Chapter 164
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 164
Chapter Title: Apollo's Music Battle
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I knew the overall flow of the Oedipus myth so well that as long as I avoided the original tragic ending, there were endless ways to twist it.
I could preemptively punch first and send Oedipus's infamous father, King Laius, straight to Hades' side with express delivery.
Or steal Jocasta's necklace so Oedipus never even thought about marriage.
Or just send both his adoptive and birth parents on a tour of the underworld preemptively—that would solve it too.
'Judging by Ares and Poseidon's words or the flag Dionysus planted...'
Executing that monkey's paw-style extreme oracle fulfillment would have massive backlash.
Dionysus's prophecy would come true no matter what, twisted one way or another.
What if, by some damn Greek metaphorical interpretation, "father" meant sky and "mother" meant earth, and Oedipus's oracle got fulfilled that way?
I couldn't even imagine the absurd disaster that would unfold.
It was the same with divine regression—even if fate was like innate eyes or hands you carried to the end, all you could do was interpret it well and get through or accept it.
Forcing a twist would make life exhausting, even for an omnipotent deity at the Thousand Li realm.
"In the end, we have to assume the oracle comes true as a basic premise."
"Wh-what?! The oracle?! That horrific fate can't be avoided?!"
Oedipus collapsed to the ground with a thud, wailing pathetically like a tragic male lead.
Why did these guys always overact like this...?
"Stop moping and lift your head."
"Sob... Mother... Father... I'd rather end it all myself..."
"Argh, damn it!"
-Smack!
"Gah!"
I'd reached my limit watching the sniveling brat.
"Did you kill anyone on the way here, by any chance?"
"Pardon? N-no?"
"Really? Not even 'that jerk didn't count as human—they were beasts!' kind of wordplay? Pull that, and oracle or not, I might just send you comfy across the Styx."
That would solve it too.
Going cleanly by my hand before facing that brutal fate could be seen as a solution.
"I swear, on the way here, I might've run into wild boars or foxes, but never killed a man!"
"Swear on the Styx?"
"I swear on the Styx!"
In the myth, Oedipus's birth father, King Laius, gets into a brawl with him at a mountain pass and dies by Oedipus's hand.
If the prophecy's first part—"kill your father"—had already happened before he got here, the flow was set, and even I couldn't intervene.
I'd roughly guessed since the heavenly slaughter hadn't entered his soul yet, but this was definite good news.
"Pull yourself together and listen—even in a tiger's den, stay sharp and you'll live."
"Sob... Yes..."
The oracle would happen—avoiding it brings uncontrollable side effects—fate isn't meant to be dodged.
So the conclusion: preempt the oracle and twist it first.
If it's "hang on nose, it's a nosering; hang on ear, it's an earring," then plaster it on his ear, spin him 360 degrees, and advertise everywhere that it's an earring.
"...Try this for now."
"W-will that really work...?"
"We have to try everything we can."
It was a ridiculous, absurd method that even I questioned.
But if the oracle twisted to fulfill itself anyway, I could twist it favorably and strike first.
If it failed... well, cross that bridge then.
"I can't give details, but if it works right, I'll know.
Whether it succeeds or not, I'll head to Corinth right after the festival ends. Until then, no booze, no drugs, stay away from women, and above all, keep a clear head. No killing either!"
Oracles twisted nastily most when booze, drugs, or women got involved.
There was a real chance he'd screw up with his adoptive parents too, so I had to warn him firmly.
"If I get to Corinth and smell blood, booze, or perfume on you... better than a living hell, I'll cleanly take your head. Got it?"
"Yes, sir!"
As serious as this Oedipus-staked clue was, I was deadly serious too.
I could only hope it worked.
"Th-then I'll head out now. Thank you!"
"Yeah, remember what I said!"
I gave him a horse and rations in my name, sent Oedipus off, and sighed in relief watching the brat vanish into the distance.
"Whew... one burden gone."
Do your best, leave the rest to heaven.
I'd done all I could; now wait.
