The Villain of Ancient Greece

Under the shade of the tree, Lorne gave a slight cough and signaled to his accomplice with a glance.

Medusa immediately understood. Using her small frame as cover, she quickly hid the stolen goods in her hands.

Teachable child!

Lorne nodded secretly, put his hand on Medusa’s smart head and stroked it for a while, then turned his head and showed a subtle smile to the opposite side,

”Just some casual teasing with my little sister, that’s all. A joke.”

”Every joke has a certain degree of seriousness.”

The silver-haired girl standing at the stall spoke lightly, her deep, penetrating gaze seeming to see through the soul beneath the flesh.

Under the scrutiny of the pair of purple eyes, Lorne raised his arms angrily, and posed a posture of surrender with a sad face.

”Looks like you plan to pursue this to the end? If I’m taken to the temple and punished for inappropriate speech, I have nothing to say. But my sister is innocent. She’s just a child who doesn’t understand anything!”

At that moment, as Lorne slightly turned his body, little Medusa, who had been pushed to the front, looked up with a confused face.

”Hmph, I just can’t stand people who twist right and wrong with sophistry and think too highly of their own cleverness.”

The silver-haired girl gave a light snort. The tension in her expression slowly faded.

Lorne caught the shift in her tone.

The corner of his lips lifted slightly.

The tactic of retreating to advance—success!

He immediately pulled little Medusa, who had taken the brunt of the heat, preparing to make a smooth getaway.

”Thank you for your guidance. I’ll definitely watch my words and actions better next time!”

He promised with conviction, while quietly retreating step by step.

Just now, even at a distance of dozens of meters, he deliberately lowered his voice and whispered to the little Medusa, but the silver-haired girl still heard the content of the conversation.

Clearly, she wasn’t just some random passerby.

On top of that, her exquisitely made embroidered silk dress with noble patterns, and the pampered-looking little maid behind her, there was no doubt that they held a high status in Knossos.

So there was point in stirring up unnecessary trouble over a bit of tongue-slipping.

”Wait…”

However, before Lorne could slip away smoothly, the silver-haired girl stepped forward on her own, eyes slightly narrowed.

”It seems your offense isn’t just a matter of inappropriate words, is it? Stealing offerings is a serious crime…”

Lorne’s body stiffened, and he turned his head awkwardly.

In the end, he still couldn’t downplay the situation.

As the atmosphere grew a little tense, little Medusa poked her head out from behind Lorne, lifted her chin, and voluntarily took the blame.

”I was hungry!”

Lorne, however, immediately pushed the restless little head back down, still keeping a warm smile on his face.

”Then, what do you intend to do? Hand us over to the temple for punishment?”

”That won’t be necessary…”

The silver-haired girl’s gaze swept over the little head behind Lorne that was trying to pop back out, her expression softening slightly. Then she turned her eyes meaningfully toward the other face and let out a cold hum.

”After all, that goddess is a ’merciful and generous’ deity—I’m not in any position to punish her faithful…”

”Uh, if there’s nothing else…”

”In such a hurry?”

The silver-haired girl once again stopped the guy who wanted to run away at some point, her very thin lips slightly raised, and a subtle smile appeared on her otherwise cold face.

”Aren’t you two hungry?”

Seeing the smile on her face, Lorne instinctively sensed danger.

Just as he was about to speak, the silver-haired girl spoke first.

”How about this: it just so happens to be the harvest festival right now. The stalls up ahead have some riddles prepared. If you can solve at least three of them, this meal is on me.”

”And just now…”

”I didn’t hear or see anything.”

The silver-haired girl spoke calmly, and the terms she offered were rather generous, however..

”Unfair!”

That unexpected response made her expression stiffen slightly.

Seeing this, Lorne shook his head and explained with a serious face.

”I mean, it doesn’t seem very fair to you.”

”What do you mean?”

”It was my inappropriate words and actions that offended the deity the Minoans worship. The fact that you’re willing to let it go is already rare kindness, how could we let you pay on top of that? These terms really aren’t reasonable.”

