Chapter 38 The Wedding
Venus had never considered the possibility of marriage. If he were to marry, it had to be a grand and romantic wedding, befitting the most beautiful god of Mount Olympus.
But Zeus had arranged Venus’ marriage to Hephaestus solely out of spite. There was no way he would care about their wedding. Zeus ordered the two gods to marry that very day, leaving no time for preparations. He didn’t even offer Hephaestus a single coin for the dowry. It was a deliberate humiliation of Venus.
There was no wedding ceremony, no dowry, no vows. Every formal wedding tradition was skipped. The gods simply gathered in the throne hall for a meal. It was as simple and hasty as that. No one felt joy, and none offered their sincere blessings.
It was like a childish game of house, with only a banquet but no marriage certificate, lacking legitimacy and proper recognition.
But nothing could be more legitimate than a marriage decreed by the King of the Gods. After this day, Venus and Hephaestus would be recognized as a couple by all of the gods on Mount Olympus. Although many gods felt bitter and refused to accept it, none dared to challenge the King of the God’s will.
For Venus, it was a tremendous injustice.
However, Venus wasn’t particularly concerned. He had agreed to this marriage solely for the sake of friendship.
Hephaestus was his good friend, and he didn’t want him to lose face in front of the gods, to be ridiculed. So, he went along with the situation. Venus didn’t place any importance on the wedding itself, whether it was lavish or hurried.
To the God of Love, marriage held no real significance. In his eyes, it was as inconsequential as air. Friends mattered far more. To spare his friend’s feelings, he could easily give up his own marriage. It didn’t even feel like a sacrifice to him.
Hephaestus, however, held a different view from Venus. All he knew was that Venus had asked Zeus to bless their marriage, and that today, in front of all the gods, he was defending him with all his might.
Venus said that he was worthy of love, that he liked him, and asked if he was willing to marry him.
For a moment, Hephaestus’ mind went blank.
He was a deeply insecure god, who had been extremely unlucky all along, never believing he could deserve the love of the God of Love and Beauty.
But this time, it seemed that the Goddess of Luck had truly smiled upon him.
If this wasn’t love, then what was?
After the disbelief faded, Hephaestus was overcome with ecstatic joy. In his heart, he silently swore to cherish Venus for the rest of his life. The wedding, at the very least, could not be rushed. He would build the most magnificent and spacious palace, crafting the finest and most exquisite furniture, to serve as their wedding home. After their marriage, he would be completely devoted to Venus, never straying like the other gods of Olympus who sought lovers outside their marriages. Venus, as the God of Procreation, could bear children, and they would have several beautiful children together. If Venus feared the pain of childbirth and didn’t want to have children, they would live forever in their own little world, just the two of them.
The future he imagined was beautiful, but reality faltered at the first step. Zeus, for some reason, had insisted they marry today. With so little time, Hephaestus hadn’t been able to properly prepare for the wedding, and Venus had been forced to marry him hastily.
He felt deeply guilty about this and vowed that one day, he would organize a grand wedding to make up for it.
The Temple of Fire.
There was no time to build a new palace, so Hephaestus could only make his own chambers as presentable as possible. As the God of Fire and Craftsmanship, skilled in architecture and sculpture, his original palace was already beautiful, but he still felt it wasn’t worthy of Venus’ presence.
Due to his constant work forging metal, the Temple of Fire always carried a lingering scent of smoke and fire. Hephaestus himself was often covered in soot and dirt. But every time Venus visited, he would carefully wash his face until it was spotless and spray perfume throughout the room, filling the air with a rich fragrance.
Tonight was their wedding night, and naturally, Venus should have moved into the Teme of Fire. If they slept apart on their first night, Hephaestus would become the subject of ridicule.
In the bedroom, the young god was dressed in red, with blood-red eyes lowered and his face flushed. He couldn’t bear to look at the beautiful god beside him.
He kept his head down, and the half-profile of his face, illuminated by the candlelight, appeared captivating and delicate, strikingly handsome. His silence, his lowered gaze, made it seem as though he were the shy little bride, rather than the groom.
