Chapter 147. The Oracle (1)
The priest came after Anagin had spent quite some time in the Festival Village.
After he had looked around most of the sights and examined the surrounding terrain.
At that time, Anagin realized that the terrain around the Festival Village was quite rugged.
A natural fortress where multiple valleys, gorges, and mountains were intricately intertwined. He finally understood why there were no walls surrounding it.
He had thought it simply didn’t prepare for invasions because it was a kind of holy land, but the nature itself served as a kind of wall.
Well, even after learning that, he still had plenty of time to spare, so Anagin spent it doing various things.
Watching performances by the Pebble Traveling Troupe on the outskirts of the Festival Village.
“Thank you for coming! Please, have a seat here!”
“We really enjoyed the food you gave us last time! Huh? This much for the entrance fee?! Thank you—!!”
Or wandering around the gambling dens.
“How does that bastard keep winning everything?! Does this even make sense?!”
“How in the world do you win every single time?”
“Gambling’s all about probability. Just calculate that, and you’re good. My master taught me. Want to keep going?”
“......Let’s play one more round tomorrow. I’ll bring more money.”
“Anytime. Here’s your cut.”
To be honest, it wasn’t all that fun.
If the Pebble Traveling Troupe, who worked so hard to prepare performances for him, or the gamblers who had their pocket money taken by Anagin, heard that, they’d foam at the mouth—but the truth couldn’t be twisted.
As time went on, the waiting grew more and more tedious and suffocating.
Waiting for the Temple of Delphi, with no idea when he would be allowed in.
Even so, the only reason he continued to endure was simple—since he had come all this way, he had decided he would definitely enter the Temple of Delphi.
Call it stubbornness, or a gut feeling.
That was the kind of feeling Anagin had.
That he should step into the much-talked-about Temple of Delphi at least once.
And so, as he passed the time aimlessly at the inn—
“Are you the ones who brought the Coins of Greed?”
A fat old man with snow-white hair, snow-white skin, and dressed in snow-white robes arrived, accompanied by attendants.
It happened to be during dinner, so the entire group was present.
Which meant Anagin didn’t have to deal with him personally.
“Are you a priest?”
“That is correct.”
The snow-white fat old man replied.
Anagin naturally looked him over.
The white robes looked expensive at a glance, the accessories were clearly valuable, and he smelled of perfume.
He had a long conversation with Tramachus, but stripping away the embellishments, the matter was simple.
“The Oracle has granted you permission to visit.”
The Oracle of the Temple of Delphi, who had been in seclusion, had decided to meet Anagin’s group.
At those words, murmurs spread around them.
Most of the people here had come precisely to visit the Temple of Delphi.
And perhaps because of Orpheus, there was also a sense that people were paying closer attention to Anagin’s group.
‘Rumors are going to spread.’
Anagin thought, having realized during his stay that rumors spread quickly in the Festival Village.
Not that he particularly cared whether they did or not.
More than that, he wondered why the Oracle had ended her seclusion to meet them.
Strictly speaking, Anagin’s group had arrived late, so even if her seclusion ended, they should have had to wait a while before seeing her.
Of course, it wasn’t like he had no idea.
The priest’s first words already held the answer.
The Coins of Greed.
An item that had once drowned all of Hellas in blood and chaos had reappeared after more than a decade, so perhaps she wanted to meet them first.
‘And everyone around us heard that too.’
He could see a few sharp-eared individuals whispering among themselves.
Regardless, Tramachus and the priest finished their exchange and parted ways.
As soon as the priest left, they hurriedly finished their meal and went up to their room at the inn.
It felt somewhat unnecessary, but Anagin followed without complaint.
Once inside and with the door closed, Tramachus summarized his conversation with the priest.
“We’ve been granted permission to visit the Temple of Delphi at noon tomorrow.”
“Because of the Coins of Greed?”
At Thyreos’s question, Tramachus nodded.
Then he naturally looked at Anagin.
After all, Anagin was the one keeping the Coins of Greed.
Understanding the meaning of that look, Anagin took out a pouch from his chest to show that he had them safely stored.
Inside were the Coins of Greed.
Gold coins with a crowned hand engraved on the front and a donkey on the back.
