Chapter 68 - Jealousy Under the Moonlight
High above in the moonlight, the three-bodied goddess clung to the white-haired deity with her ample bosom and piercing eyes, the pair licking their lips in unison. It was no ordinary hunger for food that stirred them; the scent of blood hung thick in the air, sending the surrounding constellations scattering in terror until only the two goddesses remained.
One of them was, of course, Hecate. She carried a heavy debt to Perseus and now gazed down upon the world from the far side of the moon.
“Oh ho~? Sisyphe has finally decided to make his move. In this age there are more than a few who mock the gods without believing in them, so I’ve turned a blind eye until now—but when they actually act on it, I can’t just stand by and watch.”
The woman bouncing about like a wild beast beside Hecate was none other than Artemis, the moon goddess. Her white chiton fluttered as she gripped an arrow, ready to loose it at any moment; she looked far more like a grown-up Atalante than any divine figure.
“I hate Agamemnon~! He was the same during the Trojan War at the end of that era, and he’s the same now~! Every fool who inherits that name is blind to the resentment they stir among the gods~?!”
“Right. You had some history with Agamemnon, didn’t you?”
“That’s right~! You know he made me uncomfortable, don’t you? Every god knows about that~?”
“He never did anything directly to you, yet he still managed to cause offense. That’s quite the talent. Humans who bear a fool’s name all end up the same way. I don’t wish to hold prejudices, but I doubt I’ll ever look upon them kindly again.”
“Huu, huu, what should I do~? I’m worried harm might reach our precious Atalante!”
“Do you like Atalante more than Perseus?”
“Yes! Ah, of course I don’t dislike Perseus or anything, but Atalante is just so cute, isn’t she? The way she secretly pushes herself so she won’t lose to her brother reminds me of someone—it’s that part I like far too much!”
“Unfortunately those siblings don’t share the same strained relationship you two have, so stop measuring them by that standard. I’m terrified you might lose your head and try to pit Atalante against Perseus.”
“Ugh, I would never~?! I genuinely adore Atalante, so don’t twist my words like that~!”
“Really now… Hmm…”
Hecate lowered her three joined faces toward the earth below. Agamemnon, clearly intent on causing trouble, had wrapped himself in dark clothing and was following Sisyphe into the palace. A suspicious soldier moved to stop them, but Sisyphe invoked his authority as the king’s son and the pair passed without difficulty.
“This is bad…”
At that moment Acrisius 3 was deep in his cups, entertaining guests who had traveled from afar. He had dressed finely and carried an expensive-looking sword to impress them, yet it was obvious he stood no chance against Agamemnon in his current state. If the giant confronted him now, the king and his guests would surely be slaughtered; the situation had to be prevented.
“What if I just shoot? Pop!”
“Zeus would be furious.”
“When has that person ever not been angry? How many gods simply do whatever they please even when told not to? You’re the prime example of that, Hecate, aren’t you?”
“I already hold a large share of influence, so using me as an example is troublesome. In any case, why do you want to save King Acrisius? Are you confident you won’t feel wronged if you’re scolded for it? You have no real connection to that man either.”
“Huh? Oh~! That’s true too! Well, Atalante isn’t in immediate danger, and shooting an arrow here would feel unfair!”
“Then rather than meddling directly on the ground, we should intervene in a way only gods can.”
“Another way?”
“There are methods available only to us. And if it’s you and me, we can accomplish something far greater.”
“Oh, tell me~?”
When Hecate explained her plan, Artemis listened in surprise before quickly agreeing. The scheme involved Atalante, the girl Artemis adored, so there was no reason to refuse.
“Hehe, perfect~!”
With a splash, Hecate chanted the spell. Artemis, brimming with enthusiasm, plummeted from the heavens and seeped into Atalante’s body like a droplet of water. The child had been asleep, but the sudden intrusion jolted her awake.
“Hwaaa~! Ah, uh, ah?! What’s happening!”
She snatched up the bow and arrows beside her bed, eyes darting warily; she looked nothing like a ten-year-old. Convinced someone had attacked her, she stood ready to kill on sight—until an even more astonishing voice reached her.
“Th-there, who is it? Come out right now! If you don’t, I’ll shoot!”
『Atalante, Atalante, can you hear me?』
“Hik?! A woman’s voice is coming from inside my stomach! Uwa?! Wh-what?!”
『Calm down. Doesn’t this voice sound familiar?』
“Uung?”
Atalante quickly steadied herself and recognized the speaker. It was a voice she had heard only recently; there was no mistaking it. Her panic faded, leaving her pale.
“C-could it be! Lady Artemis?!”
