162 – Training Method of the Nymphs #3
“…….”
A man dubbed the Achilles of the 21st century – Legion walked along the beaches of his homeland, Greece, feeling the cool breeze.
The salty yet bitter sea scent was quite nostalgic.
Whenever he walked here, Legion always thought of his father.
His father, a lighthouse keeper, often said, “Your mother was the goddess of the sea,” while gazing at the shore.
The townsfolk would point fingers at such a father, calling him “crazy!” or “Don Quixote!” and “eccentric!”
In the 21st century, it was hardly normal to see someone dreaming of Hercules and claiming they married a goddess.
However, to Legion, his father was a hero greater than anyone in the world.
On a day when a “terrible storm” raged, his father threw himself into the sea to save a drunken man and ultimately saved him, but he did not return.
The people said, “He has returned to the goddess.”
“A man proves himself not by words, but by actions. Actions and proof. That is what makes a man more honorable. The rest is merely an accessory gained from outcomes.”
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud –
Legion’s steps quickened as he dashed down the beach.
His speed was so fast that it felt as though the moment the waves crashed against the shore came to a standstill.
In that frozen world, Achilles Legion rummaged through his pockets.
“Son, when I die someday, open that box. The truth lies within.”
The coins in Achilles’ pocket were one of the heirlooms his father spoke of whenever he drank cheap sour wine.
Inside the box that his father cherished was an old book titled “The Path of a Hero”.
And there were heaps of coins.
If he held the coins to his ear, faint voices could be heard.
“Achilles! Achilles! Break Troy!”
“Support Achilles!”
It was truly a mystical coin.
Listening to those cheers and encouragement filled him with energy.
It was nothing short of a miraculous magic.
Perhaps his father really did marry a goddess─.
Before he could find the time to prove it, one day, the world changed dramatically with a miracle called “the fracture”.
Legion called himself Achilles, born of the sea goddess and a great man, and as time passed, many people also called him Achilles.
He became the protagonist of glory.
A life filled with beauty, wealth, and honor!
“Achilles! Achilles! Break the fracture!”
“I love you! Sign for me!”
“You fool, how haughty and arrogant Achilles is! He’ll never give you his autograph!”
Though he soared with arrogance, Achilles felt an emptiness in a corner of his heart after his father’s death, and during that wandering, he met that man.
In a snow-covered field.
The largest T-rank fracture ever to be held in Greece.
That day, almost remembered as the “Catastrophe of Chios Island”─.
“On that day, I was defeated. Being the pride of Greece, I couldn’t tell anyone about my defeat─.”
Creaking –
Achilles clenched his fist and sat down on the beach where the waves rolled.
As he fell into meditation, the drifting snowflakes of the snowy mountains and the shining light beyond began to replay in his mind.
# # #
The golden apple tree of Inoi grew robustly under the warm favor of the “Stone of the Sun” that I had saved before, casting a wide shade.
Caw-caw…!
Woof-woof…!
The honey ant Ahn Ahn and the Squirrel Beast Kkungkkungi busily chased bugs, and perhaps thanks to Inoi drawing water from the well and diligently nurturing it, the well-grown apple tree had begun to bear fruit.
The golden apples were not very tasty, but they smelled delightful.
It was good for health too.
As I sat under that tree, Inoi buzzed around me.
“Ladybug, cicada, beetle – Bug, bug, bug -.”
Caw-caw~
Inoi embraced the bizarre storm cloud and sang a peculiar song.
I had no choice but to open my eyes.
“What song is this?”
“This is a song passed down to the nymphs to chase away bugs…! Its effect is remarkable, preventing harmful bugs from approaching the tree…!”
Indeed, it was remarkable.
While I admired it, Inoi frowned.
“The master of the house must continue to meditate…! To enter ‘The Path of a Hero’, meditation and concentration are essential…!”
“The Path of a Hero”.
Since the date for my departure to Greece had been set, I had been practicing meditation under Inoi for a few days.
Inoi said, “The ‘Path of a Hero’ is a training book believed to have been written by Chiron, the great teacher of heroes in ancient times…! This Inoi also knows a bit about its contents…!”
I wasn’t sure, but it seemed that listening to Inoi’s words would elevate my skill further.
“Nymphs are friends of Core but can also sometimes become teachers and friends to young heroes…!”
Inoi proudly straightened her shoulders and placed her hands on her waist, speaking confidently.
“Nymphs who raise and train great heroes are truly worthy of being called the finest nymphs…!”
I didn’t know much, but it seemed that supporting and creating a remarkable hero earned immense glory and honor among nymphs.
As my merit and glory increased, the status of my companion nymph, Inoi, would rise too─ or something like that?
