Zeus smiled faintly and planted a direct kiss on the harvest goddess's dewy cheek.
This sudden first display of intimacy immediately cut off Demeter's offensive plan and sent her mind into a brief crash.
Even her divine thoughts were flooded with honey by Zeus's sweet move.
"My dear, how could I not know? It's just that the cosmos has only just been set in order. I still have many important duties—for the sake of all living things in the universe, I dare not slack off in the least."
"And also—"
Zeus put on a look of deep guilt and difficulty, sighed softly, and said, "Demeter, I know your love for me. Likewise, deep in my divinity I hold the very same love for you."
"But I know you are the most pure, the most kind, the most gentle, the most tender of goddesses."
"Yet I—I already have Metis. I truly can't bear, and cannot bring myself, to wrong you; so I've had to bury my love for you deep in my heart, not daring to utter a single word."
"Because I know this would be too unfair to you—too cruel. Precisely because I love you too much, I dare not easily pluck your heartstrings and bring you the taste of sorrow."
The goddess of harvest broke into a smile through tears. Clinging tightly against Zeus's chest, she said in a coaxing whimper, "Zeus, my love, don't you know that your keeping your distance is the greatest hurt to me!"
"I know I cannot have you to myself, and I have never dared to hope for that."
"All I want is to be like Themis and the others. I…I also want to become your wife."
The goddess of harvest pleaded pitifully: "Zeus, my love, I'll be good—I don't ask to monopolize you. I only ask to be treated equally. I only ask to stand at your side forever, as your wife."
"Please don't keep away from me anymore, and don't let me go long without seeing you. Because not having your company—that is truly the greatest torment for me."
The resourceful God-King, hearing this, hugged the tender goddess in his arms even more tightly.
He let out a deep sigh, and on his handsome face his brows knit tight as if he were enduring a great emotional struggle.
Only then did he whisper, "My dear Demeter, how fortunate am I to have a love as pure as yours? Before you, my heart has long been wholly taken by your gentleness."
"Only…it is far too unfair to you. How could I bear to see that face of yours—meant always to be wreathed in a smile—stained with sadness and displeasure because of me? That would bring my own heart unspeakable pain as well."
After much tugging on the heartstrings by the thick-skinned All-Father, the tender, deeply affectionate harvest goddess gazed at Zeus in a daze, life-filled eyes showing only love for him.
Words like a breeze over ripening fields drifted from her lips: "Zeus, I don't care about any of that—I care about nothing."
"You are the thunder and rain that nourish all things, and I am the fields and flowers that bear life. Only by leaning on you can I live at all, because you are my life."
"Only because of you can I grow strong, can I bloom brilliantly, and can I bring endless abundance to this world."
"My Zeus, I am destined to be plucked by you, can only be plucked by you, and wish only to be plucked by you alone. Only with your sacred moisture can I truly live."
"My dear Zeus, my beloved—you are my Lord God, my Father God, my only source of life. Please allow me to remain by your side forever. If I lose you, I will certainly wither completely."
However promiscuous the God-Lord might be, upon hearing the harvest goddess's confession of giving all, he could not help but be moved; his strong arms hugged the gentle, compliant goddess even tighter.
"My dear Demeter, even if you one day regret this, I will never again let you leave my side—I want you to be my eternal wife!"
The tender, affectionate goddess rejoiced at heart. With eyes full of endless feeling she looked deep into Zeus's gaze and said softly, "Zeus, how could I ever leave you? Even if you told me to, I would never go—because…you are my everything."
As soon as the words fell, the goddess of harvest pressed her full lips to Zeus's thin ones.
With utmost initiative, she poured into Zeus's mouth all the freshness and sweetness that belonged uniquely to abundance and grain.
The goddess who seemed shy on the surface did not appear truly so shy and bashful.
After a long while—enjoying the malt-sugar sweetness to the full—even the amorous Lord of Heaven was about to be overcome, when the bashful yet bold goddess, with perfect timing, gently pushed Zeus away.
The fresh-faced harvest goddess's sweet features were flushed like a red fruit. In a shy whisper she asked, "Zeus…when will you announce that I am your wife as well?"
The sky's sovereign, lost in a haze, gave his promise: "My dear Demeter, don't worry. Once I've finished this matter in hand that concerns the universe's future, I will immediately announce this happy news to all the universe. This is my promise to you."
Demeter pouted her dewy lips in slight dissatisfaction, but said nothing more.
Instead, with her tender hands she lightly braced against Zeus's firm chest, pressed her lips to his ear, and murmured in a voice soft and full of allure, "Very well, my love—I look forward to that day~"
"Zeus, I'm waiting to beget a lovely child with you~ Once I become your wife, I will surely bear you the loveliest child."
Her warm, full lips brushed faintly over Zeus's ear, and her suggestive whispers flowed on from those enticing lips: "My love, 'Agriculture' can't wait any longer to receive your 'rain and dew'~~~"
"I'll be going now—I'll await your word~"
Before the words were finished, the goddess of harvest and agriculture had already turned into a fragrant, fresh breeze and vanished.
Left behind was the God-Lord, stirred to desire, stunned on the spot, uncomfortable and neither here nor there.
Zeus smacked his lips and could only silently savor the flavor of grain in his heart.
Leaving Zeus's palace, the shy look on Demeter's pretty face had long since vanished without a trace, and the corners of her rosy, smooth lips curled into a satisfied smile.
Two old goddesses, nothing more—they'll be left behind by Zeus's stride sooner or later.
