Anagin Chronicles

Chapter 202. Greeting (2)

After ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍saying goodbye to the subordinate woman...

No, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍to Eulimene.

Anagin ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍boarded the small boat and left the abandoned island without hesitation.

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍didn’t really feel any regret.

Originally, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he had planned to leave much sooner.

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had only stayed longer because of the injuries he suffered fighting Aesop.

Of course, that extra time hadn’t been wasted.

He had learned far more than he expected.

The problem was that he had learned too much.

The illegitimate children of the gods, lesser gods, and countless other details.

There was no end to them.

So Anagin decided to focus on the two matters weighing on his mind the most.

The first was the plague.

The nameless plague that was supposedly created by the Great Twelve Gods to eradicate unbelievers.

To be honest, it was little more than hearsay.

But because the one who said it was a god, he couldn’t simply dismiss it.

Even his own instincts were telling him it wasn’t complete nonsense.

Still, there were parts of the story that didn’t quite add up.

The second matter was Aesop.

More specifically, the conversation he’d had with him.

Perhaps because he was the leader of those who worshipped pigs and fish, the things that came out of his mouth completely defied common sense.

A hidden Age of Humans between the Age of Giants and the Age of Gods and Humans.

The Emperor’s Fragment, a power capable of defying the natural order.

Even after all this time, it still didn’t feel real.

No.

To put it more bluntly...

It sounded like the ravings of a complete lunatic.

As though worshipping beasts had rotted his brain.

Yet Anagin couldn’t simply ignore those words.

Whatever the truth was, Aesop had presented a concrete method for becoming a god.

’To become a god, you have to defeat a god. And to defeat a god, you need the Emperor’s Fragment...’

The method was difficult and raised countless questions.

But it was incredibly specific.

And strangely convincing.

If the Emperor’s power truly defied the natural order, then it would also explain the impossible things Anagin himself had accomplished.

Like stealing Longbald, the club forged by Periphetes that everyone insisted could never be taken from him.

’...Wait. That’s strange. I stole Longbald before I ever obtained the Emperor’s Fragment.’

Anagin compared the moment the light from the shattered bronze shield statue and the monument had entered his body with the time he had beaten Periphetes to death.

Sure enough.

He had taken Longbald before obtaining the Emperor’s Fragment.

”Ah, damn it. I don’t know.”

Holding his aching head, Anagin muttered to himself.

From the back of the boat, Sphinx asked,

”What’s wrong, Brother?”

Her voice was filled with concern.

After all, Anagin himself was controlling the boat.

Using the blessing Eulimene had bestowed upon him, he was manipulating the seawater.

If something happened to him, even for a moment, the boat could capsize.

Anagin gave a vague answer.

Explaining all the things giving him a headache would be far too troublesome.

”It’s nothing. I’m just a little sad.”

”What are you sad about?”

”The fact that I finally got the airship I’d always dreamed of... and still have to go home on this lousy little boat because I can’t use it.”

”...Bullshit.”

Apparently too dumbfounded to believe what she’d just heard, Sphinx let out a curse she normally never would have used.

Was it just his imagination, or was her mouth becoming fouler by the day?

Some evil mastermind had to be behind it.

Anagin protested indignantly.

”I’m serious.”

”I know. That’s why I cursed.”

Apparently, that didn’t work.

”They say the guilty are always the loudest. You really don’t get it.”

”...What kind of nonsense is that supposed to mean now?”

”Think about it. The only reason I can’t use the airship right now is because nobody knows how to operate it.”

Anagin patiently explained things for the foolish Sphinx.

Sphinx narrowed her eyes as if to say, Go on then. Let’s hear this.

”So?”

”Which means it’s you guys’ fault. If either of you knew how to fly an airship, we wouldn’t be riding this pathetic little boat.”

Anagin pointed at Sphinx...

Then at Horse-head sitting beside her.

Incidentally, Horse-head was here because Anagin had finally given in to Eulimene’s repeated requests and accepted him as a familiar.

Now Anagin’s newest familiar, Horse-head, offered his thoughts.

”What a hellhole. This is exactly why I didn’t want to come.”

”I feel exactly the same. In that sense, we really do get along well.”

