บท 20: Chapter 21 (edited)
"How long has that child been gone?" Euryale sighed, holding her forehead in frustration.
Her younger sister, Medusa, had a habit of disappearing for days, always claiming she was just mingling with humans. Despite the implausibility of these excuses, Euryale had allowed herself to believe them until now.
"Hey there" Hermes appeared before them, as nonchalant as ever.
Euryale had no intention of engaging with this trickster, but Hermes mentioned a name that instantly caught her attention.
"I'm here to bring you some news about Cyd," Hermes said with a yawn. "Cyd has been on quite the adventure since he left your island years ago."
Euryale's expression turned cold. "It seems someone has been hiding information from me," she said sharply, her eyes narrowing as she glanced at the small figure trying to hide behind a tree.
"big sister…" Medusa's timid voice emerged from behind the tree, her head peeking out with an apologetic look.
"Quiet! How dare you deceive me, you foolish sister!" Euryale's voice was filled with anger.
"I'm sorry!" Medusa stammered, her face pale with fear.
"Anyway," Hermes shrugged, "Cyd has received immortality from the River Styx, learned martial arts and hunting from centaurs, and now he's aboard a ship full of Greek heroes heading to Colchis for the Golden Fleece."
"It sounds like he's becoming quite the hero," Euryale said, looking up at the sky as if searching for answers.
"Yes, and maybe one day he'll return to this island as a great hero," Hermes said with a smirk. "How will you face him then?"
Euryale ignored the question and turned her attention back to Medusa, who was trembling. "Medusa, I've decided on your punishment for deceiving me."
"Punishment? What do you mean?" Medusa asked, her voice trembling.
"Find Cyd," Euryale commanded, a black cloak materializing around Medusa's shoulders. "You are to find him and do whatever you must."
"But if I leave, what will become of you?" Medusa hesitated, clutching the cloak as if it were a lifeline.
"Do you dare defy me?" Euryale's gaze was chillingly stern.
"Sorry! I'll go now!" Medusa yelped, stumbling as she hurried away.
"Sending her to deal with a hero-in-training? Is that wise?" Hermes chuckled, watching Medusa nearly trip over a branch.
"This is none of your concern, god of mischief," Euryale said, her eyes closed as she tried to ignore his presence. "Don't assume everything will go your way."
"Cyd will become a hero," Hermes said with a smirk before vanishing.
On the ship, the heroes were celebrating boisterously.
"Cheers to today's victory!" Hercules exclaimed, throwing an arm around Cyd's shoulders and lifting a massive wine cask with his other hand.
Cyd tried to shrink away, holding his wine glass and sighing.
"Hey, this guy hasn't done anything! Why is he celebrating with us?" A slightly drunk hero pointed at Cyd with a sneer.
"I'm not partaking in your spoils," Cyd said, staring at the crackling bonfire. The heroes had driven off bandits only to become bandits themselves, looting villagers' wealth and women, but they justified their actions as if the villagers had willingly offered their treasures and their women.
"Exactly! Why should you get wealth and women when you did nothing?" The drunk hero swayed closer to Cyd. "I can't stand you! You're stealing our glory."
"I'm not interested in your glory," Cyd said with a frown.
"Think you can take a swing at me?" The drunk hero challenged, swaying as he stepped closer.
"Sit down," Hercules said firmly, setting his cask on the ground.
"Do as Hercules says," Jason said, stepping in to intervene. He placed a hand on the hero's shoulder, noting Hercules's darkening expression.
The hero grumbled and sat back down, muttering under his breath.
"I don't belong here," Cyd said, shrugging off Hercules's arm and standing up. "I need some air." He walked to the other side of the ship without looking back.
On the quiet side of the ship, the cool sea breeze was a welcome relief. Cyd found a rare moment of peace. On one side, the heroes were celebrating and boasting about their deeds, while on the other, there was only darkness, with Cyd's white hair shimmering in the moonlight.
"Is this what it means to be a hero?" he murmured to himself. Violence, greed, lust, arrogance…
"Unfortunately, yes, this is what they are," Atalanta said as she quietly joined him.
"I don't think I can become a hero if it means being like them," Cyd said, letting out a tired yawn. "But it's good to know that I'm not the only one who feels this way."
"Why didn't you kill any of the bandits?" Atalanta asked curiously.
"I thought there were more important things to do than just killing bandits. Besides…" Cyd glanced at the white jade bracelet on his wrist. "The others kill for glory, to show off their strength it wasn't for the villagers it was for themselves."
"That's how they show off their accomplishments," Atalanta said, clenching her fists. She had also killed bandits with her bow, but not for glory—merely for survival.
"I'm not interested in showing off my strength," Cyd said softly, closing his eyes to enjoy the breeze.
"I heard you spent your time tending to the villagers' wounds?" Atalanta asked, exhaling a breath into the cool night air. "In this world, where only the strongest survive, your actions might seem pointless."
When the bandits had been nearly defeated, the heroes began cutting off their ears as trophies. Atalanta had returned to the village, where she saw Cyd being genuinely thanked by the middle-aged villagers—a stark contrast to the perfunctory gratitude given to Jason.
"I just saved a few children," Cyd said with a shrug.
"I must admit, in this case, you did the right thing," Atalanta said, a hint of admiration in her voice.
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