Guardian of the Rainbow God's Villa
As morning broke, Peleus secretly contacted Helen and asked her to find out the location of the rainbow god's villa.
Realizing her ally was in danger, Helen stepped up without hesitation.
"Father."
"What brings my daughter here so early in the morning? Come for a greeting? Haha!"
King Tyndareus was visibly delighted by Princess Helen's visit. He affectionately took her hand and sat her beside him.
"I've felt neglected lately since you've been avoiding your father, but I'm thrilled you've come to see me first."
"Please forgive your daughter's filial impiety."
Unlike what people knew publicly, the relationship between King Tyndareus and Princess Helen was far from harmonious. The reason was that Helen had been wary of her stepfather.
She had known since childhood that he wasn't her real father, yet she had followed him sincerely. But at some point, she began sensing something off and deliberately kept her distance.
What was it? A sticky, unpleasant gaze.
He didn't always look at her that way, but she had noticed the lustful expressions on his face when he was with suitors.
Whenever the old king's desire-filled eyes scanned her body, Helen got chills. That was why she avoided him.
But today, with a purpose in mind, she acted coquettishly, unlike her usual self.
"Father, how do you evaluate the suitors?"
As Helen cozied up and asked questions, King Tyndareus spilled everything like a chatterbox. The long-overdue conversation with his stepdaughter satisfied him, and he was ready to say anything to prolong it.
"Crete's king, Idomeneus, is like a greedy wild boar. You must never marry him."
But from the king's mouth poured endless slander about the suitors. Gone was the boisterous king who praised heroes at banquets; only a petty old man gossiping maliciously remained.
Helen wondered why he had invited the suitors if he badmouthed them all, but she didn't show it and asked about her ally too.
"What about Peleus?"
"Hm? That one?"
King Tyndareus felt a twinge of displeasure. He was a subtly ambiguous figure—seeming to have ulterior motives, yet impossible to read on the surface. Flawless in every way, but to the king's seasoned senses, he felt like a thorn in the throat.
Yet the king didn't know why.
"He's a foreign prince of uncertain lineage, greedy like Idomeneus. Pay him no mind."
Once again, the king slandered him. Since he spoke ill of everyone, Helen gave up asking about the suitors.
That wasn't the point anyway.
As their conversation flowed, Helen brought up her real purpose.
"Father, I'm really curious, but where is Iris the god's villa in the forest?"
"What? Why do you ask that?"
King Tyndareus, who had answered readily until now, showed a hint of wariness.
"I'm royalty of Sparta too. Shouldn't I avoid incurring a god's wrath?"
"You're right when you put it that way."
But he still hesitated to reveal such a major secret.
"My daughter."
"Father…."
Seeing Helen's earnest expression melted his heart like spring sunlight. If it made her happy, there was no reason not to share even greater secrets, so he told her the villa's location, known only to him.
"Thank you, Father. I'll remember and stay far away."
"Wise girl. Haha!"
King Tyndareus was fully satisfied with the rare pleasant chat with his stepdaughter.
Helen left soon after, but the king stared long at the tent entrance where she had gone.
She's ripened beautifully like midsummer grapes, her body exuding a sweet honey scent.
Unknowingly, King Tyndareus licked his lips.
He had once felt a pang of conscience for lusting after his stepdaughter, but it was fleeting. He had always taken what he wanted.
Violating human norms meant little to him.
Strictly speaking, she's not even my real daughter. She's proof of my wife's adultery. Taking her would be recompense for my past forbearance.
Helen’s beauty drove even her stepfather mad. He had barely suppressed the urge to grab her plump rear with his old hands as she left.
"Heh heh…."
A sinister, low chuckle echoed in the king's tent.
Publicly soliciting suitors was just a farce to him. It was to show he was fulfilling his fatherly duty.
He planned to make the suitors destroy or kill each other through ongoing trials, then declare no one suitable and confine his daughter to the inner palace.
"That girl is mine…. Of course she is…."
When the time came, he vowed darkly to tear off his stepdaughter's clothes and conquer her, consumed by greed.
The next day, the hunting tournament hosted by Sparta's king finally began.
"Peleus, confident?"
"Of course."
Peleus nodded at Atalante's question.
This hunt wasn't some casual drive hunt for amusement. Groups of three to five would enter the forest directly, track prey, and capture it.
He was teamed with Atalante, Odysseus, and Agamemnon—a group of four.
"Don't worry about the hunting. I've been a hunter since birth."
Excited about her specialty, Atalante brimmed with confidence.
"Yeah? Looking forward to it."
"Hm?"
But when the tournament's main participant responded indifferently, she tilted her head.
"Weren't you set on winning? You don't seem motivated."
"Well, that's not what's important right now. Anyway, handle the hunting."
"Hmph… You're hard to read. Fine, I'll help this once. After, answer my questions."
"Naturally."
Atalante craved the truth. Once she heard everything, her relationship with Goddess Artemis would surely sour. He'd handle that after the Helen matter wrapped up.
Roooo!
The horn signaling the start blared.
Everyone rushed into the forest to save even a moment.
Then, Idomeneus, leading his group, stopped and shouted at Peleus.
"Hey! Forests are full of shadows! Best stay cautious!"
He must be tired of faking smiles in front of Peleus. So Peleus shot back immediately.
"People have no eyes in the back of their heads. Watch for blind arrows too, brother."
Even from afar, Idomeneus's gritted teeth were visible. Something would definitely go down in this forest.
Whatever he prepared, priority was Iris's villa.
Once inside, Peleus entrusted the hunt to his group and said he had somewhere to go.
"What? Alone at such a crucial time? It's dangerous."
