Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Sun and Moon
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Like a baby mouse pinned under a cat's paw, I lay flat on the ground, unable to move.
It didn't take long to realize that the soft sole pressing down on my neck belonged to someone.
"You're getting way too cocky lately. Don't you think so?"
It was the most bizarre voice I'd ever heard in my life. Cool and icy, like it had just been pulled from a fridge. The description might sound odd, but that's exactly how it was.
I wanted to figure out what the hell was going on—who was stepping on my neck—but the foot held my head firm, and I couldn't turn at all.
"Where do you think you're looking? A mere mortal like you would go blind just from gazing at me."
Mere mortal? Shit, I'm screwed. Some weirdo had popped up from out of nowhere again.
For a split second, I thought it might be Nyx, but the vibe was totally different. If Nyx felt like an elegant lady of the house, this woman reminded me of my little sister somehow. Younger, more immature.
And from experience, girls like my little sister who were immature caused massive disasters for the dumbest reasons.
"Wh-who are you!?"
"Don't you know who I am? That's even more unforgivable. I am the goddess who protects the hunt, the moon, the beasts of the fields, and the purity of maidens."
"Gahk—."
The pressure on my neck intensified, leaving me flailing my limbs like a cockroach sprayed with bug killer.
At this rate, my neck would snap for real. Desperate, I racked my brain for a way out.
"I'm sorry...! I've committed a grave sin!"
I had no idea what I'd done, but she seemed furious with me, so apologizing first seemed like the best bet. It was all I could do right now.
Maybe it worked, because the foot eased up just enough for me to breathe.
"I wanted to rip you apart and feed you to the dogs right now. But you're apologizing so obediently. Fine, I'm magnanimous, so I'll forgive you."
"Th-then you'll let me live?"
"No, I'm going to kill you! Tear you to shreds!"
Shit, this crazy bitch! From experience, apologies don't work on types like her.
"Not only did you defile the maidens I've been watching over, you tormented the deer I cherished too. And you expect forgiveness?"
Maidens? Deer? A few things came to mind. She'd introduced herself as the goddess of purity and the hunt or something.
"...Are you perhaps Lady Diana?"
"Who else would it be! You ugly mortal. I can smell nymphs all over you, so you must've assaulted those poor nymphs in the meantime, huh!?"
Nymph smell on me? No clue what that smelled like, but it had clearly enraged this Diana goddess to her core.
"It's a misunderstanding. I just gave them massages!"
"Massages? Don't lie. No simple massage leaves a scent this strong. You probably used 'massage' as an excuse to grope them everywhere."
Fuck, can't argue with that.
"And while you were groping every which way, you shoved that, that hideous thing inside women, didn't you? You destroyer of purity...!"
Destroyer of purity. My dick just got a fancy new nickname. But unfairly, my pure, devoted lover only knew my left hand and Luna.
"No, with the nymphs, it really was just massages! I'm innocent!"
"Just massages, and you didn't go further? Do you think I'm an idiot? Why should I believe that?"
"I can swear on the River Styx."
"...You're swearing on the Styx?"
The blazing hostility that had been crushing me moments ago seemed to soften a bit.
No idea what it was, but swearing on the Styx must carry serious weight with the gods.
"Hmm, if you put it that way. Fine, then give me a massage too. I'll judge for myself if it's lewd or not."
"Y-yes? Uh?"
"But if you look up, you'll be punished. All you can look at is this—right here, my foot."
Swoosh—.
The foot lifted completely off my neck. Finally, I could sit up.
But I wasn't allowed to raise my head, so I kept my eyes on the training ground dirt. Then, a small bare foot stepped forward with a soft patter.
My first impression: very pale, narrow, with the second toe slightly longer than the big one—like a classic Greek foot.
Her toenails sparkled with pale sky blue polish, so bright it hurt my eyes.
Not a speck of dirt despite standing barefoot on the soil—proof of something transcendent.
Just from the foot, I could tell the woman standing before me was a stunning beauty. That made me hesitate to touch it.
"What are you waiting for? Time's short."
"I-I heard feet are a symbol of purity. Is it okay for me to touch...?"
"Ha? I'm the goddess of purity. A mere mortal like you touching it won't defile me. Are you insulting me? Or do you think you can defile me?"
"N-no! But I'm just curious—where exactly does touching count as defiling purity...?"
"Direct copulation, obviously, idiot. Purity has three principles: heart, ki, body. Too advanced for you, so just remember that."
"I-I see."
I shut my mouth, worried I'd provoke this lunatic further. Lips sealed, I slowly reached for the white sole.
Swish.
Her right foot was cooler than expected—refreshingly so. Softer and squishier too. Time for the massage?
My mind went blank; nothing came to me. She was glaring down, threatening to kill me.
"What are you doing?"
Urged on, I thought screw it and pressed the center of her sole—right on the Yongcheon acupoint—firmly. Luna had always trembled wildly from this spot.
Everyone else reacted well, so maybe this weirdo Diana would too?
Goooosh—.
"That hurts!"
"S-sorry!"
Shit, bad pressure control. Too hard! Panicking, I eased up.
"How about this...?"
"Hmm. Not sure. Feels kinda good, I guess."
I kept pressing her squishy sole with remote-control-button strength. When I gently rubbed her big toe, her leg shivered.
"...Hmph, not bad. Passable. Decent enough."
Then she slipped her foot from my hand smoothly.
"Alright, now I kinda want to forgive you. But your sins are heavy. So let's compromise."
"You mean you'll spare me?"
"Conditionally. Swear to me right now to preserve your purity. Offer tribute only to me. And these massages—only for me."
