Thank you to everyone who provided comments and coupons! Chapter 218
68. Magical Beasts and the Olympus Gryphon
217 – Magical Beasts and the Olympus Gryphon #2
“There are conditions to becoming a member of the Gryphons. The most important virtue we value is bravery. If you can show that, it will be enough.”
━ No…
I was momentarily flabbergasted by the story that proceeded without waiting for my response.
“Proving your bravery is simple. First…”
━ No, I never said I wanted to become your daughter’s husband.
“What? Are you saying you can’t take responsibility after dirtied my daughter’s purity?”
Gryphon Jupiter’s eyes turned sharply like a hawk’s. It felt like he was ready to leap over this long table and stomp my head right there.
‘Dirtied her purity? I only gave her a name!’
Perhaps names are something as important to Gryphons as the wedding night is for humans. I thought it could be attributed to cultural differences, but—
‘Still, a Gryphon? Really?’
While Jupiter’s confession wasn’t as crazy as it sounded, I do have my preferences for women and females. However, my realm of defense is strictly limited to human women.
‘Chino was just an animal! Sure, I’m an animal with four legs and fur too, but still….’
With an eagle’s face and a lion’s body, she made for a pretty impressive mythical creature, but to have to call her my partner? I couldn’t help but feel a bit shaky about that.
“What’s with that ambiguous expression? Are you trying to say you don’t want the opportunity to become my daughter’s partner?”
Jupiter picked up on my hesitance, and just as I was about to open my mouth to say something—
Knock, knock.
The sound of someone knocking on the door of this narrow reception room echoed.
Creak, squeak.
I thought it might be Leto coming in with more food, but the person who entered was a woman I had never seen before.
“Dad! And Alpha! I knew you’d be here!”
━ Huh?
She had short platinum hair that resembled Jupiter’s, and her face combined freshness and vitality, unmistakably a beauty. Not to mention her sun-kissed, healthy bronze skin. The tank top she wore barely contained her ample bosom, and the defined lines of her abs caught my eye.
Judging by her familiarity with me, she must have known me.
‘She called Jupiter Dad. Could it be…?’
Though Jupiter was notoriously loose and reckless, he had mentioned having only one child. By the process of elimination, this meant that this was Gryphon Chino.
“Looks like you’re able to move now, daughter.”
“I’m not fully accustomed to this body yet, but I can manage. By the way, Alpha! It seems you came to see me!”
The healthy and vibrant Gryphon Chino rushed to hug me. Little did she know the destructive power of her human body was beyond comprehension.
Smoosh, smoosh.
Stuck in her chest, I glanced at Jupiter, who seemed annoyed, clicked his tongue, and said,
━ Jupiter, what did you say earlier? Prove my bravery, right?
“Yes, yes. You’ve suddenly turned proactive, huh?”
━ What exactly does that entail? What do I need to do?
“White Beast, Alpha. I’ve heard you defeated that Raccoon in Cairo. Not only that, but you’ve made him your subordinate?”
━ Oh, has the news spread already?
“The rumors of the cute white beast have already spread like wildfire in the city of Cairo. You’ve gained followers and supporters because of your courageous battle.”
I couldn’t help but raise my brows in surprise at this unexpected news.
It was like passionate fans flocking to an outstanding gladiator… In modern terms, it was akin to the hype surrounding a skilled fighter.
“Alpha! You’re amazing! So fast and strong! If only Dad and the Cairo’s brokers saw the way you pulled that Fire Dragon out of the human kingdom’s capital, Jerusalem, they would have no choice but to accept my marriage!”
“Yes, daughter. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“And please call me Chino!”
“Right, Chi…”
“Chino.”
“Chino. Ugh, tsk.”
Jupiter clearly didn’t like his daughter’s name, clicking his tongue repeatedly.
In Western and Japanese cultures, women often take their husband’s name when they marry. I found myself wondering if the men in those countries grappled with similar issues.
“My name is Alpha-Chino!”
Chino boldly stated her name. I almost laughed, as her name bore no resemblance to her stunning looks.
Nevertheless, I thought it was best to correct her.
━ Speaking of which, I need to inform you. My name is no longer Alpha; it’s White One.
There was some embarrassment in saying my own name, but it was a fact I could no longer hide. Upon hearing it, Jupiter’s face twisted into an odd expression.
“W-White One?”
━ Yes, so your daughter’s name will also change from Alpha-Chino to White One-Chino. It just happened that way. Don’t ask me why; it’s too tedious to explain.
At my casual remarks, Jupiter couldn’t help but smile wryly.
“What kind of name is that? It’s funnier than my brother Pluto’s dog’s name, Spotty.”
━ But it’s true! What can I do? So what were we talking about?
“I was just mentioning how to prove your bravery. Anyway, word has spread far and wide about your heroics in defeating the Raccoon. You’ve begun wielding influence in the city, even drawing the attention of me, the great ruler of the desert.”
━ I see.
I suspected that Jupiter, who didn’t want to give his daughter away, was beginning to bend his will to accept me into the family, recognizing my fame and strength and opting not to turn me into an enemy.
It’s often common for a father to marry off his daughter to an outstanding man throughout history.
“However, a lot of folks think your reputation is exaggerated. Many of the brokers, including myself, think so. My daughter seems to trust you, but I know nothing about you, uh, no, White One. So I would like you to show us what kind of male you are.”
━ So what does that entail?
“I am the great ruler of this desert, Jupiter. I can summon lightning and create storms with my arms, but sadly, I am not omnipotent. Governing and managing this vast desert all on my own has its challenges. The number of Gryphons to serve me and maintain order in the desert has significantly dwindled over the past few decades.”
