Prelude to change 2.201

The day of the auction arrived and as always, everything was done in the theater of the Ganesha family. Viggo and company arrived in Semiramis' carriage. However, for this occasion it was only Viggo, Semiramis and Scheherezade. Sakura and Ana were in no mood and Rosewisse was a little bored of standing out by her wings as if she were an exotic animal, so she refused to come. Tsubaki, well, she's not coming to these kinds of events. In addition, she is focused on bringing her blacksmith to the mastery level. If she succeeds, she will be the first blacksmith master of the Hephaestus family in more than a century.

Viggo was the first to descend from the carriage in front of a red carpet that stretched for more than a hundred meters to the entrance of the Ganesha family theater. He then helped Semiramis and Scheherezade descend. The carriage left and they took the arm to walk the red carpet until they reached the entrance where an adventurer from the Ganesha family greeted them. They showed their tickets and asked to be led to the balcony of the goddess Hepahestus.

Once Viggo and company reached the Hephaestus family balcony they found Kain, Demeter, Hephaestus and Hera sitting in the front row of a set of twelve chairs grouped in rows of four chairs.

-Permission- said Viggo, drawing the attention of his father and all the wives. Everyone looked at them and smiled in a good mood.

-Is everything okay?- asked Hephaestus with a worried face, it was the first time Semiramis had moved away from Uriel. She wasn't the mother, but she cared as much as the grandmother she was.

-All right, mother-in-law- said Semiramis in a polite and calm tone of voice -Uriel stayed with Mrs. Mikoto. The milk and diapers were prepared along with a lot of toys-

Hephaestus took a deep breath and nodded before turning around without worrying about Semiramis. At the same time, Viggo stroked Semiramis' back so she wouldn't feel bad. It was clear that they did not get along from the beginning neither accepted the other. On the other hand...

-Are you ready for the evening?- asked the goddess Hera.

-Yes- replied Semiramis with a huge smile.

-I hope so, today we have many things to buy- Hera replied, then looked at Kain and said -I'll leave you, behave well-

-Hey, I always behave well- Kain replied with a smile on his lips.

On the side, Viggo could see that his mother looked at the goddess Demeter, another of his father's wives, and turned her eyes to the sky in a gesture of annoyance and mockery at the conversation of Kain and Hera. It was not enough to say that Hephaestus and Hera did not get along either, but since they were both goddesses, they tried to handle things in the best way. Hence Hera made such a good combination with Semiramis. Your enemy's enemy is your friend, they say.

Hera got up completely ignoring Hephaestus and walked around in her cream-colored ball gown with small, brilliant details. Despite her pregnancy-bulging stomach, she looked elegant. Of course, she didn't wear high heels like other years. Semiramis also because she had to get used to it again while Scheherezade occupied them forever.

Viggo stood beside Hera and offered her his arm. She smiled at such a gesture and looked at Semiramis. She nodded giving her approval. Hera took Viggo's arm, and he turned around, waved his other hand as a sign of farewell to his father, mother, and aunt Demeter. Then Viggo, Hera, Semiramis and Scheherezade went to the third floor, where the box of the goddess Hera as one of the greatest gods of Orario was. Usually she did not occupy it, it was more entertaining to be with Kain in Hephaestus' box, even if she had to put up with the presence of Hephaestus. Also, when she went to the box on the third floor, she brought Odysseus. Although he is his most reliable adventurer, he could only be categorized as a man of few words and too serious, which made him extremely boring. However, she would now have Semiramis and Scheherezade, two intelligent and talkative girls, which would make everything more interesting.

On the other hand, there was Viggo, who was a flirtatious conversationalist, very different from his father, who could be considered an enigmatic conversationalist. Viggo had the fun, but Kain had the mystery, both equally charming, Hera thought.

Once the four arrived at the box, they entered and found a light brown carpet with a much taller and softer fur than that of the Hephaestus box. The chairs were fewer, only four near the balcony. The two burgundy curtains are fastened with a pair of curtains on the sides. There was furniture on the sides of the box with bottles of wine and prepared glasses.

