Anagin Chronicles Chapter 110

Chapter 110. Hippones (2)

Everyone looked stunned.

Starting with Atalanta on the stage, followed by her younger sister, Irida.

Tramachus and Thyreos, who had been discreetly searching through the crowd, and even Lynceus of Farsight, who had been resting with Sphinx—all of them.

It was as if they all knew who Hippones was.

After a mont, Ponytail spoke up.

“Hippones… he’s from Chiron Tower. What’s more, he was in the sa class as Atalanta and leager.”

Anagin didn’t ask how he knew that.

Well, he’s a reporter for Talaria Weekly, so he probably knows. Even if he didn’t, he wouldn’t get a proper answer anyway.

Instead of wasting ti on such a useless question, Anagin asked sothing more productive.

“Is he a mber of the Argonaut Expedition Team?”

“No, not that level…”

From Ponytail’s tone and choice of words, it seed he wasn’t particularly remarkable.

Is that why the people from the Chiron Tower are so surprised?

‘Even so, they seem way too surprised… is there really a reason to be this shocked—’

“—Huh, fascinating.”

While Anagin was still puzzled, Ponytail spoke again.

Just as he wondered what was so fascinating, sothing rather surprising was revealed.

“I heard he got rejected by Atalanta and went off to Barbarland, but I never thought he’d actually return…”

Before Anagin could even ask what that ant, a loud trumpet blared in the distance, announcing the arrival of a massive cart accompanied by nurous attendants.

Amazingly, the cart was piled high with golden ornants—enough to resemble a small mountain!

Even though the gathering included renowned practitioners, rchants, bureaucrats, nobles, and royalty, this small golden mountain captivated everyone’s attention.

Could it be that he brought all this gold as a gift? everyone wondered.

Clatter!

A faint sound of gold shifting rang out.

One of the attendants around the cart had drawn a golden sword and handed it to an elderly noble.

The old noble looked flustered.

He hadn’t expected to receive such a gift, here and now.

After all, the center of attention was Atalanta, the princess of the Kingdom of Arcadia.

So the noble felt more embarrassed than delighted by the golden sword. However…

“Huh? Huh?”

The gleaming yellow-gold sword had a srizing power. Unable to resist, the old noble found himself clutching it.

It was a gift, after all—why refuse?

The sa went for everyone else.

“Oh my?”

“…Should we accept it?”

“What’s happening…?”

The cart carrying gold slowly moved forward as the attendants began handing out rare treasures to the onlookers.

Golden belts studded with large rubies, gold earrings adorned with sapphires, and golden hair ornants encrusted with pearls.

Even the servants and slaves attending the spectators received generous gold coins.

Caught off guard by the sudden generosity, no one could respond—they simply accepted it.

This included the Original Argonaut Expedition Team, the New Argonaut Expedition Team, and even Atalanta herself.

“Here, please take it.”

An attendant offered a large, shining golden ornant to Anagin. He examined it briefly… and refused.

“Excuse ?”

The attendant asked again, incredulous, urging him to accept.

“Don’t worry. It’s just—”

“—I said I'm fine.”

Anagin declined firmly. He couldn’t explain why, but sothing felt off.

Perhaps sensing this, the attendant frowned, clearly displeased, and stepped back.

Hippones might have plenty of money, but apparently, he couldn’t train his attendants well.

“I’m fine too.”

Ponytail beside him also rejected the golden ornant extended by an attendant.

Curious, Anagin asked why he refused. Ponytail grinned.

“Treasure is for stealing, not receiving.”

“Crazy bastard.”

Anagin muttered this, yet couldn’t help thinking Ponytail was wise.

He didn’t know why—just a gut feeling. Reflexively, he glanced at Sphinx and his companions.

Had they taken the golden ornants too?

Fortunately, Sphinx politely declined as well.

The attendant tried to force the gold into their hands, as he had with Anagin, but Lynceus stepped in, and the attendant backed off.

Lynceus himself seed uneasy, refusing as well, and a few others also declined so of the golden items.

But those who accepted the gifts were far more nurous.

The gold that had been so abundant soon revealed empty spaces, proving this.

With this unexpected shower of gold, the arena, already buzzing, grew even more charged with a new kind of excitent.

If one had to put it into words, was it greed?

At that mont, a man strode confidently forward.

It was Hippones.

“Long ti no see, Atalanta.”

* * *

Hippones was a handso man with gray hair.

