I Became a Slave to a Mythical Shepherd

Episode 69. man from the east (4)

“Paris! Paris! Paris!”

“Our friendship and loyalty will never change! Because our hearts are always burning with unchanging hearts!!”

I hurriedly squeezed tears as I moved away from the shrine. While thinking about my parents dying, imagining Ino getting hurt.

Once the time has been earned.

They will have to spend time and resources again to make their next move. The already disinterested crowd, like me, was dispersing in front of the temple of Apollo.

In addition, they will soon spread the news.

Priam’s second prince, Paris, declared his support for the Hittites.

“So, Paris-sama squeezed Pitana-sama’s hands. And he cried out.”

“You will be loyal to the Hittites? I was there too.”

“They said they shared a huge treasure with the envoy. A few chests of iron coins.”

I turn upside down the rumors that Dolon and Pitana spread, and the public opinion that they created, and use them as my weapon.

“Have you heard of the reason Paris was appointed Lord of Antandros?”

“…Well, isn’t it because Paris has been living in Antandros?”

“I heard from Mr. Dolon’s mansion that the story is different. Everyone, gather around…”

Everyone in town comments on this unexpected event.

At this point, you may have doubts.

To swear allegiance to the Hittites, isn’t that a declaration of surrender?

As Dolon and Pitana intended, isn’t it only strengthening the pro-Hittite tone inside Troia?

Wrong.

“Well, as long as the embargo on Achaia is followed, Hittite will take care of this and that, so I should be grateful.”

“That’s it… isn’t it flattering us for fear of completely losing hegemony in this region?”

“Still, if we maintain a good relationship with the Hittites… maybe it wouldn’t be nice?”

All political speech… is only meaningful when there are opponents.

For example, the assertion that ‘slavery is not a problem’ could generate a significant controversy in the 19th century America.

The dispute escalated into an intense civil war that swept the North American continent.

But what if they say ‘Slavery is not a problem’ now in Troy?

From everyone, even from slaves, ‘What, is that so?’ It will be buried with only a lukewarm response.

After the topic of the Hittites and Paris had largely run out, the interest of the Trojans quickly drifted away from Antandros.

If it’s a topic that everyone agrees with no matter who you talk to, what’s the point of bringing it up?

and···

“We don’t have to sacrifice anything to the Hittites.”

“If there’s going to be a war, you have to be able to fly… but even if you hand over Antandros, there’s no guarantee that we’ll be safe, right?”

“Even if there is a war, it will be difficult for Hattusha to focus its efforts since it is already back to back with the barbarian tribes of Assyria or the north…”

skepticism and boredom.

Dolon more often holds banquets and continues addressing the citizens, but receives only appropriate applause and appropriate ignorance in return.

If there is no conflict situation, the focal point disappears.

When the focal point disappears, public opinion inevitably divides.

They are weaker than I thought, and the effect of my counterattack is better than I thought. My actions may do more than just buy time.

then···

“Father, Anchises? Will there be no division among those so-called ‘Loyalists’?

Ah, anyway, there is a greeting I have prepared to plant among the loyalists.”

“Didn’t you tell me beforehand? Already one out of five or six people in that meeting is from our side.”

“Perhaps that is not enough.”

“lack?”

To Anchises’ words, he quietly nodded and answered.

“Yes, obviously not enough.”

I tap the table lightly.

“Right now, they are just slowing down. Now we have to hit the target.”

***

There are people out on the road looking around at Dolon’s mansion.

Over a long period of time, little by little, like sprinkling salt on food, many people step on the threshold of Dolon’s mansion at different times so that the access times do not overlap.

Some go in, some go out.

It is an arrangement to avoid being noticed by royalist spies who may not know when and who is participating in the meeting by showing them entering and leaving all at once.

However, there is one downside to this method:

“hey.”

“Me, you mean me?”

“Come this way.”

The point is that it becomes very difficult to manage each person participating in the meeting.

