"P-premature?!" I exclaimed after hearing Hephaestus' explanation about Aphrodite's doubtful appearance. "She looks like that because she was born prematurely?"

Hephaestus nodded his head.

"I don't know the reason but her birth is premature causing her to look like a child. Aphrodite was supposed to be born as a fully grown Goddess," Hephaestus told me before looking down at Aphrodite who was clinging to my clothes.

"Where are you looking at?" Aphrodite asked in a sassy tone. The little deity hugged my thighs tighter. "Mother, who is that man? Do you know him?" She asked while pointing her little fingers at Hephaestus.

Hephaestus stared at Aphrodite while raising his brows.

"My name is Hephaestus," Hephaestus replied to her before glancing at me. "I am with Asche. May I ask why are you calling my Nymph as your Mother?"

Aphrodite frowned.

"Because she's my Mother! Is there any reason for that?" Aphrodite replied with displeasure. "How about you? What are you doing with my Mother? It's impossible that you're my father but I can consider that."

"It's alright if you won't consider."

"Then you're not my father..?"

"I don't know, ask yourself," Hephaestus replied to obviously confuse the deity. "I don't even know the answer."

The little Aphrodite had a confused look on her face.

Hephaestus averted his eyes as he shook his head. His electric blue orbs went to me with a questioning gaze. Unfortunately, I can only give him a shoulder shrug and a clueless expression on my face.

The Blacksmith suddenly pulled me gently closer to him.

"I don't know the reason, but that Deity considers you as her mother," Hephaestus whispered to me, making sure that Aphrodite won't be able to listen to us. "Do you have any idea about what happened?"

I shook my head. "I don't have any idea."

I'm so confused as well...

I don't know the reason but this child, or to be precise... Aphrodite, just cling to me and decided to me mother or whatnot.

I wonder why she's calling me mother? Aphrodite already stated that we were nothing alike, the big difference in our 'beauty' is freaking huge and very obvious. It can't be because I gave birth to her, correct?

I never got pregnant!

No matter how you look at it, she looks like a Swan following a Duck!

"Mother, is he your husband?" Aphrodite suddenly asked as she pulled the hem of my clothes. The child glared at Hephaestus. "If he's not, then put your hands away from my Mother," She told to Hephaestus.

"And if I am?" Hephaestus asked the Deity as he raised his brows. "Will you let go of her clothes? I never made her clothes to be touched by someone else."

My cheeks blushed when I heard him say that. I know that this guy is just messing up with Aphrodite for some unknown reason, but I find it cute by the way.

"You're her Husband? Then you're my father?" Aphrodite frowned. The deity suddenly pouted before crossing her arms. "What a bizarre taste for a husband tho..."

Bizarre taste?

Hey! Did this child just insult my taste in men?

This brat has no eye for beauty and muscles. She doesn't know the beauty standard of the 21st century!

"Nothing's wrong with my taste," I mumbled with a pout on my lips. Hephaestus who heard my statement suddenly stared at me intently. "Anyway, what are we gonna do with Aphrodite?" I asked.

Should we shoo her away? But this child is the Goddess of Beauty.

If she ever grows up and remembers my rude behavior toward her, she might throw a tantrum and curse me. But I can not trick her either, I can't let her call me Mother any longer.

What if she finds out that I am not her real mother in the future?

That will be a one-way ticket to cursehood too.

"What am I supposed to do with her?" I sighed.

A big hand suddenly touched my shoulders which made me stop. I immediately glanced at Hephaestus who was currently standing behind me. The man shook his head while staring intently at me.

Hephaestus went closer to me as he whispered something in my ear. The simo alert on my body suddenly rang when I felt his breath on my ears.

Gosh! Why am I like this?!

Am I really a pervert?

"Premature deities are prone to power outbursts, Aphrodite can't control her powers yet," Hephaestus whispered in my ears which made me pause. "Her tantrums could be a serious trouble. Especially if she's a deity that was supposed to be born as a fully grown Goddess."

I glanced at him with wide eyes.

"Then what are we gonna do?" I asked.

"For now, we should let it as it is. Aphrodite may be born prematurely, but it'll only take a few mortal days for her to be a fully grown goddess," Hephaestus told me. "She'll eventually realize this mistake..."

"What mistake?"

My eyes immediately went to Aphrodite who had a displeased look on her face. The frown was visible on her beautiful face. In fact, this child looks like a spoiled rich kid in my previous world, but she looks really cute.

"Hahaha, nothing, nothing," I said as I motioned my hands. "We were only discussing when we will go back to our home."

"Going back to home? Your home?"

"His home of course," I replied as I pointed my fingers at Hephaestus. "Forest doesn't have houses anyways..."

I quickly returned to the Blacksmith who was currently having a staring competition with Aphrodite. I squinted my eyes when I saw Hephestus acting like a kid.

Anyway... About the real reason why Hephaestus and I came to this place...

In Greek mythology, Hephaestus married Aphrodite. However, Aphrodite is currently just a baby girl...

AND NOPE! I CAN NOT LET THAT HAPPEN!

