Chapter 46
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Forest Taboos
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Everyone gathered for the evening meal.
It wasn't as lavish as the freshman welcome banquet, but anyone would be impressed by the dinner tables set up around the plaza, surrounding the massive bonfire of Hestia blazing brightly.
From mountains of fluffy white bread to dates and olives soaked in honey, salads piled high with vegetables and cheese, tangy tzatziki sauce made with yogurt, dill, and spices, and steaming vegetable soup fasolada.
And if you turned toward the fragrant aroma wafting from the fireside, you'd see centaur chefs busily grilling every imaginable type of land, sea, and air meat on huge charcoal grills.
With that mouthwatering sight as the backdrop—one that made stomachs rumble just standing there—their mentor Chiron gathered the young heroes who had begun to assemble one by one.
As curiosity drew everyone forward, a petite silver girl hidden behind the massive centaur's bulk blinked at them with sparkling eyes.
"Oh my! Who's that?!"
"She's so cute!"
"Whoa... what? A new student?"
"She's too young, though?"
"Still, she's really pretty..."
As boys and girls alike murmured about the innocent silver-haired girl who caught everyone's eye,
Chiron introduced her in his booming voice.
"The one who graces our dinner tonight is the sister of the thousand-fold waves, the Nereid nymph.
Lady Nesneria. Everyone, give her a warm welcome!"
"Hi! I'm Nesneria! I came from the sea!"
-....
The young heroes were stunned.
The muse of the deep sea, daughter of the ancient sea elder Okeanos, the beautiful little goddess protected by Zeus and Poseidon... was here, right now?
The young heroes, already familiar with the tales of Perseus and Andromeda, were half worried that offending this tiny nymph might bring a tsunami sweeping away the entire forest.
For the men, half were scheming how to strike up a conversation with the beautiful nymph.
The women were split between jealousy of the cute and lovely nymph and a desire to hug her just once.
The dinner hall fell into a stunned silence for a moment.
But the surprises didn't end there.
No sooner had Chiron's introduction finished than the beautiful disaster scampered off somewhere, only to throw herself into the arms of the black-haired young hero with a soft thud.
"Hehe, Dia! Did I do good?"
"...Yeah, yeah, you did great without getting nervous."
Nesneria beamed innocently, rubbing her white cheek against Dianes's face.
The sight was like that of siblings with a big age gap or lovers who had grown up together since childhood.
Currently, Dianes was a figure of intense attention in the Hero's Forest, for better or worse.
The young hero who had sunk Heracles in one blow with some mysterious magic.
Some felt satisfaction that he had given the forest's tyrant a refreshing smackdown.
Others blushed at his beautiful features, which could pass for a pretty woman if dressed up nicely.
But there were those who envied the newcomer who had suddenly rolled in and stolen everyone's spotlight.
The dinner hall, instantly warmed by Nesneria's innocent behavior, regained its lively buzz.
Led by the women who melted for anything cute, everyone swarmed the new face Nesneria and Dianes.
But there were those who couldn't join the festive mood and stood apart on the outskirts.
"What's so great about that lowly gigolo..."
"He probably beat Heracles with some cowardly magic."
"Honestly, if we knew the trick, we could do it too?"
"Atalanta acts all high and mighty as Artemis's daughter, and now she's fawning over some mutt with unknown bloodline?"
In truth, those who had witnessed the duel between Heracles and Dianes earlier couldn't deny his prowess, even if they were jealous.
Making Heracles's iron body bleed, facing head-on the punches that flipped the earth and tore the air with just their aftershocks—anyone could see he had the makings of a great hero.
However, these guys had sneaked out wine last night, gotten drunk in a forest cave until dawn, and only woke up after everything was over, stumbling out groggily.
"Tch, whatever. It'll all come out soon enough that it's just bluff and fraud."
"R-right?"
"Even if he landed one on that idiot Heracles, think he can stand up to Poseidon's son, the blue giant?"
At the head of the table sat a dark-blue-haired giant, swigging from a wine jug held in one hand.
This young hero, whose size and muscles rivaled Heracles, nodded to his cronies' flattery with his blue eyes gleaming slyly.