『Ta-da! You got it right! This is the first time we’ve touched so directly. How have you been?』
“Lady Artemis is inside my body?!”
『Of course~! Thanks to Hecate’s power I was able to enter like this. You must be wondering why I’m doing this so suddenly, so I’ll skip the middle and tell you only the important parts. Listen carefully.』
“Ah, yes!”
Though startled, Atalante listened with perfect politeness. Artemis, clearly delighted by the girl, smiled happily as she delivered the dire news.
『You remember your relative Sisyphe, don’t you? That crazy child has brought the man who inherited Agamemnon’s name into the palace to assassinate your uncle, King Acrisius. He’s spouting nonsense about killing the king, taking the throne, and driving out your brother Perseus—so I woke you in a hurry.』
“M-my brother? But Uncle Acrisius already acknowledged him…”
『It must have looked unpleasant to Sisyphe. Anyway, there’s no time to hesitate. I considered calling Perseus, but this whole incident stems from envy directed at him, so I don’t want to drag him into it.』
“It’s all right! I’ll handle it! Lady Artemis came trusting me, so I’ll show you what I can do!”
『Deciding so quickly! How reliable! As expected of the child I named!』
At Artemis’s words, Atalante seized her weapon and dashed outside without a moment’s hesitation. She raced toward the distant hill opposite the polis, where Acrisius’s palace stood. Along the night road she passed several women, yet none of them even registered her presence; her speed was so great that by the time they sensed movement, she had already vanished.
“Wow!”
Even Atalante was startled by her own footsteps, goosebumps rising across her skin. The god’s presence within her made such feats possible. Glancing sideways, she saw her own hair had turned pure white, just like Artemis’s.
『Do you like my blessing?』
“Yes! It doesn’t feel like my body at all!”
『Perseus has received several blessings, but you, his little sister, have none—so I thought you might feel left out~! If this goes well, I’ll leave some for you too, so enjoy them~!』
“I’ll do my best!”
『Good answer. I’d love to chat longer, but the situation is urgent. Now focus! Stop here and hide!』
She leapt up the hill and reached the palace gates, only for Artemis to suddenly order her to conceal herself. Atalante slipped into the shadows without question. Artemis had her reasons.
『Hecate says Sisyphe has recruited soldiers willing to follow him.』
“Lies! He’s just a child like me!”
『He bears Sisyphe’s name, so his tongue is surely silver. King Acrisius was never popular or particularly dignified to begin with, so it wouldn’t have been difficult.』
“But for a child to kill his own relative… and for others to help him… I can’t believe it…!!”
『Ahaha, they’re doing it because they’re fools~! A child on the throne would be easy to manipulate, and they can already see themselves demanding rewards for this little coup. There’s no need to show mercy to such idiots—let’s knock them down to our hearts’ content!』
“What should I do?”
『Now, draw your bow toward that pillar! I’ve shared my talent with you, so it won’t be hard. Show this Artemis your splendid form!』
“Yes!”
Atalante pulled the bowstring with all her strength. The string was far too taut for a child to draw, yet her hands moved as though they had done this countless times before. She felt certain the arrow would pierce a man with ease, yet Artemis had pointed not at a person but at a stone pillar.
“R-really? At that?”
『Yes! Right there!』
“I’ll trust you, Lady Artemis!”
The request made no sense, yet she released the arrow without the slightest hesitation.
Ping!
The shaft sliced through the night air like a wave yet flew in utter silence, like a hunting raptor. Nothing could be heard except the soft thunk of the arrowhead striking the pillar and ricocheting sideways.
‘I missed after all!’
Atalante thought she had erred, but she was wrong. The deflected arrowhead buried itself cleanly in the neck of a soldier hidden in the very shadow beside the pillar. The man staggered into view, identity revealed.
“Guh-!”
The wound was so precise he could not even scream. He collapsed and died instantly—a death so light it seemed almost gentle.
“Uh, huh?”
Atalante had not even known anyone was hiding there, yet the shot had found its mark. The arrow’s impossible trajectory left her stunned. A thrill she should never have known raced through her small body. Artemis’s voice rang with approval.
『How is it? This is what it means to be the goddess of the hunt.』
The goddess giggled as though demanding greater reverence, every bit the child—yet her power was undeniably real.
*1) Before the Trojan War, Agamemnon shot and killed Artemis’s sacred deer, boasted that his hunting skill surpassed the goddess’s own, hunted within her holy forest, and attempted to sacrifice his own daughter to appease her wrath. These four incidents are recounted almost identically by every poet and epic writer. Even among myths where opinions differ, this remains one of the rare consistent cases.