Fantasy Library.

Chapter 371 The Ancient Serpent of Distant Thoughts

at the same time……

Halfway around the world from the far east, on a turbulent coastline, a young girl appeared.

She was a very beautiful girl.

The girl appeared to be around thirteen or fourteen years old, and her appearance matched her age. Yet, her face was so delicate and pitiful that it was as if she were an angel, and the word "beautiful" was entirely appropriate to describe her.

The girl was wearing a thin sweater, a mini skirt, and knee-high socks, and a blue knitted hat. She was dressed just like any other modern girl.

A gentle sea breeze swept by, ruffling the silver hair peeking out from under the other person's woolen hat.

Her shoulder-length silver hair seemed to blend into the moonlight, reflecting a soft glow. At the same time, it made the girl's pupils, which were as dark as the night, seem like an abyss, yet like the eyes of an owl, shimmering with a bright light in the darkness.

At that moment, the girl's eyes seemed to pierce through the night, the sea, and space, allowing her to see the scenery of another distant country.

"I see."

The girl's voice was somewhat devoid of emotion, yet it evoked pity.

"Has my 'snake' already crossed the ocean and fallen into the hands of a foreign enemy?"

The girl did not see that scene.

However, when the "snake" was handed over to the enemy, the girl naturally sensed this and knew about it.

Because the "snake" is a part of her, something with which there is an indestructible bond.

This connection will lead her to the "snake" and let her know the "snake's" current situation.

"I feel my 'snake' is stirring, throbbing with pleasure, undergoing some kind of change that even I cannot perceive."

"What's going on?"

"Why has the ancient wisdom I have lost, a part of my very being, undergone such a change?"

A hint of confusion appeared in the girl's eyes.

This is a rare occurrence.

Although she has lost the ancient wisdom, as a goddess symbolizing wisdom, the girl has not lost her own wisdom and her advanced understanding.

Therefore, there are very few things in this world that can confuse her, let alone something that is closely related to her own existence.

Is it in the far east?

Unable to understand, the girl simply turned her gaze entirely in that direction.

"In that case, I will personally verify it."

With that, the girl took a step forward.

"What I seek is the stone of Gorgon, which was once carved on my shield, and which I now reside in in remembrance of the ancient serpent."

The girl walked forward, naturally singing an ancient ballad.

“What I seek is the Stone of Gorgon, O Serpent, grant me the ancient authority that no longer obeys.”

The girl arrived at the shore and continued walking forward.

"What I seek is the Stone of Gorgon. Ancient Serpent, may you guide me on the journey of disobedience to the Queen, and grant me once more the wisdom of darkness, earth, and heaven."

With a whoosh, the waves surged up high, about to engulf the little goddess.

However, the disobedient goddess transformed into an owl and flew high into the sky.

"Earth, know my resolve to grow taller!"

"Darkness, understand my surging emotions!"

"I am the goddess who represents darkness, the queen of the night, and the lord of the underworld!"

"I am the goddess who blesses the earth, the queen of the earth, and the lord of the stone chamber!"

"Therefore, accept the curse bestowed upon you by me, and become a cold, lifeless corpse, lying horizontally in the underworld."

"Therefore, accept the favor bestowed upon you by me, turn into a cold stone statue, and return to dust."

The owl sang loudly as it flew to the other side of the sea.

"I am Athena!"

"I am Metis!" "I am Medusa!"

Athena, a goddess in Greek mythology, is one of the twelve Olympian gods and the goddess of wisdom, art, textiles, painting, horticulture, crafts, agriculture, animal husbandry, navigation, and military affairs.

She is the goddess of art, the patron goddess of handicrafts, the goddess of wisdom who taught mankind crafts such as weaving, cooking, gardening, and pottery, and the teacher of art such as painting, music, poetry, and dance. She is the originator of art and the creator of wisdom, as well as the patron goddess of military affairs, agriculture, medicine, navigation, and animal husbandry, and the guardian goddess of the courts and order.

She yearned for independence and insisted on remaining unmarried. Along with Artemis and Hestia, she was considered one of the three virgin goddesses on Mount Olympus, serving as the protector of unmarried young women, as well as the protector of women's labor and childbirth.

At the same time, she is the daughter of Zeus, the king of the gods in Greek mythology, and Metis, the goddess of wisdom of the previous generation. Because of the prophecy of Gaia and Uranus, Zeus feared her and swallowed her while Metis was still pregnant with her. She was born after bursting through Zeus's head.