Lorne responded sincerely, then turned his head to glance at the stalls in the distance and smiled as he proposed,

”How about this: we both join the contest, and see who can solve more riddles. Whoever loses treats the other to the meal?”

”So, you’re challenging me to a contest?”

The silver-haired girl raised an eyebrow, a trace of amusement in her eyes.

Lorne smiled without confirming nor denying it.

”It’s a festival—taking part together, enjoying the moment together, that’s what makes it meaningful.”

”Fair point.”

The silver-haired girl glanced at the lively and festive crowd on the street, nodded slightly, nodded in agreement, then gestured with her hand.

”Then let’s go, foreigner.”

Lorne readily agreed, pulled Medusa aside, followed behind with a smile, but secretly rejoiced that he had successfully fooled through again.

In a game, there’s always winning and losing, reward and punishment—that’s obvious.

According to the silver-haired girl, if he won, he’d get a good meal and everyone would be happy.

But what if he lost?

Lorne’s instincts told him the price would be dangerous.

So, he wisely reframed the game’s stakes into something he could afford.

If he wins, it’s a meal. If he loses… still just a meal.

To trade a small cost for an unknown but risky outcome, that’s a bargain.

”We’re here. When do we start?”

The thoughtful hum by his ear pulled Lorne from his thoughts.

He looked up and followed the direction the silver-haired girl pointed. Two redwood tables came into view.

On one table stood a large, dark brown ceramic urn. Its mouth was only wide enough for a hand to reach in.

About a dozen discarded shards, each inscribed with a riddle, lay inside, waiting to be drawn.

The other table was covered with prizes like fruit preserves, snacks, and small clay dolls.

When they saw the array of treats and toys, the two little ones following behind both lit up with sparkling eyes at the same time.

Now that Lorne had successfully lowered the stakes, he was no longer anxious.

He smiled, nodded, and took the initiative to toss a few Athena copper coins into the basket on the table, then gestured with a ”please” motion.

The silver-haired girl didn’t refuse.

She reached in and pulled out one shard. The first riddle was revealed to all:

”When you have me, you want to share me. But once you share me, I no longer exist. What am I?”

”It’s a secret.”

Before anyone had time to ponder, a calm voice spoke.

The silver-haired girl, who had only glanced over the shard, casually tossed it back onto the table and explained with a smile:

”Because a secret is something that only one person knows. Once shared, it’s no longer a secret.”

”You’re absolutely right! Correct answer!”

The elderly stall owner burst into hearty laughter and picked up a small clay bird figurine from the other table, handing it over.

Behind the silver-haired girl, the blonde, blue-eyed little girl who had been eyeing the prize eagerly, received it with great satisfaction.

With her pale, slender fingers gently ruffling her little companion’s hair, the silver-haired girl turned and smiled at Lorne.

”Your turn.”

Tsk tsk, such unprovoked competitiveness.

Lorne muttered to himself, then reached casually into the jar for the second riddle.

”I am as strong as stone, but a single word can destroy me. What am I?”

He smiled, then calmly gave his answer.

”Silence.”

Silence was as hard and strong as a stone, but a single word can break it.

Likewise, as the shard was placed down, Medusa received the little butter cake she’d been dreaming of, and began munching away happily.

Not bad at all…

The silver-haired girl’s eyes lit up with intrigue as she pointed at the jar and spoke in a low voice.

”Together?”

Lorne nodded with a smile, and then the third and fourth riddles were drawn by the two of them in turn.

”I can bring tears to your eyes, resurrect the dead. I form in an instant, but last a lifetime. What am I?”

”I carry you away at night, bring you back by day. No one suffers from having me, but many suffer from lacking me. What am I?”

As the two riddles came into view, almost simultaneously, their eyes flashed and they both answered in unison—

”—Memory!”

”—Sleep!”

Their answers were perfectly accurate… but each had solved the riddle in the other’s hand.

Clearly, both had been planning to jump the gun and steal the other’s riddle, leaving them no way to respond.

The unexpected collision left both Lorne and the silver-haired girl momentarily stunned.

They looked at each other quietly, as a strange, awkward tension filled the air.

(End of Chapter)