chapter 34

"Victory!" Cyd exclaimed, lying on the ground with his eyes half-closed, feeling a sense of relaxation wash over him. He had planned to deal with this beast similarly to the lion they faced earlier, using poison. But this demon pig had grown so large that even a minor brain injury had proved fatal.

"Yes, we won," Atalanta replied, lying beneath Cyd, her arms crossed over her chest.

Cyd wiggled his fingers and cautiously lifted his head. "Should I help you up?" he asked.

"I'm tired. Let me rest first," Atalanta murmured, curling up and closing her eyes.

Cyd sighed helplessly. He gently placed his hand behind her knees and asked, "Shall I carry you?"

"Do as you like. It's not like I can move much after all this fighting," Atalanta responded, her eyes still closed.

"That was... my mistake," Cyd admitted, carefully lifting Atalanta. She obediently wrapped her arms around his neck, making it easier to carry her. Though her eyes remained shut, she didn't resist.

"What should we do with this demon pig?" Cyd asked, glancing at the massive carcass. He poked it with the tip of his toe, pondering their next move. "It was already huge, and it grew even more. We can't possibly eat all of it."

"The hide is too large to transport," Atalanta observed, opening her eyes to inspect the giant beast.

As Cyd circled the demon pig, a figure emerged from behind a tree.

"...I always feel like I can't join in on the current atmosphere," Artemis muttered, peering from behind the tree trunk. She instinctively knew that if she intervened now, something unfortunate might happen—perhaps Atalanta strangling Cyd out of embarrassment. Yet, she couldn't resist watching the scene unfold.

The sound of a snapping twig made Artemis narrow her eyes. Some humans were approaching, and in large numbers.

"Really, appearing at a time like this. If they dare interrupt my plans," Artemis grumbled, her form starting to fade, "I won't let them off easily."

"Who are you...?" Cyd muttered, noticing the approaching figures. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Don't you remember?" Atalanta asked, still not opening her eyes.

"Meleager. That's my name!" declared the leader of the group, a stern expression on his face as he addressed his old companions.

"Oh, right. You were the one complaining about Hercules," Cyd said with a smirk.

"This demon pig... you defeated it?" Meleager asked, his eyes now noticing the massive beast lying behind Cyd and Atalanta.

"Yes, it's mostly dead," Cyd replied with a grin.

Meleager scratched his head awkwardly. Their main objective was to hunt the demon pig, and now that it was defeated, the spoils of war naturally became a point of contention. His uncles, however, had already reached the pig and were discussing how to divide the prize, acting as though they had slain the beast themselves.

A sudden chill in the air made Meleager freeze. Cyd hadn't moved a muscle, and Atalanta remained silent. Yet, the atmosphere grew tense.

"Hey, this demon pig was brought down by Cyd and Atalanta. It's their spoils," Meleager loudly reminded his uncles.

"Huh? It's dead. Whoever kills it owns it," one uncle retorted, kicking the demon pig. "A woman and a weakling couldn't possibly have taken it down!"

"Yeah! This disaster in Calydon should be resolved by us. You meddled, but now the glory belongs to us," another uncle added, drawing his sword.

Cyd watched this with a bemused expression, wondering how far Meleager would go to protect their claim.

"I'm the leader of this hunt," Meleager declared, stepping forward to stop his uncle. "We haven't earned this kill, and your actions will only dishonor Calydon."

"Ha, a hero, huh? Only the victor is a hero," the uncle sneered, raising his sword to strike the demon pig's head. "Now I'll finish it—"

Before he could strike, Meleager's lance pierced his throat.

"You!" the uncle gasped, drawing his sword, but Meleager's left hand swiftly wielded his own blade, slashing a perfect arc through the air.

Cyd's eyes widened.

Meleager, blood splattered on his face, turned to the crowd, his gaze cold. "This demon pig belongs to Cyd and Atalanta. Any objections?"

Nobody dared to speak.

"Cyd, let's leave them the hide and take the rest," Meleager suggested, trying to maintain peace.

"Really? We didn't fight for the spoils," Cyd said with a smile, his white hair glinting in the sunlight.

Meleager stared, dumbfounded. From Cyd's clear eyes, he saw a reflection of his own struggles. "Hero of Pure White..." he murmured, realizing Cyd had earned his place among the legends.

Cyd tilted his head, feeling as though Meleager's mind was wandering. "Is something wrong?"

Meleager shook his head, smiling at his newfound respect for Cyd. "Nothing at all."