Dressed as impeccably as any participant in the Groom Tournant, he took advantage of the guests being distracted by golden ornants, and before anyone realized it, he was kneeling on one knee, confidently greeting Atalanta.

Perhaps because of his extraordinary entrance, Atalanta showed a rare expression of bewildernt.

Compared to the way she had reluctantly dealt with all previous suitors, it was a refreshingly new sight.

Hippones seed aware of this and gave a small smile.

“I’ve co to keep my promise. The promise to beco a man worthy of you.”

At that, a curious murmur broke out among the spectators, especially the won.

It seed they were imagining so romantic scenario.

“I am Hippones! To beco a man worthy of Atalanta, the princess of Arcadia and a great warrior of the Argonaut Expedition Team, I have crossed Anapik and conquered Barbarland!”

The ntion of conquering Barbarland sent shockwaves through the crowd.

Conquering Barbarland beyond the middle land of Anapik was one of the greatest interests of the Hellenes.

This was because spreading the light of Hellas, the center of the world and the birthplace of civilization, was a noble mission.

Yet, unfortunately, this noble mission had repeatedly ended in failure.

Due to countless barbarians and the Barbaroi cults manipulating them from behind the scenes.

And now, leager had declared that he had conquered Barbarland.

Naturally, people were astonished… though not everyone believed him.

There were still those with sharp eyes who refused to drop their doubts.

After all, there had already been countless self-proclaid conquerors of Barbarland or those claiming they would do so if supported.

Even those who had temporarily conquered Barbarland but were soon driven out were too nurous to count.

Therefore, fully trusting Hippones’ words was not easy.

…Yet, despite that, many listened intently to what he said.

Anyone could fabricate words, but heaps of gold could not be faked.

While suspicion lingered, the enormous amount of gold he brought made it hard to openly doubt him.

After a long silence, Atalanta finally spoke.

“Where did you conquer?”

“It is a land called Hogsekos. A land of opportunity with a vast vein of gold and rare treasures that one could not use up in a lifeti.”

Hippones explained the land he had conquered, Hogsekos.

It was a territory settled by countless Barbaroi, and through his courage and will, he had defeated them and established a small foothold.

The story might have sounded like ordinary boasting, but the imnse gold transford it into a captivating tale.

“…Impressive.”

After hearing the explanation, Atalanta expressed a brief sentint, and Hippones gave a sowhat regretful smile.

As if asking if this was not enough.

In truth, Atalanta did not seem particularly moved. She was surprised, yes, but that was all.

And understandably so. No matter how valuable a gift, it benefits the owner more than the object itself, does it not?

It seed unlikely that any story or gift could sway Atalanta’s heart.

Hippones appeared to know this.

“…It seems this alone is not enough to win your heart.”

In a sowhat wistful tone, Atalanta frowned with sympathy.

“I…”

“But that is fine. I have already steeled myself. I intend to offer two gifts to the great King Isos of Arcadia.”

“…!”

Hippones said he would present the gifts not to Atalanta, but to her father, Isos.

The crowd was shocked. It was an act that openly revealed an uncomfortable truth everyone knew but did not speak of.

Rather than anger, Isos’ reaction was curiosity. He wondered what great gifts could have prompted this boldness.

“What is it?”

“I shall offer the Golden Apple, which cures all diseases, curses, and poisons, and the Boar Statue, which guarantees a son!”

* * *

When Hippones’ turn ended, the day was already fading, and the Groom Tournant for that day was practically over.

All that remained was for Atalanta to choose and announce the winner, and the tournant would be truly finished.

Normally, people would have shouted and argued about who would win, but strangely, that didn’t happen today.

The gossips who loved to talk about others, the gamblers obsessed with wagers, the spies sent to snoop, even the participants themselves—all of them refrained from saying who would win.

It was already obvious who the winner would be.

The Conqueror of Barbarland, Hippones.

Everyone was certain that the newcor would win the Groom Tournant.

His achievents—conquering Barbarland, one of Hellas’ great causes—his wealth, which allowed him to provide gifts to satisfy even the most distinguished guests, and above all, the gift that Atalanta’s father could never refuse.

There was no reason he would not be chosen.

He was the overwhelming participant that Ponytail had ntioned.

Especially because he had seen through the very essence of the Groom Tournant.

Though the tournant ostensibly revolved around Atalanta, everyone knew it was an event her father had forced. The real authority belonged to Isos, King of the Kingdom of Arcadia.

Hippones had brought a gift that Isos could not refuse:

The golden apples that would cure Isos’ ailnt and the divine thod to obtain the son he so desired.

