I Won't Die

The Day of Great Union had arrived.

For the ritual that day, I went out to fell trees cultivated beside the temple.

It was Mother Phylotera's request.

"On the Day of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Great Union, we must prepare special wood for the sacred rite."

"Then I'll go fetch it."

The grounds near the Temple of the Hearth were rich with oak. Most of it was tied to the Greek gods in one way or another, and long years of careful tending had left the groves lush and full.

For the ritual itself, however, they used olive wood.

Olive oil had been the fuel of lamps in ancient Greece. That made it the most fitting fuel of all for kindling and feeding Hestia's flame.

So I had to go find it alone.

"Will you be all right?"

Phylotera asked again, worry plain in her voice. I set her mind at ease.

"Don't worry. I want to go alone for the sake of my training as well."

Because I had said as much, Phylotera brought me a keen sword and a shield from deep within the temple and held them out.

"You must come back safely."

"Don't worry, Mother. It's right nearby — why fretting over that?"

I kissed her on the forehead.

To the other children and the priestesses watching, it would look like nothing more than a son's farewell to his mother.

But Phylotera and I both knew the truth.

Just like the number 7.9 carved into her backside, this too was a lover's affection between a man and a woman.

I said my goodbyes and left the temple for a while.

Only after walking west for several hours did I finally find the olive grove Phylotera had described.

"Whoa. First time I've been out this way."

I set down the sword and shield I'd been carrying and pulled an axe from my pack instead.

Crack!

I started swinging hard.

It was a skill I'd learned during my years as a slave.

Under my axe, the trees gave way one by one and toppled.

"Old wood lasts longer and smokes less, so I should aim for the bigger ones, right?"

I raised the axe again.

Then a sound came from behind me.

"Hm?"

These were ears sharp enough to catch even the gasps and ragged breathing of Hestia's avatars.

That same sense was telling me now.

A monster had appeared at my back.

"Ah, for fuck's sake."

I dropped the axe at once. I kicked the scattered firewood aside with my foot, then snatched up the sword and shield.

"Kyaooooh!"

A small creature emerged from the far side. A feline monster about the size of a cheetah.

A Feline.

A common monster of the mountains and fields. They hunted in packs, and their razor claws were lethally sharp.

"Didn't think they'd show up this close to the temple."

I grinned and raised the sword higher.

It was a blade meant for Hestia's rites.

Which meant it was iron, not bronze.

The shield, too — Phylotera must have chosen it with care — was solid hardwood.

"Kyaaaaaah!"

Two Felines charged me at once. I drew a long breath and stepped forward.

Slash!

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

The blade carved through flesh and raked clean through a Feline's body. The severed foreleg hit the ground spurting blood.

"Kraaaah!"

Blood sprayed across my face. Without time to wipe it away, I caught the next Feline's attack on my shield.

"Kh!"

The impact shuddered through my whole body. I drove the sword forward in the same motion.

Thrust!

I felt the steel bite keenly into flesh. The Feline's body twisted, then went limp.

"Kyaaaaah!"

"Kyaaah!"

The remaining two came at me from either side. Their claws raked across my ribs and shoulder.

"Kraaagh!"

Flesh tore free. Blood poured out in a rush. Gasping, I swung the sword.

They darted nimbly back.

Then lunged again.

Thud! Thwack!

Their assault hammered ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my shield. The shock made the blood spurt even harder.

I went down hard. My vision blurred.

If I stayed like this, I was going to die.

"Like hell I will!"

I clenched my teeth and forced myself up on both legs. I roared at the Felines as they prepared to strike again.

"Come on, you little shits!"

"Kyaoooooh!"

They charged as one. I gritted my teeth and swung.

My scattered swordplay sharpened again. The stroke cleaved a Feline clean in two at the midsection.

I pressed the attack without pause and drove the blade straight through the last one's heart.

"Khuh-urk! Uhurk!"

All of them dead.

I'd barely won.

Trembling hard, I dropped to my knees.

"Kh!"

The bleeding from my side and shoulder was massive. I clenched my teeth.

My consciousness swam, but I could not collapse here.