A nobleman walking towards Dolon’s mansion turns around when he hears a voice calling to him. Seeing the face of the person who called her, she trembled and quietly followed the call.

After passing through several alleys, I cross the wide road several times again. Only then do they face a dead end.

The nobleman follows the man who called him to stop.

“… Brother Theo, do I really have to come out myself? at this late hour?”

The voice heard from behind, and the man who brought the nobleman also answered with a natural tone.

“Because you have the power of your face.”

“It’s like that for people who even know hyung’s face anyway. Wasn’t this person also following you?”

“Well, that’s it, but.”

The nobleman slowly turned his head to look behind him.

“Pa-pa… Reese-sama.”

“Your name is probably…”

“This is Solon.”

“Oh, yes. Solon, son of Diogenes.”

Paris told him. Paris had a note in her hand.

Part of Dolon’s correspondence with Pinata. Solon’s face hardened.

“Why do you support Dolon?”

“I support you. Since I am a simple person, I do not know much about politics.”

“···no. That’s not the answer I was hoping for.”

Paris said and clapped her hands. While Solon wonders, a man named Theo slaps him hard on the cheek.

“This, what is this…”

“Is it an insult? So go to your father and tell him this? He died after being beaten to death by the prince and his soldiers? how?”

“…”

Only then did Solon’s face turn white as if he realized his situation. Faris laughed lightly and patted him on the shoulder.

“I am a person who hates seeing blood. I mean, I am really showing you mercy.”

“···just.”

“Stop talking. I know that your family was playing with money while privatizing the land of Teshub Temple. So are you mocking like this? To revive the Temple of Teshub, which was merged with the Temple of Zeus.”

At this point, Solon almost bursts into tears. Inside, Faris rejoiced that Theo had done one investigation correctly.

Dolon is truly unfortunate to have such a weak and see-through ‘comrade’.

The weak-looking man let out a deep sigh as if he had made up his mind on something and relaxed his body.

Then, he took out a steel sword from his bosom and aimed at Paris’ stomach.

“You, you son of a b*tch!!”

-Kang.

– Clink.

“Uh… uh uh, the iron made with the wind given by the god Teshub…”

Solon, who was looking at me and the broken dagger blade, was taken aback when I removed my clothes and showed him the steel breastplate.

“Damn it… Heh, Master Hephaestus’s apostle, please… My father is wealthy. I will pay the ransom…”

“Well, with faith. If you change the god who believed that other people’s armor is harder, you can use it.”

Solon’s eyes fluttered at Paris’ words.

“Go now.”

“What you want…”

“Go and tell me everything you heard. Oh, take this.”

Paris throws something shiny at Solon. A pile of iron coins cast in Antandros.

Picking him up, Solon hurriedly nodded and escaped the dead end as if running away.

Only Paris and Theo remain.

“···hey.”

“A ‘hey’ to the prince? You should call me Paris.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Theo chokes.

“Is there any need for such a troublesome prank? Anyway, among Dolon’s supporters, the tribals planted by the king are already overflowing…”

“Is there anyone among them who has been openly caught? Or is there someone stupid enough to be caught openly?”

“···no.”

“Then it would be nice to have a guy like that. I told my father and my older brother, so those who were recruited in advance will take care of it.”

okay. The spies planted by my father and brother will serve me well. and then···

And then… the war with the Hittites.

My hands are shaking a bit, but that’s okay. You made the right choice.

Antandros is safe. Because it’s ‘mine’.

Priam does not dare to purge me. Partly because he cares about his family, but since he has already appointed me as monarch, purging me will give other allied cities room for rebellion.

As long as I remain Lord of Antandros, I can guarantee absolute safety to those under my protection.

But if the Hittites take Antandros,

Even if Antandros becomes the center of the empire as Dolon expected,

will you keep me alive

Me, the unwavering ruler of Antandros?

I imagine what I would do if I were the High King of the Hittites and got my hands on Antandros.

First of all, you have to catch your weaknesses. Secure the family, villagers, and Ino first.

