Chapter 61 Siaja
Two luxurious, large ships of different styles,
It docked at a pier that hadn't seen a ship dock for a long time, as if it had been forgotten by the sea.
A large ship, gilded with gold paint, has an olive branch, symbolizing the god of wisdom, victory, and art, placed at its bow.
The other ship, however, was quite different in style. Its prow was carved with an eagle's head, and its sails were decorated with a black eye pattern...
Two groups of people disembarked from the ship.
One of them was dressed in the white Hedon robes common in Middle-earth, with a golden belt around his waist.
The other group had slightly darker, brownish skin. Their clothing featured drapes, was more ornate in style, and had more eye-catching patterns. They were also adorned with an abundance of gemstones and gold.
What was particularly eye-catching were the hat-like wigs they wore, which were dark black with a bluish tinge in the sunlight...
The two groups seemed to know each other. After their leaders disembarked, they walked together, chatting and gesturing towards Argos. They only stopped talking when Argos sent someone to escort them to the palace...
soon.
Yara and Dick were in the magnificent palace of Argos.
They finally received the messengers from Athens and Memphis...
Upon seeing Dicttis, the messengers couldn't help but glance at him twice.
It seemed as if they were sizing up the young man who, along with the hero Messiah, usurped the throne, causing the collapse of the former king's rule...
Then, he respectfully bowed to the King of Argos...
And the current King of Argos, the fourth warrior to conquer the Lion of Nemea, the former Prince of Serifus...
Dicttis sat on his throne, displaying the arrogance befitting a king, looking down at the delegation of envoys in the hall.
Standing to one side of him was Pan, the valiant and skilled legion commander.
On the other side stands the legendary hero who personally slew the Nemean Lion—Messiah...
Dick, mimicking the demeanor of the former King of Argos, threatened him, intentionally or unintentionally:
"Emissaries of Athens and Memphis..."
Why have you come here?
"You've kept me at sea for three months..."
"I'm already considering it..."
"Should we dispatch dozens of warships filled with golden warriors, led by that hero Messiah...?"
"To make a friendly visit to your city-state..."
"So that your king and pharaoh can get to know Argos in a new light!"
The Athenian envoy's face darkened upon hearing this, but he maintained the demeanor of a civilized nation, raising his head and speaking to the King of Argos with neither servility nor arrogance:
"Your Majesty, King of Argos..."
"The revered legendary hero - Ara Messiah..."
"We meant no offense..."
"Those merchant ships that blocked your way at sea were not our doing..."
"As children of the goddess of wisdom, victory, and art, we do not wish to clash with the warlike Argos..."
Even if this isn't the Argos of the past...
"And I come here representing the will of the King of Athens and the people of Athens..."
"It was to express my apology."
As he spoke, the Athenian envoy turned to look at the Memphis envoy standing to the side.
The Memphis envoy showed no reaction to Dick's threat, as if the warship laden with golden warriors and the monster-slaying hero could not frighten him at all...
This dark-skinned man spoke with a heavy accent.
He looked toward the figure on the throne, his tone incredibly presumptuous:
"King of Middle-earth, your folly and arrogance astound me..."
"Don't Argos scholars tell you about the power of Memphis?"
"Put away your arrogance, new king of Argos..."
"Otherwise, the army of Memphis will arrive sooner than you imagine..."
Even as king, Dicttis could not bow his head.
And the Messiah was standing right next to him.
If you are intimidated by the other side's imposing manner.
That's not slapping Dick in the face.
That's clearly spanking the Messiah!
"My respect has always been reserved for friends... never for enemies..."
"Could it be that you and Athens blocked the sea routes to Argos for three whole months...?"
"Is this the work of a friendly nation?"
Dick snorted, his reasoning sound and evidence sound.
The Messiah behind him gave him the confidence to defy everything.
The Memphis envoy, realizing he couldn't gain the upper hand verbally, shook his head, sighed, and took the initiative to yield. He bowed to the throne and said:
"This was not Memphis's intention..."
"It was a last resort..."
Dick sat on the throne, frowning, and kept stroking the scepter.
"A woman..."
"She boarded a merchant ship and arrived in Middle-earth a few months ago following the sea route..."
"We have no leads..."
All we know is that the ship she boarded was bound for Argos...
"Therefore, it's not just Argos..."
"Memphis, along with Athens, did not engage in trade for three whole months..."
"They're searching all the merchant ships..."
Dick shook his head, utterly bewildered, and asked:
"so..."
"You're all doing this for a woman..."
"Important maritime trade...was interrupted for a full three months?"
"God above!"
"Have the people of Athens and Memphis never seen a woman before?"
"No..."
The Memphis messenger shook his head and explained:
"The Pharaoh heard a revelation from the sun god Ra during a sacrifice, which led to this command."
The Athenian envoy was also somewhat speechless, and he echoed:
"The King of Athens claimed to have received guidance from the goddess Athena."
"We must cooperate with Memphis to find that woman..."
Dicttis was taken aback by what he heard.
He seems to have lost his way in this world.
The reason for the maritime trade blockade was actually—
The gods of the South and the gods of the Middle Kingdom unite...
Cross-border law enforcement?
Dick felt a sense of absurdity...
Involuntarily.
Dick turned to look at Messiah beside him and asked with concern:
"Where is the Lord?"
Did the Lord say to look for that woman?
Upon hearing this, Yara solemnly recalled the Lord's instructions from his time in Heaven...
"No."
Dick finally breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as it doesn't involve God.
The gods of the mortal realm, even at their peak, are nothing more than mediocre troublemakers.
Having received the Messiah's answer, Dick turned again to the messenger in the hall and asked:
Why are you so determined to find that woman?
Upon hearing this, the envoys from Athens and Memphis exchanged glances.
Immediately, the Memphis envoy began to explain:
"I heard the Pharaoh say..."
"That woman is hiding a huge secret and conspiracy..."
"Enough to overturn the entire world..."
Dicttis was startled and asked again:
"So, did you find any clues?"
The Memphis messenger shook his head, sighed, and said:
"We can confirm that there is at least no trace of her on the ocean..."
"That's why we came to Argos..."
"And our only clue is—"
"She was a girl, about sixteen years old, and unlike most people in the Southern Continent, she had very fair skin..."
"Oh, right..."
"us...
"I also know her name."
"But obviously this is of no use."
"She definitely won't reveal her real name..."
Dick shook his head upon hearing this. There were far too many sixteen-year-old girls in Argos, especially considering the previously thriving slave trade, with slaves and merchants constantly coming and going, making it impossible to know the exact number...
At that moment, Yara, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up—
What's her name?
The Memphis messenger was taken aback and looked at Yara.
When they saw the lion skin cloak fluttering behind Yara.
He immediately realized who this person was.
He is the legendary hero who slew the lion—
Arah Messiah.
Even as a Southern Continent native, he had heard of the Messiah's formidable reputation from the fleets that were being blockaded and searched.
Therefore, he answered with utmost respect:
"Your Majesty, Messiah..."
Her name... is—
"Siaja".
...