I Became a Slave to a Mythical Shepherd

Chapter 75. Gaiden – First Star Simon

Originally, the ancient temple was not a very quiet and holy space.

As can be seen from the temple of Hephaestus in Antandros, where blacksmiths are in charge of priests next to the blacksmith shop, the temple was a fortune teller, blacksmith shop, synagogue, or market place according to its function.

Even if such practical functions were omitted, the vicinity of the temple in this era was crowded with merchants selling fruits, drinks, grains, and animals to be offered as sacrifices, just like the Jerusalem temple before Jesus scourged it.

The temple was a realm of community and life as much as it was a sacred space.

however···

-widely. widely. widely.

The temple of Aphrodite, where Anchises now sits, was not like that.

Anchises, using his position as the lord of Dardanos and an aide to the king of Troy, drove all the people inside the temple outside and hung thick curtains on each window.

He preferred this dark space when meeting with his lover.

-widely. Chick.

A small spark flies from the tip of the flint, and eventually the seed is transferred to the tip of the oiled pen.

Anchises, holding a torch, sternly inspects the murals inside the temple and how harmoniously the various reliefs and statues are arranged.

Those who say that this is the authority of the High are foolish indeed. Now, all of Anchises’ actions stemmed from a thorough sense of duty and the spirit of service.

How beautiful is the abode of a god who rules beauty, what is it strange that a beautiful man recognized by that god directly inspects it?

Finally, after examining all the elements carefully, he puts an offering on the altar and quietly recites a prayer.

“Sweetheart… you who shine brighter than all the gold in the world,

In order to stroke my cheek with your hair, I breathe today and walk straight on this land.

If the day comes when I can’t do that, that’s when my death will come…”

And, with his mouth, he whispers a push.

Although he looks like a madman chanting alone in the dark, Anchises’ eyes are full of confidence.

These are the eyes of one who knows that his words will never stop talking to himself.

[My beloved.]

And his confidence is rewarded.

[Anchises.]

“Goddess.”

[How was it? What is the image of that boy who brought me glory?]

This is an expected question. The reason he came here in the first place was to report on him.

“Goddess. That child . . . is indeed a hero.”

[hero? I thought he was a beautiful child… but I guess I didn’t know the depth of his soul.]

“Of course, it has a cute taste. But . . . it is more than that.”

[The thing you’re wearing next to your waist is proof of that, right?]

“you’re right. It is a crossbow.”

[know. because i saw you The fact that you ran across the field on horseback with that child.]

Aphrodite gently embraces Anchises.

[Amazing child.]

“you’re right.”

[So… I’m more happy.]

Aphrodite’s face is colored with happiness.

[To think that I, not the unlucky Athena or the high-nosed Hera, got that child. My body is shaking with excitement.]

From nob le mt l. co m

Like a horse, Aphrodite embraces Anchises and gently vibrates his body. Anchises quietly feels the pulsation of life flowing under the skin of the goddess.

[If you want to give it to Zeus’ cute siblings, can I give it to you instead?]

“Are you talking about Artemis and Apollo? Of course it is an honor.”

[then···.]

Aphrodite lightly picked up two crossbows and rubbed her lips against Anchises’ cheeks.

[I’ll go.]

And soon, Anchises feels the warm energy that surrounds him dissipate into the air. Anchises closed and opened his eyes for a moment,

There was no goddess.

No, no.

He is always with Anchises.

Anchises looked up in rapture to the west, toward the summit of Mount Olympus.

“Ah… my lover…”

***

Aphrodite jumps on the breeze while wearing a pink translucent veil.

It was a pleasant meeting. Whereas other human men grow uglier with age, Anchises… felt like maturing. It feels like the wrinkles are not disappearing, but the pieces are being added.

Anyway, since something happened right now, Aphrodite once again steps on the clouds and spurts toward the sky.

Birds bow their heads to pay homage to the great daughter of Ouranos. The goddess smiled at them and brushed their feathers neatly. Because of the divine touch, those birds are now treated as the heads of the flock, and live twice as long as the other birds.

