Chapter 207

Chapter 207. To Delphi (3)

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍New Argonaut Expedition Team.

Tramachus ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍of Flame, Thyreos of Reinforcement, and Lynceus of Farsight.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍moment Anagin saw them, he ran straight toward them.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍three of them each wore stunned expressions.

As ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍if they had seen a ghost.

Apparently, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍they had thought Anagin was dead.

How disappointing.

But Anagin was very much alive, and to prove it, he leaped three steps before Tramachus and drove one foot squarely into his chest.

Thud!

A sound that could never be mistaken for a joke echoed through the ruined Festival Village.

"...?!"

"!?"

"...!!"

Everyone stared in shock.

Irida, who had pointed out her companions, Spanich, who had followed Anagin, and Horse-head, hidden beneath Sphinx's hood.

Not only them, but everyone nearby was stunned by Anagin's sudden violence.

After all, he had just kicked a renowned practitioner—a member of the New Argonaut Expedition Team—right in front of the Temple of Delphi, the holy land of practitioners.

Only Sphinx, the only one who knew the full story, merely shook her head as though she had expected this all along.

"C-Cough...! Cough!"

"Does it hurt? You should've dodged."

Anagin said that to Tramachus, who couldn't even breathe properly after taking the kick square in the chest.

He wasn't mocking him.

He genuinely meant it.

It was true that Anagin had charged at him, but it wasn't a full-speed sprint.

If Tramachus had wanted to dodge, he could have done so easily.

Yet instead of avoiding it, he simply stood there and accepted Anagin's kick.

It seemed he was carrying feelings of guilt.

That much was obvious.

Even after being kicked down in front of everyone and coughing pathetically on the ground, Tramachus lowered his eyes instead of looking resentful.

"Ah, damn it......"

Watching him like that, Anagin quietly cursed under his breath.

He wanted to hit him more, but seeing him acting so pathetic made him lose the desire.

The idiot had actually felt sorry after throwing the spear. Even beating him left a bad taste in his mouth.

Anagin looked away from the downcast Tramachus.

His eyes met Lynceus's, whose eyes were as wide as saucers.

Crack!

The instant their gazes met, Anagin drove his fist straight into Lynceus's jaw.

As Anagin's hardened fist slammed into his chin, Lynceus's head snapped to the side before he collapsed to the ground.

Without missing a beat, Anagin turned again and threw a full-powered punch into Thyreos's stomach.

Thud-!

Anagin's fist buried itself deep into Thyreos's abdomen.

The blow landed cleanly.

Despite his massive build, Thyreos broke into a cold sweat, staggered backward, and finally dropped to one knee.

"Hooo........."

As if the fire inside him still hadn't settled, Anagin ran both hands through his hair and let out a long sigh.

He had looked forward to the day they met again so he could beat them up.

Yet even after doing so, he didn't feel much better.

If they had fought back, he would have gladly kept hitting them. But seeing them simply take the beating killed even that urge.

'Should I hit them a little more anyway?'

While Anagin was considering it, Irida hurried over.

"What are you doing?!"

She sounded more shocked than angry as she quickly stepped in to stop him.

That made sense.

She didn't believe Anagin was the type to do something like this for no reason.

He was selfish and unpleasant at times, sure, but she had always thought he at least respected certain basic principles.

He wasn't someone who suddenly beat people up without cause. If he resorted to violence, she believed there had to be a reason for it.

Something had already felt off from the beginning.

After the Groom Tournament ended, when she met Tramachus and the others again, none of them could properly answer her questions about Anagin.

She had only asked where he had gone, yet they had all fallen silent as though they had committed a crime.

Now she knew for certain.

They had done something.

The only unexpected part was that it seemed far more serious than she had imagined.

"What's going on?"

At that moment, Tramachus's cousin Meleager the Immortal and the Great Warrior Atalanta also approached from a distance.

Both were fully armed.

If things went wrong, the situation could easily erupt into a major fight.

Being beaten in front of everyone was something no practitioner could tolerate.

Especially those born into noble or royal families.

Just as Irida was about to forcibly stop things before they escalated any further—

"Ah, damn it......... Hey, let's call it even with this."

Anagin made an offer to the kneeling Tramachus.

Whatever had happened between them, let's leave it at this.

"...Alright. Thanks."

Instead of arguing, Tramachus accepted Anagin's offer and even thanked him.

And just like that, Anagin's reunion with the New Argonaut Expedition Team came to an end.

* * *

"What in the world happened?"

The campsite occupied by the New Argonaut Expedition Team.

Anagin had been invited there.

Irida followed him all the way into the guest tent and relentlessly pressed him for answers.

What exactly had happened that made him kick Tramachus in the chest?

Why had the prideful Tramachus simply taken the beating?

Surprisingly, Anagin answered.

"I've never liked the way he looks."

"......Quit joking."

"I'm serious. I didn't like his face from the moment we first met."

"...Mine too?"

