The Return of the Lord (1)
"Three lukoumades... no, make that four! And wrap up the baklava, and the yogurt, too!" Cassandra darted across the marketplace, snatching up pastries and sweets as if she were a starving ghost who had died with a craving.
"Wizard, why are you buying so much?"
"You have to buy when you can! Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had sweets? We’ve been stuck on a boat for months."
"We have plenty of meat. Pastries that spoil quickly are just an expensive waste."
"Men, honestly." Cassandra clicked her tongue at Sisyphus and Perseus, who were burdened only with endless, tedious strips of dried meat.
"Paying in gold coins? Wait a moment. Wife, bring the scale!"
This was not an era where mathematical education was universal. While merchants who handled coins daily could manage basic arithmetic, giving change carelessly often led to being branded a swindler by customers. With the constant shifting between copper, silver, and gold coins, calculations became complex, frequently sparking arguments. Thus, using a scale to weigh the coins was the most convenient way to ensure there were no disagreements.
"The scale? The neighbors borrowed it."
"Why are you always borrowing the neighbors' scale? Go get it back, now!"
"Has the old man left his eyes in the neighbor woman's skirt? Can't you see I'm eating?"
"What have you been doing until now that you're only eating now?"
Cassandra felt her irritation rising at the sudden, ridiculous skit.
"Huh? Where are you going?"
Just then, she caught sight of Sisyphus and Perseus, their backs receding as they finished their business in the market.
"Excuse me, sir! My change, hurry up..."
"My, my, hero, are you from some other island? You're quite impatient."
Another characteristic of Greece was that the people were generally laid-back. Cassandra, hailing from Troy, simply couldn't understand it.
"Sisyphus! Sisyphus! You can't leave me behind!"
With her unpaid sweets still sitting on the counter, Cassandra hopped up and down in frustration.
Whoosh! As Sisyphus hoisted the sail with vigor, the ship caught the wind and began to slice through the waves with a satisfying rhythm.
"We should reach Corinth in about a month. We have plenty of water and food, so there shouldn't be any issues." Perseus took the helm. As it was a small vessel, it picked up speed quickly.
"Perseus, where do you intend to head?"
"Having achieved my great goal of making a name for myself as a hero, I intend to stop by my homeland, Seriphos."
"Where is that?"
"It is in the Aegean Sea."
"Then wouldn't that be a detour?"
"It was a journey that couldn't be made in one go anyway due to the need for supplies. From Olympia, this route is faster. And besides, what greater honor could there be than sailing with you, brother?" Perseus said with a bright, easy grin.
"Coming from an island, your sailing skills are excellent."
"Haha, thank you. Many poleis in Greece have pioneered sea routes. It's much easier to travel by ship than by carriage."
"Is that so? Are there no land routes?"
"If you could travel in a straight line, the land route from Olympia to Corinth would be much faster, of course."
"I suppose the terrain is difficult."
"There are forests teeming with monsters. There is also the danger of encountering bandit gangs. To use the roads, you'd have to pass through Mycenae or Sparta, which ends up being a detour, and you have to pay tolls."
Greece, where land routes were not yet well-developed, was structurally suited for travel by sea. This was why most poleis were adjacent to the sea, and even the massive ones maintained ports. In contrast, the Trojan Empire only touched the Aegean Sea to the west, with the rest being inland. Their roads and walls were well-maintained. The method? It was simple: they ground people into the dirt to build them.
For Cassandra, who had only just crossed the sea, it was a remarkably fascinating landscape.
"The Corinth we are heading to now is an inn-city at the neck of the peninsula, right, Sisyphus?"
"Yes."
"And they say the young lord there is also named Sisyphus."
"Oh, is that so? A fun coincidence."
"That's what they say. Could it be that you used that name as a pseudonym? When we get there, won't people be calling you 'My Lord'?"
Sisyphus scoffed. "It's not a common name. I heard it for the first time from my brother."
"There are many Medusas. I even have one among my younger siblings."
"That sibling must have faced unnecessary misunderstandings because of the name."
"It's a relief there won't be any more of that. Ugh, what a terrible monster it was. It's a good thing Sisyphus appeared back then."
Sisyphus tilted his head. "Even if I hadn't done it, Perseus would have subjugated it anyway, right?"
"Pardon? A mere Beta-class hero? Sisyphus, didn't you see what was happening back then?"
"I am Alpha now, though..."
"I saw it. Perseus was trying to subjugate it."
Sisyphus had simply spoken according to the original myth he knew. Of course, there was no guarantee that the world he lived in would strictly follow the history of the original.
"Brother...! To trust me that much! I, too, have no doubt that you will continue to achieve great feats in the future!" Perseus’s reactions were always excessive. Were heroes originally supposed to take humility as a virtue?
"Cassandra. You were certain about what you said regarding Hermes in Corinth, right?"
"Hehe, of course. I saw it clearly. A handsome young man with golden hair, wearing winged sandals. There is absolutely no way Hermes will appear in Corinth."
Cassandra’s prophecies were cursed so that no one would believe them. Therefore, she spoke the contents in reverse. Sisyphus understood perfectly.
"I see. Hermes will definitely appear."
Cassandra beamed. Since being cursed, this was the first time her prophecy had been understood so clearly.
"Huh?" Cassandra blinked. "I'm not supposed to meet gods, am I? Why am I volunteering to go meet a god?"
