Chương 138: Athena, the Defiant
After Liliana and Karen each drove away in one of the cars gifted by Eriri, the three—Eriri, Elaina, and Shinobu—began their exploration of Milan, guided by Erica.
Years ago, Eriri had traveled to Milan in her original world. Upon comparing the two Milans, she realized that both worlds' versions were almost identical. Iconic landmarks like the Milan Cathedral, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the Brera Art Gallery, and La Scala Theatre all existed in both worlds, with little difference in their appearance.
The bustling city captivated Elaina and Shinobu, who wandered the streets with wide-eyed wonder. Though they had seen glimpses of modern cities in the memory fragments shared within the chat group, and had already observed much of the urban scenery on their road trip from Sardinia to Milan, experiencing the city firsthand was an entirely different sensation.
At that moment, the group was in front of the Milan Cathedral, standing in the lively square filled with tourists and pigeons. The birds fearlessly interacted with the people, blending in with the crowd. The Milan Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece, stood tall and elegant, its white marble walls adorned with intricate sculptures, showcasing a wealth of artistic detail.
Eriri and her friends wandered around the cathedral like ordinary tourists, cameras hanging around their necks as they snapped photos of each other, capturing beautiful moments.
Suddenly, the space around them seemed to freeze, growing dim and still. The bustling crowd moved away from where they stood, as if unaware, leaving the previously noisy square eerily quiet.
A petite girl, around thirteen or fourteen years old, with angelic beauty and silver hair, appeared a few meters away from them.
"That revolting aura... You, girl, are you a Godslayer?" the girl asked calmly as she stared at Erica.
In the blink of an eye, the silver-haired girl was right in front of Erica. Her shoulder-length silver hair gleamed faintly as if bathed in moonlight, and her dark eyes seemed to swallow the light.
She wore a cream-colored sweater over a white shirt, a black ribbon tied neatly at the collar. Below, she donned a black pleated skirt with blue knee-high socks. A blue knit hat sat atop her silver hair, with cat-like ear shapes poking up from the sides.
Erica instinctively stepped back, her body reacting as if facing a mortal enemy. She immediately recognized the girl as a Heretic God wandering the human world.
"I am the goddess who bears the name Athena. I can sense the presence of the 'serpent' upon you, Godslayer. Would you kindly return the Gorgoneion to me?" Athena spoke with a calm and indifferent tone, clearly not seeing Erica as a real threat.
Just as Erica was about to retort, Eriri suddenly rushed forward and wrapped Athena in a tight hug.
"Wow! Athena-chan is so cute!" Eriri exclaimed, rubbing her cheek against Athena's small face, much to the goddess's shock.
"You insolent human! Let go of me at once!" Athena struggled to free herself from Eriri's grasp, but quickly realized she couldn't escape at all. It was as if her divine power had completely vanished, leaving her feeling no different from an ordinary, helpless little girl.
Seeing that her struggle was useless, Athena gave up, letting Eriri nuzzle her while confusion filled her bright eyes.
"Who are you? I sense no Godslayer aura from you, yet you possess such overwhelming power," Athena asked, her voice filled with bewilderment.
"Curious, are you? I'll tell you everything if you agree to become my maid," Eriri replied with a playful smile, still clinging to Athena.
"Hmph, human, do you dare mock me?" Athena's eyes sharpened. "I am the goddess of the earth, the ruler of the underworld's darkness, and the wise goddess of the heavens. How could I possibly become your maid?"
"Being my maid comes with many perks, you know. Not only will you get to admire my unparalleled beauty every day, but I can also hand over the Gorgoneion, the very thing you've been searching for," Eriri teased with a mischievous grin.
"You're shameless. Though I have sought the 'serpent' to reclaim my divinity and age, I would never stoop so low as to become your servant," Athena scoffed.
"Never say never. You know, the 'smell of sweet victory' is a universal truth, a law of the cosmos that no one can resist," Eriri said, her eyes gleaming with sly intent. Then, she proposed, "How about we make a bet, Athena-chan?"
"A bet?" Athena's eyes flickered with interest, though she could sense Eriri was up to no good.
"Yes, I'll give you the Gorgoneion right now, so you can restore yourself to your true form. The bet is simple: if you can escape from my side afterward, I won't mention anything about making you my maid again, and you'll keep the serpent. But if you can't escape... you'll become my cute little maid. Fair, right?"
"Fair?" Erica, Elaina, and Shinobu all felt an overwhelming sense of disbelief. Fair? A bet between an Eighth Level powerhouse and a Ffth Level being? Eriri's shamelessness knew no bounds.
The trio couldn't help but feel sympathy for Athena. To them, it seemed inevitable that the goddess would fall into Eriri's trap.
Athena, considering the terms of the bet, suddenly felt the weight of three strange gazes on her back. When she turned to look, she saw nothing but Erica and the others awkwardly looking away.
Athena, unaware of Eriri's true strength, felt confident. Even though she couldn't escape Eriri's grasp right now, she believed that with her full power restored, she could at least flee, if not win a fight.
"Fine. I accept your bet," Athena agreed, thinking it would be a simple matter to escape once she regained her full powers.
