I Became a Slave to a Mythical Shepherd

Episode 58. reunion

It’s been said many times, but I know it well. This travel route is not designed for efficiency of movement.

This is the route that Priam and Anchises decided by using mysterious political magic.

An itinerary designed without offending the various cities, delicately considering the relationship between me, Hector, and Aeneas.

In fact, it was great if you think about it in terms of achieving the goal.

First, let’s see how it went with getting my existence recognized by the various cities, and Hector’s succession rights reconfirmed.

– “Are you Paris? Since you came to Dardanos this time, I really wanted to see you.”

– “Oh, that’s right. What is it?”

-“Is it true that you really killed hundreds of mermaids with your bare hands?”

-“····.”

-“Ha, hahahaha, it seems that the rumors on the street are exaggerated. Then, to cut dozens of them with a single knife…”

…f*ck, it’s a rumor spread by some bastards.

Of course, it was impossible to control the excited soldiers who came into the city after a long time.

What are we going to do to stop them chattering in the air at the gambling tables, drinking ‘forbidden drinks’ in some back alley, getting drunk and bragging about what they can’t say?

Besides, Aeneas was the only person in Dardanos who could control such rumors.

– “Miss Aeneas? Is it true that Paris-sama took down a really gigantic mermaid with a single sword?”

-“no.”

-“Ah… after all, rumors exaggerate…”

– “It would not have been a knife! He took it down so quickly that I couldn’t even see what weapon he was using!”

– “Ooooooh!”

-“You even saved my life at the moment of crisis!!”

-“Uoooooooooo!!!!!”

damn it

It was like that in Dardanos, where he was nervous right after a big battle, so it goes without saying in other cities.

Not only Dardanos, but in most cities, the reputation of ‘Slayer’ Paris spread.

“Hey, ‘Terror of the Monsters’, ‘The Slayer of the Mermaids’, ‘Hercules of Troy’.

How do you feel?”

“Ah… please, brother. Can’t you do something about that?”

“I have to do something.”

After Hector’s arrangement came in, the rumors changed like this.

-“I heard that Lady Paris cut off hundreds of monsters’ heads, salted them all, and presented them to King Priam.”

-“After killing a monster, they write ‘Troia’ on the corpse with a knife.”

– “Is it only monsters? The thieves who were caught were also slashed on the pitch, saying, ‘All honor to Priam’…”

Something like a psychopath was added.

“Paris, are you okay? Now the rumors about you threatening Troia will be gone!”

“…”

Anyway, it was a successful journey.

All the cities shouted my name enthusiastically, and rumors of the new prince’s allegiance to Hector (such as having wounded Hector’s arm and chewing it alive) our political goal was achieved. It became.

Besides that, I built up a friendship with Aeneas and developed a liking for Troy to the next monarch of Dardanos. The awkwardness in the relationship between me and Hector has gone too.

Again, this travel route is not designed for efficiency of movement.

The political aims that Priam and Anchises might have intended were completely overachieved, and the journey was successful by all accounts.

but.

“How far do we have to go today?”

“It will be just over three more hills.”

Although I have to subtract all the hardships I went through to reach that ‘success’ from the profit and loss calculation.

Because once I was about to die

However, after the previous victory, the attacks of the mermaids decreased for a while. Of course, the scale was reduced, but the raids were still the same, but the burden was much less, as if groups of hundreds were not common.

Even so, he cannot afford to be vigilant as he has been through two battles that resulted in casualties. Every day and night, I cross hills, forest roads, and streams with great nervousness.

In addition, since the route was twisted round and round, I was walking for a month, a distance that would have taken a little over a week if I just walked the shortest distance to Antandros.

It was indispensable to drop in between banquets and hunts, put on a social smile and laugh at all sorts of boring jokes.

So, I was completely exhausted.

“older brother? . . How about taking a break here?”

“Is there still a long way to go? There are only two or three cities left to visit. After that, it’s to Antandros…”

Hector looked back and met my eyes.

It was only then that Hector’s eyes trembled, as if realizing that I was the one who had barely risen after wandering between death and near death not too long ago.

“Oh, no. Let’s rest here.”

“thank you.”

Relieved by Hector’s order, the soldiers chose a suitable place to light a fire and set up a tent.

As they settled in a suitable valley, the wind was blocked and a fairly comfortable campsite was completed.

The soldiers went around and skinned small animals such as squirrels and rabbits they caught and roasted the meat.

