The Greece Antagonist

"I'll help!"

Seeing someone flee in such a hurry, Athena could only shake her head, give up for the moment, and reluctantly go downstairs to assist in the kitchen.

Don't be fooled by her usual calm and gentle demeanor; once she entered her own domain wielding a spatula and ladle, her combat power and pressure would rise exponentially.

Under the command of the Goddess of the Hearth, the two adults quickly set the dinner table and brought up a sumptuous evening meal.

As the scent of the food wafted out of the half-open window, two little girls idling on the street were automatically summoned home and obediently sat down next to their respective guardians, eagerly eyeing the rich spread on the table.

By now, the Minosians had learned to domesticate cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, and other livestock; to cultivate wheat, barley, wild peas, chickpeas, and to cultivate a series of crops including grapes, figs, pomegranates, and olives. Along with the rich seafood from nearby waters, their diet was quite extensive,

Even Luo En saw honeybees that were artificially produced, clearly indicating that the Minosians of Crete Island had figured out some tricks to domesticating bees.

"Come on, don't be shy, try some of my cooking!"

Speaking, Hestia stood up, picked up a ladle and fork, and took the lead in serving some of her most proud dishes onto Luo En and Little Medusa's plates.

Being personally served by the Goddess of the Hearth, Luo En was suddenly somewhat overwhelmed by the honor.

"Don't worry, Auntie loves it when new faces try her recipes. I've never seen her this enthusiastic when I've visited before."

Athena, feeling somewhat left out, humphed and then, glancing at Luo En and Little Medusa sitting nearby, smiled and teased.

"However, after dinner, you'll probably be hounded for improvement suggestions, and if it goes badly, you might even end up talking all night, so I suggest you run as soon as you finish eating."

"You girl, always talking behind my back, be careful next time you come I will only serve you a bowl of porridge!"

Hestia picked up the ladle, stared at her niece irritably, and everyone couldn't help but smile understandingly.

As the atmosphere at the dinner table relaxed, the Goddess of Wisdom decisively picked up a piece of grilled lamb chop that had turned golden brown and ate it elegantly and quickly, setting off the first round of the meal.

Everyone immediately followed suit, choosing dishes according to their tastes and started to enjoy the feast.

The two youngsters had special affection for desserts and fruits, while Luo En, who was still growing, leaned more towards the meats.

Although he harbored some skepticism about the culinary standard and skills of this divine world, with a piece of lamb chop melting in his mouth, the tender meat dissolved at the touch of teeth, the rich juices bursting on the tip of his tongue. Just a touch of salt and a hint of spices were exactly right, enhancing the delicate and rich natural flavor of the food, with absolutely no gaminess.

High-end ingredients often only need simple cooking.

Similarly, good lamb doesn't require heavy or complex seasoning.

Luo En, a little reluctant to stop, quickly devoured seven or eight pieces. The pleasure and satisfaction from the meat made his constantly tense heartstrings relax a bit.

Unfortunately, it was only missing a bit of black pepper to cut the greasiness.

Otherwise, the meal would have been perfect.

Putting down their guards and letting their bellies hang out, after a whirlwind of eating, the satiated individuals lazily sat in their chairs, faces of complete contentment.

The greatest respect for a chef is to eat everything she has prepared, leaving not a morsel behind.

Looking at the empty plates and cups, Hestia nodded in satisfaction, proactively stood up to clear the cluttered table, exuding the aura of a domestic goddess.

Of course, this is assuming one overlooks her current height and youthful appearance.

Perhaps because of her young mindset and her virgin divinity, this eldest sister of Zeus still resembled a youthful maiden.

But indisputably, the nutrients Hestia had absorbed over the years had not been wasted; the parts of her that should be ample were even starting to put supermodels to shame.

Watching Hestia move about, Luo En's gaze was inexorably drawn to those two big, white mounds swaying uncertainly, provoking a surge of blood and leaving him parched and short of breath.

Alright, because the benefits he obtained from the domain of war had not fully been digested, and coupled with the vigorous hormones of adolescence, he found it particularly easy to become excited when encountering somewhat criminally tempting grown women.

And Hestia just happened to be a prime candidate for a wife in Greek mythology.

Whether it is personality or stature.

As for Athena...

Luo En briefly recalled the encounter when he first saw her, as well as the difference between that statue and the person herself, he could only say.

There's suspicion of padding to deceive customers...

"Ahem..."

The familiar cough by his ear made him instinctively shiver, and he immediately came back to his senses, sitting upright and scrutinizing the wood grain patterns of the dining table while an inconspicuous fine sweat broke out on the back of his neck.

He had actually forgotten that he was in the presence of two chief gods, it seems he had eaten too much.

Luckily, Athena had just brought up a topic and hadn't noticed someone's improper gaze and the sacrilegious thoughts in his head.

"We've just eaten, so how about we do something to pass the time?"

The Goddess of Wisdom said, her gaze landing meaningfully on several fruits of varying sizes and weights on the plate.

"It's not suitable for intense exercise after a meal, how about we play a little intellectual game instead?"

Seeing this, Luo En hurriedly intercepted the conversation.

He didn't want to spend his days miserably gathering data and conducting research with this shrewd Goddess of Wisdom, who had more tricks up her sleeve than anyone.

He might manage to bluff his way through for a while, but if he really had to delve deep into a field, he would inevitably give himself away sooner or later.

But it would be better to cut off this woman's train of thought in advance, to spare himself the constant worry of having to be on guard every day.

"Wait for me a moment."

Luo En said, standing up and going upstairs. He took out the Greek version of international chess that he had used to trick Hecate, and placed it before Athena.

An intellectual game, huh?

Athena looked at the interlocking squares and played with the uniquely shaped chess pieces in her hand. She listened to Luo En explain the rules with great interest and was quickly drawn to the game.

Excellent, she's taken the bait!

Luo En nodded in satisfaction, then set up the board and started teaching Athena the rules and tactics by demonstration.

Of course, he used the strategies and openings of another old acquaintance, Hecate.

Wasn't he becoming increasingly challenged by the Goddess of the Underworld Moon on the chessboard? This was the perfect opportunity to let the esteemed Goddess of Wisdom battle her from afar, while he played the role of a consultant, revising the moves.

With this, he cleverly rid himself of two significant nuisances, a sly smile playing across his face.

Let the battle commence, I want to see a river of blood!

Time slipped through his fingers like sand, and before he knew it, the clear sound of chess pieces being placed on the board drowned out the crackling of the hearth's fire. In the midst of these intense virtual battles, Athena became increasingly engrossed.

And Luo En, through recreating past games, acquired plenty of strategies against Hecate, benefitting from both sides and reaping a rich harvest.

However...

He glanced out the window at the moon that had already climbed high into the sky and couldn't suppress a yawn.

"It's getting late, how about we make a date to continue another time when we're free?"

"That would be good..."

Athena, still with an unsatisfied look, nodded her agreement and didn't insist on continuing.

After all, she had just been introduced to this intriguing game and needed time to organize her thoughts and devise counter-strategies.

Watching the figure leading his sister upstairs, Athena twirled the queen chess piece between her fingers, her dazzling purple eyes glinting like shooting stars.

He's quite an interesting little fellow, perhaps, I could...