Inside the Secret Realm of the Nymphs
Within the secret realm of the nymphs, the air itself breathed purity. Every blade of grass seemed conscious, and the flowers swayed with the calm of a world that had never known corruption.
Tree-houses intertwined through bridges made of living roots, while the murmur of water winding between stones sounded almost like a song.
There—where everything existed in perfect harmony with nature, animals, and plants—stood the heart of the realm:
Aphrodite's Palace.
Near the outer garden, a crystal-clear stream flowed softly. Inside a small natural structure woven from branches and petals hardened by magic, two figures of immortal beauty sat facing one another.
The goddesses Aphrodite and Lilith.
They shared steaming tea in golden cups while discussing what had happened in Ataxia.
Lilith: —"I won't deny it… he resembles him, a little. I haven't seen a disturbance on that scale caused by a mortal since him. But still… you thought the same about Adonis, didn't you? Remember?"
Aphrodite turned her gaze toward the magical barrier protecting the realm. The dome's golden reflection shimmered in her pink eyes as she replied, letting her voice blend with the wind.
Aphrodite: —"Yes… perhaps I was wrong. But Adonis was beautiful—and I wasn't the only one who misjudged him. Persephone did too!"
Lilith crossed her arms gracefully. Her firm, regal posture contrasted with Aphrodite's softness. She set her golden cup down on the white stone table, the metallic sound echoing faintly with the water's murmur.
Lilith: —"I know. But you were the one who started it all… Let's change the subject, shall we?"
Aphrodite sighed, tilting her head with a barely visible smile.
Aphrodite: —"Alright. Then… that strike didn't worsen the critical situation with Yggdrasil's Roots, did it?"
Lilith took a deep breath before answering.
Lilith: —"I don't believe so. Do you remember when the barrier endured the battle between the Martial God and Argan, Sleck, Wu Kong, Ra, and the rest? Compared to that, this was nothing. By now, the barrier should have fully regenerated."
The smile on Aphrodite's lips faded. Her tone shifted—grew heavy. She took a slow sip of tea before Lilith continued, her voice lower now.
Lilith: —"As for the roots… I collected samples. It's the same energy that triggered the War of the Corrupted Gods four thousand years ago—when he first appeared."
Aphrodite's pupils dilated. The air, once pristine, thickened. Forest scents mingled with the perfume of enchanted flowers.
Aphrodite: —"What did the council say at their meeting in Asgard?"
Lilith: —"They ordered our sister Freya to start pulling the strings regarding this dark energy. She's to prepare the elves to interact with humans again—through the Order of Light."
Aphrodite leaned forward, a strand of crimson hair slipping over her shoulder.
Aphrodite: —"Is it really that serious?"
Lilith: —"Sister… we already carry too many responsibilities. The battlefields of both worlds, the underworld's instability, the internal tensions since Mother disappeared…"
Aphrodite: —"Then what will you do?"
Lilith: —"A preventive counteroffensive will begin. Surveillance zones in the underworld will be expanded. If the roots continue to corrupt, demons will only grow stronger."
Aphrodite: —"And Tartarus? Is everything stable there?"
Lilith slowly shook her head, gazing at her own reflection in the tea.
Lilith: —"That part is fine. Our sister Hela reported that the central roots remain intact. What concerns me… is Hades."
Aphrodite: —"Why, sister?"
Lilith: —"Almost every god responsible for the underworld was present. Everyone except Hades. Zeus only mentioned that something serious happened eleven days ago—but gave no details."
Aphrodite: —"What could be serious enough for Zeus to stay silent?"
Lilith: —"Perhaps it's the—no… I don't know. This whole matter feels wrong."
Aphrodite was about to press further when a water nymph burst into the garden, nearly tripping over her bare feet. Her voice trembled with excitement.
Nimue: —"My goddess! He's back! The human boy we met the other day—he's back!"
The air tightened.
Aphrodite tilted her head, her smile so faint it resembled a flower opening at dawn.
Lilith, on the other hand, masked her curiosity and whispered with playful glimmer on her lips:
Lilith: —"Well then… it seems something interesting has arrived."
Aphrodite raised an eyebrow, her voice calm.
Aphrodite: —"Where is he, Nimue?"
Nimue: —"Waiting outside the barrier. I already told everyone."
The two goddesses exchanged a look.
Without another word, they stood in unison.
Light filtered through the trees, making their hair glow with divine brilliance, and together they said:
—"Then let's go speak with him."
Nimue crossed the barrier and vanished. Minutes passed.
And there I was—waiting outside like an idiot, in a forest I barely knew.
I stared at the reflection of the golden dome, grounding myself in my purpose. It was clear now—burned into my mind.
The injustice Melissa had suffered.
