Chapter 14 Dicttis
Argos, Lower Town.
The area near the sea was inhabited by the poor; they were far less wealthy than ordinary citizens, but their social status far surpassed that of slaves...
This forces them to work desperately to maintain their semblance of respectability and prevent them from being branded as slaves and falling into that untouchable, bottomless abyss because they cannot pay the kingdom's heavy taxes.
Dick was one of them.
The chaotic and filthy shantytowns were no cleaner than cowsheds or horse stables. The muddy roads were covered with human and animal excrement, and only by being careful could one avoid getting the filth on one's ankles.
"Haha, back empty-handed again, Dick?"
Dick carried an empty fishing net, followed by a little boy of about four or five years old. The little boy was holding a sea fish that was only the size of his arm and followed his father timidly.
"Don't even mention it. Nothing to show for it. We cast our nets several times and all we got was this one fish."
"We haven't even recouped the money we spent on renting fishing boats."
Dick sighed and complained.
"That son of a bitch, Poseidon..."
Perseus tugged at his father's sleeve, signaling him to watch his mouth.
"Haha, serves you right for having a good time at the bar the other day."
"There were so many fish those days, you could easily fill a whole bag!"
"If you ask me, you should sell this little bastard right away..."
"Maybe I can exchange it for some money and buy a decent fishing boat..."
The man hadn't finished speaking.
Dick punched the man hard on the bridge of his nose.
The intense pain caused the man to cover his nose and back away, staring in horror at Dick's sudden outburst.
At that moment, Dick stared fiercely at the man and said through gritted teeth, each word distinct and deliberate:
"You...you mother...you're the bastard!"
"Perseus..."
"It's...my son!"
"No one... can take it away!"
The man, clutching his bleeding nose, glared angrily at Dick and roared:
"Okay, okay... Dick, I've been fucking lenient with you these past few days!"
"Does he really think he's some kind of pathetic, down-on-his-luck prince...?"
"You just wait, I'll have someone come and deal with you right now!"
After saying that, the man turned and left in a hurry.
Dick watched the man's figure disappear into the shantytown before slowly loosening his clenched fists, his palms turning slightly white.
He turned to look at little Perseus, who was standing obediently to the side, and quickly bent down to hug and comfort him.
"Perseus, it's alright..."
"You are my son, never some bastard..."
Little Perseus was always well-behaved; he replied in his childish voice, "I'm fine, Daddy..."
However, his gaze lingered on the departing figure of the person he had just seen.
He spoke up inexplicably:
"But he's about to die..."
...
Dick's shack was very clean; a few sturdy wooden poles supported the entire structure, planks salvaged from abandoned, stranded ships served as doors, windows, and a roof, while a few pieces of non-waterproof canvas were strung around the exterior for wind and dust protection...
Dick led young Perseus home, and when he opened the door, he was startled to see three burly men standing in his house.
One was a middle-aged man, wearing a gray cloak. The most striking feature was the long scar running through the corner of his eye. A sword hung at his waist, which did not seem to be the bronze short sword commonly seen in the kingdom, but rather an iron long sword.
The other man was tall and wore golden bronze armor. A spear and a bronze shield hung behind him, and a red cloak reached his calves. He looked like a general who had just finished a battle.
When Dick looked at the last person's face, his eyes lit up, and he exclaimed in surprise—
"Yara!"
"Hey, it's you?!"
Yara smiled upon seeing this, stepped forward and gave his 'brother,' whom he had become acquainted with over a drink, a big hug. He said, "We didn't have a very enjoyable time drinking that day. I think if we have the chance, we should go to the tavern again!"
Dick was overjoyed... but when he saw that Yara had changed into clean, not cheap clothes, and that the robes bore the seal of the Argos royal family... he froze.
Dick immediately became stiff and his expression towards Yara became unusually respectful... He attempted to bow and address her respectfully, "Yara... Your... Sir..."
Dick didn't know what Yara had gone through after that day, but seeing Yara dressed in royal robes, he could roughly guess... Yara had probably been given an important position by the King of Argos.
