Chapter 198

Chapter 198. News (1)

Splash- ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Splash- Splash-

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍refreshing sound of waves echoed from every direction, like gentle slaps across the cheeks.

Anagin ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍lay atop the sea with his eyes closed.

An ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍ordinary person would have been flailing about, screaming, "Help me!"

But ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Anagin, having received the subordinate woman's blessing, looked completely at ease.

No—

He actually was.

The seawater cradled his body and head like a bed and pillow, as though it possessed a will of its own.

And that wasn't all.

The vast energy of the sea flowed into Anagin's body, easing both his injuries and his fatigue.

Anagin didn't know much about blessings, but it seemed he had truly hit the jackpot.

He could walk on water, breathe underwater, manipulate water, and now it even healed him while submerged.

A single blessing had come bundled with multiple abilities.

Perhaps that was only fitting for the daughter of Poseidon—and a mermaid who governed the sea.

‘...Or is it because I received it directly?’

"Get up. Check your condition."

Speak of the devil, and the subordinate woman appeared.

She had come to examine Anagin's condition.

Hearing her voice, Anagin slowly opened his eyes from his comfortable sleep.

Normally, he would have told anyone who disturbed his sleep to get lost.

But since the subordinate woman had come to help him, he refrained.

Anagin was a man who understood courtesy.

'Still, it's strange. How in the world did Sphinx coax her that she's still helping out like this? She even seems to act oddly friendly······.'

As though she had read his thoughts from his eyes, the subordinate woman asked,

"What? Got something to say?"

"No, it's just annoying. Come back later, you've got no tact—"

Smack!

Before Anagin could finish speaking, the subordinate woman smacked his upper arm.

He had recovered considerably, but it still hurt quite a bit.

Was it because it was a god's punch?

"Ow, that hurts."

Anagin rubbed the spot dramatically.

But aside from that, his thoughts became complicated.

After all...

He had really almost died.

Even with a Gigant's natural recovery and the sea's restorative power, his body still hadn't fully recovered.

Which meant the damage he had suffered had gone far beyond the ordinary.

Anagin recalled his battle with Aesop four days earlier.

The gigantic hand that had appeared out of thin air.

And the oppressive yet somehow crudely made fish maw.

Those two attacks alone had knocked him unconscious.

‘Calling it unconscious is putting it nicely. I almost died.'

Outwardly, Anagin refused to admit defeat and acted as stubborn as ever.

But inwardly, he was capable of cold calculation.

He had no choice but to admit it.

His fight with Aesop had been his loss.

He had survived purely through luck.

Wager or no wager, if Aesop had simply ignored their agreement and intended to kill him...

Anagin might have struggled.

But he would have died.

Better than dying without putting up a fight.

But dead all the same.

He really had been incredibly lucky.

The subordinate woman seemed to feel much the same way.

"Are you acting this recklessly because you trust your absurd luck?"

Having returned to her original mermaid form, the subordinate woman checked Anagin's condition through the seawater as she spoke.

Judging by her voice, she still hadn't gotten over her irritation.

The sarcasm was obvious.

"What are you talking about?"

"Because I heard stories that you barely survived even before coming here."

Apparently, during the two days Anagin had been unconscious, they had talked about quite a lot.

The subordinate woman brought up his battle against Orpheus.

"Who almost died? I practically won that fight."

"Hah!"

The subordinate woman laughed loudly enough for him to hear.

As if she were listening to some loudmouthed braggart.

That felt a little unfair.

Anagin had no intention of complaining that Tramachus's intervention had been cheating.

But his fight with Orpheus had truly been as good as won.

The bastard, loaded with blessings related to music, had been physically weaker.

Anagin had gotten close enough to seize his neck and snap it.

‘Of course, the New Argonaut Expedition Team ruined it, and I got knocked unconscious by a spear.’

His train of thought abruptly ran into reality.

If Sphinx hadn't saved him then...

He would have died.

The subordinate woman was right.

His battle against Orpheus had also been one where he nearly lost his life.

Even so, that didn't mean he could simply agree with her.

Arguments weren't about determining right or wrong.

They were battles to prove the other person was wrong and you were right.

By any means necessary.

Anagin pondered how to twist his words to refute her.

"...You really are lucky."

"Hm?"

"The fact that your body recovered this much is practically a miracle. Four days ago, you really..."

The subordinate woman's voice trailed off as she remembered.

She sounded angry.

Yet relieved at the same time.

"I couldn't even begin to imagine what had happened to you. Blood was pouring from every opening in your body, and your flesh and bones looked ready to come apart at any moment... You really almost died."

She described the condition Anagin had been in when Sphinx carried him back four days earlier.

The moment Aesop disappeared, Sphinx had carried Anagin back and begged the subordinate woman to treat him.

She admitted she couldn't heal him by herself.

The subordinate woman accepted.

For the two days Anagin remained unconscious, she personally treated him.

Even afterward, she stayed by his side, advising him as he naturally recovered and continuing to monitor his condition.

Despite the fact that their transaction had already ended, and she was under no obligation to help him anymore.

"If I hadn't helped you, you'd be dead. And it'll be the same next time. If you keep throwing your life away while relying on luck, you'll die someday. Without question."

Anagin knew exactly how much help the subordinate woman had given him.

So even as she lectured him nonstop, he simply listened quietly.

And not only that...

“If you really end up dying like that, I won’t forgive you. Dying like that after receiving my blessing, really…. I can’t forgive it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. And I apologize.”

He agreed with her.

And apologized.

