Chapter 32: The Goddess of Fate is Angry
Chapter 32: The Goddess of Fate is Angry
Hearing what Meleager said,
Promise couldn't help but turn around and look at the red-haired young man beside him.
At this moment, he was staring at Atalanta's beautiful back as she walked away, unable to take his eyes away.
His eyes were full of admiration.
But Promise only felt speechless, even a bit of a headache.
'I won't argue with the beauty part,
And if possible, I would also like to get along with her.
After all, she will be quite active in the future. I definitely don't want to end up like Jason, getting kicked by her in the future.'
But Meleager, you really don't have the fortune, and because of her... you will die a horrible death in the future!
In the future, when Meleager hosted the Calydonian Hunt Festival, it was under the witness of Artemis.
As Artemis's most loyal follower, Atalanta naturally came to Calydon.
She was the only woman in that hunting festival.
Many heroes were dissatisfied, believing that this sacred festival should not be tainted by a
woman.
But Meleager, who fell in love with Atalanta at first sight, strongly defended her presence. After the beast was hunted, Meleager even awarded the boar skin, a symbol of great honor, to Atalanta, which displeased his two uncles.
His uncles tried to snatch the boar skin back from Atalanta, and to protect her, Meleager ended up killing his own uncles.
When his mother found out, she was so grief-stricken and enraged by the deaths of her brothers at her son's hands that she threw the log symbolizing Meleager's life into the fire.
As the flames roared, engulfing the entire room, she heard her son's agonizing screams within the flames.
Realizing what she had done, she ultimately perished in the fire along with her son.
Incidentally, even then, Meleager never won Atalanta's heart because she wasn't even aware of these events.
In fact, even after everything ended, if one asked her who Meleager was, she would probably have to think for a while before remembering.
So...
"So, licking the boots gets you nowhere!"
Promise patted Meleager's shoulder sincerely, then looked around without waiting for hs reaction.
He noticed that because of Atalanta's words, these people actually calmed down, but at the same time, their fighting spirit was ignited even more!
Promise clearly came to save Actaeon, but he felt that Actaeon's situation had worsened because of his presence...
Soon, he left the banquet.
After inquiring, he confirmed that Orion was not in the area at all.
Thus, the idea of using the bear as a sacrificial offering was undoubtedly scrapped.
After all, the hunting festival would take place the next night.
While Promise was pondering what to do next.
When he opened the door, he saw the room faintly illuminated by moonlight, with the white- robed Clotho sitting on a chair and her flawless jade feet suspending in the air.
She was holding the crystal ball that specially contained Promise's fate, sitting quietly and waiting for him for a long time.
Seeing her, Promise was slightly stunned, then turned around to close the door and light the room's candle... He wasn't surprised by her appearance.
When the faint candlelight lit up the room under the night, illuminating Clotho's delicate features and the few strands of white hair falling from her hood.
"You surprise me, Promise."
Her gentle yet serious voice, mixed with a bit of confusion, said, "I originally thought you would tell everything to your friend Meleager, or go directly to see the goddess Artemis, but... you didn't seem to plan on doing that?"
"Because I know that telling Meleager about Actaeon and the truth about this hunt will only cause him pain and won't change anything."
Promise said as he walked to face Clotho.
"Because he has a reason to do so; he must meet the goddess Artemis to save his country.
As for why I didn't go directly to see the goddess Artemis... that's because I feel it would be an even worse choice!
Also, did you guide Meleager to come here?"
After all, his arrival timing was too coincidental.
Facing Promise's green eyes, Clotho was silent for a moment before replying, "Even before meeting you, I guided him here because it is his original destiny.
He is the friend destined to kill Actaeon.
He is also the future hero who will save Calydon under the watch of the goddess Artemis."
"In other words, if I save Actaeon and prevent Meleager from meeting the goddess Artemis because of this, if he doesn't get Artemis's forgiveness, Calydon will be destroyed?"
Promise followed Clotho's line of thought and asked.
"That's right." The latter nodded slightly, a faint smile appearing on her face, "And not only that, your feeling is correct; you can't save Actaeon. Even if you go to see the goddess Artemis
now!
Because Actaeon hunted Artemis's beloved golden-horned deer and completely angered her, this hunt must have a result.
When the pain suffered by the golden-horned deer is fully returned to Actaeon, the goddess Artemis will not stop this hunting festival."
"So, Promise, have you witnessed the greatness of destiny now? Do you still wish to oppose
fate?"
After saying that, perhaps feeling she had finally asserted her dignity as a goddess of fate in front of Promise.
Clotho, sitting on the chair, couldn't help but lightly swing her feet and smile.
