Chapter 31: Promise, Don't Die!
Chapter 31: Promise, Don't Die!
"When is the hunt scheduled?"
Understanding that Actaeon had already been transformed into a giant deer by Artemis, Promise asked the red-haired Meleager after a brief silence.
"It seems you really don't know. It's tomorrow night... When the great goddess of the night, Nyx, drives her chariot of night to the human world, the beautiful moon goddess Artemis will hang the full moon in the sky to illuminate our hunting festival!"
Tomorrow...
Hearing this, Promise fell silent.
"By the way, Promise, are you planning to join the hunt?" Meleager asked, but before Promise could respond, he laughed and answered for him, "Ah, right, I shouldn't have asked. After all, you who aspire to become a great hero would never pass up such an opportunity... But let me make it clear, this time, I absolutely cannot let you win!"
Meleager's expression became serious again as he said to Promise, "For the sake of my country, I must win this hunting festival and meet the beautiful goddess Artemis.
This is my only chance!"
Promise fell silent again, his green eyes fixed on Meleager for a while before he spoke, "By the way, Meleager, do you know where Actaeon is... I actually came here to find him."
"Actaeon?" Meleager was taken aback for a moment, then looked at Promise with a puzzled expression and said, "Is he here? I don't think I've seen him... Why are you looking for him?"
"For the adventure of the Golden Fleece."
Hearing this answer, Meleager's face showed a look of realization.
"Wait a minute, before you see him, there's something you need to say to me, right!"
Seeing Meleager suddenly staring intently at him, Promise tilted his head in confusion and asked, "Is there?"
"Of course there is! You haven't invited me yet!" The latter stood up abruptly, anxiously saying to him.
"Why should I invite you?" Promise said calmly while turning and rummaging through his luggage for his grudge notebook.
Opening it, he began to read aloud, "A year ago, that afternoon, just after Chiron agreed to let you leave the mountain, you ran straight to me to brag!
And when I followed you, you grabbed me, tied me up, and threw me in front of Chiron, laughing at me. You said I should just stay on the mountain and paint, and never think about coming down!"
"Did you really write all this down?" Meleager was shocked.
"That's right." Promise nodded. "It's not just you; Heracles and Theseus can't escape either... Speaking of which, I haven't even settled the score with you for laughing at me in front of everyone just now!"
"This... well..." Meleager looked a bit embarrassed.
Then, as if something occurred to him, he leaned over to look at Promise's notebook and said, "Wait, the real reason you left Jason to come find us... could it be..."
"That's right, who said I came to invite you on the ship to go on an adventure?" Promise nodded, speaking loudly. "I'm here to settle old scores honorably!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
A gentleman's revenge can wait ten years. You all rejected me and left me on the mountain back then. Now, I'm going to make you all regret it!
Want to get on the ship? Want to create great achievements under the watchful eye of the great Hera?
Fine, do it now, right now, beg me!"
Meleager looked at the proud Promise sitting there, feeling both amused and helpless.
Finally, he raised his hands and said, "Alright, alright, you vengeful guy... I was wrong, okay? I admit my mistake.
Sigh, I must say, Teacher Chiron really lost his mind. How could he let you come down the mountain?
And that guy Jason, I'll definitely beat him up the next time I see him!"
After saying that, hr paused, looking at Promise in front of him. Then he smiled again and said, "But actually, I was hesitating at first about whether I should go or not.
After all, I'm not sure if the matter at home can really be resolved.
But now I've decided, I must go!"
Seeing Meleager's sudden determination, Promise couldn't help but feel curious and asked, "Why?"
The latter looked at him and said irritably, "Why do you think... I don't know why Teacher Chiron didn't tie you up and take you back to the mountain by now.
All I know is that if I don't go to watch over you, this guy who wants to die so badly will definitely die out there!"
Hearing this, Promise unexpectedly didn't refute.
Because when he and Jason went down the mountain, that was indeed his plan.
He intended to die on the Argo!
Moreover, if it weren't for the oath with Athena, Chiron might really not have returned to the mountain at that time.
He probably would have kept following until now.
"Hmm, thinking about it, it will indeed be lively then." As if thinking of something, Meleager looked at Promise and said, "Because of you, after so many years, we might all really gather together for the first time..."
All with one purpose.
Promise, don't die!
.
.
That night,
The flames illuminated the starry night.
Hunters who had gathered here due to Artemis's oracle were singing praises of her greatness and holding a grand feast.
Artemis,
She is one of the Twelve Olympian gods, the goddess of the moon, and also the goddess of hunting, worshipped by hunters.
She is also, like Athena, a virgin goddess who swore to remain pure forever and is the protector of unmarried maidens.
In Greek mythology, Artemis and Athena jointly oversee the maidenhood of girls, and when a girl is to marry, she would return her virgin girdle to the temple of Athena or Artemis.
She would then enter the married phase overseen by Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, and Hera, the queen of the gods.
Artemis is also the goddess most familiar to Promise in this era... the goddess who chokes
people!!
"Ugh, so why isn't that bear here."
In the feast illuminated by flames and filled with laughter.
Promise, dressed in a light black hunting outfit, scanned the crowd around him, feeling a bit
melancholic.
At the same time, he was the center of attention at the feast.
Although in the afternoon, many had laughed at him due to the bandit incident, no one could
ignore his current status.
He was the boy under the gaze of Queen Hera, walking across the vast land of Greece,
searching for the bravest warriors for the noble queen, bringing them together in the kingdom of Iolcos to embark on the adventure to find the Golden Fleece under the watchful
eyes of the gods.
During the three months Promise was completing Athena's oracle, this news had already spread across the continent by bards.
And because of this, when he arrived at the feast with Meleager, he had no time to rest. Hunters gathered, introducing themselves to him, hoping to gain his favor.
Some even proudly stated that it would be an honor for Promise to have them on the ship, saying they were destined to accomplish great feats under the watchful eyes of the gods,
gaining wealth and glory.
Even Atalanta had come to the feast, quietly staying in a corner.
Thus, it wasn't long before Promise grew tired of it all.
In truth, his purpose for attending the feast tonight was to find the bear.
The bear's name was Orion!
Yes, the same Orion who, during the heroic summoning, was supposed to appear but was
replaced by the goddess Artemis due to her love, appearing as a peculiar non-human, non-
beast creature (mascot).
And this guy was even a Grand Servant!
Promise wasn't familiar with him, in fact, he had never met him because Orion wasn't a
student of Chiron.
To save Actaeon, Promise had planned to find Orion and sell him to Artemis. Unfortunately, it seemed he didn't come... and honestly, he wasn't even sure if Orion was
from this era.
Eventually, as more and more people gathered around Promise, it was unexpectedly Atalanta
who stepped in to save him.
She sternly reprimanded the crowd,
Stating that the hunting festival under Artemis's gaze would take place tomorrow night, and that Artemis must be watching them, urging them to be mindful of their behavior.
She also said that if they believed themselves to be brave and strong, the hunting festival
would be the best proof.
Only those who performed well in this hunting festival would be qualified to participate in the
Golden Fleece adventure under the watchful eyes of the gods!
After speaking, unable to tolerate the atmosphere any longer, Atalanta turned and left.
As Promise finally breathed a sigh of relief. "What a beautiful huntress, marrying her would make any man so lucky... right, Promise?"