"That's the condition...?"
"I'm making you my great warrior. I'll bestow a fitting blessing too. You're the second man after Orion, so feel honored."
No clue about great warriors or blessings, but swearing purity? What the hell? My vision blurred.
"Oh, refuse the oath, and great punishment awaits. Break the purity vow? Same deal. Depending on the case, death might be mercy."
What bullshit is this? Fuck, what now? Moments ago I was massaging Hippolyte's shoulders, and now this.
Life or dick death.
Two paths essentially the same—I wrestled with the dilemma in a flash.
The scales tipped back and forth, then settled.
In the end, real life mattered more.
"Th-then..."
Guts twisting, I opened my mouth to speak—that instant.
Pat—.
To my left, Diana. To my right, someone else landed softly, announcing their presence. Like holding a bright lantern, the dark training ground lit up like daytime.
"Diana, what you're doing violates Hypos's laws. There's the Actaeon incident too—your demerits already exceed the limit. Better not act out."
A voice like a singer's, thick enough to suggest a man. But I lacked the guts to look up and confirm.
Head bowed flat, I just prayed the storm would pass.
"Return to your place."
"Hmph, I've said my piece. Fine, I'll back off."
Ta-dah—.
A short leap, and Diana's chilling aura vanished.
The threat to my life gone, I sighed in relief. Shit, dodged becoming a eunuch!
"Indeed, I sense karma from you, like my own kin. Thanks to Clepius's talent?"
Swish—.
As I basked in joy, a presence leaned close—I flinched. The storm hadn't fully cleared.
"...Thank you for saving my life."
"I can't say much, but I received your last tribute and karma token well. Great ones must repay what's given."
Shh—.
Something touched my head.
Big, warm hand? No idea, but that's the feel.
Shit, why touch my head all of a sudden? After the crazy high school girl, now a homo? I trembled in fear.
"Blessing from the radiant sun god Apollo descends."
"Reward: Grace 'Amateur Handiwork' enhances to 'Shining Hand'."
"Grace 'Shining Hand' - Repeated specific actions allow hands to shine for a duration."
No way, Shining Hand? Hard to believe even seeing the text. Anyway, granting me a grace was hugely appreciated.
"Th-thank you!"
"Rules of causality limit me to this small gift. But it's useful—use it well. Like navigating Pluto's labyrinth. Yes, perfect for dark places."
This god of light, Apollo, seemed to like me. Might as well ask what I'd always wondered.
"Uh, if it's not too much trouble, I have a question."
"What? I can answer a couple."
"Does using this cause baldness? I heard sun god graces lead to hair loss."
"...That's beyond my scope. Anyway, I won't intervene in mortals' lives like this again. Nothing in this world overrides the rules."
Ta-dah.
A ground-shaking leap, and the heavy presence vanished cleanly. Daytime brightness faded to night, silence broken by chirping crickets and bird calls.
The world regained its lively hum.
Ha, what the hell just happened? No clue, but my hands glowed soft white like firefly butts—startling me.
"Shit, you scared me!"
* * *
Slept plenty, sun not up yet, so I headed to Luna's barn.
Luna, oblivious to the late hour, whittled wood scraps with a small dagger—scrape, scrape.
"Hassan, why are your hands glowing?"
Luna gaped at my shining hands, amazed. I was too, of course.
I briefly explained my new grace, Shining Hand. Skipped misleading parts, just said the grace evolved.
Fascinated, Luna asked,
"But how do you turn it off? Does it stay on?"
"Just leave it; it goes out on its own."
Swish-swish—.
After about a minute, the glow faded into darkness.
"Wow, for real. Can you turn it back on?"
"Wait and see."
At her question, I clenched and opened my fists repeatedly.
Sure enough, my hands glowed softly again. After experiments, still mind-blowing. Shit, my hands are glowing!
"Wow! Saves on candles! Like magic!"
Luna nailed it. Shining Hand was grace-level candle-saving.
No ideas yet on other uses, and I was beat.
Anyway, nearly died. Who knew the moon goddess Diana was such a nutjob.
Come to think of it, old Western tales called lunatics "moonstruck." Werewolves went mad under the moon too.
Moon goddess, moon-crazy.
Luna's name has "moon" too. Name issue? Change it, improve her sanity?
"Done!"
Luna thrust her dagger high, shouting.
Thought crazy Luna might stab me, but she showed a wide plank she'd carved. Leftover from hut repairs.
"What's that?"
"Workshop sign! Cool, right?"
Workshop sign—yep, letters crudely engraved. Crooked, hard to read, but decipherable.
Sun and Moon Drink Workshop
"Sun and Moon?"
"Poetic, huh? Took one from your name, one from mine."
Her name made sense—Luna means moon. But sun from mine?
"My name's sun?"
"Old Gaia dialect—Hot Sun means blazing sun. Hassan's from that, right? Thought you got grace from the sun god too."
"Ah."
Blazing sun—fair enough.
Her dream workshop opening, sign with my name—touching.
Also evoked Dad's old spa, Mountain and Sea, stirring homesickness.
Luna's more healing than I thought. Voodoo witch, figured mind-corrupting, but like a grass Pokemon emitting phytoncides.
"I-if you don't like it, we can change. Sorry for adding your name without asking...."
Seeing her shy, unsure self, emotion surged—I yanked Luna into a waist hug.
She jolted like startled.
"...H-Hassan!?"
Luna squirmed wildly to escape my arms.
"What, can't I hug you like this?"
"Not that—nymph smell."
Oh, shit?