The Devil's Tongue Brings Discord
-Giggle, giggle, giggle!!
“...Sigh. Do whatever you want. Just do whatever you want.”
Even though the ones I’d raised by feeding them with my own hands(?) were laughing at me, failing to grasp the high-level strategy of legally looting enemy rations in the name of a god, I had no choice but to slowly unclench my fists.
Why? Because it was Heracles and Iason who had stepped in to mediate the situation before the Athenian warships could put holes in my ship, or before I could turn their fleet into a "former" fleet.
Unlike me, who had only just moved past the level of a street-corner preacher, they were bonafide heroes whose faces, names, and exploits were known across all of Greece. The Athenian soldiers, recognizing this, couldn't act recklessly, and under their mediation, I had revealed the token of Athena, leading to this moment.
I, the Heavenly Demon. To my enemies, I am a devil without limit, but to my allies, I am a possessor of magnanimity as vast as the sky. I could laugh off such friendly backstabbing! However, the Theseus-fanboy in front of me was a different story.
“If those two hadn't been there, you would’ve been greeting Hades before even finishing Athena’s orders, wouldn't you?”
“Guh-huck?!”
This Bergen-something fellow must be having a hell of a time. In this era, Athens was essentially a holy state that served Athena, surpassing even the Vatican. He had just tried to brand the representative of the god they served as a heretic, only to be completely humiliated.
Athena might be a fairly merciful goddess, but she was strict about distinguishing public and private matters. She had accepted it as a fair punishment when a follower of hers insulted Ares and had their entire city wiped out by Ares’s hand. If she heard that her follower had insulted me as a devil and dismissed all my feats as mere magic—despite me having already suppressed major disasters in Greece as her representative, and despite her having many reasons to be indebted to me—how would she react?
“Aren't you curious?”
“P-please, kill me!”
Bergen-something, who still had some lingering doubts even after seeing the divine object on my wrist, turned pale as a sheet when I spoke as if I had actually met Athena in person. Well, even the boldest con artist wouldn't dare bluff about having an audience with a goddess so casually unless they wanted a one-way ticket to Tartarus. My words must have slowly convinced him that I was truly Athena’s representative.
“Not only me, but my companions—the very heroes Greece cries out for—were almost sent to Poseidon’s embrace before they could even see the light of day.”
Ah, for the record, that was a lie. It’s not like these guys ate Devil Fruits; even if the ship sank, they were the type to easily kick off the sea and sink three or four warships without breaking a sweat.
“...Wow, look at that devil. Using the name of Nemesis’s brother to threaten others.”
“It is a lamentable thing. Truly lamentable...”
“Hey, if you aren't going to help, can't you just be quiet?”
To think that those annoying brats backstabbing me where Bergen-something couldn't hear were my own disciples and the heroes of Greece. It was a very "Greek" situation. Ptooey!
“I-I have committed a grave sin! To dare not recognize the great hero of Zeus and the blood-descendant of Poseidon. Prince Theseus also values the friendship with Thebes and Iolcus. Please, I beg you, let go of your anger!”
“...Hm? Poseidon?”
Why is my brother appearing there?
Heracles was naturally of Zeus’s lineage, and my own lineage hadn't been revealed to the public. That left only Iason.
“....?”
“??”
“?!?!?”
‘No, why are you the most surprised one, Iason?’
At the questioning gazes of myself and Heracles, Iason also jumped in surprise and shook his head.
‘What kind of rumors have been spreading?’
Could it be that playboy Uncle Poseidon? Did he sow his seeds in Iolcus, too?
‘...Well, I can’t say it’s impossible.’
Anyway, the results of Iason’s paternity test weren't the important part.
“What shall we do? You called me a wicked magician. Couldn't this token also be a fake made by copying Athena’s divinity? Why don't you hurry up and arrest me?”
“N-no! Such a precise and beautiful owl emblem! And the seal of Atrytone that proves itself is a sublime thing that no god could dare imitate! To doubt this is to doubt Athena herself! You are undoubtedly the representative of Athena!”
“And what did the man who calls himself a general of Athena just say to such a representative of Athena?”
“E-Eris must have blinded the eyes of this Bergentos...”
Oh, my. This fellow. That goddess of discord had quietly settled on the mast the moment she sensed a war brewing.
Sure enough. Hearing her name like a ghost, Eris sent a direct telepathic message to me.
Good heavens. I’ve seen my fair share of ugly sights, but if the psycho from the Zhuge clan who gave me such a hard time had died like that, I would have felt uneasy even in my sleep. And to speak of it so casually as a punishment—the class of the Goddess of Hatred truly was something else. Still, since she asked for my permission first, perhaps my care for my "golden child" was finally paying off.