Venus, on the other hand, was much more composed. “Hephaestus, say something.”
Hephaestus nervously tugged at his sleeve, and after a long pause, he finally managed to whisper, “I’m sorry.”
Venus curiously asked, “Sorry for what?”
Hephaestus’ voice dropped even lower. “……The time was too short. I couldn’t give you a perfect wedding, and I didn’t offer you a dowry. I promise I’ll make it up to you later.”
Forget perfection, it wasn’t even complete. None of the proper procedures were followed. Hephaestus thought it was because he wasn’t favored by his father that the wedding was not taken to heart by the King of the Gods. As a result, Venus had been dragged into the suffering as well.
If the one marrying had been Ares or Apollo, their father would probably have sent them off with grand blessings.
Venus, however, knew that it wasn’t Hephaestus’ fault at all, but that Zeus had a screw loose. He comforted him, “It’s alright. You’ve given me so many precious gifts in the past, each one more valuable than gold. Those treasures could’ve been enough for you to marry me ten times over.”
The treasures Hephaestus crafted were masterpieces. Any one of them would have been a prized possession on Olympus, yet he gave them all to Venus as if they cost him nothing.
Hephaestus looked up at him, his voice firm this time. “You’re priceless. Nothing can replace you.”
Venus blinked.
Hephaestus quickly lowered his head again. “Thank you for what you said for me in the throne hall today.”
His face became even redder, and his voice was so low that it was almost inaudible. “And thank you for…… liking me.”
Venus smiled and said, “There’s no need to thank me. You’re my best friend.”
Hephaestus said softly, “After tonight…… we won’t just be friends anymore. We’ll be husband and wife.”
Venus thought for a moment. “Then there’s no difference.”
“How can there be no difference?” Hephaestus’ voice suddenly grew louder as he turned to face him. “There are things a husband and wife can do that friends can’t. The love between lovers, it’s different from the love between friends.”
“What things can’t friends do? And what’s different about it?” Venus asked, looking genuinely curious.
Hephaestus turned beet red, struggling to find the words. “For example, what you do on your wedding night is sleeping in the same bed……”
The “sleeping in the same bed” was clearly not just about sleeping. Hephaestus was certain that Venus, as the God of Pleasure, would understand the deeper meaning.
Venus was confused for a moment. “But friends can sleep in the same bed, too, right?”
Hephaestus instantly became more fluent in his speech. “Who goes to bed with friends?!”
Venus tilted his head. “Everyone on Mount Olympus does.”
Hephaestus: “……”
Suddenly, Hephaestus snapped back to reality. “Venus, do you…… still see me as just a friend?”
Venus seemed to have no clear distinction between friends and lovers. Hephaestus suddenly became unsure whether Venus loved him.
Venus nodded. “I said you’re my best friend.”
The color drained from Hephaestus’ face.
The fiery passion he had felt just moments before now felt like it had plunged into an icy abyss.
“Then why…… did you ask for a marriage blessing?” Hephaestus forced out a strained smile. “Friends don’t need to get married.”
The feeling of having gotten his hopes up for nothing was painful to bear.
Venus noticed a flicker of unease in Hephaestus’ sudden change of expression, but he didn’t know what was wrong. Hesitantly, he said, “I don’t think marriage is that important. If we marry just for fun, what’s the harm?”
“……Nonsense!” Hephaestus snapped, rising to his feet as if to leave.
Venus sat on the bed, quickly asking, “Hephaestus, where are you going?”
Hephaestus paused, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. “I’m going to ask my father to revoke his command.”
He liked Venus a lot, and he wanted to be with him, but that had to be based on true love. Venus didn’t seem to understand the seriousness of the situation, marrying him in ignorance. He couldn’t just accept that without question.
“Zeus won’t agree. He’ll punish you too,” Venus said.
Hephaestus suddenly turned around and asked in a low voice, “What do you mean he’ll punish me too? What did my father do to you?”
Venus hesitated for a moment before recounting everything that had happened the night before.
When he finished, he noticed that Hephaestus’ expression was off. “Hephaestus, are you alright?”
