Chapter 52: The Story of Hephaestus - (3)

He told the Olympian gods he was going down to the island of Lemnos for a few days, but participated in the festival?

Something smells fishy...

I first observed Hephaestus on the platform.

"If you all would follow me for a moment, you'll be able to appreciate my work of art!"

"A work of art? A piece made by the blacksmith god..."

"Lord Hephaestus is good at making weapons, but art?"

"Is it a rather large piece?"

As the gods whispered curiously, Zeus, who was eating ambrosia, spoke to him.

"Hephaestus, you seem so confident. Should we expect something good?"

"Of course, Father. Even Apollo over there won't be able to surpass my work!"

What on earth did you make to say such things, my nephew?

Surely you haven't made a weapon like my Bident...

His statement, confident to the point of arrogance, claiming he could beat the god of art,

Increased the murmuring from all around, but Apollo, more curious, just smiled with interest.

"Is that so? Since you say that, shall we go see it? Lead the way."

"Yes, Father. All who wish to see, please follow me!"

Zeus stood up, and Poseidon, also interested, walked out.

Although I want Hephaestus to gain fame as a blacksmith,

He hasn't particularly tried to do anything in the field of art...

As I pondered for a moment, the goddess Styx approached and whispered to me.

"Hades, Hephaestus is saying such things, let's hurry and see."

"Something seems off... Yes, let's go."

The place where the gods following Hephaestus arrived was his residence on Olympus.

Is the artwork in his own quarters?

Soon, Hephaestus, standing in front of his bedroom, turned to face us.

He cleared his throat, then grabbed the door handle and spoke.

"This is modern art, no, Greek art. The title is [Love and War]!"

Simultaneously, the door swung open wide...

And the artwork revealed itself.

***

What was visible inside Hephaestus's opened bedroom was...

Surprisingly, two figures entangled on the bed as if they had just finished making love.

It was Aphrodite and Ares.

"Ah... No!"

"Hephaestus...?! You said you were going down to the island of Lemnos..."

The naked couple committing adultery tried to flee as soon as they saw Hephaestus but failed.

This was because a thin bronze net was cast around their bodies.

"Eek! Why won't this break..."

"Ugh...."

"How do you like my artwork? Isn't it enough to surpass Apollo?"

Everyone was speechless, just staring blankly at this scene.

The bronze net that even the mighty strength of Ares, the god of war, couldn't easily break was one thing...

But the sight of Aphrodite beneath him was utterly mesmerizing.

The beautiful body of the goddess of beauty, entangled naked with Ares.

Soft skin without a single flaw, and her struggle to escape from the net.

Her face, strangely flushed with shame and the thrill of being caught in an adulterous act in front of many gods.

Her hands trying to cover her chest and lower body, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

All of this displayed her absolute beauty.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Following the sudden sound of applause, I saw Apollo blankly clapping his hands together.

Golden ichor, the blood of gods, was dripping from his nose.

Unlike humans, we gods don't bleed just from getting excited...

It seemed that his concept of art had been shattered, giving his divine status a great shock.

"I admit it, Hephaestus. I can never catch up to your art."

"Hmm. If you try hard enough, you can do it too."

Watching Apollo, no longer the god of art, unable to take his eyes off Aphrodite's figure,

Wiping under his nose while acknowledging Hephaestus, gave me a headache.

"Hah... This is crazy..."

Other gods, as if they had just come to their senses, added their comments.

"Didn't Lady Hera tell them to stop the affairs last time?"

"Even after having Harmonia, they're still..."

"What an extraordinary sight befitting the art festival."

"Zeus, what do you think?"

"They... should have known when to stop. Tsk tsk."

Apollo, who had been clapping blankly, spoke to Hermes, who seemed to have frozen in place.

However, neither god took their eyes off Aphrodite.

"Hermes, are you envious of Hephaestus? Or of Ares?"

"Brother Apollo, what do you mean?"

"I mean, are you envious of the jealous Hephaestus... or the embarrassed Ares?"

"Of course, I'm envious of both. I wish the net was much tougher so they could be trapped forever..."

Hearing their conversation made my head hurt even more.

Do the humans who worship us in the underworld know this side of the gods?

"Ugh... How indecent...!"

The face of the goddess Styx beside me looked like it was about to burst, and she quickly fled the scene.

Judging by the fading presence, it seems she hurriedly returned to the underworld.

"Ares, Aphrodite. Haven't you had enough after even having Harmonia?"

Zeus sighs, rubbing his forehead.

Poseidon, who had caught the adulterous couple with a very disgruntled face, spoke to the blacksmith god.

He too didn't seem to like this situation very much.

"Hephaestus, I'll take responsibility and get proper apologies and compensation from those two, so please release them now..."

But even Poseidon couldn't take his eyes off Aphrodite's body.

"Well... since you say so, I'll stop here."

Hephaestus approached the bed and manipulated some devices, and the net naturally unraveled.

It seems he spread false rumors predicting that Aphrodite would call Ares if he was away for a long time.

No wonder the Olympian gods were surprised, saying Hephaestus had gone down to the island of Lemnos...