She is the most famous goddess in the world, perhaps even the most famous, wearing a crown and snake armor, wielding a spear of victory and a shield with golden tassels, protecting many heroes, and guiding countless humans to achieve fame.

However, in the distant past before the birth of Greek mythology, the goddess named "Athena" was actually the queen of the Mediterranean, the Holy Mother of the Trinity.

She had many names, whether Gorgon or Medusa, they were just some of the names she had used in the past, but they all meant the same thing.

Even Metis, the goddess who is considered her mother in Greek mythology, is actually her.

In Greek, Metis means wisdom, which is also the etymology of the word Medusa.

In other words, the words Metis and Medusa have the same meaning and are both names deeply associated with Athena.

Metis, Medusa, Athena... they are all the same being, a triune queen and goddess.

As times changed and myths shifted, the great queen fell from her pedestal, replaced and degraded by so-called Greek mythology. This resulted in the triune queen being forcibly split into three, becoming three different goddesses. One of them was degraded into a monster, a snake demon, and became the dragon-snake that was killed by the Steel Hero.

Now, the ancient Earth Mother Goddess has returned, embarking on a journey to reclaim her origins and reclaim her once unique position.

The Gorgon Stone, containing her lost "serpent" portion, is a divine artifact representing her "Medusa" aspect—something she must reclaim.

And so, the most beautiful goddess embarked on a journey to the East, flying ever onward toward the other side of the sea.

Little did she know, someone else was waiting for her arrival ahead...

…………

Meanwhile, Aize, far away at the Seven Kingdoms Shrine, had already put away the Gorgon Stone.

A smile appeared on his face, clearly indicating that he was in a very good mood.

The girls present didn't know why he was in such a good mood, because they weren't in a good mood at all.

Needless to say, Yuri Mariya knew that at this time, when the Monkey God was about to be born, a goddess of the highest rank was about to come to this country. She felt only worry, not joy.

Liliana was the same, except that her unhappiness stemmed from her destined rival.

Because Aize just said something.

“Thank you for your hard work, Erica,” Aze said. “From now on, you will stay by my side.”

“Yes.” Erica was the only girl present who could still smile, and said, “It is my honor.”

“Tch.” Liliana clicked her tongue and couldn’t help but say to Aize, “My king, this is definitely not a wise decision.”

"Lily, are you trying to sow discord?" Erica raised an eyebrow at Liliana and said, "This is not the behavior of a respectable knight."

“As a knight, it is only natural to offer appropriate advice to the king,” Liliana retorted. “No one knows you better than me, Erica Brantri. You are a cunning and treacherous demon, a villain who will use your beauty to achieve your goals. It is truly worrying that the young king will be led astray by someone like you.”

“Thank you for worrying so much about my king, Lily.” Erica didn’t care about Liliana’s slander at all, and even accepted the evaluation calmly. She said with her smile unchanged, “For my king, I have indeed been prepared to use everything at any cost. Please call this bold and fearless decisiveness, rather than words like cunning and insidious.”

"You're all talk and no action, you vixen." Liliana clicked her tongue again and said, "Don't think I don't know what you're plotting. You just want to use the king's authority to seize the title and status of the [Crimson Demon], and then become the chief knight of the Copper Black Cross, right?"

It has to be said, they truly are rivals who grew up together.
Liliana immediately saw through Erica's original intention and understood what she was doing all this for.

Erika readily admitted to it.

“That was always mine; I just got it ahead of time.” Erica smiled beautifully at Liliana and said, “By the way, I’ve already earned the title of [Crimson Demon] and become the chief knight of the Copper Black Cross, you know?”

"What did you say?" Liliana was stunned, then her expression changed drastically. "You've already obtained the title of [Crimson Demon]?"

“After all, I have fulfilled the King’s instructions and am already destined to become the King’s chief knight,” Erica said with a smile. “After I obtained the Gorgon Stone and sent the news back to the Copper Black Cross, the elders readily agreed to it and gave me the title of Crimson Demon.”

"It shouldn't be long before this news spreads throughout Milan and Italy, right?"

Upon hearing this, Liliana nearly drew her Silver Master sword.

That vixen... I knew she was the kind of person who would use anything to achieve her goals!
How could someone like that become the chief knight by the new king's side?
Wouldn't the world be turned upside down then?

No!

This must never be allowed to happen!
(End of this chapter)