Anagin Chronicles

Chapter 105. The Gift (3)

‘A king is a special being….’

One day, after being beaten senseless by his master as usual and collapsing to the ground,

His master suddenly said that the many kingdoms beyond the village and the kings who ruled them were special beings.

With a single command, they could move countless people, and with a single decision, they could make countless people laugh or cry.

‘Do you know why they can do that?’

‘Didn’t ask.’

‘Because they are humans chosen by the gods. They have been permitted to rule the human world in the gods’ stead. Among them, some are not only blessed by the gods, but even carry their blood.’

Ignoring Anagin’s insistence that he wasn’t interested, his master persistently told him about kings.

That, beyond merely being chosen, there were even special beings who inherited the blood of gods.

Thus, kings were generally stronger and wiser than ordinary people, and some even possessed special powers.

And to some extent, Anagin had believed that.

After all, he had come outside the village and met princes and princesses.

Tramachus and Meleager, Irida and Atalanta.

If princes and princesses—the king’s children—were like this, then the king himself must be even more impressive.

Anagin had thought so unconsciously.

But contrary to his expectations, the king was disappointing.

“…Meleager, I welcome your visit. And the others as well…”

The man seated upon the throne was nothing more than an old, frail elder.

Thanks to his natural bone structure, he was somewhat tall and broad, but his muscles had withered, his complexion was pale, his face deeply wrinkled, and a sour stench clung to his body.

He had grown old and fallen ill, it seemed….

But it wasn’t simply his unimpressive appearance or his weak frame that disappointed Anagin.

“…And you two are quite late. Even though your father summoned you.”

Yes, people grow old. They fall ill. They may grow weak and neglect their appearance.

Anagin did not particularly care about such things.

The problem was his eyes.

Eyes that seemed sick not only in body, but in mind.

“I’m sorry, Father. I was late in reporting to sister—”

“Enough, I don’t want to hear excuses. I suppose since you went out to become a hero, you no longer listen to your father’s words.”

The king’s bloodshot eyes twitched irritably, his pupils trembling as if anxious.

Personally, Anagin did not like eyes like that.

People with eyes like those usually irritated him.

Just like now.

“And yet, despite that, it seems you couldn’t even play the hero properly.”

“Pardon?”

“I read the newspaper.”

“Ah….”

Irida let out a short exclamation, as if she understood.

He was referring to the article written by Ponytail.

The rather humiliating piece claiming that when Erysichthon appeared, Irida and the New Argonaut Expedition Team were too frightened to act and were saved by some wandering practitioner.

With embarrassment, Irida’s face reddened slightly as she lowered her head, while Anagin felt a bit fed up.

Perhaps because he had already been hounded about it at Chiron Tower, hearing it mentioned again irritated him.

How many times was this now?

“I should never have sent you in the first place. I told you again and again that you could never become like your sister.”

“……”

Irida lowered her head further, unable to say a word.

And surprisingly, no one else spoke either.

That is to say, not the members of the New Argonaut Expedition Team—Irida’s comrades—nor the Original Argonaut Expedition Team.

Just as Anagin was about to wonder why they had all become mute, Atalanta, her older sister, opened her mouth.

“Father, the contents of that article are incorrect. Irida more than—”

“You, shut your mouth!”

The old man on the throne shouted.

Though his body was withering, his voice rang loudly enough to silence even a hero.

“If anything, you are the biggest problem. You filled your younger sister’s head with foolish dreams and then left on your own.”

“That… I’m sorry. But if I hadn’t gone then, my sister would have been in danger.”

Surprisingly, Atalanta offered an explanation.

She seemed to be referring to when she had come to rescue them from Erysichthon.

“Then you should have returned sooner. You know you are needed…! Do you take your father lightly?!”

“No, Father.”

No matter what Atalanta and Irida said, the old man continued shouting, and the two sisters were unilaterally battered each time.

Anagin watched the scene blankly. It was rather fascinating.

It was fascinating that two warrior women could not utter a word against a dying old man, and equally fascinating that their so-called friends remained silent as well. Were they really that kind of people?

As he watched, it soon became Anagin’s turn.

“And you are…?”

Exhausted from venting his temper, the King, Isos, breathed heavily as he looked at Anagin.

The members of both the New Argonaut Expedition Team and the Original Argonaut Expedition Team subtly turned their heads to glance at Anagin with anxious eyes.