“So, what is this?”
I looked at the photos of supermodels printed and scattered around by Inoi.
All of them were slender beauties with something captivating about them.
Soon Inoi said.
“In ‘The Path of a Hero’, the most dangerous hindrance… is precisely women…! Many heroes like Hercules, Theseus, Odysseus have experienced sinking and setbacks because of women…!”
“Really?”
Among male Awakened, there were three things to be careful of, often jokingly shared during drinking bouts.
Those were women, alcohol, and gambling.
They said these three could lead male Awakened to ruin.
“In the future, many women may try to shake and enchant the master of the house…! It’s important to maintain a correct mindset and not be swayed…! My teacher also always emphasized that those who become heroes must overcome the temptations of women…!”
It was quite a reasonable story.
I turned my gaze away from the supermodels and resumed my meditation.
“To correctly grasp one of the paths of the Hero, ‘Apatheia’, it’s important to not think about women…!”
Following Inoi’s words, I tried to clear my mind and make an effort not to think about women as I meditated.
However, they say if you tell someone not to imagine an elephant, then an elephant inevitably appears in their mind.
Because I tried not to be conscious of women, I instead began to envision them.
For instance, Lee Jin-A, who messaged me this morning.
“Hey, I’m thinking of eating meat at your place soon. What do you like? Should we have a drink after a long time? How about beer?”
Lee Jin-A was someone who rarely took the initiative to suggest things.
Her intimidating impression matched her slightly cold and unsociable personality.
But for some reason, Lee Jin-A suggested we eat meat and drink, and I could feel a different level of “enthusiasm”.
I didn’t know what had sparked her motivation, but it was quite concerning.
Also at that moment, I was worried about Ari.
Ari had been contacting me daily, but there hadn’t been any news from her for a few days.
Wondering if something had happened, I still hadn’t received a response to my message “Are you doing well?” sent last night.
It was my first time experiencing this, so I was a bit worried.
Would I be able to find out what happened if I asked Seo Ye-rim?
Thinking of Seo Ye-rim, I also thought of Reiko and Tsukki from Japan.
I wondered what they were all doing.
Especially Tsukki, who had confessed to me; was that confession still valid?
My concern shifted to the one who toyed with my feelings and then went off to America, Cash.
Cash was just a nickname; her real name was Casey.
Thinking of her real name reminded me of So So-hee, who was known as Xiao Xiao. I heard she reached a mysterious level of “Nymph Domination” and significantly improved her skills.
It was the same for Tang So-hae, who lost to me at the martial arts tournament.
She must have shown explosive growth in her skills by now, I was told she was undergoing S-rank evaluation.
Had her mentioning wanting to take me in as her in-law just been polite conversation?
I had been so caught up that I hadn’t realized I was inadvertently getting entangled with women more frequently than in recent years as I climbed to A Rank.
I had even gone through the dreamlike experience of being confessed to by S-rankers like Tsukki and So So-hee, and reflecting on it again, it didn’t feel real.
Rejecting the confessions of S-rankers!
Had I really done something so foolish?
“Nymph beating, go wild…!”
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud –
At that moment, Inoi hit me repeatedly.
She must have realized my mind was filled with confusion.
I sheepishly scratched the back of my head.
“I guess meditation doesn’t suit me.”
“This Inoi also thinks that might be the case…!”
Whoosh –
At that moment, the storm cloud Ahn Ahn that Inoi was holding floated into the sky.
“Oh no, I can’t lose it again…!”
Inoi seemed quite flustered, remembering the recent incident where Ahn Ahn flew away recklessly and didn’t return for a day, until Kalilnoi found and brought it back.
Ahn Ahn didn’t fly too far and landed in someone’s arms beyond the fence.
“Oh my, what is this? What kind of cotton candy is flying around?”
A woman stood beyond the fence, wearing red shoes which looked quite familiar to me.
It was indeed the shoes I had suffered so much over while wiping the queen bee’s juices.
“Seo Ye-rim? What’s going on?”
What business does a busy person have coming over without contacting me?
While I pondered in confusion, Seo Ye-rim looked at me.
Her makeup, emphasizing her eyes more than usual, was quite unexpected. I knew Seo Ye-rim was pretty, but was she this sparkling?
The command to not be conscious of women may have made me even more aware than usual.
Thus, I felt a tinge of cold sweat and a fluttering sensation in my lower abdomen.
Am I nervous in front of Seo Ye-rim?
My pride wouldn’t allow such a reaction!
Of all people, it’s the finicky Kkan Ye-rim!
As I thought this, Seo Ye-rim subtly looked at me and smiled.
“Ha─☆”
