Chapter 19
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: First Morning in the Hero's Forest
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The next day.
Despite stuffing ourselves silly with food and booze from every Tom, Dick, and Harry last night, we still had to assemble at the Colosseum before the sun had even peeked over the horizon.
For some reason, the guys were all bare-chested with just their lower halves barely covered, while the girls were lightly draped in thin chitons, standing in formation and braving the chilly wind.
'...Do we really need to lean this hard into the Greek vibe?'
I sighed inwardly as I glanced down at my own bare torso.
At least they hadn't shaved my head bald like in those old movies. Small mercies.
Anyway, with everyone lined up in perfect rows and columns, the figure standing at the front holding a baton was none other than Chiron, as expected.
His hooves clopping as he confirmed we were all there, the centaur gave a nod.
"All right, did you all eat and drink your fill last night?"
-Yes!!!
"Good. I heard there were no casualties at last night's party. It's great to see you all building some self-control."
.....Self-control?
No casualties at that absolute madhouse of a party qualified as "building self-control"?
I racked my brain trying to recall where any self-control had been in yesterday's total clusterfuck fest, but the idiots next to me were nodding proudly like, "Hell yeah, we did good."
Just how utterly depraved are these fuckers?
"Anyway, time to sweat out the hangover with a morning run. Atalanta!"
"Yes!"
At Chiron's command, the girl standing next to me bellowed back.
She was a healthy-looking kid with short-cropped reddish-brown hair tied in a ponytail and striking tanned skin.
'...Oh yeah, I remember her.'
She was the one who'd gotten into an archery contest with drunk Actaeon last night—put apples on Jason's and Theseus's heads and unleashed a barrage of arrows that turned them into porcupines.
Not just Actaeon dodging; those apples were straight-up pincushions. Impressive.
"Dianes is still a newbie and doesn't know the morning run route, so guide him."
"You got it! Leave it to me!"
Atalanta flashed a cocky grin in response. Chiron nodded back and gave us time to prep.
"Then, in five minutes, we depart with Helios's chariot!"
-Yes!!
The students roared back, and suddenly nymphs and centaurs came swarming our way.
"Theseus! Theseus, where are you? Here's your sword!"
"Over here! Parfamon! Hurry it up!"
"Actaeon! Helmet here! Maseni's got your armor!"
"Alkmene's Son! For god's sake, put on some armor!!"
"Argh! It's too stuffy, I hate it!"
Centaurs and nymphs clutching armor, helmets, and swords rushed to find their assigned students, turning the Colosseum into a bustling mess.
"Found him! You're Dioness, right?"
"Uh, yeah?"
In the chaos, a nymph-centaur duo locked eyes on me like hawks and charged over.
"Here! Atalanta'll explain the details—just suit up quick!"
"Yeah, yeah, arms up!"
Before I could even ask what the hell was happening, the centaur hoisted my arms high, and the green-haired nymph dove in, armoring me up in seconds flat.
"Oh wow, Phthalimon, check out this skin—how's a boy's this pale?"
"Hmm, those muscles aren't half bad. What kinda training for that upper body?"
Bronze helmet topped with a red cockscomb crest. Shiny brass scale armor.
And a lower-body guard that was basically a skirt—still leaving the junk exposed even armored up.
Topped off with a hefty spear.
They chattered away casually the whole time, but head-to-toe kitted me out in under two minutes.
"Guess this ain't just a casual jog, huh."
"Hey, newbie!"
A rough voice barked at me, and out of nowhere, an attack swung at the back of my head.
No need to turn—just thrust the spear shaft backward to block.
-Clang!
"Huh?"
"What?"
The culprit? Atalanta, my assigned guide.
Evidently hadn't expected me to block; she let out a grunt, scowled, and pulled back her sword.
"Hmph! Figures—you held your own a bit against Master Chiron, so this much is par for the course?"
"......"
What the actual fuck.
I'd never even met this brat before, but why did her shitty attitude feel so damn familiar?