However, Promise didn't immediately reply.
He just turned his head, those clear green eyes gazing out the window, looking into the
distance.
Actually, Promise knew they should be watching him.
After all, that wise goddess wouldn't miss something this interesting.
And that just goddess Themis might be watching too.
If he wanted, those two goddesses might respond to him.
Moreover, in this ancient Greek divine era, seeking help from gods wasn't shameful.
Seeing him not answering, Clotho raised her head.
Her eyes were white, unable to see the present as the goddess of future fate, but she still
guessed Promise's thoughts.
"Are you thinking about whether you should seek help from the wise goddess, the just goddess, or the great queen?"
Hearing Clotho's question, Promise smiled after regaining his senses and looking at her.
He stepped forward again, came to her front.
Then crouched down, looking at this delicate goddess of fate under the faint light of the lamp
and the moonlight streaming in from outside.
"I don't intend to do that, and... sorry goddess, Clotho, I still can't accept your goodwill."
Promise spoke to Clotho with a tone filled with apology.
In fact, he held quite a good impression of this goddess.
Because in the Hera temple during their first meeting, Clotho had helped him a lot.
She informed Hera that Promise was the one who would bring glory to her.
And although it was Athena's request, Clotho had not yet revealed Athena and Themis's
matters to Queen Hera.
Moreover, even days ago, when Promise made the choice to defy fate and angered Clotho, she
still used a gentle approach to tell him that fate was unchangeable, bringing him to witness
this destined fate personally.
And today, she specially appeared to advise him again.
Clotho remained silent,
Due to the strand of Athena's hair tied on Promise's hand, she could not peer into Promise's
true thoughts, but she heard the sincere apology in his words.
Thus, she knew Promise was not underestimating her but she also couldn't understand his reasons, so she couldn't help but ask, "Why?"
"Because that day, when you appeared before me, I had already made my choice in the face of
fate."
Promise replied, "And even if I abandon this one time, what about the future?
If I give up on Actaeon, then what about Meleager's matter? Should I watch him kill his two uncles and then be killed by his mother?"
"If I abandon them all, will I finally watch my mentor Chiron, who has always cared for and worried about me, die in pain?"
"How do you know so much about fate?" Clotho couldn't help but ask again.
The latter smiled faintly, "And that's why I won't seek their help. They, being kind, will undoubtedly respond to my pleas, but... that day in front of fate, I made my own decision." Just as Heracles chose virtue over vice before the goddesses, and upheld virtue all his life
without changing.
"So you choose to fight against me all your life?!"
Clotho was about to pretend to be very angry.
"No," Promise interrupted her with a smile, saying, "I only hope to show you, the goddess of
fate, a better future...
Just like the matter with the goddess Aegina.
Though you came to criticize me that day, I knew you were actually happy for them... right?"
Clotho was stunned, remaining silent for a long time.
When she finally came to her senses, she tried to pretend to be angry and retorted, "No, it was
very troublesome to clean up after you, I wasn't happy!"
"And, and... and you keep contradicting me, trying to change the fate I control.
You want to make me, the goddess of fate, ashamed!"
Promise was speechless,
He stood up with a smile.
"Thank you, goddess Clotho. I will complete this hunt... because you have already told me
that to calm the anger of the goddess Artemis, I must hunt the already transformed giant deer
Actaeon."
Even if his opponents were the excellent hunters gathered by Artemis's oracle.
Even among them, there were the truly graduated hunter Meleager from Chiron, and the
future famous beautiful hunter Atalanta!
"And then I will go to see the goddess Artemis, to seek forgiveness for Actaeon, and also to
obtain the qualification to hunt the Calydonian boar!"
Promise looked at the stunned Clotho,n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
"I will, as you said that day, face the goddess Artemis, confront her anger, and... rewrite
everything!"
Hearing this, Clotho remained silent for a long time.
"Squat down."
She said.
Promise blinked in confusion,
"Squat down!"
Realizing that Clotho was indeed angry, Promise obediently squatted down.
Then, in the next second, Clotho reached out, pinched his face, and even squeezed it
particularly hard twice!
After doing all this, she jumped off the chair, hugged her crystal ball, and angrily prepared to
leave.
But halfway through, she seemed to think of something and hesitated for a while.
So she ran back, placed the crystal ball aside.
Under Promise's watch, she took out a golden apple from her pocket and stuffed it into his
hand.
"For you, you annoying guy!"
After saying that, she finally left angrily with the crystal ball containing Promise's fate.
And all of this, as he initially said,
Was watched by the goddesses secretly observing him,
And they let out bell-like laughter under the starry night.