As for the goddess of wisdom—hah—what "wisdom" is there to speak of?
It was mere good luck and a tiny head start!
In the end, Zeus will belong only to me!
Since you dared to open this door of your own accord—since you do not know how to cherish—
Don't blame me for being discourteous!
Leave you with nothing at all!
Bold enough to snatch my Zeus!
Those messy goddesses will never be as close to Zeus as I am!
In every respect, in every sense, we are closer and more compatible!
It is kinship at the source!
We were born of the same "primordial law"!
Zeus had no idea that the cute, delicate Demeter harbored so many designs—of course, even if he knew, he wouldn't care.
For the immortal gods, this was nothing more than harmless marital sport.
In the days that followed, Zeus did not lose himself in matters of love and desire.
On the contrary, he devoted all his energy entirely to work.
He was occupied now with truly important business.
After a period of tireless effort by Zeus and Themis, the God-King's grand Heavenly-Order System and the Celestial Network finally had a concrete framework.
And the gods Zeus had previously disciplined as a warning had, during this time, labored like cautious beasts of burden; some began to grumble inwardly about the drudgery, though none yet dared violate Zeus's sacred order.
The time was almost ripe.
Zeus decided at once and immediately summoned the relevant gods to begin actually weaving the Heavenly Order!
The sole sacred Queen Rhea; Oceanus and Tethys; Crius, the cosmic framework; Hyperion, lord of the celestial bodies; the all-knowing Mnemosyne; Aether, the bright upper light; Hemera, goddess of day; Nyx, the Lady of Night; Erebus, the gloom; and Gaia, Mother of All—these foundational great gods of the universe's origins now gathered at the God-King's summons.
Zeus swept his gaze over the assembled great gods and spoke in a solemn, majestic voice: "Gods—given that in recent days some among us, for various reasons, have been affecting the performance of their sacred duties—"
"After careful thought, I believe that while the gods' duties are indeed to make the world better, the ultimate purpose of the gods' making the world better is to better enjoy the world's splendor."
"And not—and should not—to be bound fast in endless toil, enduring boring, tedious work unto eternity. That would invert the ends and means. The gods ought to have time of their own to enjoy the world."
"Moreover, for the convenience of all living things and of the gods, we must have a complete and perfected order that can run inexhaustibly and steadily on its own."
"To that end, the sacred Justice and I have considered and planned for a long time and settled upon a scheme to liberate the gods."
"Now, let Themis explain it to everyone. If you have any opinions, speak freely. All is for the gods, and for the universe."
With that, Zeus gave his dear Themis a slight nod.
The goddess Themis then rose, face solemn, and gave a detailed explanation of the Heavenly System and the Divine Network.
In the course of her explanation, Themis emphasized—tactfully yet firmly—that this Heavenly Order would absolutely not negatively affect the gods' authorities and would absolutely safeguard the security of their divinities.
The gods present were deeply shaken when they had heard her out—and exceedingly pleased.
For the gods present, this was a boon of the highest order!
Once this brand-new order was established, it would mean that the authorities of all great gods who formed its foundational structure would truly and completely penetrate to every aspect of the universe's lowest layers.
Henceforth, the more prosperous and mighty the universe became, the stronger and more vital they themselves would become—bound utterly to the entire universe.
After careful consideration, the gods present indeed found no adverse effects within, nor any hidden dangers.
After all, the concrete weaving of the order was something everyone was building from scratch together. Any issues within simply could not be concealed from any of the primordial great gods present.
The God-King hardly seemed like a scheming god with ill intent. Besides, even the sacred goddess of justice and order had no objections and strongly supported it—proof enough that there should be no problem.
Even though Themis had become Zeus's wife, everyone still placed absolute trust in the sacred justice's character.
And Zeus did indeed harbor no ill intent—for he had no need.
No matter how ingenious a system's framework, its ultimate operation still requires a core "will" to control it.
And within this system, the most important system operations, information storage, and the final control permissions—the most fundamental, core powers—were all firmly in the hands of Zeus and the few goddesses closest to him, so there was no fear of anything going awry (see Chapter 131 for details).
Moreover, as the supreme God-King who governs all, his highest sovereignty naturally and perfectly matched this system.
He was by nature its sole and absolute master.
Only once this system was fully complete could he truly be called a God-King who controlled everything in the truest sense.
And when, in days to come, this system was perfected and the endless principles were all integrated into it until it encompassed everything and was brought to consummate perfection—then would come the great moment of his becoming "omniscient and omnipotent."
Zeus looked around at the gods and said with authority, "Gods, do you have any objections to these two plans?"
Oceanus immediately stood, and in a booming voice said, "Your Majesty's gaze is lofty and your foresight profound—such a wondrous conception could only be born of a God-King who possesses all wisdom!"
"This is a great enterprise wholly beneficial to all gods and all living things in the universe! We of the oceanic line have no objections whatsoever to your grand design, Your Majesty!"
"The Ocean will absolutely support Your Majesty's every decision! We will absolutely and staunchly defend Your Majesty's sacred, just order! As for the sacred duties Your Majesty has planned for the Ocean, we ocean gods will perform them faithfully!"
The other gods, hearing this, rose one after another to voice their assent.
Even Gaia, Mother of All, who did not hold a specific position in this new system, had not the slightest objection.
In any case, her authority did not depend on such things.
As the material foundation of the universe, the stronger the universe, the stronger she would be.
And she herself coexisted with the entire universe eternally.
Zeus had invited her purely out of respect—for the sake of giving the Mother of All sufficient honor.
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