Corinth was about ten days by land, so if Oedipus hustled, I'd know the results by festival's end.
'Worst case, tell him no settling down and stick him in Jason's crew.'
That was my Plan B.
If it couldn't be stopped, make sure the oracle never turned tragic—spin him forever and tell him to marry overseas.
Divine karma? I'd ascend to escape and interpret it away, no matter the years.
"Hope it works."
Pray to Hera? The supreme god? I pondered as I turned away.
"Let's see, gotta copy martial arts manuals for Heracles and Jason's group. Check on Atalanta too.
And then..."
I chuckled, reminiscing—suddenly less Chiron forest squad member, more like an instructor tracking kids' progress.
But moments later, I turned at a familiar presence trailing me.
"Mind if I walk with you, Asclepius?"
"Tch, still not enough?"
White hair flickered atop a tree, then he flipped down gracefully beside me.
"Impressive adaptability."
"This much? Treating guys with sprained ankles and busted knees daily, you naturally study walking."
What else from a future medicine god.
I'd only taught basic Taoist gymnastics and inner arts, yet this scrawny kid fused it with his medicine into wild applications.
Acupuncture to anesthetize boars dozens of paces away, stealth moves even Heracles couldn't sense.
"Got ideas for the next stage—based on absorbing poison auras as a form. Hear me out later; it'll be fascinating."
"Uh...?"
Wait—Sichuan's Tang clan specialized in that.
Their vicious nature and surprising medical prodigies mirrored Asclepius.
"Hm, we'll talk later. What's up? Coming to find me like this."
Asclepius usually stuck to his lab or herb gardens.
The guy who raged daily about short days amid endless patients and hypotheses bursting in his head.
Why tail me today?
His green eyes widened at my words, then he sighed deeply.
"Tch, annoying, but unavoidable from my position."
He handed me a luxurious scroll.
The golden sun emblem gleamed—I knew the sender without asking.
"From the great sun, Phoebus Apollo. Praising your show yesterday, invites you to his concert."
"Apollo, huh..."
Apollo.
No real contact so far, but he'd once passed by, observing me from afar.
I'd worried about orbital strikes over his sister.
'Not worried about strikes now, though...'
Still, the sun god of unrivaled Greek prestige personally inviting me?
'Knowing his sister got tangled with me and suffered, yet he asks to meet first.'
From Chiron's theology classes stressing their sibling bond, Zeus their father-figure, and Artemis's traits—this was likely a trap, nine times out of ten.
'Depending on whether he's closer to Orpheus or Asclepius temperament...'
"Let's see."
I took the scroll from Asclepius, calculating scenarios.
The contents were unexpected.
"...What the hell is this?"
"What's wrong?"
Asclepius hadn't seen it either—his eyes bulged reading it over my shoulder.
"...What the hell is this?"
Strip the bard-god flourishes, and it boiled down to: impressed by my show, Apollo would perform himself on festival day two.
That alone wouldn't surprise.
"Performance format... a music duel with Apollo?"
It said he'd play in harmony with forest greats.
But this was a straight 1v1 music battle, right?
Like Beethoven entering a concerto and challenging a pianist to a duel.
"...This stick-up-the-ass sun god's got art fever again."
Asclepius grimaced, grinding his teeth in annoyance.
"Art fever?"
"Obvious. Jealous of your show last night. Definitely!"
Summarizing his rant: Apollo was eternally pubescent to his daughters, embarrassing dad, love-failure psycho—raining bad rep.
"See this? Praises you, then jumps to music contest.
'That guy you cheered? Still below me!' Bragging."
"Eh, no way it's that bad..."
A god with eons beyond my lifetimes.
Even jealous, he'd be more elegant...
Elegant...
Eleg...
?"
"Listen—my sun-god dad shoots arrows at human girls for talking to guys, no questions. Expect sanity from him?"
"......"
Couldn't argue.
"Anyway, blue face means blue brain? Drives me nuts!"
I let his chest-thumping fury pass as I sighed too.
"Mountains beyond mountains..."
No quiet days.