His name was Orion.
Son of Poseidon and a hunter who could walk on water.
In hunting, he was one of the forest's top talents, and with his immense strength and water-walking ability, he had once been touted as a next great hero candidate despite his lecherous and violent nature.
But after Heracles arrived and beat him senseless—leaving Orion and his gang crippled—theseus, Jason, Atalanta, Asclepius, Orpheus, and the so-called golden generation flooded in, naturally relegating him to the bottom.
"Hmph, that muscle-headed moron—if I hadn't been drunk then, or if Zeus hadn't favored him, I'd have offered his head to Father by now."
-Bang!
The young giant slammed the jug on the table as if furious just thinking about it.
His cronies pretended not to notice the clear fear in his eyes and nodded along.
"Y-yeah! Honestly, who could match you, who's hunted beasts since childhood and fought pirates on the seas of Chios and the Mediterranean?"
"That boar's got raw power, but fighting and strength contests are different!"
"He pushed Heracles back even after all that drinking the night before.
If it were a real fight, Heracles, Theseus, Jason—none of them would matter."
"That orphan fraud with unknown parents? I'd crush him with a flick."
Sensing Orion's foul mood, the cronies flattered him desperately, and his lips twitched in satisfaction.
Then he glanced up, his gaze landing on the beautiful huntress Atalanta and the innocent nymph Nesneria, white as crashing waves.
"Hmmm... Atalanta belongs with a great hunter like me, not some bloodline-less mutt gigolo.
And a Nereid nymph? Hmph! Poseidon's son is right here, but she doesn't even greet the sea spirit and gets charmed by that mutt?"
-Grind!
Grinding his teeth in displeasure, Orion suddenly jumped up as if struck by a brilliant idea.
"Looks like the newbie's only been here a few days and doesn't know manners. Guess we should give him a proper welcome our way, huh?"
His cronies fell silent at once.
Yes, Orion was strong.
He had once been called close to the glory of joining the gods' wars, a prospective great hero.
But the fact everyone knew, which he desperately ignored...
No matter how he rationalized it, the gap between him and Heracles was vast.
Orion's gang had bullied the forest relying on him, earning scorn from other students, nymphs, even centaurs.
So they clung to him desperately, flattering away, but they weren't idiots.
Welcome ceremony.
The violent hazing they held under the guise of establishing hierarchy whenever a newbie arrived.
They'd lure them out at night, surround them, and Orion would strut in like a Colosseum champion to "educate" the newbie literally.
The gang spat, insulted, while Orion stomped them flat.
Victims, too humiliated to admit it, said nothing to Chiron; plus, a magic-savvy crony hid traces even from Chiron and nymphs.
Chiron had only suspicions, no proof to punish them.
Thus, Orion ruled unchallenged, his gang wreaking havoc under Chiron's nose.
But when Heracles's turn came, Orion begged mercy with shattered arms at his feet.
His last-ditch gang assault ended with all limbs broken.
If even half the rumors of Dianes's power were true...
They might relive Heracles's nightmare.
"Wh-what's with those looks? You got complaints?"
"N-no! Of course not!"
"B-but today might not be good? Everyone's gathered, and Mentor Chiron too..."
The cronies desperately tried to dissuade him, but their leader had long been revved up.
"Tch, you cowards. Embarrassing to call you my underlings."
"...."
The gang bowed their heads, inwardly grinding their teeth at his arrogant sneer.
'You got beat by Heracles too!'
'All talk, but you run from him desperately...'
-Crash!
"Eek!?"
Orion hurled the wine jug out of nowhere; the cronies flinched, heads snapping up.
His face flushed red, he snarled at them viciously.
"What's with those reactions? You doubting me now?"
"N-no!"
"Just... just worried!"
The cronies shook their heads frantically.
Seeing their fear, Orion grinned smugly, scanning them.
"Don't worry. This time, we'll plan it solid."
The giant shook his blue locks, chuckling slyly at the perfect scheme flashing in his mind, as if guided by Athena.
"No matter how he jumps, he's just an orphan clueless about his low-god parents."
The giant's eyes fixed on the white nymph smiling innocently by the central bonfire, blissfully unaware.