The Duel and the God of Forging

The Golden-Horned Deer is a favored creature of Artemis; she loves these beings so much that she even uses them to pull her chariot.

The favored creatures and sacred artifacts are symbols of a deity, akin to the face of that deity. Destroying them is tantamount to slapping the deity in the face, causing them great embarrassment.

'You!"

Artemis's face flushed with anger; she never expected that this usually silent and overlooked young goddess would dare to openly provoke her.

'You, a youthful goddess with mere third-tier divine power, even if you are the daughter of the goddess queen, is it fitting for you to attack a high-ranking deity?"

'Third-tier divine power?" Hebe no longer suppressed her divine strength. A faint glow emanated from her, showcasing her divine duties of youth, purification, and healing, revealing her current status as a mid-tier second-tier deity to the gods of Olympus.

'Hiss! Second-tier! She's actually a mid-tier second-tier deity!"

'This is impossible! The last time I saw Princess Hebe, she clearly only had third-tier divine power!"

'When was the last time you saw Princess Hebe?"

'…Probably several decades ago?"

'My heavens! She went from third-tier divine power to mid-tier second-tier in just a few decades? Could it be that she overextended her essence?"

For immortal deities, a few decades is merely the blink of an eye. Hebe's rapid ascension to mid-tier second-tier in just a few decades undoubtedly left the gods stunned, even leading them to suspect that she had drained her essence to forcefully elevate her power.

'…This, this is impossible!"

Artemis looked incredulous; she knew better than anyone how difficult it is for a deity to increase their divine power. How could Hebe ascend to mid-tier second-tier in just a few decades?

Apollo and Athena exchanged surprised glances. Could this daughter of the goddess queen have encountered some extraordinary fortune? Although purification and healing are not the rarest divine duties, they are still quite respectable. Perhaps her mother, the indulgent goddess queen, had given her special treatment?

Thinking of this, the wise goddess, with her bright eyes, couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. Having a good mother goddess is indeed like having a big tree to provide shade.

'Princess Hebe, I think this matter…" If things continued to escalate, Artemis would not only fail to gain the upper hand but could also end up being accused of disrespecting a deity.

'Prince Apollo, I believe it's best if we do not interfere in the disputes among goddesses, don't you think?" Before Apollo could finish his sentence, Ares's rough and boisterous voice interrupted him. His bloodshot eyes fixed intently on Apollo, undeniably warning him that he shouldn't think only his sister had a brother to back her up.

'…"

Apollo was truly annoyed by this crude god of war. As a deity of the arts, he had no respect for Ares, who was full of bloodlust and always shouting for battle; he found him mindless and troublesome.

'Enough!"

A commanding voice echoed throughout the hall. Zeus sat on his throne, the god who rules the sky. His keen perception had already taken in the conflict between his two daughters. With an imposing presence that commanded respect, he exuded an authority that made others instinctively submit.

'Father, it was clearly Hebe who first…" Artemis knelt on one knee, her lively and beautiful face showing a mix of stubbornness and grievance. The appearance of this twin goddess was indeed striking, evoking a sense of pity in those who looked upon her.

'…" Hebe remained silent on one knee, unlike Artemis, who was favored by Zeus. For this less-favored daughter, staying quiet was the wisest choice at the moment.

'Enough, Artemis. You have overstepped your bounds."

Zeus's voice carried a hint of coldness. Deities are immortal, and even though he had many children, this king of the gods still maintained the youthful appearance of his prime. His handsome, untroubled face, combined with a noble and mature aura, was no wonder many women had fallen for him, bearing him demigod children.

Zeus looked at his two daughters kneeling on the ground. There was no doubt that Artemis was one of his favored ones. As for Hebe, Zeus had little impression of her; he only remembered her as a timid goddess, widely regarded as weak, who had never dared to lift her head in his presence, seemingly frightened every time they met.

Now, however, there was a hint of appreciation in Zeus's eyes. He looked at Hebe, who was kneeling in the temple. Although she still wore a submissive expression, the previous air of timidity had vanished. For the first time, Zeus seriously assessed his daughter's appearance.