“According to the treasure once held by the Barbaroi tribe, if you keep this in your household, the head of the family will have a son. I’ve already confird it myself.”

For a father using his daughter to secure an heir, this was impossible to ignore.

And if the one saying it also brought the golden apples, there was no reason not to believe him.

As if to prove it, when Hippones presented his gift, Isos’ eyes burned with greed—so intensely that even Anagin, observing from afar, could notice it…

For that reason, everyone concluded that the Groom Tournant was essentially over.

Except for the suitors who had lost the treasures they brought, everyone else was content to just enjoy the remainder of the event.

Of course, the suitors who had lost their precious treasures were in a mood as if attending a funeral.

The somber mood affected the others as well.

“Wow… I didn’t expect him to show up.”

The New Argonaut Expedition Team and Anagin’s group.

More precisely, only the New Argonaut Expedition Team was uneasy; Anagin’s group was rely going along with the general atmosphere by being in the sa space.

Hippones’ appearance seed to shock Irida of the Wind and Tramachus of Fla. They didn’t even ask their usual question of whether any suspicious individuals had appeared whenever the Groom Tournant ended, instead standing half-dazed.

Clearly, Hippones’ presence had a strong impact.

In the subdued atmosphere, Thyreos spoke to Irida, perhaps to comfort her.

“Still, isn’t this better than nothing? If it’s Hippones, he must care deeply for Lady Atalanta.”

“Unwanted attention isn’t a blessing—it’s just annoying. And… you know what Hippones did, right?”

Irida paused, glanced at Tramachus, and finished her thought.

Apparently, there was so story behind it.

Anagin judged it had nothing to do with Tramachus. The timing didn’t match. Perhaps if it were leager, Tramachus’ cousin, it might make sense.

Out of simple curiosity, Anagin asked what had happened.

“What happened with leager?”

Anagin asked suddenly, his mind turning over sothing.

Sensing a bit of unease, Irida and Tramachus hesitated briefly, but eventually answered.

“Hippones has liked my sister for a long ti. I even know about it myself. He followed her to Chiron Tower, so that says it all.”

“Oh, so it’s true love, then.”

“The problem is, my sister doesn’t want that true love.”

Irida spoke with an exasperated tone. Since ti immorial, it had irked her that her heroic sister was treated as if she were a prize to be won by n, simply for being a woman.

Anagin, being a man, couldn’t really empathize with that.

So he asked what happened afterward.

“...Nothing special. They trained together at Chiron Tower.”

“That’s when Atalanta t leager.”

Tramachus, standing nearby, added a word.

Looking at Irida, he continued,

“That’s also when we first t.”

“...Right.”

“And that’s it?”

“Huh?”

“That’s it? What about Hippones?”

Irida and Tramachus pondered briefly, realizing it wasn’t over.

“Hippones challenged leager to a duel.”

“A duel? Over Atalanta?”

“Yeah, technically it was a duel for a spot in the Argonaut Expedition Team.”

According to their explanation, Atalanta, leager, and Hippones were in the sa class, but there was a gap in their skills.

All three were Gigants, but Hippones had weaker blood, so his skills were relatively inferior. Moreover, he failed the divine test given by the gods and did not receive their blessing.

As a result, the skill gap widened, and when Atalanta and leager were selected for the Argonaut Expedition Team, only Hippones was left out.

"Unable to accept it, Hippones challenged leager. The problem was that while it was called a duel, it was practically an ambush. Then he brazenly claid that if he won, he should be given a spot on the Argonaut Expedition Team. Eventually, they fought, and—"

"—He lost."

Anagin stated the obvious outco.

Irida nodded.

“As the penalty for losing, Hippones left Chiron Tower. But he didn’t just leave. He promised to return, as a man more worthy of my sister."

Anagin understood the promise Hippones had made.

Honestly, it was impressive. Even Anagin acknowledged greatness where it existed.

Setting aside that it was unrequited love, the persistence and determination deserved respect.

Enduring humiliation for the woman he loved, leaving to strive in a new land, and achieving success was comndable—especially for a man.

Yet, for so reason, Anagin couldn’t fully respect Hippones.

The reason was…

“But why are you so focused on Hippones?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. His face sotis looks like a pig’s.”

Anagin explained why he had been staring at Hippones all day and thinking about him.

Fundantally, he looked like a person, but every now and then, he looked like a pig.

The kind of face that triggered the hunting instinct.