**King Odysseus's POV:**
Wandering through the city of Troy, I sought to spy and identify a weakness that could bring the city to its knees.
While loitering, I spotted Helen, moving around her city to greet the people living within the limited lands she could reach. I followed her as she introduced herself door to door, trying to connect with the citizens.
Unfortunately for her, it seemed the Trojans did not welcome her presence in their kingdom.
As I followed her, I couldn't help but wonder: what was going through her mind? In my distraction, I didn’t realize she was already looking at me.
When our eyes met, I quickly turned to flee, hoping to avoid being exposed to her people. But she chased after me, calling me by another name in an effort to protect me from her supposed allies.
I found myself questioning everything. Had she truly left Sparta to live with Paris, or was her stay in Troy part of a larger plan of Nemesis revenge against Zeus?
Eventually, she cornered me in a dead end, clearly more familiar with this place than I.
**Queen Helen:** “I knew it was you!”
I tried to silence her visit to her own city.
**Queen Helen:** “What are you doing here?”
**King Odysseus:** “I'm spying to learn how the Greeks plan to lay Troy in ruins.”
**Queen Helen:** “Oh? About the war?”
**King Odysseus:** “Indeed, Helen...”
**Queen Helen:** “I could help you end this long-running war.”
**King Odysseus:** “In what way? How could you help, Helen?”
**Queen Helen:** “The king enjoys watching the Greeks fail for over ten years. I believe that tricking him could give the Greeks an advantage in lowering the defenses of Troy.”
**King Odysseus:** “I see...”
After discussing our plan for the fall of Troy, she added:
**Queen Helen:** “Finish this as soon as possible, Odysseus.”
**King Odysseus:** “I don’t understand.”
**Queen Helen:** “Do you want me to explain it to you again?”
**King Odysseus:** “No! It’s not that. But why are you doing this?”
**Queen Helen:** “Doing what?”
**King Odysseus:** “Helping us? Aren’t you now an ally of Troy, Helen?”
**Queen Helen:** “That’s true, but the people here despise me for starting the war that has robbed them of a peaceful life. Besides, I know that after ten years, you must miss your home and loved ones in Ithaca...”
**King Odysseus:** “Mmm-hhh…”
I couldn’t help but agree.
**Queen Helen:** Well, I too am homesick, Odysseus...
**Nicko's POV:**
**King Odysseus:** Tomorrow morning, we will surrender and present "The Trojan Horse" to the Trojans as a token of the Greeks' defeat.
**Nicko:** While the Trojans celebrate, intoxicated by the wine provided by Dionysus, they fall into a deep slumber at night. Meanwhile, the Greeks prepare to strike, catching them unprepared for battle...
**King Odysseus:** Finally, the war that has lasted over ten years will come to an end.
**Nicko:** Then you can sail back home to your beautiful wife, Penelope...
**King Odysseus:** Indeed, Nicko, indeed...
I noticed the relief on King Odysseus' face as I spoke those last words.
I hoped my lady would wait for my return as well...
But why do I feel that something is amiss?
What about the plan King Odysseus and I devised?
**Hestia:** Odysseus, is everything settled?
**King Odysseus:** The plan is now in place, dear goddess.
**Hestia:** Good, because I’ll be leaving for a while...
**Nicko:** And where are you going, Hestia?
**Hestia:** I know you will miss me, and I will miss you too. But Athena has asked me to travel to Hades’ domain and speak with him.
**Nicko:** About what, Hestia?
**Hestia:** Athena wouldn’t say. I simply trusted her and agreed to her request...
Hestia soon departed, leaving us puzzled about Athena’s intentions.
Had she ever kept her plans secret before?
**King Odysseus:** Do you have any idea of what Athena is planning?
**Nicko:** None, Your Majesty...