Jupiter seemed to have a habit of speaking in circles during conversations, which was starkly contrasting his boisterous demeanor.
━ So, what’s the method?
When I asked again, Jupiter solemnly declared with a serious face.
“There are four notorious beasts in this desert. Each one a monstrous menace. They’ve been terrorizing the people of the desert, creating confusion and fear, which worries me greatly. It would be wonderful if you could take them down.”
━ So if I defeat these four beasts, that would prove my bravery?
“Indeed.”
“Dad! That’s ridiculous! These beasts are incredibly fearsome! Even the Gryphon guards can’t handle them…”
Chino, who had been quietly listening, suddenly shouted in protest. Just then, Jupiter sternly warned her.
“You stay quiet. This matter has been decided legitimately in Cairo’s council. I cannot go against this.”
“But…”
━ What kinds of beasts are we talking about here?
At my question, Chino trembled and replied.
“In the sand dunes, there’s the Nemean Lion. The poisonous dragon Hydra of the Lerna Oasis. The wild boar of the Erementos Mountains. And lastly…”
Chino paused briefly as if gathering her thoughts. The one who answered in her stead was Jupiter.
“The last one is Spotty, the Cerberus of the underground tunnels. Take those beasts down safely. Of course, I’m not asking you to do this for free. Separately from proving your bravery, the Cairo council will give you a fair reward for taking care of those beasts, too. I’ve heard that you enjoy rare plants.”
━ That’s right.
I nodded, and Jupiter clapped his hands towards the door.
Creak…
Soon, the reception room door opened, and Jupiter’s maid, Leto, reappeared. She held a silver platter in her hands.
Taking the platter from her, Jupiter placed his hand on the lid and spoke with a mock serious tone.
“There are extraordinary things grown in this western desert, just like the precious things from the eastern Ancient Nest. Some may think it’s just cliffs, sand, and rocky wastelands, but the mysteries of life undoubtedly persist within. Among those is one of the most exquisite.”
Swoosh.
As the lid opened, something dazzling appeared, bright enough to feel like it was poking my eyes with a thin toothpick. When I scrunched my face as I couldn’t bear to look at it, Jupiter interjected.
“This is the heart of a star that fell from the sky, Ambrosia. Just one bite of it can instantly elevate the rank of a beast.”
The grand-sounding name of the heart of a star radiated an eye-blinding light. The incredibly delightful, exotic scent it emitted made my mouth water.
━ Alright.
The meal wrapped up.
Having gulped down a delicious drink for dessert, I got ready to leave the reception room prepared by Jupiter.
“You have one week to take down the beasts. By the time the moon sets and the sun rises at the highest point, you should be finished.”
━ Just make sure you keep that heart of a star safe.
I answered nonchalantly as I left the room. Following behind me was Chino, in her human form, who came running up to talk.
“Are you really going to do this? It’s super dangerous! Even the hunters, who are notorious for their persistence, have given up on those beasts…”
━ Just taking down four beasts to snag a precious treasure? Sounds like a bargain to me.
I recalled the little star, Ambrosia, that Jupiter had presented earlier. The way my body had quaked and fluttered upon seeing it was undoubtedly a sign that this was a kind of plant that resonated with me.
‘It might even rival the ancient ice plants I had in Lao-Hoo’s garden, if not be even more precious….’
Regardless, I had an incredible opportunity to obtain this treasure, and turning it down might lead to regret later.
Ambrosia could potentially help me break through my level cap of 21 after becoming an adult.
“Precious treasure… You think of me like that? That’s so touching.”
It seemed Chino had misinterpreted something, but clarifying it felt oddly amusing, and her reaction wasn’t bad, so I chose to let it go.
‘By the way, what happened to that Gryphon…’
Seeing the now-matured Gryphon Chino, I was left wondering what the hell happened. When I asked, she shrugged it off, saying it was no big deal.
“I’m not sure why I suddenly changed like this, but here I am.”
━ Just changed like that, did you?
“Yes, it was this morning. I still can’t get used to this body. I have no idea how to go back to my original form. Is that strange?”
━ Not particularly.
As far as I knew, there were only two methods to transform beasts into human forms.
One was to consume the Fruit of the World Tree, and the other was to utilize a jewel with similar properties to the Fruit of the World Tree.
‘She couldn’t have eaten that fruit, and that jewel shattered just a few hours ago….’
The timing of the jewel shattering and her transformation into a human figure lined up almost perfectly.
━ Has anyone else turned into a human like you did?
“Yes, Hebe and Minerva did as well. Furthermore, such occurrences are happening all over Cairo, and it’s causing a huge stir.”
━ I see.
It might have something to do with the rampaging jewel, that giant Behemoth. But honestly, it wasn’t something particularly important to me, so I decided to push it from my mind.
Stepping out of the reception room and back into the banquet hall where everyone was waiting, I found quite the uproar occuring.
Everyone was gathered in a circle, seemingly watching something, so I strained to see what the commotion was—only to find Leaf and Azidahaka squabbling!
Of course, it looked like Azidahaka was quite literally crushing Leaf into submission.
“Just having a quick look! No, I’m borrowing it for a moment!”
━ Don’t lie! I know you won’t give it back! No! No! It’s mine! Mine! I’m not giving it to anyone! It’s my treasure! Aaaaah!
“Heh heh, at last, it’s in my hands. I’ll return it later. In about a hundred years or so.”
They seemed to be fighting over something, but considering Leaf was a puny raccoon and stood no chance against the dragonoid Azidahaka.
With Leaf bursting with tears, he spotted me and came running over, wailing.
━ W-White One! That scoundrel stole my treasure! Waaah! My tooth necklace…!
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