“Cough! Cough!”As soon as Anagin entered the room where he could meet the Oracle alone, guided by a priest, he burst into coughing.
It was because the same smoke he had seen when he first met the Oracle rushed in all at once.
The only difference was that the density of the smoke was much thicker.
It was so dense that he could barely breathe.
He wondered what kind of ridiculous prank this was.
After all, the New Argonaut Expedition Trio hadn’t mentioned anything about inhaling smoke.
Anagin fanned the air as he stepped further inside, and soon the smoke vanished as if by magic, allowing him to clearly see his surroundings.
“Can you still see me properly?”
A girl in her late teens sat on a three-legged chair.
On either side of her were massive oil lamps. Other than that.......
There was nothing.
“What am I supposed to see?”
Anagin bluntly asked the Oracle, who had now spouted nonsense twice.
What exactly was he supposed to see?
The Oracle answered plainly.
“The one you fear the most and yet respect. Someone before whom you would willingly kneel.”
He had expected vague, incomprehensible words instead of a proper answer, so this was somewhat unexpected.
Well, if that were the case, it roughly explained why Sphinx had knelt.
‘What did she see?’
Anagin suddenly became curious.
Sphinx had seemed harmless at a glance, but she had a surprisingly stubborn side—she wasn’t the type to kneel easily.
So he wondered a little. What had she seen to make her kneel?
Of course, with the Oracle in front of him, he couldn’t dwell on it for long. He needed to focus on the situation at hand.
The Oracle murmured as if to herself.
“Why is it that you see nothing?”
“Well. Maybe because there’s nothing I particularly fear or respect?”
“That’s quite the bravado. Then again, just as women often lie, men often indulge in bravado.”
“Ah, like how you said you enjoy being an Oracle?”
“......I said I was satisfied, not that I enjoyed it.”
“So you don’t like it after all.”
Anagin nodded as if he now understood, and the Oracle gave a bitter smile.
Seeing that smile, Anagin briefly wondered if he had been too prickly, but decided not to regret it.
Quite a few people had been held back because of this Oracle. And on top of that, she was pulling cheap tricks like this.......
He felt a little sorry for her, but not that sorry.
The Oracle, who had been smiling bitterly, fell silent for a moment, and Anagin waited.
He was curious why she had called him here in the first place.
Time passed, and finally, the Oracle got to the point.
“Do you truly have no intention of receiving a blessing?”
“Hmm.... I believe I already refused.”
Having already heard similar questions several times, Anagin didn’t bother hiding his annoyance.
Even kind words become tiresome when repeated, let alone a proposal he had no interest in.
It had gone beyond tiresome—it was starting to feel irritating, like he might snap.
“It’s just such a waste. The merit you’ve accumulated is immense, and the gods wish to bestow a blessing upon you.”
“Ah, but I haven’t really accumulated any merit?”
“Merit doesn’t require intent. Simply by acting, one can accumulate merit. For example, you might knock someone down because you dislike them, only to find out they were a villain.”
At that reasonable explanation, Anagin found himself nodding without realizing it.
He hadn’t intended to accumulate merit, but it was true that quite a few of the people he had beaten up were scumbags.
However, at the Oracle’s next words, his nodding stopped.
“Surprisingly, most heroes are like this. It’s almost like fate.”
Fate.
A word Anagin quite disliked.
He had heard things like Gigants bringing chaos, or fate guiding one somewhere.
It made him feel as if his very existence had caused the deaths of his younger sister, his family, and his village, leaving a bitter taste.
“You don’t look well. Is something wrong?”
The Oracle asked if she had made a mistake.
Of course, she likely hadn’t said it knowingly, but perhaps because she was an Oracle, it still felt somewhat unsettling.
As if she might be deliberately provoking him.
Still, Anagin decided not to get angry over something like this. There were better uses for his energy.
“I have a question. May I ask?”
“Go ahead.”
The Oracle of the Temple of Delphi showed interest.
As if curious about what Anagin would ask.
