I Became a Slave to a Mythical Shepherd

Episode 20. prelude (1)

[The servant of Hermes sniffed.]

“If you dare to ask what that means…”

[The fate of a mortal is not something that even a god can say casually. However, it is my servant.]

“Yes, I am listening. You are great.”

[Remember. And engrave my words in your heart.]

Hephaestus gestured as he left those words.

Then the flames of the brazier hooked and faded. The temple goes dark for a while, but when the priests turn on the lights again, a twilight light pours over the marble floor.

Looking around, Hephaestus was nowhere to be seen.

Skeleos sighed.

Too many hints, and vague warnings. It was originally an oracle, but Skleos could not understand anything about Hamyeong this time.

A servant of Hermes? Did you smell it?

Still, at least Hephaestus’ orders were simple. Like that notorious Delphi oracle, there was nothing to destroy without knowing the meaning of the words.

Skleos threw a copper rod into a box prepared in a corner of the temple. A colleague who was a blacksmith/priest smiled behind him with a chink.

“Are you having a good day today? What is the donation situation?”

“Yeah, it always is. Why does Master Skleos seem to have a lot of troubles?”

“No. what···.”

Skleos shook his head to shake his head away from the image of the god that was still flickering as an afterimage. Then the image of the god in front of me was clearly visible.

For some reason, the face above that wriggling muscular body looks sad.

“It looks like there will be more of them in the future.”

Tomorrow is the day the boy comes. I wish I could talk right away.

Looking out the narrow window of the temple, it was already dark. Even though it was a summer night, the chilly air seeped into his bones.

***

everyday again.

This colonial city where I live nearby is not that thrilling space.

In a larger city, fierce conflicts and power struggles between nobles and upper-class freemen lead to gossip every day, and thrilling events would soothe the boredom of the citizens, but this is just one of many colonial cities.

After all, Cassius and his brothers were also the latest gossip from the capital, and all sorts of stories had been going on for a long time around their cruel family and the sudden appearance of Cassius’ heir.

Rumors about their relationship, hobbies, and even s*xual orientation subsided after all possible topics had been circulated.

After that, people met and talked about the weather again, like in the old days, like a moderately boring small town.

And shouldn’t the process of learning blacksmithing be so full of suspense and action? I also returned to the monotonous routine of going back and forth between home and smithy.

The route has not changed except for the occasional time when Anoitos invites me to repair various equipment.

After living like that for a few years, he wondered if he would transfer to a useful blacksmith and shepherd, and at least let Hephaestus ascend to heaven because he was strong. however···

“Anyways, move to the blacksmith’s shop?”

“okay. Move the hammer a little further to the right and hit it.”

-Kang!

“It was wrong. Left this time.”

“That’s not it… doesn’t that just mean blacksmithing? Even now, it is burdensome for slaves to come and go like this, so why not live in the city?”

“Whoever your master is is fine. If there’s a problem, I’ll buy you. Even your parents.”

“No… that’s…”

It’s sudden.

However, Skleos’ attitude is unmatched serious. It is not an impulsive decision.

Instead of looking for a polite way to say no, I replied.

“Is that Hephaestus-sama’s will?”

“…Yes, uhm, you say you want me to devote more time to training.”

Skleos cleared his throat as if answering reluctantly.

“But I am a shepherd. You can’t just leave for no reason. My parents will be against it too.”

“Okay.”

Skeleos said.

“Because it is God’s will. The priests and blacksmiths will take care of the child who lives next to the temple of Hephaestus.”

When I just cut it off, I had nothing to answer.

It’s God’s will. How can a human disobey?

When I came home from work saying I would tell my parents, my parents were literally upset.

“Leaving the village…?”

“I’m not leaving, but Hephaestus ordered me to stay in the forge for a while. Uncle Skleos provides all lodging and meals…”

“Isn’t that a problem? If you leave…”

Mother and father muttered something serious to each other.

“What’s going on?”

“…”

“…”

In the meantime, Theo hyung came in as always.

My parents made me leave the house.

The three of them said they had something to talk about.

These days, this happened often. To be exact, ever since I started going to and from the forge.

The situation was all sorted out after the three of them were chatting without me.