Before entering the audience chamber, they had warned him repeatedly to show proper etiquette, but they were uncertain whether he would actually comply.

As if to reward their concern, Anagin greeted the king.

“How do you do. My name is Anagin.”

He offered a polite bow.

His words were somewhat plain, but not to the point of being problematic.

As if to prove it, everyone looked at him in surprise.

“Anagin… Are you the Anagin I have heard of?”

“I’m not sure what Your Majesty means.”

At Anagin’s words, a man standing nearby interjected.

He was a royal official.

“His Majesty is asking whether you are the Anagin who fought against Erysichthon.”

“If that is the case, then yes, I am.”

At Anagin’s reply, a quiet murmur spread through the audience chamber.

There was only one reason: he had fought against Erysichthon.

Such was Erysichthon’s infamy, even within the royal palace.

Even setting aside the fact that he sponsored numerous villains, his monstrous strength that had slain countless practitioners and the tale of how he devoured his own kingdom whole had, by now, become almost legendary….

Simply surviving against Erysichthon could be called an achievement.

“I hear you have not been a practitioner for long, yet you dared to face Erysichthon alone. I look forward to your future. I hope you will form a good relationship with our kingdom.”

“Oh…!”

The officials lined up on either side exclaimed.

For a king of a nation to speak thus was no ordinary praise.

Especially praise from Isos, King of Arcadia, and once a renowned practitioner himself.

It was a tremendous honor.

However, Anagin did not feel particularly pleased.

He knew this was not mere praise born of high regard.

Creak, creak—the sound of gears turning in someone’s head. It had been a while since he’d heard that sound.

Anagin disliked that sound.

“Thank you for your words, but you overestimate me.”

“And modest as well.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know modesty. I consider modesty to be something losers use to lay the groundwork when they fail.”

“…?!”

At his ominous tone, the pupils of everyone in the chamber widened slightly.

In other words, they were shocked.

Sphinx, one of them, grabbed at Anagin’s clothes as if to stop him, silently asking what he was doing this time, but as usual, he ignored her.

“You have an interesting way of speaking.”

“If my manner displeases you, I apologize. I was born in the countryside and am unfamiliar with palace decorum…. But I do know not to lie. Especially not to a king.”

The King of Arcadia could not refute that.

Kings despised lies.

Anagin knew this because his master had once told him.

“When I fought Erysichthon, the entire New Argonaut Expedition Team fought in a way befitting their name. Of course, I was the one who played the biggest part, but I wasn’t the only one fighting. Everyone showed courage.”

Anagin recalled the battle against Erysichthon.

Tramachus’ flames, Thyreos’ reinforcement, Irida’s wind—all had aided the fight.

That was enough to say they had fought together.

“Are you saying the Talaria Weekly lied?”

“More precisely, this fellow lied.”

Anagin grabbed Ponytail by the back of the neck and dragged him forward.

Ponytail, who had been contemplating an escape, was hauled out like a dog and, after bowing to the king, began making excuses.

“Greetings! O Great King of the Kingdom of Arcadia! I am Klephthys, a junior reporter of Talaria Weekly and the writer of that article! I regret to say there was some distortion and exaggeration in the report!!”

Like a sudden downpour, Ponytail spewed excuses, describing, distorting, and exaggerating in the opposite direction, how bravely Irida had fought.

The atmosphere seemed to demand it!

“…And thus it happened. Truly, as the younger sister of the Great Warrior Atalanta—”

“—Enough.”

The king cut off Ponytail’s rambling.

He did not appear particularly pleased.

After all, he had intended to praise Anagin while implicitly belittling his daughters, but it had not gone as planned.

Even so, the old king could not openly show anger.

Whatever the case, it meant his daughter had achieved great merit.

The positive murmurs among the officials standing to either side were proof of that.

Yet their father did not seem pleased by it.

“Th—”

“—Your Majesty.”

Just as the king was about to speak, Anagin interrupted.

He did not know what the king intended to say, but he was certain it would be something irritating and pointless, so he chose to change the subject.

“I felt it improper to come empty-handed, so I brought a gift. May I present it first?”

The king’s gaze naturally shifted to the bundle slung over Anagin’s shoulder.

It had been bothering him since earlier, but he had not imagined it was a gift.

Still, he was not particularly curious.

Each year, people presented him with gifts, and this year especially, there were an overwhelming number.

Numerous princes and practitioners seeking to become Atalanta’s husband had already offered mountains of presents.