***

As soon as the bronze net was released, Ares fled to Thrace where his temple is located.

Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love, left for the island of Cyprus.

On the island of Cyprus, there's the Fountain of Virginity that can restore a woman's virginity just by bathing in it.

She probably intends to restore her virginity by bathing there.

But is there any meaning to it if she's going to lose her virginity again by having relations with another man?

As promised, I followed Hephaestus to his forge to inspect my weapons.

Watching him concentrate on examining my Bident with his back turned to me, I threw out a comment.

"Hephaestus, but won't Aphrodite dislike you even more if you pull stunts like today?"

The blacksmith god's back trembled.

"I actually... half gave up. Sob..."

"Then why don't you look for another goddess? How about going to Zeus and talking..."

At this point, it's no different from a broken family.

Even though it was a marriage officiated by Zeus himself,

Wouldn't Zeus have had a change of heart after seeing today's events?

If I add my voice and both spouses want a divorce, wouldn't it be possible?

If the problem is that gods eyeing Aphrodite might fight, I could actively intervene...

"But half of me... still sees Aphrodite's beautiful figure lingering in my eyes...!"

Ah...

"I want to somehow win Aphrodite's love, but I see a future where that seems impossible! Aphrodite has already fallen for that Ares and even bore Harmonia! Just because I'm ugly, I'm abandoned by my wife and all I can do is plot this kind of revenge...!"

Now what should I do about this?

Should I arrange a three-way meeting?

"Kuheuuk! Someday I'll burn that Ares's face with flames!"

It seems things will really go to hell because of women troubles.

I can't just stand by and watch anymore.

"Come with me to meet Aphrodite."

"What?"

"How about we hear why she keeps meeting Ares, what is it about you that she dislikes so much?"

The only option is to make them have an honest conversation.

***

As soon as the weapon inspection was over, I headed straight to the island of Cyprus with Hephaestus.

After telling a female nymph, Aphrodite's attendant, that we were waiting,

We waited for a moment before the goddess of beauty, having finished her bath, approached.

I gave Hephaestus a nudge, and he began to speak haltingly.

"What is it that displeases you so much that you keep calling for Ares?"

"Hmph... You ask what displeases me?"

Aphrodite's face wrinkles.

"Of course it's this marriage itself, I wanted to marry someone I love from the start!"

"You married me according to Father's wishes, but isn't it too much to still be doing this even after having a child with Ares?"

"Hephaestus, you're the one who's always so absorbed in your forge work that you hardly come home! How can I possibly grow attached to you?"

While Aphrodite isn't entirely in the right...

Shouldn't you pay some attention to your wife?

"I'm the god of blacksmiths, so I can't help it. But since marrying you, I've been trying in my own way."

"Hmph..."

Aphrodite turns her head slightly, as if feeling a bit guilty.

The blacksmith god is busy day and night making things requested by the Olympian gods,

But since marrying the goddess of beauty, he says he's been trying to spend time at home occasionally.

Of course, it doesn't seem to have been enough for Aphrodite...

"But how can you avoid me even in official settings like Olympus meetings? Even last time when I asked, you completely ignored me! Is it because everyone already knows you love Ares, so you're doing it on purpose?"

It seems a lot of dissatisfaction has built up between them, their words getting rougher despite my presence.

But this is clearly an issue that needs to be addressed.

"You only seek me out to save face in such settings. Isn't your attitude proof that you married me only for my appearance?"

"What?! Are you done talking? You're the one who only asks me to make things when you need them...!"

As their emotions escalate, their powers begin to clash.

The island of Cyprus shakes, and divine power that enchants all surrounding life radiates in all directions.

Flames rise from beneath Hephaestus's feet, heating up the space.

If this continues, the island's life forms will die off, so I need to intervene.

"Enough, stop there."

I stepped between Hephaestus and Aphrodite, clearing the air around us.

Amidst the smell of burning and seductive fragrance, the cold aura of the underworld disrupts everything.

"Hephaestus, no matter how busy you are with blacksmith work, it would be good to pay more attention to your wife. If other gods complain to you, tell them to come to the underworld."

"Yes... I understand."

Hephaestus calms down and steps back a bit.

Next is the turn of the goddess of beauty, who is wearing a vicious expression.

Sighing, I put my hand on Aphrodite's shoulder and met her eyes.

"Aphrodite, aren't you the goddess of love? Yet you can't grant a simple request from a man yearning for your love? Even though Hephaestus here loves you despite you bringing another man into your bedroom and even bearing his child?"

"That's... I..."

Aphrodite tries to step back slightly,

But I need to speak clearly this time to reduce their conflict even a little.

"We can't force love on the goddess of love, but at least try to act like a couple in official settings since you're married."

"Ugh.. Yes... I understand..."

For some reason, with small tears in her eyes and a reddened face, Aphrodite hurriedly leaves the place.

Thinking that things might get better now that we've had a proper talk, I turned my head back, but...

"Sob..."

Hephaestus was crying with the most miserable face I've ever seen.

"As expected... looks are everything in this world... Father Zeus..."