‘Why would she be curious about something like that?’ Anagin thought as he spoke.
“Do the gods like practitioners who accumulate merit?”
“Of course. The gods value order and love justice.”
“Then do we have to offer that merit to the gods? Like spoils or offerings?”
Anagin tossed the question casually.
It was a hypothesis that had come to him upon hearing that the gods wanted to grant blessings because of accumulated merit.
It sounded as if the gods wanted that merit.
Thinking about it, it wasn’t even that surprising.
The efforts of practitioners accumulating merit to gain blessings weren’t much different from saving money to buy something.
Anagin had simply realized it now.
Despite his rude attitude, they still wanted to give him a blessing.
Of course, Anagin didn’t ask this outright.
No matter what, it didn’t seem right to ask a servant of the gods directly. And there was no way she’d answer honestly.
So he phrased it indirectly.
If one received a blessing, did they have to pay with the merit they had accumulated? It sounded plausible enough.
‘Come to think of it, it’s hard to believe gods would give blessings for free.’
His guess turned into suspicion, and that suspicion into certainty.
“.......”
Anagin waited silently for the Oracle’s response.
Whether she would affirm, deny, or remain silent.
Honestly, it didn’t matter. Any answer would be sufficient.
At last, the Oracle spoke.
“...That is correct. You must offer your merit to the gods to receive a blessing.”
She admitted it.
That was a bit unexpected. He had thought she would deny it, stay silent, or deflect.
‘Ah, is she going to justify it?’
Anagin held a small expectation, but the Oracle didn’t.
Instead, she simply asked:
“Do you consider it a problem? That blessings are given, and merit is taken in return.”
A problem.
“Hmm.......”
Anagin didn’t answer immediately. He let out a low hum and thought for a moment.
It was something worth considering.
First, he wondered whether other practitioners even knew this. That receiving a blessing was essentially a transaction exchanging their accumulated merit.
If they didn’t know, it would be akin to being scammed.
However, it was something one could infer with a bit of thought, so he questioned whether it could truly be called ignorance.
Judging by how practitioners behaved, it seemed they subconsciously understood it as a form of transaction. They were always rambling about offering things to the gods.
There were some problematic aspects, but it also seemed like something that could be debated.
After some thought, Anagin spoke.
“I think there are some problematic aspects... but overall, not really.”
“Is that so?”
“You can figure it out if you think about it a little. If they didn’t know, then they either pretended not to know or chose to ignore it.”
Anagin concluded that practitioners bore responsibility as much as the Temple of Delphi, which hadn’t properly explained things.
A practitioner is supposed to carve their own path—if they were deceived, that too was their own fault.
“But now that I know this, I’m even less inclined to receive a blessing. What’s mine is too valuable to trade for one.”
With that, Anagin became certain.
Choosing the path of Jacheon rather than Tacheon had been the right decision.
Trading the merit he had accumulated for some flimsy blessing was far too great a loss.
Anagin wasn’t foolish enough to make such a bad deal.
“......That’s truly unfortunate.”
“I don’t understand why everyone keeps saying that.”
“You must receive a god’s blessing to be incorporated into the order of Hellas.”
The Oracle sounded genuinely regretful.
“And if I’m not incorporated into that order, is there a problem?”
“We would not be able to protect you from the world’s malice and the whims of fate. A blessing is not merely power—it is proof that the gods watch over you.”
Anagin narrowed his eyes.
It sounded less like proof and more like a mark.
It sounded like concern, but also like a threat.
Either way, his answer remained the same.
“I’ll handle that myself, so don’t worry about it.”
Perhaps she hadn’t been that concerned after all—at his response, the Oracle simply nodded once, and the conversation ended.
Anagin didn’t bother continuing and withdrew.
After all, he had learned an interesting truth about the exchange between blessings and merit.
‘Do other practitioners really not know this? I only realized it by chance, so it makes sense if they didn’t.... But is that really okay?’
With a strange sense of unease, Anagin turned to leave.
At that moment, the Oracle called out to him.