After blocking my movement like that, I had to amputate my limbs. Neutralize Skleos, Anoitus, and even the elders who swore allegiance to me.

will kill me next time

I have to get rid of the aftermath, so I’ll get rid of the rest.

What did Kim Il-sung do with Pak Heon-yeong, who surrendered with his forces?

Dolon’s efforts to set me up as King of Troy will be of no avail. I’m not the enemy, and there’s no way the Hittite who’s approaching right in front of me can’t stand to see it.

I chose the best way not to let the people around me die.

this is my best

***

“Heh, heh, heck… I’m late… I’m sorry.”

“No, Solon. The meeting has just begun.”

Stupid and lazy son of a b*tch. If there were enough people, I wouldn’t have put a guy like that in the conspiracy.

Whatever he thought to himself, Dolon greeted him with a smile. Solon sits down with a somewhat awkward expression and looks around.

Everyone in this room would have known the moment they saw it.

‘Betrayed.’

Well, it doesn’t matter. Anyway, the only things we can talk about when we gather here are the open ones that we could talk about even if we gathered in that plaza.

The important thing will be decided in the secret conversations gathered separately around Dolon’s mansion after the meeting, so it’s enough to rule it out there.

The only thing to do here is to encourage each other.

That’s it when that’s over, so don’t care if one fool is bought off by the royalists…

“Dolon, I’ve heard rumors going around among the royalists lately.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“There is a spy among us.”

“I heard you too! Prince Faris says he buys them himself.”

Dolon had to try hard not to answer, ‘Yes, of course there is.’

Among the eunuchs inside the palace, there are those who have been bribed by Dolon. They are the ones who can quickly report what Paris was scrubbing her thighs with today.

Nevertheless, Priam does not drive them out. It is only excluded from important tasks and places.

Because you’re tired when you bite. It’s a bigger blow if the atmosphere and discipline are blurred after digging into the inside to weed out the spies that everyone knows.

Unlike them, who even have a firm focal point of the royal family, these people are united for various reasons, whether it is loyalty to the Hittites, faith in the Hittite gods, or dislike of Priam, who just enjoys the powerful kingship.

In other words, losing unity to catch a few insignificant spies is tantamount to losing one’s life.

But to mention it like that…

“oh my god! Who are you? why?”

“Isn’t Prince Paris rich? Perhaps he was bewitched by the wealth he brought from Antandros.”

Those are the real spies.

“Stop, don’t make predictions based on rumors you hear on the street.”

Dolon calmly reprimands them, trying not to distort his expression.

“Isn’t our cause too important to spend time questioning our comrades?”

“That’s right! At this point in time when the Hittite envoy is about to leave Troy, we must devise a new strategy…”

“indeed? Wouldn’t it be more dangerous if there were no reliable comrades by your side to achieve a great cause?”

“Hasn’t our grand strategy collapsed now? Isn’t it time to come up with a new strategy, since the plan to negotiate with the Hittites over Antandros is crumbling?”

The guys who know that are trying to catch the spy all over the place.

Dolon couldn’t bear the furrow between his brows in irritation and rage.

“Solon? Why are you shaking so much? What are you hiding in your bosom?”

sh*t.

“Stop it! Stop doubting your comrades!”

“I would like to, Dolon. But what’s so strange about Solon-nim trying to find out what he’s hiding in his bosom?”

“I-I am…”

Stupid Solon can’t say anything right now and trembles and evades his words.

In the midst of the smell that is suspicious to anyone, someone sneaks up behind Solon and snatches the pocket he was holding in his sleeve.

And let’s pull out the bag and spread the contents on the floor…

-Challa la la rock.

Naturally, iron coins with the name of Antandros poured out in lumps.

“This, this… traitor!”

“The royal bastard!”

“I, I, I did not become here because I wanted to! That’s it, just today Prince Paris approached me…”

“It’s not worth hearing any more! Dolon, let’s kill that dog! ”

“…For what reason do you want to kill a child of an aristocratic family?”