Absolutely not.

I would not leave her to weep for me.

So that was it.

That was why I'd always held the edge over Alcyone and the other kids.

Why I'd survived ten years of slave labor that should have killed me long ago.

All of it had been thanks to the physical growth this skill granted.

"Right. So this time's no different."

Staggering, I gathered the firewood scattered across the ground. It soaked up the sticky blood from my hands and turned a deep red.

"I am not dying!"

I clenched the sword between my teeth and grabbed the shield and pack at the same time.

There was no room to take the axe.

My mind couldn't stretch that far.

And then I walked.

Leaving a trail of blood, marking the path I took as I left.

Like Hansel and Gretel scattering pebbles to find their way home.

"I-I'm back, Mother…"

Dragging my exhausted feet, I barely made it back to the Temple of the Hearth.

The children and priestesses turned, saw me, and went pale with shock.

"Ho—Homeron!"

Phylotera's cry of horror cut through to my ears. Even through the haze, I felt someone catch me and lead me inside.

My blurred consciousness gradually cleared. When I came fully to myself, I found Phylotera clutching my hand, weeping.

I slowly lifted my hand and wiped the tears from her face.

"Ho—Homeron?"

"How long was I out?"

"O-only a few hours. You still shouldn't be moving…"

I sat up.

Then took her face in my hands.

"I'm fine now. Thanks to coming to Mother's temple."

"Oh, Homeron!"

She threw her arms around me and pulled me tight.

The soft press of her full breasts against me, and I felt the pain in my side and shoulder begin to fade.

Ah. That felt good.

"Never make this mother worry like that again!"

"I'm sorry."

There was nothing else I could say.

I'd been arrogant, honestly.

During my slave years, I'd watched the heroes and mercenaries my master's brat summoned go out on monster hunts.

I'd figured that if my body was roughly on their level, I could handle it.

But real combat was different.

Without that fifth passive skill that had stayed hidden until now, I would have been dead already — and it wouldn't have been strange at all.

"I won't let this happen again."

Had the resolve in my voice reached her?

Phylotera finally pulled back.

With sorrow still plain on her face, she gently stroked my cheek.

"Because of my request — because of me — you nearly died, and the guilt was more than I could bear!"

So that was it.

"Absolutely not, Mother."

"But…"

"Shh."

I laid a finger across her lips. Holding her gaze, I murmured low.

"I was the one who insisted on going alone. That was my responsibility. You don't need to blame yourself."

Right after, as her lips parted to speak, I stole them.

I poured a deep kiss into her, and she answered with equal heat.

The way she yielded under my hands — how thoroughly she'd been trained by now — was endlessly endearing.

"Haa… haa…"

When our lips parted, she was breathing hard, her flushed face dazed as she looked up at me.

"Shall we?"

"R-right now the other children are…"

"Who would dare barge into Mother's chambers?"

Rustle.

I stripped her clothes away. She twisted her body to help me, making it easy.

"When I thought I might die, you were the first thing that came to mind."

"Ah, Homeron…"

"I want you."

I traced my mouth down over her breasts. Phylotera's hot breath brushed my ear.

"You're not fully healed yet, Homeron."

"Even so…"

"Then this mother will ride you. You just lie still."

What? I hadn't seen that coming.

Before I could even react, she gently pushed against my chest. The moment I fell back onto the bed, she climbed on top of me.

Her face scarlet, she looked down at me shyly and said:

"This mother will serve you. So just stay still, my boy."

That tone.

The way her speech flipped the moment sex started.

In other words, she was in heat too.

"Hah… that's hot as hell, Mother…"

"What kind of talk is that for a child… You shouldn't say such things to your mother."

"But it's way too filthy."

"C-come on, then. Hurry."

She pulled my pants straight off. Then wrapped her hand around my already-hard cock and gripped it tight.

"Haa… so hot…"

With that single breath, she sank down onto me herself.

And for a long while after that, we tangled together in a fierce heat. Clutching Phylotera's breasts as she cried out, I looked up at her as she arched her hips and came hard.

Sex on the eve of the Day of Great Union.