And Hector and I passed the time with small talk, eating raspberries from the nearby bushes.

It is peaceful.

“I don’t know how much I can afford like this.”

“…that’s what I mean. We had a bloody fight in the mud not too long ago.”

According to Hector, at that time, fish with teeth jumped out of the marsh, biting and scratching the legs of the soldiers, and it wasn’t even a fuss.

“Obviously, even though I had personally prayed to Teshub and Herat before leaving.”

Teshub is the Hittite storm god and king of the gods, and Herat is his wife, the sun god.

Beneath their thrones bow their heads the gods of the myriad races the Hittites have met and conquered.

There are a thousand gods like that in Hattusha’s pantheon, which has been burned, rebuilt, and ruined again and again.

Troy, which was conquered by them, also has their temple.

And yet we were attacked.

“…Actually, I am anxious.”

Saying that, Hector looked at me.

“I heard that the chief mermaid put down his spear and sword at the end and attacked Aeneas. Am I right?”

“yes. I don’t know why, but…”

“Capturing alive must have been the purpose. It’s obvious.”

“…”

“That makes me even more anxious. I have a hunch that something is already happening in the capital. I guess I should be there.

“Do not worry. Even if my older brother is not around, my father will stand firm. Anchises-nim is also by his side.”

“It’s Anchises-sama… Yes, even if you’re a bit ‘unique’, you’re not stupid.”

thank god. Anchises is a strange person even to others.

I thought I was the only one who looked at it strangely, and I still thought that I hadn’t adapted to this era.

I let out a sigh of relief, and Hector tilts his head, then shakes his head as if it were nothing and gets up.

“I think I will go get ready tomorrow. Can I ask you to organize the soldiers and set up a night watch?”

“You can leave that chore to me. Go ahead and get to work.”

I watched Hector go into his private tent with oil to clean his armor.

And, at Hector’s request, he watched as the night ripened while taking care of this and that overtime.

– With my daughter.

Bells are heard in the distance. Is the shepherd passing by?

A soldier who had been standing watch fell asleep, but I pretended not to see it.

– With my daughter.

Bells ring again. Another soldier collapses as if passed out.

…I drew my sword.

– With my daughter.

I looked around and saw that all the nearby soldiers were asleep.

It sounds.

– With my daughter. with my daughter

is it north? No, it seems to be west.

I quickly ran my eyes over the hill on the side of the bell.

Four or five figures were slowly approaching from afar. I took a combat stance after I was ready to call out the ‘hammer’ at any time.

and···

– With my daughter.

“Please put down the sword, my prince.”

“…”

It’s a familiar voice.

But I was still holding the handle.

“How can you lay down your sword in front of a cheater? Still, I haven’t even gotten the money back for the fake arrows properly.”

“Ha ha ha ha… Now you have become the prince of a country, aren’t you the one who will become the ruler of a city? He has more steel than anyone in the country.”

– With my daughter.

“What can you get from a mere merchant?”

All eyes around me were asleep, and I hadn’t seen him in a very long time.

The one who sold me fake arrows and took me to Olympus.

“I see Paris, the son of Priam.”

The pale corpses that stood beside him knelt along with the merchant.

***

“Stop saying grandiose greetings. After all, haven’t you met Paris the slave, Paris the blacksmith, and Paris the prince? Anyway, while I’ve seen all the places to see…”

“As expected, the qualities of a monarch can be seen in the fact that he is not bound by ostentation.”

“And I am not bound by pretense. Tell me about your business.”

“It hurts my heart that there is no time to resolve long-standing regrets.”

Behind the merchant’s back as he said that, the cart with the clutter on it creaked as before.

“Are there any of these things you covet?”

“You were scammed like that last time, do you think it’s possible?”

When I lightly sarcastically, the merchant also smiles faintly.

“no. I’m just asking a question out of merchant courtesy.

Today’s business is… closer to buying than selling.”

“… you live?”

“yes.”

As the merchant rubbed his hands, the corpse soldiers got up and moved the cart away. The merchant pointed to my private tent and said.

“Isn’t Paris-sama keeping valuables over there?”

Now I realized his ‘purpose’.

“Were you not a servant of Hermes? Why do you covet Poseidon’s riches?”

“Did you say it was Poseidon’s wealth?”

A dark smile fades from the merchant’s face.

I just realized

On the face of a merchant with a large scar, a smile played a role in relieving the sense of intimidation.