"Great!" Eriri said cheerfully, releasing Athena from her embrace. She then turned to Erica. "Erica, you have the Gorgoneion, right? Give it to Athena."
"Yes, Lady Eriri," Erica replied respectfully, pulling the Gorgoneion from her pocket and tossing it to Athena.
Ever since receiving the Gorgoneion from Paul hours earlier, Erica had kept it with her, knowing it would eventually draw Athena out. She hoped to resolve this issue sooner rather than later.
Athena held the stone in her hands, her face lighting up with joy. However, she didn't immediately use it. Instead, she turned her attention to Eriri.
"Human, tell me your name. You're unlike anyone I've ever encountered. You've piqued my interest," Athena said with a hint of curiosity.
"My name is Eriri Spencer Sawamura. You can call me Eriri-nee, or master, whichever you prefer," Eriri said with a playful smirk.
"Eriri, huh? I'll remember that name," Athena responded, taking one last glance at Eriri before shifting her gaze back to the Gorgoneion, which bore the likeness of the snake-haired Medusa. "At last, I have regained my past."
With that, Athena raised the Gorgoneion high and began chanting.
"I sing of the goddess, who was once three in one. Connecting the heavens, the earth, and the underworld, embodying wisdom and cycles of life."
"I sing of the goddess, once debased. A queen turned forbidden serpent, lamenting her fall from grace."
"I sing of the goddess, whose body was torn apart. Once a mother, defiled by the exalted father, humiliated in her purity."
"My name is Athena, daughter of Zeus, protector of Athens, and eternal virgin."
"In the past, I was the mother of all creation, the ruler of the underworld, and the queen of divine wisdom. I vow now to reclaim my original self!"
As Athena's chant echoed through the air like a hymn or a prayer, her form began to change.
Her petite frame elongated, growing taller. Her limbs lengthened, revealing a pair of slender legs, and her chest swelled as her figure matured.
In mere moments, Athena had transformed from a delicate girl into a dignified and graceful woman. The childishness had vanished from her face, replaced by a regal and elegant countenance.
Now appearing about eighteen years old, her silver hair cascaded down to her knees, and a blue laurel crown rested atop her head. Her flawless face was breathtakingly beautiful, like a dream.
Her modern attire had morphed into a traditional white robe favored by the ancient Greeks.
Athena flexed her fingers, feeling the strength coursing through her once again. A look of excitement and joy spread across her face.
However, a voice suddenly startled her.
"Hmm, not bad, not bad. Beautiful in both your big and small forms—cute as a loli, graceful as a queen. Perfect!" Eriri said, grinning and even giving Athena a thumbs-up.
Athena instinctively leaped back several meters, her brows furrowed as she took up a defensive stance, eyeing Eriri as if she were a dangerous predator.
"What are you running for? It's not like I'm going to eat you," Eriri said with mild annoyance, waving Athena over. "Come here, let me take a closer look."
Athena hesitated, sensing a foreboding feeling. Without wasting a second, she prepared to flee from this unsettling situation.
But the moment she tried to move, she found herself completely immobilized. Her divine power, which had just returned, was now completely sealed away. She couldn't even move a muscle, much less escape.
Before she could comprehend what had happened, a powerful force pulled her back toward Eriri, leaving her face-to-face with a loving eyes.
"How... how is this possible? Even after regaining my original form, I still can't escape..." Athena's voice trembled with shock and disbelief. She was beginning to question who the real goddess was.
"Well, Athena-chan, you lost the bet. From now on, you're officially my cute little maid," Eriri declared, sealing the goddess's fate with a playful smile.
Hearing Eriri's words, Athena fell silent, realizing that she had been completely tricked. Her opponent had never intended to let her go from the start.
At this moment, Athena was filled with regret, deep regret. If she had known things would turn out like this, she would have made sure to be fully prepared before seeking out the Gorgoneion.
Now, although she had successfully obtained the Gorgoneion and restored her ancient form, she had lost her freedom and was destined to become someone else's maid.
She could fully sense the vast difference in strength between herself and Eriri. Under Eriri's absolute suppression, even the most basic resistance was impossible. Athena had good reason to believe that even if the gods of mythology banded together, they wouldn't stand a chance against Eriri.
Escaping had become nothing more than a delusion. Even if she somehow managed to slip away in the future, Eriri would probably find her quickly, no matter where she hid—even within the mythological realms themselves.
"Hmm... Although big Athena-chan is also very cute, I still think the smaller version is more fun," Eriri said thoughtfully after examining Athena's larger form for a while. She then gently patted Athena on the head, and in an instant, the once majestic Athena returned to her 13 or 14-year-old self, with no ability to resist.
She was back in her previous outfit—a beige sweater over a white shirt, a black pleated skirt, and knee-high blue socks, along with the blue knitted hat that had small, cute cat-ear-like protrusions.
Under Eriri's control, Athena could no longer feel her divine power or her godly status. This smaller form startled Athena. After all the effort it took to regain her godhood and mature form, was she now going to lose it again?
"Hey, human, you—" Athena began, but Eriri quickly interrupted her.
"Hold on, Athena-chan. You're my little maid now, remember? Didn't I already teach you how to address me properly?"
"...Master, are you a lolicon?"
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