I Became a Slave to a Mythical Shepherd

Episode 26. select

[Give me a golden apple. Then I will give you the most beautiful woman.]

After Aphrodite threw those words out, she couldn’t hide her embarrassment.

[… that’s pretty good. Your face is so dry.]

Aphrodite smiled earnestly, as if she thought that I would not succumb to the temptations of a goddess with the composure and strong mental strength uncharacteristic of a young boy.

I was afraid.

It was insanely scary. No other god could be more terrifying than Aphrodite now.

At that time, he remembered the cave he had entered with Anoitos. Then he remembered the insignificant fear he had felt in that cave.

Was the strong presence he faced at that time really Dracon? Would I have been this scared even if I met Drakon in person and threatened that the beast in the myth would crush my flesh and bones?

no.

Drakon can only kill me at most.

Aphrodite could destroy a country as if it never existed.

It could have put tens of thousands of people to death.

If there’s one thing you’re lucky about.

‘Think about it.’

The fragments of wisdom Athena left me were still vibrating in my head.

A part of my consciousness continued to activate the thought circuit without being immersed in fear.

As Aphrodite calmly put me down where I was, and returned to her throne a bit sullen at my sullen response, I recalled the memories of my previous life.

‘What, what is it?’

It has been nearly 10 years now that people have not studied.

Even if it is a memory from a previous life, unless I am holding a dictionary, I will forget it if I do not constantly review it.

But no.

-“Now, let’s invite Baek Joo-young, the author of ‘The Smell of Classical Greece and Rome’ and ‘Walking Myths, Retracing Life’.”

-“hahahaha, I’m used to giving lectures in an auditorium filled with 3,000 people, but since I talk to the audience on a small stage with about 30 people like this, I can see each face one by one, and it’s so nice.

Oh, you know what? That host over there and I are Yeon-Ryo University alumni? Isn’t that right, junior?”

-“ha ha ha···.”

Yes, that bastard, the bastard who said that if it weren’t for his alumni, he wouldn’t have been on this f*cking stage.

Anyway, the Greek classical music boom is coming to an end, so the person himself has nowhere to go and bounces.

and,

– “Do you know what the name ‘Odysseus’ means here? ‘The Hated One’ Yes. After all, this is the name given to it by Odysseus’ maternal grandfather, who was a notorious thief…”

From that feverish memory, I retrieve pearl-like information.

– “Lukachi is guilty, you know? You should know, if you come to college. Lukacs said that unlike the heroes of the Iliad, Odysseus of the Odyssey was the first modern human being. because?”

In a lecture on liberal arts at a university.

“In the confrontation between Achilles and Hector, in the end, Hector is destined to be defeated by the gods. also···”

In all the books I’ve read in my life.

Hector, Achilles, Patrocles, Ajax the Great and Agamemnon…

those numerous armies.

their movements.

A war that lasted for 10 years, and even the trick of the wooden horse that finally ended him.

i know now

The strengths and weaknesses of the heroes from Greece and Troy, how they think and act, and how Troy perishes.

Human memory is imperfect, but the divine wisdom from Athena bridges the gap between them.

Fragmented memories fill each other and complete one picture.

That picture is the future.

yes i know the future

If war comes, I know it from beginning to end.

And that future

“I have made a decision.”

It starts here.

I took the golden apple and walked slowly.

The eyes of the gods run tight in interest and anger.

I knelt in front of the owner of the golden apple.

“Miss Aphrodite.”

If I choose Hera or Athena, how helpful can knowledge of their future be? Will the war go the way I thought it would?

If fate is so arranged anyway, I will destroy Troy.

Whichever goddess I choose, whether I want it or not.

If I choose Athena, I will win all wars and battles. like Hercules.

And Hercules, driven mad by Hera’s curse, killed his wife and children with his own hands. Even then, he ‘won’.

If I accept Hera’s terms, I will gain the greatest kingdom and unimaginable riches. King Midas did. He gained the ability to turn everything he touched into gold.

Although not cursed, Midas gave up his powers after turning his own daughter into gold anyway.

If I choose two goddesses, I will destroy Troy in a way I cannot know.

Disasters of a kind unknown to me will befall me.

In this situation, even if Hera and Athena were chosen, if the direction of their destiny was the war and destruction of Troy…

I choose the future I know.

When I raised my head, Aphrodite looked down at me with her red lips sparkling.

still look confused

[There are no expectations in your eyes.]

