anwhile, on the other side.
What Promise didn't know was that after saying goodbye to that gentle goddess, Thetis did not return to her temple.
With the eyes of Zeus, the king of the gods, unable to focus on the mortal realm and the other gods all staying in Olympus due to the recent commotion,
Thetis seized the opportunity to visit a certain special god in the mortal world.
She arrived before the god bound on Mount Caucasus, the foresighted deity, Protheus.
"It's been a long ti, gentle and beautiful sage of the sea."
Due to his years of imprisonnt, being exposed to the sun and moon and having his liver pecked at daily, Protheus no longer resembled the witty and handso figure that Thetis rembered.
So, as her deep ocean-colored eyes gazed at the frail, and skinny Protheus before her, even though she had ntally prepared herself, Thetis was still too shocked to speak for a mont.
"Don't feel sorrow for , goddess of the sea."
Protheus slowly raised his head.
Though his body had been tortured beyond asure, those special eyes of his remained unchanged, untouched by the dust of ti.
He managed to squeeze out a weak smile and said, "This was all my choice. I willingly bear these hardships for the sake of my children. Besides... that lovely child has already told that my release will co soon."
"...I see." Hearing this, Thetis's expression finally softened.
Just as she was about to say sothing,
"I already know why you've co, and I also understand what you want to ask."
Protheus nodded slightly and continued, "As you suspected, the mighty god king has already learned your secret-the destiny that awaits you."
"And so, the future you've been dreading will soon co to pass."
Hearing this, Thetis remained silent for a while.
After a long pause, she sighed softly, placed her hand over her heart, and looked up at Protheus before speaking in a quiet voice, "Thank you for telling all this, foresighted god. I've already prepared myself for that fate.
Since this is my destined path, I do not intend to run from it. It's just... I am very worried."
"What are you worried about?"
"You already know, so why ask?"
Thetis looked at Protheus who was trying to smile, and replied calmly: "That child made a vow to the goddess of fate that he would always let her see the most beautiful future, so I am worried... worried that he would be involved in my unnecessary trouble."
"Are you afraid that he will disrupt your fate?"
Without waiting for Thetis to answer, Protheus continued, "Or are you afraid that he will be hard because of you?"
Thetis did not respond imdiately.
"It seems it's the latter," Protheus said with a smile. "Goddess Thetis, I'm glad. Even after all these years without seeing each other, you remain the sa as before.
Just as wise, beautiful, and gentle."
"...The god king will never let go."
After a mont of silence, Thetis continued, "That child is too fragile. He cannot afford to anger the mighty god king. Even if it's just for a fleeting mont, in that instant when the god king's reason is overtaken, the boy will fall into an endless abyss."
"Foresighted god, since you've t him, you understand how difficult it has been for him to make it this far."
"But you should also understand," Protheus said, looking at Thetis before him, "that a destined fate cannot be changed... except by that boy."
"He is a being who shouldn't exist in this era, and that's why he's both favored and abandoned by fate. Yet, because he's loved by wisdom, judgnt, fate, and the queen of the gods, his existence is already a miracle, and so he possesses the power to change his destined fate."
"In other words, Goddess Thetis, only he can change your fate."
"I know." Thetis remained calm upon hearing this.
She even smiled softly and said to Protheus, "But what I know even more is that he's soon approaching the end he has long awaited, and I... I don't want to beco an obstacle on his path."
Her voice was gentle, but firm.
"After all, I've already sought his answer. Back then, when my friend Scylla, the water nymph, was transford, I asked Promise the sa question."
When you see that the beautiful water nymph Scylla has beco a monster, Promise, what will you choose to do?
And Promise's choice was simple, and singular-he would go to the transford nymph and stay by her side, rewriting her originally dood fate!
So Thetis already knew the choice that Promise would make.
"...But Goddess Thetis, his help to you isn't without its reward."
Protheus tried once more to persuade her, "He will get the most difficult painting from you, and thus complete the final part of his great work before his end arrives."
"And only then will he have the strength to defeat the father of all monsters, Typhon!" When Protheus finished speaking, Thetis still smiled, her expression soft and kind.
"But how many tis will we witness his death in the process...? How many tis will the goddess of fate, who watches the future, see him die before she can finally witness him reach that miraculous end?"
Protheus remained silent in response to Thetis' words.
"And even without my involvent, when facing the terrifying Typhon, the mighty god king will still give his painting to that boy," Thetis said softly. "So, I am not necessary. Without , he will endure fewer hardships, and the goddess of fate won't need to watch such a painful future... Wouldn't that be better for everyone?"
Protheus lifted his head, his deep eyes gazing at the ocean goddess standing before him, gently smiling.
She was like the most gentle and beautiful aspect of the sea itself.
"Therefore, tell , foresighted god," Thetis said, calmly watching him. "I know that only
you can tell how to avoid all of this."
"...She is the oldest of the Olympian gods, and her na is Hestia."
Protheus hesitated for a long ti, but after eting Thetis's deep ocean-colored eyes, he
finally gave her the answer.
"Back in the day, when the first goddess of wisdom, the mother of Athena, helped Zeus free his siblings from the belly of his father, a stone that had been swallowed in Zeus's place was also regurgitated. Hestia was the one who picked it up."
In ancient Greek mythology, Zeus's father, the second god king, Cronus, bore the sa curse that now hangs over Zeus-that his throne would be overthrown by one of his children. Thus, the mother of Zeus and his siblings, after giving birth to each child, had to watch as
Cronus swallowed them, one by one.
This continued until the birth of Zeus.
When Zeus was born, seeing how small and innocent he was, their mother finally broke down,
unable to bear the thought of her husband devouring her child.
So, she secretly sought the help of the primordial goddess of night, Nyx.
Goddess Nyx used her divine blood and a part of Zeus's own blood to create a stone
resembling Zeus, thereby deceiving the second god king.
"That stone, created from the blood of the primordial goddess of night and the blood of the
current god king, Zeus, beca an artifact.
As long as you can obtain it, the boy will forget about you."
Protheus continued, "Even that wise goddess would be affected by it, and without
reminders, she would find it difficult to recall anything."
"I see," Thetis said softly as she nodded and gave Protheus a slight bow to express her
gratitude before turning to leave.
Protheus watched her retreating figure.
"Goddess Thetis, do you still rember the arrow that boy shot at the goddess of wisdom?"
At this sudden remark, Thetis's figure paused.
Of course she rembered.
After all, anyone who had witnessed that arrow, whether god or human, could never forget it.
Especially since it had happened not too long ago.
"Even the flawless goddess of wisdom couldn't escape it.
So, as a sage of the sea, will you follow the sa path?" Protheus burst into loud laughter, this ti with a booming voice.
Thetis didn't respond, nor did she turn around.
She stood there in silence for a mont and then began to laugh softly.
"I am not the goddess of wisdom whom he loves, so I don't think he will be that angry.
And if he really does get angry... well,
I'll just apologize to him."
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