Episode 51/Chapter 2: God of Sun (2)
TL: Tsubak
ED: SlowAsLightning
It was hard for the daily conversation with Apollo to get over 10 minutes.
It was because it was hard on him as he was still hiding in his secret hiding spot while being injured but it was particularly hard on Sybilla.
Sybilla was a maiden of a small shrine. She was forcefully promoted as Apollo's personal maiden now that the higher maidens of Delfos were massacred but it wasn't that her capabilities increased because of that.
But it was true that there were no changes in Sybilla's body and soul even with the continued divine messages. No, the time of the divine message was getting longer although by a little.
About 1 hour after hearing of the army of Sparta from Apollo.
After the group finished with dinner they gathered around a bonfire and listened to Patroclus' story. The only ones that were excluded in this were Sybilla, who was exhausted because of the divine message, and Nidhogg who was sleepy by nature.
"The biggest reason the army of Sparta is strong is because the individual strength of each soldier far surpasses that of ordinary warriors."
"So you are saying they are a handful of the cream of the crop?"
Patroclus shook his head at Gandur's question.
"They are indeed the elite but they are not the minority. It isn't an exaggeration to say that all the men in Sparta are warriors. The women are also proficient in battle on top of that."
In other words, they were elites that were also numerous.
Gandur thought of Valhalla and then asked while frowning.
"It won't end just by having Nidhogg roll, right?"
Nidhogg's roll was certainly strong but it wasn't invincible.
Patroclus nodded.
"It will be hard. There are many strong heroes in the army of Sparta."
The reason the monsters of Delfos got done in by Tae Ho's group effortlessly was because there wasn't anyone strong enough to be able to face Rolo or Adenmaha even if you didn't count Nidhogg.
But the story could change if strong heroes were lined up in big numbers.
"Are you talking about people like Orion?"
Rasgrid asked and Patroclus also nodded this time.
"That's right. Actually, there aren't many battle heroes under Artemis' rank excluding Atalante that can be called as a great hero."
Atalante, who was called as the fastest hero along with Achilles.
They said that a great hero of Olympus was equivalent to a higher superior rank or a top ranked warrior so they wouldn't be easy to deal with at all.
But the important thing wasn't Atalante's battle prowess.
Rasgrid tilted her head as she didn't understand something and asked.
"I know that Artemis-nim is someone proficient in battle but aren't there still a few battle heroes under her command?"
Artemis was the Goddess of hunt.
The normal thing was for her to be popular among heroes that used bows as her, just like Ullr was popular among bowmen in Asgard.
The legion of Ullr was a strong army that entered the top five. That's why she couldn't understand why there were no battle heroes under Artemis, which was said to be Ullr's equivalent.
Gandur, a Valkyrie of Ullr's legion, urged for an answer with her eyes as she agreed with Rasgrid's doubt.
Patroclus smiled bitterly and said.
"There are many reasons for that but if I were to say the most representing one….it's because Artemis-nim is a virgin."
Rasgrid and Gandur frowned at his answer. It was because they also didn't understand this answer of his.
Bracky clapped and said while all the others were putting similar expressions as the Valkyries.
"Ah! I think I know!"
Everyone's eyes gathered at Bracky. Siri turned to look up at him with surprise and a bit of doubtfulness.
Bracky smirked at those eyes. He then spread his chest and said with a confident face.
"It's because she has no children, right?"
She had no children because she was a virgin.
Siri put on a hopeless expression at his answer and picked his side.
But Bracky still faced Patroclus and he laughed and answered.
"That's right. Artemis-nim has no children or heroes with her bloodline."
"I was right."
Bracky became triumphant at Patroclus affirmation and poked Siri with his finger.
'Indeed, the second generation of the ones that have the bloodline of a God will become heroes. The Gods will bare children and increase the number of Gods they have. It's quite a logical story.'
The Gods of Olympus didn't have children for nothing.
Tae Ho nodded while listening to Cuchulainn. It was because it was quite a correct story.
The reason Rasgrid and the other Valkyries couldn't accept Patroclus' story immediately was because of the difference between Asgard and Olympus.
The Gods of Asgard didn't have many children excluding Odin.
They had at most three or four and there were also few cases that they cheated on someone or had children with someone unrelated to them and this time also including Odin.
Because of that, although there were many warrior families with the blood of a God there were few warriors that had received the blood of a God directly.
That's why they couldn't understand why there were few heroes in this situation.
"It's an obvious thing that the strength of a hero with the blood of a God is greater than a normal warrior. And most of the heroes offer their loyalty to the Gods they serve, that are their foundation. But of course, there are exceptions like Meleager and Orion."
Orion was a son of Poseidon and Meleager a son of Ares.
But the two of them were heroes of Artemis.
The Valkyries understood this more than the previous story.
Rasgrid and Reginleif were Odin's daughters but their legions were different.
"There are many heroes in Sparta. The guardian God of Sparta, Ares, has had many children with several Goddesses, fairies and human queens. In addition, he's famous for having a solid relationship with his children."
"And there are many heroes that side with him as he's that close to them?"
"That expression seems too direct but it is right."
The Gods of Olympus became negligent on their children as they had too many of them.
Especially if a God of Olympus had children with a nymph or a human, they weren't even treated as being their children.
But it was different for the children of Ares.
Ares cared for his children to the point it was unexpected for his atrocious and savage nature. It was to the point he gifted them with war horses or battle tools when they were normally treated as tools or toys for the other Gods of Olympus.
And his children also built shrines and gave offerings to repay him so they established a parent children relationship that was really hard to see in Olympus.
"I also had many of my children in my knights troupe. Having many children is a task of a strong warrior."
Bracky nodded.
