The Obsession of a Fiancée
[Disaster-grade ‘King of Cyclopes, Polyphemus’ has been subjugated.]
[Inheriting the ‘Strength of the Cyclops’ trait.]
[Inheritance impossible due to lack of base mana.]
[‘Strength of the Cyclops’ buff has been applied.]
“Ooooooh!!”
“Woooooah!!”
Cheers erupted in unison. No one knew exactly how he did it, but with a single blow, a giant over ten meters tall had been smashed to the ground. The protagonist of this feat was none other than Sisyphus, the lord who had returned just in time to save the city from crisis. For the residents of the territory, it was a development that filled them with both the relief of survival and a dopamine rush that reached the very tips of their hair.
Alcyone, Sisyphus’s younger sister, who had been watching the scene nervously from the window, was on the verge of bursting into tears of emotion. Above all, she was just glad that Sisyphus was safe. She had been so anxious about him for the past year.
“Acting Lord, what shall we do?” the Defense Captain asked.
Alcyone wanted to run out immediately, but she needed to steady her overflowing heart for a moment. There were still remnants of the Cyclopes outside, and the residents in the hall needed to be controlled. She had to handle the aftermath alongside the guards. That would be more helpful to Sisyphus in the long run.
“Please gather the residents inside, excluding the defense guards. We need to prepare so that we can leave the hall in an orderly fashion once the outside is cleared. Captain, please take the attack squad outside and clear the perimeter.”
“Understood.”
She decided to put off their reunion for a little while longer.
‘That lord… what kind of man is Sisyphus?’
The hero Theseus was also marveling at what had just unfolded before his eyes. He had clearly witnessed the moment the inheritance took place. It was an undeniable fact that the man named Sisyphus had subjugated Polyphemus.
“Theseus, are you alright?” the party’s healer approached and asked. Theseus nodded.
“Polyphemus was definitely a disaster-grade monster. To subjugate it in one blow…”
He exchanged glances with his party members. They all shared the same opinion. He was undoubtedly an S-rank hero.
“That lord named Sisyphus, was it?”
“To think that even Perseus would treat him as a brother…”
“It seems our opportunities to gain good experience have increased before heading to Athens.”
The heroes looked up to Sisyphus. Opportunities to interact with an S-rank hero were rare.
“Don’t let your guard down. There are still monsters left,” Theseus said, moving forward while creating a rain of arrows. He was already suffering from near-critical injuries, but he didn’t care. The heroes began to move for a counterattack.
Sisyphus moved as well. He was there to deal with the remaining Cyclopes.
“Leave the rest to us, Brother.”
“Let’s go together.”
Sisyphus had one fact to verify. “That big Cyclops earlier, he called himself Polyphemus.”
“That he did.”
“Isn’t he the son of Poseidon?”
“That’s right. He’s not even a demigod; he’s a pure divine-rank monster.”
“But the question is why he attacked our territory on Hermes’s orders.”
“Our territory?” Cassandra expressed her confusion, and just then, the defense soldiers joined them, pointing their spears at the Cyclopes.
“My Lord, congratulations on your safe return. We will assist in mopping up the remnants.”
“Oedipus, it’s been a while. Has there been any trouble in Corinth?”
“There were a few matters. I will report them to you later.”
Cassandra’s jaw dropped. “Sisyphus, you were a noble?! I thought you were a Spartan!”
“When did I ever say that?”
“Huh? No, wait, uh…?”
“Brother, in what world do you look like a Spartan?”
“Really…? Sisyphus, do you happen to have a mansion? Invite me over. No, wait, I need protection, so I should stick to you. Right?”
Sisyphus ignored Cassandra and continued to subjugate the remaining Cyclopes. He grabbed every one he saw by the collar and asked, “Hey, did Hermes send you?”
“Guaaaargh!”
“Not answering, huh? Next.”
Only after throwing a few of them did Sisyphus voice his complaint. “Why don’t monsters answer questions?”
“Brother…” Perseus swallowed the question that had risen to his throat.
It was then. Thud. One Cyclops knelt before Sisyphus before he could even grab its collar. It was a sign of surrender. Could this one…?
“Hey, did Hermes send you?”
The Cyclops nodded.
“Not Poseidon?”
It shook its head.
“Oh. Hey, Perseus. Look, if you keep asking, one of them answers.”
This actually worked? Why did it work? Perseus scratched his head, puzzled. Sisyphus continued his interrogation.
“Why did Polyphemus listen to Hermes?”
The Cyclops gestured, flailing its arms. Since it couldn’t speak, it wouldn’t be much use, Perseus thought.
“So you’re saying Hermes told you to attack Corinth, claiming it was a message from Poseidon.”
How did Brother understand that? Was he just interpreting it however he wanted? Perseus was skeptical, but Sisyphus possessed a skill he didn’t know about. It was the ‘Communication through Gestures’ he had honed while talking to Wilson. To put it elegantly, body language. It was a unique skill.
