I Became a Slave to a Mythical Shepherd

Episode 100. plot (2)

“…the steel of Hattusha was sent through Cyprus. That way, we will be able to send aid without getting caught by Troy, who controls the passage between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.”

“and.”

“Of course, I proposed to permanently lift the restrictions of the embargo. The Achaeans will now conduct free trade without restrictions from the rulers of any land, whether Troy or Hattusha.”

“also.”

“…”

As the head chamberlain hesitated to speak, Supilulliuma followed him closely while guessing what the next story would be about.

“That alone couldn’t have satisfied Agamemnon. He must have asked for more. Like a galloping horse fed by greed and ambition.

There must have been more requests. No matter what it says, I won’t punish you, so tell me.”

“I told them not to intervene in any way even if they destroy other counties other than Troy. No matter how many slaves they take, no matter how many sacrifices they plunder.

He said that Troy’s problems could not be solved only by petty plunder and boating…

This is a problem that can only be solved through war.”

Also, there is no deviation from expectations.

At the words of the chief chamberlain, the great king massages his temple. No, I couldn’t knead it, so I pierced the skin and pressed it hard enough to penetrate the brain.

“…lord?”

When the lesser servants call, the great king opens his eyes from a throbbing headache.

“In order to cure a disease, you have to burn your arms and legs with fire and then cut off one hand…?”

“…”

At the words of the great king, no one can open their mouth and bow their heads in apology.

The great king, who was watching the elders’ curly hair and the emptying crown of their heads, sighed and said a word.

“What was the man called Agamemnon like? Was it trustworthy?”

“I don’t know if it’s fair to say that.”

The chief chamberlain continued to speak with his head bowed.

“I would rather trust a cat in front of a fish than trust him.”

Satisfied with that answer, Supilulliuma giggled.

“Beasts that are looked down upon are driven out of the herd and left alone to be eaten by predators.

And we chose to belittle and show weakness. How could that beastly leader of the Achaean pirates want us alone?”

The ability to accurately analyze oneself and one’s opponent was not a virtue unique to Agamemnon.

Hattusha is growing old, and Achaia are ruthless pirates.

The story of the heroes of the Argo is only a few generations old.

Jason led dozens of fully armed half-human and half-gods into the kingdom of Colchis and demanded the kingdom’s national treasure, the Golden Fleece. When the King of Colchis refuses, Jason secretly steals the Golden Fleece from Medea, the princess, and runs away.

In other words, heroes from all over Achaia gathered and went abroad to kidnap the princess, kill the prince, and steal the national treasure, so it’s just piracy.

Even the heroes who participated in this are Theseus, Hercules, Jason, Nestor, Orpheus… well-known figures.

If you believe the Achaeans, whose kings directly step forward to piracy, that person is an idiot.

Agamemnon would betray Hattusha as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

So, don’t give it a chance.

“Prepare the boat.

All the gold and iron pots they requested were also loaded into it.”

“Isn’t that a very reckless plan?”

“Don’t pretend you didn’t know. Isn’t that what I expected from the time I sent an envoy to the Achaeans?”

“…”

“Anyway, send those ships to Mycenae, and after that…”

The great king rises from his throne and examines the kneeling servants and the panoramic view of Hattusha looking out the window.

A city that is slowly falling into disrepair, never to regain its splendid days.

“Send the spies too.”

But even a dying old man can trample an ant that bites his foot.

“We need to surround Agamemnon tightly and gather those who can keep an eye on him. Gather those who are proficient in the language of the Achaeans and familiar with their culture.”

“I understand, lord.”

“Also, let’s try to find a way to hold on to their leash. Even if Mycenae and Sparta came under his feet, Agamemnon would not have the strength to turn Troy and its surroundings into a mess.”

Troy is a strong country with numerous cities. It is also a wealthy trading nation that controls trade between the Black and Mediterranean Seas.

No matter how much the king of Mycenae used his dragon, he would not have the strength to attack Troy in earnest. Unless it’s a monster like Hercules, the notorious thief boss.

“After that···”

The servants, who were busy writing down the orders of the great king, stopped again at the words that followed.

Supiluliuma lightly closes her eyes.

May this splendid empire last forever.

“After that, I’ll leave it to fate. It seems that we have roughly done what mortals can do.”

Holding on to Troia, defeating the Achaeans’ demons, and fighting again.

“May the gods of the sky protect us.”

he longed for

***

Agamemnon learned valuable lessons from his father.

For a ruler, only strength is a virtue, and weakness is a sin.

A strong king defends his people and his family, strengthens the walls and accomplishes the greatest feats.

However, the weak cannot protect their people, family, or honor.

If that Trojan Laomedon had been stronger than Heracles, his son Priam would not have had to rebuild the kingdom through that terrible ordeal.

In that respect, he respected Priam. The wise old man survived by throwing his whole body to protect everything he had. Messy father Atreus couldn’t do that.

However, it was time to point the knife at the esteemed neighbor.

While the withering Hattusha blinks, Agamemnon’s forces sweep through Troy and claim supremacy in the Aegean Sea. Ah, I would like to obtain the famous steelmaking technology if possible.

It’s a forge that can endlessly create ‘things like this’.

Agamemnon looks at the body of the Trojan steel sword and thinks. Dreamlike patterns etched into the cold metal…

He immediately puts the sword in the scabbard and turns his head to speak.

“Now, what do you think?”

Agamemnon looked down at his beloved brother with expectant eyes.

“Eh, if that happens just as you said, it would be great! but···”

“but? There seems to be something bothering you.”

And Menelaus delighted Agamemnon with the response he had hoped for.