My parents make uncomfortable faces, and Theo hyung smiles at me like always, knowingly.

“Let’s go to Skleos’ forge. Instead, I decided to go with you. As a guardian to the end.”

like now.

I looked up at Theo without a word.

What is that person’s true identity? Why are my parents stuck with Theo? How can one person kill dozens of people?

Why is someone like that with me?

“Are you going to go together?”

Theo said that and held out his hand.

I nodded quietly and took her hand.

There was no other way.

I know something is going wrong. I felt like I didn’t know where I went wrong.

***

“Don’t stray far from this city.”

“yes.”

“Theo? You go with $##$ and watch over it. I’ve been doing that all along.”

“of course. Mr. Skleos.”

I renovated part of the storage room of the blacksmith next to the temple and made it my accommodation, and Theo stayed in the next room.

Now, instead of staying in the gloomy forge in the woods, he could stay in the city and watch Uncle Skleos receive guests and lead his fellow blacksmiths to tinker with various jewels.

Of course, I had to see that kind of look before, but it wasn’t the proud things like now, but the poison was put in the jewelry of the ring… It was quite a different feeling to see such a bright business in broad daylight.

Just because you came to the city, you shouldn’t reveal your identity, so if possible, take blacksmith classes early in the morning or late at night, and during the day, just do chores as ‘Scleos’s favorite attendant and slave’.

I cleaned here and there, entertained guests, and since I learned how to read from Mr. Skleos, I tinkered with ledgers.

It was said that it was a new routine, but it was surprisingly monotonous, so I was quick to adapt.

– Knock. Knock.

“Polemon?”

“I’m a slave too, so don’t take him out, child. Anoitus is calling.”

The few variables that break the monotony are Anoitos’ invitation.

Anoitus treated me kindly enough to be too kind for a mediocre slave. He showed us the horns of strange beasts he had collected, the little-known armors and weapons of heroes, and trivial clothes and accessories.

– “What is this necklace?”

– “Oh, that one? It’s nothing special, it’s just an earring that Andromeda wore for a while. It’s not a big deal, so I hung it there.”

-“This, this…”

-“ah! Do you recognize It’s a Cyclops skull!”

-“uh···.”

At that time, modern scholars analyzed the bones of the Cyclops in the ancient temple and did not bother to tell me that they were elephant bones.

Well, there’s no guarantee that there won’t be cheaters just because it’s really a mythical world. I got hit once too.

Theo usually watched the surroundings with a smile on his face, but when he went near the mansion of Anoitus, he let go of his guard to some extent, since he couldn’t go around the house of a powerful family. It was comfortable for me.

It was like that today too.

As always, Polemon came to pick me up, and my brother Theo and I left our cleaning jobs and walked toward Anoitus’ mansion.

Due to the nature of the ancient city, which was prone to war, the upper-class residential district centered around the temple was located on the top of the hill for defense.

“Huh… Heh Eok… Are you almost there?”

“Yes, you can see the gate over there.”

I, a nine-year-old, panted from exhaustion, but Theo did, and the old Polemon climbed the hill without any sign of breathlessness or exhaustion.

When I lifted my eyes, which had been looking at the ground all this time, I saw the gate of the mansion of Anoitus, just like Polemon said.

Standing in front of the gate, the door opened soon, but there were already other guests inside.

To be precise, the servants were seeing off as the other guests prepared to leave.

However, the appearance of the guest… is very strange.

He wore a shabby mantle unbefitting a person visiting a mansion, and pulled his hat down deeply to cover his face.

And the servants always bow their heads to the person in such an outfit and show an extreme example.

“Who is that?”

“…Ah, a merchant who brings you various items that Anoitos-nim collects. You seem to be going back and forth during the day differently than usual today.”

“Hmmm…”

Hagisa, it’s impossible for Anoitos to get all those antiques on his own.

Around the merchant’s handcart, the other men who did not know whether it was the escort or not, like the merchant, wore their cloaks tightly.

Where did I see something like that…

The merchant lowers his hat to respond to the servants’ greetings. Looking at the messy hair and messy beard here and there, it seems that he looked less shabby when he was wearing a mantle.

And down the neck…

“…That wound.”

