Walking along the cobblestone path, the road was smooth and comfortable beneath their feet.
Lorne observed his surroundings with a side glance, noticing the paving stones had been neatly cut using copper saws, while the roads were flanked by an efficient drainage system.
In the more upscale public areas, even clay-based underground sewage systems had been constructed.
As for the buildings, most residential homes had flat tile roofs, and the floors were made of plaster, wood, or large stone slabs.
They typically stood two to three stories tall, built with stone and gravel for the lower walls and raised levels using mud bricks.
Beams across the ceiling supported the roof, and courtyards served to bring in light.
Looking across the neat and orderly architecture, the atmosphere buzzed with the noise and warmth of human life.
From wilderness to civilization, from nothing to such achievements, all crafted by human hands and ingenuity, it truly was remarkable.
Even Lorne, a soul from the future, couldn't help but marvel at the sophistication of Minoan craftsmanship.
"We're here."
Just as he was admiring the brilliance of the Minoans, Athena stopped, smiling as she gestured to a two-story building in front of them that was made of stone bricks and wood.
The blonde little girl beside them immediately perked up and ran ahead, hopping on tiptoe to tug and knock on the bronze door knocker with excitement.
"Who is it…? It's so early…"
A groggy mutter responded from within. With a creaking groan, the door swung open, revealing a petite girl with jet-black hair, typical of Greeks, and sleepy blue eyes.
She stood barefoot on the rug just inside the doorway, rubbing her eyes in a daze.
Inside the house, a golden fire danced merrily in the hearth, bathing the house in cozy warmth.
So naturally, the girl was only wearing a white silk nightgown. The garment, too large for her frame, barely clung to her slender build.
Thankfully, her unusually full chest, along with the blue silk ribbon tied beneath it and looped around her arms, managed to hold the upper part of the gown in place, preventing a wardrobe disaster.
Still, even so, even from several meters away, Lorne could clearly see the stark whiteness of her skin and that fragile-looking waist that seemed almost too delicate to support her figure.
Slim branches, heavy fruit, delicious, but dangerous?
The phrase sprang unbidden to Lorne's mind, uncomfortably apt for the situation.
"Ahem!"
A heavy cough from outside the door swept through the room like a sudden chill.
The black-haired girl with a blue ribbon, still groggy with sleep, shivered slightly and blinked hazily.
The moment she saw the two familiar faces, and two unexpected visitors, standing outside her door, she instantly snapped to attention.
"Ah? W-wait a sec, let me change first!"
Realizing the guests present and her rather indecent attire, her already flushed cheeks turned a deeper shade of red.
Flustered, she quickly bowed her head, slammed the door shut, and dashed back into her room.
After a flurry of rustling sounds, the door opened again.
Now dressed in a simple white gown, the girl stood tall with a composed posture, putting on a dignified front as she stepped out to greet the guests.
"Ya—"
Ahem!
Athena coughed again.
Her violet eyes shimmered, sending a subtle and obscure ripple forward.
Clearly, the two of them were engaging in some encrypted divine communication.
Immediately, the blue-ribboned girl bit her tongue and pulled a series of awkward facial expressions.
Then, forcing a smile, she clumsily corrected herself.
"Pallas? What a surprise! And you brought guests?"
"They are…" Athena paused briefly, casting a glance at Lorne and young Medusa behind her, then smiled faintly.
"…new friends I just made."
"Friends?"
The blue-ribbon girl heard the words and looked up and down at the two new faces outside the door strangely, her blue eyes brimming with curiosity.
After all, she knew exactly how proud and aloof her dear niece was around strangers.
To this day, the number of people who had earned her recognition and been called "friends" by her could probably be counted on one hand.
Each of them was undoubtedly a dazzling star in their respective fields, possessing extraordinary talents.
Could it be that these two were the same?
But… their auras feel so ordinary, no different from regular mortals…
"Ahem!"
Athena couldn't help but cough again, clearly annoyed.
"We have guests. Aren't you going to invite us in, Aunt?"
"Oh! Right, right, my bad!"
The blue-ribboned girl smacked her forehead, forcing an embarrassed laugh as she quickly ushered all four into the house.
As she did, she held out her hand with a friendly smile and introduced herself.
"Nice to meet you both! I'm…"
Her eyes darted mischievously before she spoke again with a grin.
"…Heya. Just call me Heya!"
"Hello, I'm Lorne, and this is my sister, Anna. Sorry to intrude today."
Lorne also extended his hand very tactfully, gently shook the warm fingertips of the blue ribbon girl as he introduced himself and Medusa.
After a brief round of pleasantries, the three adults smiles at each other as a subtle yet palpable atmosphere began to form between them, something unspoken, but oddly harmonious.
After all, when it came to wearing a disguise, the three of them were surprisingly in sync.
"Come, come, have a seat! I'll go get some fruits and snacks."
As the host, the blue-ribboned girl enthusiastically ushered the guests to their seats, then quickly made her way into the spacious kitchen at the back of the house.
Lorne glanced at her slender, hospitable figure disappearing into the back, then shifted his gaze to the warm, bright hearth inside the room.
His eyes glinted with understanding, and he silently mouthed the name to himself.
—Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth.
She was the eldest daughter of the second-generation Titan King Cronus and the Titan Queen Rhea, making her Zeus's older sister, the highest-ranking among the Olympian Twelve.
At the same time, in the Greek mythology, she was the guardian of all domestic affairs, the divine flame that served both Olympus and the mortal world.
Fire symbolized her presence, representing her divine authority.
It was the eternal flame of stability, unity, and prosperity in every home.
This also reflected ancient traditions.
The flame on the altar was lit by ancestors, and their descendants were responsible for keeping it burning.
To let the flame die out was to let a people fade into extinction.
On a broader scale, every home had its hearth, every city its altar.
The altar's flame symbolized the life of the city, and whenever colonists left to found new settlements, they brought the sacred flame with them.
In this sense, Hestia traveled with the fire and the migration of civilization, making her arguably the Olympian most intimately tied to humankind.
And now, having met her, Lorne found that the goddess of the hearth truly lived up to her name, warm, generous, completely unpretentious.
Although…
He glanced at the chief Olympian goddess playing joyfully with the two little girls across from him, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly
…She didn't exactly seem like the brightest spark in the hearth.
"Achoo!"
At this moment, as if sensing something, Hestia sneezed heavily, then muttered a few words, put down the fruit plate in her hands, and turned to look at her eldest niece across from her.
"Speaking of which, Ya—"
"Ahem!"
Athena, seated nearby, shot a glare at her aunt who had almost let the car out of the bag again, her face darkening slightly as she felt her throat nearly go dry.
Snapping back to her senses, Hestia gave an awkward smile and quickly corrected herself.
"Pallas! Yes, Pallas, the Harvest Festival hasn't arrived yet. Why have you come to me so early?"
"What else could it be? The family's making a scene again, so I'm here to lay low for a while."
Athena took a sip of honeyed water to soothe her throat, then let out a light, exasperated snort.
"Oh? What happened? Do tell!"
Instantly, Hestia's eyes lit up with interest.
She eagerly picked up the fruit plate, moved a small stool over to sit directly across from her niece, and assumed the posture of a professional gossip enthusiast.
At the same time, Lon couldn't help but prick up his ears, holding his breath as he waited for Athena's revelation.
After all, this was a rare opportunity to learn about the inner workings of Olympus and it was most definitely not just out of sheer nosiness.
(The End of This Chapter)