“So Hermes was lying. Ah, you think so too? You’re resentful because you were dragged out here because of a stupid boss. You weren’t attacking humans and were just staying quiet in the back.”
The Cyclops nodded violently.
“Since you answered well, I’ll let you go.”
The Cyclops bowed deeply.
“You know my name, right? It’s Perseus, Perseus. If Hermes asks, answer accurately. Try dictating it.”
“Per… seu… sss.” The Cyclops blinked its large eyes.
“Good, go.”
Thud, thud. The smart Cyclops ran toward the northern river where it had appeared.
“Brother? I have a feeling that a crisis is about to befall me.”
“It’s fine. Let’s finish cleaning up and go eat some meat.”
“If Brother says it’s fine, then I guess it’s fine.”
Sisyphus and Perseus proceeded to finish clearing the scene.
I had returned to my hometown after 10,000 years. According to Chronos, the time I was trapped in Tartarus was exactly 10,000 years. That was what I heard just before reaching the summit. Since the voyage took a few months, it had been 10,000 years and then some.
The residents who had taken refuge after the Cyclops subjugation were evacuating in an orderly fashion. As it happened, a Beta-rank party was handling a request. I sent them to the hospital first. Thanks to the defense guards’ quick initial response, there were no casualties. Luck had been on our side as well.
Though they were practically strangers to me in terms of sensory memory, the residents welcomed me back with open arms. I had been surrounded for so long that I had a hard time getting away. It was a feeling I had forgotten for a very long time, so I was quite happy.
Oedipus, the Defense Captain. Come to think of it, this friend was from Corinth. He had always been a friend overflowing with the chivalry of loyalty to our family, and thanks to being able to entrust the cleanup to him, I was able to return quickly.
“Brother, I missed you…”
“Brother, have you been healthy all this time?”
“Brotheeeer!”
“I’m glad you returned safely, my son.”
In truth, I had been a little worried. I had imagined countless times that history would have moved on in Corinth without me. I had been stuck in the past all by myself. That was thousands of years ago, so I didn’t feel much emotion about it now. I had at least worried that my family might resent me for disappearing.
It seemed that was just my own groundless fear. Everyone welcomed my return, worrying about how I had been doing.
Because Alcyone had hugged me and cried for so long, my beard was a mess.
“You’ve saved Corinth from crisis once again, Sisyphus. You are the only one who can be the lord of this city. Your mother would surely be proud of you too.”
“Thank you.”
“Since you’ve returned after so long, we should hold a festival. Leave the rest to us and get some rest for now.”
“Yes.”
“But Brother, what happened all this time? My goodness, you return with an Alpha-rank hero party, and what’s with your hair and beard… and why is your body so good?”
“Ahem, don’t touch Fred. He’s sensitive.”
“…Your tone has changed too. You are my brother, right?”
“I am.”
“Come here. You need to trim your hair and beard, it won’t do. I’ll do it quickly.”
Led by Alcyone, I headed to the bathroom. It had been a long time since I’d been in the mansion, so it felt quite awkward. But strangely, my body remembered the scents of the house in every corner. I felt like I could adapt quickly.
Alcyone sat me down on the bath chair and skillfully began to trim my hair with a crisp sound.
“Wow, it’s really a mess. How did it get so curly?”
“I don’t let just anyone cut my hair. Consider it an honor.”
“Why, should I call the God of Haircuts for you?”
“Not bad. At least it should be a god.”
“Brother, you’ve become quite shameless. Is it because you’ve been hanging out with heroes?”
Alcyone giggled.
“Did anything happen to you guys?”
“I ate lots of delicious things behind your back, hehe.”
“What? Where’s my chicken?”
“Well, you should have come home earlier. I waited, but it all flew away. Close your eyes. I’m going to cut your bangs.”
“If you cut them straight, you’re dead.”
“Geez, how did you know?”
Alcyone continued her snipping. I heard footsteps, as if she needed to fetch something. I was getting tired, so I closed my eyes and started nodding off. Once she finished with my hair, she moved on to shaving. My beard had grown quite long. It had become a blanket that almost covered my belly. It was several hundred years’ worth. It hadn’t grown beyond a certain point because the ends wore away on their own. Trimming it all off felt clean.
The hand gently touching my face felt cool. Was Alcyone’s hand always like this? I slowly opened my eyes and met a pair of pale platinum-colored eyes.
“……Ah.”
Clea flinched and took a step back from me. Alcyone, you brat, when did you swap places?
I was a bit surprised, but I was glad. I hadn’t been able to greet her properly earlier because of the monsters. But it was awkward to greet Clea warmly. I had done a lot of thinking and sorted out my feelings over 10,000 years, but that was only from my perspective; Clea’s perspective wouldn’t have changed. She must still hate me. Our relationship hadn’t moved an inch from that spot. She might even hate me more for leaving her for over a year.
“Why are you staring at me so intently?”
“No, just…”
Clea hesitated, averted her gaze, and then spoke to me slowly.
“I was just thinking that it’s really your face.”
“Well, it’s my face, whose else would it be?”
