Chapter 172: The Calydonian Boar Hunt (14)
Meleager roamed the palace, cutting down many of its inhabitants.
They had been his maids, his knights, the palace steward, the gardeners, the cleaners.
Someone might ask:
How could he possibly kill them all?
Perhaps with time, they could have been treated. Or perhaps he could have begged forgiveness from Lady Artemis.
But Meleager was not only the next king of Calydon—he was also a soldier sworn to protect its people.
Even with the help of the heroes, he judged it impossible to subdue them all.
Some heroes had already fallen; others had fled.
Moreover, according to Atalanta’s warning and the mage’s advice, this transformation had come from Artemis’s blessing.
Who on this earth would dare curse or revoke a blessing bestowed by Artemis herself? That would be an insult to the goddess.
And Meleager understood something else: that proud goddess would never withdraw her blessing just because a mortal begged for mercy.
Even if she changed her mind and showed compassion, the palace doors—sealed by Atalanta’s quick thinking—would soon be breached. The blessing would spread across all of Calydon.
Those who had escaped the banquet hall would do anything to flee the palace.
In a single day, Calydon would be reduced to the same ruin as the palace itself.
So in this desperate moment, Meleager drew the best possible picture he could imagine.
Having traversed the entire palace, he arrived at the grand hall—the most magnificent chamber, the throne room—where the strongest presence still emanated.
One arm was already gone. His internal mana circuits were shredded to the point he could no longer emit power.
Yet Meleager straightened his remaining arm and pointed it toward the distant figure seated on the throne—his father, King Oeneus.
Oeneus appeared untouched by the blessing—perfectly intact.
If anything, he seemed even stronger, as though the blessing had elevated him to a higher level.
But Meleager knew.
His father had already twisted beyond recognition.
“Father… it seems our history ends here. I will carry the memory of all our mistakes and sins.”
Meleager murmured toward his father, who stared blankly at him, and poured the last of his mana into his sword.
Now fully realized in concept, his mana blazed into visibility according to his will.
The concept Meleager had completed in this battle—‘Memory’—was the embodiment of his vow never to forget a single person dying in the palace.
With that, his final mana surged outward, enveloping the entire hall.
Perhaps this act—saturating the whole chamber with his mana—was the last duty given to him.
“Still… at least there’s some comfort. For whatever reason, my sisters are safe.”
At first, he had feared he might have to cut down his beloved younger sisters—Melanippe, Eurymede, Gorge, Deianeira—with his own hands.
But fortunately, they were sleeping peacefully, as though in a sweet dream.
As if someone had protected them.
“Yes… whoever you are, I owe you a debt I can never repay. And judging by Mother’s room being in chaos but with no signs of her death… she may have already escaped safely.”
Unlike his sisters, his mother’s chambers were in ruins—but there were no traces of murder. She was likely safe.
Any other possibility… he refused to consider right now.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Meleager climbed the steps to the throne, recalling memories that would at least let his father die with peace of mind.
Both he and his father were warriors—unlike powerless women, they had always lived prepared to die at any moment.
With these memories, his father could face Hades without shame.
When Meleager reached the throne, Oeneus—who had sat blankly as though mindless—finally reacted.
[I am the greatest king! Among all the kings of Calydon!!]
With those words, Oeneus shed his human skin and began to twist grotesquely.
A massive worm-like body covered in the faces of Calydon’s past kings. In his hand, he gripped the black spear—Meleager’s chosen weapon—now enlarged to an enormous size.
Wherever the worm-like body touched, everything rotted and decayed.
“…How could you harbor such hideous desires? You were already a great king.”
Meleager had expected this. He felt no shock.
He had seen too many twisted forms while cutting through the palace. He understood why they had become this way.
He looked at his father with sorrow.
But sorrow did not mean he could leave him be.
If the monster that was once his father began to move, the innocent citizens of Calydon—still unaware—would be massacred.
The blessing might spread and turn them all into such creatures.
“So… we must fulfill our duty as royalty. Father—go on ahead to Hades. Letting you meet your end with dignity is the least a son can do. As you taught me: a warrior must face death proudly.”
Slash!
***
With his resolve hardened, Meleager’s mana enveloped the entire hall just as Oeneus charged toward him.
Crunch!
But with a sound like something being crushed, half of the monster that had once been Oeneus vanished.
Neither Meleager—acting on instinct—nor the mindless Oeneus had anticipated it.
The one who appeared in that instant was a monster with writhing black hair.
This creature had Toxeus and Plexippus—his uncles—impaled and dangling from its body. Half its flesh was torn away, yet it was the very woman Meleager had searched the palace for: the one who had protected his sisters, the one who had given him hope that his mother had escaped safely.
“…The log… I will… protect… my… child…”
The words that emerged from the monster’s mouth carried a depth of desperate longing that no mindless beast should have possessed.
At those words, even Meleager—who had stood firm until now—could no longer hold himself together.
“Mother…!”
***
Long before Meleager had roamed the palace and entered the throne room—
The mage, crushed and reduced to a bloody puddle, revived in perfect condition.
“Terrifying. I knew Artemis’s blessing granted power according to desire, but to think a mother’s will to protect her child could unleash this level of strength… How cruel. Truly cruel, Artemis.”
—Indeed… divine intervention is always cruel and violent.
“Atropos, I’m only watching because you told me not to interfere. But driving Meleager to this point just for the growth of heroes… that’s vicious.”