But that wasn’t even important.

Before you knew it, it was the peak of Olympus.

A place where the sacred and the profane are sharply distinguished as if split with the sharpest bronze sword.

A place where solid matter bows before a flowing spirit, and the greatest concentration of intellect and brute force.

Soon, Aphrodite lightly lands on a tile that is both silver and marble. When I made a cup in the air and floated it, Ganymede poured nectar and served it as if he had been waiting for it.

Aphrodite finds a man and a woman whispering to each other in a corner behind the splendid court of the gods.

A man and woman with blonde hair burning like fire and black hair calmly sinking like ice turn their heads toward Aphrodite with vigor.

The goddess smiles triumphantly at them.

The boy who chose me, no one else, to be the most beautiful goddess.

After all, isn’t it because he has profound eyes and a transparent soul that sees the world beyond aesthetic eyes?

And that person chose me.

beauty.

Aphrodite laughs as she chooses blessings and gifts for the boy.

***

Many hammers, a desperate struggle with charcoal soot.

From nob le mt l. co m

Leaving the workshop with shouts and wails, Skleos wiped his blackened face with a towel and stole his limbs.

“…”

“Prime Minister, is there something wrong…?”

“No. Go straight to the temple.”

Black water rises from your fingertips. The fine ash penetrates under the skin and removes the color.

Skleos clenched his fists and opened them.

Burn this body, I am reaching for Him.

Giving up one leg, I got a body that resembles him.

If possible, I will become like him, even by destroying this face.

That’s what all blacksmiths think as they look down at their messed up hands after they’ve finished their work.

Every moment in the workshop is made up of lonely conversations with metal and flame.

Conversations with men who are born and die easily leave nothing but angry shouts and noises, but iron and gold and flame give them back trustworthy honesty and immortality.

To them, life is a conversation with a flame.

To them, meaning is given by the god who controls flames.

As if he had no family, no friends, no love, and sometimes even himself.

They worship the blacksmith god.

– Turbuck.

– Turbuck. Turbuck. Turbuck. Turbuck.

They love the blacksmith god.

Numerous men and women gather their darkened hands and reach out toward the statue of the god.

Among them, Skleos, who came to the fore, recalls the past days while counting the number of artisans who have increased surprisingly.

A great boy called them to this city.

From the first time he saw him, Skleos thought the boy would make a great blacksmith.

And that idea is completely wrong.

Paris became the second greatest blacksmith in the world.

Soon, the blacksmiths start singing quietly as if they were reciting.

The melody dances according to the beat of a hammer, a rhythm as familiar to them as the heartbeat.

This is also a song written by a boy.

“Our master.”

“My master…”

“The greatest blacksmith…!”

When everyone’s voices and murmurs came together and reached the sky, the room suddenly started to heat up.

Then, flames soared from the statue, and a human form emerged from it.

while limping on one leg.

[…my children.]

His breath is hot, but warm and friendly, like a freshly heated dish. Believers kneel before him in unison.

[And… Skleos.]

“Hephaestus-sama, please make another steel for us…”

[It was. Why do I have to extort your sweat drops and use them? Whether you melt it down to make a knife or a plowshare, use it.]

“I don’t know what to do with you caring about mortals.”

“Thank you very much, Hephaestus.”

Seeing his servants giving thanks, Hephaestus smiled faintly.

[Scleos, come.]

“I answer the call.”

The other blacksmiths begin to look at Skleos with respect. Only he is called by the god, rises from his knees, and is called into the tent near the image of the god.

And Skleos’ body disappears.

When I opened my eyes, it was the blacksmith shop where Paris first practiced blacksmithing. The god of blacksmiths strokes the anvil there and speaks to Skleos.

[Scleos. Not too long ago, my wife was delighted with Paris’s gift.]

“What if it’s a gift?”

[There was an unusual bow that shoots horizontally. The name is probably… crossbow.]

