Chapter 79

Having overcome two new major hurdles in my new life.

Now, just mindful of the orbital bombardment from the sky and waiting for the unknown D-day, I was enjoying a rare period of peace.

The packed schedule, in the beginning, was to explore various professions for a month and understand my inclinations.

Considering that the Hero Training Academy even helps with career paths after graduation, Chiron could truly be called a dedicated educator.

Moreover, the professors teaching here were nymphs and centaurs with centuries of basic experience or those born with divine bloodlines and insane talents.

As Chariclo assured, if I graduate safely from the Forest of Heroes, I would be welcomed and able to make a living wherever I go.

“Um… Honestly, I think this number of people is a bit much just to hunt a pack of wolves.”

“Tess, don’t say stupid things. The more troops and power we have, the better.”

“Honestly, thanks to Herc and Dianes shaking the forest, we were able to find the wolves faster…”

And in this Forest of Heroes, those who stood out prominently were these individuals, known as the so-called Golden Generation.

These were the young heroes, a term referring to those rare to find even in the long history of Greece, or the demigods already showing seeds of divinity in various fields, and also the name of the independent class I belonged to.

The prodigy Jason.

The wise Theseus.

The evil genius Morpheus.

The huntress Atalanta.

The hunter Actaeon.

The divine Asclepius.

And the great hero, the prophesied child, Hercules.

In this chaotic mythological realm, it was a special class that stood out alone and naturally became the class I belonged to.

In the forest, there was nothing more to teach in their respective fields, so apart from a few appropriate cultural lessons, we lived freely and even had the privilege of receiving solo hunting or missions.

Today, as I finished my adaptation period and became part of the Golden Generation, I went out on an external mission with four powerful men and was on my way back.

“Enough! Dianes, when will it be done?”

“Just wait a little. It’s fortunate that I borrowed fire from Hestosias. This dish isn’t something that can be prepared so quickly.”

After all, Greece was a land of culture, one that had never lost its influence through the ages.

Though Jesus still hadn’t appeared, and China, despite being in a super ancient period where even the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were questionable, Greece already boasted an incredible cultural level.

Especially when it came to food—porridge, bread, pastries, and even all sorts of mysterious spices thanks to the blessing of Demeter. There was truly nothing lacking.

Amidst all this, the nation was known for the most detailed distinctions in consuming meat.

The people known for eating everything except airplanes in the sky, desks on the ground, and submarines in the sea were naturally dragged into the kitchen.

-Bubble, bubble, bubble!

“Oh damn, look at this beautiful aroma.”

I first realized the advanced level of Greek civilization when I encountered their butchery techniques.

In this world where gods roamed, the bones offered in sacrifice to them were cleaned with such meticulous care that not a drop of blood remained.

The cattle and pigs raised on this bountiful land had such vivid meat quality that no modern agricultural method could compare.

Just as a cat cannot pass by a fish market, how could I, a man of the kitchen, pass by such a place?

Moreover, it is now the cool dawn of summer.

After leaping over a mountain, running through a vast forest, and hunting a cunning pack of wolves, one naturally craves a hot soup.

“Uh… will this really taste good?”

“This smell… it really drives people crazy.”

“Though Prometheus cunningly arranged for humans to offer meat while the gods received bones, I always wondered why the gods still accept burnt offerings to this day. I suppose that’s an old story now.”

As they said, what I was preparing was a hearty bone soup, known as “bone broth”.

Normally, it would take at least half a day to simmer it properly while controlling the heat.

But thanks to Hephaestus’s blessing, the bones were simmering perfectly in no time.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“I still don’t understand the principle behind it.”

For those who don’t know, “bone broth” isn’t something you can just make by boiling on high heat.

Heat control is necessary, and the time it takes for the bones to simmer is also crucial.

This fire, however, seemed to transcend those rules, creating a perfect broth in just 30 minutes.

It’s a fire with a will that not only involves physical heat but also the state of matter or even time itself.

“Is it because it’s the mythological era? Rare treasures are everywhere.”

Both Pan’s flute and this fire…

If there was even a fraction of such an item in the martial world, it would surely be praised as a tremendous treasure and would cause immense bloodshed.

Especially with such a mystical fire, the Southern Sun Palace or the Flame Sect of Podalap would trade their exclusive martial arts to obtain it.

“…Bone broth boiled with such a fire.”

It was truly an astral situation.

Anyway, I quickly added the beef shank I got from the centaur butcher into the bone broth and let it boil for a moment. Then I added some spice powder, Greek chives, and green onions, letting it boil vigorously.

In no time, a delicious bone broth was ready.

“Here, take as much as you want.”

-Ohhh!

There’s nothing better than a hot bowl of bone broth to warm your body after sweating in the cold dawn air.

Theseus skillfully gathered bread and pickled olives as side dishes, and the vibrant youths eagerly filled their bellies with hot soup and meat.

“Ahh. This is great.”

Hercules, who had filled a huge bowl with soup and downed it in one shot, exclaimed as if he was saved.

Others also dipped their bread in the broth and nodded silently.

“What kind of island is Passos anyway? Whether it’s martial arts, arts, or even cooking, it produces people who excel in everything.”

Theseus tore at his bread, his words a mix of lament and admiration.

At a glance, it seemed like friendly banter among friends, but I detected the underlying jealousy and resentment and quietly sipped my broth.

Such subdued jealousy and rivalry were something I was somewhat used to.

