I Became a Slave to a Mythical Shepherd

Episode 38. final preparation

“Poetry, the gods, are guiding the prince.”

“Yes. Hephaestus himself summoned me to his smithy. ‘Prince, follow your destiny.’

I just follow him.”

“…”

I threw in a few bluffs that I wouldn’t even figure out anyway.

It was distorting the words of God, so I was worried that there might be a thunderbolt or not, but it seemed to be okay.

The governor did not dare to raise his head.

He just looked at me little by little, wiping away the cold sweat.

Even if I am a 13-year-old boy and a slave to a shepherd, I am still a prince.

He showed clear evidence that he took a risk and received God’s protection, so there was nothing to shy away from.

“two.”

I spread two fingers.

“I ask for two things.”

“What is?”

“The first is to control the public opinion of this city so that nothing will come out when Skleos and I leave the city briefly to build a road.

Also, it’s okay to give ‘small’ help so that Skleos’ steelmaking business doesn’t get messed up.”

“…”

Another blacksmith trying to become independent with only his trade secrets?

Or who is playing around with steel prices?

Trying to sell steel to Greece?

“If that were to happen… I would consider the Governor-General to have abdicated his duty. Hephaestus-sama, who bestowed such grace on me, must also feel sorry for me.”

I snapped my fingers to summon the courtesy hammer, and made it disappear again.

I think I can hear the governor swallowing.

“second.”

I folded one finger.

Theo also slowly let go of the hand he had placed on the handle of the sword.

Even if you no longer have to create such an intimidating atmosphere, the initiative has passed.

“Secrets kept.”

“A secret, you say?”

“Paris, the slave boy, never left this place. Theo will also stay here, constantly monitoring my movements.”

“···All right.”

“In addition, no one else should hear the news that a boy named Paris was chosen by Hephaestus and even given weapons and tools.

Well, except for the gods of Olympus, few people know about it. After all, even if the news spreads, it will be easy to identify the culprit who spread it.”

Someday, I’ll come back to Antandros from time to time and use it as my regional, political and economic base, but I had to hide some annoying secrets.

Also, the governor’s help was essential to disrupt the sight of my father, King Priam.

When a cataclysm occurred in the city where Priam sent his second son into exile, if the prince’s behavior was unusual, it would inevitably be suspected.

Buy as much time as possible and find a strategy. That was my immediate thought.

The Governor-General seemed to ponder for a long time, and finally nodded with a quiet voice.

have to accept there is no other way

“All right.”

good.

My brother Theo and I looked at each other, nodded, then looked back at the governor.

A look completely immersed in a sense of inferiority.

If you leave it as it is, it will 100% hit you in the back of the head.

How do you know? I know it when I see the nobles who set up a research center in Yeouido.

How many rats driven into a corner after being threatening like that end up biting cats on the neck.

Professors and politicians who failed to develop the art of effective gaslighting and exploitation, less demonic ones, did just that.

“viceroy.”

“yes.”

i cant do that

Because if I perish, Troia will perish as well.

“It’s as if we’re on the same boat now.”

“yes yes?”

“Come to think of it, I couldn’t even hear the governor’s name properly. It’s a pity that something like the governor is rotting in this kind of Korean paper…”

“This is Nikkis.”

“I believe that the gates of the royal road should always be open to the talented and ambitious. Isn’t it?”

There was no answer.

However, there were eyes that changed.

“What if Antandros became the best iron-producing city in Troy, or rather in the Aegean Sea and throughout the civilized world?

It would not be difficult for the governor of the city to rise to an honorable office in the royal capital at the request of a ‘certain prince’ who would one day be reinstated. What is your father’s name?”

“I am Philippos.”

I was careful not to laugh. My father, Hamza, is very familiar.

“Yes, Nikis, son of Philip. Our friendship will not be easily destroyed just because I go to Troy.”

A look that seems to have seized an opportunity in a crisis.

Yes, it would have hurt my pride. The moment when an aristocrat with enough experience to assume the position of governor had to cringe just because the small, shabby kid in front of him was a prince.

But the humiliation is short-lived, and now the opportunity is about to open up.

