Catching a Thief (2)
"Theseus! Is it true that my daughter has slain the vile Minotaur and returned in triumph?" King Aegeus of Athens shouted, his voice trembling with excitement. Socrates nodded.
"It is true, Your Majesty. She has just finished collecting her reward from the guild and is currently resting."
"To think she would not only return safely but also slay that terrifying beast and bring an end to the Cretan Treaty... I can hardly believe it." The King rose abruptly from his seat.
"There must be a reason Theseus has not sought me out, but I cannot bear to keep this overwhelming joy to myself. Socrates, lead the way."
"As you command."
The King immediately left the palace to head into the city himself. Blue flags embroidered with gold fluttered to announce the royal procession, with guards leading the way. Residents busy with their daily lives knelt in respect the moment they saw him. No matter how advanced their democracy, the King was the state itself; this was a display of respect and patriotism. Aegeus was highly esteemed for firmly maintaining the Athenian throne inherited from his ancestors and for strengthening the nation by decentralizing power to the Council of Intellectuals. Though known for his stern demeanor, he was only human, and he was weak when it came to his own flesh and blood. He hurried his steps, desperate to see his only daughter.
"She is staying at the inn ahead. I shall go and call for her."
He felt anxious. The short wait felt like an eternity. And finally, she appeared.
"Oh...!"
Theseus. Seeing the hero, the King recognized his own blood at a glance. Her confident attitude—the hero bowed and spoke clearly.
"I greet you, Your Majesty. I did not expect the King himself to visit such a humble place. If this is praise for ending the Cretan Treaty, I shall gladly accept it, so please, speak your mind."
It was a relaxed smile. She looked exactly like the woman the King had fallen in love with during his expedition in the past. 'She couldn't have not known about me.' The King was certain from Theseus's greeting just now. She had no intention of meeting him as a princess. That was why she had led with her position as a hero first. 'Why?' She might have considered him a heartless father who abandoned her. Curious, the King asked.
"It was a truly impressive feat, Theseus. You have solved Athens's long-standing dilemma. Your words carry the dignity of an intellectual. Do you have no intention of entering the palace and serving under me?"
Theseus must have understood the meaning behind his words. This answer would reveal her true intentions.
"I am at a loss for words that the King of the great nation of Athens would offer such a generous proposal to a lowly person like myself. However."
Resentment toward him was not the reason. The King felt a secret sense of relief.
"I have a path I wish to pursue, not just as an intellectual, but as a hero."
"Do you wish to walk the path of a hero? Have you not already achieved enough?"
"I am still far from enough. If I hadn't been with the Great Hero in Crete, I would not have reached this point and would have perished alongside the beast. I still have much to learn."
"The Great Hero? Who is he?"
"Sisyphus. A man who would defy even the gods if it meant resisting fate."
The King saw a firm resolve in Theseus's eyes. She was filled with the aura of a hero he did not know. She was already walking her own path as a magnificent hero. It was a parent's duty to support their child's path. The King nodded.
"I shall support you, Sir Theseus. Please, become a Great Hero and return to Athens."
It was an unexpected answer for Theseus. She had seen many parents who blocked their children's futures. The reason she had avoided King Aegeus until now was her suspicion that he might force the succession of the Crown Princess position upon her. That, too, had been her own prejudice. Theseus felt a weight lift from her heart. She thought of Ariadne of Crete. 'It's not like I can't do it later.' Once she reached the position of a hero she could be satisfied with. It wouldn't be too late then. In fact, only then would she be able to become an even stronger queen. Thus, the father and daughter ended their brief reunion.
"I would very much like to meet this hero, Sisyphus. I must personally thank the person who has done such a service to Athens."
"I will pass it on later. He should be staying somewhere in the inn," Socrates replied.
"Hmm. This place looks a bit too humble for a Great Hero to be staying. Search to see if there is an empty mansion."
"I shall do so immediately."
Just as the King was about to turn back—
CRASH! A window shattered, and the surroundings erupted in chaos.
"What is happening?"
"It seems a petty thief has broken in."
"Is this the state of our Athenian security? Take care of it immediately."
"Yes!"
The guards ran off to assess the situation.
"What's going on?"
"There was a petty thief."
Hylas, Heracles's attendant, was quickly subdued by Clea. Sisyphus and Perseus, who had returned from a meal and a light run, had just joined them.
"Let go of me! Do you know who I am?"
But Hylas, the one in the wrong, was the one acting indignant. He shook off Clea's hand and glared at Sisyphus.
"What is the meaning of this!"
Socrates came running with the guards. 'Aha.' I don't know how he happened to be nearby, but this worked out well. Hylas thought. He was a member of an S-rank party, after all. Even if he was only B-rank himself. Considering Heracles's honor and rank, he could easily smooth this over.
"Are you saying he stole Sisyphus's belongings?"
Socrates, having heard the situation from Clea, furrowed his brow. Hylas stepped forward confidently.
"Stole? That sounds unpleasant. I was merely realizing justice."