Dick wasn't jealous, or rather, he was genuinely happy for his friend's success... However, he was even more aware of his own situation and status... He was a fisherman who couldn't afford to eat or wear, and couldn't even pay his taxes!
That respect is not only a clear understanding of one's own situation, but also a form of protection...
He was not alone; he also had Perseus.
He is only five years old.
That address of "My lord" sent a chill down Yara's spine...
He grabbed Dick's hands, manually rejecting Dick's gesture, and looked at Dick with sincere eyes, saying earnestly:
"No... what should you call me?"
Dick saw the sincerity in Yara's eyes; he seemed never to have changed...
Instantly, Dick's restraint vanished, and he laughed loudly, shouting—
"brother!"
Yara then smiled as well.
Dick glanced at the two extraordinary-looking individuals beside him and asked in confusion, "Who are these two?"
Yara explained, "Two golden warriors from under the command of the King of Argos..."
"The one wielding the longsword is called Tyr, a legendary swordsman."
"And the strong one was named Pan, a Spartan, an all-around warrior."
Dick was startled upon hearing this and instantly felt awe towards the two warriors.
However, at the same time, he became even more curious. He looked at Yara and asked, "Brother, what exactly have you been doing these past few days?"
"The king sent these two to protect you?"
Yara smiled upon hearing this and, without further suspense, explained, "I am going to slay... the Nemean Lion."
Dick was greatly shocked.
He returned from fishing at dusk, and along the way he heard similar rumors that the King of Argos had summoned the strongest warrior to once again slay the Nemean Lion... Little did he know, the warrior in those rumors who slayed the lion...
It was Yara right in front of me.
But his astonishment was not over yet.
The rays of the setting sun shone through the dilapidated window, illuminating the dim shack...
All I saw was...
Yala reached out her hand and extended an invitation to him.
He said:
"Dicktis, my friend…"
"Would you be willing to travel with me to the north of Nemea...?"
"To slay the legendary lion monster..."
"Join me in experiencing something unprecedented—"
"A legendary journey!"
Dick was stunned at first, then couldn't help but tremble all over...
It felt as if I were personally present at the scene of a legendary story that I had only heard about from bards.
He, Dick, had nothing and accomplished nothing.
As a child, he was powerless to stop the invasion of his homeland, forced to watch helplessly as his family was killed one by one, his country destroyed, and his home destroyed... He mingled among the refugees and arrived in Argos, where he used the fishing skills he had secretly learned as a child to gain a foothold in the lower city and avoid being branded as a slave...
Five years ago, he found an abandoned baby washed ashore by the sea... and cherished him like a treasure, raising him alone. However, due to his poverty, he could only afford to feed the infant intermittently, forcing him to spend his childhood in tragedy...
He felt terribly guilty, but was powerless... Even though he had tried his best, he could never climb out of the lower city of Argos...
Grief drove him to alcoholism and foul language; repeated failures in the selection of warriors turned the former prince into a castrated bull, stripped of all his strength...
He had thought that he would just drift through life aimlessly, and if God were to be on his side, perhaps he could raise Perseus to adulthood, which would make his life worthwhile...
However, now, a man named 'Yara' has suddenly entered his world and is drinking and chatting with him.
He was poorer than me, but he was full of fighting spirit.
He suffered many times more than I did, but that still couldn't extinguish his hope...
He saw a certain quality in Yara...
This quality enabled Yara to endure any hardship.
And in the midst of hardship, they unleashed boundless fighting spirit and strength...
And now, at this very moment...
The man named Yara extended his hand to him, extending an invitation.
Say, let's go on an adventure!
Go kill that monster...
Go and become a person of dignity...
Go and become a legend admired by thousands—
How could he possibly refuse?
Dick reached out, his hand trembling, and clasped Yara's hand.
That moment.
In that dimly lit, dusty, and simple shack.
In those dark ages, before any heroes had appeared.
The story has already begun.
Until it becomes an epic, until it becomes part of that immortal scroll,
The record is a very brief line—
[Dixtis, who once accompanied the Messiah...]
...