“Let’s prepare a carriage for the prince.”

The story is fast.

“No, it’s okay. If you ride in a carriage provided by the governor, you will surely attract people’s suspicions.”

“That much can be easily dealt with. As part of its relief, the town’s government purchased several large ships and wagons at bargain prices from some recently bankrupt merchants.”

The governor shows a smile trying to give the other person confidence.

Or, revealing such efforts as much as possible, ‘I’m going to fit you like this? Aren’t you going to be with me?’ It’s like a smile saying.

“Maybe we can sell some of those wagons to support the business of the ‘competent blacksmith.’”

The governor bowed his head and bowed.

“Please travel safely and comfortably.”

…Nikis, son of Philip.

It seems that there is one more name to remember.

***

“Anything?”

“No.”

“Really?”

“Perhaps it’s because he was asking about the past upheaval.”

“… Phew, that’s good.”

Unexpectedly, Uncle Skleos easily believed my words.

Hagisa, now that I think about it, if my true identity has been revealed, there is no reason to hold on to Theo, who has followed me as an escort.

It would have been more natural for him to call Theo as well as finish the investigation of the past case.

For those of you who don’t know that I’m a prince.

To change the subject, I smiled at Uncle Skleos and said,

“Then is it a banquet soon?”

“banquet? Ahh… the meeting at Anoitus-sama’s mansion?”

Skleos also smiled at me.

“okay. Now everything is ready.”

Seriously, it wasn’t until I heard the uncle’s words that I realized the current situation.

I am a prince of a country, and I may be planning to become a prince of a ruined country.

A war breaks out that may soon destroy the country. because of me.

I’m going to shoot all over the place to stop it.

in other words,

“You’re leaving the place where I’ve lived all my life…”

The small city in the metropolitan area where I lived as a child, the town of Chungcheong Province where I attended an alternative school when I was a high school student, and the Megalopolis called Seoul that I encountered for the first time while going to college.

I forgot everything for now.

14 years. This countryside that smells of sheep and goat urine that has embraced me during my short life, and Antandros, a modestly neat and tidy small colonial town.

I can leave this place

To make the final preparations, I moved with Uncle Skleos. Theo followed the two of us.

Uncle Skleos, who led us back to the mansion, went to bed early in the evening, and so did my older brother Theo and I.

And from dawn the next day, we thoroughly prepared.

“Theo, I will take care of your clothes myself.”

“Thank you, but… at least I am a shepherd, a slave. It’s not even an official escort, so it’s okay to wear such extravagant clothes.”

“Then did you intend to leave Paris alone with me to go to Anoitus’ mansion?”

“It is not.”

“Then wear it. Even if it’s a very lowly slave, if you’re in my party, you have to dress well. That is the way to save my prestige and dignity.”

Even Theo, who was so easy-going, wore a blue cotton cape and lightly wore a pearl bracelet.

I am? of course···

“Now you have to dress up too.”

“Gwa, are you okay? The fact that I am your disciple shouldn’t be easily discovered.”

“It’s okay, at least in this city.”

Skleos’ voice adds confidence.

“Do you still not understand what it means for me to be able to leave this city?”

“ah···.”

“I am originally a ‘property’ of this city. It’s like a higher status than the upper class free people, but there’s a reason why you can’t leave this city.”

Skeleos laughed.

“But now, all the landlords in the city won’t be able to farm properly without me. hahahaha···.”

Relieved like a person who has completed a long revenge.

“This city no longer owns me.”

“then.”

“’We’ own this city.”

we.

the two of us

Skleos met my eyes. Lower the height of the giant by bending the waist to meet eye level.

“thanks.”

I couldn’t answer anything.

“Now, then, do you understand the reason why you should dress splendidly? Don’t cover your good looks, just try it on properly.”

As Skleos claps to appease the awkwardness, other servants come running with clothes the size of a teenager. It seems to have been prepared in advance.

“Now, look. What color cloak do you like?”

Cloaks embroidered with colorful threads.

Among them, I chose a purple cloak embroidered with golden threads of partridges and olive branches.

If you are going to wear it, you should go for the most flashy.