The four of them sat down and looked towards the seats. People kept coming one after another, little gods with weak and small families greeted each other while those with large families looked at each other with contempt. Little gods, Hera considered them because they fought over the little crumbs that fell from the table of the great families. If they were smarter, they would ally with each other and strengthen, but they were so proud that they would continue like this until they were forced back to heaven or bored of being losers on earth. Even her friend Frigg, who years ago was the goddess of one of Kain's wives, when he first came to Orario. Well, Hera couldn't blame her either. Frigg lost a war with another family and lost everything. So, starting over from scratch didn't sound good at all. She got bored and went back to heaven. Hera took a deep breath and wondered what kind of situation she will be left in when she loses everything. Will her son be there to help her? Will he tell her to try hard again, or will he tell her to enjoy her days in Orario while he works? Will it be nice to live with just enough, without all the luxuries she has today? To begin with, will Orario (the other gods) accept her presence? She didn't know it, but until the terrible day comes, she had to enjoy the situation.

The auction started normally, offering small works of art and jewelry from other lands. Some with tragic stories, others with legendary backgrounds. The minor gods quarreled over such products, some still scolded by their captains. Since those gods stupidly borrowed with things they could not afford, all for appearing in front of others.

As this part of the auction was not important, Viggo conversed with Semiramis and Scheherezade while Hera heard him say a lot of funny and flirtatious nonsense, things that made the goddess and the two mortals laugh. However, Hera gradually began to pay less attention to Viggo and more attention to the little gods who made a fool of themselves in the seats. Some offering to fight for another insignificant god to win the bid for a necklace or a work of art of dubious origin.

Hera frowned and asked in the air -Tell me, Viggo, what would you do with all those little gods who make a fool of themselves? Of course, putting you in the situation that you were their king-

The laughter between Semiramis, Scheherezade and Viggo stopped. They remained silent, looked into the seats, and saw two gods dressed in a coat holding on to each other's clothes and then being taken by the captains of their families and separated. Semiramis and Scheherezade looked at Viggo, who put on a solemn expression.

-The gods have nothing to lose when they come to earth. So, I would impose more rules and conditions for them to be here- Viggo said in a serious tone.

-Where do you draw those conclusions?- asked Hera.

-Since they arrive on earth, the gods do not go through any discomfort besides being poor. However, as soon as they become a family, they have no ambition other than to have fun. In addition, even though many have millennia of knowledge, they do not share it with their children. They only function is to exchange his blessing for valis to have fun-

-To impose a sanction is too superficial- Hera said strictly -talking about control can scare away the gods-

-Humans are risking their lives by being adventurous, I think the gods should respond in the same way. If they want to live in Orario, have fun and live comfortably, they must give back to their families in the best way. Otherwise, they are unnecessary. There are gods who have small families, if it is to exchange the blessing for valis, those gods can do it and those who do not contribute anything and are only a problem, can return to heaven-

-You speak as if you are on an equal footing-

-If I am king of the gods, I am in a superior position. I am the monarchy; I am the one who must find the balance between adventurers and gods. I don't need to ask, they are my rules of the game, they must accommodate-

-Although it is good to be definitive and authoritarian- said Hera, looking Viggo in the eye. Not with disapproval, but as a teacher correcting an enthusiastic student -but it's better to find a middle ground where everyone is satisfied without passing them on. If you are ever going to be king, you must learn to deal with all your subjects, even if you don't like them. Remember the words your father said the other day "everyone has a purpose, whoever knows how to use that in his favor, can achieve his goals." No one tells you to tolerate fools like Zeus, but neither to behave like a tyrant who tolerates no one. Otherwise, you will fall into the same mistakes that fell that god Odin, who considered all his enemies and transformed his kingdom into one of death and destruction.

-Find the balance. Punish definitively those who deserve it and protect those in need-

-But how do you get to that balance? Who deserves to die and who doesn't?-

Viggo was thinking for a few moments but did not find a good answer. In extreme cases like Zeus, it was easy, he had to die because he had no other purpose in the world but to have fun. He would not be of help to anyone and would never regret his mistakes. There is no growth, only deterioration. But what about the people who were just starting out? How could I teach and correct them? Was death the final solution?

-You have a long way to go, Viggo- said Hera, somewhat proud of how thoughtful Viggo was in all these matters, instead of wanting to be grandiloquent and wise with a great argument. Sometimes the best answer is the one you don't say until you're totally sure. The rush on this type of issues is not good. Hera stood up, Semiramis and Scheherezade imitated her and Viggo stared at them. Hera smiled sweetly and said -It is finishing the first part of the auction, let's go to the event hall-

Viggo nodded, stood up and led her to the stairs to descend to the first floor. Where they realized that the statue of the adventurer with the spear (Romulus) had new flowers at his feet. A detail of Kain for a friend with whom fought in the past. Then they continued to the event hall, the doors were open, and people murmured with a lot of paintings scattered everywhere.