She had clearly been running away from Apollo. Cassandra finally realized that something had gone wrong.
"Sisyphus, let me off! I don't want to go anymore!"
"Why don't you try jumping?"
"Eeeek!"
Sisyphus ignored the screeching Cassandra and began to slowly stimulate his muscles.
The mansion of the Corinthian lord’s family. Countless people passed through the mansion every day. From the people of the territory seeking permission for city affairs to the numerous servants and guards. One might think a noble family would live in luxury, but the workload was immense, as they had the duty of operating the city.
"Acting Lord, it is time to plow the fields. We are seeking consultation because of a shortage of hands."
"Just a moment, I will contact the guild."
Alcyone was busy dealing with the city's affairs again today. Her father, Aeolus, had difficulty moving and could not go out to the field. He mainly handled diplomacy at the mansion, receiving envoys from other poleis. At least now her younger brothers were old enough to help with the work one by one. It was a godsend in these times.
"Alcyone!"
Someone had entered the mansion without notice. A man walking with sharp eyes, accompanied by guards. Salmoneus, the eldest son of the family.
"Brother?" Alcyone was puzzled. Salmoneus had left the house immediately after finishing his coming-of-age ceremony two years ago.
"Where is Father?"
She figured it wouldn't be good news. He had been dissatisfied with the family ever since Sisyphus was chosen as the next lord six years ago.
"What is your business?"
"Does the eldest son of the family need a reason to see his father? Forget it, he'll be in the reception room anyway."
"He is busy right now."
"I am busy too!"
Salmoneus began to rampage through the mansion without regard. Alcyone, at a loss for words, immediately called the guards.
"Father, I have returned!"
Salmoneus shouted as he entered the reception room. Aeolus, dressed in neatly pressed clothes and drinking tea, furrowed his brows.
"What is this rude behavior, Salmoneus?"
"I didn't expect a welcome, but you don't even seem to have any intention of greeting your eldest son who has returned after a long time."
"I have an appointment with an envoy from Athens soon. Get out of here at once."
"Are you turning away your son who returned after a long time? If it were Sisyphus, you would have gone out to greet him first."
"Sisyphus would neither appear as impolitely as you, nor would he interrupt important time. You are still immature, Salmoneus."
"No, it is you who are immature, Father. The same goes for this family and all the people of Corinth! Do you know what kind of achievements I have made since I left here two years ago?"
Salmoneus walked up and sat down in front of Aeolus.
"I have founded a country. It is a nation called Elis in the northeast of the peninsula. I named the capital Salmone after myself. I have achieved a great feat. I am a king now!" Salmoneus asserted.
"In Elis, I am the greatest. Even more so than the god Zeus. Are you surprised?"
"Salmoneus."
"You must realize now that it was a mistake not to hand Corinth over to me six years ago. Consider it an honor that I came here in person. I have come especially to rule over Corinth."
Aeolus shook his head. He was no fool. He clearly understood the political situation of the poleis and nations throughout Greece. Salmoneus hadn't founded a country himself. He had merely occupied a vacant spot with the troops he took when he left home, while the lord of a small village called Elis was away after causing an accident. The capital he spoke of was just his own house. A country was either a massive polis divided into several districts or composed of a coalition of several poleis. Since even Corinth was not yet recognized as a country in the international community, Salmoneus's declaration was nonsense that no one would acknowledge.
"Stop this arrogant talk of being greater than the Lord of the Gods. If you provoke Olympus, it won't end with you being punished alone."
"You are a coward. Even now, the people worship me more than Zeus. But heaven has never sent down a single punishment!"
Aeolus thought it was foolish talk. Oracles had not been given for a year already. Monsters had become more active, and Corinth had to keep requesting hero dispatches from the guild. It was logical to assume that Olympus was empty for some reason.
"I heard Corinth is having trouble with operations these days."
"Quiet."
"I am saying that I, the great king, will rule over it myself. Isn't it because that coward Sisyphus eventually ran away? If you had made me the lord from the beginning, this wouldn't have happened!"
"Enough." Aeolus declared sternly. "It was because Sisyphus was here that Corinth could avoid collapse. He was different from you, who are only full of greed."
Salmoneus's face twisted. He knocked over the teacup on the table. With a clatter, the cup shattered into pieces.
"Father has always been like that since long ago! What was I lacking compared to Sisyphus?"
"Sisyphus had a sense of responsibility. Do you see this wheelchair? He is the one who made it for me. Even on the day the monsters invaded, you were busy running away. You even used your younger brother, Perieres, as a shield."
"That is..."
"After that, it was you who wasted time like a bum and left the family as you pleased. Why are you blaming Sisyphus now?"
Salmoneus raised his voice as well.
"But who is here now? Sisyphus, that coward, ran away. It is I who am here! Surely, that weak-bodied Sisyphus must have been bitten by a monster and died while crossing some mountain...!"
—Crash!! Salmoneus could not finish his sentence.
"Hey. I heard that while passing by."
Instead, he found himself pinned to the floor by his collar, facing a cold gaze staring down at him.
'W-when?!'
He hadn't noticed the approach, nor the capture. It was a movement as fast as if possessed by magic. Because the mana flowing from the platinum eyes he faced was emitting a killing intent, Salmoneus held his breath without realizing it.
"Say it again. What about Sisyphus?"
Anticlea. Salmoneus felt a threat to his life from Sisyphus's fiancée.