Chapter 49: Argos—The Trace of Typhon (2)
Next to the half-built temple of Hera, priests were offering sacrifices.
“Greetings. May Hera’s grace be with you.”
“Likewise. May Hera’s grace be with you.”
The investigation team, disguised as merchants, approached the priests welcoming visitors.
Onlookers assumed the merchants had offerings for Hera.
But the priests knew they were coming—and flashed a secret signal only Hera’s clergy and merfolk recognized.
“We were told of your arrival by the Great One. Come inside.”
They led the team not through the main gate but a hidden side door—like smugglers.
No one could see.
***
In the secret chamber, team leader Azure and high priest Arima sat face-to-face.
“Straight to the point: what happened here?”
Arima nodded understandingly at Azure’s bluntness, sipping tea calmly.
“I don’t know the full details. I was sent because Argives are building Hera’s temple.”
He sighed deeply.
“This isn’t my opinion, but… the people believe Poseidon stole Argos from Hera’s rightful rule. They say they’d rather serve gentle Hera than a rough, hot-tempered god like Poseidon.”
Frost began creeping across the room.
Merfolk, created by Poseidon, excelled with water elements—Azure was an ice master.
Her rage was freezing the air.
“How dare you insult him!”
A summoned ice spear pointed at Arima’s calm face—ready to pierce.
The message: ‘Why didn’t you correct them? Do you agree?’
Arima, expecting this, remained unfazed.
He’d foreseen Azure’s reaction—and privately shared the Argives’ view.
His tone subtly disrespected Poseidon.
Azure might have sensed it instinctively.
“Calm yourself. This is why surface folk fear the sea.”
Azure kept the spear raised—something about this priest felt wrong.
But she couldn’t kill him.
This was Hera’s temple (temporary or not), he was high priest, and murder would be twisted as Poseidon’s will.
“So we take this as Hera’s and Argos’ official stance.”
“Address her as Lady Hera. With river gods and nymphs supporting her, what can Poseidon do?”
Azure ground her teeth at the priest’s now-open arrogance.
But she was powerless here.
“We’re leaving. Further investigation is pointless.”
She turned—no more words.
Poseidon would decide.
Exiting through the hidden passage, they found themselves surrounded by humans.
“What is this…?”
Arima descended the stairs slowly.
“Unfortunately, we can’t let you leave. Some here have… developed a taste for your kind.”
“No way?!”
Azure realized with horror why they’d betrayed Poseidon.
A far worse reason than imagined.
“You’ve been eating us!!!”
Her shout triggered the attack—humans lunged at the merfolk.
“Lord Poseidon…”
***
Meanwhile, Poseidon—awaiting his team’s report—grew uneasy.
Over a week, no word.
Even for something he cared little about, this was too long.
“Thetis, something’s wrong. Shouldn’t we have a mid-report by now?”
“You’re right. These aren’t lazy ones…”
Thetis, filling in for busy Psamathe, felt it too.
“Something happened.”
Poseidon sensed Argos was more serious than expected.
Originally Hera’s land, ceded to him as a wedding gift—he assumed humans would worship both.
“But it’s not that simple.”
No choice.
He’d go himself.
“Thetis, I’ll scout Argos in human form.”
Thetis made a face—her first non-devout expression toward Poseidon.
“…Lord Poseidon. You still have mountains of work. This isn’t an escape, is it?”
“…”
“Sorry! I’ll bring gifts!!”
“No! Psamathe said to lock you up if you tried to run!! The work’s piled sky-high, Lord Poseidon!!!”
Poor Thetis.
Poseidon was a master at slipping away from sea nymphs.
“One more sorry, Thetis. Gifts guaranteed!!!”
For the young, earnest Thetis—this was the moment a tiny seed of anger (not faith) sprouted.
“Damn it…!”
***
Poseidon suppressed his divinity and aura, transforming into a human.
He first entered ‘Corinth’, the city-state closely tied to Argos—currently ruled by Sisyphus.
“Definitely a developed nation.”