—Well… isn’t that a human perspective? I am the one who regulates the world. If anything, you are the problem. Do you plan to meddle in every tragedy in existence? You can’t keep covering up and comforting every mistake forever.
“…I don’t like it, but I believe every mistake deserves a chance.”
—Haa… we’ll never agree on this. So for once, I’d appreciate it if you’d follow the opinion of us Fates.
“…….”
Poseidon didn’t reply to Atropos’s final words.
She hadn’t expected one anyway, and the communication cut off.
After a long silence, deep in thought, Poseidon followed the trail of devastation that stretched from the queen’s chambers onward.
Even though the Fates had reached their consensus, he intended to watch until the very end.
As a god, he knew many things… but in this state where he couldn’t act freely, he wondered if there was still a way to give the boy a chance.
***
Atalanta and the other four remained inside the palace.
Meleager had told them to flee, but they had decided to see the tragic end of this ordeal through to its conclusion.
Though their bond was short, they acknowledged Meleager’s ability and trusted him as a comrade. Whatever his final fate, they would bear witness.
“And if we can… we’ll help him.”
“Yeah. Never thought I’d hear that from you first, Theseus. But you’re right.”
“More importantly—is there really no way to stop Meleager from having to kill more palace people?”
“Well… Ancaeus and Jason both shook their heads, so…”
“Ah! Atalanta—what about your Master? He’s a rare battle mage, and his realm is incredible.”
Atalanta’s expression darkened at Jason’s question. She shook her head.
She had been trying to reach him constantly since earlier—but there was no response from her Master.
“Tch. Are you sure you weren’t just scammed, Atalanta? All that bragging about your Master, and the moment it got dangerous he ran off.”
“…Master would never do that. Not after the short time we’ve known each other.”
“Jason, you really need to sew that mouth shut.”
At Jason’s words, Atalanta grew even more despondent. She was already down about Meleager’s situation—now it felt like even her Master had abandoned her.
(‘Did Master… really run away…?’)
Just as Atalanta wrestled with doubt—
Crackle.
—Atalanta, can you hear me?
“Ah! Master!!”
—Yes, it’s your Master.
“Waaah! I thought you abandoned me… Jason kept calling you a coward and a runaway…”
“Hey! When did I—?!”
Poseidon could already picture the situation perfectly from Atalanta’s tearful voice—even without seeing it.
Probably that chatterbox Jason opened his mouth again.
—I always told you, didn’t I? Stay away from that loose-tongued chick.
“…You did say that.”
“What?! So that’s why you suddenly started keeping your distance from me—”
—Shut up. You’re too loud.
Poseidon cast a spell through the communication to seal Jason’s mouth.
“Mmph!!”
—Listen carefully. The trial Meleager is facing right now involves direct intervention from a god other than Artemis. That’s why even I couldn’t do anything.
“““…….”””
Led by Atalanta, the heroes fell silent at Poseidon’s words.
The situation was far more serious than they had imagined.
—So I’d like to tell you to leave the palace right now. Fortunately, those who still have their sanity have fully digested the blessing, so it won’t spread to you. You’ll just be stronger for a few days. There’s no real harm in running away. You don’t have to keep beating senseless the people trying to flee the sealed palace entrances like you’ve been doing.
At Poseidon’s words, the heroes sank into deep thought. They valued their lives too—they knew getting involved here was foolish. Yet even so, they wanted to help Meleager.
That was why they had stationed themselves at the entrances, knocking out or subduing anyone trying to escape.
If even that became impossible, they would have gone inside themselves to sweep the palace clean.
That was how strongly they felt they needed to witness Meleager’s end.
“““No. We’re going to Meleager.”””
—…I can’t call that the right choice. But I’ll help. I only hope you won’t be swept up by the Fates.
***
When Atalanta, Jason, Theseus, Caeneus, and Ancaeus—guided by Poseidon—finally reached the throne room, what they witnessed was:
A monster in the form of a woman, her black hair writhing like living tendrils and floating as though unaffected by gravity, decorating the entire chamber. She crouched protectively over the charred log like a mother cradling her child.
Beside her knelt the weeping Meleager. Oeneus’s upper body was completely gone. Toxeus and Plexippus lay with limbs torn apart.
“…My… son…”
The woman—her limbs twisted grotesquely, half her face melted away—still cradled the charred log with tender care, as if it were the most precious thing in the world.
The heroes who entered the throne room couldn’t speak.
But one thing was clear: they understood who this woman had been protecting so fiercely.
And what that log truly represented.
“…….”
In the silence that blanketed the room, only one voice could be heard. Slowly, Meleager rose, gripping his sword.
He walked toward the woman cradling the log.
Raising the blade high to strike, he hesitated—yet strangely, she showed no reaction at all.
She simply continued to stroke the log with gentle affection.
“…….”
Meleager said nothing either.
It was as though he understood everything.
Slash!
The sword came down, severing her neck in one clean stroke.
She offered no resistance until the very end.
Her head rolled to Meleager’s feet.
When the heroes saw his expression in that moment, they knew:
In their short lives, they would never forget that look—or the scene they had just witnessed.
The final expression of a human overwhelmed by a love so vast it tore him apart.
Later, when the heroes recorded Meleager’s appearance, their words would always feel inadequate. They lamented their limited vocabulary could never fully capture what they saw.
And Poseidon—who witnessed the entire scene in real time—marveled.
A powerless woman had surpassed even the Fates’ expectations.
—Incredible. And as a god… I should bestow a blessing upon that brilliantly shining woman.
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