The remaining opponents were only Hera and Demeter. Aphrodite’s eyes flickered as she pushed between the two goddesses, ignoring Hera’s resistance.
“My dear Demeter, I hope your daughter, dwelling in the underworld, has not had her beauty worn away by loneliness.”
The goddess of love easily struck at Demeter’s weakness. “What if the Seed Goddess becomes haggard? I am a mother and the goddess of love; I can understand your selfless love for your child.”
A few words dissolved the alliance between the sisters. Demeter nodded repeatedly, her past disagreements with Hera forgotten.
“Take this to your daughter, Persephone.”
A silver box appeared in Aphrodite’s hand. “I wish to bestow the power of beauty upon the Seed Goddess Persephone, to comfort your heart, which worries for your daughter.”
Watching Aphrodite overcome obstacles, winning allies and dividing enemies with ease, her methods of exchanging favors were almost as skillful as Athena’s. This earned Tyche's admiration. The goddess of love had truly learned how to leverage her strengths in the realm of emotions. Her growth had been astonishing since she broke free from the influence of Eros, the primordial god of love.
Now, only Hera remained. Tyche couldn’t help but anticipate how Aphrodite would persuade Hera, and she stepped forward a few paces to get a clearer view.
“Hera, beauty should not be controlled by the goddess of marriage. For it fades with time!”
Aphrodite clearly had no intention of using further favors to convince Hera to withdraw. “If a marriage is formed based on beauty, then when beauty fades, the marriage will also crumble.”
“Furthermore, this contradicts your dominion over childbirth. When a husband sees his wife soiled by childbirth, how many husbands would still be willing to embrace her?”
As she spoke, Aphrodite’s expression turned stern. “But I am different. Those united by love will see their children as the crystallization of their love. Even if they are soiled and weary, in the husband’s eyes, a wife who has become a mother is still beautiful!”
The divergence between love and marriage had shaken the concept of family. Aphrodite’s intention was clear: if Hera insisted on opposing her, the goddess of love would also encroach upon the domains of family and marriage.
Tyche couldn’t help but want to applaud Aphrodite. Her threat was not to be ignored, and Hera now had a reason to withdraw from the competition for the golden apple. If Hera still insisted on a confrontation, Aphrodite would not back down.
Hera’s face subtly flushed. After weighing the pros and cons, she used the goddess of love’s reasoning to withdraw from the competition.
“Indeed, my divine office of childbirth is not suited to coexist with the divine office of beauty.”
Victorious, Aphrodite took the golden apple amidst the silence. Thetis, whose attention had been completely diverted by this unexpected turn of events, showed no displeasure. Instead, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Peleus learned the golden apple’s function amidst the gods’ discussions. But he was merely a mortal and dared not ask the chief gods for the golden apple in full view of everyone. He could only watch helplessly as the goddess of love took the fruit that could grant him eternal life.
Peleus and Thetis’s wedding did not receive much attention. The gods were still discussing how the golden apple had appeared, with occasional murmurs of dissent regarding Aphrodite being chosen as the most beautiful goddess.
The gods gradually departed. Even Peleus’s grandfather, Poseidon, the god of sea quakes, did not stay. He had naturally noticed the whispered conversation between Athena and Aphrodite and, filled with worry, descended into the deep sea to convene the conceptual sea gods to discuss countermeasures.
Nereus, the friend of the sea and the last to leave, felt guilt towards his daughter who had made a sacrifice. After quietly advising his daughter a few words, he too departed with unease.
This unequal marriage had a period of sweetness. Peleus knew how fortunate he was to marry a goddess. He cherished his wife with utmost care and tenderness, which once made Thetis indulge in their union.
However, as Thetis’s passion gradually cooled, her affection for her husband dwindled. King Peleus’s status could not impress Thetis.
For deities, the wealth and power of a human king were insignificant. The wealth of an entire kingdom might not even be as precious as a nymph’s collection.
After their intimacy, Thetis began to grow somewhat weary. She truly loved Peleus, but she was not accustomed to her husband’s cautious demeanor when they were together. Upon discovering she was pregnant, she temporarily left Peleus and went to an island to relax and recuperate.
This child awakened Thetis’s maternal love. Born amidst the goddess’s anticipation, the child was named Achilles by Thetis.
Achilles inherited powers almost equivalent to those of a deity, surpassing his father Peleus. This brought Thetis joy but also some worry. During their first meeting, Tyche had given her a prophecy: this child would gain power beyond his father, but the misfortune that followed would lead to her losing her son.
And now, the first part of the prophecy was showing signs. Thinking of her son’s impending death, fear and regret welled up in Thetis’s heart.
If she had remembered Tyche’s prophecy earlier, perhaps the golden apple could have been obtained by her son, granting him the glory of immortality.
It was useless to regret it now. Besides, how could she have snatched it from the chief gods?
With this thought, Thetis hurried with Achilles to the Formless Isle, hoping to ask Tyche, who had given the prophecy, how to avoid such a fate.
All the gods knew that the Misty Sea would cause intruders to lose their way, but Thetis still came here with hope. As a deity, she could afford to wait!
After searching for a long time in the mist, the Formless Isle remained elusive. But she did not give up, calling out repeatedly in the fog.
Finally, the mist on the sea parted, revealing a path, and a rainbow bridge appeared before Thetis.
Iris, the goddess of rainbows, and Arke, the goddess of the neon rainbow, stood at the end of the rainbow bridge to welcome Thetis.
Flying past the outer ring of tall fir trees, Thetis landed in a field of lilies. Tyche and Medusa were already waiting there.
“Thetis, the wisest among the fifty daughters of Nereus, have you come for that prophecy?”
Thetis hugged the infant tightly and said mournfully, “Your Highness Tyche, please help me! You are the protector of women and children. I beg you, I am willing to pay any price to keep my son!”
“The method is simple, but you will suffer for it.”
Tyche gently pushed aside the swaddling clothes around Achilles, laughing softly as she stroked his tender cheek.
Thetis was overjoyed and quickly said, “I am not afraid of suffering! As long as Achilles can live, I will accept anything!”