Early morning, the city of Knossos.
As the huntress dressed in a corseted short skirt and hunting boots stepped out, carrying her bow and arrows along with hunting spears, accompanied by several hounds, smiling faces peeked out one after another from the streets.
They either waved in greeting or called out loudly.
"Sister Cynthia, I want to raise a rabbit."
"Could you bring me a pair of antelope horns and snake gallbladders for medicine? I'll pay you the market price, thank you."
"It's too cold—could you trouble yourself to get some warm fur? My wife is good at handicrafts; she can make any style you want, as long as you leave us some scraps."
"Here, some freshly dried figs for the road… No need, no need, I'm old and can't chew the meat from the mountains anymore…"
Artemis took the dried figs and, as usual, smiled faintly at the people lining the streets, nodding slightly before striding toward the city gates with her guide in tow.
Once they reached a secluded path, the goddess of the hunt placed her little finger to her lips and blew a sharp whistle.
A golden chariot pulled by two golden-horned deer came rushing out from the forest.
Lorne pointed behind him at Knossos, bathed in the morning sun, and asked with a teasing smile,
"So, first stop—rabbit holes?"
It had been two full months since this goddess of the hunt had taken up residence in Knossos.
Seemingly fond of the atmosphere here, Artemis, though she had never revealed her true identity, maintained a peculiar kindness toward her neighbors in the city.
As long as their requests weren't excessive, she would nod in agreement and whatever she agreed to, she invariably delivered.
Boarding the chariot, Artemis shot a glare at her talkative guide and tossed both the bundle of dried figs and the reins at him.
"If you already know, then hurry up and get on."
"Understood. As you command, my goddess."
Lorne laughed heartily, leaping onto the chariot and steering the golden-horned deer as they carried the huntress, who was now a little more human and a little less aloof, into the forests of the Cretan mountains.
"Woof!"
The moment they arrived, the golden hound couldn't wait to jump off the chariot, swiftly escaping the goddess's clutches to circle around its original master's legs instead.
Seeing the stark contrast in treatment, Artemis, who had been feeding the dog for two months, couldn't help but feel a bit sour.
Truly, for divine hounds like these, food alone wasn't enough to win them over.
Unlike the goddess's doting, Lorne, as the original owner, was far more straightforward in handling his shamelessly loyal dog.
Without ceremony, he gave its belly a light kick and scolded it with a laugh.
"Get to work. Find some rabbit holes around here. Extra rations for you today."
Yet the mutt ate it up.
Upon hearing the command, it let out an eager bark and dashed into the hunting grounds, searching for traces of rabbit burrows.
Watching this, Artemis could only sigh in resignation.
She retrieved her weapons from the chariot and, with a dark expression, took out her frustrations on the unlucky beasts that crossed her path.
Seeing the unfortunate creatures turned into pincushions along the way, Lorne inwardly clicked his tongue, further confirming the capricious nature of this goddess of the moon and the hunt.
He made sure to tread even more carefully around his temporary bodyguard.
Truth be told, since Artemis had taken up residence these past two months, the entire island of Crete had become much quieter.
Whether it was the rampaging magical beasts in the Cretan mountains or the sea monsters crawling ashore from the Oceanus, all had fallen to the huntress's arrows.
In fact, the small fry that dared show themselves weren't even enough to keep Artemis entertained.
Hence, the bored goddess had now taken to hunting pet rabbits for little girls.
As for the chief scribe who had effectively taken over Crete's military and administrative affairs, he was more than happy with the arrangement.
With this living artillery piece stationed here, his workload in maintaining public order had significantly lightened.
By noon, a nest of snow-white rabbits had been captured and placed in a cage on the chariot, while antelope horns, snake gallbladders, and warm pelts had been harvested by Lorne from the unlucky creatures that crossed their path.
With the daily commissions easily completed, he set up a fire in a clearing, roasting a cleaned antelope over the flames while simmering a pot of hearty mushroom soup with berries, wild vegetables, and edible fungi.
As a guide, aside from leading the way, maintaining the goddess's bows, chariot, and preparing meals were also part of his daily routine.
Traditionally, these tasks were handled by the twenty nymph attendants under Artemis's command.
Yet for some reason, the goddess showed no intention of summoning her nymphs even now.
And so, the esteemed chief scribe and uncrowned king of Crete had no choice but to humble himself, serving as Artemis's part-time, full-service caretaker.
"We're having this for lunch?
It looks good. Serve me a bowl of the soup first."
As the rich aroma of roasted meat and the savory fragrance of wild mushrooms filled the air, the goddess of the hunt appeared beside the campfire like a gust of wind, eagerly picking up a bowl to sample the day's wild game.
Moments later, after finishing a warm bowl of mushroom soup, the subtle tartness of berries, the umami of the fungi, and the crisp freshness of wild vegetables burst across her taste buds, delivering a thoroughly enjoyable dining experience.
Soon, the antelope on the spit was perfectly roasted, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Artemis accepted a leg of lamb torn off by her guide and took an eager bite as the juicy flavors exploded in her mouth, the well-balanced seasoning enhancing the meat without overwhelming it, making it utterly irresistible.
'No wonder even Aunt praised this little guy, having him around is more useful than a whole retinue of nymphs!'
The goddess of the hunt looked at the guy, who was patiently preparing lunch, and silently gave her guide high marks even as she tossed aside the clean-picked bone and reached for the antelope's other leg.
Putting everything else aside, his culinary skills alone were leagues beyond what her nymph attendants could manage.
