Chapter 50: Goddess of Fate was right..
Chapter 50: Goddess of Fate was right..
Atalanta returned, carrying a few hunted hares in her hands.
She had already cleaned them, and they only needed to be roasted by the fire for a while before they could be eaten.
She then noticed that the Pegasus, which had been protecting Promise, was nowhere to be seen.
Only the boy sat alone by the fire, looking lost.
For some reason, he had an expression of utter despair on his face.
Just as she was wondering about this with her head tilted in curiosity, Promise noticed her return and turned his head.
His emerald eyes reflected the beautiful huntress in front of him.
In an unusually serious tone, he said to her, "Atalanta, you know, I now believe that the Goddess of Fate Clotho was absolutely right. Her prophecy was correct, without a doubt. I will indeed fall with that silver meteor!"
"But didn't you already capture that Pegasus?" Atalanta asked, confused.
"So tomorrow, I will follow the guidance of the Goddess of Fate. I will ride Pegasus and descend from the stars of the night. I will perish together with the Calydonian Boar!"
"Hahaha, yes, this will be my end. My charge is complete, it's time to show my true skills, Meteor Strike!"
Atalanta did not respond immediately.
She was captivated by the change in Promise.
Although it was just a simple change in hairstyle, she couldn't help but look at the boy twice. Her nose, as sensitive as an animal's, naturally caught a faint fragrance from Promise. During the night of the hunting festival, Atalanta had seen Athena, so she naturally sensed the reason for Promise's strange behavior and who had visited him earlier.
"The noble Goddess of Wisdom really cares about you," Atalanta said, setting down her prey. She glanced at Promise again and then asked, "So, what exactly happened?"
"...Nothing," The boy replied with a rather miserable smile, looking up at the sky. "I just feel that my end is near. The Goddess of Fate was right; she made no mistake. The mistake was mine!"
"Wait, no, Athena said the next thing is a gift. Maybe I really won't die... Atalanta, how about we have a race now?"
Atalanta was momentarily stunned by Promise's sudden gaze.
His clear, serious eyes looked at her, and after a moment of confusion, she asked, "A race?"
"Yes, you run, I chase. If I can't catch up to you, you can hunt me down and kill me!"
Atalanta felt both puzzled and amused by Promise's desperation to die.
However, she also keenly picked up on some key words.
Thinking back to recent events, she tentatively said, "If it's about hunting... I should remind you that even if you die, you can't escape the hunt of the Goddess Artemis."
"...Eh?" Hearing this, Promise's eyes widened as he looked at Atalanta.
"Because the Goddess Artemis has already said that if you don't present the offering to her, she will hunt you down... Promise, you haven't forgotten that the great Goddess Artemis is also a goddess of the hunt, have you?"
Atalanta rarely smiled, but she did now because Promise's expression was truly interesting and amusing.
After placing the hares down, her green eyes fixed on him again, and she smiled. "You should know that even I would chase my prey to the ends of the earth once I've determined it. Therefore, the words of the Goddess Artemis mean that even death cannot stop her hunt... So, is this really what you're worried about?"
No, it's half of it.
I'm also worried about being strangled!
These guys are just too absurd.
Even after death, they can be summoned back with the Heroic Spirits.
Is this what gods are like?
Yes, that's exactly what gods are...n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
"Hmm... Should I go to the noble Goddess Hera?" Promise thought for a while and finally remembered his identity.
A follower of Hera!
"Making a pact with a great deity and then unilaterally breaking it... Do I need to explain in detail what the consequences would be?"
Saying this, Atalanta pulled out her bow and arrow from somewhere, drew it and looked at the boy with excitement. "And did you forget that I'm the most loyal follower of the great Goddess Artemis? If you dare run, the goddess doesn't need to lift a finger; I'll hunt you down myself!"
Promise rolled his eyes at Atalanta, who then put away her bow, clearly just joking... although she did genuinely want to try hunting Promise, but it was only when he was fully healed and
riding Pegasus.
If he could see the favorability meter, he would realize that Atalanta now viewed him with recognition-a rare sentiment from her, considering that throughout the divine age, those who earned her recognition could be counted on one hand.
After all, she had witnessed this fragile boy capture a falling meteor.
"The Goddess Artemis is so looking forward to it. Why don't you just give her the offering?"
Atalanta suggested.
After all, it was just a painting.
Having witnessed and personally experienced his art, Atalanta was already in awe of
Promise's skills, much like with his harp playing that night.
"I can't do it," However, the latter shook his head in resignation. "If I could paint it, I'd give
it to her immediately. But right now, I just can't... not to mention inspiration, the brushes and canvas I have now can't withstand a god's demands!"
"Didn't the Goddess Artemis give you time?"
"Athena told me the time is at most half a month, at least three to five days..."
Atalanta didn't speak, bowing her head to roast the hares.
If it were a few days ago, she would have angrily rebuked him and possibly even hunted him
for blaspheming her goddess.
But now...
Recalling Artemis clutching Promise's arm, almost shaking him apart for the offering, the girl quickly shook her head, discarding the irreverent thoughts.
She also remembered the night when Promise offered to paint her.
She was the first person he wanted to paint after coming down the mountain.
But she refused.
This realization made Atalanta even more silent.
Noticing her sudden change in mood, Promise remembered that she was a loyal follower of
Artemis.
Feeling a bit guilty, he took out his harp from his bag and started playing for her.
He knew she liked this and that it was the agreed payment for eating her game.
As he played, he didn't notice Atalanta's gaze becoming sharper.
The next afternoon, Pegasus carried Promise and Atalanta to the kingdom of Calydon.
Promise let the Pegasus return to the sky, and after tidying up with Atalanta, they entered the
kingdom.
Upon entering the town, they found it bustling with activity.
People had put down their tasks, gathered together, and were discussing something
animatedly.
Just as the two exchanged glances and were about to inquire, a voice called out, "Promise!"
Before Promise could see who it was, he found himself being hugged tightly by a man who
had rushed over.
"Thank goodness you're okay, you're really okay!"
Crack...