing her.
"…Very well! Callisto, was it…? I will overlook your sin, because of this man's recklessness, his beauty, and his manliness."
Though he possessed beauty often ascribed to women, his inner self was all man… a hero in every sense of the word.
His appearance struck a chord with Hera, but so did his attitude and conviction. Never before had any of the surrounding male gods stood up to her like that when she was angry.
Even if it were another deity, but here was a demigod bearing half divine blood, standing before her with such unwavering conviction. Hera said nothing, but inwardly she admired his recklessness… his courage.
"But remember this. Your ability to keep your beauty and escape punishment lasts only as long as this man lives. If he dies, I will strip that beauty from you. I will concede no further."
"…Thank you, Goddess Hera."
Having finished her business, Hera boarded the clouds, leaving Callisto untouched. As she ascended, she looked down at Iskios and smiled.
In all her existence as a goddess, she had never met anyone who looked her in the eye so confidently. Especially not a human. Hera, however slight, paid him her respects.
"…Brave man, I wish blessings upon the path ahead of you."
Iskios said nothing further, instead quietly lowering his head in greeting. Hera, watching him, smiled as if she had let go of some lingering regret, then rode the clouds back into the sky.
After the cloud she rode vanished into the sky, Iskios put the mask he'd hidden in his coat back on. With the mask in place, he grew cold again, and inwardly he chastised himself.
Ugh… I really am an idiot. They say environment changes a person—and it's true…
Having tried from the start to avoid involvement with gods, here he was, standing before Hera—whom even Zeus fears when she's jealous—and shielding Callisto. Even in hindsight, Iskios saw it as nothing less than a suicidal gamble.
He may have gotten lucky this time, but if things had gone wrong, he and Callisto likely would've been cursed together. Still, Iskios had no regrets. He did what was needed, and, as he'd said, protected the weak.
"Th-thank you… thank you… thank you…..!"
The moment Hera departed, Callisto burst into tears she'd been holding back. At first, seeing Hera, she'd nearly lost her mind to terror, convinced it was all over, but she had been saved by Iskios.
The first time was when centaurs threatened her in the forest; the second was when his help let her raise her child and become a proper mother; the third was when he protected her from Hera, the very incarnation of jealousy.
To this day, no one dares assert themselves before Hera, the Queen of the Gods, cowering at her and feeling dread. Even Zeus had to be cautious whenever her jealousy flared.
But today, for the first time, someone overcame Hera's jealousy and forced her to relent. Clinging to the one who saved her from Hera, Callisto wept harder and cried out. Iskios waited for her to finish crying.