"That was the case. That was why you had many children. It would have been so nice for you."
Siri opened her eyes sharply and tried an attack she learned from Heda.
But her opponent was bad for her.
Bracky smirked at SIri's attack and then poked Siri's side.
"Ey, are you jealous? You are, right?"
She had no way out of it. In addition, the people surrounding her weren't helping either. Siri put on an unfair expression at Gandur's eyes telling her to stop but still, nobody helped her.
In the end, the only thing Siri could do was to punish Bracky. But no matter how much she slapped his back, Bracky just liked it.
In the other hand, Adenmaha who was ignoring Bracky and Siri, smacked her lips and asked.
"Um, is Athennim also a virgin?"
She was a Goddess that would side with them but it was troublesome if she had few heroes.
But Patroclus' answer was positive unfortunately.
"That's right. That's why there's no hero under her rank that has received her blood directly."
'It's somewhat weird to say it's regretful, but it is regretful.'
Cuchulainn groaned.
There may be some heroes that served Athena even if they weren't blood related like Patroclus in front of them but still they could only feel regret as the enemy had heroes with the blood of a God when they didn't.
"What about Apollo-nim?"
Adenmaha asked once again.
Gandur found it funny to find Siri putting on a teary face as it was different to her usual calm and proud side but then spoke again.
"Right. Is Apollo-nim also a virgin? No hero has joined us even though we passed the sacred force."
Looking at it, it was indeed weird.
Even if Delfos was taken over, for there to be no other heroes in the other polises.
"Uh….that's…….."
Patroclus sweated and found it hard to answer.
That was because Apollo was listening to the conversation compared to Artemis and Athena.
[Apollo finds this subject to be uncomfortable.]
[Apollo tells you to speak of another thing.]
[Apollo is waiting for how you answer.]
It was something the group of Tae Ho that were from Asgard had been forgetting but Patroclus, a native hero of Olympus, knew well about Apollo's sad love story. It was because it was that famous.
The God of disappointing love, Apollo.
Apollo was really handsome even in Olympus but he really had no luck in love.
There were many cases that the woman escaped or cheated on him after he manages to establish a relationship so all the relationships he had had until now ended unfortunately.
This was why he didn't have many children and the among few children he had, a few of them could be called as being heroes.
"Huh? Why? He really is a virgin?"
It seemed like the voice of the God was only transmitted to Patroclus that Gandur tilted her head and asked without being aware.
Patroclus anguished. He didn't hear the voice of the God anymore but he could still feel Apollo's gaze glaring at his back.
"He….loves others in a really simple and pure way compared to others so he doesn't have many children."
The Valkyries put on a satisfied expression at the answer he barely managed to squeeze out.
It was an obvious reaction as they had only heard about libertines since they arrived on Olympus.
[Apollo is kind of satisfied at your answer.]
[Apollo says.]
[You did well.]
Because the Valkyries weren't normal humans but Goddesses.
Patroclus let out a sigh of relief at the satisfaction he could feel at Apollo's voice.
'It feels fishy.'
Cuchulainn sensed something with his sharp insight of an expert of Scathach's techniques but Tae Ho ignored him like always.
Actually, Tae Ho had also discovered something weird at the conversation but he would have to be together with Apollo from now on. There would be nothing good coming out from rubbing salt in a wound.
"Anyways, you are saying that the army of Sparta is strong itself and also has many strong heroes."
Patroclus got really happy at Tae Ho's summary. He spoke quickly as if he would change the subject.
"That's right. That's why we have to regroup with Athennim quickly. Now that Athennim received a big wound, it would be impossible to stop Sparta with only the strength of Athens and the surrounding polises."
Patroclus spoke up to that point and took out a big map from his luggage.
"Hermes-nim's sacred force is in the way to Athens but as we don't know his situation yet we will be passing it the fastest we can."
"How about moving on a ship?"
The silent ingrid pointed at the Euphrates river where she caught the fish and asked.
Their destination was Athens, a polis with a big port. They would be able to arrive on Athens if they moved through the river of Euphrates much faster than they would on ground.
"It has its danger but we will certainly be able to save time. The only problem is getting a ship……why? Do you have a ship?"
He had already heard after the battle in Delfos that moving while riding on the dragons was hard as it expended too much strength.
But the group was looking at Adenmaha with mixed emotions such as apologetically, expectation, etc.
Why?
Adenmaha let out a long sigh as she couldn't do anything about it.
"Can't do anything about it. I should be able to carry all of you although it will be a bit narrow."
Using the saga to make her transform into the frost dragon Javier spent too much of Tae Ho's strength but the transformation into a sea serpent was different. Adenmaha could remain as a sea serpent for a few days if she wished it.
"I'm sorry and I'm always grateful."
Tae Ho looked at Adenmaha with deep eyes. Adenmaha blushed at his sincere eyes and voice and didn't know what to do. She managed to snort but the corner of her lips was curled up.
'Kya, aren't you being seen as a guardian lover now? Sob sob, poor Adenmaha. She gives away things without holding back. How did she meet a bastard like you.'
Adenmaha put on a pretty smile and stroke Nidhogg's head that had fallen asleep in her thigh.
"Let's depart immediately. Master, I will leave Nidhogg to you."
They were going to move on a water body that they didn't have anywhere to hide so it would be better to move at night and rest in the morning.
Everyone took preparations to leave except for Patroclus who didn't know what was going on.
Tae Ho carried the sleeping Nidhogg on his back and after he transformed into a swan to lessen the burden on Adenmaha.
Adenmaha transformed into a sea serpent and threw herself into the river of Euphrates.
< Episode 51 - Clash (2) > End
TL note: Thanks for reading~