Chapter 321
Chapter 321
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 321
Chapter Title: Girl of Steel #2
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Gloria, the holy knight of Juno.
She had appeared out of nowhere a few years ago, like a comet crashing down from the sky without warning.
"She'd pick fights with the strong ones. She'd seek out the powerful and smash anyone in her path, man or woman. That was Gloria."
I lay on the bed Karvilgas had lent me, listening to Hippolyte's explanation.
Beside me, Luna was applying ointment to my face, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Hassan, you're being targeted by that brute of a girl! You might die!"
Luna's words were spot on. It was a confrontation where I could truly feel my life hanging in the balance.
I'd never sensed that kind of peril fighting the Venom Dragon Hydra or the Little King Regulus.
Yet here I was, feeling it over and over against this one girl.
"Where the hell did a monster like that even come from?!"
"Gloria's a natural disaster in her own right. Not much is known about her, and there's no way to control her. Unless... "
"Gloria's brother?"
I recalled the keyword that kept coming up. Hippolyte, sitting near the foot of the bed, nodded.
"Yeah. Gloria's searching for her brother. Whether he actually exists or if it's just her delusion, who knows."
Delusion? It didn't quite fit—she seemed genuinely to miss her family. As I pondered if it was my imagination, Hippolyte continued.
"Anyway, Gloria's emotions and sense of fear are all messed up. The only thing she feels is terror of death."
Like a thrill addict.
I'd heard that people into extreme sports get a rush of intense endorphins or adrenaline from the brink of death.
Once addicted, they can't quit. Maybe Gloria was something like that.
Of course, no real answers.
"The key point is, plenty of people have been ruined by her 'games.' She never breaks herself—just others."
"And those 'games' are the grunting matches?"
"Exactly. Ridiculous name, but they're brutal bloodbaths. Lots of deaths. But Hassan, you endured it. Which means you might have to keep enduring it from here on out."
"Shit..."
The thought of Gloria coming at me again made my vision swim.
Hippolyte had once warned me that as my fame as a warrior grew, terrifying Samaritans would come gunning for me.
Experiencing it now felt like a lightning bolt to the chest.
"Watch your back on the streets at night, Hassan. Don't go out alone if you can help it. You never know when or where Gloria might ambush you. I'll guard you for the time being."
VIP treatment. With Hippolyte as my bodyguard, I could relax a bit. A sudden calm washed over me, bringing on drowsiness.
"Get some rest, then. Beating Gloria back... well, even I thought it was kinda cool. The marquis and everyone wouldn't shut up about it."
Hippolyte scratched her nose like she was embarrassed to say it, and I felt awkward too.
That's when Luna, pasting a bandage on my face, piped up.
"But then, how long do you have to keep running from that wicked bitch? Forever? That'd be too sad for Hassan."
Luna was right on the money.
She had this knack for dropping sharp, realistic truths like daggers—right on cue.
Hippolyte offering protection was great, but I couldn't live like that forever. Wasn't there a way to solve the root problem?
"Good point. There are two main ways. One's realistic, the other's... less so."
"What's the realistic one?"
Hippolyte let out a soft hum, pondering for a moment before speaking.
"Hassan becomes a married man."
"What? What does that mean?"
Luna shot back, baffled. I was just as lost, bursting with curiosity, when Hippolyte explained.
"Gloria's a holy knight of Juno. For some reason, she's cursed by the goddess—bound to karma and holy wars. She can't harm those with families."
"So married men are off-limits? Because hurting one would destroy a home?"
"Just like you said, Noxdoti. It's the chain that binds Gloria—and the restraint that makes her stronger."
A restraint that makes her even stronger.
I thought of the elf monk Kalidur's precepts. Self-imposed limits that granted greater power.
I'd heard Hippolyte's moon allergy was a similar quirk, amplifying her strength.
Apparently the same for Gloria.
Then Luna chimed in brightly.
"So, if Hassan gets married, problem solved! Easy! In that case, I'll—"
"Normally, yes. But not quite. Noxdoti, you remember—Hassan has another prophecy."
"..."
Luna clamped her mouth shut, no retort. The prophecy Hippolyte meant was probably that one.
That I'd kill my first family—the one I love most—with my own hands.
It was a curse of sorts.
My first true family, the one I cherished above all, dying by my hand to complete my existence. Chilling and cryptic.
Everyone must have felt it.
My wife would die by my hand.
Then Luna, who'd been silent, spoke up softly but firmly, unable to hold back.
"Maybe... the prophecy's wrong."
"No, Delphi's prophecies always come true, one way or another. No one can stop them—not even great Jupiter."
"But..."
"You saw the God of Light descend that day. The prophecy came straight from him."
"But it's the 'first family,' right? Could be someone other than a wife. Prophecies are vague like superstitions—open to interpretation, no?"
"You're right. But we can't say for sure. What is certain: Hassan will one day kill his own family with his own hands."
Luna fell silent at Hippolyte's cold logic. Hippolyte drove the point home.
"You know the Trojan War prophecy? The first off the ship dies. Thessalos was first, impaled by Hector's spear. Same here. Hassan's 'first family' will die by his hand someday."
"I-I don't care. Even if it's by Hassan's hand..."
Tears welled in Luna's big emerald eyes.
"We promised each other long ago."