I wiped my face with a towel and stood up.
“Clea, thanks for the shave.”
“Ah, yeah.”
I left the bathroom. I thought this was the best I could do for now. Perhaps because I had returned home after a long journey, fatigue washed over me in an instant. As my father said, I decided to take a rest for today. Muscles grow when you rest, not when you exercise, after all. My room, which I had returned to after 10,000 years, was exactly the same. It was fascinating.
“This is my home, Wilson.”
I took the fragment of Wilson out of my pocket and placed it on the table. After chatting with him about trivial things, I soon fell into an abyss-like darkness. It was the most comfortable sleep I had enjoyed in 10,000 years.
Clea continued to follow Sisyphus. Ever since they reunited, she couldn’t take her eyes off him for a single moment. She didn’t have any expectations of him, nor did she want anything from him. She had no intention of being a burden. If she owed him a debt, she would only feel uncomfortable. So, she intended to just watch him steadily from behind.
Already twice. He was someone who had disappeared without a word twice. Of course, even if he disappeared again, she didn’t have the right to restrain him. They weren’t in a special relationship. Just childhood friends whose fates had unluckily tangled. That was the extent of their relationship.
However, Sisyphus had previously visited a dangerous place called the Underworld. Seeing his changed appearance, something big must have happened this time as well. She absolutely didn’t want to see him get hurt.
He had just returned to Corinth. He hadn’t even reunited with his family yet. Unlike herself, who no longer had a place to return to or family to look for her, Sisyphus had a place to go back to.
But. ‘Sisyphus…?’ He had changed too much.
His choice to step onto the front lines without hesitation wasn’t for negotiation. He fought alongside the heroes. His powerful fist, thrown with such gusto… how should she put it? It felt as if he had shattered the ceiling of the world she had been trapped under all this time. It felt as if a hole had been punched in the prison of her heart, where she had been trapped for so long, and a cool breeze was blowing in. The wind named Sisyphus.
He was her fiancé.
“…Sisyphus.”
Clea cleaned up the scene with the defense soldiers. She sent the Theseus party to the hospital and ensured the citizens in the hall could return home. By the time she returned to the mansion, the sky had already turned dark in the evening. When she went to the place where she heard signs of life, she heard gentle voices. Alcyone was grooming Sisyphus.
Clea, who had been watching the scene blankly, made eye contact with Alcyone. Alcyone winked and gestured, handing her a razor. Sisyphus had his eyes closed.
Clea slowly began to groom his face as if possessed.
‘…It’s been a while.’ How long had it been since she had seen his face this close? From his eyebrows to his eyelids, to the bridge of his nose. She scanned him carefully, memorizing every feature in her mind.
“…Sniff.”
Without realizing it, she pressed her face against his brow and inhaled deeply. The intense masculine scent she hadn’t known before almost made her legs give out. Shaking her head, she barely regained her composure and finished shaving. She was careful not to nick him.
‘……Ah.’
It was Sisyphus. The Sisyphus she knew was right there. The one she used to run around the hills with. The one she watched the meteor shower with. The one she caught fish with while swimming in the river. The face of her fiancé, who had become less than a stranger, yet was moving further away despite being this close, was right before her eyes.
Slide.
Without thinking, she stroked his face. She didn’t know why. It was an action dictated by instinct.
“Clea.”
She was startled and pulled back because he opened his eyes. He must have looked at her strangely. What on earth had she been doing? Regret washed over her.
“Thanks for the shave.”
Even so, when he said that, she felt a little happy.
That night. Clea, who somehow couldn’t fall asleep, got up and left her room. Just as she was about to go outside for a walk, Sisyphus’s room caught her eye. …She could smell Sisyphus. Her mind went blank again for a moment. He was now in the room that had been empty until yesterday.
—Creak…
Clea opened the door and entered without thinking. Snore. Sisyphus was fast asleep, perhaps because he was tired. Clea watched him sleep for a long time. Somehow, she couldn’t get enough of watching him.
‘…What am I doing, really?’
She bit her lip and turned her head. If she were caught acting this strangely twice, she really wouldn’t have the face to see Sisyphus again. Just then, something caught her eye.
‘…Huh?’ A small stone placed on the table. ‘Could this be…’
It had been 10 years, but it remained vivid in her memory. A precious memory. They had gone to watch the Perseid meteor shower together. At that time, Clea had picked up a stone from the ground and given it to Sisyphus as a gift. In an instant, something warm filled Clea’s heart.
‘…You kept it all this time.’
How long had it been? A smile bloomed on Clea’s face.
‘You’ll lose it if you carry it around so carelessly. Would he like it if I made it into a necklace for him?’
Clea wrapped the stone carefully in a handkerchief and tucked it into her pocket. She looked at Sisyphus’s face one more time.
“Sleep well, Sisyphus.”
With that greeting, she left his room.
I woke up feeling refreshed. It really is my home. I’ve had the best sleep since escaping Tartarus. However, one very serious problem occurred.
“What the f*ck.”
I stood up.
“Where did Wilson go?”