Chapter 183
Chapter 183. Offspring (2)
Swoooosh.......
Perhaps because it was such a desolate island.
Even though night had not yet fallen, when the wind blew, a chilly sensation ran down his spine. The atmosphere as well.
Maybe it was because they were still drenched in seawater.
‘Maybe it’s because it’s saltwater, but this feels damn unpleasant. Washing clothes isn’t exactly realistic, so should I just change into new ones?’
His wandering thoughts lasted only briefly. Anagin quickly pulled himself together.
But it seemed he was a little too late. The subordinate woman narrowed her eyes in irritation.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Ah, sorry. I got distracted for a moment. I was thinking about whether I should change clothes. I thought maybe I was hearing nonsense because I was tired. What did you say earlier again?”
“I said the fisherman mage is also Father’s offspring. Poseidon’s.”
“Goddammit, so I didn’t mishear it.”
After doubting his own ears for a moment, Anagin immediately cursed.
Even Anagin himself did not know exactly why he felt compelled to curse.
It was simply the kind of feeling that made him want to swear.......
If he had to explain it, the information was so absurdly beyond common sense that his brain seemed to have overreacted.
After all, hearing that a traitor mage and some random bandit bastard were offspring of a god just made the whole thing seem... pathetic.
And Poseidon was supposedly one of the top three among the Great Twelve Gods.
If the offspring of such a god were only at that level, then what exactly was he supposed to think?
If a father could be judged by his offspring, then if the sons were that unimpressive, Poseidon’s own level must also be.......
For a moment, Anagin seriously began to suspect that gods might not actually be that special.
Perhaps the emotion showed on his face, because the subordinate woman suddenly shouted.
“Just because the father is a great being doesn’t mean the offspring become great as well! If anything, it’s usually the opposite!”
Anagin thought about it carefully before nodding.
Well, it wasn’t as though having an amazing family member meant everyone in the family was amazing.
There were examples like the maternal relatives of Meleager the Immortal, or the father of the Great Warrior Atalanta and Irida of the Wind.
Still, it was hard to shake the feeling that gods should somehow be different.
‘Hah, this is strange. Then doesn’t that mean I’m fighting two sons of Poseidon? Wait a second.......’
As his thoughts reached a certain point, a question suddenly occurred to Anagin.
“How are Longbald and the fisherman mage able to run around so freely? If they’re Poseidon’s sons, shouldn’t they also have restrictions on their actions? To preserve the balance of the world?”
He challenged her by quoting what the subordinate woman had once said in the past.
In response, the subordinate woman chuckled unusually softly.
It was the first time he had seen her smile. Someone else might have thought it beautiful. The smile of a beautiful woman was naturally attractive.
But not to Anagin. It was clearly a mocking smile that looked down on him.
“You’ve got a good memory.”
“You seem to have forgotten that if you want to save your younger siblings, you need my help. So stop sneering and just explain.”
The moment he mentioned her sisters, the subordinate woman’s expression stiffened again. Honestly, that look suited her better.
“......Those things are not gods.”
Those things.... She was clearly referring to Longbald and the fisherman mage.
“That’s a pretty rough way to refer to them. Aren’t they still your brothers?”
“Only by your standards.”
“Then how different are they by your standards?”
“My sisters and I were created purely by Father himself, but those things are half-bloods born between Father and human women.”
Only then did Anagin fully understand.
The subordinate woman, the fisherman mage, and Longbald.
All three had indeed been born thanks to Poseidon, but the process had differed.
The fisherman mage and Longbald had been born from human women, whereas the subordinate woman and her sisters had been created entirely by Poseidon alone.
Now he understood why the subordinate woman and her sisters were gods, while Longbald and the fisherman mage were not....... It was a little pitiful.
Though the object of pity was different.
Not Longbald or the fisherman mage, but the subordinate woman and her sisters.
To Anagin, they felt less like offspring and more like creations. Things made because they were needed.
“......What?”
Seeing the subtle change in Anagin’s gaze, the subordinate woman asked irritably.
Anagin chose not to voice his thoughts.
Just as she had said, perhaps the standards of the gods were simply different. Besides, even Anagin did not want to mock someone over something like this....... It was too cruel, wasn’t it?
