Anagin Chronicles

Chapter 148. The Oracle (2)

Apricot ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Basket.

It had been a brief encounter, but Anagin remembered her clearly.

Aside from his naturally good memory, their first meeting had been quite memorable—though not in a good way.

It was the first day, when he had been guided by the bear-like member of the Pebble Traveling Troupe.

Apricot Basket had deliberately approached Anagin while he was touring the Aphrodite Temple and pretended to stumble.

Then she blinked her eyes pitifully and gave a sickeningly fake apology to provoke sympathy.

It was obvious what she was doing.

The suggestive atmosphere of the Aphrodite Temple, the conveniently timed collision, and a few women secretly watching from the side.

They had made a bet on whether they could seduce Anagin and the bear-like guy using her looks!

Anagin recognized it because kids back in his hometown used to pull similar pranks.

Of course, Anagin had immediately thrown them into the river as a lesson so they’d never do it again (and when their parents complained, he dunked them too).

Anyway, that was why Anagin immediately recognized Apricot Basket.

“Hm....... Could it be that you saw my true form from the very beginning?”

“Did this kid inhale too much smoke or something? What nonsense are you talking about?”

Genuinely concerned, Anagin asked the priest.

When people inhaled too much smoke, their heads tended to go funny—maybe that was what was happening here. There had been a lot of smoke earlier.

“Show respect to the Oracle!”

The old priest shouted, springing to his feet. Despite his appearance, his knees seemed perfectly fine.

At that moment, the Oracle raised her hand to stop him.

“It’s fine. Please don’t worry about it.”

“But, Oracle—”

“Since Priest Nakshio said it was acceptable, we cannot fault him for not kneeling. We should also tolerate his manner of speech to some extent.”

The priest flinched at her words and bowed his head.

It was as if he was shocked she knew, like she had seen through something.

Watching this, Anagin quickly realized what had happened.

The priest had allowed Anagin not to kneel without permission from the Oracle. It didn’t seem like something they had discussed beforehand.

The priest had acted on baseless confidence.

The key point was that the Oracle knew this, despite not being informed in advance.

It seemed she wasn’t called the Oracle for nothing.

Which only made it more puzzling—why someone with such ability would go down the mountain and pull such a ridiculous prank.

“Phew.......”

Perhaps because he had witnessed something intriguing, Anagin exhaled the irritation that had been building and regained his composure.

Then, in his own way, he offered a polite greeting.

“I apologize. This is my first time in a place like this, so I was flustered and made a mistake.”

“Haha... that’s understandable. I’m not bothered, so please don’t worry. Everyone, you may rise.”

The Oracle accepted Anagin’s apology—not as the childish prankster from before, but with a composed and dignified presence.

She also told everyone who had been kneeling on one knee to stand.

One by one, they rose—including Sphinx.

Anagin looked closely at Sphinx.

It was one thing for the members of the New Argonaut Expedition Trio or Orpheus to kneel, but he hadn’t expected Sphinx to do so as well.

After all, she hadn’t come here for blessings but for academic reasons. There had been no reason for her to kneel.

‘But she did.’

Anagin studied her, sensing something off.

Her pupils were trembling, as if she had just barely snapped out of being entranced; it was clear evidence of agitation.

Was it something in the smoke they inhaled earlier? Just as that thought crossed his mind, the Oracle spoke.

“Could you hand over the coins you brought?”

Without hesitation, Anagin pulled out the pouch containing the Coins of Greed from Pairon at his waist.

He had brought it to hand over anyway, so he didn’t feel particularly reluctant.

It was a strange item that granted blessings just by possessing it, but since it was made from human sacrifices, he felt no desire for it.

Just as the priest took the pouch to pass it along—

“Wait. Please bring it to me yourself.”

The Oracle stopped him and pointed at Anagin.

She wanted Anagin to deliver it personally.

Anagin frowned and looked at the priest, as if asking if he had heard correctly.

The priest was equally surprised but soon nodded, accepting it.

Anagin glanced at his companions. Judging by their reactions, this seemed to be an unusual situation.

‘Why do I have a bad feeling about this?’

Still, he couldn’t exactly refuse, so he complied.

He had, after all, promised to maintain proper etiquette.

Step. Step. Step.

Holding the pouch, Anagin walked forward and handed it to the Oracle.

She took it.

But her eyes remained fixed on him.

The same kind of gaze she had used when she played that prank on him down the mountain.

After handing it over, Anagin returned to his place.

The Oracle didn’t open the pouch. She simply held it and closed her eyes.

As if she were checking its contents through some special power.

Anagin thought it would be easier to just open it and look, but he didn’t say anything. That would be too inelegant.

After a moment, the Oracle opened her eyes.

Then she spoke.

“I thank you all. For bringing this cursed object, capable of drowning Hellas in blood, without harboring any greed.......”

Her tone was different from before.

The way people looked at her changed as well, as if they now recognized her as the real thing.

“In return for your devotion, I shall grant you one question each. Speak in turn.”

The Temple of Delphi, which effectively governed blessings among practitioners.

A place where even kings sought guidance, as the Oracle could foresee the future.

At her words, everyone’s eyes changed.

As if they had found gold—though different in nature, the same kind of greed flickered within them.

They glanced at one another, weighing their chances.

Then, after a brief moment, Tramachus spoke first.

“O great Oracle of the Temple of Delphi....... May I ask the reason for your seclusion?”

It was a practical question, true to Tramachus, who focused on immediate concerns and goals.

Though never officially confirmed, it had already become accepted in the Festival Village that the Oracle’s seclusion was due to a foreseen ill omen.

Naturally, countless speculations had circulated.

