"I'm here to find Aunt Hestia, where is she?"
"I don't know, I've just arrived myself,"
Athena glanced back and responded indifferently.
Having just returned from Mount Olympus, she had hoped for a warm meal to reward herself, but upon entering the house, she found it empty, with no clue as to where everyone had gone.
Yet before she could investigate further, an uninvited guest had arrived.
Not here?
The two goddesses frowned slightly and subconsciously prepared to close their eyes and spread their divine will.
"Do we have a visitor?"
At that moment, a surprised voice echoed into the front hall, as a handsome young man with a smile plastered on his face strode in from the backyard.
He seemed to have just taken a bath, his wet, silver hair tied at the back of his head.
Hearing that familiar voice, Athena turned first, her brows slightly furrowed.
"Where have you been?"
"Ahem, there was a little accident in the cellar in the backyard, I was cleaning up,"
Luo En quickly explained with a smile plastered all over his face, then immediately changed the subject, looking surprised at the guest outside the door.
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"You are..."
"Don't move!"
However, before he could inquire about the identity of the newcomer, the huntress goddess at the door, her gaze sharp as an arrow, sternly commanded in a low tone, moved briskly inside the door, and headed straight for Luo En.
In an instant, the friendly smile on Luo En's face froze, and his heart pounded furiously.
This is bad!
Under the frantic warning of imminent danger, he reflexively twisted his waist.
"Ahaha, what a cute dog, come here, let me hold you."
In the nick of time, the Goddess of the Hunt bypassed Luo En, reached the staircase, and intercepted the Golden Hound as it dashed towards its original owner, cheerfully stroking its soft head.
"Woof..."
"Auntie? So you were here?"
"Ah? Artemis? And Athena? What brings you here?"
As Hestia looked up and saw the two grand-nieces gathered, she blurted out Artemis's true name, true to her habit of blowing her own cover.
Caught in the act, the Goddess of the Hunt couldn't help feeling embarrassed and quickly changed the subject.
"Auntie, what's happened to you?"
"Oh, don't even mention it, I drank a bit too much by accident, ended up sleeping in the cellar for most of the day, and when I woke up, I was in pain all over, especially my backside."
As Hestia muttered, she rubbed what seemed to be her slightly plumper buttocks, waving her hands listlessly, as if she were a severely ill patient.
"I can't, I can't, my throat is burning up, let me drink some water and have a seat."
"I've always told you to drink less, but you just wouldn't listen..."
With the sturdiest wind-break finally reaching the battlefield, Luo En took the opportunity to speak up, promptly helping Hestia to a chair and considerately pouring her some warm tea to sober up.
"Wine? A new drink? The one that's been really popular in Knossos City lately? Interesting..."
"To think it's something that can even get deities drunk, it looks like I must try it today."
As that new term kept coming up, Athena and Artemis grew more interested.
"It wasn't me, it was Luo En who made it, you'll have to ask him if you want to try it."
Hestia did not take credit but pointed directly to the original inventor for her two nieces, smacking her lips, briefly savoring the aftertaste, and then commenting with apparent relish.
"Although there are some aftereffects from drinking too much, the taste is indeed good, and the experience of being drunk is quite interesting."
Hearing this direct endorsement from the Goddess of the Hearth, Athena and Artemis became even more eager to try it, their gazes coincidentally focusing on a certain spot.
"Just in time, there are a few jars left in the cellar, please wait a moment, I'll go get them, and prepare some snacks to go with the wine, to give you all a proper welcome."
Luo En immediately nodded in understanding, adeptly exited the scene to prepare the drinks and dishes for his guests.
As he left the front hall and re-entered the cellar, the smile that had been ever-present on his face finally contorted, bursting with relief at having dodged a bullet.
Phew, that was close!
He had finally dodged this lethal crisis.
After calming down a bit, Luo En looked at the seven remaining jars of fruit wine in the cellar and thought of the three virgin goddesses in the front hall, his gaze flickering with intrigue.
I mean, when the opportunity is so rare, should I get them all drunk?