“To say such a blasphemous thing just by its very existence.”

The merchant’s expressionless face was overbearing over the silence.

“Have you ever tried to return it to Poseidon? Did he receive it?”

“…”

“It belongs to another god. It is of the ‘sea’.”

The merchant bowed down to me and ordered the corpsemen to enter my private tent. I didn’t bother to stop him.

“Well, I don’t believe you will do anything to me, but remember. If you are a servant of Hermes, then I also belong to Hephaestus.”

“You seem to be saying everything. My master loves you too. Therefore, you are very satisfied with your achievements this time.”

“Achievements?”

“Hasn’t the ‘Sea’ defeated Poseidon’s army possessed and plundered their sacred objects?”

It didn’t take long for the corpse soldiers to come out of my tent.

In their hands were huge golden dishes. The merchant also chanted something and took out a bronze dagger from his sleeve.

Then, the merchant suddenly cuts off the order in the middle and looks at me.

“What should I pay for? I am a merchant. My master is the god of commerce. Shouldn’t you pay the price?”

“Anyway, if it’s Hermes-sama’s will, I won’t ask for anything.”

“You have the mindset of honoring the gods, but… to throw away a bargaining opportunity is not the attitude of a good merchant.”

The merchant grins and watches as the corpse soldiers set the gold plate down in front of him.

Then he clutched the bronze dagger with both hands and raised it above his head…

-Kwajik!!!!

take down at once

Metal colliding with metal makes a loud noise. I looked around to see if someone had woken up, but it was still quiet.

“…it’s not easy.”

Saying so, the merchant wipes the sweat from his forehead. I looked down at the gold dish, which had not even been scratched by the merchant’s blow.

The merchant recites the order again. The muttering, which was like a song or a madman’s nonsense, somehow seemed to penetrate deep into my head and heart.

The dagger in the merchant’s hand begins to tremble as if resonating. And the merchant took down the plate again.

The sound this time was not metallic.

[Kahiahhhhh !!! aaa!!!!!]

scream.

A painful noise that seemed to combine the screams of thousands of pieces of bronze armor being ripped apart at the same time, and the torture of hundreds of cows, pigs, and waterfowl.

I covered my ears involuntarily, but nothing but my hands could stop the disgusting sound that tore that soul apart.

The merchant also frowned as if in agony, and plunged the bronze blade deep into the gold dish.

Soon the plate starts to crack.

Sea foam rises from the center of the crack, and salty brine flows out.

As if the sea was bleeding.

***

“Uh, uhhhhh… aaa!!!”

“All right, call a doctor!”

“It’s no use!”

The priest who was offering the sacrifice collapses, wrapping his head as if wringing it out.

The nobles, including Dolon, couldn’t help but look down at the painful scene.

“O Lord of the Sea… Lord of the Mediterranean…”

The priest, who muttered so much, immediately cooled down after trembling with blood flowing from his eyes, ears, and nose.

Dolon hurries up to the priest and puts his hand on his neck.

“Friends, my pulse has stopped.”

The nobles are astonished.

“Your heart is not beating anymore.”

***

As the merchant strikes the plate with malice several times, the screams slowly subside.

Soon, when everything was over, only shards of distorted gold and brine puddles were left at the merchant’s feet.

The merchant said to me with a satisfied smile.

“Now this place has been ‘purified’. ‘Aruna’ has lost some of her power, and if she’s lucky, she must have sent at least one or two priests who were waiting for her to pass through to the underworld.”

“Really… is it now?”

“That’s it. Is there anything else you want?”

“···does not exist.”

“But my master will be sorry. If nothing can be given to a human who has made such a great contribution, the protector of the travelers will lose face.”

Saying that, the merchant, who was stroking his beard and pondering, snapped his fingers as if he had a good idea.

“It’s not a big deal, but it’s a gift for sure. You don’t have to decline.”

“What is it?”

“This is the right to hear Hermes’ prophecy.”

The merchant said with a face full of pride.

“It is an honor just to receive a prophecy from Hermes. Priests from other temples of Hermes will teach you how.”

“prophecy? Then wait…”

“It will be much more effective than other barbers giving and receiving pennies at the temple of Hermes. It’s clear. Well, bye.”

Saying so, as the merchant casts an incantation, thick fog rises on both sides.

And when the fog is gone,

there was nothing.

It seemed that nothing had happened.