chapter 28

Cyd vaguely remembers the first time he met her. His intuition told him not to establish a relationship with her, and if he did, to know when to stop.

When Hermes mentioned Artemis, Cyd almost rejected the idea without hesitation, but it was useless.

"Because they forgot to consecrate Artemis when making the sacrificial offering, she sent a wild boar to punish them," Cyd said, curling his lip. "But it wasn't just a wild boar."

He thought Artemis was joking about the matter. Could a wild boar be that big a deal? Couldn't a country handle a wild boar?

"Truly, that wild boar was no ordinary animal," Hermes gestured.

"So, can't you find someone else to deal with this? Plenty of people would be willing," Cyd said, clasping his palms together.

"But Artemis specifically asked for you," Hermes patted Cyd's shoulder with a knowing smile. "I feel for you, but unfortunately, I'm always on the run."

"Why lower the penalty and then find someone else to handle it?" Cyd muttered.

"If the country were destroyed by the wild boar, making her retrieve it herself wouldn't be quite right. Therefore, it's your job, big hero," Hermes gave a thumbs-up. "Trust me, I wouldn't give you a task that you couldn't handle."

"I'm not going," Cyd said, grabbing the ship's mast.

"Come on, this blessing is useful to you," Hermes stroked his chin. "I knew you would understand eventually."

"Really, if you need someone, get Ata. She would be glad to help," Cyd shook his head.

"Don't you get it? You are under the gods' scrutiny, a trial of sorts," Hermes shook his head. "You have the blessing of immortality, the direction of Prometheus, and skills like those of a centaur. The gods see you as a destined hero. What kind of hero will you become? The gods are anticipating."

Cyd looked at his left wrist, where a dark green crystal glowed. Hermes wasn't lying; he didn't need to. Perhaps he was never meant for an ordinary life.

"Now do you understand?" Hermes tilted his head.

"This blessing..." Cyd pointed to the crystal on his wrist. "Even I can't lie to myself about it."

"Yes, or just ask yourself what you truly want," Hermes pointed to Cyd's heart. "The gods won't interfere with your choice, but we are eager to see what you'll become."

"I... really want..." Cyd opened his mouth, but couldn't voice his wish for an ordinary life.

Hermes looked at him calmly.

"I really want to be happy," Cyd finally said, raising his hands.

Why does he avoid heroes and goddesses? Because heroes often meet unfortunate ends, and those involved with them rarely die peacefully. If he got involved, he'd likely meet an unfortunate end too.

"A goal that surpasses the gods' expectations," Hermes slapped his forehead. "But it's good. As long as you achieve what you want, timid people aren't happy. Avoiding crises doesn't help; those who face them head-on often fare better. So..."

Hermes extended his hand to Cyd. "Go defeat the Calydonian Boar!"

"So, you're pushing the crisis right in my face!"

"Didn't you say that wild boar was no big deal?" Hermes curled his lip.

"I never said that!"

"Close enough, but if you truly want to give up..."

"Defeating that Calydonian Boar won't make me happy," Cyd sighed.

"If you don't go, she'll definitely be unhappy," Hermes whispered. "Don't forget, my sister has a strong sense of retaliation. If you refuse her... well, you'll constantly worry about her coming after you."

"I feel... my future is bleak..."

"That's not good. The journey of dreams is difficult, but the rewards are delightful. This I can promise: when you complete this bracer, you will achieve something miraculous," Hermes said, jumping off the ship. "I look forward to seeing what miracle that will be."

"Do the gods always talk in circles?" Cyd muttered, sitting down.

"By the way, Poseidon has a message for you," Hermes added, "Don't stay on this broken ship!"

"Don't worry, I can't wait to disembark," Cyd said, covering his face. It seemed Poseidon doubted Jason's ability to complete this journey. At least after Jason and the others angered his son, he wouldn't support them anymore.