Zeus, who exhibited a gargantuan feat, then disappeared and the vortex caused by the storm clouds stopped as they dissipated and the sky turned blue again.

'The gods I know are all strong...But that's...a whole other level.'

Zeus' lightning inspired fear and reverence in even deities, explaining why he could become a monarch over the most exalted of beings, gods.

His ears still somewhat hurt from the thunder and Crista next to him looked to be in an even worse state, as her ears were bleeding.

Fortunately, Hermes made his scepter fly over to him and using its healing and medical properties on Crista, he stopped the bleeding and the pain.

Crista thanked him and then sighed, "When I see strength like that, I feel like an..ant living in a den of elephants!"

Alex comforted her and Hermes informed them, "Don't worry, although Father has the strength to defeat most of us, he doesn't use his abilities to harm residents of Olympus...usually."

That last comment made the two of them gulp.

After a bit, the situation calmed down and the three of them went down and entered the mansion.

Since this happened, he predicted Hades and Persephone would come back sooner than expected.

After eating a quick breakfast, he spoke to Crista personally, "Do you remember the time we went down to Olep together?"

"Yes! Of course, I do! IT WAS SO FUN!" She exclaimed.

"Well, Seeing all the snow reminded me of the slide down the mountains, and...would you want to do it again?" Alex asked her.

This time, they wouldn't ski together as strangers or people who just got to know each other, but as partners.

Crista nodded.

Alex sighed in relief.

The two announced their plan to Hermes, who chose to remain here as to not "Bother the couple on their honeymoon." and they left the place.

While they were walking down the stairs that led to the main plaza of Olympus, Alex said, "Crista, can I ask you a question?"

She nodded and he then continued.

"So, what are we?" Ever since they met yesterday, they were ambiguous with each other, and this question formed.

He didn't want to overstep his boundaries in case their relationship was not the one he thought it was.

Crista seemed to think about it.

After a moment of contemplation, she smiled at him and gave him a confident answer, "I suppose we're more than friends, and I'm looking forward to how our relationship can develop in the future."

"I see, I'm happy to hear that. When you come back from the Underworld, can we travel together? Just the two of us." They didn't get to spend much time together in the Underworld, so he wished that they could travel the world together, exploring new destinations as they got closer and closer.

"I...I'd love that..." Crista spoke earnestly, expressing her approval.

'This is great.'

As they were speaking, they didn't even notice the time passing and were already at the plaza. The steep infamous hill was now only a short walk away and they reached it very fast.

Looking down from here, they could see the metropolis of Olep.

After the trade reforms Alex instituted, the city grew immensely and the thick forest that surrounded Olep in the past was now partially cleared to make space for future expansions.

The lake next to the city was as pristine as ever and reflected the bright sunlight upon its big surface area.

Most importantly, however, yesterday, this hill was probably rocky and lush, but just like the time they slid down on it together, a thick layer of white snow and clear ice coated it.

As he got ready to go down, Alex felt a tug at his hands.

It was Crista's own hands, and they enveloped his, as he did the same and the two tightly held each other's hands.

Crista then started counting down...

3...

2...

1...

"Go!"

The two jumped down the hill and started 'skiing' at lightning speed.

Last time, the two weren't well-coordinated and Crista lost control, but since they were now holding each other's hands, they were in perfect synergy and had stable footing as they relied on each other to control direction and speed.

Amidst the ice, the two felt their heart's own ice melt for one another.

As they reached the end and got to flat terrain, they were in each other's embrace, both feeling as safe and as comfortable as one could be.

"That was great." Alex murmured gently.

"It was really f**king good..." Crista murmured back, though with her speech that he grew fond of.

Following that, the two painstakingly climbed up the hill, though it was easier since they helped each other out.

The weather was serene today.

They traced back the road and found themselves at Hermes' place.

When he opened the door for them, he jokingly commented, "So, when are you two moving to one room?"

Hearing that, Alex and Crista both felt their faces heat up.

'It's still too soon for us to share the same room...' The two had the same thought.

They ignored him, though Alex didn't forget to punch Hermes in the gut as they entered.

"Oh, God, Ares' Essence made you strong...Ughhh..." Hermes groaned in pain, to which Alex just shrugged.

He then halted in front of them and said, "Actually, we have guests."

As soon as he said that, two people came down the large staircase.

One of them was recognizable, being the ever-charismatic Queen of the Underworld, Persephone.

'And...that's...Hades?!' Alex gasped in astonishment as he saw the state Hades was in.

His hair, which was usually shiny and brushed like a lion's mane, was frozen at places and torn at others. His robe, which one reflected his kingly status through the luxurious red fabric, was now tattered.

And his body was bruised everywhere.

As he noticed Alex examining his state, Hades complained, "Nothing good came out of this trip, let us go back!"

*Humph!*

"Hades, you know very well how Mother can be. You made some provocative comments and brought this on your own." Persephone rolled her eyes as she held the bruised hand of her husband.

*Humph!*

At this moment, Alex was no longer thinking about them, but about the person on his side.

Crista was coincidentally looking away and biting her lips in frustration. He caressed her hair and she turned around and did the same.

After doing that for a while, they folded their pinkies together and he said, "Don't forget our promise."

"I won't, never." Crista stated.

He smiled as the two felt their eyes redden.

Alex turned to Persephone and told her, "Take care of Crista, will you?"

Persephone nodded and told him, "I will take care of her like my own daughter, right, Hades?"

Hades harrumphed but nodded.

Alex felt relieved as he knew he could trust Persephone..and Hades too. After they hugged each other, the group of three left the house.

Hermes then said, "I'm meeting Marzia today, I'll be back by evening."

Alex nodded.

He was feeling a bit sad, but also somewhat happy that the day and night he spent with Crista were so fulfilling.

Thus, he went to his room and rested a bit.

_________________________________

When he was feeling less complicated, Alex stood up and decided to pay a visit to Athena.

As usual, he entered through the open doors and went to her location. When he entered the floor, he heard two people speaking, of which one was Athena.

"That stupid older brother of mine, he's still eyeing my throne." A deep, unfamiliar voice was speaking.

It was a man.

He had a head of white hair that made him look aged but his smooth skin and statue-like muscular body said otherwise.

He continued.

"Are you going to take care of it? Or should I go teach him a lesson?"

Athena nodded and then said, "No, Father, I shall take care of it."

'Father???? What?!' If Athena was addressing the man as her father, that meant he was...

The man in question then turned to look at him.

He had an extremely handsome face and golden eyes that seemed to rise above everything.

He suddenly glanced at him and then as abruptly, he disappeared.

Athena rubbed her head and then greeted him, "Hello, Alex."

"That was...Zeus, wasn't it?" Alex asked listlessly.

"Yes, that was Father Zeus."