The God of Gravity part 2: Olympus

House Hayashi

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A man in a red tunic walked on the fine brick road that curvily stretched from the golden gate leading to the bridge before the huge Far-Eastern Oriental mansion embellished in gold and silver that the morning sunlight made it shine. The garden is half of the total area that this mansion owns. The fairies tended on the very old bonsais in the middle of two ponds at the left and right of the road. There are cherry trees that haven't yet bloomed for it is in the middle of summer. Stone lanterns that looked like houses can be found everywhere on the grasses. The morning sprinklers swirled and splashed water on the grasses - who motionlessly enjoyed every splash. Butterflies and birds flew around making anybody who walks here feel comfortable because everything looks as if in order as nature intended.

The man walked over the arching bridge then it is now a ten-meter walk to the front door. There is no definite "front door" that can be called because the mansion has many doors stretching from the far left to the far right. Only in the middle is a pond full of koi fishes and between two halves of the mansion - which the left of the man is the eastern part and at the right is the western part. In the middle of the pond, there is a water fountain that fills up the bamboo until it's heavy enough to tip down and let the water pour to begin filling up again. A woman approached him from the door that leads to the eastern part of the mansion. She wore traditional colorful kimono. Her hair is long, black, and silky.

After a bow, she says, "Welcome to House Hayashi. How may I help you, Lord Kazem?"

"I wish to speak with His Majesty," he said with a bow.

"King Rai has not yet returned from something he did not mention."

"Oh, is that so? Then, may I wish to talk with Lady Mila instead?"

"Right this way, my lord," she says and led the way to the eastern part of the mansion.

He removed his own slippers and used one of the slippers lined up before the elevated shiny wooden floor. Then he followed behind the woman and walked in the narrow hallway - where they pass by some goddesses and gods dressed in traditional clothing like the woman. They bowed after they recognize Kazem because he is the former King before Rai. They stopped at a sliding door. Three silhouettes can be seen through the translucent wall made out of paper supported by wooden frames.

The woman sat down on the floor before it and said, "Lady Mila, Lord Kazem wishes to have a word with you."

"Let him in," she answered behind the wall and the woman pulled the sliding door open. Kazem saw the two of them: Mila, Juliet, and Hyeon in their black kimonos.

"Good morning, ladies and lord," greeted Kazem with a bow.

The two goddesses are busy with their shogi game so they didn't reply except for Hyeon that is just standing behind Juliet. They were sitting on the floor and there is a short table between Mila and Juliet where the shogi board is placed.

"Good morning, Lord Kazem," bowed Hyeon after he stood up.

"Quiet, Hyeon!" Juliet scolded him so he closed his mouth and sat down properly on the floor.

Kazem entered and sat down on a thin pillow that the woman placed for his knees. He waited patiently for the two goddesses to finish their game because he knows how much these two hate being interrupted. Then the servant closed the sliding door. He couldn't understand the game so he can't even judge who has the upper hand. He just looked at each of their expressions and guessed that Juliet has the upper hand because she looks calmer than Mila. They moved the pieces in less than seconds and only the clacks of the pieces slamming on the board can be heard inside the room.

Then, "Ugh...," sighed Mila in disappointment when she lost.

"That's fifty-three for me," said Juliet. "and fifty-one for you."

"That sucks," reacted Mila as before drinking her tea.

"That move I did is what I learned from Jasper."

"That's a pretty annoying move."

"Right?" agreed Juliet as she drank her tea and quite disappointed that it's already cold.

"I wonder where and what he is doing now."

"In a place where no one wants to go and he's up to no good, probably."

"Surely," nodded Mila. "So, let's go for another game." Juliet gestured with the tilt of her head to inform her that Kazem is beside them. "Oh, right. Good morning Kazem, what brings you here?"

He paused for a bit while his lips are half-open. Then he spoke, "I want to tell your father something."

"What is it?" asked Mila. "Make it quick, I don't have all day because I am falling two wins behind."

"I want you to tell him to let Darius on Olympus."

"I'll be damned," she said shaking her head while smirking. "That's quite a lot to ask, Kazem. My father is no doubt trying to change everything in the Realm and the solution is to do it step by step without suddenly changing everything at the same time. The first step was Enzo - and it turned out to be a correct decision for few deities here on Olympus. Then this God of Gravity is gonna climb up here to be accepted as a god under the influence of our House after winning the Inter-district Demigod Tournament a month ago. Most of the people here aren't happy with that - and I know that you know that. My father's reputation as the King is already at its peak of fragility and here you are barging in with a final strike."

