Chapter 76
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Love Beneath the Milky Way Sea
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What an end-of-the-world kind of place.
Even for Greece, where fists fly before words ever do.
Forest nymphs charging at a guest, spears at the ready to skewer him? What is this, some Demonic Cult's Bewitching Palace?
"Let me tell you something. Just because a pretty girl lunges at me doesn't mean I'll take every hit or just stand there gawking."
If I were totally obsessed with pretty girls, then sure, that Moonlit Galaxy girl—or even Artemis—might've gotten a pass.
But I have my standards, you know.
And those standards get even stricter when someone's pointing a weapon at me.
"I can guess what Neriya said, more or less, but did it not occur to you to try talking it out like civilized beings?"
"S-Sor... Sorry..."
The Demonic Cult's ten-thousand-year history, Korea's five-thousand-year legacy.
Two lands on opposite sides of the continent, both sharing the ultimate finisher: the groveling apology.
Artemis's fangirls—tougher than they looked—had set a one-hour record before collapsing from exhaustion, now on the receiving end of a carpet bombing.
The spears—not actual death spears, but wooden ones—by their heads weren't bloodied, but they'd earned a little pat on the head at least.
"What on earth were you thinking? Did you really believe I'd be scared of those wooden spears and just let you win?"
This wasn't some rom-com.
Even I have limits—if you come at me spewing fire and brandishing spears, I'll fight back halfway seriously.
Especially when I'm decked out in crisp new clothes and bearing expensive gifts for our princess.
I couldn't ruin my teeth gnashing over some no-name nymphs' tantrum.
"I was trying to be a gentleman about it. But if you come at me like this, I have no choice."
"Eek!"
"Heek!"
Even with their heads bowed, my calm voice made the gatekeepers tremble.
Thankfully, though, the forest's spear-wielders didn't follow Artemis's huntresses' example and challenge the carpet bombing record.
"Now, explain in detail, step by step, exactly what happened. While I'm still speaking politely."
Their legs began to shake, tears streaming down as the two nymphs seized the moment, jumping up to explain everything.
Long story short, Neriya was currently learning weaving and cooking from Karyklo.
With her natural charm, warm personality, cute face, and status as a direct descendant princess of an ancient god, she was basically an idol to the forest nymphs.
But when word came that I'd arrived, she started sniffling, head hung low, not saying a word.
"Th-That's why... we thought maybe our princess had suffered something awful..."
"As nymphs, we couldn't just stand by..."
In a situation that made "What the hell" spill out naturally, I could only cover my face in silence.
"Aigoo, girls..."
I'd expected Atalanta and Neriya would be tough nuts to crack, but...
Our pretty sea princess had thrown me a trial harsher than I'd imagined.
Grilling the gatekeepers further would just stoke Neriya's already solid grudge.
So I decided to retreat for now and headed back to my room.
Just like when we left Pasos Island last time, once Neriya got sulky, no amount of coaxing would turn her around.
She was usually bright and sunny year-round, never sulking easily—but when she did, she'd vanish into the waves for ages...
And this time, even I thought I was the arch-criminal, so her rage was beyond imagining.
"Sure, she'll forget it all soon enough and come bouncing back with a giggle..."
But still, I had a conscience.
I couldn't just sit idly by while a young girl who'd crossed oceans just to see me staged a protest over my obliviousness.
"Hmmm..."
I'd never puzzled this hard even during martial arts training.
Pacing the room, mulling over these intricate feelings, something caught the corner of my eye.
"...Ah!"
The queen of the gods and the messenger god's hinted advice.
And the adorable new acquisitions I'd just gained.
This would work.
The idea flashed in my mind, combined with the gods' ploy—I bolted up and left the room.
Nymphs' gossip spreads across all Greece in a flash.
Especially in this hero-haunted forest thick with spiritual energy—trees and flowers' whispers via nymph mouths relay everything in real time.
