Chapter 41 This is not a misunderstanding
Speaking of Poseidon, one cannot avoid mentioning Ancient Greece, and speaking of Ancient Greece, one must talk about its predecessor—the Aegean civilization.
Historically, the Aegean civilization is composed of three parts in chronological order: the Cycladic civilization, the Minoan civilization, and the Mycenaean civilization.
Among these, the Cycladic civilization was the earliest, located in the Cyclades Islands. However, this civilization was relatively insignificant and had minimal influence on surrounding areas. The subsequent rise of the Minoan civilization, however, was different. Also known historically as the Cretan civilization, it is considered one of the cradles of human civilization after Mesopotamia and the Nile, and it is regarded as the source of classical European civilization. The final stage, the Mycenaean civilization, is the direct origin of Greek mythology. It was during the transition from the Cretan to the Mycenaean civilization that the deity Poseidon was established in mythology and began to be widely worshipped in the Aegean region.
"The myths about Poseidon formed during this period, so I think researching the period from Crete to Mycenae, especially the Mycenaean era worship of Poseidon, is very helpful in analyzing the origins of this god."
In the study room, the petite Karen was passionately expressing her opinions to Liliana and Hikigaya.
"I actually think it's better to start the research from the Cretan era," Hikigaya offered a differing opinion.
The study room wasn't very big, but it was just the right size for the three of them. On the square table, which was not small, books were piled high—materials Karen had brought, all related to Poseidon.
Hikigaya picked up a book, flipped to a section he remembered, and pointed at the relevant passage, saying:
"Look here. According to this periodization, the early, middle, and late periods of the Minoan civilization roughly correspond in absolute chronology with the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms of Egypt. This was also the time when many Asian myths were introduced into the Aegean. The Mycenaeans, native to the Greek mainland, were relatively backward and only established their kingdom around 1600 BCE. So, I think the Poseidon myths during the Mycenaean period were inherited from the Minoans and had already undergone changes."
"Exactly. I also think this periodization is more reasonable."
Liliana, flipping through a book herself, looked up and said, "From a linguistic perspective, the name 'Poseidon' is a composite of multiple divine elements, and all of them are of Asian origin."
"Syria's Ugarit was the Mycenaeans' first commercial center outside their homeland. The temple documents there, written in Semitic scripts, mention a fertility god worshipped by locals who appeared in a form associated with the underworld—especially underground water—and was called 'Lord of the Earth.'"
She flipped rapidly through her book, speaking quickly:
"The Hurrians of Mesopotamia had a great influence on the Hittite civilization. Among their deities was one whose name also meant 'Lord of the Earth.' After the Hittites conquered Anatolia, they called this god the 'King of the Land,' while the locals called him 'God of Underground Water.' These titles all originated from the southern Mesopotamian Sumer-Akkadian civilization. One of the Sumerian gods was associated with underground water and was also called 'Lord of the Earth.' Research suggests they were all the same god. The word order of this god's name is opposite to that of Greek grammar, perhaps reflecting the religious migration of the god from the East to Mycenae."
At some point, Karen had fallen silent, smiling as she watched the interaction unfold between Liliana and Hikigaya.
"In summary, Poseidon was already a land deity in the Western Asian region before entering the Aegean, which is likely correct." Hikigaya nodded. While flipping through the book, he didn't realize that the distance between him and Liliana had gradually decreased.
"However, he was probably first a horse god, then became a god of waves in Greece, and finally evolved into the god of the sea. That might be because the momentum of galloping horses resembles the crashing waves."
"Ah, if that's the case, then I think he had divine attributes of the sea even before spreading to the Aegean. From an etymological perspective, his name can be understood not only as 'Husband of the Land' but also as 'Knower of Sea Routes' and 'Ruler of Water.' In Indo-European languages, it implies 'source of all waters.'"
As Liliana spoke, she too was unconsciously leaning closer to Hikigaya.
Karen, meanwhile, was very satisfied with this scene and quietly said, "I'll go bring in the rest of the books," before silently tiptoeing out.
The two immersed in the sea of books didn't notice any of this.
Until the moment they both reached for the same book.
To be precise, Hikigaya grabbed the book, and Liliana—just a tad slower—ended up grabbing his hand instead.
Both looked up in surprise and realized their faces were now close enough to practically touch.
At this distance, Hikigaya could clearly see Liliana's fair, porcelain-doll-like face quickly turn bright red in just a few seconds.
This flush, shown on Liliana's face, carried a unique allure that stunned him for a moment.
Then, at the same time, they both let out a startled "Ah!" and instinctively stood up.
In the next moment, Hikigaya suddenly felt a soft warmth in his mouth.
Eyes wide open, he found himself making eye contact with another pair of equally wide eyes.
Those beautiful eyes were filled with shock—and soon, tears began to well up, ready to spill.
This shocking scene was "coincidentally" witnessed by the returning Karen.
"Ah my!" The sly witch-in-training put on a surprised expression.
"I didn't expect His Majesty and Miss Liliana to have this kind of relationship. It was terribly rude of me to barge in—I'll see myself out."
Her words snapped the two out of their daze. They quickly separated, and the air seemed to let out a soft "pop."
"Wait a second!"
With no time to process what had just happened, Hikigaya quickly called out to Karen, who was smiling mischievously and pretending to leave.
"This was a…"
He was about to blurt out "misunderstanding," but suddenly hesitated.
Clearly, he was the one who benefited here—how could he shamelessly claim it was a misunderstanding, as if he was the victim?
Looking at Karen, who was watching him expectantly, Hikigaya clenched his teeth, resisting the urge to degrade himself. He took a deep breath, turned to Liliana, and said:
"That was my fault for not controlling myself. Liliana, are you alright?"
Yes, that's the only proper thing to say.