She buried her face in my stomach and burst into sobs. The idea of killing her myself terrified me.
She might say it's fine, but I didn't want that horror.
Hippolyte scratched her nose, eyeing the sobbing Luna on my belly.
"W-Well, I could marry him first. I'm Mars's daughter—death's always at my side. I'm not afraid of dying."
"What? What are you saying?"
Luna lifted her tear-streaked face, makeup smudged like a raccoon's. Hippolyte hemmed and hawed.
"Maybe that's why I'm drawn to Hassan. Mars's daughters court death. Mars was tight with Pluto too. So, uh, yeah."
"You're saying you'd be Hassan's first family?"
"Of course, only if Hassan agrees."
Hippolyte's face glowed red in the candlelight. Was this a proposal?
The thought made my head spin. My back tingled, heat rushing from my neck to my face.
"On the surface, I-I'm Mars's daughter... Gold-tier adventurer. I think I'd make a fine wife for a young god. S-So, Hassan, what do you think...?"
"I..."
My brain fired on all cylinders, visions of married life with Hippolyte flooding in.
The perfect career woman.
Master of all housework, including cooking. Nothing she couldn't do except stocks—and best of all, big breasts and beautiful.
A sleek model figure, athlete's build—coming home to that every day? Pure bliss.
But then, someday choking her with my own hands.
The happy fantasy darkened to bloody horror.
I didn't want to strike Luna down, and imagining the same with Hippolyte repulsed me.
"...No, I don't think so. The idea of maybe killing you myself—it's too awful."
"I-I see. Yeah, it is. Horrifying, really."
"Uh, you mentioned a unrealistic way to get rid of Gloria? What is it?"
Hippolyte cleared her throat, regaining composure.
"It's unrealistic, as I said. Find Gloria's real brother and bring him to her."
Oh.
"Th-That sounds perfect!"
Luna yelped, suddenly animated after fidgeting in frustration.
"If we find her real brother, she won't bother Hassan anymore! No need to rush into marriage!"
"But it's the most unrealistic option. No leads on her brother beyond 'strong male Samaritan.'"
Damn. Exactly as unrealistic as Hippolyte said.
"Plenty have tried finding him—to leash that maniac. All strikes out."
"No clues at all? Zero?"
"There was a strong Samaritan near Delphi who made a name, but he vanished about two years ago."
"I-I'm great at finding people! She's family, right? Real family. If we get a hair from that bitch, I can use a tracking ritual!"
Oh.
Right—Luna was a master of rituals. Summoning and locating spells—she'd done them before.
While I fought Schizo, she'd summoned Actaeon that way.
"Ideope's rituals, huh. Not foolproof, but the variables make it possible."
Rustle.
Someone stirred at my feet.
"When are you all sleeping...? This paranoid is dying of sleepiness.... Tomorrow I have to preach precepts to Hassan's new followers. I need real rest..."
Our noise had woken Paranoy, curled up by my feet.
It hit us how late it was—we'd talked for hours.
"Hassan-nim, I woke up midway and now my mind's too clear to sleep.... Since you're up, could you pet my head till I doze off...?"
"What a needy one."
"It's the least for your top disciple, future first priest of the temple...."
Temple.
A thought struck me, and I asked Hippolyte.
"How much does it cost to build a temple usually?"
"No fixed price, but start with a thousand gold minimum. Depends on land size and grandeur. The new Mars guild cost 2500 gold, for reference."
Damn, that's huge.
No clue how much, but insanely expensive. No idea how long it'd take me.
"Can't do it cheaper?"
"A shack in the boonies? Hundred gold maybe. But who wants a poor god?"
Ah, got it. Temple's splendor reflects the god's.
Flashy interior draws believers. Hence noble patronage.
"Paranoy, how much from the sponsorship?"
I stroked his hair. He yawned, mouth opening—and out poured coins in a jingle.
Fucking magical. Like cracking open a piggy bank as a kid.
"22 gold, 30 silver, 25 copper...!"
"Paranoy! That's my one gold back!"
"Luna-nim took the one gold, so 21 gold, 30 silver, 25 copper...!"
"Something's off. Felt like more came in. This really all?"
"Y-Yes...!"
Half-asleep or guilty? I grabbed his cheeks, yanking up-down, back-forth like squeezing toothpaste.
Jingle—more coins dropped.
"Huh, one gold and five silvers extra."
"Th-Those were my savings...!"
"Sure. Still miles from a thousand."
I sighed in disappointment. Hippolyte drew the curtains shut and chimed in.
"That's a huge haul for a first sponsorship. Bacchus made 20 gold in his boy-god days."
"Really?"
Felt like a lot now.
Short of a thousand, sure, but 20+ gold from schmoozing? Impressive.
No more starving, at least.
My life finally opening up. As I grinned, Hippolyte added slyly.
"Fighting Gloria isn't all bad. Word of enduring her—and landing a hit—will spread, boosting your divine status."
Time flew. Next day.
We wrapped up Delphi business and prepped to head back to Sodoma, our base.
First, though—to ditch Gloria's creepy fixation, we'd set a trap for a lock of her hair.
"Luna, you sure? She's insanely strong. Body like solid steel."
"We'll see when we try! Hassan draws her attention, the rest of us gang up on her! Got it, everyone?"