To be fair, those ocean nymphs were delicate and pampered—they could
barely handle tasks like maintaining weapons or herding prey.
It wasn't that they couldn't stoop to lighting fires or cooking meals, but Artemis's verdict on their culinary efforts was always the same: "Edible."
As for a truly satisfying dining experience?
Well...forget about it.
Only after tasting her guide's cooking and brewing did she realize just how much her tongue had suffered through all those charred, half-raw meats, flavorless water, and throat-scraping barley cakes.
And beyond his cooking, this guide excelled in every other aspect as well.
From weapon maintenance to scheduling, he handled everything with flawless efficiency.
'No wonder even the discerning King Minos wanted to make him his successor.'
To be honest, with such a near-perfect assistant by her side, Artemis found herself growing increasingly dissatisfied with her own retinue of spoiled, constantly complaining nymphs.
But alas, in another month or so, she would have to return to Olympus.
And when that time came, not only would this top-tier service vanish, even that excellent golden hound would be out of her reach.
The thought soured her mood.
But then, a sudden spark of inspiration lit up her mind.
"I still lack a proper divine attendant…"
Thinking about it, rge goddess of the hunt tossed aside another clean-picked bone, speaking as if offhandedly.
As a virgin goddess sworn to chastity, this was the first time she had ever extended such an invitation to a male mortal.
Yet the guide, busy turning the roasting meat, merely responded with a vague "Hmm," as if oblivious to her implication.
Seeing this, Artemis abandoned all pretense, cleared her throat, and laid her cards on the table.
"I think you'd be perfect for the role."
"The meat's ready—eat it while it's hot."
"Oh…"
As another lamb leg was handed to her, the goddess reflexively accepted it and took a bite.
But soon, she realized something was off as she yanked the leg from her mouth, and glared darkly at her guide.
"What's the meaning of this? You're refusing?"
'Well, obviously.'
Lorne couldn't help but grumble in his heart.
'Goddess Artemis, when Athena tried recruiting me, she at least offered a demigod position and even went so far as to forge the Bronze Serpent Armor from her own divine essence.* '
'King Minos wanted me to take the fall for him, but he still tossed in three divine artifacts and even threw in his daughter and the throne as a package deal.'
"And as for your aunt Hestia?
Well, I've already got her wrapped around my finger—her and her divine seat will be mine sooner or later.'
'And now, you think you can lure me in with just a measly divine attendant position—and even try to take my dog as a bonus?'
'If that's not stingy, then what is?'
Still, despite his internal disdain, Lorne chose a more diplomatic way to decline.
"Goddess Athena's task is still not finished, King Minos's kindness is still unrepayed, and Goddess Hestia has also been very good to me… So…"
With those three names invoked as shields, Artemis's aggressive momentum instantly fizzled out, and she reluctantly abandoned her recruitment plans.
There was no helping it—trying to poach someone from those three was no easy feat.
'Fine! It was just a passing thought anyway!* '
The thwarted goddess inwardly scoffed, pretending indifference as she snatched up a waterskin and stood.
"Clean this up. I'm going to fetch some water!"
With that said, she strode off coldly toward a stream in the valley ahead.
Looking at the goddess of the hunt sulk away, Lorne couldn't help but laugh wryly, feeling all the more relieved about his earlier choices.
'Yep, Hestia really is the easiest to fool—and the easiest to please.'
.
.
.
'So what if he's a good cook?'
'So what if he's attentive?'
'So what if he has a good dog?'
'It's not a big deal anyway! I have twenty attendants!'
Being a chaste goddess, this was the first time she had ever invited a person to follower her, much less a person of opposite sex.
And she was rejected.
Grumbling internally to console herself, the rejected Artemis reached the stream's edge and bent down to fill the waterskin.
But the moment she lowered her head, a reflection rippled across the water's surface—and a figure flashed in her divine eyes.
'Someone's here?!'
Artemis instinctively looked up toward the opposite bank.
Instantly, a handsome, sunlit face came into view, and a powerful thought surged unbidden in the goddess's heart:
'This must be the most beautiful deity who should never have existed after Chaos.
His golden hair, his bright eyes, even among the gods, none could compare. Both gods and mortals would bow before him...'
"Fair goddess," the figure spoke in a low, mesmerizing voice, "having witnessed your solitary hunt across these wilds, your valor has utterly captivated me. I beg you grant me the honor of serving as your attendant."
The words seeped into her mind like honey, coaxing compliance.
Artemis parted her lips to respon, but then, another face flashed through her thoughts, as a stubborn defiance flickered in her eyes, and for a brief moment, hesitation clouded her gaze.
"I... I already have an attendant..."
The unexpected reply visibly startled the figure across the stream.
Then, that beautiful face twisted into something grotesque with rage and the voice dropped to a venomous whisper.
"Then kill him. That would free up the position, wouldn't it?"
The words coiled around her mind like a curse, reverberating until they drowned out all else, painting her inner world in a single, suffocating hue.
"Artemis? You haven't fetched the water yet—"
The voice from behind, followed by approaching footsteps, was like oil poured onto flames.
In an instant, the goddess's hands flew to the bow on her back, her body bending into a flawless archer's stance.
At the same moment, Lorne, who had been walking toward the stream, felt a bone-deep chill erupt inside him.
The twelve-sided die in his mind buzzed violently, screaming a warning.
*DANGER!*
He threw himself forward on pure instinct.
Thwip-thwip-thwip-thwip!
The moment he hit the ground, a razor-tipped arrow whistled past, barely missing his skull before piercing through dozens of thick cedar trees in a straight line.
*BOOM—!*
...