If I had been a poor commoner, I would have gotten rid of it by accident. He’s an obscurely wealthy nobleman, so you can’t kill him.

So, those who threatened him with a knife retreated one by one, and in that ambiguous atmosphere, Solon tried to run away from Dolon’s mansion.

“Quaaagh! Let go!!”

“Hold on!!”

Naturally, he was caught, and the attendants took care of properly locking the stupid traitor in a certain room.

“…”

“…”

He couldn’t even catch and kill the traitor.

And, in front of all the comrades, the traitor came out.

“I-I don’t know if this gathering is safe. I’ll keep myself for a while.”

“Let’s adjust the date of the meeting.”

Cowards who have justifications slowly give up.

“Dolon, look! Aren’t cowards like that attached to the royal family?”

“What do you say to Dolon? Do you think, then, that this meeting could have been maintained despite the open hostility of the royal family?”

The idiots who have a chance attack Dolon and try to take the lead in the meeting.

Dolon thought, frowning involuntarily at the rising irritation.

‘finished.’

Surprisingly, there was no excitement. It was just one game over.

***

This operation is just a confirmation kill level. Up to now Priam had firmly suppressed the anti-royalist forces, so he had easily squeezed through their laxity.

As such, I hadn’t expected any kind of praise for turning Dolon’s meeting into such a mess.

“congratulations!”

“Prince Paris, congratulations!”

…For example, something like this.

Suddenly, as I enter my room, attendants gathered in a row in the hallway are clapping their hands and welcoming me.

And there is only one person in this palace whom I am destined to know who will do this.

“Ha ha ha ha ha! congratulations!! This is your first feat in the capital!!”

At the back of Anchises’ head, the attendants said, ‘By the way, what are you celebrating?’ He didn’t care about making noise or whispering.

“Uh, let’s go into the room.”

I cared.

From nob le mt l. co m

Like the main characters of Japanese animations in the 90s, in the midst of this, ‘hahahaha! Thank you!’

Anyway, when I managed to get Anchises back and bring him to my room, the applause finally stopped, and the attendants went about their jobs with puzzled faces.

“Why, why, why, such an embarrassing thing…”

“huh? It’s been good for my son as well. I guess you don’t like it.”

now I get it.

It was all because of his father that Aeneas grew up as a timid beta man INFP.

“No matter what the process was, didn’t you play tricks on your political opponents with your own opinion? What a brilliant start as a prince. The citizens of Troy must really like you.”

“Thank you very much.”

“No, very good. very···”

Anchises’ tone changes slightly. Anchises offered me a drink, and I quenched my thirst and listened to him.

“…you already know that it’s not over, right?”

“Well, I guess.”

“In the future, Troia will become very dangerous. By any chance, they might reach out to Antandros.

Even if it’s not that, it’s obvious that this land will gradually attract the attention of neighboring countries. Because the mermaids are getting more and more rampant.”

“I have been contacted to increase the deployment of troops throughout the road network. Trustworthy people will probably take care of it.”

“Besides that, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”

“yes?”

Slowly, Anchises’ face sank calmly.

“Do you see what I am talking about?”

“To be honest, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Come on, draw out your sword first.”

At Anchises’ request, I drew my sword without knowing why.

Although it wears out quickly due to inexperienced heat treatment and insufficient ancient technology…

“Amazing!”

In the eyes of Anchises, it must be a famous sword.

“Paris.”

“Yes, Anchises.”

“Aren’t iron mines much more common than tin and copper mines?”

“Yes.”

“If Troy could smelt iron like Antandros, even mediocre soldiers could be equipped with steel spearheads and steel helmets.”

“…”

A smiling face and an unexpectedly sober analysis.

I faced Anchises, trying to hide my tremors.

“Soon the war will be near. We’ll have to gather all our strength to stand up to the Hittites.”

said Anchises.

“Could you build your own forge in Troia?”