Hephaestus remained silent for a long while, trying to control his anger before speaking in a cold tone. “It was Zeus who tried to force you and failed, so he married you to me. What does he take you for? Why didn’t you say anything today? Why didn’t you tell everyone that you weren’t willing—”
By the end, he couldn’t contain his emotions any longer, and his tone had turned harsher.
Hephaestus spoke Zeus’ name without any reverence, having lost the last shred of respect he had for his father.
“But if I refuse, they’ll criticize you,” Venus whispered. Hephaestus had always been gentle with him, and this was the first time he had been harsh. Venus couldn’t help but feel a little hurt. “What I said today wasn’t a lie. You’re truly beautiful, and you deserve to be loved. I like you more than I like them. I have many friends, but you’re the best.”
Venus’ favorite friend was Hephaestus. Despite being the God of Fire, Hephaestus had a gentle nature, and the scent he carried was as pure and clear as spring water. Even when hearing about the real reason behind Zeus’ forced marriage, Hephaestus’ first reaction had been, “What does he take you for?” rather than, “What does he take me for?”
Hephaestus always put others before himself, which was the key difference between him and the selfish gods on the divine mountain. Venus could smell the scent of various emotions, which to him was like the flavor of a dish.
He liked the scent of Hephaestus, and to him, Hephaestus was a delicacy. He was more than willing to have a fleeting marriage with him, to savor such a delicious flavor.
Hearing these words, Hephaestus couldn’t help but soften. He looked down in a fluster, his voice trembling. “I’m sorry, Venus, I shouldn’t have been harsh with you. But…… this kind of liking is different from the liking that makes someone want to get married. It’s me who has wronged you.”
He wanted to confront Zeus immediately, but he knew full well that his divine power and influence were no match for the King of Gods. He would only fail, and likely drag Venus into trouble as well.
Ares had been right. Hephaestus was indeed useless. He couldn’t even protect the god he loved.
Venus spoke honestly, “I don’t think marriage is something that causes a problem.”
Hephaestus let out a bitter smile. In Venus’ mind, marriage wasn’t significant. As the God of Love and Pleasure, how could he understand the responsibility that marriage represented? He knew people would get married when they fall in love, but he didn’t realize that marriage required loyalty.
This was the inherently missing element in Venus’ divine nature.
Hephaestus felt a deep, weary exhaustion in his heart. In a soft voice, he said, “You should sleep. I’ll rest in the other room.”
Venus asked, “Aren’t you going to sleep with me?”
In Venus’ understanding, love and lust were entirely separate matters. Lust didn’t necessarily come from love. Lust was the most primal force in his divine essence. He viewed Hephaestus as a friend, and his willingness to sleep with Hephaestus did not conflict with that.
Hephaestus shook his head. “No, Venus. It should only happen with the one you truly love.”
Hephaestus went to the other room but couldn’t fall asleep.
After learning the true reason behind Zeus’ forced marriage, he knew there was no way he and Venus could truly be married. Zeus was narrow-minded and vengeful. Revoking the marriage command would mean admitting his mistake, and the King of Gods would never lower himself to do that.
Hephaestus did love Venus. No, he was in love with him. But he knew their marriage had a sinful beginning, born from Zeus’ desire to humiliate Venus. How could he take any pride in becoming Venus’ husband, even if only in name?
He should feel sad about it.
Hephaestus covered his eyes.
He was indeed very sad.
“Hephaestus,” Venus’ voice suddenly came from the doorway.
Hephaestus put his hands down and saw Venus standing at the door, barefoot. He quickly stood up. “What are you doing here? Are you not used to the bed?”
Venus nodded. “I’m not used to it. I can’t sleep. Hephaestus, I don’t want to sleep tonight.”
Hephaestus thought for a moment. “Then how about I tell you a story?”
Venus asked, “What kind of story?”
Hephaestus smiled softly. “Come with me.”
……
Hephaestus led him to a study.
Venus was stunned by the sight of bookshelves covering three walls, each shelf filled with books. “Hephaestus, you actually have so many books?”