As soon as I picked out the clothes, the servants called by Uncle Skleos led me to the bathhouse.

After rubbing his face with something, he gently peels it off and then changes his clothes.

A woolen tunic. On top of that, I fasten the cloak from earlier with a silver brooch and put on leather sandals.

“···How about this?”

“hahahaha, what a prince you are.”

“Puff.”

“Theo, why are you laughing at the child?”

“That’s not…”

Like a prince, la.

My brother Theo and I looked at each other and smiled wryly.

Anyway, after dressing up like that, we boarded a carriage to the mansion of Anoitus.

Uncle Skleos’ mansion is located in the suburbs, a little far from the city.

Most of the time, because of work, I stayed in the inn attached to the temple and smithy, so the mansion was close to a villa.

Gradually the city of Antandros approaches. The horses have a hard time going uphill, so I rest a few times before going up.

As the speed of the carriage is slower than walking and the distance is not long, we get off and decide to walk.

So, I reached the gate of Anoitus’s mansion.

“Are you a little late?”

“No one cares about this much.”

In my previous life, if I was late for an appointment by 30 minutes, it would be a mistake to apologize to the other person over and over again, but in this place where there are no clocks other than sundials and water clocks, it is acceptable to be late by about an hour and a half.

After reincarnation, there are times when the most difficult customs to adapt to are helpful to me.

Just as he said, Skleos leisurely waits for the gate to open.

Beyond the door, you can hear several people talking loudly.

– Kiki profit.

“Ah, you are Master Skleos. Please come in here.”

Polemon bows his head. As if greeting their master, they are treated with extreme courtesy.

I was taken aback by that appearance, but Skleos casually waved at Polemon.

“Where is the banquet hall?”

“Please follow me this way.”

Of course, years have passed, but this place still remained a place of bloody slaughter to me.

The site of my first murder, and the massacre of my brother Theo.

But now, in this mansion, not even the slightest stain of blood, let alone the scent of blood, remained.

The only red light that could be seen was the cloaks of noble men and women dressed in splendor, ripe pomegranates, and rubies shining on their fingers.

There are colorfully dyed veils hanging here and there, and it is full of people eating and drinking between them.

Of course, there was no alcohol, so everyone jumped into the social scene in a clear state of mind.

The sight of everyone staring at each other as if they were prey with their eyes wide open made me nervous.

however···

“Skeleos?”

“Skeleos-sama is here?”

“Ah, nice to meet you! We are from the island of Lesbos…”

It’s different for us.

Everyone has to beg us to get what they get.

More than half of the crowd that had gathered near Anoitus, the organizer of the banquet, escaped and gathered around us.

However, far from being displeased, Anoitus only sends a secret glance and smile to Uncle Skleos.

Some of the people gathered there discuss whether the ‘little boy who is always attached to Skleos-sama’ is a simple slave, a secret disciple or assistant, or perhaps a nightly concubine.

“Look, boy. May I ask which family you are from?”

“It’s not a family name. I am but a lowly slave. Skleos-nim only took it for a while.”

“hmm? Aren’t you the ward of Skleos-sama?”

“Here, kid. I have candy mixed with cinnamon and honey. Would you like to try it?”

“Do you know what color Skeleos likes? I want to send a gift, but it’s difficult to match the type of jewelry!”

In other words, it is a story that people who want to buy favor with me also flocked.

This place was nominally a celebratory banquet held in honor of Anoitus’ birthday.

However, practically a final check.

It is a place to take a final look at who the hegemony of this city is heading for, and to keep an eye on whether these aristocrats and the upper classes do anything behind our backs when we go about our business.

And the observations were clear.

In the distance, a step away from both Anoitus and us, we see someone drinking goat’s milk.

is the governor

He smiles at me, flaps his cloak, and leaves for a quiet garden.

I turned my head to see Skleos giving a speech about future steel production plans.

Everyone around him shuts up, and they don’t even dare to interrupt the old man.

-“‘We’ own this city.”

Uncle Skleos was right.

This city is ours now.

So, now…

I look up at the sky without even realizing it.

Now is the time to get your hands on something bigger.