Unlike Argos, still laying its foundations, Corinth boasted high walls and disciplined soldiers conducting inspections—clear signs of superior state power.
Most striking: the abundance of peddlers.
(Poseidon was disguised as one.)
Peddlers could morph into thieves, mercenaries, or conmen—hence their poor reputation.
Other city-states scrutinized them thoroughly.
But Corinth’s guards only recorded face and name before letting them in.
A sign of supreme confidence in public order.
“Impressive. I’d love to see the king’s face.”
Poseidon entered Corinth without issue.
His first target: ‘Argos merchants’.
No one gathered intel like traders.
“Heard the news?”
“Which?”
“They’re tearing down Poseidon’s temple in Argos.”
“Probably rebuilding bigger. Perfect time to sell construction materials.”
“No, that’s not it…”
The merchant glanced around, then whispered.
“They’re demolishing Poseidon’s temple to build a grand one for Hera.”
“WHAT?!”
The other merchant recoiled, then scanned for Poseidon’s devotees.
“What does that even mean…?”
“Radicals in Argos say they no longer need the sea’s grace.”
“True.”
“But have you noticed? For a place supposedly cutting ties with the sea, rare ocean gems and magic reagents have increased.”
“Ah! Yes. We’re blocked by the king, but they’re flooding Athens, Thebes, Sparta…”
The merchant nodded, checking again for priests or soldiers.
“Exactly. The king’s taken heat for it—but he has a reason for banning trade.”
“What reason?”
“He said… they might be involved in something unholy. Locking up mermaids, sirens, spirit-blooded—and hunting ‘phantasmal beasts’ descended from ancient mysteries… for food.”
?!?!!
***
Poseidon confirmed the rumors in Athens, Thebes, Sparta—neutral zones limiting deep investigation.
Back at his palace, he summoned Thetis.
She arrived fuming—ready to scold him for the first time.
But the news silenced her anger.
“Thetis, investigate missing mermaids, sirens, and phantasmal beasts. Rumors say Argos is imprisoning or eating them.”
“…”
Thetis burned with rage.
‘How dare they…’
She silently prayed for forgiveness.
‘Ah… my faith was shallow. Lord Poseidon knew the gravity all along.’
“Punish this sinner.”
“…?”
Thetis quickly compiled records:
- Missing mermaids and sirens.
- Even a few ‘sea serpents’ vanished.
“Why didn’t we notice sooner?”
“Mermaids and sirens don’t form nations like fish-folk. They roam freely—absence is just marked as missing, not investigated.”
The trail ended In ‘Argos’.
“What gives them the nerve…?”
***
Meanwhile, Hera reached the same conclusion: something is wrong.
Iris’ investigation revealed:
- Suspiciously abundant ‘sea treasures’ in Argos.
- Mermaid tears, saliva, scales—powerful reagents.
- Siren voices, merman parts, sea serpent scales and teeth.
Materials even Hera could only acquire through trade—now sold openly in markets.
“This makes no sense.”
Hera sent Iris deeper—but found nothing.
As if a high god concealed it perfectly.
“I can’t find more with my power…”
Iris, frustrated, reluctantly contacted Hecate—from a prior connection.
Cost: a dragon’s shinbone.
Hecate, master of dark arts, delivered.
“The site of Hera’s new temple is odd. It’s being built to seal and hide something.”
Iris and Hecate bypassed Hera’s priests’ barriers, entering the temple.
Inside: pristine, orderly—no anomalies.
“Nothing strange…”
Iris frowned.
Hecate, in another god’s temple for the first time, spotted a powerful shamanic artifact—absent even in her own shrines.
A grotesque fusion: snake, dragon, boar tusk, goat horn—features of countless beasts.
“Iris, know what this is?”
“Pre-systematic shamanism, I think. Never seen it. Maybe Hera’s researching…?”
Iris, stumped, approached the object.
Her face froze.
“What in the—!”
An item completely unrelated to Hera sat in her temple.
Hecate caught Iris’ shock.
“Not Lady Hera’s?”
“No. Unknown magic… something powerful.”