Chapter 790: Hecate, the Goddess of Magic... And her weed.
"I was waiting for you, Goddesses, Demons, and God Killer," said a woman with black hair flowing to her shoulders, and penetrating black eyes, wearing a black dress adorned with red and gold details. Standing at 177 centimeters tall, her presence was magnetic, revealing a slender and graceful body in perfect harmony.
Scathach narrowed her eyes at the woman in front of her.
Hecate, The Goddess of Magic. Despite holding that Title, her 'Magic' was not the same as that of Witches; they were similar but different at the same time.
The reason for this difference lay in the source of their Energy. Hecate's Magic relied more on Divine Power than the Energy used by Witches.
While Hecate's Magic was more potent, it was less versatile compared to the Witches' Magic, which encompassed all Elements and could even tap into the Powers of Darkness and Light.
So, was Hecate's Magic better? That was debatable.
In terms of raw Power, hers was undoubtedly superior, but in terms of complexity, it fell short.
Ultimately, as Merlin had stated, Energy was Energy; it all depended on how individuals wielded it.
'I wonder what Merlin would say if he saw this woman. After all, Merlin's very existence goes against everything she represents.'
Merlin was a man who used the Witches' Magic, something that should have been impossible. Even after becoming a Demon, he revolutionized Demon Magic, another feat considered impossible.
Because of individuals like Merlin, Victor, and her teacher, Dun Scaith, Scathach never believed that something was 'impossible.'
Just because no one had done something before didn't mean it couldn't be done in the future. A perfect example of that was the situation with Diablo.
In theory, combining Darkness and Light in the same Being, creating a Hybrid, should have been impossible. Yet, Diablo achieved it, though only partially.
"I must say, Hecate... You have a beautiful temple here... Or is it a castle?" Aphrodite commented, looking at the surreal landscape around them. It no longer seemed like they were in Hell, as the transition from inside the temple to outside the temple was striking.
While the outside was a desolate landscape of Death and Decay, inside Hecate's temple, everything appeared more alive.
"It's a castle that I built upon my temple, so the correct term is castle," Hecate looked around and added, "Its name is Archaeon, The Castle of The Eclipse."
"Interesting... And to think you'd use such a Human term for your castle," Aphrodite remarked.
"What can I say? Humans are quite creative, given their ephemeral lives," Hecate commented.
"What are you talking about?" Nyx asked.
"The name of the castle... Archaeon, or as it's known to Humans, Archaea. It's a term they use for unicellular organisms lacking a cell nucleus."
Nyx looked at Aphrodite as if she were speaking an entirely different language.
"Just think of it as a word Humans gave to something they discovered," Aphrodite sighed, realizing that Nyx had little interaction with Human Society, and even if she did, it certainly wasn't to study Biology.
"Okay," Nyx decided not to dwell on it, as it didn't seem significant, even though she knew that Hecate never did anything without a purpose. If she gave such a peculiar name to her castle, there had to be a reason.
Using her Divinity where nothing could be hidden from her, Nyx sensed a reaction underground. Something, or rather, something ridiculously enormous, was beneath them.
"Oh? What's this?" As she tried to investigate further, she felt something blocking her Divinity.
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't try to be meddlesome, Nyx."
"You blocked my Divinity? How?" Hecate wasn't even a Primordial Goddess; how could she block Nyx's Divinity? It should have been impossible.
"Part of my existence, when I reached the peak of my Divinity, was studying ways to counter The Primordial Gods of my Pantheon, especially you and Erebus, who lived near my home. Irritating individuals who can come and go from anywhere like pests... After many years of studying, I discovered several unpleasant ways of dealing with you," Hecate smiled faintly.
"And all the findings of my research are installed in this castle. Would you like to experience them?"
Hecate seemed quite excited to test all the countermeasures she had developed.
"Hmm, I'd rather not." Nyx might be arrogant, but she wasn't foolish. She wouldn't underestimate someone like Hecate, a genius wholly devoted to her craft. Such people were the most dangerous to provoke, as they wouldn't rest until they had their 'revenge.'
"I see... What a shame," Hecate commented.
Did she imagine it, or did this woman seem genuinely disappointed? Did she really want to test her countermeasures so badly? Nyx thought Hecate was quite brave, considering she was talking about Beings like Primordial Gods, who were practically unbeatable in their own Pantheons.
"So, why did this strange and powerful group come to my home? What do you want?" Hecate asked.
"It's quite simple, actually," Aphrodite smiled gently.
"Oh?"
"We want that." Aphrodite pointed to a distant garden with gray and black shades.
Hecate looked at where Aphrodite was pointing and was at a loss for words. Then she looked at Aphrodite and asked a very honest question:
"... Are you kidding?"
"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Aphrodite retorted.
"... No, you don't seem like you're kidding... But this makes no sense. What kind of group brings such military power, capable of destroying several Gods, just to take some plants?" She was utterly speechless; even her noblewoman act had flown out the window.
"You are looking at such a group in front of you that did just that," Aphrodite replied confidently.
Hecate stared at Aphrodite for a long ten seconds, then looked at all the women in the group, including Nyx, and saw that their expressions hadn't changed. Suddenly, all the excitement she had felt died down; she had expected too much from this encounter. After all, it had been a long time since such powerful individuals had visited her.
It was like an important Neet secretly working for the government on cyber protection, and suddenly the president of the country came to visit.
"Sigh... Just take as much as you want and leave." Hecate let out a long sigh.
"Thank you, Hecate. You've saved our lives," Aphrodite said with a big smile.