Anagin said it as though he were comforting Horse-head...

That was a lie.

He had only said it to annoy him.

Fortunately, Horse-head seemed to understand.

”Ah... Princess!”

Still in the form of a tiny horse, Horse-head buried his face and cried out for Eulimene, the one who had sent him here.

Seeing him like that wasn’t exactly pleasant.

Anagin was already beginning to regret accepting him.

’Maybe I really should’ve refused.’

He recalled Eulimene trying to hand Horse-head over to him.

At first, he had assumed it was only a casual suggestion.

But she had sincerely asked him again and again until he finally accepted.

As repayment for all the information she had given him.

Thinking back on that moment, Anagin decided to become serious for once.

As though he were conducting business.

”Hey, Horse-head.”

”...My name is Hippocampus.”

”You’re my familiar now, so you’re Horse-head. I don’t care what you call yourself, but I’ll call you Horse-head. Got it? Horse-head.”

Horse-head glared at Anagin for a moment.

But after seeing how serious he was, he remained silent.

Close enough to silent agreement.

Satisfied, Anagin finally got to the point.

”Just endure it for a few years. After that, I’ll let you go. Eulimene said I could keep you for a few years, and if it didn’t work out, I could release you.”

”...Really?”

”Yeah... Oh right, since we’re on the subject. Why did Eulimene dump you on me anyway? You two got along just fine.”

Only now did Anagin voice the question that had been lingering in his mind.

Why had Eulimene entrusted the one who had faithfully served her to him?

Instead of answering, Horse-head asked a question of his own.

”...Why didn’t you ask the Princess instead of asking me?”

”My head hurt back then. It still does. Besides, I didn’t hear any gears turning.”

Whenever Anagin stood before someone trying to manipulate him for their own benefit...

He always heard the sound of gears turning in his ears.

Click.

Click.

Eulimene had offered to simply hand Horse-head over to him.

An offer that sounded suspicious on the surface.

Yet he hadn’t heard those gears.

So he hadn’t asked.

”It also felt like she really didn’t want me to ask.”

”The Princess?”

”Yeah.”

Horse-head looked depressed again.

At this rate, even Anagin was starting to feel depressed.

At that moment, Sphinx tactfully changed the subject.

”By the way... those people never showed up in the end, did they?”

”Who?”

”The Magno mages.”

”Ah.”

”We agreed to meet on the abandoned island, didn’t we?”

”Not exactly agreed. More like... we hoped it would happen.”

Anagin and the Magno mages had split into two groups and infiltrated the abandoned island separately.

They figured it would increase their chances of getting in.

As a result, Anagin had succeeded.

”Looks like they failed.”

”I hope they’re alright.”

”Who knows? We’ll find out once we reach Nereid Fishing Village.”

If they had failed to infiltrate the island, then only two possibilities remained.

Either they barely escaped with their lives...

Or they had become fish food at the bottom of the sea.

The latter seemed more likely.

But the only way to know for sure was to check Nereid Fishing Village.

If the infiltration failed, they had agreed to wait there.

If they were alive, that was where they’d be.

”What are you planning to do about that village?”

Horse-head, who had finally regained his spirits, asked.

Truly, anger and hatred were excellent sources of motivation.

”Who knows?”

Anagin shrugged.

He genuinely hadn’t decided.

One thing was certain.

Everyone around Nereid Fishing Village, including the villagers themselves, were vermin who offered humans as sacrifices to worship fish.

The kind of people Anagin personally despised.

Naturally, he had no positive feelings toward them.

Even so...

Killing every last one of them was another matter entirely.

If he had to compare them to something, they were like cockroaches.

If he saw one, he’d stomp it.

But he wasn’t about to go searching for every cockroach hiding out of sight.

That would only be filthy and unpleasant.

Horse-head, however, seemed to feel differently.

”So... does that mean you don’t mind if I kill them?”

After all, Horse-head was an elemental whose duty was to protect Eulimene and the mermaids.

To him, Nereid Fishing Village was nothing more than a nest of ungrateful traitors who had lured those he was meant to protect into a trap.

That alone was reason enough to kill them, even if it meant going through the trouble.

