Myth: The Ruler of Spirituality

Zeus seized the key point from the other’s words without concern for anything else.

“Are you saying that the respected Mother Earth has now returned to her essence and no longer bothers with the troubles of the present world?”

“Yes.” Moanda bowed gently and replied respectfully, “But this is only a temporary slumber.”

“Perhaps a few hundred years, maybe a thousand years, Your Highness will awaken from her slumber. She didn’t specify an exact timeline, but during this period, she has commanded me and a few sisters to guard the matters around Delphi.”

“I see… It seems that I won’t have the chance to meet Mother Earth on this trip.”

His expression softened, and understanding the circumstances, Zeus was clear why his arrival was unheeded. Although he was somewhat disappointed that his grandmother had not chosen to withdraw from the world like the Mountain God and Sea God, a few hundred years was still good.

A few hundred years was enough time for him to accomplish many things.

“You are Moanda, aren’t you, I’ve heard of you; you once delivered a Golden Apple to the Mother Goddess.”

Regaining his composure, the Divine King nodded to the nymph and then continued to inquire:

“Since you’re in charge of the Oracle, what about the statue of the previous Divine King?”

“It disappeared a few days ago.”

After hesitating for a moment under the Divine King’s piercing gaze, the nymph still revealed the truth.

“Disappeared?”

Somewhat uncertain, a few days ago was undoubtedly the day the war of the gods took place.

However, the exact truth wasn’t that important. Perhaps it was erased by Cronus himself or destroyed along with his demise. Regardless of the reason, Zeus was quite satisfied with this outcome.

After the previous events, if it had been up to him to remove the statue of the former Divine King, he would have been somewhat reluctant to do so.

“I understand. If that’s the case, you may leave now; you’re no longer needed here.”

“If Mother Earth awakens in the future, remember to convey my regards to her.”

With a wave of his hand, Zeus no longer paid attention to a minor nymph. After she left the Temple, he stepped forward and took out the stone he had sealed as the ‘Sacred Stone’.

“I mean no offense by coming here, but as the new Divine King, the Sovereign of the Earth and the Sky, I rightfully should have a place here.”

Placing the ‘Sacred Stone’ on the pedestal that belonged to the second-generation Divine King, Zeus held his breath and gazed intently, trying to sense the surroundings, especially the other world that overlapped with the present one.

At first, nothing changed. However, after the ‘Sacred Stone’ pulsed with the rhythm of life seven times, the boundary created by the Primordial Gods finally responded.

“…As expected.”

Silently, in Zeus’s perception, an invisible portal opened up. Although no being came to greet him, the Divine King had anticipated this outcome.

After all, the demeanor of the Ancient God had not seemed friendly before.

Behind the invisible portal, the essence known as ‘spirituality’ seeped out a thousandfold, clarifying the Divine King’s mind. Yet for some reason, besides that, he also felt a familiar yet strange burning sensation.

“This sensation… is it Helios?”

He shook his head slightly, not sure, as the sensation was somewhat different from the Sun God. Puzzled, he stepped through the portal and silently disappeared within the Oracle of Delphi.

When the Divine King left, silence once again fell over the Oracle of Delphi.

What no one noticed, though, was that as Zeus crossed the portal, wisps of black and white mist drifted out from behind it and settled to the ground.

They gradually gathered together to form a long snake, holding a twig in its mouth, which slithered on the ground upon landing.

It seemed slow, but as if it had no physical form, nothing could hinder it. When the snake passed through the Temple wall and left, the first thing it saw was the recently departed Moanda.

“Divine King… is this what a True God is?”

Standing on a patch of greenery and having been ignored after answering the question, the nymph Moanda stared blankly in the direction of the Temple.

This was not her first time experiencing the difference between the divine and the non-divine, in fact, this was her second time communicating with a True God other than Mother Earth herself.

Once upon a time, she had stood by Gaia’s side, witness to her union with the primordial Sea God Pontus, which yielded a profusion of offspring. Yet, until their separation, neither Pontus nor any of his five children had ever spared her a single glance.

In the past, when she attended the banquets of the gods as an emissary of Mother Earth, Moanda had felt the sensation of being noticed by deities for the first time, albeit briefly and only because of the master she represented.

Just a moment ago, when the Divine King mentioned, “You once delivered a Golden Apple to the Mother Goddess,” she thought she might be receiving some commendation. However, the outcome was that Zeus, preoccupied with important matters, never intended to say another word to the beautiful Elf.

After all, she was merely a Nymph, not a true Deity.

“It’s time to go back; I suppose the Divine King did not wish to see me when he came out.”

Gently shaking her head, whether the outcome was good or bad, since the new Divine King had come here alone, presumably not wishing others to know his whereabouts, Moanda also decided not to linger.

“True Gods, truly enviable, aren’t they?”

“Yes.”

She responded offhandedly and walked towards the old abode of Mother Earth. Yet, as she took her first step, she suddenly froze.

This wasn’t another Nymph speaking to her; there shouldn’t be anyone else here. The Divine King had just passed by, and the one who appeared was a strange voice she had never heard before.

“Ssss”

As the hissing sound arose, Moanda dared not move hastily. She could feel something crawling past her immobilized feet.

It was a snake, and though Nymphs had seen similar creatures before, none possessed the wisdom that this one did. In front of her, the snake turned its head, a branch in its mouth, facing the Elf behind it.

“It seems you think so too. If we can reach a consensus, that would be perfect.”

Smart, desirous, and allowed by Mother Earth to enter her garden.

Such a being couldn’t be more suitable.

“Who are you?”

Her voice trembled slightly, but Moanda still tried to think calmly. She did not know which deity was behind this being that dared to conceal itself in the Divine King’s presence, in the sacred sanctuary of Mother Earth in the Mortal Realm, harboring ill intentions.

“Ssss”

“Who I am is not important. What is important is who you are.”

The snake did not answer the Elf’s question, instead, its body gradually coiled. Its neck lifted high, its head level with hers, and its tiny eyes gazed directly at the being before it.

“An elf, a servant overlooked by the gods, a Nymph who desires the nobility of a True God—is that right?”

“What does that have to do with you!”

A bit out of character, Moanda clenched her fists tightly. It wasn’t because the other had seen through her thoughts—even mortals yearn for eternity, and there’s nothing remarkable about it. Even if the gods heard it, they would simply laugh it off as a mortal’s folly.

In fact, she was just vaguely aware of something.

And sure enough, although the snake’s face showed no expression, Moanda felt as though it had just smiled.

“Of course it has to do with me, Erica’s offspring, after all, I can make it happen for you.”

“Answer my question seriously, do you want to be a god? Do you want immortality? Do you wish to be revered as a king by all your peers?”

Her heart pounded, Moanda remained silent. Today’s events had exceeded her comprehension, she did not know who would dare to voice such seductive words so boldly in the sanctuary of Mother Earth.

“So…what are you suggesting?”

“What I mean is that you can choose to forsake your old master, to go against her will and eat the ‘Forbidden Fruit’, but from then on, you will gain freedom and a new life.”

“Isn’t it worth it? This is exactly what you’ve always wanted.”

Her lips felt dry as she thought about the Divine King who had just disappeared into the temple. The Elf incarnate of the oak seemingly realized who she was facing, but this only intensified the struggle within her heart.

The other had the power to do this. So now, it was her turn to make a decision.