Seeing that they were intact, Tramachus felt relieved, but still scolded him slightly.
“Wouldn’t it be better to store them more securely?”
“I am storing them securely.”
Anagin pulled out another identical pouch from Pairon (Interspatial Bag) at his waist.
Inside that pouch as well were Coins of Greed.
“That one is...?”
“This one’s the real one.”
The first pouch he had taken out was fake, and the one he had just taken out was real.
“They’re fake coins I had Grumbal make. Originally, I made them to trick bandits, but they were weaker than expected, so I never got the chance to use them.”
That was right. They had been prepared in case he needed to deceive bandits, but before he could, Anagin had simply beaten them all down.
So it had felt like a bit of a waste, but as life goes, it ended up reducing the chances of theft in the Festival Village.
Even if someone came after the Coins of Greed later, having fakes meant the chance of being robbed was cut in half.
Left with nothing to say, Tramachus awkwardly nodded and moved on to explain the next day’s schedule.
“We’ll eat early tomorrow morning, then purify ourselves at the Castalia Spring. After that, we’ll head up to the Temple of Delphi.”
Anagin didn’t ask why they needed to purify themselves. He had already heard earlier.
It was a kind of religious ritual to cleanse the sins and impurities accumulated in the process of practicing as a practitioner.
It wasn’t really his style, but he didn’t refuse either. It was just washing, after all, and he liked being clean.
Instead, something else caught his interest.
“Are we all going up?”
By “all,” he meant Sphinx and Sanchonius.
Neither of them were practitioners.
Having already checked, Tramachus answered immediately.
“No. Sphinx can go, but Sanchonius can’t. Sphinx is your familiar, so she’s considered part of you, but Sanchonius isn’t.”
Anagin reflexively looked at Sphinx.
She seemed fairly satisfied.
Being considered part of Anagin was a bit of a mixed feeling, but she could visit the Temple of Delphi.
She, too, wanted to go since they had come this far.
Next, Anagin looked at Sanchonius.
He seemed disappointed about not being able to go, but at the same time, he accepted it.
Anagin also found it a bit unfortunate, but he didn’t say anything.
If Sanchonius himself accepted it, it would be strange for someone else to object.
“So, everyone, get some rest and wake up early. We move first thing in the morning. Any questions?”
There were none.
As soon as Tramachus finished speaking, everyone washed up and went to bed.
They worried that someone might come late at night to target the Coins of Greed, but nothing happened.
After all, trying to steal them right in front of the Temple of Delphi, with so many practitioners around, would be reckless.
Since they had gone to bed early, they all woke up early and began preparing.
“We’re climbing a mountain, so we should eat more than usual.”
“You always eat plenty.”
“Then are you going to eat the same as usual?”
“Well, not exactly.”
Perhaps due to the tension of heading to the Temple of Delphi, everyone ate about one and a half times more than usual. Then they visited the Castalia Spring and washed themselves.
By the time that was done, it was close to noon, and as promised, they all arrived in front of the Parna Gate.
But then.
There was someone standing there they hadn’t expected.
“Good to see you all.”
It was Orpheus.
* * *
“I was granted permission as well.”
Anagin’s group showed surprised expressions upon seeing Orpheus.
Seeing that, Orpheus spoke as if explaining.
Well, the Oracle had said she would allow visitors—it wasn’t like she had agreed to meet only Anagin’s group, so it wasn’t strange.
It seemed Anagin wasn’t the only one who thought so, as everyone quickly accepted it.
“I don’t believe I’ve seen this lady before.”
“Pinku-Pinku. She’s my younger sister.”
Anagin introduced Sphinx as usual.
But then, Sphinx raised her hand and stopped him.
“...I am Sphinx. A monster, and currently Lord Anagin’s familiar.”
She introduced herself to Orpheus, stating that she was a monster and Anagin’s familiar. Not incorrect, but something they usually didn’t bother mentioning.
Anagin found it strange that she was acting differently from usual.
“I see. It’s not uncommon for outstanding practitioners to have familiars. But may I ask why you introduced her as your younger sister?”
Anagin shifted his gaze from Sphinx to Orpheus.