If she had been an enemy, maybe he would have teased her.
Anyway.
“I understand now.”
After organizing his thoughts, Anagin finally spoke.
“So you and your sisters, as pure offspring of Poseidon, are gods, while Longbald and the fisherman mage are not?”
“That’s right.”
“But the reason Longbald became stronger underwater when I swung it was because, whatever else he was, he was still Poseidon’s offspring?”
“......There are some uncertain parts, but probably.”
The subordinate woman answered uncertainly.
It was not a particularly satisfying answer, but since it was not the important issue right now, Anagin let it slide.
What mattered now was the fisherman mage.
“Then the reason the fisherman mage became that strong is......?”
“I think he stole my younger sister’s power.”
* * *
Apparently, while rare, cases like this did occasionally happen.
Among the half-bloods born with only half of a god’s blood, there were some who sought to become complete by filling in what they lacked.
The problem was the method.
Normally, they would become practitioners and receive blessings from their father, but a very small number instead resorted to shortcuts.
‘Calling it a shortcut feels kind of funny.’
That was what Anagin thought, but the subordinate woman continued her explanation.
“They begin coveting the power of lesser gods who share the same bloodline as Father.”
They sought to steal the power of lesser gods who shared the same father.
Naturally, she said such cases were uncommon.
Even lesser gods were still gods. Most who attempted it were nothing more than delusional lunatics, and their endings were never pleasant.
To begin with, it was impossible for human power to tamper with divine power.
However, this case had been somewhat exceptional.
Because the Barbaroi Cult had captured that lesser god.
Only then did Anagin understand why the fisherman mage had betrayed them so easily.
An impossible temptation had been dangled directly before his eyes, and he simply could not resist it.
“So the fisherman mage we have to face now should basically be considered a lesser god unrestricted by limitations?”
Even Anagin struggled to grasp the suddenly massive scale of the situation, but the subordinate woman immediately refuted him.
“That’s not true! A half-blood is still only a half-blood.... He can’t fully wield the power he stole!”
The subordinate woman shouted indignantly, but Anagin found it hard to agree.
The power displayed by the fisherman mage had been more than impressive enough, and even now the subordinate woman’s belittling of him felt deeply unreliable.
Anagin could only wonder whether she denied it out of petty pride or because she feared he might panic and run away.
If it was the former, it was pathetic.
If it was the latter, it was pitiable.
“Don’t tell me... you’re thinking about running away?”
Fortunately, it seemed to be the latter.
“Well, I usually don’t call it running away. I prefer the term strategic retreat.”
“You...!”
“But in this situation, even that would be difficult. We already tore up the damn scroll. Though honestly, even if we still had it, we probably would’ve ended up here anyway.”
Realizing Anagin was deliberately messing with her, the subordinate woman ground her teeth audibly.
But Anagin paid her no mind and simply continued the conversation at his own pace. Even in a gloomy situation like this, there had to be something entertaining. Of course, there was also work to be done.
“If we save your sisters and restore your power, can you heal Horse-head?”
Based on the fact that the fisherman mage had critically wounded Horse-head using the mermaid power, Anagin made a guess.
The guess was correct.
“I can heal him.”
“Even though the fisherman mage stole your power?”
“He probably didn’t steal it completely. He was using it by imprisoning my sister and sharing her power.”
Oh. Apparently, the subordinate woman had not merely served as an underling beneath the Barbaroi Cult after all. She even knew details like that.
“So you also know where your sisters are imprisoned?”
“? I already said I knew.”
“You kept going on about half-bloods, so it was hard to trust you.”
“.......”
“Don’t glare at me like that. I’m not scared. Hey, Horse-head.”
Anagin called out to Horse-head, who was clutching his wounds and struggling to regulate his breathing.
Perhaps he no longer even had the energy to get angry, because he did not answer and merely continued breathing.
“How long can you hold out? If it’s too hard, you can return to the sea.”
He asked under the assumption that, as a spirit of the sea, perhaps Horse-head would recover if he returned to the ocean.
Instead of answering, Horse-head stared silently at Anagin. His eyes looked as though he found him pathetic. Just as Anagin was about to scold him for not speaking, Sphinx stepped in instead.
