Greek Myth: Zeus Wants Me to Be His/Her (XXXX)?????

Emotions could drive people to madness. Going insane for love? That was practically the backbone of every Greek myth.

Eros knew perfectly well, there was absolutely no need for him to oppose Poseidon over this.

With Oceanus' protection, he could easily live out his days in the capital of the Deep Abyss, enjoying a life of hedonism with nymphs and ocean deities, waking up every morning unsure whose bed he was in.

He didn't need to worry about Poseidon, or Hera. Maybe just keep an eye out in case Zeus decided to sneak in and spank him.

But was that really enough?

Was that all he wanted?

Was this the extent of his ambition?

Even if Eros was a shameless flirt, a silver-tongued rogue, there were still things he wanted to do.

Watch Amphitrite become Poseidon's sea queen?

Absolutely not. He would steal away the sea queen that was fated to belong to Poseidon.

He would shatter Ananke's so-called "destiny," rewrite fate itself, and toss it all into the abyss.

He would disgrace Poseidon, force him to watch as the woman who should have been his became a delicate flower that could no longer live without Eros.

He would humiliate the Goddess of Destiny, Ananke, prove that the fate she laid out could be broken, that even gods were not untouchable.

And Zeus? He'd humiliate him too, make that clueless almighty king watch as both his wife and daughter became Eros' playthings.

"If I had to give a reason... I guess it's just because I'm not willing to accept it."

Though emotions churned inside him, Eros wore his usual casual smile on the surface.

Power and authority bred absolute ego, and absolute ego, in turn, drove Eros' strength.

Even if he wasn't someone obsessed with control, it still made him prone to doing things most would consider idiotic.

But in epics, those who did such "idiotic" things were often given a different name: heroes.

Because that's what being a hero meant. That was what romance meant.

Doing the irrational. Doing the unnecessary. Doing things simply because they resonated with your heart.

Hebe, on the other hand, didn't understand.

After all, in hero's tales, she was the kind of character who existed only to be used, never the lead, always the pawn.

"Even if Amphitrite doesn't marry him, some other Oceanid will. That's inevitable."

"If no one marries into Poseidon's camp, the power struggle across the seas will only grow bloodier."

Oceanus himself wasn't power-hungry. But the rotation of influence wasn't something that could be solved with a single decision.

All the rivers in the world were born from Oceanus' children. If Poseidon, an outsider, wanted to rule them, he had to prove his worth or bring them into the fold as family.

Marriage was the most effective way. Greek society itself was stitched together by kinship ties and political unions.

"Rather than sacrificing someone else, sending Amphitrite, who was raised for this role anyway, is the better choice."

Logically, Hebe wasn't wrong.

But if everything in life could be decided by logic, then why bother raising Amphitrite to be the Sea Queen in the first place?

"There is no 'best' choice, Goddess Hebe."

Eros' expression turned solemn, surprisingly out of character. He looked Hebe in the eyes, making her feel… something unplaceable.

"You're a goddess. I'm a mortal. Some things, you should be teaching me."

"Conflict never ends. Death never stops. Whether Amphitrite becomes Sea Queen or not, that won't change."

"She shouldn't be someone raised to fit a role. She should have the freedom to choose for herself."

"Like you said, maybe there's another Oceanid out there who wants to be Sea Queen. That'd work just as well. It doesn't have to be her."

Eros, who always seemed carefree, flirty, and a little too relaxed, now radiated a rare gravity.

Hebe opened her mouth but couldn't find a response.

Outside the hall, Amphitrite had her hand over her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.

"But… this was the will of Oceanus. He's Amphitrite's father."

After a long pause, Hebe finally said what little she could.

"And you?" Eros asked, suddenly turning the conversation on her.

"You're okay with your own mother turning you into a pawn to mend her political alliances, just marrying you off to someone like that?"

…Though that "someone" happened to be Greece's greatest hero. Honestly, Hebe wouldn't be getting a bad deal.

Eros thought it, but didn't say it out loud.

"What? No way! My mother would never-!"

Hebe shook her head, instantly rejecting the idea.

"That's not speculation," Eros said flatly. "It's a prophecy."

He said it with a straight face, without the faintest hint of guilt.

"If you've ever heard your father talk about me, then you should know, I'm kind of a half-prophet."

"In the future, your mother will try to curry favor with a new god, and she'll promise you to him in marriage."

He didn't give the full details, of course, because Eros had his own selfish reasons.

If he told her that guy was Greece's number one hero, a man of legendary feats… wouldn't that just help someone else win her over?

He wasn't about to do that.

So what could've been good news was deliberately twisted into a veiled threat.

"That's wrong! Zeus told me himself, I'm going to marry someone amazing, someone truly outstanding!"

In her flustered state, Hebe even forgot to hide behind her alias.

Luckily, Eros didn't catch the slip. He was still calmly trying to convince her.

"Believe me or not, it's up to you. My stance is simple."

"I like helping the powerless. I can't stand seeing goddesses who can't even decide their own futures, who are left to cry in silence."

"Whether it's Amphitrite… or you."

Sincerity—Eros' deadliest weapon. Every word came from his heart, without a trace of pretense.

Behind the door, Amphitrite felt her heart nearly burst from her chest. Her knees gave out, and she slid against the wall, completely dazed.

Her face was red as blood as she whispered:

"Perseis… I'm sorry. I think I might be taking the lead this time…"

Already fond of Eros, Amphitrite had no defenses left against this kind of heartfelt confession.

Especially one she'd overheard, something never meant to impress.

Flirting with her sisters? Touchy-feely behavior?

That wasn't perversion.

That was just genuine passion, the inability to fake one's desires.

…Though when it came to Hebe, his words didn't quite have the same effect. They merely made her pause, just briefly.

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