That was always the problem with the Greek gods. They idolized beauty, physique, and strength—imagining gods as selfish, flawed beings just like themselves.
Or at least, that's what I realized while researching to get better at the game "The Age of Myths."
Not that I'm a good person. I don't have the moral authority to judge them.
But if they're imperfect—then I'm worse.
Karen's expression when she left. Melissa's tears in the temple. They reminded me of that.
An emotional man. Unstable. But with will.
So just this once, I'd get involved in something that wasn't mine.
That's why I'm here.
Not for glory.Not for justice.Not for revenge.
I'm here because it's enough. Someone has to dirty their hands—and unfortunately for them, that someone is me.
A soft tremor in the air warned me I wasn't alone anymore.
Nimue returned—and she wasn't alone.
Aphrodite walked beside her, surrounded by nymphs.
And with her…
Someone else.
A new figure emerged from the glow of the barrier.
Just her presence made me swallow.
Her hair—white and radiant—looked sculpted from light itself.
Her face was a symphony of perfection, with eyes shining like pink diamonds.
Her provocative breasts would make any mortal sweat cold; her majestic abdomen would bring even the greatest artist to tears.
Her sensual hips would make craftsmen scream, her incredible backside and flawless legs would send any otaku into euphoric collapse.
And her skin—luminous, almost unreal—stood in stark contrast to the dark garment she wore.
That garment… was it a toga? A dress?
I didn't know.
All I knew was that black wrapped around her with dangerous sensuality—as if the fabric itself feared touching her too much.
Honestly, it made me want to take it off her.
She was the kind of woman who, with a single glance, awakened the lowest passions in any man.
Every curve, every subtle movement, assaulted my self-control.
Her gaze met mine—and for a moment, everything else faded. The forest. The wind. Even Aphrodite.
To me, the woman before me was temptation incarnate.
And yet, what unsettled me the most was seeing her beside Aphrodite.
Two divinities.Two impossible beauties.Sharing the same space.
For a split second, I questioned the fidelity I owed Liliana.
But… this was a game. Nothing here was real. Right?
Still, I scolded my earthly desires. Difficult—but not impossible.
She kept staring at me. And I couldn't stop looking at both of them.
My curiosity finally snapped.
I opened her status window.
I took a deep breath—and thanks to Transcendental Eyes now being passive, I could see everything.
[NPC Status Window]
Name: Lilith
Race: God [undergoing change]
Age: 4,200 years
Titles: Goddess of Pleasure
Level: 4000°
Vitality: 450,000 / 450,000
Divine Power: 550,000 / 550,000
Unique Trait: Absorption
Occupation: Researcher (-A)
Class: None
Strength: 3200
Instinct: 100
Speed: 3500
Perception: 4000
Endurance: 3800
Intelligence: 3000
Wisdom: 3500
Adaptability: 3800
Luck: 7000
Charm: 8900
Skills: Seductive Eyes (Ex), Divine Sensuality (Ex), Captivating Voice (Ex)
Condition: Expert
Favorability: 87 [+70]
Sexual Desire: 62
Stress: 41
Status: In the process of Corruption
My mind froze.
"Lilith…? What the hell is Lilith doing tied to Greek mythology?"
I tried connecting the dots fast.
"She's supposed to belong to Hebrew tradition. In that lore, Lilith is a demon—better known in Japan as a succubus. Worldwide, she's portrayed as the Queen of Succubi, of lustful demons."
That abnormal status…
Maybe it was related to what I saw in Karen's system window back then.
But none of it made sense.
"Why could I see her status window—and not others?"
As I struggled to organize my thoughts, Quincy interrupted.
[Master, Transcendental Eyes are closely linked to your own status window—just like me. (°Ѫ°)]
[That means the 60% of information I possess allows you to access only 60% of NPC status windows within the simulation. (◉‿◉)👍]
It struck me as strange that Quincy answered without being asked.
"Wait… can she read my thoughts?"
I hadn't noticed how long I'd been lost in my head.
I didn't have time to process it.
A voice—soft, deeply sensual—slid through my senses like sweet poison.
Lilith: —"Oh… so you're the one.The mortal who destroyed my sister Athena's temple."
The moment she mentioned Ataxia, I understood immediately.
She was the mistress of pleasure itself.
Her voice was beautiful—dangerously so. Honestly, it almost caused a physical reaction.
But I was saved.
By my now-beloved basic skill.
[Basic Skill "Absolute Resistance" has resisted "Captivating Voice"]
Bless that skill.
"I'll be honest with myself. Without it, this soldier would've already fallen to temptation."
I had one objective.
Find Poseidon's location.
I took a breath, focused my mind, and prepared to speak to both goddesses.
I fixed my gaze on Aphrodite.
—Told you I'd be back.