With so many people waiting to meet her, it was inevitable.

Everyone was curious, and Tramachus was no exception.

The Oracle slowly closed her eyes, then opened them again.

“Tramachus, who burns his will for the sake of his goal, I have seen an ominous dream.”

Tramachus perked up his ears.

“A man with the head of a donkey and cold hands finally found a wingless eagle at the end of the world. He is now trying to return.”

‘A donkey?’

At the Oracle’s words, Anagin found it oddly coincidental.

The image engraved on the back of the Coins of Greed was a donkey.

Could that donkey-headed man be the one who created the Coins of Greed?

The timing was too strange to dismiss as a mere coincidence. The coins, which hadn’t appeared for over a decade, had resurfaced at just this moment.

‘Then what are “cold hands”? Some kind of constitution? And what’s a wingless eagle?’

It seemed Anagin wasn’t the only one curious, as Tramachus asked an additional question.

“What is the wingless eagle?”

But the moment he spoke, regret crossed Tramachus’s face.

He realized he had made a foolish mistake.

The Oracle closed her eyes and slowly shook her head, and Tramachus quickly apologized, asking forgiveness for his rudeness.

Accepting the apology, the Oracle called the next person.

“I am Thyreos of Reinforcement, a disciple of the Great Master Chiron and a member of the New Argonaut Expedition Team. Oracle of the Temple of Delphi… is there anything we must do to oppose the ominous dream you spoke of?”

Perhaps because of the setting, the usually taciturn Thyreos introduced himself at length—though it felt more like formality than embellishment.

As if to prove that, his question was short and clear, fitting for someone aspiring to be a hero.

He wanted to know whether they had a role in the ominous future the Oracle feared—and if so, what it was, so they could help.

Because that is what heroes do.

“Thyreos, armored in pride and honor, firm as iron, in my dream I saw fire and steel standing at a crossroads, and eyes that see far beyond.”

At the Oracle’s words, Thyreos and the rest of the New Argo trio were visibly shaken, though they tried not to show it.

Fire, steel, and eyes that see far beyond—it could only be them.

Thyreos nearly asked, “What is the crossroads?” but barely held himself back.

Thanks to witnessing Tramachus’s earlier mistake, he endured with sheer will and stepped back.

Next was Lynceus.

“I, too, saw the future in the Kingdom of Arcadia. It wasn’t clear, but it was a future where an immense danger approached. Like a foreshock before an earthquake.”

The Oracle listened in silence.

It might have been imagination, but she somehow seemed sad.

“At first, I believed that danger to be Hippomenes. But now I think differently. Hippomenes was merely a foreshock before the true danger. The real danger has not yet come. Am I correct?”

It wasn’t a particularly practical question—just yes or no.

But that only made Lynceus’s question feel more desperate.

Like someone unable to endure an unbearable itch and finally scratching it.

The Oracle nodded.

“Lynceus, who sees farther than others and suffers for it, your thoughts are correct. The one who serves the pig god is merely a herald of the beginning. The true danger has not yet begun.”

Lynceus looked like he wanted to ask what that danger was, but he didn’t.

From what Anagin had observed, the Oracle’s answers weren’t very satisfying.

Even when asked questions, she didn’t give clear answers—only raised more questions.

It was like seawater.

He had never seen it himself, but he had heard of it.

A cursed kind of water—so salty that drinking it only makes your thirst worse.

That was exactly what these exchanges with the Oracle felt like.

Perhaps because of that, even Sphinx hesitated to ask a question and eventually yielded the opportunity to Anagin.

Anagin naturally passed the turn to Orpheus.

“Want to go first?”

“Can’t think of a question?”

“I can, I’m just deciding whether I should ask it.”

A meaningful remark.

Orpheus nodded as if he understood.

“Then, great Oracle of the Temple of Delphi, Orpheus of the Argonaut Expedition Team humbly asks a question.”

The Oracle nodded, signaling him to proceed.

“I received a revelation and came to the Temple of Delphi. A revelation that would allow me, who has been blocked by a wall and can no longer accumulate merit, to take one more step forward. And I believe in that revelation.”

Orpheus did not ask whether the revelation was true.

He had already accepted it as fact.

Then was he going to ask for its meaning, or how to advance further?

As Anagin wondered, Orpheus spoke again.

“Is the means for me to accumulate merit present here right now?”

Not elsewhere, but here in the Temple of Delphi—right now.

At his question, not only the New Argonaut Expedition Team but even Sphinx looked surprised.

It was only natural.

Orpheus was already an 8-star practitioner. Considering that 9 stars was effectively the limit for a human, it meant he was nearing the end.

It was impossible not to be astonished.

Usually gentle, Orpheus now had an intense gaze.

After a moment, the Oracle answered.

“Orpheus, who dreams a great dream, your thoughts are correct. For you, who have tirelessly pursued a steadfast goal, the gods have arranged here an opportunity for your achievement. However, it is not yet certain. The gods have not yet granted permission.”

Unlike her previous answers, this one was oddly specific.

The New Argonaut Expedition Team was even more astonished.

They might soon witness someone reaching 9 stars.

Orpheus, seemingly satisfied, expressed his gratitude and stepped back.

Now it was Anagin’s turn.

Sphinx still hesitated to ask.

“Ask your question.”

When Anagin remained silent, the priest urged him on.

Ever since he refused to kneel, the priest clearly didn’t like him.

Not that it mattered—they weren’t likely to meet again.

So Anagin ignored it.

Instead, he decided to ask the question he had been debating.

He had hesitated before, but seeing that attitude, he figured there was no need to hold back.

“Oracle of the Temple of Delphi.”

“Speak.”

“Are you doing this because you want to?”