Chapter 128
Chapter 128
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: Whose Hand Do the Gods of War Raise?
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"It's quiet, huh."
"Yeah. Even the Mars temple doesn't let just anyone in here."
The Mars temple had a back area. In the back stood a brown tent like a field office, surrounded by swords stabbed into the ground everywhere.
It was my first time here, so just as I started wondering what this place was.
"It's a sword grave for the dying great warriors of Mars. Those swords stuck in the ground are tombstones for the fallen warriors."
Hippolyte explained what this place was, clearing up some of my confusion. In other words, it seemed like a graveyard for warriors.
But rather than the eerie feel of a graveyard, the candles and wreaths placed here and there gave it more of a memorial zone vibe, filling me with a solemn mood.
"Come inside here. I've got things mostly ready."
Hippolyte strode into the tent in those uncomfortable-looking shoes without issue.
I gave the swords stuck around one last sweep with my eyes, then followed her into the tent.
The inside of that thick tent was an utterly ordinary scene you could see anywhere.
A dim lantern light hanging from the fairly high ceiling, a simple cot, and in one corner, a rack with a sword and armor.
The red armor with a long cloth attached looked like the one Hippolyte used. Was this tent her office? It was odd seeing a large full-length mirror there too.
"Ahem. This, this is the first time I've invited anyone else here. Consider it an honor."
I'd thought the tent was nothing special, but realizing I was alone here with Hippolyte and her glossy skin made my face heat up, and I couldn't calm down.
Shring.
Hippolyte drew the sword from the corner, inspected the blade this way and that as if checking its condition, and spoke.
"The priests of Mars bless those heading into battle. It's a tradition they've followed since ancient times, going back so far it's not even recorded in history."
"I-is that so."
Hippolyte started some stuffy old tale, but I was too fixated on her backless dress to pay attention. Her toned muscles, without a single flab, were fascinating.
"And tracing it back to its origins, the priests' blessings in ancient times were extremely primitive... and primal. But they were just as effective."
Shring, clack.
Hippolyte sheathed the sword again.
She approached me with sharp clicks of her heels, pushed my shoulders to seat me on the cot behind.
"...Yes, ancient kings, before heading to battle. They took virgin priestesses and smeared their blood. And what I'm about to do... is similar to that. I'm a virgin. And a priestess."
Hippolyte straddled my thigh.
Her hot body heat seeped through my pants, warming me up in an instant.
Right up against my face were her absurdly large breasts. With that unexpected warmth and softness, my lower half swelled rapidly, hardening like a spear piercing the sky.
"L-Lady H-Hippolyte...?"
"Shh, be quiet. I may lack experience, but I know the method. But if you disrupt my focus, the blessing might go wrong."
Her breath right in front of my nose had a strangely sweet edge.
Not to mention, her slightly sharp yet spicy scent was intense enough to fry a man's brain—mine included.
Hippolyte's face loomed slightly higher than mine, her gaze naturally looking down at me. She called my name.
"Hassan."
But pinned under this warm, soft trap, I had no room to respond.
What the hell was going on? It looked like one of those situations, but why was Hippolyte doing this to me? Did she like me or something—.
No, messing with her might get me in deep shit—and random thoughts like that chained together endlessly.
It was right then.
"Hassan, you're joining the war because of your past exploits, right?"
"Exploits?"
"...Once you reach Silver Tier adventurer, you get rights to do a lot. Like reading kingdom documents. And someone as unique as a Samaritan usually leaves some record somewhere."
Hippolyte paused her story. Then she grabbed both my wrists, lifted them, and examined them closely with narrowed eyes.
"No brand. But past records remain like indelible words. Do you know of Deathros's arena, Hassan?"
"That's..."
Her words stirred memories I'd buried deep in my mind, rising like smoke from a fire.
Iron chains and broken nails scattered on an underground floor.
"It seems you wanted to keep it secret. Then I won't say more. Now we share a secret."
"A secret?"
"Mercury said sharing each other's secrets opens the path of fate. You already knew my secret. Now we're even. I can't stand losing."
With that, Hippolyte stroked my chest with her palm.
"Now don't open your mouth, Hassan. I'm about to bestow the blessing properly."
Her hand, stroking my chest back and forth over the leather jacket, paused at Luna's bite mark, clearly visible. She furrowed her brow.
Then came a brief silence.
"...No, this won't do. It just makes me feel defeated. I don't like it."
Hippolyte stopped talking and got off my lap. She walked to the far side, slowly removing her shoes and dress.
I panicked at the sudden action and her retreating back, but she soon picked up underwear and armor from the corner and donned them.
Clank. Snap.
"You don't need my blessing. Too much attention can tear a trapped rat apart."
"...So, it's over? No blessing or anything?"
"Yes. But at least I made sure you won't die to a stray arrow. Follow me outside."
And with a shring, she drew her sword.
"Wh-why draw that?"
"This suits me better, doesn't it?"
* * *
Back at the cabin with Luna, she must have been watching for me from the window outside.
As soon as I appeared in the distance, she yanked her head back in surprise, then burst out the first-floor door.
"Hassan, h-how'd it go? Did you get the blessing?"
"She said no blessing."
"Wh-what!? Then what the hell were you doing there all this time?"
Luna scanned my body. She frowned at my torn leather clothes and minor scrapes.
"Did you fight a tiger or something?"
"Something like that. Fuck, thought I was gonna die."
Under the guise of building courage against arrows and blades, Hippolyte had me stare down her swinging fists and sword tips.
