NOVEL WEB Chapter 33: Hunting time
The next day,
Nightfall.
The moon goddess Artemis gave an oracle that the time for hunting in the ancient forest had arrived.
In ancient Greek mythology, Nyx, the goddess of night, drove the chariot of night from the underworld to the human world and cast the curtain of night into the sky.
The moon goddess Artemis hung a full moon in the sky, and today's moonlight was obviously much brighter than usual, covering the earth in the dark night with a layer of silver frost.
Since yesterday's banquet lasted for a long time, the hunters chose to rest at home during the day today, and only gathered together again when night gradually fell.
They set out from the town in a mighty procession, with torches lit and accompanied by hounds.
Promise was also among them, but he was at the end.
He wore a black hunting outfit, carrying a hunting bow that Meleager had found for him in the past few days, which even Greek huntresses considered too light.
After all, the special bow and arrows Chiron had made for him had already been sacrificed to Queen Hera in the kingdom of the river goddess Aegina.
Promise also carried a silver lyre he had specially bought in the small town during the day.
And it would be the key to determining whether tonight's hunt would be successful!
Moonlight shone on his smooth black hair. Quietly following the crowd, his clear green eyes were bright and clear.
"You shouldn't participate in this hunt."
At that moment, a cold female voice suddenly came from the side.
Promise turned his head instinctively and found that Atalanta had actually come to his side!
He was slightly stunned because he knew Atalanta disliked men.
She despised Greek heroes who displayed excessive brutality in hunting, equating the fight with offerings to the gods and ravaging them.
She was the most devout follower of the moon goddess Artemis… To be precise, Atalanta always had been before her faith collapsed.
For this reason, she had early on vowed to Artemis, dedicating her life to her, never to marry, and to remain pure.
And the reason for this lay in Atalanta's background.
In fact, she was an abandoned orphan.
She grew up in a kingdom called Arcadia and was actually the princess of that kingdom.
She should have had a happy and exciting life, but because she was a girl and not a boy, her once hopeful father became furious.
He ultimately abandoned her, just a newborn, in the icy winter forest.
This scene was witnessed by the moon goddess Artemis.
Seeing that Atalanta was cute, she couldn't bear to let her die and took her in, even feeding her with bear's milk until she grew up.
Therefore, Atalanta's faith in Artemis was not only devout but also fanatical… Though in the future, when she saw the true nature of the so-called pure virgin goddess Artemis, her faith was utterly shattered.
Because of this, Atalanta loved children, and her reason for participating in the future Holy Grail War was to create a world where all abandoned children could be happy.
"This hunt is Her very dangerous…" Atalanta's emerald eyes looked at the frail boy in front of her, unable to help but advise, "There's still time, hurry and withdraw. Otherwise, you might die in vain in this hunting festival!"
Promise blinked, looking at the beautiful huntress in green clothes in front of him.
She didn't possess the gentleness or splendor of a princess, but her wild beauty made her even more captivating.
He looked at her, then at himself.
Suddenly, a flash of realization appeared in his eyes.
He understood why Atalanta suddenly spoke to him.
Indeed, with his physique that made the goddesses of ancient Greece want to stuff him with golden apples and his fellow students of Chiron kneel and beg him not to die,
Anyone would be confused.
Moreover, though Atalanta seemed cold and difficult to approach, she was essentially a very good person.
"Why is it dangerous?" So Promise asked her curiously, "Isn't this just a simple hunt?"
Atalanta remained silent for a while, then looked up at the beautiful full moon tonight and turned her head to the distant, dark, and eerie ancient forest under the full moon.
"Intuition." she replied calmly.
To be honest, she didn't expect Promise to believe her.
She herself was puzzled why she felt this trip was dangerous when it was just hunting a non-aggressive giant deer.
As for the ancient forest at night, to a skilled hunter like Atalanta, it was as familiar as home.
But hearing this, Promise frowned and soon a thoughtful expression appeared in his eyes… After all, he never forgot that this world was the Nasuverse!
