I Became a Slave to a Mythical Shepherd

Episode 48. effusion

I stayed in Hecuba’s arms for a while, blankly.

I forgot for a moment that the shoulders of my tunic were soaked with my mother’s tears.

For a long time, without thinking about anything, I stayed as if I was asleep in Hecuba’s arms.

However, as soon as the moment of overwhelming emotion and the joy of reunion went away, my head quickly faced the cold reality.

I have an obligation.

I have other parents to protect.

“…Mother, can I ask you something?”

I looked into the eyes of my real mother, Hecuba, and said. It was eyes that resembled mine.

She calmed her weeping slowly and wiped the moisture from her eyes with a handkerchief to cool them down.

“Yes, sweetie. What do you want to know?”

“I wonder how many people know about my prophecy?”

And at my words, Hecuba’s expression hardened as if she had just woken up from a dream.

Of course, I couldn’t easily come up with an answer to my question.

For a while, Hecuba looked at me in silence, then threw out a word.

“Once… Except for Helenus and Cassandra, the rest of the children don’t know. Oh, tell me what kind of children Helenus and Cassandra are. first of all···

“are you okay. I can meet you later.”

And I know that the twins Helenus and Cassandra have prophetic powers. It was natural for them to know about the trust I had received.

“Other than that, my wife and I know, and… some influential people know. Isn’t that what a rumor is? Originally, human curiosity pierces through walls and roofs and heads from Olympus to Tartarus.”

Hecuba smiled brightly.

“But that doesn’t matter. You are in front of me now, and I am by your side.”

I nodded my head at Hecuba’s words and chatted about the stories of the past 10 years.

For me, it was a story that spanned every moment of my life.

From being dragged away by a blacksmith in the city, to the story of having a knife get tangled in hair while cutting tin.

Indeed, my biological mother listened intently to every single moment of it.

Therefore, the conversation between the two of us also continued for a long time. As if remembering something, Hecuba gave me something like a toy from my childhood and smiled. I laughed along too.

but,

I couldn’t help but laugh in complete relief.

‘Rumors, influential people know?’

Actually, it is unavoidable.

Governor Nikis of Antandros?

Since he is the person who manages me at close range, I need to know about trusts.

From nob le mt l. co m

Like Theo?

nothing to say Didn’t you spend years together next to me and closely monitor me?

Already two only in Antandros.

There are dozens of people who will move in the capital as the limbs of my father, King Priam.

Numerous wolves waiting to know the secrets of the royal family.

It was natural for information to leak out.

However, if information about me spreads as an open secret amidst someone’s secret smile and whisper…

that’s dangerous

I had to ponder for a long time whether my real father would kill me or not. Not only is this information a deadly weapon against me just by its existence…

“Mother, what do you think of the trust?”

“I… will always be on your side.”

Not ‘I trust you’, but ‘I have to be on your side’.

An oracle can isolate me even from those who might be ‘on my side’.

After talking with Hecuba a few times, hugging each other, and parting ways, I was able to calm my head.

Which path should I take next?

What steps must I take to survive,

Draw a plan in your head.

It had to be short in thought and quick in execution.

When I knocked on the door, the courteous old eunuch carefully opened the door and bowed his head toward me.

“Do you have a job? Just one favor.”

“What are you doing…”

“I want to ask if my father can see me now. And, I will also deliver this letter. Please gather the people written in this.”

The eunuch carried a small clay ball from me and hid it in his bosom.

I grabbed him as he was about to leave and left me with one more word.

“Finally, let me say this.

I’m ready to say ‘everything’.”

Soon the king’s call comes.

Rapid response as expected. I was already wearing street clothes.

Go through the long hallway you passed through on your way to this room, and go backwards again.

Pass gardens, tiled floors, and rooms full of cages.

And again the door to the throne room.

When I opened the door and entered, there were five people gathered.

My real father, King Priam, and I meet eyes again.