After Anagin had explained his reason for aiming to become a god, Orpheus had lost interest and hadn’t asked anything further, so it felt odd that he was suddenly asking again.
“It’s nothing special. Keeps things short.”
Anagin answered honestly.
If he said she was his younger sister, people didn’t pry further.
It helped that they both had blonde hair—though their skin tones were different, people usually just assumed it was some kind of family matter.
“That sounds like you.”
“You barely know me—Ow.”
Tramachus jabbed Anagin in the side, telling him to tone it down.
“That hurt.”
Anagin exaggerated.
Just as Tramachus was about to say something—
“Shall we start heading up?”
The priest managing the Parna Gate urged them to move toward the Temple of Delphi. If they delayed any longer, they might not arrive on time.
For people who secluded themselves on a whim, they were surprisingly strict about time.
Still, since he was the one who wanted to go, Anagin let it slide.
‘Let’s not come back here if we can help it.’
“My apologies. I delayed us with unnecessary questions. Let us go.”
Orpheus apologized and urged them forward, and they began climbing the southern mountain path of Mount Parnassus.
Fortunately, it wasn’t as high as they had feared.
At this pace, they would arrive on time without trouble.
Though that was only true for Gigants or those with physical-type blessings. For ordinary people, it would be quite a difficult climb.
Incidentally, there were two people here who were neither.
One was Sphinx.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”
“I didn’t ask.”
As Anagin glanced at her, Sphinx noticed and replied confidently.
She didn’t seem to be overexerting herself. As expected of a monster, she was sturdier than she looked, and she could also use wind magic.
Anagin then looked at the other one—Orpheus.
A blessed individual, but not one with a physical blessing.
—Ting!
Orpheus lightly plucked his lyre, and his body seemed to grow lighter as he ascended the mountain path with ease.
“Hm, we could climb just fine like this, but shall we pick up the pace? There are some here who are new to this place.”
Perhaps out of consideration, Orpheus asked.
Anagin gave a casual reply.
“Not sure. We just washed, so I’d rather not sweat.”
“No need to worry about that.”
Taking it as agreement, Orpheus played his lyre again. A lively melody flowed out, and everyone felt their bodies grow lighter.
It felt as though gravity had disappeared, and energy began to fill them.
Anagin immediately recognized it as Orpheus’s doing.
‘No wonder he’s from the Original Argonaut Expedition Team.’
He had heard about his feats, but seeing it in person was different.
He might even be more troublesome than Meleager the Immortal or Atalanta the Great Warrior.......
‘No wonder those guys were acting so meek.’
Anagin thought, glancing at the New Argonaut Expedition Trio.
At the same time, he grew curious about the other members of the Argonaut Expedition Team. With fifty of them, there must be quite a variety of abilities.
While Anagin was thinking—
“Welcome.”
They had arrived at the Temple of Delphi.
Thanks to Orpheus, it was much faster than expected.
‘Oh... this is the place??’
Anagin inwardly admired the sight.
Unlike the flashy structures he had seen before, it was restrained in design, but built along the southern cliff of the mountain, making that irrelevant.
With the deep valley spread out below, the temple looked as if it were suspended in midair, exuding a sacred atmosphere.
Unlike the bustling Festival Village below, the surroundings were eerily quiet.
Not just silent—but a strange stillness, as if some mysterious force below the cliff was absorbing all sound.
All these elements combined made the Temple of Delphi emit an indescribable pressure.
“You’ve arrived early.”
An old priest standing before the temple spoke.
Like the priest they had seen below, his hair, skin, and clothes were all pure white, adorned with luxurious jewelry and perfume.
“There are those here visiting for the first time.”
Orpheus replied.
“In that case, before guiding you to the Oracle, I shall show you around the temple and explain the etiquette you must observe.”
The priest gestured inward, inviting them inside.
Anagin entered.
The inside of the Temple of Delphi was far larger than it appeared from the outside. And it held a different kind of grandeur.
“This is...?”
The interior was just as restrained as the exterior, mostly white and gray, but that only made the treasures displayed within stand out more.
Ritual knives, incense burners, metal lamps, worn banners, swords and shields, sets of armor—even a broken ship. The variety and scale were immense.