Aphrodite whispers.

[She is the most beautiful woman in the world. Aren’t you delighted with the gift?]

“I am only following my own choices.”

When I hold out the apple, the apple floats up on its own and is sucked into Aphrodite’s hand. The goddess reads the words written on the surface of the apple, and strokes the smooth surface to erase the bewilderment from her mind.

– To the most beautiful goddess.

beautiful. In Greek, ‘kalos’ (καλός).

The word beautiful in Korean also has various meanings. The word beautiful in ‘beautiful mind’ means moral and noble. In ‘beautiful story’, it means touching.

This is also true in Greek, so ‘Kalos’ can mean not only external beauty, but also ‘greatness’, ‘excellence’, or ‘benefit’.

Therefore, Aphrodite is the most ‘beautiful (καλός)’ goddess…

[This is a wise decision.]

It also means that she is the ‘best (καλός)’ goddess.

Upon receiving my apology, Aphrodite gave me back a satisfied smile, befitting of being ‘the greatest goddess’.

And I didn’t even turn my head.

I could feel the wrath and enthusiasm of the other gods even without seeing them.

[It’s a pity that a long dispute ends like this.]

I hear Hera’s voice close to roar.

[The sublimity and greatness were confused by the blind judge with the vulgar pleasures of the flesh.]

[I also agree with him.]

When I turned my head, the tip of Athena’s spear was shining.

[This shows that wisdom is the supreme value. It’s beautiful, but fools can’t see the truth.]

The anger of the two goddesses burns towards me.

I feel like I’m being crushed by that huge presence…

[stop.]

winged shoes. it flies right in front of my eyes

[The conflict is over, and my father doesn’t want any more conflict.]

Hermes winked at his father Zeus and then at me.

[Yes?]

[···okay. Hera, you also risked your honor to come to this judgment, so any further ugliness will damage your honor.]

When Zeus spoke reluctantly, Hera flapped her veil gracefully like wings, looking as if she did not understand at all.

And when the veil fell to the floor, she was gone. Turning around, Athena was the same.

[… you’re in trouble.]

[Everybody knew it would happen like this. They are making noise.]

[This is an expected result. My father should have coordinated it earlier.]

[Little brother, your father is afraid of your mother.]

The gods get busy talking about their own stories.

Among them, Zeus, unable to complain to anyone, is holding up a displeased face uncharacteristic of a king. Other gods don’t even talk to him.

[Anyway… is the choice over?]

With the only exception,

[Yes, Hephaestus.]

It is only the blacksmith god who protects me.

He stands beside me again and gestures to Hermes.

[Then I will ask for the boy to be returned as soon as possible.]

[I agree with Hephaestus, father. I promised to return the child safely.]

[… Take care of yourself. Those trivial things.]

When Zeus shook his head and spoke to his two sons, Hermes quietly held my hand.

[Child, are you ready to go home?]

get ready to go home

After finding out all the secrets of his birth, he is ready to spend an awkward time reuniting with his ‘foster’ parents.

I even found out that Theo is the escort sent by Priam, but I’m ready to face him again like before.

. . .

“···yes.”

[Then let’s go.]

Hermes taps the floor a few times with his staff, and the same white light as when I came here rises from the floor. If I rode that light, would I be able to return to the Temple of Zeus like a wormhole?

Hermes bowed slightly and greeted Hephaestus.

[Hephaestus brother, have you worked hard?]

[…get the child to safety.]

[Don’t worry. Because I swore.]

Hermes jumped toward the white light on the floor, holding my hand. Thrown into the light together, I can’t even scream and get sucked into it.

…

…

And when I opened my eyes again, it was a familiar sight.

The merchant and my older brother Theo looked down at me.

It was the merchant who opened his mouth.

“Did my master keep his promise? Are there any places where your body is hurt or your mind is hurt?”

I didn’t know what to answer, so I rolled my eyes for a moment, then I nodded my head with difficulty when I remembered once again that I was fine.

As if barely satisfied with that fact, the merchant withdrew. And he said to Theo.

“My warrior, I have committed a crime that deserves banishment, as you said. Don’t worry, I’m leaving this city and never coming back.”

When the merchant gave a light glance, the soldiers who had been wary of looking out all over the temple gathered around the merchant.

“Then see you next time.”

I thought of a dramatic exit. Like teleportation, transforming into a bird and flying away.