”Well—”

”I’m against it.”

Before Anagin could answer, Sphinx cut in.

”I wasn’t asking you.”

Horse-head spoke casually to Anagin, yet remained polite when addressing Sphinx.

Perhaps because she was close to the Princess.

”Whether you asked me or not, I’m against it. No matter what, we’re both Brothers’ familiars now. We can’t just act on our own like that.”

Horse-head looked thoroughly dissatisfied.

But he couldn’t openly object.

Still, if this kept up, it felt like they would eventually clash.

Anagin stepped in.

”Both of you, shut up. I’ll decide once we get there.”

”Once we get there?”

”Yeah. Depends on how I’m feeling. That’s probably what Eulimene would want too.”

He brought out the magic words guaranteed to work on Horse-head.

Just as expected, Horse-head reacted.

”Really?”

”Really. I asked her before we left. I asked if she wanted revenge.”

”...What did she say?”

”She said there was no need. She didn’t even want to think about people like them.”

A very Eulimene-like answer.

Horse-head couldn’t complain.

”So I told her I’d decide for myself. And she said to do whatever I wanted. So I’ll make the decision when we get there. Whether I burn the whole village down or not. Understand?”

Horse-head merely gave a small nod.

Sphinx didn’t object either.

It hadn’t exactly been a productive conversation.

But it wasn’t a bad one.

At the very least, it helped clear Anagin’s cluttered mind.

Just then, Nereid Fishing Village finally came into view.

It was burning.

A mysterious armed group had attacked it.

”...Looks like I won’t have to worry about whether to destroy it or not.”

* * *

“......”

Eulimene—a daughter of Poseidon who, together with her sisters, governed the sea—gazed silently in the direction where Anagin, Sphinx, and Hippocampus had departed.

Naturally, they were already gone.

The once-noisy surroundings had become quiet for the first time in a very long while.

Eulimene welcomed the silence.

Ever since her younger sisters had been captured by the Barbaroi Cult, she had never had the chance to enjoy peace like this.

Her thoughts drifted back to those days.

To the moment when the Barbaroi Cult kidnapped her sisters… And stole her power.

For some reason, they had spared her.

Instead of imprisoning her alongside her sisters, they ordered her to bring them humans to use as sacrifices.

Eulimene never learned why.

Regardless, she had resolved to make use of that opportunity. She sought out practitioners, hoping they would defeat those evil beings and rescue her sisters.

However, that plan had fallen apart from the very beginning.

Most practitioners fled the moment they heard the name Barbaroi Cult, making excuses before leaving.

Even the few she managed to bring back tried to run away after witnessing the Cult’s power.

In the end, driven into a corner, Eulimene had no choice but to reveal her true identity and promise them her blessing.

It had been an agonizing moment.

For a god to reveal her identity and beg humans for help… There was no greater humiliation.

But that too had been a mistake.

Half dismissed her as a lunatic.

The other half tried to exploit her.

Some wanted to make her their own. Others wanted to experiment on her… Or even turn her into medicine.

Perhaps the gods had been watching over her, because she always managed to avoid the very worst...

Though looking back on it now, the irony wasn’t lost on her.

Even after losing her power, she was still a god.

Yet she thought, ‘The gods protected me.’

It sounded like a joke that wasn’t funny.

In any case, after everything she had experienced, Eulimene realized how foolish and naïve she had been.

She had believed she understood humans because she had spent so long dealing with them—humans who did nothing but ask for things and complain.

But humans were even worse than she’d imagined.

Cowardly.

Hopelessly greedy.

Even practitioners, who devoted themselves to accumulating merit, were no exception.

She had believed they might be different.

Instead...

They were even worse.

They refused to act unless there was something in it for them.

They simply dressed it up more nicely.

At their core, they were no different.

That was when Eulimene truly began kidnapping people.

Without caring what the Barbaroi Cult’s intentions were, she surrendered herself to her anger and brought practitioners and mages to them.

At least while she was doing that… Her anger subsided.

And she was allowed to see her younger sisters.

The sisters who, like herself, had been born from their father’s hand...

Who had managed the sea alongside her...

Who had relied on one another.

Now...