Agamemnon tried to stop him, but Peleus raised a hand to refuse.
"I have my reasons."
He gave the others tasks including the hunt and dashed off first.
The forest scenery blurred past. Thanks to Heracles' Jewel, his stamina was immense; he ran tirelessly.
While others sought game, he headed straight for the villa—he'd arrive first.
"Peleus, stay alert."
After about five hours, the Secret Book warned him. The surroundings had changed.
The bright forest darkened, sunlight vanishing until it felt like midnight.
From the distant gloom came eerie, unintelligible whispers.
"Ah, so that's what 'alert' means."
Iris's villa was in a private grove yet not—a place straddling another dimension.
Peleus realized the trees' true nature and shuddered.
"These are…."
What he thought were trees were traces of unlucky victims who came here.
Trapped and killed by the goddess's villa guardians, their skin had turned to bark, hands split into dozens of rigid branches.
"Peleus! Hurry and take out the lantern!"
At the Secret Book's words, he pulled out Hephaestus's lantern. Brilliant light pierced the darkness.
"Gasp!"
Only then did he grasp the peril. Grotesque black masses swarmed nearby from all sides.
"Why didn't I notice?!"
"You're in a god's trap. It's distorting your senses. Your divinity kept them at bay so far."
The creatures varied: some legless crawling giants, tentacle clumps, shaggy jiggling fat blobs.
Back off!
Infusing divinity into the lantern, he shouted. The light intensified, searing their oil-black skin.
"Kieeeek!"
"Squeeee—!"
The monsters screeched and retreated hastily.
Peleus hurried on, shining the lantern to repel any that clung.
It was exhausting.
"No wonder mortals passing such places safely makes gods granting wishes seem merciful."
"Exactly—it's impossible from the start."
Myths of humans reaching gods were likely lies by malicious deities to lure fools. Gods probably sipped nectar in villas, mocking devoured humans.
But with Hephaestus's lantern, Peleus passed safely.
He arrived in a barren world.
"Iris rests comfortably here?"
Black sand and pillars everywhere like a desert. All plants withered. No water; air painfully dry. No trace of life.
"Over there, Peleus."
The Secret Book pointed to a gloomy black stone temple, half-ruined like ancient ruins.
Alert, he entered.
Unlike the desolate exterior, inside was pristine. Polished black marble floors spotless, walls lit by evenly spaced torches.
Clack-clack.
His reinforced shoe metal rang crisply on marble.
At the corridor's end loomed a massive iron door.
"…Like Rodin's Gates of Hell."
The overwhelming door was carved with humanity's torments and sorrows. What tastes did the rainbow goddess Iris have, placing this in her villa?
Creeeak—.
The door weighed tons, but Heracles' Jewel made it easy.
"Ngh!"
Gritting his teeth, he shoved it open fully.
Beyond unfolded a separate realm for Goddess Iris.
"Whoa…!"
He couldn't help but marvel purely. Amid perfect blackness, countless twinkling stars—like the universe's heart.
The room defied normal physics. Entering, his limbs felt bizarrely warped.
Stay sharp, Peleus. Or you'll melt in here.
Nodding, he advanced. Far off—or near?—loomed a being. Distance played tricks: dozens of kilometers or inches.
One thing clear: its identity.
Demigod. Guardian of Iris's villa.
It resembled a massive elephant, yet sat human-like cross-legged. Trunk nostrils bristled with blade-teeth; six tusks gleamed blood-red. Fan-like ears spread majestically like wings.
"Great one."
Peleus bowed to the nameless demigod. It looked fiendishly evil yet austerely dignified.
As he bowed, the demigod spoke in a voice no human could match.
[The outside grew noisy… and now a tiny human finds the villa…. First visitor since it was built…. Impressive. Facing a god unmoved…?]
Dangerous, but no malice yet, so Peleus gathered courage.
"Forgive my uninvited visit. I have a request for the villa's guardian."
[Most humans can't even converse with me… yet you ask favors…. Remarkable. Speak.]
"I wish to see Rainbow God Iris. Please summon her."
How would the demigod react? Worry rose. Its deep, sinister eyes were inscrutable. Compared to it, Idomeneus was a minnow.
[Fine…. Can't refuse the first human's request…. But meet my demand.]
"Demand?"
The demigod raised a hand, pointing at Peleus's chest.
[Magnificent treasure…. Give it to me…. I'll summon Iris in exchange….]
It precisely indicated Heracles' Jewel in his bosom. A most troublesome demand—one he absolutely couldn't yield.
"I refuse."
[What…? Heh heh heh heh. Amusing…. Only one answer then.]
Boom!
The massive hellgate behind slammed shut with a roar.
The demigod chuckled lowly.
[Heh heh heh…. Your flesh and soul look delicious. A rare feast. Fortune walks in on its own feet. The end is nearer than thought….]
The elephant-god's maw split wide. Needle-teeth exposed, green foul fluid drooled long.
Gazing at its greed, Peleus thought of what he must do to keep the jewel: fully absorb Heracles' Jewel.
Essential too for winning his bet with the First Scribe, servant of the secret god.
Losing it today would confirm the First Scribe's fears; he'd get no more aid.
Without it, "Apocalypse Executor" was hollow.
To win the bet and counter the elephant demigod's greed, he needed to absorb the jewel.
"Is this what you want?"
Pulling out Heracles' Jewel, the demigod grinned.
[I sense supreme god's fragment…. Perfect.]
"You'll regret it."
[A mere human… dares warn me…? Pffrr!]
The demigod laughed derisively.
But Peleus's warning was sincere. Success meant summoning the First Scribe here.
"Hm…."
[What do you see…?]
Wondering if you're suitable as an offering.