"I don't like the way most humans look."

Smack!

Upon hearing his answer, Irida smacked Anagin on the arm.

Caught off guard by the sudden violence, Anagin stared at her with wide eyes.

Seriously, first Eulimene, now Irida.

Why did women keep hitting him out of nowhere?

Did they think he wouldn't hit them back just because they were women?

Anagin believed all people were equal, so he was fully prepared to hit anyone regardless of age or gender.

Unaware that Anagin was actually contemplating whether to hit her back, Irida continued questioning him.

"Are you really not going to tell me?"

"Ah, if you're that curious, ask them. The ones who got beaten should know."

"I did ask them, and they wouldn't answer. That's why I'm asking you. What did they do wrong?"

Anagin was slightly surprised.

He hadn't expected her to assume that Tramachus and the others were the ones at fault rather than him.

After all, she had spent far more time with them than with him.

Anagin hesitated for a moment.

Should he tell Irida about how Tramachus had thrown a spear at him?

It seemed like Tramachus liked Irida.

If she learned the truth, wouldn't that count as a pretty decent form of revenge?

"......I don't know. I just didn't like his face, so I kicked him."

After thinking it over, Anagin decided against it.

It wasn't that he had no lingering desire for petty revenge.

But he had already said earlier that the beating made them even.

Besides, the image of Tramachus silently enduring the beating with a guilty and humiliated expression surfaced in his mind.

Just thinking about it made his desire for revenge fade away.

It felt like carrying it any further would only leave an even worse taste in his mouth.

In any case, he decided to keep the secret.

Fortunately, after Anagin stubbornly refused to budge, Irida finally stopped asking.

Instead, she took a few steps back, looked him over carefully, and casually asked,

"By the way, did something happen to you?"

"What are you talking about now?"

"I don't know... You seem a little bigger than before? More... filled out? It feels like something about you has changed."

Anagin froze.

For a moment, he wondered if Irida could sense the effects of the blessing.

"Besides, you have an airship now. Seriously, what happened to you?"

"A little bit of everything."

"Do you have some kind of illness where you'll die if you answer people properly?"

"Nothing much. I just happened to go wipe out the Barbaroi Cult with some Magno mages, got betrayed a little, and took my revenge."

It was anything but "nothing much," yet Anagin said it as though it were no big deal.

Explaining every detail would be far too much trouble, and Anagin hated troublesome things.

Irida looked shocked once again and urged him to explain exactly what had happened.

Just as Anagin, thoroughly fed up, was considering making a run for it, several people entered the tent.

Meleager and Atalanta of the Argonaut Expedition Team. And Tramachus Thyreos and Lynceus of Farsight from the New Argonaut Expedition Team.

The group filed into the tent together.

These were the people who had said they would obtain permission for Anagin to visit the Temple of Delphi.

After Midas's attack, the Oracle had been turned to gold, and although the temple itself had been destroyed, the priests had survived and were still controlling access to it.

'Those priests are pretty ridiculous too. The Oracle died, yet they somehow all managed to survive.'

In any case, anyone wishing to visit the Temple of Delphi and see the Oracle who had been turned to gold first needed the priests' permission.

"So, can I see her?"

He was asking whether he would be allowed to see the Oracle who had been turned into gold by Midas.

Before answering, Meleager, who seemed to be representing the group, asked a question of his own.

"Why do you want to meet the Oracle?"

First, Meleager wanted to know why Anagin had come here.

Ordinarily, one would assume Anagin had come for the same reason as the other practitioners—to participate in the Midas subjugation.

But Meleager knew Anagin was anything but ordinary, so he decided to confirm first.

After all, no normal person would challenge Chiron's disciples to a fight inside Chiron Tower.

"I just wanted to see her."

Just as expected, Anagin's reason for wanting to meet the Oracle defied common sense.

He simply wanted to see what the Oracle looked like after being turned into gold.

Depending on how one looked at it, that alone could be considered an act of blasphemy.

The Oracle of the Temple of Delphi was that sacred a figure.

"But now I've got another reason too."

"What reason?"

"I want to confirm something. I'll tell you what it is after I've seen the Oracle. If I'm wrong and start making assumptions, it'll just make things awkward between us."

"......"

Meleager frowned slightly at the cryptic answer, which was difficult to understand.

Atalanta, Irida, and even Sphinx and Spanich, who had traveled here with Anagin, reacted much the same way.

Even Sphinx and Spanich hadn't known that Anagin had come here to confirm something.

Oddly enough, the only ones who looked as though they had some idea—albeit with uneasy expressions—were the trio Anagin had beaten up: Tramachus, Thyreos, and Lynceus.

"Even if I tell you to explain yourself properly, you won't, will you?"

"Of course not."

Anagin cheerfully answered in his usual contrary fashion.

"Fine. I'll ask the priests to let you meet the Oracle."

"Oh, thanks."

Anagin thanked Meleager, who was being far more cooperative than expected.

