"If you don't like that, you'd better cooperate obediently."
At Grandpa's words, the resentment I had been suppressing felt as if it were about to explode.
It wasn't that I didn't want to talk. So why was Grandpa acting as if he were determined to chew me up and spit me out?
To be blunt, my situation was easy enough to explain. Lies don't work against gods, so I only had to rely on that fact to convince them.
There was a chance they'd think I was crazy, but it would still be enough to make them understand.
The problem was what came after. There is a reason people say that once a secret from the heavens is revealed, everything is bound to change. If I acted carelessly, I could ruin the future.
If I told Grandpa, "The Familia is doomed," would he really just sit there and do nothing?
From where I stood, he was far more likely to say, "Then cancel the quest, cancel the expedition, and stay holed up in Orario."
Who would continue with a mission knowing it was destined to fail? That wasn't courage; it was nothing short of suicide.
Of course, that didn't make the idea bad. Living was good. If only the price hadn't been the future.
For them, it might just be a way to reach a better tomorrow, but for me, it would be the same as having everything I had been denied taken away again. If there was even the slightest chance of that happening, I had to avoid it at all costs, but...
"Why... of all people, why you..."
My frustration quickly dissolved into sorrow.
The pressure from someone I had once trusted, relied on, and admired carved a deep wound into my heart.
Even though I knew the old man in front of me was not the same being I remembered, I still couldn't suppress the hurt. I looked at the old god with eyes brimming with emotion.
"What the hell is wrong with this kid now?"
By Zeus's estimation, there were only two ways the boy would react: he would either panic and ramble, or give up and speak.
He had judged that the boy wouldn't run or stay silent. Yet, the result was silence. It was a little surprising, but not entirely strange; when dealing with gods, holding one's tongue was a common tactic.
However, this case felt different.
With eyes dripping with resentment... or rather, something closer to sorrow, the boy stared at him. Even Zeus, of all gods, couldn't help but feel flustered.
If the boy had chosen caution or indifference after hearing Zeus's words, that would have been one thing. But resentment? If he had simply gotten angry, Zeus could have understood. But what was with that wounded, betrayed look?
It made him feel as if he were the one who had done something wrong, and his nonexistent conscience started to ache. That sorrow was so pure it was enough to revive a feeling he thought had long since vanished.
It was almost like the expression of a child betrayed by a parent. Zeus was utterly bewildered to receive a look he had never even gotten from his own Familia.
He tried to say something, but the words wouldn't come. A sense of guilt, utterly unfit for a god, seemed to rise up inside him.
In the end, with neither side able to move forward, an awkward silence settled over the underground chamber. Unable to bear it any longer, Zeus spoke first.
"...Fine. Even so, you must have your reasons."
"...!"
"So tell me only what you can without putting yourself in a bind. I'll take responsibility and handle the rest."
He said it as though he had been about to say, But even so, I trust you! from the very beginning, and the boy's eyes sparkled instantly.
That pure, indescribable look—like a lost child who had finally found his parent—stabbed Zeus's conscience once more.
"Ahem... First, how about showing me your face? You're acting so suspicious that it's becoming a problem."
"Ah..."
For now, Zeus shifted his approach from intimidation to coaxing, sensing that something was off. Perhaps because the boy was so obedient toward him, Zeus unconsciously realized this was the right path.
At his suggestion, the boy began to fidget anxiously. It seemed that revealing his face was the core of the problem.
Showing his face is the problem, huh...
Well, that wasn't an uncommon reason. There were plenty of reasons why someone might be unable to show their face.
Maybe he was from a noble background. Maybe he was a wanted man. Or maybe his face itself was a piece of sensitive information. But in those cases, there was always one major premise.
Other people. There had to be others present for the act of hiding one's face to make sense.
That premise didn't apply in a secluded underground chamber. And yet he still wouldn't show his face? Then there were only two possibilities.
Either he had a terrible scar he was ashamed of...
Or he was someone who simply should not be seen.
Zeus's instincts told him the latter was correct.
I'm not supposed to see his face, huh...
That was far too suspicious. He couldn't even begin to guess the reason why.
In other words, it was a complete mystery. Zeus's curiosity began to swell and writhe inside him.
"What is it? Don't tell me you expect me to trust someone who can't even show his face?"
"Th-that's..."
As expected, the boy couldn't even protest against such a straightforward point. Unlike before, he only looked flustered and broke out in a sweat.
But then, perhaps steeled by resolve, he slowly raised a hand and pulled back his hood.
"Wha—..."
Zeus's eyes widened to their limit.
In the end, I lost to Grandpa's silver tongue and ended up showing my face.
As expected of Grandpa; I'd known his way with words for a long time, so I never thought I could win an argument with him. But before I knew it, I'd been pushed into a situation where I had no choice but to reveal myself.
I was a little uneasy, but I decided to think positively. After all, the time when Grandpa would see me normally would only come after the expedition failed. I didn't think this would have a major impact on the future immediately.
And besides, time travel isn't something so easy to grasp. Just because someone has the same hair color, it's not like they'd immediately think, That's me from the future!
Even with Materia, I wasn't the only one with white hair, right? This should be safe enough.
"You..."
Grandpa was staring at me with his eyes wide open, looking genuinely shocked.
First, my white hair. Then my red eyes.
I thought he might be paying attention to my ruined eye, but it seemed he was actually focused on the healthy one. This was the first time I'd seen a reaction like that, so it felt strangely fresh.
But why was he so surprised? Could it be that he had realized something...?
"Gra—"
"You—"
Just as I started to speak, suddenly uneasy, Grandpa beat me to it. He looked at me seriously and muttered as though searching for the right words.
I'd never seen him like this before, and that only made me more nervous. Had I really been found out...?
As the rising anxiety began to shake my emotions, Grandpa opened his mouth.
"You... look pretty tasty."
"...Huh?"
"At this rate, it's possible... no, totally possible."
Slurp.
The sight of Grandpa licking his lips overlapped with the image of a certain sun god.
Chill. My body tensed up before I even realized it.
My instincts had slipped beyond my control and started reacting with hostility. A beat later, my reason caught up and followed my body's response.
Right now, Grandpa had me pinned against the wall. What had only been a slightly unpleasant situation was starting to feel extremely threatening.
No, more importantly, where was I supposed to run—?!
"I've been holding back because of Hera, but... at this rate."
"W-wait...!"
In the face of this sudden turn, a primal fear I had never even felt in the deepest layers of the Dungeon surged up.
Th-this is bad...?!
Just as I was raising my guard to the limit and even considering the ultimate taboo of humanity—godslaying—
"Your back, show me your back—"
"You~?"
"...Huh?"
A gentle voice, yet one as cold as a northern blizzard and sharper than a honed blade, sliced through Zeus's body.
His heart dropped with a thud. Instinct sensed fate and began trembling violently. When he turned his head with a creaking motion, there she was.
"You were yelling at me like crazy that it wasn't like that for you."
"N-no... wait..."
"So this is where you finally show your true colors, is it? You—"
"Wait... Hera... let me explain—!"
"You... filthy old geezer!!"
Smack!!!
"Gwaaaah?!?!"
The goddess's slap struck the old god's cheek.
Zeus's body bent like a bow.
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