Hecate raised an eyebrow upon hearing Aphrodite's words. "Why are you reacting like that? It's just a plant that calms the nerves of Gods, right?"
"Exactly. Because of my... uh, lover, the Goddesses in my group are quite... horny. This plant is quite useful in calming them down."
Hecate stared at Aphrodite for a long time. Her brain was blank, and her thoughts were absent for a good 30 seconds in this state of disbelief. Then, her brain began to reboot.
'What a ridiculous reason!' she couldn't help but think.
...
"They really just came to pick up some stupid plants..." Hecate looked incredulously at the group of women moving away in the distance.
Although they had come here only to retrieve plants, she thought the women would try to talk to her or even suggest an alliance or something. She believed they were using the plants as an excuse, and their main objective was Hecate herself.
After all, despite not appearing much in Olympus or the Mortal World, she was a fairly popular Goddess, you know? Even Zeus himself had to come to The Underworld to ask Hecate to 'replenish' the shield at the palace on Mount Olympus—a shield that protected the Gods in case of invasion, turning the palace into a fortress. She was an important Goddess!
So, why did these women treat her as if she were air? Even the God Killer herself, or that woman with Demonic horns and intimidating looks, didn't show any interest in talking to her!
They just came, put various plants into bags with Dimensional Space [an idea she found quite interesting and intended to see if she could replicate later], and left!
Somehow, Hecate felt quite annoyed now.
The mirror in her room suddenly changed, and Persephone appeared.
"So? What happened?" she asked.
Hecate looked at Persephone.
Persephone was slightly taken aback by Hecate's annoyed gaze. 'What happened? What did they discuss with Hecate?' Curiosity filled Persephone's heart; she wanted to know what kind of secrets that group had discussed with Hecate.
But...
"These women came here just to grab some damn plants and left!"
"... Huh?..."
"Exactly! That was my exact reaction! Just what kind of group sends a Primordial Goddess, a God Killer, a FUCKING GODDESS OF BEAUTY, and a scary Demon to get damn plants! PLANTS, god dammit!"
For a moment, Persephone thought Hecate was lying, but that thought disappeared entirely when she saw her friend's honest reaction.
"What plants did they want? And what would they use it for?"
"Apparently, The Goddess of Beauty has a new lover, and they fucked so hot and sweaty that it started to affect the Goddesses around her, and she came to get this plant for those Goddesses to 'calm down'," Hecate spoke in disdain.
"...." A long silence fell around, and in that silence, Persephone couldn't help but notice Hecate's envious tone.
'This woman, is she horny? Well, she barely leaves the house, so it's inevitable that she has cravings.'
Hecate narrowed her eyes. "I feel like you thought something terrible of me just now."
"… It's just your imagination."
"That's what people say when they think something bad about other people," Hecate spoke.
"Like I said, you're thinking too much." Persephone remained expressionless and quickly changed the subject. "And to think they came to this place just for that, and they brought so much military power too. Did they try to bring you into their alliance or something?"
"They didn't even try!" She exploded again, "Those bastards completely ignored me! They were acting like I'm some plant seller or something! They even gave me this!" She picked up what looked like a painting about her size, covered in gift wrapping.
"What is that?"
"Aphrodite didn't say. She just said it was a present they prepared or something."
"... What are you waiting for? Open it! It could be something important."
"Tsk, I'm sure it's something useless." Hecate snapped her fingers, and soon the gift wrapping started to disappear, and what they saw completely shocked them.
"...Hecate..." Persephone called to Hecate.
But The Goddess of Magic just ignored her as she looked on, shocked at the image of a man sitting on a Throne in a suit. He was sitting there quite cozily, his head resting on his hand and a slight smile on his face. He had short black hair and narrow, reptile-like violet eyes.
"Hecate!"
"Y-Yes?"
"You finally listened. You lost yourself for a long time there."
"W-What are you talking about? I didn't get lost; you're talking nonsense." Hecate snorted as she looked away from the painting, though every now and then, she glanced over and quickly shifted her gaze.
Hecate was completely taken aback by the image on the board. 'Just who is this hot man?'
"And to think that The Goddess of Beauty would give you her Husband's portrait as a gift, just what is she planning?" Persephone spoke with a twinkle in her eye.
"H-Husband? She's married!?"
"Oh, you didn't know that, huh?"
"Forget that! This is her husband?! Damn it! What a lucky woman!"
Seeing that she couldn't converse with the displeased Goddess right now, Persephone declared, "... Hecate, I'll come collect the painting, okay?"
"Huh? Of course not! He is mine. He was given to me as a gift." Hecate quickly denied it.
Persephone opened her eyes slightly in shock at Hecate's refusal. "Hecate, why are you denying that? You have no interest in this, right?"
"Yes, you are correct, but he is mine! The portrait was given to me! Therefore, I will not give it up."
Persephone narrowed her eyes. "Hecate, as your Queen, I command you to give me the painting."
"My Queen can kiss my bulging ass." Hecate snorted. "The painting is mine, and I will not give it to anyone."
"Ugh, woman, stop being unreasonable! You said that you had no interest in artistic things years ago!"
"I can be interested in it now, can't I? People change with time, and so do the Gods."
This kind of discussion started to go back and forth between the two most powerful women in Greek Hell. Nobody knew the purpose for which Aphrodite gave this painting to Hecate, but one thing was certain, she managed to cause a little chaos with this action.
"Give it to me! That's an order!"
"NEVER! It's mine!"