"No need to thank me. We happen to need more manpower."

"Manpower?"

"The Midas subjugation. Isn't that why you came?"

Maybe not.

Still, Meleager decided to ask.

He acknowledged Anagin's ability.

"I don't know. I'll see how things go."

Anagin's lukewarm response to something that should have enraged any practitioner.

Yet Meleager and everyone else who knew Anagin didn't get angry.

They knew that was simply the kind of person he was.

"Fine then. Follow me."

Meleager spoke, and Anagin rose to his feet and followed.

Halfway out, Anagin stopped and called out to Spanich, who had been about to remain behind after offering a polite farewell.

"You should come too."

"Ah, I don't really have any reason to..."

"We came all the way here. Do you really want to just stay behind?"

"Not really."

"Then come with us."

Ignoring Spanich's repeated attempts to decline, Anagin ultimately dragged him out of the tent with the rest of the group.

* * *

"Everyone, this is Spanich. He's a practitioner I happened to know, and we ended up traveling together."

While Meleager went to the temporary temple to speak with the priests, Anagin introduced Spanich to the New Argonaut Expedition Team.

He had noticed how awkward they had been around each other since earlier, so he decided to have them properly introduce themselves.

"I'm Spanich of Dolos family. At present, I'm serving in Corinthos to atone for my sins. It's an honor to meet the famous members of the New Argonaut Expedition Team."

With his characteristically polite demeanor, Spanich respectfully greeted the members of the New Argonaut Expedition Team.

The stark contrast between him and Anagin left them unable to hide their surprise.

"We're happy to meet you too, but... how exactly did you end up with Anagin...?"

"That tone sounded a little strange."

"Haha. It's a bit of a long story, but we happened to meet during a mission to subjugate the Barbaroi Cult."

Spanich explained how he had run into Anagin, who had already dealt with the Barbaroi Cult before he arrived at the fishing village that had sided with them.

"The Barbaroi Cult?!"

The trio of Tramachus, Thyreos, and Lynceus, who hadn't heard anything about the Barbaroi Cult, were visibly shocked.

Too lazy to explain in detail, Anagin gave a brief answer.

"It wasn't a big deal. We let one get away."

"What rank was it?"

"A bishop."

"A bishop? You fought a bishop by yourself?"

"Not by myself. I was with the Magno mages."

"The Magno mages?!"

Even though Anagin had explained it so they wouldn't make a fuss, they only became even more worked up.

Just as Anagin was beginning to regret not hitting them a little harder earlier, Meleager returned after finishing his conversation with the priests.

"Did something happen between you and the priests?"

"No. Why?"

"The priests don't like you."

"That's fine. I don't like those incense-smelling bunches either. Seems fair."

"......"

Meleager suddenly understood why the priests disliked Anagin.

"So, are they refusing to let me see the Oracle?"

"No. I got their permission. But after you've met the Oracle and confirmed whatever it is you're trying to confirm, you'll have to tell us what it was. That's how I convinced them."

At Meleager's words, Anagin shrugged.

"Sure."

As though it were no big deal.

Tramachus looked at Anagin worriedly.

Apparently not noticing his gaze, Anagin immediately started walking toward the ruined Temple of Delphi, and everyone followed.

Perhaps because he had walked this path once before, it didn't feel very far.

After some time, they arrived at the temple.

Or rather, where the temple used to be.

"Hah...... They really tore it apart."

Looking at the temple, which seemed like it would be faster to demolish and rebuild than repair, Anagin gave his assessment.

"They looted not only the Oracle, but also all the treasures dedicated to the Temple of Delphi. The known extent of the damage is already beyond imagination, and the reality is probably even worse."

"What about the Oracle?"

In response to Anagin's question, Meleager indicated the direction with a nod.

When Anagin looked that way, he saw a tent standing amid the ruins.

It had been erected after clearing away the surrounding debris.

It stood where the room in which he had met the Oracle once had been.

Anagin headed inside to see the Oracle who had been turned to gold.

"Wait."

Tramachus called out to stop him, apparently having something to say.

He had looked like he wanted to speak ever since earlier.

"Later."

Ignoring Tramachus's voice, Anagin stepped inside the tent.

There stood the Oracle, frozen in time after being transformed into gold.

The flames flickering in the brazier licked across her golden body, casting ominous crimson shadows.

Strangely, though encased in a shell of metal, the Oracle looked both sorrowful and somehow peaceful.

As though she had finally fallen asleep after a long ordeal.

Step. Step. Step.

Anagin walked closer and examined the Oracle.

The cold metallic texture that had replaced the warmth of her skin. And the familiar—yet horrifying—craftsmanship engraved upon its surface.

Standing before the grotesque display, Anagin remained silent.

After examining it for a long while, he finally stepped back outside.

The people waiting for him immediately asked.

"So? What did you confirm?"

"Yeah."

"What was it?"

"I think... Midas is probably my master."

RelatedRelatedRelated