“Anagin.”
“Hm? What is it?”
“As an individual, I wish you good fortune.”
“...Hmm, thank you. Did you say that to others as well?”
Knowing she hadn’t given personal blessings to others, Anagin asked.
If she had, they would have mentioned it to him.
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Well? Because among those who came here, you were the only one who asked about me?”
* * *
Leaving behind the Oracle, who had personally wished him good fortune before they parted, Anagin returned to the waiting room.
“I’m back.”
As soon as he returned, the New Argonaut Expedition Trio and Orpheus greeted him as if they had been waiting.
“You may leave now.”
Before they could even exchange proper greetings, the priest who had guided him urged them out. It seemed he still didn’t hold a favorable opinion of Anagin.
“What did you talk about?”
As they exited the Temple of Delphi and began heading down, Tramachus asked Anagin what he had discussed with the Oracle.
It was only natural to be curious, since Anagin—who had refused a blessing—had been granted a private audience with her.
“She told me to accept a blessing one more time.”
Everyone, including Tramachus, reacted with surprise.
There were many who begged for blessings, but few who were urged to accept one.
However, no one found it strange.
Given everything Anagin had accomplished so far, they felt he deserved that kind of treatment.
“Did you refuse?”
“Of course.”
Right after answering, Anagin considered asking whether they had known that blessings were exchanged for the merit a practitioner had accumulated.
Something like—did you accept your blessings knowing that?
It wasn’t exactly a grand secret...... but for some reason, it felt like a plausible thing to bring up.
Of course, he hesitated.
First, it would be a hassle to explain everything in detail.
Second, it wouldn’t change anything even if they knew. The transaction was already done.
And there was also the possibility that they had known and accepted it anyway.
Still, just as he was thinking it might be better to confirm.......
“Are you planning to stay the night, or leave right away?”
Orpheus suddenly asked Anagin.
Since their business was done, would he leave immediately, or rest for a day?
Without realizing it, Anagin almost thought, Maybe I should rest for a day—then immediately caught himself.
He realized just how much he had grown complacent.
There was nothing urgent at the moment, but that didn’t change the fact that he had become far too comfortable compared to before.
Normally, he would have said he was leaving right away.
It wasn’t just that he had gotten used to life in the Festival Village—it was a matter of mindset.
Living closely with so many people had softened him.
Looking at the New Argonaut Expedition Trio, Anagin finally spoke.
“...I’ll leave right away.”
“I see.”
“Well, there’s no reason for me to stay any longer. What about you?”
At the question, the members of the New Argonaut Expedition Team looked at each other.
They seemed to have a lot on their minds.
“...We’ll stay a little longer.”
“Is there a reason?”
“We’re concerned about the dream the Oracle had.”
“Ah, that makes sense.”
Anagin nodded in understanding.
Even in the Festival Village, there had already been all sorts of talk about the ominous dream the Oracle had.
From rumors that she would fall ill, to claims that she would be attacked.
What was amusing was that while many were worried, just as many saw it as an opportunity.
After all, it was a chance to earn merit.
‘I’ll tell them later.’
Anagin decided to postpone talking about the exchange between blessings and merit.
He wasn’t even sure they would listen properly, and explaining it would likely take an entire day.
“Then, let’s part ways.”
Anagin said they would go down and separate there.
* * *
The New Argonaut Expedition Team looked somewhat disappointed, but they agreed to part ways.
In truth, they should have separated long ago and had instead stayed together longer than expected, so there was nothing to regret.
“Did you really meet the Oracle?”
As they descended from Mount Parnassus, quite a number of practitioners were waiting.
Which made sense, they had just come from meeting the Oracle, who had gone into seclusion.
“Did something happen to the Oracle?”
“Did she say when she would end her seclusion?”
“What was the atmosphere in the temple like?”
Those with some sense of decorum asked questions despite the rudeness, while those without even that hovered nearby, straining their ears to catch even a fragment of conversation.
They looked ready to hand over treasures if it meant getting information.
