Chapter 20: What Do You Mean, “Aegean Sea Succubus”?!

Apollo wasn't just the god of light and prophecy, he was also the god of music and the arts.

The famed Nine Muses were directly under his patronage.

Whether or not there were any… "workplace dynamics" involved, Eros couldn't say.

But now that he and Apollo were on such good terms, he figured it wouldn't hurt to ask for a few introductions later, right?

Anyway, back to the point. Compared to the distant and lofty Nine Muses, the Oceanids in front of him were definitely a more practical choice.

Borrowing the musical talent granted by Apollo, Eros began telling his story in the form of a poetic ballad.

He sang of his confused and isolated youth, born as an outcast…

Of the day he met Zeus, and learned of the approaching end of this age.

Of Apollo's guidance that set him on his voyage to find refuge across the sea.

Of the deadly encounter with the giant sea serpent Python, and how he struck it down upon the ocean's surface.

Charm, plus music, [Pioneer] plus [Last of the Silver-Blooded Humans], he was pulling every enchantment lever imaginable.

Eros couldn't help but think, Damn, I'm definitely bard material. One performance, one guaranteed success.

What? You say his version of the story didn't exactly match the truth?

That's called artistic license, okay?

He just added a little creative polish here and there, that's all.

And the results? They were phenomenal.

The gentle strumming of his lyre, combined with his deep, magnetic voice, drew everyone into the story completely.

"Wait, he killed Gaia's serpent with a human body that fragile? Is that… even possible?"

A goddess gasped in disbelief. Even for divine beings like her, dealing with a monster like Python would usually mean avoiding it at all costs.

Yet this mortal, this so-called weakling of a man, had done what most of them couldn't even imagine.

"A fluke, really," Eros said with a modest smile. "If it happened again, I probably wouldn't be so lucky."

Yeah right.

By now, he'd already broken through the boundaries of the five senses and stepped into the realm of the sixth sense, the cosmos itself.

As long as his mood and aura were aligned, he wouldn't even flinch facing that overgrown sneak-attacking snake again.

Honestly, it's starting to feel like I could even beat the King of the Gods himself at this point…

If another guy from Nantong popped up right now, Eros swore he'd deck him without hesitation.

There was just something about idealist powers like this, they made you feel truly safe.

Between his handsome face, perfectly timed words, and a gripping story filled with highs and lows, Eros had every goddess around him throwing flirtatious glances.

"Eros, I have a little dolphin that can balance a ball on its nose. Want to come see it after the party?"

One goddess took his hand, gazing into his eyes with heartfelt sincerity.

That wasn't even a hint anymore, that was a full-on straight shot.

In Greece, being bold and passionate was simply their way.

But the moment she took the lead, it stirred some discontent among the others.

"What's so special about a dolphin playing with a ball? I have a clam nymph that spits pearls. Real pearls."

Another goddess gave a meaningful hand gesture and winked at Eros.

Whoa.

You Greek gods really play on hard mode, huh?

Eros was now paralyzed by choice anxiety. Each goddess had her own charms, how could he possibly decide?

After a short but intense internal struggle, he gently pulled his hand away and addressed the group.

"My beautiful goddesses, how about this, I'd originally planned to explore the seas for a while anyway," he said smoothly. "Why don't we save this debate for another time? Once the banquet's over, I'll pay each of you a personal visit. Sound good?"

Children made choices. Adults knew… they couldn't resist temptation.

But Eros? Eros had his invincible cosmos, and tonight, he'd be the true King of the Sea.

Off to the side, Perseis watched Eros being showered with attention in the center of the crowd and muttered bitterly:

"We should've just left him where we found him. He was our discovery first…"

The gentle Styx tugged her younger sister's arm with a teasing look.

"What are you thinking? We're both married, remember? Are you really planning to jump in too?"

"Tch. Just because we're married doesn't mean we can't spend time with someone interesting and unique, right?"

Perseis, known as the Flame of the Nymphs, was every bit as bold and fiery as her name suggested.

She was the polar opposite of the serene, soft-spoken Styx. Rules meant little to her. Besides, Helios was always busy. He'd never find out.

And even if he did, Helios only had eyes for his prized horses. He wouldn't care.

With that, Perseis boldly joined the chaos in the center of the gathering, leaving her sister alone on the fringes.

Styx watched her go with a sigh and a trace of envy in her eyes.

As the goddess of oaths sworn upon the River Styx, she was bound to uphold every vow she ever made.

She could only watch as her sisters threw themselves into chaos.

But hey, she was the eldest. If they wanted to go wild, she'd let them. Besides, when it came to goddesses and mortals, they were never the ones at a disadvantage.

Eros now found himself like a rare treasure in a matriarchal fantasy, surrounded, pursued, and thoroughly enjoying it.

Even goddesses known for being straightforward couldn't help but curse under their breath.

Look at this little heartthrob. Doesn't even bother wearing his clothes properly. Who's he trying to seduce?

After his shipwreck, Eros's clothes had been tattered to bits, and he still hadn't changed.

The skin he showed off made their own skimpy outfits look modest by comparison.

But not a single goddess called him out. On the contrary, they all leaned in even closer, sneaking a few casual touches.

They'd never tried it before, but it turned out… male bodies actually felt kinda nice to the touch.

"But hey," one goddess suddenly said, "if Eros plans to travel across the sea, won't he need a guide?"

"I've got some free time lately, why don't I go with him?"

Perseis immediately raised her hand, only to be met with swift and ruthless rejection from her own sisters.

"Married women, be quiet! This table is for single players only!"

Perseis fumed. How dare they shut her out so blatantly?

What's so wrong with being married? Married women can't join the party anymore?

Taking a deep breath, Perseis spoke slowly and coldly.

"I think you're all forgetting something. If Eros is going to explore the Oceanid Domain, the first thing he has to do is meet our father."

If they weren't going to include her, she'd just drop a bomb on all of them. Let's see who still wants to be his guide now.

Her words instantly poured cold water over the room.

The once-eager goddesses started backing away, murmuring and glancing at each other.

Perseis scoffed under her breath. "Cowards. In the end, you'll still need me."

"Wait," one voice cut in, "besides Perseis… I think there's one more person who'd be perfect for this."

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