“He can’t return to the sea right now. Nature is home to spirits, but if he returns while seriously injured, his sense of self could scatter apart. Besides, the Barbaroi Cult controls the surrounding waters.”
“So basically, he has to endure here on the island like this?”
Sphinx nodded.
“How long can you hold out?”
“...Why are you asking?”
“If you can’t last long, then we’ll go save her sisters immediately. If you can hold out for a while, then I want to wait until nightfall before moving.”
“.......”
“Why? Surprised? I promised, didn’t I? I said I’d save your sisters in exchange for your help. I believe in keeping promises. You’re welcome to thank me.”
* * *
Following Horse-head’s opinion, Anagin did not immediately go rescue the subordinate woman’s younger sisters.......
Because Horse-head had said he could hold on for a while longer.
At first, the subordinate woman insisted they go save her sisters immediately, but after Anagin pointed out that saving them properly was more important than saving them quickly, she eventually changed her stance and admitted they could afford to wait a little.
She might snap and complain constantly, but she at least knew how to think calmly.
She understood that rushing recklessly would solve nothing.
‘Besides, there isn’t much time left before nightfall anyway.’
Of course, even if little time remained, Anagin had no intention of wasting it carelessly.
When it was time to rest, one should rest properly. And when it was time to work, one should work properly.
Anagin made full use of the spare time.
Considering this was the Barbaroi Cult’s stronghold, he could not start a fire, but he at least wiped himself down with a towel and changed into fresh clothes.
Being drenched in salty seawater felt incredibly unpleasant.
“Hey, you should change too.”
Anagin pulled Pairon out from the Interspatial Bag that was gradually becoming lighter, then took out a towel and fresh clothes from Pairon before handing them to the subordinate woman.
“Women’s clothes?”
Seeing perfectly normal women’s clothing, the subordinate woman looked at Anagin suspiciously.
“They’re Pinku-Pinku clothes. Don’t look at me like that.”
After handing over the towel and clothes, Anagin walked some distance away before returning. By then, the subordinate woman had changed into new clothes just like Sphinx. The size seemed to fit her.
“Guess even mermaids feel uncomfortable when they’re sticky.”
The subordinate woman glared viciously again, but Anagin simply pulled out dried rations and blankets instead.
He wanted to light a fire, warm himself, and fill his stomach with hot food, but since the light would expose them, he had no choice but to endure it.
Perhaps because she was cold and hungry, the subordinate woman silently wrapped herself in a blanket and opened the dried rations.
“You need anything too?”
Anagin asked while looking at Horse-head.
Since the guy’s body was made entirely of water, it was difficult to figure out how to treat him.
“I don’t need anything....... Princess, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I’ll be of any more help. May I change form?”
After receiving permission from the subordinate woman, Horse-head transformed just as he had said he would.
From a two-legged horse back into a four-legged one.
However, the size was completely different.
He shrank small enough to fit in the palms of an adult man’s hands. At a glance, it was obvious he had done it to conserve strength.
“Cute.”
Horse-head shot Anagin a sharp glare, but perhaps due to exhaustion, simply sat down to rest.
Anagin also sat down to rest.
The journey to this place had not been easy, and many things had happened along the way.
Still, it was not entirely bad.
Though she called herself a god, he had obtained quite a lot of useful information from her. About merit, lesser gods, half-bloods carrying divine blood.......
Though unintentional, it felt as though he had gained information that might help him become a god someday.
‘To think things would unravel in a place like this. No, maybe “unravel” is too strong a word. I haven’t really gained anything concrete yet, have I?’
“Brother.”
“Mm? What is it?”
“Do you think the mages made it here?”
It seemed like she had brought up the topic simply to make light conversation, but Anagin considered it seriously in his own way.
“Hard to say. I feel like they probably got discovered too, but who knows. That fisherman mage came after us. Plus, the pressure on our side was especially intense.”
Because of that, there was a decent chance the mages had safely reached the island.
“But we should still move under the assumption they didn’t arrive, right?”
“Right. It’s less risky to move assuming we won’t receive help than assuming we will.”
“And that means I’ll have to suffer even more.”
Sphinx complained dramatically, unlike her usual self.
It was understandable. This time, she had even been forced to participate in a battle she disliked.