Only then did Skleos raise his head so that he could closely examine Hephaestus’ reaction.

“I also heard about it from a letter from Paris, but I don’t have a good idea of exactly what form it is.”

[Then, take a look.]

When Hephaestus snapped his fingers, a whitish afterimage appeared in the air and gradually hardened its shape.

[A form of using a short arrow with the bow stick horizontally. Is this correct?]

“you’re right. how?”

[I am the blacksmith of the gods. My half-brothers come to me asking for ‘improvements’ when they have a weapon. The steel of the sky was attached to the nib and the bow rod was replaced. The sun and moon rejoiced.

I did too.]

A soft smile spread across Hephaestus’ face.

[Thank you, Skleos. Your discerning eyes, sincerity and loyalty have brought me a gift more valuable than anything else.]

“no. I just…”

[…I just brought the child with the brightest talent to me. before the other gods take it away.

Don’t think it’s a small ball. you did a good job and.]

Hephaestus bowed the colossal body to eye level with the kneeling Skleos.

[That merit should be given back as a gift. I’ve been thinking about it for a very long time, but I can fix your leg…]

“I don’t want that. Please take it.”

[Why?.]

“I apologize for the rudeness, but I am proud of my feet and legs. Of course, walking with a cane is regretful, and I hated the fate of forcing my children to walk like this.”

[…]

“But he’s just a matter of the blacksmith’s treatment. This gait, too, is just a sign that I am becoming more like the owner. If my son chooses this gait for himself, I will be proud too. Please do not take the pride away from me.”

Upon hearing Skleos’ words, Hephaestus let out a long sigh and then stopped.

[Then, I’ll give you another present.]

Hephaestus lightly stroked Skleos’ head. Then, waving their hands, the two returned to the temple.

Hephaestus approaches the blacksmiths who have been standing back and does the same.

[Go now. I have passed on to you a little of what I have learned from working with iron. This is also a gift to that child.]

Skleos had no idea what Hephaestus had given him. I didn’t feel a special sense of fullness like when I received other blessings. Looking back, the other blacksmiths seemed similar.

Anyway, after bowing to the model of all blacksmiths, they left the temple.

And, it’s not until the next day that they realize.

“Gee, I have to take it out now!”

“My God, Hephaestus. O grace of him who is immortal . . .”

When should you put a knife blade in oil to cool it?

now.

How long should the blade be heated?

now.

How much do you have to beat and fold?

now.

For centuries, the sense of ‘now’ that tens of thousands of blacksmiths had to learn with their bodies was engraved in their bones and muscles.

When the steel they forged reached Troy, Paris, Lord of Antandros, said:

“What, what is it? Pohang Steelworks tripped?”

And Hephaestus, who protects all of them, looked at it with satisfaction from the mountaintop of Olympus and returned to his forge.

To see if there are any other presents for his servants.

[Can I ask you one favor?]

…I met an unpleasant face there.

[Ares.]

[Hephaestus.]

[What favor do you want to ask?]

[One of my followers offered me a sword. No, no. It’s too vague to call him my believer.

Originally, he was a Trojan guy who wanted to serve Hercules, so he served me instead out of conscience.]

Saying so, the god of war threw a human sword at the blacksmith god. Hephaestus grabbed the blade instead of the hilt in mid-air and smiled as he touched the blade once.

[Steel.]

[okay.]

[From ‘My City’.]

[right. Antandrosic acid.]

[Probably my disciple’s skill.]

[…what are you trying to say?]

[I mean.]

Hephaestus raised his tongs, which had just been heated by the flames, and pointed them in the direction of Ares.

[I wonder if I don’t need to be a little more polite.]

…

…

Ares frowned for a long time, then finally sighed.

[Master of blacksmiths and my older brother, could you please take care of that steel? It is the sword that Anoitus, the son of Cassius, my follower, dedicated to me.]

I must have coveted this sword to such an extent that I bowed my head like this.

Hephaestus spoke brightly, revealing a joy that could not be hidden.

[later.]

Of course, that later never came.