“I don’t know if my brother and I can conquer Troy by gathering all the troops we can. I wonder if I made too many promises to the envoy from Hattusha…”

Agamemnon laughed at his brother’s words and patted him on the shoulder.

“Yes, good point. That’s a good point.”

When Menelaus laughs lightly at his brother’s praise, Agamemnon continues his words.

“How can we overcome the great powers across the sea? Besides, Troia is an important country located in an important land. The allies around him won’t let Achaia’s invaders go.”

If there is confusion on the way between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean right now, many people will be harmed.

There are many people who will not wait for Troia to be taken by someone other than Priam, a trustworthy ally who has built up and cleared debts while rebuilding the kingdom for a long time.

The last fight will surely continue.

No matter how strong they are in Achaia, they cannot handle them in Mycenae and Sparta.

“Then you will have to get help from the other Achaeans. Wouldn’t that be difficult?”

Even if Agamemnon is called the King of Kings of Achaia, it is a nickname that is half a joke and half has the meaning of check.

No king of Achaia wants Agamemnon to be his master.

If Agamemnon, who is only the strongest leader in Achaia, asks everyone to conquer the sea, the kings of each city will respond with refreshing disregard or fierce resistance.

Thinking so, Menelaus looked up at Agamemnon’s face… Realizing that he had given the wrong answer, he hurriedly lowered his head and added a comment.

“Ha, but I believe you have the answer. Don’t you know how to get through this predicament?”

“Not yet, not clear.”

Agamemnon strokes his beard and looks down at Menelaus.

Agamemnon knew well what kind of glance reassured Menelaus, and what kind of mouth made him fearful.

It is knowledge that has been accumulated step by step since the day I first swung a club at my younger brother, who was still 3 years old.

“Ah, ah, that…”

As Menelaus trembles, Agamemnon sighs softly. in the sense of disappointment.

“The road is made according to circumstances. What matters is the direction we are going.”

“That, that, that’s right. direction. I was foolish.”

“Do not think that this is impossible because we need Achaia’s support, and because we are too weak to draw Achaia’s support.”

Agamemnon speaks to his brother softly, but with cool energy.

Slowly, watching each syllable he uttered drive into Menelaus’ heart like a spike.

When at last Menelaus stopped speaking, Agamemnon resumed the story.

“Conversely, let us see this as an opportunity.”

“If there is a chance…”

“A chance to get Acaia.”

Menelaus now raised his head again to face Agamemnon. Because I knew it was the right time.

“Maybe, it might be an opportunity to get more than that. We who cut off Hattusha’s arm, brought Troy and its allies to their knees, and brought untold wealth and honor to Achaean kings and nobles…”

Or, I

“What could it be?”

Neither Agamemnon nor Menelaus spoke, but both knew the answer. He knew the answer, so he didn’t even have to open his mouth.

King of Kings (Ϝάναξ).

Watching the corners of Agamemnon’s mouth tremble for a moment in the joy, Menelaus asked cautiously.

“Then brother?”

“Why?”

“Should I cancel the thing you said before?”

“What do you mean?”

When Agamemnon coldly asks back, Menelaus becomes nervous.

Wrong again? Are you asking your brother knowingly?

Anyway, Menelaus said because he couldn’t take back what he had said.

“It is about Paris, the son of Priam.”

“…”

“Didn’t you say before that you would like to marry your niece, Iphigenia, to Paris? Preparations may have started in Mycenae by now, but canceling is…”

Menelaus could not finish his speech.

It was because Agamemnon was glaring at him with a face like a stone statue, with cold, refined anger.

With the kind of look he feared most, the posture he feared most, the silence he feared most.

“…”

silence.

The air suddenly becomes heavy and crushes him. It is as if this space, this world, does not need Menelaus himself.

Space on all sides crushes him.

to drive out of the world.

The desire to commit suicide that he had felt since he was very young, but he could not imagine dying without his brother’s permission, and he himself was not aware of it, raises his head little by little.

“···under.”

A short laugh, or a sigh.

Menelaus wanted Agamemnon to beat him. I hoped to break bones and tear flesh. Just like when I was younger.

But Agamemnon won’t.

Now Agamemnon is mature. It’s been a long time since I learned a more efficient way to dominate my brother.

“Menelaus.”

“…”

“So you’re saying something stupid and then you’re not going to answer me? Then shut up and just listen.”

Agamemnon says again and again.

I’m short of breath

“Send the best cloth to my eldest daughter, Iphigenia. I’ll tell them to dress up most beautifully with the ladies-in-waiting.”

“…”

“And, hmm, tell me to study some Ruwi language. If you want to win favor in Troy, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to learn as much of the language as possible.”

Agamemnon walks with his back to his brother, who has hardened like a shadow.

slowly.

I felt my brother’s shoulders shrink at the sound of high-pitched footsteps.

“That… you might be a bit disappointed because you are Clytemnestra’s favorite daughter. No matter how much she stole it from the enemy, she’s my wife, so I’ll have to appease her. Yes, I will tell the most eloquent of the chiefs of Mycenae to organize an envoy.”

In Agamemnon’s mind, his brother had already disappeared. He felt no different from talking to himself with a block of wood in front of him.

But Menelaus’s soul is full of Agamemnon’s words. It always has been.

“We have to send the most beautiful bride to Troia. Like Pandora, which Zeus said was a gift to Epimetheus in the old days.”

That’s how Pandora came to mankind like a gift.

With a box containing all sorts of disasters.

Agamemnon chose a plague to put in a box for Troy.

. . . Endless possibilities lay before him.