There wasn't a single thing wrong with what she had said.

Nor was her anger unjustified.

Wasn't it obvious?

True, she had done it to save her younger siblings.

But she hadn't merely lent him a blessing that wasn't even part of their bargain.

She had offered it to him.

If he died such a meaningless death afterward, anyone would be furious.

At least...

Anagin knew he would be.

So he admitted his mistake and apologized.

His personality might have been rotten.

But he wasn't shameless enough to ignore someone who had genuinely helped him.

"I never treated the blessing you gave me lightly. Please forgive me."

"...Hmph."

Only then did the subordinate woman seem to calm down slightly.

She deliberately snorted loud enough for him to hear.

That meant she had forgiven him.

‘Good grief.’

Anagin was astonished.

Just from that tiny gesture, he finally felt as though he understood her a little.

Had he grown attached to her or something?                      

His thoughts fell into confusion.

Before he could sort them out, the subordinate woman spoke again.

She sounded genuinely curious.

Is it perhaps because of what happened to your hometown? Is that why you can be so reckless?"

By "hometown," she meant Anagin's home village.

Bringing it up so suddenly seemed rather random.

Then again...

Not really.

That was because the subordinate woman was already in a state of having heard the reason why Anagin was trying to become a god.

A hometown so deep in the backwoods that even Anagin didn't know where it was.

The plague that had suddenly struck.

The villagers dying one by one.

His father.

His mother.

And finally...

His little sister, who drew her last breath.

After waking from unconsciousness, Anagin had roughly explained to the subordinate woman the miserable story that had led him to decide to become a god, partly as repayment for helping him recover.

He had already promised to tell her.

And it wasn't some great secret.

So he didn't particularly mind explaining it.

‘Though she didn't seem to think so.’

Recalling the complicated expression the subordinate woman had worn while listening to his past, Anagin thought.

She had looked as though she were about to cry.

She had sympathized with him far more than he had expected...

And that made him somewhat uncomfortable.

Honestly, he preferred when they had simply been hostage and captor.

While Anagin's thoughts wandered, he met the subordinate woman's gaze.

Her eyes clearly demanded an answer.

He briefly considered ignoring her out of laziness.

But since his body still hadn't fully recovered, he decided to answer.

If she stopped helping him, that would be a problem.

"...There's probably some truth to that. Back in my hometown, I even thought about just dying there."

"..."

"So after becoming a practitioner, I never really thought dying would be a loss. If anything, it felt like a gain. Maybe that's why I could throw myself into danger like a complete lunatic."

"...She would be sad."

The subordinate woman spoke with complete seriousness.

"Who would?"

"Your little sister."

"..."

He wanted to scoff.

How would a dead person know?

But he held back.

She was a god.

Maybe...

Just maybe...

His little sister really was watching.

Still, admitting it outright didn't suit him.

So he changed the subject.

"You seem to care a lot about family."

"Of course I do. They're my family."

This time, her voice softened noticeably.

Apparently, she wasn't just saying it.

Then again...

She had gone through all that trouble just to save her younger siblings.

There wasn't much point in saying anything else.

"I almost feel bad. Because of me, you can't stay with your little sisters. Though I guess it doesn't really matter. Once I leave, you'll be together forever anyway."

"..."

The subordinate woman fell silent.

From that silence, Anagin sensed something was off.

"What's wrong? That's not it?"

"Mm... no."

Anagin's expression immediately turned grim.

After everything she had gone through, it wasn't that?

What kind of bullshit was—

"My sisters and I each have our own duties. We can't stay together all the time."

"Oh."

Only then did the stiffness leave Anagin's face.

I thought it was something serious...

"Heh. What? Were you imagining something strange?"

"You're getting way too cocky."

Thud!

The subordinate woman smacked the exact same spot on his arm again.

Then she smiled.

"That's enough for today. Let's head back. Staying here any longer won't do much."

She advised him that today's treatment using the sea's power was over.

The wise Anagin accepted her advice, got to his feet, and returned with the subordinate woman to the island shore where Sphinx was waiting.

Incidentally, Sphinx was currently examining the items Anagin had entrusted to her.

The contents of the fisher mage's Interspatial Bag.

To be honest, Anagin had been looking forward to it.

Maybe they'd find all sorts of useful items for the journey ahead.

After all...

It belonged to the fisher mage.

The son of Poseidon.

He had been incredibly powerful.

And Anagin had his own personal wish as well.

He sincerely hoped there would be plenty of useful loot inside.

After nearly dying like that, failing to get worthwhile spoils would really piss him off.

"She's not slacking off, is she?"

As if answering his question, they soon reached the shore.

Spread across a giant cloth were the items Sphinx had sorted.

There weren't actually that many.

Nor did anything particularly stand out.

At most...

The small airship the fisher mage had used.

‘Where'd that Sphinx brat disappear to?’

The moment Anagin thought that, he spotted her.

She had set up a small temporary tent and was inside reading the information-sharing magical tool, the Freedom's Thread.

“I hoped it wouldn't be the case, but were you really slacking off?”

"Oh, Brother, you're here?"

Something about Sphinx seemed off.

She looked distracted.

As though she had just seen something unbelievable.

When Anagin asked what had happened, Sphinx hesitated, unsure how to explain it.

Finally, she carefully opened her mouth.

"Uh... I don't even know how to explain this."

"Keep it short and simple."

"...She turned into gold."

"...? Who?"

"Um... the Oracle of the Temple of Delphi... They say she was attacked by Midas the Golden Touch... and turned into gold."

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