It feels like years have passed since the last reunion. In the eyes of the real father, there was a little bit of anxiety and doubt that I didn’t know where.

“…As you said, I called the people back together.”

“Thank you for trusting me.”

I examined the familiar faces of the two men to the right of Priam.

Aeneas awkwardly bowed his head to me, and beside him, Anchises gave me an excited look that could not be concealed by feigned solemnity.

These are familiar faces.

I take a deep breath before turning my head.

“Theo?”

“Yes, Paris.”

Theo casually showed me respect and came closer to me and bowed.

It was an unfamiliar appearance of Theo, but unexpectedly, this side seemed more comfortable and familiar to him.

“Thank you for coming to my call. i needed you I swear to the gods that I ask you to tell me only the truth here.”

“All right.”

One Priam, two Aeneas, three Anchises, and four Theo.

Earlier, I said there were five people in this room.

“Those whom I have indecently gathered here are the most noble of Dardanos’ heirs.

Except for Theo, who will be my guarantor.”

I look back at Theo for a moment, and Theo is constantly glancing at me, not knowing what I’m trying to do.

“One of these is the King of Troy. One is the Lord of Dardanos, and the other is its blessed heir. and···”

swallow once more,

Turn your head.

From nob le mt l. co m

Look into ‘his’ eyes.

“Here, the only legitimate successor of Troy has come out.”

I bow to ‘him’.

“I am Paris, the son of Priam.

It is an honor to meet you, brother.”

“···older brother?”

“Yes, please call me Aura. Aren’t they brothers inheriting blood from the same ancestor?”

Paris is the second son of Priam.

There is only one person in the world who can call Paris an aura.

“Hector.”

***

Hector.

Hero of the Trojan War.

The savior of Troy.

Achilles’ antagonist.

If Aeneas, as the only male survivor of the Trojan royal family, left this land and gave the Trojans a new homeland.

Hector was to be buried with the burning ashes as Troy’s last hope.

A hero to be remembered forever.

A name that 2,000 years later, even medieval people would praise as ‘the first knight’.

Hector, son of Priam.

“Paris.”

His face turned to the side, I don’t know what to say, but it was a good face to engrave on a coin.

If Aeneas was handsome as the son of Aphrodite,

Whatever my mouth says, if I’m the most ‘beautiful’ boy in the world,

Hector was the most princely looking man.

A sharp yet firm chin, a nose that rises like a well-forged knife above it, calm eyes, and wavy black curls above it. it’s a neat look

Just now, Hecuba said that no one knows who I am except the Prophet Helenus and Cassandra.

My existence would be good enough to break the order of the Trojan royal family just by knowing that.

Therefore, Hector, who is now in front of me, must have just heard about my true identity from his father.

If the second son returned, he would be the first person to inform after his mother.

I read the trembling in Hector’s eyes.

Although it was just a moment ago, he was also the one to share the secret of the oracle with me.

I saw that the sword was tied to Hector’s waist.

He sensed every movement of his hand as it headed there.

After a moment of silence, Hector spoke as if he had finished all his agony.

“The word aura… it seems like it needs a little more time.”

The voice was surprisingly soft.

“So now please let me call you Paris.”

I was in pure admiration.

A person who may be the most fatal threat to his throne has appeared.

And to be able to talk to such a person without any hostility?

Whether it’s acting or sincerity, it’ll be surprising.

I found the latter possibility more convincing.

Because I saw his compassionate eyes.

“thank you···.”

What a person.

I straightened my back, which I had bent while bowing. The five people in the audience room look out at once again.

“father.”

“…Yes, you called to tell us ‘everything’.

What was it?”

Priam asked me, and I replied with a quiet nod.

The thing to come has finally come.

“I will definitely bring disaster on Troy. Much of Troy’s territory may be razed to the ground.”

At my words, Priam’s eyes shook again.

Anchises snorts with a look that says that can’t be the case.