He launched into a passionate speech. "A mere Delta-rank hero was carrying a sack full of Cretan treasures. It even has gold ornaments that should only be in the royal treasure vault. Does that make sense to you? He must have stolen them!" Hylas pointed at Sisyphus.
"I was looking for evidence to expose the face of a despicable person posing as a hero. I intended to report the treasures to the guild!"
"Then what is this?"
Clea, who had somehow gotten behind Hylas, pulled a jade necklace from his back pocket. It was undoubtedly a stolen item.
"A-ahem. It must have slipped in while I was struggling with you. Or didn't you put it in my pocket? Since you're in the same party as that person, your tricks must be similar."
Clea snorted as if she were dumbfounded. Hylas was certain he would win. Since Socrates was here, he was sure he would listen to his side of the story, even if a lowly, insignificant hero made false claims. As an intellectual, he would surely know that Sisyphus's bluffing was becoming a rumor and damaging Heracles's reputation. He had provided a good justification, so he would surely take the bait. Hylas was convinced and puffed out his chest.
"Guards."
"Yes!"
"Arrest that petty thief at once!"
"What?!"
But the result was completely different from Hylas's expectations.
"Wait! Do you not know who I am? I am the healer of Heracles's party!"
"Do not resist!"
As a healer, Hylas was physically weak. He was thrown to the ground by the guards in an instant. Because he hit the floor, a stream of blood dripped from his nose.
"Ouch! Socrates, you're making a mistake!"
"The mistake is yours. To think you would smear Heracles's honor, tsk tsk."
"Me? What are you talking about!"
"Furthermore, to dare to slander the Great Hero Sisyphus, who has returned after slaying the Minotaur King—you have truly lost your mind."
"What? That an intellectual like you would believe that lie, what on earth..."
"It seems you still haven't grasped the situation! There was a royal decree. A royal decree to treat the Sisyphus party, who ended the Cretan Treaty, with the utmost care!"
A royal decree? Hylas felt a chill run down his spine. No matter what, Socrates, the head of the Council of Intellectuals, and the King himself would not have made a wrong judgment. Was that Delta-rank Sisyphus really a Great Hero?
"Did Heracles order you to do this? If so, this becomes a very serious problem."
"N-no! It was my own doing!"
"So you admit it now. Oh, come to think of it, you were living in a mansion rented by the guild. We do not rent mansions to criminals. I shall have it confiscated."
"T-that cannot be!"
"Guards, take him away."
Hylas was dragged away helplessly. Sisyphus approached and asked as the situation was resolved in an instant.
"What happened?"
"Ah, good news. A new lodging has been prepared. It is a mansion in a high-end residential area."
"All of a sudden?"
"Haha, it was sent down by the royal family as a reward for ending the Cretan Treaty. The same mansion will be given to the Theseus party as well. Please, stay without worry."
"Hmm."
The inn was a bit cramped for training. And the innkeeper had been giving us looks because we were running out of meat.
"If you're giving it, I'll accept it gratefully."
Today is a lucky day. Sisyphus moved with his party members after packing their bags.
"You said it was a mansion, and it really is a mansion."
The new lodging Socrates guided us to was a mansion where real nobles would live. It was much better than our house in Corinth. It was amazing that they had this level of architectural technology. It seems the latest technology of this era is indeed concentrated in Athens. I want to fix up our house for my father and younger siblings later.
"Look at this blanket, it's super fluffy! Ha, I don't even remember how long it's been since I slept in a place like this. I'm so happy."
Cassandra dragged the blanket out to the living room and rubbed herself against the floor.
"Let's sleep for now. We've been on the boat for too long."
Everyone must be tired from the long voyage. Muscles need a good rest to grow, too. I don't refuse sleep.
"The petty thief earlier, you caught him, right Clea?"
"Yeah. Did I do well?"
"Yeah."
I held out my palm for a high-five. *Clap*, our palms met, making a cheerful sound.
"What was that?"
But Clea asked me again.
"A high-five. We just bumped our palms together."
"Huh? I was just standing here."
What was that? Someone definitely hit me and left. I look around. Golden traces remained faintly.
...I don't know what that is.
"It's when you bump your palms together when something good happens."
"Palm... l-like this?"
"No, don't interlock your fingers."
"Uhet, sorry."
That's how I taught Clea what a high-five was. Perseus found it fun, so I took the opportunity to teach him healthy clapping as well.
"What are the plans for tomorrow? Sisyphus."
I answered Cassandra's question.
"Well, I'll keep looking for quests that pay well. It's good to have money."
"That's right. Sisyphus has finally awakened to the second of the three great desires. The first is appetite, the second is greed. Since you only had an appetite, I thought you were a beast through and through."
"Anyway, you always have to add a noisy comment."
I tried to flick her forehead, but she's quick on the uptake now. She nimbly jumped into the blanket and avoided it.
"Sisyphus, and?"
I answered Clea.
"I smell something."
"A smell?"
"Yeah. I'm also going to look for Athena, who is hiding somewhere."