Chapter 36

Chapter 36 – An Interesting Fellow

Under Hera’s fierce threat, Hermes smiled stiffly, and eventually, the secret conversation between the messenger and the queen ended with a promise to keep this from his father.

A lingering sense of unease was inevitable, but with the queen of the gods making such assurances, it was difficult for Hermes to argue further.

However, perhaps the queen had noticed even his unease, for she sent him to convey regards to Chiron at the infirmary where all the key figures of the current era gathered.

“Sigh.”

“Don’t worry, Hermes.”

“Chiron, it’s just... whew...”

Just in time, Hermes met Chiron in front of the infirmary and dragged him to a quiet nearby warehouse to spill the whole story of what had just transpired.

Chiron also wiped his face and hardened his expression as if feeling dizzy, but since the queen of the gods commanded it, he had nothing more to say.

Regardless of his lineage, Dianes was a disciple he personally brought, and probably a child led by Nyx from beginning to end.

However, even if his lineage was extraordinary to the point of astonishment, as expected, from Chiron’s perspective, Dianes was far from being a seed of disaster.

It was Dianes who brought Atalanta back to the bright world and stopped Hercules’s rampage.

“So, why don’t you meet him in person and make a judgment?”

“Hahaha, y-yes. That would be the reasonable thing to do...”

Chiron, comforting Hermes, who had turned pale as if being dragged to Tartarus, entered the infirmary.

Hercules, his entire face wrapped in bandages, and Atalanta, aiming her bow at him.

And between them, Dianes was quietly minding his own business.

“You rascals!! Causing a commotion in the infirmary of all places! What kind of disgraceful behavior is this in front of our esteemed guest?!”

The Forest of Heroes was always full of chaos, and Hermes, who frequented the forest so often, was no stranger to it.

Still, there should be limits.

Hermes quickly changed his expression and smiled brightly, but Chiron had a duty to discipline his students for such disgraceful behavior, especially in front of the messenger of Olympus.

Moreover, this was also an opportunity to arrange for Hermes to have a calm, private conversation with Dianes.

“M-Master! Atalanta suddenly drew her bow...!”

“Master Chiron, that’s not it!”

“....I tried to stop them.”

Hercules and Atalanta, who were pleading their case to Chiron as if they were unfairly accused, were swiftly grabbed by the nape of their necks and dragged out by their teacher’s hand.

“.....”

“.....”

The once bustling infirmary fell silent as if a storm had just passed through.

In the infirmary room, where an indescribable and strange silence had settled, only the beautiful golden-haired messenger of the god and the strikingly beautiful black-haired young hero were left behind.

Of course, it was meaningless to question the impossible, given that the primordial gods had intervened.

How, then, could the eyes of this young child reveal the weary wanderer from a long journey?

Hermes could not contain his rising curiosity.

Dianes, who offered him a seat, presented fruits and some steaming green liquid before him, like a host welcoming a guest.

“...What is this?”

“Oh, it is tea from my homeland. Yesterday, while chatting with Asclepius, I found some familiar herbs and decided to make it.”

Homeland!

Hermes did not miss the fleeting wistfulness on Dianes’s fair face as soon as the word was spoken.

According to what he knew, Dianes’s homeland would be the island of Passos.

However, from Hermes’s recent thorough investigation of Passos, he knew that there was no culture of blending herbs and brewing them in hot water on the island.

The decoction of this herb was surely from a faraway culture in his memories!

“Is this the first time you’ve heard of the custom of serving decoction in Passos?”

Hermes, smiling brightly, lifted the cup offered to him, while Dianes, sitting opposite, brought his cup to his lips and looked at him with a chuckle.

“Because it’s something I used to drink in my real hometown.”

“Oh... I see.”

He intended to gauge his reaction, but was it himself who ended up revealing more?

Hermes could only smile bitterly at the fact that those obsidian-like black eyes were actually observing him.

“It seems you’ve done some background research on me... Instead, why don’t you just ask straightforwardly?”

Dianes’s suggestion, bold and confident yet not felt as rude, only heightened Hermes’s amusement.

Humans facing a god were usually divided into three categories.

The devout who couldn’t lift their heads due to awe and fear.

The ruffians who would lift their heads defiantly, claiming not to be intimidated by any god.

The heroes who would greet appropriately, saying they were struggling regardless of the god.

However, this black-haired boy was a new type that didn’t fit into those three categories.

A prospective god who meets others with the attitude of “you are you, and I am me.”

He could understand a little why Ares and Poseidon liked him.

For now, he respects them and even holds some affection and respect for them.

He was not ignorant of gods and knew their power and fame, respecting them.

However, given Artemis’s example and his current attitude, if someone crossed the line he permitted, he would probably retaliate fiercely.

Considering his lineage, the wound on Artemis’s shoulder could be seen as a small price to pay for crossing the line.

“The hero who made Lady Artemis groan in pain. Quite impressive.”

“Oh, is the goddess still suffering? If it’s not too much trouble, could you ask about her well-being later?”

“Hehehe. Of course, I should.”

He had some wit, too.

In Hermes’s mind, the wariness was gradually disappearing, replaced by an interest in a new conversation partner and the unknown world he spoke of.