So he had little interest in the gift of some practitioner who had merely been lucky enough to survive Erysichthon.

‘Nevertheless, asking would be fitting for a king’s dignity.’

Isos, King of Atalanta, asked what he had brought, barely concealing his annoyance.

At the question, Anagin unfolded the cloth, and Isos’ half-lidded eyes widened enormously.

Because—

“It’s a deer I caught on the way here.”

It was the White Deer that appeared only in the legends of the Kingdom of Arcadia.

* * *

The moment the king saw the White Deer, he excused himself from the room.

After offering a perfunctory welcome to Anagin, he simply dismissed him.

Anagin, stiff from standing still, quickly left while loosening up his body.

“Ah… If I’d known, I should have given the deer first.”

The creaking sound echoed with every stretch.

It had been an incredibly dull time.

Still, he learned one lesson: if he ever had to meet the king again, it would be best to avoid it.

Anagin felt he just didn’t mesh well with the idea of kings.

It was odd to meet with people lined up in a row, and though the palace was grand, it felt suffocating in a way he didn’t like.

Even though the old king had offered him a room in the palace, he hesitated.

As he pondered whether staying in the palace would be a good idea,

“Wait a moment.”

Irida, who had followed him out, called Anagin to a stop.

“…Why?”

“What was that earlier?”

”I don’t know what ’that’ refers to.”

Despite Irida’s serious expression, Anagin’s tone remained unchanged.

Frustrated, Irida pounded her chest before speaking.

“Erysichthon…! Why did you say that?”

“I was just stating the facts. What’s the problem?”

Irida was momentarily speechless.

She half-wondered if Anagin was teasing her.

But her instincts, like a hunter’s intuition, told her he wasn’t lying.

Yet instead of feeling better, her mood worsened.

It was as if she had received undeserved credit.

Because Irida didn’t think she had truly faced Erysichthon.

She remembered it clearly: when Erysichthon appeared, the entire New Argonaut Expedition Team, including her, froze in embarrassment.

The overwhelming presence had paralyzed them like mice before a snake.

She had been certain any movement would mean death.

Only two moved that day: the monster Sphinx and Anagin, who protected her.

“….”

Irida didn’t need to say it, but she hadn’t forgotten.

It was an unbearably humiliating memory; she wanted to forget but couldn’t.

Terrified and unable to act, she had barely managed to snap out of it thanks to Anagin, and all she had done was offer a slight blessing to help him.

Even though she had gone to Chiron Tower to become a hero like her older sister, that was all she had managed…

So when her father scolded her, she could only blush and listen.

Yet again, Anagin had stepped in.

He told her father, who was blaming her, that it wasn’t true—she wasn’t a coward but a brave warrior.

Ugh…!

Irida was furious at this.

She was jealous and annoyed at his ease in doing what she couldn’t even attempt.

“Any more to say?”

Oblivious to Irida’s complex feelings, Anagin only pressed for a response.

”I have something.”

“I wasn’t asking you.”

Anagin scolded Ponytail for barging in, but ignored him.

”Why did you sell me out again! I get hurt by things like this, you know?”

”Get hurt or not. You’re the source of all this trouble. On your conscience, you deserve at least one hit.”

“I have no conscience! Go away!”

”Ah, then I guess I can’t hit you. Anyway, things worked out well thanks to me.”

”That was unexpected, I’ll admit.”

Ponytail nodded in agreement.

Others felt the same way.

Anagin’s manner toward Irida wasn’t entirely befitting of someone facing a king, but it barely met the standard.

He had courteously defended Irida and offered a gift to end the awkwardness, handling the king fairly skillfully.

Those who had worried he might cause a scene felt slightly embarrassed.

They had expected him to speak freely even before the king.

When they spoke of this fact honestly, Anagin showed that he felt slighted.

”Ah, what’s with you guys? Do I look like I lack that much discernment? Even if he’s shitty, I’m not the type to act up toward a friend’s parent. He’d have to be even shittier for me to act up.”

“…Friend?”

Irida, who had been listening quietly, chewed over the word ’friend’ and asked back.

She couldn’t believe the word friend had come out of Anagin’s mouth.

Anagin grinned.

”Ah, are we not? Then, let’s be friends from now on, I guess.”

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(T/N): I don’t know why the name of King changed from 이아소스 - Lasos to 아이소스 → Isos. Anyways, I’ll just follow the raws.