Especially considering Anagin had to move more carefully than usual because of the flames Tramachus had implanted in him.
“It’s not like you’re saying you don’t want to do it now, so what do you want?”
“Do you have snacks?”
“Snacks?”
“Yeah, the ones we bought at the Festival Village.”
The Festival Village built beneath the Temple of Delphi for practitioners to use. There, Anagin and the others had unexpectedly spent time sightseeing.
Sphinx had done the same. In particular, she had bought quite a few sweets and snacks with the money Anagin gave her.
Had she said they were for eating during the journey? Maybe not, but she secretly liked sweet things quite a lot.
Anagin had bought some himself at the time as well.
“What for?”
“Give them to me later.”
“What about yours?”
“I already ate them all.”
Good grief. He remembered her buying quite a lot of snacks. When had she managed to eat all of them?
Though surprised for a moment, Anagin still pulled out a bundle of snacks from Pairon and handed them over.
Sphinx genuinely had a lot of work ahead of her.
Besides, Anagin himself wanted some snacks too. He preferred meat, but that didn’t mean he disliked sweets.
“Ah... do you want some too?”
Anagin made eye contact with the subordinate woman, who had been staring fixedly at the snacks.
Embarrassed, the subordinate woman quickly looked away without answering, but Anagin simply tossed her a wrapped pack of snacks.
There was plenty, so giving some away was no problem.
The subordinate woman stared at it for a moment before slowly placing a snack into her mouth.
Somehow, she seemed to like it even more than when he had given her the dried rations.
It would have been nicer if she had reacted like that to the rations, too.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
Perhaps everyone needed something sweet, because only the quiet sound of snacking echoed around them.
Quite some time passed like that.
“You really don’t want anything else?”
The subordinate woman suddenly asked something unexpected.
“...Are you suspecting I’ve got some ulterior motive, or are you saying you want to give me something?”
Logically, it should have been the latter, but the subordinate woman was so naturally suspicious of people that the former also seemed possible.
‘If it’s the latter, that’s kind of admirable. If it’s the former, that’s irritating. I even fed her snacks too.......’
“Let’s say it’s both.”
“How can someone be admirable and irritating at the same time? Ah, wait. You’re not actually human, are you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“That’s what I should be asking. Why are you so suspicious of everyone? Did you spend your entire life getting betrayed?”
“...Yes. My younger sisters were betrayed by humans they trusted, and thanks to that, I ended up like this too.”
Contrary to expectations that she would deny it out of pride, the subordinate woman admitted it.
And not only that.
“Even after the Barbaroi Cult reduced me to wandering around in this state, countless humans tried to deceive and exploit me.”
For once, she even spoke about herself.
“Mm.... Well, you tried to kidnap me too, so let’s just call it even.”
“Don’t worry. I don’t particularly care.”
Those were definitely not the eyes of someone who did not care, but Anagin chose not to point it out.
Maybe it was the effect of the sweet snacks, but she was finally speaking honestly about what she had been bottling up. Since they still had to work together, that was probably a good sign. Probably.
“What bothers me is...... whether you actually want something else. If there’s anything, just say it now.”
“And why do you think that?”
“Because it’s suspicious that you’re continuing all this based on just a promise?”
“What’s with you? I may spout bullshit, but I don’t lie. If I break a promise, then that becomes a lie.”
“That could also be bullshit.”
Perhaps she had unknowingly learned how to converse with Anagin, because the subordinate woman shot back like that. But she still had a long way to go.
“Then it would just mean my feelings changed.”
“.......”
“Anyway, stop worrying about pointless things. Honestly, even if I did have some other hidden motive, what exactly could you do about it?”
Faced with that painfully undeniable truth, the subordinate woman could say nothing.
There was nothing she could do except trust and rely on Anagin.
“Well, aside from the promise, there is one other reason too.......”
“What is it?”
“That is.......”
Anagin trailed off and looked up at the sky.
The sun, which had slowly been setting, finally disappeared beyond the horizon, and the world was dyed black.
“I’ll tell you later. We need to move soon.”
Perhaps because she had been cut off midway through hearing the answer, the subordinate woman looked frustrated, but she still followed Anagin’s lead.
After all, they still had to save her sisters.