"My lord, I was wrong."
Upon hearing this, Garon turned pale and immediately admitted his mistake. His speed and proficiency in doing so were almost heartbreaking.
Meanwhile, Shion and the others felt somewhat awkward. Given Maierin's relationship with Athena, such an intimate form of address was normal. However, considering that she was the goddess they had sworn to protect, they found it difficult to accept. In their hearts, Athena was sacred, supreme, the embodiment of love and justice—gentle, dignified, and noble. It was impossible to associate her with such a casual and affectionate address.
If Maierin knew what they were thinking, he would probably laugh out loud.
Back in the day, Athena had been a true wild girl. The Indian gods Indra and Garuda once accidentally crossed the line, and Athena gathered the Saints to "visit" the Indian divine realm. She chased the two around with the Victory Goddess' staff for several days before letting them go.
There were also some small gods from the Japanese pantheon who had a loose tongue. Athena dragged Maierin along to wipe them out. In the end, Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo had to sign a series of humiliating treaties before she was satisfied.
"My lord, the bath is ready, and your chambers are also… Big brother! You—!"
Alex returned to report after preparing everything but was stunned upon seeing a rejuvenated Shion, momentarily forgetting all formalities.
"It is all thanks to Lord Maierin's grace."** Shion nodded slightly before turning to Maierin and bowing. "My lord, please grant me your aid."**
Maierin naturally did not refuse. The same process was applied to Alex, restoring his youth as well.
"My lord, please allow us to serve you during your bath."
Maierin froze, his entire body shuddering, and he forced himself to refuse in a calm tone:
"No need, I can manage on my own."
"But—"
"No buts. For now, go organize everything. When I finish bathing, I want to know what has happened over the years." Maierin commanded.
"Understood."
As he watched the six of them leave, Maierin let out a sigh of relief.
The image of Alex and the others assisting him in the bath flashed through his mind, nearly making him gouge out his own eyes.
Besides, he had never been bathed by anyone. The only exception was Athena, and even then, it was the other way around.
Athena was not only a wild girl but also a jealous little thing. Whenever Maierin had any interactions with other women, he would have to return home for some "lessons in love." He had lost count of how many steel ball chains of the Cerberus constellation he had shattered while kneeling in repentance—and that was in their fully unleashed state.
After a relaxing bath, Maierin finally felt alive again. Being sealed for half a million years had left him feeling like a corpse. His joints had become so stiff that even moving them was difficult. Only after soaking in the warm water did his body finally loosen up.
"If only Athena were here, she could give me a massage."
As he thought about it, memories of his time with Athena surfaced, and a happy smile curled at his lips.
"Don't worry, Athena. This time, no one will ever bully you again."
With that thought, Maierin got up, donned a fresh robe, and made his way to the Pope's chamber.
Shion began reporting on everything that had transpired during Maierin's slumber, especially the details of the previous Holy War. Since he had personally experienced that battle, he could provide the most accurate account. As for earlier events, he could only rely on ancient records and chronicles.
"Still just as brutal, huh?" Maierin murmured as he listened to Shion's report.
"Please forgive us, my lord. It was our failure—we could not protect Lady Athena!"
Shion and Alex took the lead in kneeling, bowing deeply in remorse.
"Sigh, it's not your fault. Nine-tenths of Athena's divine power was spent breaking my seal. The fact that you even managed to win is something worth celebrating." Maierin sighed.
Since the age of mythology, the Holy Wars had always been unimaginably brutal. Even when Maierin had still been active, the casualties had been severe. The only exception was the very first generation of Gold Saints, who had personally been chosen and trained by Maierin himself. They spent most of their time guarding the Sanctuary and rarely ventured out on missions. With both Maierin and Athena present, other gods dared not recklessly launch an invasion.
The real casualties had always been among the Silver and Bronze Saints. Of the latter, only Pegasus, Dragon, Andromeda, and Cygnus were Athena's personal guards, while Phoenix was Maierin's direct subordinate. The rest were constantly replaced.
Before he was sealed, the turnover rate among Silver and Bronze Saints had reached the seventeenth generation—a testament to the horrors of war.
After Maierin's sealing, Athena wasted her divine power trying to free him, and the Holy Wars only became even more tragic.
"I understand the situation now. Your main priority should be gathering all 89 Saints and improving your strength." Maierin ordered.
"My lord, according to historical records, the last time all Saints were gathered was thousands of years ago." Shion smiled bitterly. He fully understood how crucial it was to reunite the Saints, but the difficulty was simply too high. Saint selection did not depend solely on strength—it also required character, fate, and many other factors.
Each generation saw a great number of promising Saint candidates, yet many never received the approval of the Sacred Cloths and thus could not officially become Saints.
"Don't worry. This time, with me here, we will gather all the Saints and win this Holy War."
"Yes, my lord!"
"Also, your current strength is far too weak. Compared to the first-generation Saints, you are simply unworthy." Maierin declared.
"…"
Shion and the others were drenched in cold sweat, feeling utterly humiliated.
The previous Gold Saints had been powerful beyond measure, yet Maierin still deemed them weak.
"Sigh, I don't blame you. The cruel nature of past Holy Wars has led to the loss of many powerful techniques and artifacts. You should know that the first-generation Gold Saints could all slay gods—and not just any gods, but first-tier gods."
"WHAT?!"
Shion and the others were dumbfounded.
To slay a god—what a monumental feat!
During the last two Holy Wars, Athena herself had to step onto the battlefield, risking her life just to seal Hades.
And yet, the first-generation Gold Saints had been capable of defeating first-tier deities?!
Just as the group was left in shock, Garon's face suddenly darkened with despair.
"Little Garon, what's wrong?" Maierin asked with a gentle smile.
"M-My lord… I have no Sacred Cloth…" Garon answered sorrowfully.
"Oh? And how do you know that for sure?" Maierin chuckled.
"Because… My brother inherited the Gemini Gold Cloth. I was only his backup…"
Maierin's smile deepened.
"Tell me, how many Saints are there?"
"88…" Garon paused. "Wait, no! My lord, you said 89 earlier—why?"**
"And how many Sacred Cloths exist?"
"84… huh?"
Shion's expression turned grim.
"Something's wrong. How can the numbers not match?!"
Maierin smiled knowingly.
"Because five special Sacred Cloths have been sealed… and one of them belongs to you, little Garon."
Just as this revelation settled in, Shion suddenly spoke up.
"My lord, there is something else to report! The leader of Kamar-Taj, Sorcerer Supreme Ancient One, has sensed your awakening and has requested an audience with you."
Maierin froze.
"Who? …WHO?!"
He felt like he had just heard the most absurd joke in the universe.
What the hell?! Isn't this the Saint Seiya universe? Why is Kamar-Taj involved?! What the hell happened while I was asleep?!