“These are offerings presented to the Temple of Delphi by various kingdoms and practitioners.”
The priest leading them explained.
The true value of the Temple of Delphi was not its structure, but the offerings within.
These offerings were given by rulers and practitioners to repay the gods who watched over them—manifestations of their faith.
Anagin didn’t quite understand what “manifestations of faith” meant, but he could tell the priest was immensely proud.
“Now, I shall explain the proper etiquette when meeting the Oracle.”
Anagin had already heard most of it from Tramachus, so there didn’t seem to be any issue.
And indeed, it was mostly what he had heard.
Except for one thing.
“When you have an audience with the Oracle, you must kneel on one knee to show respect.”
“What?”
Anagin was so shocked, he dropped into informal speech.
It was that absurd.
He turned his head toward Tramachus and also shot accusing looks at Thyreos and Lynceus.
Why hadn’t they told him this?
‘If I’d known I had to do this, I wouldn’t have come in the first place.’
As if admitting they had deliberately hidden it, the New Argonaut Expedition Trio avoided his gaze.
They had expected he would leave if they told him.
So they had kept it secret until the last moment.
“Ha.”
Anagin let out a short, incredulous laugh and pulled out a pouch from Pairon.
The pouch containing the Coins of Greed.
Without hesitation, he tossed it to Tramachus.
“Ah, what a waste of time.”
And just as he turned to leave, someone grabbed him.
It was Orpheus.
“Where are you going?”
“I don't know, anywhere but here.”
Anagin answered, having no particular destination.
But any thought of meeting the Oracle had vanished.
“Is it because kneeling makes you uncomfortable?”
“Yeah. I’m not some freak who enjoys kneeling.”
It wasn’t just about pride... or maybe it was.
But that was exactly why he couldn’t kneel.
The reason Anagin sought to become a god was to avoid this kind of humiliation.
So he wouldn’t have to clasp his hands and beg before some unknown being.
Kneeling fell into that category. It was all the same.
For Anagin to kneel just to meet the Oracle would be a complete contradiction of why he became a practitioner in the first place.
Tramachus and the others tried to persuade him.
“But we came all this way. Isn’t it a waste?”
“Yeah, at least meet her. Business is business, right?”
“Shut it. I was stupid for not knowing, sure—but you guys are just as bad for not telling me. I’ve got my share of fault, so I’m letting it slide. Don’t push it. It pisses me off.”
Anagin warned the New Argonaut Expedition Trio.
If it were his usual self, he would’ve beaten them up, but he was letting it go this time because he was partly at fault.
As Orpheus was about to step in—
“If you dislike kneeling that much, then you don’t have to.”
The priest said something unexpected.
If he didn’t want to kneel, he didn’t have to.
It was so unexpected that Anagin asked again.
“Really?”
His tone made it clear he wouldn’t find it funny if this was a joke.
The priest nodded.
“Indeed.... Even if you do not wish to kneel, you will end up kneeling.”
At those cryptic words, Anagin glanced at the others.
They all seemed to understand what it meant, but he didn’t bother asking.
He had already lost some trust in them.
He decided he would see for himself.
And if he ended up kneeling.......
‘I'll just bite my tongue and die.’
The priest smiled with satisfaction and resumed guiding them.
“Beyond this door is the Oracle.”
A massive bronze door.
As Anagin and the others approached, it opened on its own, and thick smoke poured out.
The smoke was so dense that it obscured their vision.
They all inhaled it as they stepped forward, and soon, a figure came into view.
At first, it wavered in the smoke, unclear, but gradually, it became visible.
A girl.
She looked to be in her late teens.
There was something familiar about her.......
Moments later, a window opened, and the smoke rushed out, clearing their view.
And then, they saw everything.
Everyone except Anagin was kneeling on one knee.
He was the only one still standing.
“What the hell.......”
Having braced himself for something, only for nothing to happen, Anagin muttered in disbelief.
Hearing that, the priest looked shocked.
Despite saying he didn’t have to kneel, he seemed surprised that Anagin truly hadn’t. The others were the same—as if they had expected him to kneel naturally, just like them.
What exactly was going on......?
Puzzled, Anagin looked back at the Oracle.
Then something clicked.
“You... the apricot basket?”