The picturesque duel between the beautiful huntress and the black shadow hero at Athena's training ground reached Nesneria's ears instantly.
"Hmph! Hmph! Leaving me out!"
Nesneria still firmly believed Dianes would be hers.
Sure, he was mingling with mortals in human form now...
But as her mother and sisters said, when he finally claimed an immortal's mantle,
the only one fit to stand beside him would be the sea princess who'd shared his mortal years: Nesneria herself.
So binding him too tightly from the start would only choke him off, driving him further away.
She'd planned to keep things friendly at a distance, stretching out the warmth...
"But this is too much!"
Even so.
Just days after parting from her, he'd already picked up a human girlfriend(?), ignored her for nearly a week right after reuniting—and the second he emerged from seclusion, he went straight to that wild redheaded beast-woman!?
"Hmph! Maybe I'll tell Mother and curse her!"
Turn her into red seaweed?
No, she's red-haired, so goldfish?
The trees' ongoing tales said the beautiful huntress Atalanta and the black-haired newbie had stuck together through all training, inseparable.
It was sticky like snakes mating, her eyes gooey like she'd pounce any second.
And that shadow hero Dianes—who'd never taken a hit except from Heracles and Chiron—accepted Atalanta's attacks.
The whole forest buzzed: not just sparring, but raw Greek hero passion.
"Tch..."
Her mother's always-right advice, her sisters' counsel...
Even planning long-term, her burning impatience gnawed at her patience right now.
One urge to rush over, hug her lover, drag him to the ocean depths where no one could follow.
One to never see that face again after a week ignoring her while oddly favoring his human lover.
Yet another wary one: seeing those black eyes would make her forget everything and do anything he wanted.
Her heart torn three ways, clashing chaotically, left Nesneria groaning alone.
"Dia's the bad one..."
He could just stay her shadow hero forever, live with her on Pasos.
From boy to tall youth, mature man, withered elder, till his dying breath—
holding her hand, strolling shores, swimming her waves together.
Why come to this distant place, roll with violent beast-women, ignore her like this...
"Maybe I should've gone out when he came earlier?"
When the gatekeeper sisters brought news of Dianes, she'd nearly forgotten her anger and dashed out.
But the trees' murmurs of daytime training reignited her fury,
and her go-to sob-sob act sent the sisters chasing him off.
"No, he always just smiles at me so sweetly. He came so carelessly again."
That wouldn't do.
The sea princess adored everywhere.
Just as she steeled herself to make him pay dearly for underestimating her—
-♪♪♪~
"Huh?"
This was the most remote seaside spot in the nymph forest.
Young trees couldn't whisper yet; nymphs avoided it to protect sprouting buds.
Gossip might taint the saplings, they said.
And now, deep night with nymphs asleep.
A quiet forest nook where Nesneria had settled, ready to flee to sea if needed.
Suddenly, an eerie melody began to drift in.
"Wh-What is that?"
Her nymph early education—drilled against heroes and gods—shone; Nesneria sprang up in combat stance instantly.
The quiet tune echoing softly vanished as if never there.
"Did I mishear? What was that?"
'In the end, when push comes to shove, trust only your own judgment.
No matter what others say, even if your thoughts and situation confuse you—if you feel this strongly, charge ahead.'
"...Hmph! Lecturing me even now."
That playboy's sporadic words irked her,
but just as he said, she strained her ears again.
Wind tickling her ears.
Saplings' faint rustles.
Forest creatures' breaths.
-♪♪♪~
Then, amid it all, the eerie melody rang out again—her blue eyes flashed.
"That way!"
For some reason, following that black playboy's words, Nesneria trusted her gut.
Acted on pure instinct.
Bounding through the forest like a mountain hare, soon
trees thinned, cool sea breezes whipped a cliffside.
There he was.
"....."
A strange instrument on his lap.
Framed by moonlit raven hair rippling, the Milky Way veiling above like a bridal veil.
A melody drowning even the waves, her beautiful man awaiting someone.