He closed his eyes in embarrassment as he knows that she is right. "I know that very well."

"Then why?"

He fell silent.

Juliet speaks, "I guess it's out of paternal instinct."

"You know about this?" exclaimed Kazem.

"Yes."

"Lady Mila, I told you-"

Mila chuckled and Juliet says, "You told me just now."

"Oh,"

"Lady Mila didn't mention that you have a demigod son but when you came here and said his name, I knew something peculiar is going on, immediately. Then my wild guess turned out to be right when you reacted like that."

"How the hell did you become the King?" asked Mila while putting up a face of disgust.

He sulked and shook his head in disappointment to himself before he says, "I will take him into our House as-"

"No, that won't work," said Mila. "That's just making the fire spread onto another tree. Our House is already facing so many controversies and it's quite remarkable that we are able to keep ourselves in one piece. I don't think your House can take it because as far as I know, your House is the most well-behaving House here on Olympus, and we are the defiant ones. And we are burning brighter than the sun now."

"Then what should I do?" he asked.

"I don't know."

"Speaking of fires," said Juliet. "what if we keep the fire burning only on one tree so we could save the whole forest."

"Now that's just pure obliteration," reacted Mila. "But quite a solution. We'll take him in and we will burn faster - if that's what you want," she gestured at Kazem.

"No," he answered. "I don't want your House to get involved. That is why I am gonna take him in-"

"Do you really want to make the Realm fall apart by that single decision of yours?" asked Mila in a serious tone. She sighed before saying, "Okay, let's play the scenario. Would you like help to help me, Juliet?"

"Gladly," she answered before sipping the last of her tea.

The two were on the same line of thinking and it's remarkable. Then Mila is the one who spoke first: "Let's say that you took in Darius in your own house."

Juliet continued, "No doubt that the Houses will brand him as your illegitimate demigod son."

"What happens then?"

"The other Houses who have illegitimate children will start to think that they can also have them climb on Olympus because it would be unreasonable that they will be f*******n to do so when the King brought two non-deities and you, your son to live here on Olympus."

"Some of the Houses will never be happy with this, and we know who they are pretty well."

"They are powerful Houses that believe that the 'purity' of blood means powerful gods and goddesses."

"Family ties are strong."

"The powerful Houses will respond negatively about the sudden ascension of demigods to Olympus."

"Conflict will occur on Olympus."

"The King will be blamed."

"The King will drastically lose his prayers because the powerful Houses hold many human regions with high population."

"What happens then?"

"The King will be weakened."

"The true enemy attacks."

"Olympus will be thrown into chaos inside and outside."

"The Realm falls apart."

"The End."

Both of them smirked at him and he was opening his eyes wide the whole time. He said, "If that's the case, I should give up on it." He sighed and stood up to leave.

But Mila said, "You 'should give up' on taking him into your House. We are suggesting that we take him in along with The God of Gravity so that the other Houses will think that it is fair because my father has the power to do it."

"Pardon?" he asked in confusion.

"Darius will be under our custody as a member of the House Hayashi - the most defiant House on Olympus!" she sarcastically declared.

"That's what we have been talking about the whole time," said Juliet. "Let the defiant be more defiant and make the others believe that not everything else is changing. The fire will not spread, but of course, it will be hard on the part of the House Hayashi. Plus, there will be no suspicion that Darius is your son."

He smiled faintly before falling into a face of concern before saying, "But is it okay for your-"

"Of course," answered Mila. "Being lazy is not in our tradition. Well, except for my sister, but I am saying that we could find a way to keep ourselves from falling apart. We sisters are the main pillars of the Realm after all. We can do anything we want and still won't lose a significant amount of devotion. That big-sister of ours is the ultimate embodiment of it for having a relationship with Enzo and convinced Father to make him a god if he becomes the King."

Kazem's eyes gushed out tears as he knelt and bowed down until his forehead met the floor. "Thank you!" he cried. And then he sobbed while asking, "But will your father agree with it?"

"Of course. If he refuses, I'll smack him across the face and he'll have a second thought - that eventually turns into changing his mind." Juliet laughed. "It works every time. So, go ahead and leave. I'll get even with Juliet now." She gestured her hand for him to leave.

"Once again, thank you!" He bowed while walking backwards to the door - which the servant already opened. The goddesses continued their game and he left the House Hayashi with a smile on his face.

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