I Became Artemis’ Boyfriend

Eros’s audacious finger that had been poking Artemis’s forehead was twisted in the opposite direction.

As a result, his index finger bent in a grotesque direction, enough to make onlookers furrow their brows.

Even Artemis, who had been poked by that finger, too.

More surprisingly,

Eros calmly adjusted the bent finger back into place as if fitting together toy blocks, his composed demeanor unsettling.

Despite the grotesque scene making goosebumps rise on both arms, I forced myself to maintain a calm expression and stared at Eros.

“Ark? What’s the meaning of this?”

“What do you mean? If a girlfriend is being harassed by some punk, where do you find a boyfriend who just stands by?”

“Hahaha! Even if the girlfriend is stronger than the boyfriend?”

“It’s a matter of principle. Whether a girlfriend loves you back or scratches your head is entirely up to how a man chooses to handle it.”

As our gazes locked, Eros and I continued to exchange verbal barbs.

Though it might seem like an exchange of meaningless banter,

this brief moment was crucial to me.

It gave Artemis, hiding behind me, the time she needed to overcome her guilt and return to her true self.

When I glanced back, I noticed Artemis trembling like a puppy seeking shelter under the eaves during a shower.

As soon as our eyes met, she began to feel more at ease, and the trembling gradually subsided.

“What are you looking at!”

Was she embarrassed to have shown me a vulnerable side?

Her glare sharpened as she growled menacingly.

Hmph, at least she’s back to her normal self.

“Hah! It seems like I just witnessed a third-rate romantic comedy.”

Eros, easily reading my intentions, wrinkled his brow and clicked his tongue, clearly disapproving of our affectionate display.

“So? Are you envious?”

“Envious?… I was merely thinking about you, Ark, as a human being.”

Eros paid no heed to my omission of honorifics.

Since the start, he’d maintained his composure, never losing his stride.

In a strange way, it made him seem godlike.

“So? What about it?”

“I can’t help but think you’re foolish and dimwitted.”

“Kind of hard for me to say, but I often hear I have a sharp mind,” I replied with a smug grin.

Eros shook his head, dismissing my flippant response as not serious, and pointed again at Artemis with the same finger that had poked her forehead.

“If you were truly wise, you wouldn’t have chosen such a prudish partner.”

“Why?”

“To love someone who knows nothing of love will only hurt you, Ark.”

“As the virgin goddess, she hasn’t experienced it yet—what do you expect? Even I sympathize.”

I shrugged, answering with a nonchalant smirk.

At this moment, my focus was entirely on defense.

Although Eros’s words were directed at me, the sharp edge of them was clearly aimed at Artemis.

“Being the goddess of virgins, what does sympathy matter? Your situation seems pitiable.”

“Not at all. I take Eros, you, as my role model.”

“What do you mean?”

“Eros, didn’t you marry Psyche, a human? A happy ending for a human and a god—that’s what I desire.”

“By comparing yourself to me and Psyche, you make me feel sick. My wife Psyche doubted my love and I couldn’t trust her.”

“Hahaha!”

To Eros’s reproach, my only response was a loud laugh, clutching my stomach.

“What’s so funny?”

“Ha-ha-ha! Are you serious? Do you think Psyche, who picked up a knife in the night out of suspicion for her husband, and Eros, who then grew disappointed in her, compare to the utterly pure and pristine Artemis?”

The love between Eros and Psyche.

One of the unforgettable episodes for anyone who’s enjoyed reading Greek and Roman mythology.

Eros was originally tasked by Aphrodite to shoot Psyche with an arrow of passion to make her fall in love with a monster.

However, due to a mix-up with the golden arrow, Eros ended up falling for Psyche instead.

Psyche, a human, later received an oracle predicting her marriage to a monster and prepared to live alone in an abandoned castle, awaiting her husband.

One night,

Eros, driven by the golden arrow’s magic, appeared and found Psyche.

But he warned her not to be curious about his appearance, a natural concern given his task to make her fall in love with a monster.

Psyche nodded and promised not to be curious, and they became a couple.

Thus, Eros would meet Psyche only at night, the lights extinguished.

But how could a wife exist who doesn’t know her husband’s face?

How could Psyche trust a husband who visited only at night and never revealed his face?

Heeding her acquaintances’ warnings that her husband might be a fierce beast, Psyche eventually approached her sleeping husband one night, a lamp and dagger in hand.

Shining the lamp on her husband, Psyche finally discovered that her husband was none other than Eros, the god of love.

Overjoyed by this revelation,

a single drop of hot oil from the lamp accidentally splashed onto Eros’s neck, waking him.

Seeing the bright lamp and dagger aimed at his throat, Eros also saw the face of his wife, Psyche, holding them.

Pouring out his resentment and disappointment in his distrustful wife Psyche,

“Foolish Psyche, suspicion cannot coexist with love.”

With those words, Eros left Psyche’s side coldly.

Of course, Psyche later overcame Aphrodite’s trials to reunite with Eros, and they lived happily ever after.

It’s rare to hear of a happy ending where a human spurned by a goddess manages to marry a god and live happily ever after.

That’s why I like this story so much.

“…”

The unexpected blow struck Eros, his lips pressed into a straight line, trembling slightly.