Like I'd already crossed paths with this rude little shit today.
"First off, what the hell was that?"
That came out politer than the deep-seated rage bubbling up deserved.
Atalanta.
Vague memories: the chick who challenged suitors to footraces—win and marry her, lose and get your head lopped off. Total deathmatch Running Man vibes.
She smoked countless guys that way, racks of heads piling up, until some Aphrodite-blessed dude baited her with a golden apple trick. Married him. Then hubby slacked on goddess tributes, so they both got deer-ified....
"Ha, fine. Not a total empty suit since you sparred with Master, huh?"
....Fuck the myths—snap her damn legs right here?
'Chill. Endure.'
Body's a kid right now, but my mind's a battle-hardened demon vet, leagues beyond this precocious twerp.
Even if her snark dredged up that blood-pressure-spiking moon goddess bullshit.
She's just a clueless kid.
"Fine, I'll guide you like Master Chiron said. But you better keep up.
Master's got a soft spot, but you're a hero who matched him a little, so you should manage, right?
Oh, and I'm sworn to Goddess Artemis—stay outside ten footsteps."
What, like I couldn't stick within ten steps?
She spat her piece and turned toward the gathering at the entrance.
"...Heh heh."
All Artemis devotees this obnoxious?
While I mulled punching or pitying her manners-free ass,
the nymph who'd helped armor me sidled up with an awkward smile.
"H-Haha, shocked ya? Atalanta's a good kid deep down, but her dad ditched her when she was little...
So she's prickly around boys—'cept Master Chiron."
"Frankly, it's past prickly.... But Chiron bro probably stuck you with her to smooth out that edge..."
"Me?"
The sheer absurdity had me shaking my head—reform this pint-sized psycho on my watch?
A familiar presence rolled up as I stood there dumbfounded.
"Yo! Already threw down with Atalanta?"
"Ah, Heracles."
Heracles, who'd glued himself to my side all party nagging for a scrap.
Theseus and Jason—his constant sidekicks—waved hi.
"You two drained the forest's wine supply last night, and you're both fine?"
"We played it tame yesterday. Might hold up."
Sneaky fucks—cheers when tipsy, then "rollback" the amphorae. Corporate ladder-climbers later.
"Atalanta, huh.... Don't take it personal. Everyone's like that 'cept Chiron and the girls."
"Arcadia's king was a real piece of work. Ditching a daughter in the woods—even if not his son."
"What?"
A real-life Baridgi in these parts? Jesus.
What the hell did ancient kings think kin were for?
Greek myths tossing kids in woods left and right—no wonder they end up twisted.
"Shit just keeps piling up...."
Still shit though.
"Anyway, first morning run today? Tough luck."
"Nah, Alkmene's Son—this guy's not gassing out on a jog."
"Fair point?"
"What's the big deal with this morning run anyway?"
Couldn't take it anymore and asked the trio straight, but they traded cryptic smirks, said time's up, and scattered to their spots.
Some kinda workout beyond my usual jog?
We lined up at the Colosseum entrance to the centaurs' orders, and way off in the dark sky, the sun began rising in brilliant glory.
"Hey, newbie—as Master Chiron said..."
As I resumed position, Atalanta whispered in her trademark bitchy tone from beside me.
But after the sob story, pity overrode the urge to snap—instead, I toned it down.
"Listen, kid. Nag one more time, and I might just plant that pretty face in the dirt."
"....What?"
She gawked at me like she'd misheard, eyes narrowing.
But quicker still, the centaur atop the Colosseum blew the horn.
-Bwooo!!
With the thunderous blare, the Colosseum's massive gates groaned open.
Chiron, at the front, bellowed at the kids poised to bolt.
"Run starts!! Half the stragglers get no breakfast!!"
I smirked at Chiron's familiar drill-sergeant roar—
"Kuhhehehehe!! Can't go!"
Boom! Heracles stomped the ground and dropped right in front of the entrance.