Unrivaled Demon's Odyssey
Chapter 96 - King Apollo

"The king raised the child as a killing machine and didn't even give him a name. He just used him and sent him to a war when he was three years old," Ajax continued.

"The boy had no emotions or any feelings. He grew up with no love, and he was a puppet of the king."

"I asked if the king got what he—"

"Wait for it, my friend," Ajax interrupted and turned to Zeus.

"When the child was seven years old, the maid— who was the princess' friend, by the way, and a half-elf. She told everything to the child— including what the king did to his mother. And for the first time in his life, the child cried, and he cried all night."

"The next morning, he went to the king and asked him if everything was true. At first, the king denied and ordered his men to kill the maid. But in the end, the king admitted all his crimes."

"The child asked the king if he regretted what he did, and if given a second chance, would he save the princess? But the king outright denied and said he would do it again and again."

"That was the breaking point of the child. He immobilized the king and dragged him on the streets of the kingdom. All the citizens hated the king for his cruelty, so they nearly beat him up to death."

"Then, the child threw the king in the abyss where he was eaten alive by the demons." Ajax looked at Zeus and asked, "What do you think? Did the king get what he deserved?"

"I would have done much worse, but what the child did wasn't bad either," Zeus replied with a satisfied look on his face.

"That child grew up to be a very kind and nice king. He fixed all the mistakes of his bastard grandfather and made the kingdom a proper place for every culture and race."

"Hmm. Happy end, I guess?"

"The child was named Apollo by the citizens. Some peaceful years passed, and he later married the half-elf maid."

"So a very happy and satisfying ending, right?" Zeus asked again.

"Indeed. A happy ending," Ajax nodded.

"So, what was the point of this story, and why did you tell me this?" Zeus asked.

"It wasn't about the story. It's about what follows this story."

"Oh!" Zeus exclaimed as he realized what Ajax was trying to say and nodded. 

"I get it. So you are referring to how it all started. But you are afraid of how it all will end."

"Yes," Ajax smiled at Zeus and said, "You are very smart, Zeus. Apollo's generation continued. But not all of his descendants were kind like him. Some were cruel, and some were nasty."

"And you blame the demon blood for it?" Zeus questioned, even though he knew what Ajax's answer would be.

"I don't know. I want to blame it, but after what you told me a while ago— I am reconsidering everything. Maybe it's not because of the demon blood, but I am sure it is somehow to blame for the crimes my descendants would do."

"Ajax," Zeus patted Ajax's back and continued, "One must never blame or take the blame of their ancestors or descendants."

"Yes, but I breed my descendants. I brought them to this world, so I am to blame."

Zeus sighed as he was aware that Ajax was partly right.

"So I have decided that I will end my generation with me."

Zeus froze and turned to look at Ajax with a baffled expression on his face: "What did you say?"

"I will end my generation with me," Ajax repeated.

"You have a daughter," Zeus moved his hand to his sword and glared fiercely at Ajax, "Don't tell me you are planning to kill her."

"No. No, no. Why would I do that? I plan to create a new generation. A new gene, a better generation made with love and peace."

Zeus lowered his hand and exhaled sharply but soon squinted his eyes and frowned his face:

"Don't tell me you are thinking what I think you are thinking."

"Indeed, I am. I want you to marry my daughter and purify my bloodline. And you will get to inherit the throne too."

"Nope," Zeus waved his hand in denial and shook his head. "That ain't happening."

"Why not? Do you perhaps not replace my daughter pretty?"

"I haven't even seen her properly or ever talked to her. And besides, you know very well that my heart belongs to someone else."

"Oh!" Ajax exclaimed and nodded, "Yes, yes. That high priestess, right?"

Zeus quietly nodded.

"I have only seen her once when I went to the cathedral for the medicine supply for my sick wife." Ajax nodded and said, "She is beautiful— just like an angel's incarnation."

"Yeah, so I can't marry your daughter or inherit your throne," Zeus refuted.

"But my daughter is more beautiful than her," Ajax added.

Zeus grabbed the hilt of his sword and raised his sword a little, then uttered with a glare in his eyes, "Take that back!"

Ajax stepped back and raised his hands to surrender, saying, "Alright, alright. No need to get mad."

Zeus sighed in annoyance and sat on the throne with a haughty manner.

"Uhh… that place is mine," Ajax commented.

"It's mine now."

"Does that mean…" After a brief pause, Ajax continued, "You are agreeing to marry my daughter and inherit the throne?"

Zeus gritted his teeth and jumped down from the throne, "Why are you so annoying?"

"What did I do?" Ajax asked with a puzzled look on his face, as though he had no idea what Zeus was talking about.

"Anyway, I have someone I love, so I am not marrying your daughter."

"But I think my daughter likes you."

"We have never even talked with each other, so there is no way she—" 

CREAK~!

The door opened, and a voice soon followed, "Dear father, you summoned me? The maid informed me that you were expecting me so..."

It was Ajax's daughter and the princess of the kingdom. She had golden hair just like Ajax and orange eyes just like fire.

"Yes, my daughter. You requested to me that you want to talk with Zeus, right? Well, here he is, so feel free to talk to him to your heart contents."

"Master Z-Z-Zeu...s," the princess stammtered.