The image of the God of Fire and Smithing, always surrounded by the glow of a fire and the clang of a hammer, made it hard to imagine he would be so well-read.
“Wait,” Venus said, noticing familiar characters. He pulled a book out. “Chinese books? Can you read them?”
The characters looked familiar because no other script was as square and upright as this. But they were still largely unfamiliar because he didn’t recognize a single character.
Hephaestus replied, “I can read it. A craftsman can’t just work behind closed door. It’s important to read and improve. This is the Luban Classics from a master named Luban.”
Hephaestus was a genius when it came to craftsmanship, though his intellectual gifts were more ordinary. He couldn’t learn a language in a few days like Thanatos might, but a craftsman’s greatest asset was their spirit of study. With hundreds of years of research, one could master any craft or even a language.
“You’re amazing!” Venus exclaimed. “I’ve been looking for a Chinese teacher for a while. Why didn’t you tell me you could read Chinese?”
Hephaestus was momentarily speechless.
He really wanted to take the initiative, but he didn’t dare.
Afraid he might fall deeper.
But now, he was already beyond saving.
“I’ve been a little busy,” Hephaestus deflected. “When things settle down, I’ll teach you to read Chinese.”
Venus smiled happily. “Thank you, Hephaestus!”
In the following days and nights, the Temple of Fire remained brightly lit.
The other gods were filled with envy and jealousy. The God of Fire was truly fortunate to have the God of Beauty. Surely, his nights must be filled with pleasure.
However, within the Temple of Fire, both the God of Fire and the God of Beauty spent every evening diligently…… learning Chinese.
One studied, one taught, both completely focused.
Venus resisted his curiosity and didn’t pull out the storybook Adonis hadn’t finished reading. He was determined to understand the story on his own, without anyone revealing the ending.
Adonis had once tried to teach him Chinese, but Venus had found it too difficult. His head had ached from the effort, so he gave up quickly. Now, with Adonis gone, he was more determined than ever to learn properly.
He couldn’t understand why, not until later, when his Chinese had improved, and he finally understood a line from a collection of Chinese poetry in the treehouse.
“This love may one day be recalled, but at the time, it was already lost.”
Venus suddenly understood why Adonis had said that Chinese poetry could only be felt, not explained.
But no matter how eager Venus was to learn, he couldn’t stand learning day after day and night after night.
As the God of Pleasure, he would feel very uncomfortable without a nightlife.
Just as people feel hungry without food, he felt parched without rain and dew.
That night, while teaching, Hephaestus noticed Venus’ restless agitation. He was distracted all evening and couldn’t remember many new words.
Worried, Hephaestus asked, “Are you feeling unwell?”
Venus curled up in his chair, hugging his knees. “Hephaestus, I want to.”
Hephaestus: “……”
He didn’t respond to Venus. Instead, he silently focused on the book, appearing calm, though in reality, he was so flustered that he was holding the book upside down.
Venus: “Hephaestus—”
Hephaestus: Can’t hear anything.
Venus huffed angrily, stood up from his chair, and headed toward the door.
At this point, Hephaestus could no longer pretend not to notice. “Venus, what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to find Hermes, or Dionysus, anyone I meet on the way, and sleep with them before coming back,” Venus said, storming out. “I can’t live like this!”
Before he could make it out the door, Hephaestus yanked him back inside.
“You can’t be so casual about this.” Hephaestus pressed his lips together. “They don’t love you. They’re just attracted to your looks.”
“What does love have to do with lust?” Venus still couldn’t understand, nor did he care. “I know no one truly loves me. As long as they desire me, that’s enough.”
“……Wo ai ni.”
“What?” Hephaestus spoke in Chinese, and Venus didn’t understand at first.
Hephaestus whispered, “……’I love you’ in Chinese.”
“I don’t want to study anymore tonight.” Venus sighed. “What good is your love for me? You don’t even want me.”
It was precisely because of love that he couldn’t bear to possess him.
But Venus would never understand that.
Hephaestus’ gaze dimmed for a moment, but he refused to let go.
“Come back, Venus,” he lowered his eyes.
“……I want you. Don’t go looking for them.”
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