“Ark.”

With a trembling voice, Eros called my name, seething with anger at my mention of his wife.

His fiery, merciless gaze, head held high, could have torn me apart dozens of times.

Nonetheless, I nonchalantly absorbed his animosity with my whole body.

“Yeah? What is it?”

“You’ve meddled with what you shouldn’t have.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You were the one who messed with Artemis first. Yeah, she’s inexperienced. That’s why she doubts.”

“…”

After a deep breath, I brought Artemis, still hiding behind me, to my side and draped my arm around her shoulder.

She then began staring steadily at my side profile.

“But I was also immature. I’m sorry I couldn’t give her more trust.”

“Ark…”

Artemis, feigning a touched tone, quietly called my name, her eyes wavering.

I wanted to exchange tender, sweet words with her,

but right now, our focus must remain on defeating this unwanted guest, Eros.

“True enough, suspicion in love can be as fatal as cancer. But it can also be a turning point where trust becomes even stronger, like the earth after the rain.”

“…”

“If you’re going to ridicule and berate Artemis’s doubts, start by condemning your own wife, Psyche—and blame yourself too.”

“Why?”

“You abandoned your wife the moment she doubted you and ran away. But I’m different! Absolutely! I would never! abandon my woman—not for a single second.”

“…!”

“Why should a man who abandoned his wife be known as the god of love? How about you retire and transfer that power to me instead?”

With unbridled emotion, I delivered my scathing criticism.

I grabbed his throat with a raised voice, shaking him more forcefully.

Eros simply closed his eyes, lowering his head.

Then,

Grumble Grumble Grumble…

The ground shook momentarily as if a tremor rumbled beneath us.

It was clear that Eros had let the wrath and hatred swirling around him drain into the earth.

Even Athena couldn’t withstand the sincerity of my provocation.

Though Eros couldn’t completely hide his emotions, he endured and managed to control them, disposing of all negative feelings.

Slowly raising his head, he stared directly at me.

“I’ve decided. Ark, you must die.”

“If only you hadn’t provoked Artemis, I wouldn’t have exposed your psychological weakness.”

“Aah… that’s not the reason. I didn’t like you from the start. Something about you being unruly irritated me… Now I understand why.”

“Oh~! I’m curious! Could you tell me?”

I feigned curiosity and responded.

His frown deepened at my overly exaggerated behavior, clearly disapproving.

“You and I don’t mix. Even though our perspectives and pursuit of reason or benefits are similar, that doesn’t mean we fit each other.”

“Agreed. To be honest, I didn’t like you from the start too.”

“Why is that?”

“Just don’t like attractive guys.”

They say a woman’s enemy is another woman,

so perhaps my enemy is good-looking men.

Tapping Artemis’s forehead—it makes him no ordinary enemy.

The sworn nemesis.

“Ugh! I can’t stand your smug attitude anymore.”

Eros, contorting his face in disgust, spat at mine.

When Artemis tried to intervene in a fit of rage, I raised my arm to stop her.

Then, I casually wiped the disgusting spit from my face.

“Let’s settle this. Eros, I’ll attend the special advancement celebration of Panthegrasia.”

“And?”

“I originally planned to decide here who would receive the golden pen, but since you spat on me, my mind’s changed. You’ll see with your own eyes who I give it to when I get there.”

“Ah… fine with me. But! Should you decline my request, I’ll shoot an arrow at you then. Whether it’s a golden arrow or lead one, you’ll feel that for yourself.”

Calmly stroking the quiver at his waist, Eros replied, mirroring my taunting tone, determined to retaliate.

Somehow, it continues to prick my skin—a clear intent of revenge.

Strange, how thrilling and exciting it feels…

That’s when Artemis shook off my arm and stepped forward.

“Hmph! Ark is protected by the fate of the Twelve Labors. He even escaped Dad’s lightning bolts. Do you really think your puny arrows can hurt him?”

“Haha! Auntie, you know one thing but not two.”

Eros, cheerful once more, patted his quiver and continued:

“The fate of the Twelve Labors is indeed stickier than any curse. As long as the task isn’t complete, you cannot die, so no matter how much anyone tries to kill you, you won’t die. This explains why Ark is so arrogant—because he trusts in the fate of his tasks.”

“True, but well known!”

Come on, come on, Artemis?

Though what she said wasn’t false, she didn’t have to admit it so proudly—now I’m embarrassed.

“But my golden and lead arrows are different. They don’t kill. I merely choose who he falls in love with or grows to hate.”

“!”

The fate of the Twelve Labors is indeed a reliable shield.

However, it has a clear weakness:

If the act doesn’t interfere with accomplishing the task, the fate won’t intervene.

For example, if Ark were struck by a lead arrow and started hating a random passerby, it would have no effect on the task.

With a sly grin, he raised his right hand,

“I, Eros, the god of love, swear by the River Styx. If you give this golden pen to Athena, I will certainly shoot an arrow of emotion at you.”

He vowed a binding oath, one he could never break, clearly believing I’d give the pen to Athena.

Troublesome…

So troublesome…

After a brief farewell with “We’ll meet again,” Eros spread his wings wide and soared high into the sky.

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