He was worried about Frondier, but he was talking about Telephus's well-being.
Did that mean Frondier had gone easy on Telephus during their fight?
‘Is this human arrogance? No, but that look……’
Frondier's face was at ease. He seemed genuinely relieved that Telephus was not hurt.
[……Then what do you mean you had a little spar with Heracles?]
“Heracles seemed to be intrigued by my battle with Telephus. He asked me to hit him with my strongest attack.”
[……And?]
Poseidon was hearing an incredibly interesting story for the first time in a while.
The possibility that Frondier might be stronger than Telephus. It was something he had never imagined.
Frondier shook his head with a wry smile.
“It was nothing much. I just grazed him a little.”
[……You grazed him? Are you sure about that?]
“Yes? Yes, I am.”
[Let me ask you again. Are you saying you grazed Heracles? You didn't mistake it for his clothes tearing, did you?]
“It was not a mistake.”
[How can you be so sure?]
“Because, when you get hurt, you bleed, right? So,”
[He bled?!]
In the end, Poseidon could not maintain his composure and shouted.
[Are you saying Heracles bled?!]
“Th-That's right.”
At that, even Frondier stepped back a little, flustered.
Ignoring him, Poseidon quickly racked his confused brain.
‘He wounded Heracles……? A wound that drew blood?’
Of course, Frondier had Mjölnir. Poseidon knew that.
But that alone wasn't enough.
Simply throwing Mjölnir wouldn't be enough to wound Heracles.
Mjölnir was a powerful weapon befitting the weapon of the Lord, but it was still a weapon. It was not a god itself.
Heracles performed feats on this earth that were no different from a god's. Even if he looked human to the naked eye, there was an insurmountable gap between him and humans.
And he had wounded such a Heracles.
This meant that Poseidon had to completely revise his assessment of Frondier's power.
‘No. Maybe Frondier is lying.’
Poseidon looked at Frondier.
However, Frondier's face was not that of a liar.
Poseidon only knew Frondier as a faithful pilgrim.
He did not know that he was actually a steel wall who showed no sign of guilt, not even the size of a pimple, no matter what lie he told.
‘If that's true.’
He wanted him.
Poseidon was starting to desire Frondier.
Before, he was just a little envious of Thor, but now it was different.
The power to wound Heracles. The faithfulness to sail to an unknownland according to the will of an oracle.
Frondier was sure to make his mark on the history of this land. He had only met him twice today, but Poseidon was certain.
And the god that such a hero believed in would be elevated to an even higher existence.
“Lord Poseidon. I came here today to tell you one more thing.”
Just then, Frondier spoke quickly.
“Do you, by any chance, know of the existence of the Golden Apple?”
[……The Golden Apple?]
This question was Frondier's attempt to confirm the connection to the myth.
If the current situation was based on the Golden Apple, did the Golden Apple actually exist?
The Golden Apple that was originally intended to be given to the most beautiful goddess.
So, according to the results of the vote taking place in the Palma capital, would there be some kind of reward for the one who received the most votes?
‘But judging by the fact that no one has mentioned it so far, the Golden Apple is probably just a motif, and…’
[I do.]
Poseidon's answer completely contradicted Frondier's thoughts.
[You've investigated that far. As expected, you are excellent.]
Now that Poseidon wanted to win Frondier over to his side, he became generous with his praise.
But Frondier was busy trying to hide his trembling eyes.
‘You've investigated that far, what does that mean?’
[I told you before. There are gods bound to this land.]
“……You did. You said you would tell me about those gods if I brought Heracles.”
[The task of bringing Heracles still stands. In the meantime, I will tell you about the bound gods.]
“But I have failed to bring Heracles.”
[If you don't complete that task, it will be delayed indefinitely.]
“……You are right.”
It sounded plausible, but in reality, he just wanted to keep giving Frondier oracles to draw him in.
[One of the gods bound to this land.]
Poseidon thought as he spoke.
Who would be the most appropriate god for Frondier to meet?
A god who wouldn't be too difficult for the faithful Frondier to meet, and who wouldn't needlessly compete with him for Frondier's attention, as they had no interest in human power. Besides, Frondier had asked about the Golden Apple.
As expected, there was only one.
[Go and see Aphrodite.]
“…….”
Frondier had to answer.
But even holding back his trembling was difficult enough.
‘……See Aphrodite?’
She was in Agoris right now?
[Why do you look like that?]
“Ah, it's nothing. I was just overwhelmed with emotion at the thought of meeting the Goddess of Beauty.”
Frondier responded reflexively. It was a plausible excuse.
[Hahaha. You're a man after all. I can imagine you would be excited.]
“……Where is she?”
[She likes humans and enjoys being close to them, so when she was wounded like me, she probably…]
As Frondier listened to Poseidon's words, he couldn't help but think, no way.
No way, no way.
And Poseidon said the very thing he was dreading.
[…was in the capital. Palma, wasn't it?]
“……I see.”
The Golden Apple and the three goddesses.
He had believed that the devil was pretending to be a god. And he wasn't wrong.
He wasn't wrong, but there was something he didn't know.
‘Hera and Aphrodite. At least Aphrodite is not a devil's imitation, but the real deal. That is…’
The war between gods and devils.
It wasn't just the devils who wanted this, but Aphrodite as well.
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