But he just sat on the cart. The corpse soldiers slowly pulled the cart out of the temple area, and soon out of sight.

Well… Probably no citizen would want to touch those ‘things’, so I’ll get out of the city safely.

It wasn’t that important now.

There was only awkward silence between Theo and I.

There was no one in the temple but us. Of course, no one would have wanted to come close to the temple in such an uproar.

Theo opened his mouth several times before closing it again. A sound came out of his brother’s throat, and it tried to make it into words, but then stopped again.

What were you trying to talk about?

A word of concern about whether your body is okay?

Or the less persuasive excuses for mentioning the ‘king’s name’?

If that’s not the case…

“uh?”

My head is spinning.

My thoughts can’t continue, and I’m thrown off the track.

When I realized that I was on the verge of fainting, my body had already lost balance, and Theo reached out to support my head and neck.

My neck rests on Theo’s wrist, and every object in my field of view forms two, four, and eight images and vibrates.

And I lost my mind

***

“…the senate of the city… about the case…”

“The criminals… left… Hermes…”

The first thing I heard was a buzzing sound.

It was a muffled, indistinct whisper, as if a human voice mixed with the buzzing of a mosquito, plus the static of a mistuned radio.

The sound of footsteps rose and stopped, approaching and moving away repeatedly. My sense of time was blurry, so I couldn’t confirm how many people had come and gone over a long period of time.

And after a while, the mind clears up.

“…I don’t know how many times this kid has lost his mind.”

“This is the second time already in this forge.”

“Unfortunately, you suffered harsh things. Called by the gods Shouldn’t we call the child’s parents?”

“One of the servants of this forge just ran out to deliver the news, so he should be back soon.”

The sound of the two talking comes from the bedside. At first, it was only a mumble, but it gradually became clearer, and I was able to guess whose voice it was.

Brother Theo and Uncle Skleos.

The feel of the blanket was softer than I was used to. When I carefully open my eyelids, the two of them turn their heads and approach me.

Looking around, it was next to the smithy, the accommodation room for the priests of the Temple of Hephaestus.

“Honey, are you okay?”

“Paris? Do you come to your senses?”

I tried to say something, but my throat was dry and I gasped. Theo brought a bag of water and put it in my mouth and poured it little by little.

“How long has it been?”

“Half a day. I was passed out for half a full day.”

Relieved in the time sooner than expected, I carefully raised my body.

The two of them refrained from moving, but there was no inconvenience other than a slight grimacing.

– Knock. Knock.

Just in time for me to wake up, the door opens with good timing.

Soon, parents with tousled hair in simple tunics, as if they had rushed to the simple room, and Anoitus, who followed, stand next to older brother Theo or Uncle Skleos.

A total of five adults focused on me.

It was Anoitus who spoke first.

“The senate has decided to leave the case unconfirmed. Things like the abduction of this child and the invasion of the temple will probably be remembered as acts committed by the fanatics of Dionysus.”

“But there are many soldiers who have seen those specters firsthand. Would you like to hide it?”

At Theo’s question, Anoitus shook his head resolutely.

“no. won’t be hidden But that’s just a ‘wandering rumor’. The city will be silent.”

When the affairs of the ‘high-ranking people’ were settled, my mother burst into tears and hugged my neck. My father quietly pats my shoulder and bows his head.

“Son, my Paris, are you okay? The gods wanted to take you, so we…”

“are you okay. I am fine.”

“Really…?”

When my mother’s voice was drowned out by the crying, I nodded my head for her.

“I’m sorry. Because I invited such people as guests without even knowing their true identities…”

“It’s okay, Anoitus. It was inevitable because the gods had already decided.”

It was sincere, not ostentatious.

Paris had to choose the owner of the golden apples someday.

Hephaestus only delayed his fate by protecting me in this city within his power, after all, the result was already decided.

After appeasing Anoitos not to blame himself, I thanked him for coming in person.

His sincerity was conveyed just by the fact that a high-ranking freedman came directly for the slave.

and···

I looked around.

My parents look down at me with worried eyes.

I am a shepherd who grew up under the care of those two.

Skleos puts his hand on my forehead alternately with his own, trying to make sure there is no heat in my head.

I am a blacksmith trained as a disciple of Skleos.

Anoitus is ordering this and that to the servants who came after him.

I made friends with the leading colossus in Troia.

I need to figure out what I have and know who I am.

War is coming soon.

I am Prince Paris.