Every time I blinked, I'd take a hit. No idea how many in that hour. Fuck, training like a brute. What a savage world.
Luna, though, seemed oddly pleased that I'd gotten beat up by Hippolyte.
"Th-that's weird... Warrior god blessings are super effective. Hassan, then I'll put a ward spell on you! Uh, take your clothes off quick!"
With that, Luna dashed into the first-floor workshop.
Crash, bang—noise filled the cabin for a bit, then she returned with a brush and a wooden bucket reeking of something foul.
"Thinking about it, I do have something I can do before you head to war!"
Squirm, squirm.
Inside the bucket, maggot-like bugs writhed in red paint. Pretty gross.
Luna mashed them in a small mortar and pestle.
Crunch, squish.
The slimy contents mixed with the red pigment. She dipped a brush with falling bristles and held it out toward me.
"What're you doing?"
"Battle rite! Ideophe men all get ward paint before war!"
Like tribal warriors with war paint? Honestly, what difference would it make?
Squelch.
Seeing Luna's pursed lips and tense eyes, I reluctantly let her paint me.
"You apply it the night before departure and let it dry well. And tonight, you stay up praying!"
"Marching out tomorrow, and you want me up all night?"
"With reverence! And dance too!"
* * *
Sodomora's west gate, usually our party's meeting spot.
As the dawn sun rose, it buzzed with way more people than usual.
They held swords, clubs, long spears, farm tools—even pot lids as shields. A total ragtag mob.
Even for a city full of idiots, I'd never seen this many. Had they all been hiding until war broke out?
Like reserve training. Except this was the real fucking deal, no drill.
"War? I've never even held a weapon."
"We'll manage somehow. We're lucky gathering at the west gate. We're joining the lady's unit."
Groups muttered among themselves, turning the gate into a noisy market.
I scanned for familiar faces, but saw none I knew, so I just stood there blankly.
Am I the only one drafted? Or different units?
"Hassan, be careful. If it gets really dangerous, just lie among corpses and play dead!"
Luna stood beside me, giving her own advice nonstop. Wide awake despite no sleep last night.
Me? Just tired and hazy, yawning nonstop.
Tension mixed with drowsiness had my heart pounding like I'd taken drugs, the noise making my vision spin.
Who knew I'd chant weird incantations and dance till dawn.
Now I got why Ideophe men never returned from war.
Drained before battle, they probably keeled over somewhere. Fuck...
But Luna's sincerity was too much to refuse. Otherwise, she'd go mad first.
Truth was, last night's Luna was a bit unhinged.
Clop, clop.
Then the crowd buzzed loudly. Hoofbeats echoed, and riders in yellowish armor parted the throng.
Brass armor gleaming blindingly, on horseback. Definitely high-rankers.
"It's the lady."
"Enya! Enya's really with us!"
"Woo-!"
People raised hands and cheered at the brass riders.
Faces sour like death moments ago now brightened—what magic was this? I felt dazed.
Clop.
The horses circled us a while, then stopped on a platform.
A rider with a flaged spear raised it high, bellowing from under a red peacock-feather helm covering his face.
"Heretics suck!"
Nearby riders slammed spear shafts down, shouting.
"Kill heretics!"
"Woo!"
What the hell.
I was totally bewildered. Luna blinked around confusedly too.
"Let's kill heretics!"
"Heretics are my enemies!"
Caught in some fanatic festival, the crowd's heat rose. Morale boost?
But in the center, I felt awkward like an agnostic at a fervent summer Bible camp.
Standing there awkwardly, someone nudged my side with an elbow.
"What're you doing! Cheer at least!"
"Huh?"
"The lady's strict on soldier morale. No loud response, we'll stand here all day!"
Fuck this.
So Luna and I raised our arms high amid the crowd, yelling like screams.
"...K-Kill heretics...!"
"Heretics are my enemies!"
Woo-!
The weird chants echoed a few seconds. Then the flag lowered, heat cooled, mood darkened.
Now what? I watched tensely.
The woman with peacock feathers on her owl-like helm spoke.
"Everyone, I am Enya Sardici, eldest daughter of Margrave Hawkins. Great warrior of Minerva, guardian of Sodomora, and your sister—"
Murmur, murmur.
She was saying something, but the platform was far, crowd noisy—couldn't hear.
Luna nudged me.
"Hassan, what's the lady saying?"
"No idea."
No mic in this world. Hard to hear without killer lungs.
Then applause erupted—clap clap—we joined in clapping loud.
Fuck, what is this shit.
Hasty army.
Hasty command.
Better focus on Luna's warmth beside me than straining for unheard words.
"Luna, I'll be back soon. Wait here."
"Y-Yeah."
Luna looked up, emerald eyes tearing. But she shook her head hard.
"C-Crying before battle is bad luck."
"I see."
"Hassan, should I come too?"
"No, who knows what'll happen. Stay in the city, at the cabin with kyungkyung."
"Then use the talismans and potions I gave you!"
In unknown war chaos, I couldn't spare attention for Luna too.
Better she stay safe than add worry.
"As soon as aides finish assignments, we march!"
Her clear shout rang out. Amid cheering clappers, Luna and I faced each other.
". ."
She mouthed something.
Drowned in noise, couldn't hear.
Curious, but I'd ask when back safe.
"March!"
Anyway, me, foreign merc Hassan.
Off to war.
[Author's Note]
What you're waiting for, before the war cup cools, I'll hurry back and show you something... something... Hng... Holding breath for Mercury again...!!
Diving deep underwater there...!!!