Chapter 126: Chapter 98: The Cult Leader's Self-Cultivation (3000, Achieved 7000 Daily)
A lavish feast, lasting from dawn to dusk.
And as the end approached, Luo En, the head chef, decisively left the cleanup to Hestia and quietly slipped out the back door.
It was nothing personal.
The sight of Artemis was just too frightening.
Not only did she occasionally stare at him during the meal, but the way she tore into the meat seemed as if she was gnawing on him...
Although Luo En didn't know where he had offended the Goddess of the Hunt, it seemed wise to avoid her and stay out of trouble when things looked bad.
Muttering to himself, Luo En strolled along the main street of Knossos City, pondering.
Currently, the Gorgon Sisters were in deep slumber in Athena's temple, having absorbed a vast amount of oceanic divinity;
The boisterous Nike had been taken away by the Goddess of Wisdom to assist in Olympus;
Hestia needed to tidy up the home and host her newly arrived niece, Artemis;
After the sea beast attack, Crete Island was gradually getting back on track under his and Princess Ariadne's coordination;
Old King Minos still had to deal with his handful of troublesome sons and had no time to pester him...
With such a rare moment of leisure, why not enjoy the tranquil night alone?
Having made up his mind, Luo En roamed the market, tasting local delicacies, buying interesting handicrafts, and quietly listening to casual conversations, relishing the pervasive atmosphere of ordinary life.
However, his relaxation was soon interrupted.
Many people recognized him as the scribe and approached enthusiastically, wanting to greet him.
Looking at the moving heads around him and the excitement of the women nearby, Luo En's scalp tingled. He quickly excused himself and, using the fastest speed, squeezed out of the crowd, donned an invisibility charm, and left the area fraught with danger.
When he reached a secluded corner three streets away and looked back at the crowd that still hadn't dispersed, he couldn't help shaking his head in wonder.
He was indeed becoming somewhat like Bacchus, a being that drove both men and women crazy.
But, this wasn't too bad...
Luo En stretched and smiled carefreely, pulling out a bottle of wine from the Magic Array and knocking on the door of a humble dwelling.
When the owner of the house heard the knock and opened the door, a young man with rough skin and a sturdy build stood in front of him, showing a look of surprise.
"Scribe...
"Shh!"
Luo En gestured for silence, quietly pointing toward the streets where men and women were still searching for him.
Understanding immediately, the young man silently held his breath and hurried to invite the esteemed guest inside.
Only when they reached the inner hall did he dare to breathe out loudly, fumbling to clear away the simple tables and chairs, and laid out the few fruits and cured meats his home had to offer, trying to treat Luo En.
"My lord, why have you come so late without giving notice? We don't have much to offer."
Looking at the humble furnishings and the sporadic and unimpressive spread on the table, the young man rubbed his hands sheepishly, his face a mix of embarrassment and guilt.
Through accents and behaviors, it was clear that some hailed from Knossos, others from Rhodes, some from Naxos, and even some from city-states beyond Crete Island in Greece.
These people gathered in this valley, far from worldly noise, setting aside their real-world identities and differences, either merrily exchanging anecdotes from various lands or sharing food and drink they brought along, initiating an impromptu feast.
Compared to the somewhat indulgent figures, Luo En and Polydorus blended in with the crowd, appearing quite mundane and ordinary.
Nevertheless, their arrival was met with a warm welcome by everyone present.
Infected by the enthusiasm around him, Luo En didn't deliberately show aloofness. With a face disguised and twisted by magic, he greeted the people nearby politely and discreetly.
Before long, a procession of nymphs and women wearing ivy crowns, draped in fawn skins, and holding staffs entwined with ivy or topped with pinecone balls, arrived to the beat of hand drums and cymbals. Amid the solemn melody and atmosphere, they emerged from the woods.
Suddenly, the somewhat noisy valley quieted down, and everyone uniformly turned to look at the choir praising with their chants.
"Come, Dionysus, god of boundless joy, you who are reborn from fire and lightning,
Bassarus and a thousand mighty Bacchus,
Sword, blood, and virginal women gladden your heart,
you cry out 'aha' from above the clouds! (I really want to change this part of the God of Wine's liturgy to 'aha', it would be so much fun, don't you think?)
Roaring Bacchus in frenzy!
You wield the thyrsus, furious and mighty, all creatures revere you,
and the mortals who dwell on the earth also respect you.
We are ashes of Titans, descendants in delirium!
Our blood thicker than water, our veins intertwined!
Come, o joyful deity, please bestow happiness and blessings upon us all!"
Gradually, those gathered around, as if infused with the solemn yet cheerful tune, joined in the singing joyfully, becoming part of the grand secret celebration.
Luo En, in the midst of the crowd, was lightly mouthing a fake song while pulling a face and placing his hand on his forehead.
Alright.
No matter how many times he participated, this act of being worshiped in person still made him somewhat uncomfortable, brimming with embarrassment.
That's right, this nascent esoteric group before him was a small community personally forged by Luo En, taking advantage of his position during this period.
They were unified by wine, worshiped wine, and promoted the spirit of self-indulgence that would become the foundation of the future Orphic religious worship of the God of Wine.
Soon after the initial hymn ended, the priestesses leading the gathering escorted the newly elected High Priestess to the forefront.
"Brothers and sisters, thank you for coming from afar to join the celebration. Let us raise our cups and offer our libations to the god who blesses us with shade and joy!"
At this moment, the great Father among the crowd, following the voice, gazed over to see that flushed little face full of excitement and rebellion.
"Pfft!"
Suddenly, Luo En, who had just swallowed a sip of wine, sprayed it out involuntarily, his face showing an expression of astonishment and shock as he muttered.
How is it her?