Eulimene felt she could finally admit the truth.

She hadn’t tried to save her sisters simply because they were her sisters.

She had done it for herself.

Because without them...

She could never have endured the eternal duty of managing the sea alone.

In that sense...

She could almost understand her sisters who had been captured by the Barbaroi Cult.

She understood why they had started associating with humans and ended up being captured.

The vast, unforgiving sea...

It wasn’t something they could endure alone.

”Big sister...”

As Eulimene remained lost in thought, several mermaids appeared before her.

They were her younger sisters.

Like Eulimene, they had been born from their father’s hand and shared the duty of governing the sea.

She had seen them only yesterday.

Yet somehow...

It felt as though it had been ages.

Though there was nothing strange about that.

Even before they were captured by the Barbaroi Cult, they had spent most of their time apart in order to oversee the endless sea.

Smiling gently, Eulimene welcomed them.

”Have they left?”

”Yes. They’ve gone.”

”Are you alright?”

Another of her sisters asked.

She sounded worried.

No... Terrified.

”S-Shouldn’t we go after them and take it back? Your blessing...”

”That’s right! If we explain everything, he’ll understand and return it! Take it back first, then bestow your blessing on him again! If he refuses, we’ll help you seize it!”

Her sisters desperately tried to persuade her.

To retrieve the blessing she had offered to Anagin.

The blessing itself wasn’t the problem.

The act of offering it was.

How could it not be?

A god offering a blessing to a human...

Such a thing should never happen.

It was an act that violated the natural order.

That was why her sisters were so anxious.

They didn’t know what would happen.

But instinctively...

They knew.

This wasn’t right.

Yet Eulimene gave the same answer she had from the very beginning.

”I won’t.”

”...............Why?”

Her sisters’ tone changed.

So did the atmosphere.

At the same time...

Eulimene’s body froze.

Not figuratively.

Her body literally refused to move.

The only thing she could manage was a slight turn of her head.

”...Father?”

Looking at her sisters, whose eyes were now glowing with light, Eulimene quietly asked.

Their bodies still belonged to her sisters.

But at this moment...

The one inside them was their father.

”Hah.”

Without realizing it, Eulimene laughed.

When her sisters had been kidnapped...

When she had begged for help...

Her father had never appeared.

Yet now, simply because she had offered a blessing, he had come so easily.

She found it strangely amusing.

She hadn’t expected this situation at all.

Yet somehow...

It didn’t surprise her in the slightest.

”...You do not answer.”

”......”

”I asked why you offered your blessing to a human… And why you refuse to retrieve it.”

There were so many things she wanted to ask.

So many grievances she wanted to voice.

Yet strangely enough… She felt none of it.

Because her father had always been like this.

The moment he created Eulimene and her sisters. He assigned them their roles and left. That was the kind of father he was.

So Eulimene answered calmly.

”It couldn’t be helped if I wanted to save my sisters, Father.”

”............Then retrieve it now.”

Rather than respond to her explanation...

Her father simply returned to the subject of the blessing.

That made Eulimene feel sad… Yet somehow relieved at the same time.

”I cannot, Father.”

”...Why?”

”Because... because that practitioner tried harder than I did to save my sisters.”

Eulimene recalled the moment she had decided to offer Anagin her blessing.

The situation had grown so dire that even she had suggested retreating for the time being.

But he refused.

As though they were his own sisters.

He had tried harder than she, their actual elder sister, to save them.

He had risked his life.

Without asking for anything in return.

”...Do you defy your father’s words?”

Eulimene’s body stiffened even further.

Her breathing became labored.

It felt as though invisible hands were tightening around her throat.

”Haa...”

Clutching the Freedom’s Thread tightly in her hand—the magical tool Anagin had left behind—Eulimene asked a question.

Gripping it gave her courage.

And so...

She finally asked what she had wanted to ask for so many years.

The question she had never dared to voice.

”Father… Do you truly think of me… of us… as your daughters?”

”....................”

Her father did not answer.

Instead...

A small flash of light flickered.

Tap.

The Freedom’s Thread, which Eulimene had been clutching so tightly...

Slipped from her hand.

And fell quietly onto the ground.

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