Even in the future, when he aims to reclaim the throne and make a name for himself, he might resent me for achieving greater fame alongside Hercules.

“Well, it’s because I’m so great.”

“Pahaha! Wow, really. You’re like a personification of self-love that even Apollo would envy. But you have the skills to back it up. I acknowledge that.”

In contrast, Jason couldn’t hold back his laughter and chuckled.

Jason was somewhat different from Hercules and Theseus.

How should I put it? If those two were solitary warriors or heroes charging forward alone, this guy showed the traits of a king leading an army and governing the people.

The occasional sparkle in his eyes, when he looked at Hercules or me, was also the gaze of an ambitious man seeing friends who would become reliable connections in the future.

Moreover, beyond the classes, his encouragement and training of the former bandit soldiers he had subjugated displayed enough charisma and military strategy to lead an expedition of heroes in the future.

“Um… Can I give the leftover bones to my kids?”

“Kids? Ah, the hunting dogs?”

“Y-yes, they all ran hard. I’ve fed them well, but I still want to give them something warm to eat…”

And then Actaeon.

Contrary to his futile and tragic end in the original myth, today, he demonstrated exceptional training and hunting skills.

His fifty hunting dogs—matching the number of Artemis’s nymphs—showed great respect and devotion to their master.

‘I think he chose the wrong goddess to serve…’

The child might be a bit timid, but in this era, a natural hunter with such prowess and a cute appearance hidden under green hair like a thicket would surely set many older women’s hearts on fire.

But of all things, the goddess he followed was a psychopathic unicorn.

Well, what can you do?

It’s not his fault; it’s that crazy bitch’s fault.

Atalanta still showed the handiwork and temper befitting that crazy bitch’s daughter, so I was planning to give her a lesson in the Crazy Wind Spear technique and mental reformation soon.

I wasn’t sure if this timid hunter would follow my advice and change his allegiance, though.

I wonder what he likes so much about her to follow her like that.

Is it her looks? It has to be her looks, right?

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

“Leave him be. He’s probably scheming up another unimaginable plan.”

“Oh, then let’s hear about it during the strategy class later. If it’s a strategy from that distant land, it’s worth listening to.”

Strategy…

Sorry, but I’m quite clueless in that area. Sorry, Jason.

The reason being, during the Great Demon War, once I stepped in, any strategy or tactic became useless, and I didn’t need to make any strategic decisions. I would just step in and wreak havoc, ending the situation.

All other commands and strategies were handled by Gwi Hyun-sa.

‘…Gwi Hyun-sa.’

A mad genius who burned everything for the sake of revenge, burying even his name.

It was still a name that left a deep wound within me.

“…Tsk. The broth is bland.”

But it was a name I had to forget, one that I had already put behind me.

As I forced myself to cover that name again and slurped down the broth, I noticed the young heroes looking at me with curious eyes.

“What are you staring at?”

“Oh, no, it’s just…”

“It’s just that… your face looked kind of scary…?”

“You have a complicated expression. It seems like you’re showing a bit of humanity for the first time.”

“What’s the problem? Is it a woman, as expected?”

These bastards…

Don’t bother showing off your hero-like perceptiveness at unnecessary moments.

“I went through the trouble of cooking, so it’s a bit disappointing. Things didn’t go as planned, so I’m a bit…”

“Hey, come to think of it. What kind of magic did you use? How did you manage to turn that Atalanta into a lovestruck maiden?”

“Yo, lately, the Artemis hunting party has been talking a lot about it, too… They’re wondering if you used some kind of magic. Ah! Of course, I believe you didn’t!”

“Indeed, is it all about a man’s looks and night skills… No, Asclepius must have been at the clinic too. Is it the thrill of enjoying it in tense secrecy?”

“…..”

Ah, damn.

Is it because of the sweaty men’s bathhouse?

Or is it just that in Greece, night skills were a given?

Like wolves smelling blood, these young budding heroes had zeroed in on my weak spot and were pressing me hard.

‘Damn it.’

As I closed my eyes with a sense of foreboding, they started gossiping about Atalanta in earnest.

“Even when she was like a prickly hedgehog with that temper, all sorts of guys tried to get close and got burned.”

“Oh, right. Back then, Orion gathered his whole gang and got beaten up. He hid in the back and slipped away, leaving the others to take the fall and get chased out.”

“T-Teacher Chiron himself branded them with an iron… Eep!”

“But to think that such Atalanta would have such melting eyes.”

“Probably, many heroes, both men and women, wept because of that sight.”

“So, how was it? How was Atalanta in bed?”

“Seeing her like that, you must have pounced first, right?”

“N-no way… I mean, it’s Atalanta, not even Dianes…”

Hercules, Jason, and even the timid Actaeon had now surrounded me, grinning wickedly, eager to corner me and get me to spill the details.

“Ha… haha. You crazy bastards. Do you really think I’d tell you that?”

“Oh, come on, don’t be like that. It’s not like you’re a blushing bride on her wedding night.”

“We’ll tell our stories too. You just have to go first. We’ve even got wine here.”

“Ah, well, I-I’m devoted to Artemis, so…”

As I tried to close my mouth in a stance of desperate resistance, three adolescent boys directly attacked me.

However, there was one who silently glared at me, then put down his bowl and stood up.

“…Get up first.”

“Theseus? It was just about to get interesting…”

Before Hercules could even grab him, Theseus had instantly bolted from his seat and disappeared.