. . . will be corrected. Perhaps, Anchises is a more ‘great’ person than Hector.

Great fanaticism.

Was Aphrodite really the god of hypnotism?

Anyway, I wave my hand.

“I swear there is absolutely no chance of me committing treason. Theo can prove that.”

At my words, Theo steps up to the king and whispers a single word quickly.

i know what it is

– “Styx.”

I see my real father’s complicated expression.

“Uh, how could it be so dangerous… yes. Then what is the calamity you speak of?”

“It’s that simple.”

When I’m like this again, I have showmanship.

He prefers to show something before spouting a few words. That was another popular lecture technique in my lifetime.

I snapped my fingers.

Soon, the men of the noblest lineage in Troia saw a magic hammer rise out of the air.

“I will present this as proof of the explanation I will give you in the future.”

Putting down the hammer that Hephaestus gave to his favorite disciple, I continued.

…

…

…

The long story ended with the words ‘Golden Apple’.

***

“…”

“…”

“…”

silence.

After all the explanations were over, everyone was silent.

Priam looked back at Theo just in case, but he too had the same reaction.

“You, you… say that to me…”

Seeing how he even dared to call the prince ‘you’, he obviously didn’t know anything.

“ha ha ha! I was right, such a beautiful person, a rebellion?”

“father? How do you do this…”

“Hey Aeneas. Don’t speak carelessly.”

Anchises slightly bowed his head as if paying homage to Paris.

“Isn’t he the one who gave your mother an unprecedented glory?”

Of course, it wasn’t the glory of Aphrodite that came to Priam’s mind.

Priam was a person who knew how far the gods of Olympus could go against humans.

More than anyone else in the world, I knew that.

“The gods will guarantee that everything I say is true.”

“Your Majesty, it won’t be long before you confirm. It’s a fact that you can quickly find out if you ask the noble Aphrodite, who is my lover.”

“Yes, it is.”

Priam said, barely suppressing the urge to tear his hair out.

“Paris, I heard you well. I will trust your words, and I will trust you.”

“thank you.”

“So, could you please move away for now?”

Priam tried to force a smile.

“You have something to talk about with your eldest son.”

It was the first time we met today, but it was easy to see that Paris was a quick-witted kid.

And, living up to expectations, Paris quickly left the throne room without a word.

“I… I’ll ask my cousin too. Don’t forget to stop by the Temple of Aphrodite on the way to check the facts.”

“Don’t worry, my lord.”

When Anchises and Aeneas came out of the throne room,

There were only two people.

“Hector? Are you okay?”

Priam immediately turned his head to face his dearest son.

“It was embarrassing to have a new brother…but I’m glad he seems to be handsome, clever, and kind.”

Hector smiled trustingly as always.

“There was a reason you had to hide from me, so I’m fine. I understand you.”

Hector is a truly outstanding son.

It’s not just in trivial parts like political sense or martial arts.

Such qualities can only make great monarchs and great statesmen.

In Priam’s eyes, Hector was more than that.

Hector has the integrity to be a ‘great man’.

However, unfortunately…

“I’m glad you’re okay.”

I wasn’t good at hiding my emotions yet.

Confusion, doubt, self-doubt, sadness, and pain linger in his heart.

It should be detectable enough for those with good eyesight.

Priam gave him sweet raisins as if to comfort him. Hector rejected him, took a few pills to his mouth, and found little peace in the sweetness.

The time for comfort and care is now over.

“What do you think?”

Now was the time for animals to politicize.

Hector thought for a moment.

No, I pretended to be worried.

The conclusion was clear, and Hector was not foolish enough not to notice him.

Hector showed deep sadness on his face for a very moment, then erased it, and then slowly answered Priam.

“Paris must not be in Troy.”

The two looked into each other’s eyes and read their thoughts.

It was a task that took less than a second for two people who were like one body.

The father and son agreed.

Priam let out a deep sigh.