His true identity was still a future mage apprentice in the Clock Tower.
So Promise thought of something.
A student who graduated from Chiron, cursed by the moon goddess Artemis to become a giant deer…
Could it be that Actaeon had turned into a monster similar to the Minotaur?
With a thoughtful look, Promise nodded slightly and smiled at Atalanta, "Thank you."
This pure gratitude made Atalanta unexpectedly freeze and stop in her tracks.
After a moment, she hurriedly caught up with Promise and looked at him again.
After scrutinizing the young boy who probably couldn't even draw his own bow, she shook her head again and said, "You really aren't suited for this hunting festival…
Though I don't know why the great queen chose you, if you believe this hunt is dangerous, then while there's still time, hurry and withdraw!"
Hearing this, Promise blinked and looked at the beautiful female hunter in green clothes in front of him.
Although she did not have the delicate and luxurious appearance of a princess, her wild beauty made her even more attention-grabbing.
He looked at her, then looked at himself.
Immediately, a look of realization flashed in his eyes.
Well..he understood why Atalanta suddenly spoke to him.
Indeed, given his physique, which even the goddesses of ancient Greek mythology couldn't help but bestow golden apples upon, and his fellow centaur sage Chiron's apprentices would kneel and beg for mercy, it was no wonder anyone who saw him would be confused.
Moreover, although Atalanta appeared cold and hard to approach, she was essentially a very good woman.
"Why is it dangerous?" He couldn't help but curiously ask her, "Isn't this just a simple hunt?"
The latter was silent for a while upon hearing this, then she looked up at the beautiful full moon tonight and then turned to look at the distant dark, eerie ancient forest under the moon.
"Intuition," Atalanta answered calmly.
To be honest, she didn't expect Promise to believe her.
After all, she herself was puzzled as to why she felt this trip was dangerous when it was just hunting a non-aggressive giant deer.
As for the ancient forest at night, for a hunter as excellent as Atalanta, it was the most familiar home.
However, upon hearing this, Promise frowned, and soon a thoughtful expression appeared in his eyes... after all, he never forgot that this world was from the Nasuverse!
His true identity was still an apprentice mage in the Clock Tower in the future.
Thus, he thought of something: students who graduated from Chiron's tutelage were cursed by the moon goddess Artemis and turned into giant deer...
Actaeon, that guy, wouldn't he turn into a monster similar to the Minotaur?
With this thought, he nodded gently and smiled at Atalanta, "Thank you."
This pure gratitude stunned Atalanta unexpectedly, making her stop in her tracks.
After a moment of regaining her senses, she quickly walked up and looked at him again.
After some examination, seeing the young boy in front of her, who probably couldn't even draw her bow, she couldn't help but shake her head again and said, "You really are not suited to participate in this hunting ritual... although I don't know why the great Goddess Hera chose you, if you believe this hunt is dangerous, then withdraw now while you still can!"
As she spoke, she couldn't help but glance at the lyre Promise carried.
What serious hunter brings a musical instrument to a hunt?
But... truth be told.
Looking at that instrument, then at the boy in front of her, who had nothing to do with hunters or heroes but was adorned with an artistic aura, even in plain black hunting clothes that couldn't hide his unique temperament.
Atalanta found herself somewhat looking forward to the moment he played the lyre.
Because she thought the music must be beautiful.
"No, thank you for your kindness, but... beautiful huntress, you heard it too yesterday, didn't you? The news those thieves were spreading?"
Promise blinked at Atalanta and smiled, saying, "My goal is to become the most dazzling hero in this world.
"Therefore, how could I possibly avoid this hunting ritual under the gaze of the goddess Artemis?"
If he hadn't said that, it would have been fine.
But once he did, Atalanta couldn't help but want to laugh.
She couldn't forget the time when those thieves came out to intercept her. Just as she was ready to draw her bow and shoot, she remembered what they said.
And their utterly hopeless expressions...