I’m not trying to defend Bergen-something, but if this guy goes back and loses his mind after clashing with me, it would only give that Theseus bastard more fuel to incite people against me.
Haa... I really see all sorts of things. To go through all this trouble just to protect a dark-haired man—and a general of an opposing nation, at that.
Go ahead and die, Bergen-whatever.
“This won't do. I left the beautiful Atalanta behind and set out from Arcadia to carry out Athena’s secret orders, enduring all that hardship. And now, my path is blocked by a follower of Athena? This position is too heavy for me. Don't you agree? I should go to the temple in Athens right now and return this status...”
“Guh-huck?! N-no! Please, I beg you, take back those words!”
Is it because I’m a devil that I find it quite enjoyable to see this old geezer, who was ready to fight to the death just a moment ago, turn 180 degrees and grovel?
‘What does it matter? I am a devil, after all.’
The name Heavenly Demon itself means a devil who fell from the sky. Since he’s the cause of all my trouble, he deserves to pay the price.
“No, no. A man who was kicked out after trying to harm me at Dionysus’s sanctuary is playing prince in Athena’s city and plotting against me. It means I am insufficient to uphold Athena’s will. This is clearly Athena abandoning me...”
“No! How could a lowly mortal dare to doubt the will of the goddess! There must be some misunderstanding!”
‘Look at this guy?’
Seeing how he recognized Athena’s seal immediately, he was clearly no ordinary fanatic, yet his loyalty and faith in Theseus remained unshaken. Perhaps, as a die-hard Athenian, he couldn't accept the fact that the Prince of Athens had turned against Athena’s own legate.
‘That just means Theseus has solidified his position in Athens that much.’
It seems it won't be long before Theseus, backed by Athens, and Arcadia clash.
‘I need to clean this up quickly, while Athena is still too distracted to pay attention to Athens.’
Anyway, it would be more constructive to stop here and hurry on our way. In any case, from the moment he leaves after meeting me, a living hell will unfold for this Bergen-whatever. Athens will be turned upside down like a poked hornet’s nest.
‘Shall I drive a wedge into that?’
“Hmph... It doesn't feel right to just leave.”
“Yes? Y-yes?”
“Tell Theseus, the Prince of Athens, this for me.”
Hmm, what should I say? If you want to fight, come at me? If you're pissed, let's settle it in person?
‘...There’s a threat that works better in this Greece.’
Hehehe. Go ahead and die.
“Yes? Y-yes! I will tell Prince Theseus. How could a follower of Athena dare to violate a place blessed by Athena...”
“No, no. Tell him to do whatever he wants. Athena does not shy away from war. Ask him how I, as her legate and the protector of Arcadia, could possibly stop a war for Arcadia.”
In other words, it was a provocation: You rely on tricks and schemes behind people's backs because you don't trust your own country, but I have nothing to fear, so come at me if you dare.
‘Die, you crazy bastard.’
“Yes. Y-yes... Then this humble servant will take his leave...”
“Ahem.”
“Yes?! Representative of Athena?”
“Of course.”
Arcadia is Arcadia, but the price for blocking my path was a different story. If I was going to stir up trouble in Athens, I had to do it thoroughly.
“I heard the helmets and weapons of Athens are of very high quality?”
“....Yes?”
“We are on a long journey, so we need supplies, don't we?”
“...Yes?”
“Tsk...”
“!! Yes, yes! As a subject of Athena, I will gladly support the representative’s journey!”
“Good, good. I will convey your wisdom to Athena later.”
“I-I am humbled!”
At the threat made in the name of a god, Bergentos hurriedly ordered his men to move the cargo from his ship. As the lower deck filled with food and high-quality weapons, my heart warmed.
“It’s only natural for an Archon of Athena to requisition military supplies from a warship of Athena, isn't it?”
With this, I’d chipped away at the Athenian navy’s strength, and Bergentos, now "infected(?)" by me, would bring even more chaos when he delivered my words to Athens. To Theseus, I am a mortal enemy; if the hunting dog he sent to catch me returns having given up its own flesh and praising me, how would he feel?
‘Let’s see if that great hero of wisdom can handle this chaos.’
No matter how Theseus manages this, the chaos in Athens was a foregone conclusion because of the "Athena" card I played. In the meantime, I will elevate my divinity, and Arcadia and Atalanta will grow prosperous.
“...Even if Athena throws a spear at your head later, you’ll just have to accept it.”
“And add Father’s thunderbolt on top of that.”
...These fools. With just a few words, I’ve saved thousands of lives, yet these ignorant people don't even understand this profound principle and are whispering behind my back.
“Sigh...”
What can I do? It’s all my fault. Anyway, that’s how we were able to safely and quickly exit Athenian waters with the Athenian navy as our escort.