I know that marrying a child is acceptable if it is in this world, but f*ck those sh*ts. I am not going to let that happen!

I am not gonna let Hephaestus marry the child Aphrodite, and I know that he won't do it either! And obviously, I am definitely not gonna let other male creatures to take the child Aphrodite either!

Over my dead body.

"Hey, Hephaestus," I called the blacksmith's name. I carefully pulled his ears closer to me, a smirk appeared on my face when Hephaestus became red. "You're not gonna marry Aphrodite anymore, are you?" I whispered to him.

Hephaestus immediately glanced at me as he quickly shook his head in obedience.

"How can I... Marry a child?" He asked in a surprised yet disgusted tone. "I am not mentally retarded, Asche. Don't compare me to Zeus. But I guess I'll have to change my plans in the future..." He mumbled with a sigh.

A grin appeared on my face as I nodded my head in satisfaction.

Actually, I don't want Hephaestus, the person that I like, to be married to someone else. I'm kinda happy to know that he's not going to marry someone any sooner.

Call me a scum for thinking like this, but this is normal.

"Hey! Are you not going to let me join your conversation?" Aphrodite suddenly spoke with a deep frown on her face. "Are you flirting in front of me? If you are then please do it somewhere. Just a reminder in case you have forgotten about me."

I quickly glanced at the young deity.

"Woah, Woah, kid, where did you learn the 'flirt' word? That's not a word for the girls at your age," I confronted Aphrodite as soon as I heard her complaint to us. "Don't mention that word in the future. You should grow up first before you utter those words."

"But I heard the sea nymphs saying those words," Aphrodite excused. "Is that supposed to be a bad word?"

"S-Sea nymphs?! Mermaid!?" I exclaimed with an exciting look. But when I remembered that 'Ariel' is not real, a frown appeared on my face. "No never mind, the sea nymphs that you are talking about are a Bad influence on you, you should not listen to them. Their mouths are foul!"

"I'm surprised to hear that from you..." Hephaestus suddenly commented which made me burn in red because of embarrassment.

He's... He's not wrong tho...

The 'I want to touch your tiddies' suddenly came to my mind.

Hah... These words coming from a simp-- no-- 'pervert' like me...

Yeah, how surprising...

"Anyway..." Hephaestus mumbled before glancing in my direction. His eyes went to the sky when the wind became strong and the sea started to create large waves. "We should start leaving this place right now."

"Why?" I asked with a confused face.

"The other Deities must've received the news about the birth of the Goddess of Beauty..." Hephaestus spoke with an alert expression on his face. "It's only natural to go here and try to covet her..."

•••••••••••••

Dionysus



(Daddy? Yez Daddy? U need a baby? Lol just kidding, but it's hard not to simp tho...)

"Hmm? What is this?" Dionysus, the god of Winery mumbled while sitting on a large chair at the shore of Lemnos where Hephaestus lives. The Deity played the Goblet that contains wine in his hands. "Must be something interesting."

Dionysus knew where Hephestus and the Forest Nymph headed, but he didn't bother to follow them. He just decided to sit on a chair that he found at Hephaestus' place and decided to wait for the arrival of the two.

After all, he was confident that they will return to their home.

Donysus shook his head as he drank the wine on his Goblet as he stared at the sky. The Deity suddenly felt a dashing warm wind from the west, Dionysus suddenly raised his hand as if motioning it to stop someone.

"Zephyr," The Deity called for a young man who had a two pairs of wings, the young man who was currently flying with the wind suddenly stopped and flew in Dionysus' direction.

"You called for me, Dionysus?" Zephyr, the god of the west wind spoke.

"Are you heading to the Coast of Cythera? Tell me what was happening?" Dionysus asked the Deity while drinking a glass of wine.

Zephyr closed his eyes as he shrugged his shoulders. "The Goddess of Beauty was finally born. Everybody was running towards the Coast of Cythera," Zephyr explained to Dionysus. "I know that you are curious, but I need to go now."

Zephyr was about to fly away, but Dionysus suddenly grabbed the god of the west wind by his foot.

"How many Gods are running towards the Coast of Cythera?" Dionysus asked in curiosity.

"I don't know, but Ares, Zeus, Poseidon, Apollo will definitely come to see her. Not only the Gods, even the Goddesses and Nymphs are going to see her," Zephyr replied to Dionysus. "It may only be a theory, but a war might happen if this is not controlled."

"A war...?" Dionysus mumbled as he unconsciously let go of Zephyr's foot.

The west wind god immediately flew away without saying any words to Dionysus.

Dionysus who was left alone on the island sat again on the huge chair while taking a deep sigh. The Deity shook his head as he poured a wine on his Goblet.

"What a big trouble," Dionysus smirked as he crossed his legs. "Hera's problem wasn't even solved yet, but another problem occurred." Dionysus suddenly laughed as he gulped his wine in one shot.

"Anyway, If I am only not busy, I would also go to see the Goddess of Beauty."

"Too bad, I need to take back The Forest Nymph and persuade the Ugly God first."