"Thank you, father. I don't deserve it." Helios bowed and said with appreciation.
"It is a life preservation method. A son deserves to be protected by his father."
"Will I be in any danger soon?" Helios asked.
He hasn't ever gone out of the innermost city of the sun since he was brought here as a baby. There has been nothing to protect him from. So why will need a life-preservation method?
"Well, there is. There's an opportunity for a heroic feat in the mortal realm. An ant queen is about to evolve to become a demigod. From there it will become a god. You are to kill it before it becomes a demigod." Stelios answered.
"I assume there will others there to claim this heroic feat."
"Yes, there will. A single person cannot take on the colony. So the news was announced. There will certainly be danger."
A heroic feat is a very valuable thing to demigods. They will swarm a heroic quest as soon as it becomes available. Normally, news of heroic quests is kept secret and hoarded but in this situation, a single demigod cannot take on an ant colony so the news was made known to the public for more demigods to take on the colony and ensure the completion of the heroic quest. Such news makes demigods happy.
But Helios isn't happy. "Maybe I shouldn't go if it's so dangerous enough for you to give me such a powerful Stigmata. I'll rather stay here and do research. Besides, you already have a lot of divine lords. There's no need for me to risk my life."
Heroic quests and the feats they reward with are not valuable to Helios. He doesn't care about made-up things used by gods to entertain themselves.
The sun god sighed. "With danger comes rewards. If you acquire the heroic feat, I'll grant you a sun core."
Helios' dull eyes lit up at that promise of a sun core.
"I will go to the ends of the mortal plane and do everything I can possibly do to acquire that heroic feat." Helios slapped his chest and promised grandly.
Stelios was satisfied with his enthusiasm even though it is motivated by something else. He knows that Helios would probably not try his best unless incentivized. It has been known that Helios won't do anything you ask him without offering him something in exchange.
A heroic feat might seem big to another just like a first rune weapon is but Helios is someone that doesn't care about those things. He might be a fake father but that doesn't mean he doesn't care about Helios. He cares and also tries to get to know his adopted son. So he knows Helios' ticks and eccentricities.
"That's good to hear. You may go. I wish you success."
Helios saluted once before he returned to the exit. Then he left the throne room. Stelios watched him go with mild amusement and curiosity. He understood that Helios isn't like other giants of order. That's the reason why he chose to adopt him. Helios is smarter and stronger than giants of Order his age. That fight 80 years ago where he pummeled Tyke is still vivid in his memory.
Helios is also weird. There are some things that giants consider normal that he will balk at and refuse to accept. It was because of his refusal to get a rune weapon that made Stelios trick Harkam.
Helios continued to refuse a rune. He still didn't get one during the third private ceremony to celebrate his third star. He was supposed to have the mark of the family but he refused to get one no matter how his siblings, the divine lords tried to convince him. Even bribes didn't work at that time.
Helios finally got his runes after many years. Stelios doesn't consider himself a fool. There has to be something special about the runes that Helios finally chose after years of refusal. Either that or Helios is just some ordinary boy throwing a tantrum. Since Helios is not a stupid child, Stelios suspects that Helios is hiding the true purpose of the rune from him.
The little Helios mentioned of its purpose is already amazing so the rest of it must be spectacular. Stelios didn't push for more because it doesn't matter if Helios is hiding something from him.
He is not concerned because smart or not, what can a child do to harm an entity numerous Origin cycles old? Even if that were possible, what can a mortal ever do to harm a god? If that is possible too, what can a mortal do to harm a grand god? That becomes even more unlikely because he is no ordinary grand god. He is the ancient grand god so he has nothing to worry about from a child that he watched being given birth to.
"I'll see it soon. He has to display it." Stelios said in anticipation.
Stelios was forced to make Helios join in this heroic quest. He also doesn't want to endanger Helios in any way and risk losing his investment. He had to accept it and he didn't brood for long because the quest will help him achieve a lot of things.
He will get to see Helios use his Rune and he might get to see Helios use the Stigmata too. The stigmata will ensure that Helios remains safe and win if he uses it. The sun core he is offering will ensure that Helios tries his all to win, which means the Stigmata will certainly be used.
If Helios wins then he gets the sun core and another heroic feat, while Stelios wins a very large bet. Stelios' reward won't end there of course. If Helios absorbs the sun core, it will increase the amount of his divine power within Helios's core and will increase his investment in Helios.
He smiled to himself. "Then I'll have my salvation. It is like killing four birds with one stone."
To say that Stelios is looking forward to the success of his plan is an understatement. He has placed down the necessary chips. All he needs is for them to fall into place and nothing can change the outcome.