“Why?”

“No, could you please wait a minute? Theo brother?”

“what’s the matter?”

Silently I raised my finger and pointed at the merchant.

“That person, right?”

“uh, ah! Were you hit with that arrow?”

Painful memories come flooding back. I almost went to the goal because that person sold me second-hand goods.

It would have been safer if I hadn’t believed in the strange arrow at that time and had just jumped out of it. If Theo hadn’t come to the rescue like a ghost, he would have gone to the three provinces, no, Styx.

The merchant soon responds to the servants’ greetings, turns his head, and makes eye contact with me.

For a moment, he seems to freeze, then hastily puts his hat on again and runs quickly to the gate, driving his party.

…is this bastard?

“Please ask Anoitus to wait a moment.”

“What happened?”

“It seems that the guest of this mansion will have some business for a while.”

I bow politely to Polemon, then stand still and watch the guests approach the door.

-hair. hair. hair. hair.

The sound of the rolling of the cart gets louder and louder, and the sound of the merchant’s words urging the party gets closer.

But I had no intention of getting out of my way.

Then he raised his head proudly and met the eyes of the merchant’s bewildered face.

I hardened my face and yelled at this son of a b*tch to show him just how damned a 21st century consumer could be.

“You cheated! Give me my money or leave a finger and a hand…”

And the merchant’s expression changes.

“… you’re here.”

Those standing next to the merchant quickly surround me and grab each limb one by one and lift it up.

Even if I struggle, I can’t resist those strong hands.

“We all have times when we have to do things we don’t want to do. .

“What, what?”

“Go to the Temple of Zeus. To the only place in this city where you can escape the influence of Hephaestus.”

“All right!”

“Everything, what are you guys doing…!”

– Whoosh!

A dagger is driven into the arm holding my left leg.

“Stop.”

Theo’s brother

The older brother licked his lips and seemed to be hesitant to say anything.

“Put the child down. It is the name of a king.”

…the king’s name?

“Don’t worry, hurry and head to the Temple of Zeus. As long as you get there, everything will go as it should. If the soldiers of this city stand in your way, subdue them without killing them.”

Ignoring Theo’s words, the merchant hastened the order. The men holding me soon pass through the gate at an inhuman speed.

Even Theo can’t catch them crossing the doorway.

The merchant, too, quickly escapes from Theo’s grip and starts climbing the hill with a vitality that doesn’t seem to arise from his small body.

-Shishsisik!

This time, arrows flying from Theo’s fingertips swim quickly through the air like snakes.

It was an inescapable speed,

– Kwadeuk.

The arrow hit the merchant’s nape exactly.

Theo quickly ran towards me.

“Bro bro!”

“@#$$#, wait a minute!!”

“Do not come!!!”

I shouted with all my might.

Holding my left leg, I looked down again at the arm that had been hit by Theo’s arrow earlier.

arm without a single wound.

[yes. Don’t come.]

A voice that seemed to echo from the floor. An eerie, wet voice echoed through the area.

When my brother Theo and I turned around, the arrow-pierced throat was no longer firing with the vocal chords.

The merchant threw off his cloak.

[The king’s name. The vain authority and majesty of mortals cannot withstand time and will only fade away.]

The wound on the nape of his neck, which looked like a burn, was wriggling and devouring the arrow. When the inside of that tattered wound was revealed, only…

It was empty.

[So don’t come. We don’t want to hurt anyone. Even this boy.]

Everyone froze. Even Theo.

[However, all of this happens regardless of our will.]

The men grabbing my limbs speed up and start running. I put a piece of cloth in my mouth to stop my screams.

“Hey, hey, grab it!!”

Men with clubs and bows rush out from inside the mansion. Anoitus seen from a distance

look like.

Theo blew a whistle while keeping the merchant in check. Pigeons fly everywhere. in all directions.

Soldiers flocked from all over. The men running after me are also blocked by the soldiers before I know it.

However, the merchant followed me and the men as if he didn’t care about anything, and walked slowly and leisurely.

[Fate doesn’t care about us.]

Soldiers are coming to squeeze this place.

And let the merchant beckon lightly once.

“Quaaa!!”

Screams happen.