It gave Atalanta a tremendous shock at the time!
"Do as you please. After all... this hunting ritual will soon be over!"
Saying this, she tried hard to maintain her facial expression, proudly raising her head, "Because I will surely win. Under the watchful eyes of the beautiful and noble goddess Artemis, I have no possibility of failure!"
With that, Atalanta stopped paying attention to Promise and turned to head to the front.
However, halfway there, she suddenly stopped, hesitated for a moment, then turned back, her holy green eyes looking at Promise again as she spoke, "Atalanta... that's my name."
Promise was slightly taken aback, then smiled again, nodding and responding, "Yes, hello Miss Atalanta, my name is Promise."
"I know, I heard it from the thieves, the guy who dreams of becoming a hero!" With that, Atalanta couldn't help but smile, then turned and proudly walked away.
As soon as she left, Promise barely had time to feel the peace beside him.
"What did she just say to you? What were you talking about? Why did she look so happy, and she even smiled at you? Oh, did you see that? She looked so beautiful when she smiled!"
Meleager, catching the scent, came over.
And looked at Promise with a face full of nervousness.
The latter was speechless, then rolled his eyes and said, "She said you are very handsome!"
With that, Promise stopped paying attention to the temporarily stunned, then utterly delighted and excited Meleager.
Just like that, after some time passed,
Those gathered for Artemis's hunting ritual finally reached their destination.
They extinguished their torches, exchanged glances, then each took their dogs and bows and disappeared into the forest.
After all, everyone knew at this moment that the beautiful moon goddess Artemis was watching them.
The full moon in the sky was the best proof!
Before entering, Atalanta turned her head to take a special look at Promise.
Seeing Meleager beside Promise, she said nothing more and swiftly moved into the trees, gracefully disappearing into the ancient forest.
Promise would accompany Meleager.
Not only did Atalanta think so, but almost everyone present thought the same.
After all, looking at him, no one believed he could win in this hunting ritual under the watchful eyes of the gods.
They all thought he was here to select a strong hunter and invite the victor of this ritual to join the quest for the Golden Fleece.
But...
"You say you want to act alone?"
The red-haired youth Meleager looked at Promise in surprise.
"Yeah... I don't know about others, but what's with that expression?" The latter said helplessly. "Did you forget that some of my hunting skills were taught by you? I'm not completely clueless!"
In terms of skills, Promise didn't actually have much of a problem, it's just...
"But you can't even draw a regular bow!"
Hearing this, Promise squinted his eyes, turned around, and took out a small notebook from his bag.
"Hey, wait, don't, please don't!" Seeing him about to write something down in his notebook, Meleager quickly stopped him.
"I didn't say I wouldn't agree with you... but why do you suddenly want to act alone?"
Promise glanced at Meleager, thought for a moment, and said, "This is a hunting ritual under the gaze of the goddess Artemis. Only one victor can reach her, and... Meleager, don't you still have to save your homeland?"
Hearing this, the latter was stunned, looking at him for a while before hesitantly saying, "But you..."
"Don't worry, I won't die." Promise put away the notebook and said, "I promised Jason that I would accompany him on the journey to find the Golden Fleece.
"And I also promised the great goddess Hera to gather the world's heroes to join me.
"So before that, I won't be seeking death... although I've always been courting death, as you all know, even if I die, it must be a grand and heroic death!"
Hearing Promise's response, Meleager was silent for a long time.
After a long while, he sighed in relief.
Looking seriously at Promise, he said, "Thank you!"
"What are you talking about? Hurry up and go, you're gross!"
Hearing this, Meleager couldn't help but laugh, then he stopped being sentimental, turned around, and ran at full speed, soon disappearing from Promise's sight.
Once he was gone, Promise stood quietly in place.
After a few more minutes passed, he finally confirmed that he was alone.
He looked up, his emerald green eyes gazing at the bright full moon in the sky.
Then he turned and entered the forest.
Under the witness of the gods, the hunting ritual had now... officially begun!