Chapter 193: Warming Your Bed, Becoming Your Maid!
Chapter 193: Warming Your Bed, Becoming Your Maid!
An indifferent voice sounded, and all the Sirens gathered at the shallows of the island, glaring at Erato with burning resentment.
Seeing their expressions, Erato didn't flinch at all.
Not only that, she even smirked, adjusting the flower crown on her head and, emboldened by Apollo's presence, looked at them with an even more taunting expression.
Hmph, a bunch of sore losers!
In that moment, even Promise thought that, compared to Erato, even the moon goddess Artemis seemed more adorable.
"Ah, I'm so angry. Please, we don't know who you are, young one, but you have to beat her!"!" one of the Sirens pleaded, frustrated.
"Yes, exactly! This goddess is so infuriating! That's why we challenged her in the first place. So please, you have to win!"
"You have to win, sweet little brother, if you do, we'll stay by your side forever, singing and serving you however you wish.
We will even warm your bed!"
Hearing their promises of warming his bed, singing to him, and even becoming his personal attendants, Promise broke into a cold sweat.
"Oh, warm your bed? You're not half as cute as I am!" Erato snapped back, sticking her tongue out at the Sirens. "If I lose, I'll go myself. You're not even worthy!"
Hearing her words, the beautiful and graceful Sirens looked ready to explode with anger.
"No, please! Let's not go that far!" When Promise blurted out in panic.
As the goddess Erato turned to him in disbelief.
The Sirens on the side were stunned for a moment, and then burst into laughter.
"Hahaha, Erato, he actually rejected you!"
"Erato, I'll remember this moment and laugh at it, for the next hundred years! I'll tell everyone I meet!"
"Sweet little brother," one Siren said with a smirk, "I've decided, no matter whether you win or not, I'll be yours from now on. Tonight, I'll warm your bed for you—"
Swish!
The sound of an arrow slicing through the air passed by Promise's ear as he watched the Siren, who had just spoken these words, pinned to a nearby tree.
Though she was not dead, she was thoroughly immobilized.
An instant, stunned silence fell over the area.
"...Let's get on with the competition,"
Apollo sighed wearily.
He was really starting to regret agreeing to this.
At first he thought, it might be a good chance to get on Promise's good side... No wonder that guy Hermes kept urging him to go up and then dashed off as quickly as he could!
Apollo gritted his teeth and decided that after this matter is over, he would go back and hunt Hermes down!
With that last arrow bringing silence, Promise retrieved the golden seven-stringed lyre from the light, while Erato produced an enormous harp that stood as tall as she was and sat down beside it.
And the moment, Erato gently touched the strings, her entire demeanor transformed drastically, becoming elegant, poised, the true embodiment of the goddess of the arts. Then, as the first notes drifted through the air, Promise knew he was outmatched.
If it were Orpheus playing with the golden lyre, he might have had a chance of beating this goddess of the arts, given that Orpheus' music alone had the power to move stones and bring trees to tears.
But Promise was still a little bit lacking in this regard.
Just as he thought his defeat was inevitable, the enchanting voices suddenly joined in, harmonizing with his music and giving him a fighting chance.
The Sirens, who were determined to defeat the goddess of art, saw that Promise was about to lose, and reluctantly provided him with assistance.
With this unexpected support, Promise quickly adjusted his rhythm, blending his lyre with the Sirens' haunting voices.
Under the influence of their combined music, even the endless waves of the ocean seemed to pause, listening in stillness.
And so...
"This doesn't count!"
Erato dropped her hand from the harp strings, and her artistic composure instantly shattered as she pointed an accusing finger at the Sirens, who were celebrating their victory. "You are cheating, this is cheating!"
However, before Promise could respond, Apollo stepped in, chuckling, and responded to her worrs. "But, Erato, you never said the Sirens weren't allowed to help."
Erato stood there, dumbfounded, looking from Apollo to Promise, who merely gave her an innocent smile.
She wasn't completely dense so, she quickly realized what had happened.
"Seriously? You all teamed up to trick an innocent goddess like me?"
Apollo's smile grew even wider as he replied, "Now, now, Erato, watch your words. Obviously, everything is according to your request. It was you who always wanted to compete with Promise, and we also fulfilled your wish."
Erato stopped talking and became autistic.
Then, watching the laughter spreading throughout the entire island and the Sirens going crazy with joy, this goddess, who was trembling with anger, turned sideways to look at Promise and rolled her eyes.
Then, as if thinking about something, her eyes lit up and she was no longer autistic, but became happy.
Bouncing over to Promise, she scooped a bit of seawater onto her face as fake tears, looking at the speechless young man, with a sad, pitiful expression.
"Alright, you win. I lost," she sniffed, giving him her best "sad puppy" look. "I promised a prize... but I don't have anything to give you. Even my lyre is not as good as Apollo's. And you seem to have everything you need, so... how about this?"
As she said this, Erato, pretending to be shy, covered her face and revealed her eyes, and said expectantly: "How about... I give myself to you? Would you like me to warm your bed and be
your maid?"
'..If I can't take you home with me, you cane take me home, right?'
The Siren who was shot onto the tree and hadn't struggled to get down, now heard this and shouted angrily, saying that it was clearly her who said it first.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
"Uh... no, that won't be necessary," Promise stammered, feeling a cold sweat as he quickly added, "Goddess Erato, the flower crown on your will be more than enough. Yes that's
enough."
Erato checked multiple times, pouting as Promise firmly declined her offer, finally sighing as she tossed the flower crown to him.
Then, under a fresh wave of laughter from the Sirens, she sulked off to the side to draw little
circles in the sand.
"Don't worry about her," Apollo said to Promise helplessly. "She'll recover soon."
And after he finished speaking not to mention others, even Pegasus nodded in agreement.
So, feeling relieved, Promise offered the flower crown to the Sirens.
They froze, staring at the crown woven from their own feathers, and then at Promise, who
smiled warmly.
"You deserve this,"
"I couldn't have won against Goddess Erato without your help."
Promise paused for a moment, before adding, "But I have one request: from now on, please don't attack any innocent travelers who pass by."
He returned the lost wings to the Sirens, then returned back to the ship as the Argo arrived, waving goodbye from the Argo as it sailed off toward its next adventure.
"What a shame..." Erato muttered to herself, unwillingly watching him go. "If I'd just been a little more assertive, I could've just become his maid and warmed his bed myself!"
When she finished speaking, the nearby Sirens all nodded in agreement.
Seeing this, the Siren who was still pinned to the tree rolled her eyes. So they all wanted the same thing-why was she the only one who got shot?