‘Well, they’re all stuck here, after all.’
They were so desperate that it didn’t seem like they would let them go easily.
It wasn’t impossible to shake them off coldly, but at the very least, the New Argonaut Expedition Trio wasn’t in a position to do that.
As those aiming to become heroes and representatives of Chiron Tower, they had to meet people’s expectations to some extent.
Watching the situation unfold, Anagin quietly tried to slip away on his own.
“Everyone, gather around. I’ll tell you. Come this way.”
Orpheus spoke in a clear voice, drawing everyone’s attention.
As an 8-star practitioner and a member of the Argonaut Expedition Team, his words carried weight, and those who had been clinging to them all flocked toward him.
Naturally, the New Argonaut Expedition Team was freed.
They all expressed their thanks to Orpheus and left the scene, heading back to the inn where they had been staying.
“But why did we come here? It’s not like we have any luggage.”
Anagin said, since he carried all his belongings inside Pairon.
Well, even as he said that, he knew the reason himself.
It just felt unsettling not to stop by the room they had been staying in before leaving.
Before departing, you had to check once—otherwise, you’d keep wondering if you had forgotten something.
“I don’t have anything left behind. What about you?”
“Same. I already packed everything.”
Perhaps because they had traveled together for so long, Sphinx had also gotten into the habit of keeping everything packed.
After checking the room, Anagin stepped outside the inn and gave a light farewell to the New Argonaut Expedition Trio and Sanchonius.
“Take care.”
“Thank you for everything.”
From the Forest Brotherhood to Chiron Tower, and even the Kingdom of Arcadia...... considering they had spent the entire summer together, it was an incredibly simple farewell.
But perhaps they had grown used to it, the Chiron Tower Four responded naturally.
“It wasn’t bad for us either.”
“It was good traveling together.”
“Same here. Let’s meet again.”
“It was an honor to accompany you.”
After hearing their farewells, Anagin asked:
“Do you have anything you want to say to me?”
Something in the voices of the New Argonaut Expedition Team felt off to him.
As if they had something left unsaid.
They flinched, as if caught off guard.
It seemed they did have something to say.
But.......
“.......”
Even when given the chance, none of them spoke.
As if it was difficult to bring up.
“Well, tell me next time.”
Instead of pressing them, Anagin let it go.
If fate allowed, they might meet again anyway. Besides, Anagin himself hadn’t mentioned the matter of blessings either—it was too bothersome.
Seemingly relieved by his response, the New Argonaut Expedition Team saw him off, and Anagin left the Festival Village with Sphinx.
The road was well-maintained, so there was no need for a guide.
‘More importantly, where should I go now? Maybe I should finally deal with that Monster Merchant I postponed.’
That didn’t sound like a bad idea.
He had only put it off because something came up—it wasn’t as if he had given up.
Besides, he now had Freedom’s Thread.
If he gathered information about the Monster Merchant, surely someone would provide a useful lead or two.
“Brother.”
As he was organizing his thoughts, Sphinx called out to him.
He assumed she was going to ask where they should go, but that wasn’t it.
“I have something to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“While you were away meeting the Oracle, Orpheus and the New Argonaut Expedition Team went out separately and had a conversation.”
It felt a bit discriminatory that they had blatantly excluded Sphinx, but Anagin didn’t mention it.
That didn’t seem to be the important part.
“What did they talk about?”
Assuming she had eavesdropped, Anagin asked.
The perceptive Sphinx often used wind magic to listen in and relay information to him.
But this time, it was different.
“I couldn’t hear it.”
Not that she didn’t listen—she couldn’t.
“I tried, but I couldn’t hear a single sound. It’s probably.......”
“You interfered with it using a blessing?”
Before she could finish, Anagin stopped walking and asked.
Sphinx looked confused at first, as if asking what he meant, but then she sensed something strange. Her pupils widened, and her tail swished sharply beneath her robe.
For a moment, silence fell.
Step.
Orpheus appeared.
“You’re quick to catch on.”