The goddess of youth inevitably bore a certain youthful innocence on her face, but her beauty seemed to blend the best traits of both him and Hera. Her hair shone brighter than the sun, and her violet eyes resembled a beautiful purple iris, evoking a rare sense of paternal affection from Zeus for this little daughter of himself and Hera.

The gaze from above made Hebe feel slightly uncomfortable, but since he was her father and the supreme king of the gods, she could only temporarily suppress her irritation, appearing even more respectful.

'Artemis, speaking against the goddess queen is indeed punishable."

'Great Father, I…"

Artemis's expression changed as she prepared to defend herself, but Zeus's cold gaze silenced her. The goddess of light bit her crimson lip, feeling both wronged and indignant.

'And Hebe, attacking a higher deity, even though you are both second-tier gods, Artemis's divine power still surpasses yours. Do you understand your mistake?"

'Great Father, Hebe acknowledges her mistake and asks for your punishment."

Questioning the king's decisions is tantamount to challenging authority, and Hebe was not foolish. With her low divine power and lack of favor, it was wise to admit her fault at this moment.

'Mm."

Hebe's obedience pleased Zeus, who had not harbored much anger to begin with. Moreover, Hebe had acted to defend her mother goddess's honor.

Did Zeus love Hera? Undoubtedly, he did. Among all his wives, only Hera had the honor of sharing half of his authority. Artemis's earlier remarks insulting Hera had already displeased him.

'Hera!"

Trapped in her golden throne, Hera felt anxious seeing Hebe about to be punished; this was a mother's instinct to protect her child.

Zeus gently patted Hera's hand, comforting his imprisoned wife.

'Artemis, Hebe, considering that both of you have made mistakes, after this matter is resolved, you two will be sent to the divine arena for a contest of divine powers. Each of you will wager a piece of divine essence as a stake. The victorious deity will be exempt from punishment and will gain the divine essence wagered, while the loser will have to spend thirty years in the mortal realm reflecting on their actions and will not be allowed to ascend Olympus during that time."

The assembled deities erupted in an uproar; a contest with divine essence as the wager was undoubtedly a significant loss for the defeated party. Each piece of divine essence was a symbol of identity and a source of power for the gods. Losing divine essence would not only diminish one's divine power but could also lead to ridicule and embarrassment from other deities.

'I oppose this!"

Hera, trapped in her golden throne, clenched her fists and was the first to voice her dissent. Her little daughter Hebe had been cherished like a delicate flower since childhood. Although she did not want to admit it, even under her pressure, Artemis had grown strong enough that, despite not matching her brother Apollo, she was not to be underestimated among the gods of Olympus.

'Enough, Hera. Let the children resolve their own matters."

Zeus was unmoved by Hera's objections. Even the queen of the gods, who shared half of his authority, could not change the king's will.

'As you command, great Father!"

Artemis's voice carried a hint of glee and pride as she glanced at Hebe, smirking slightly. So what if she was the daughter of the goddess queen? The father god's most beloved daughter would always be her.

In Artemis's mind, this duel was undoubtedly a decision made in favor of Zeus's favoritism towards her. Even if Hebe's power had increased, so what? With her peak second-tier status, she had no reason to fear a mid-tier second-tier goddess.

'I will obey your will, great Father."

Hebe lowered her head, her voice clear yet respectful. Her long, butterfly-like eyelashes fluttered down to conceal the fighting spirit and ambition in her violet eyes.

To her, the contest of divine essence was another opportunity to increase her strength. Her combative nature and thirst for power made her unafraid of what others viewed as an uphill battle. Everyone had their hidden cards, and underestimating her would lead Artemis to suffer a great loss.

'Now, state your desires." In a contest of divine essence, the stakes had to be determined by the opposing party.

'Great Father, the moonlight is pure, and it fits perfectly with the duty of purification. I request that Hebe wager her duty of purification."

Artemis's ambition in her words made one of the goddesses present frown. That goddess was Selene, the moon goddess and sister of Helios, who currently held the power of the moon.

Selene and Helios exchanged a glance, both seeing gravity and caution in each other's eyes. The twin gods of light, born of sun and moon, had begun to entertain ideas about their predecessors, possibly with Zeus's encouragement behind the scenes.

'Agreed." Zeus nodded, his gaze as commanding as the vast sky, turning to Hebe. 'And what about you, my daughter Hebe?"