Three days passed.

The ship had left the port of Piraeus, passed through island after island, and begun sailing across the vast, beautiful Aegean Sea. Hild had been aboard for three days. When she looked out over the boundless sea and saw that not a single ship remained in sight, she realized the moment was drawing near. So, early on the third morning, Hild said to Sophia, “Sophia, stay in this cabin today. Don’t go anywhere, understand?”

“Yes, but why?”

“Just do as I say. Don’t ask why.”

Hild gently caressed Sophia’s cheek.

“Remember, absolutely do not come out.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Sophia didn’t seem to realize what was happening, but Hild didn’t want her to witness anything too bloody. Meanwhile, outside the cabin, several soldiers stood at the bow. They were hoplites from Athens, dressed in matching linen armor and armed with bronze shields and spears. In Athens, each soldier had to pay for his own weapons and armor. Anyone who could afford the expensive hoplite gear came from a wealthy Athenian family.

And now, they were huddled together like thieves, discussing something vile.

“Diodes, I disagree with you.”

A particularly tall man spoke with anger in his face.

“We may have to kill Miss Hild, but we can’t dishonor her.”

“Amyntas, you’re being way too rigid. We’re out at sea, and you’ve seen how beautiful Hild is. You couldn’t find a woman like her even in the best brothel in Athens. I’d say Miss Hild is the most beautiful woman in all of Greece—and now she’s at our mercy. And that Sophia, too. She’s a slave, but puts on such a cold, proud front. I’ve never liked her. One look at that red hair and I knew she had to be that Carthaginian whore. They say Carthaginian women are the most eager to please in the brothels. Wonder if it’s true.”

The man named Diodes lowered his voice.

The hoplites beside him kept nodding.

“We’re all going to die anyway. No harm in having some fun first.”

“Exactly, Amyntas. If you won’t agree, then stand aside and watch.”

“The gods will punish you! The gods are watching us from Mount Olympus! If they learn of your depraved plans, they’ll bring down divine retribution!” Amyntas was furious. He couldn’t believe his comrades were such vile men—that they planned to assault Hild and Sophia before killing them. Amyntas was a devout soldier. He would never allow it, and he would never stand by and do nothing.

“Are you determined to stop us?”

As he spoke, Diodes’ face turned menacing.

The others put their hands on the swords at their waists.

“Amyntas, I know you’re one of the best warriors in Athens. But we’ve made up our minds, and you alone can’t take on all six of us. If you want to play the righteous hero, go ahead—but don’t stand between us and our fun. Otherwise, you’ll end up just like Hild, thrown into the sea to feed the sharks!” Diodes had made himself perfectly clear. If Amyntas kept resisting, a bloody fight was inevitable.

Just then, Hild’s bell-like laughter rang out behind them.

“What are you all playing?”

“M-Miss Hild!”

Amyntas turned around, suddenly at a loss for what to do.

Hild wore the same innocent smile she’d had when she first boarded the ship, the very picture of an sheltered young lady. Her voice was as sweet as honey. Amyntas’ heart sank. He couldn’t bear the thought of this girl, as beautiful as a goddess, being defiled by these vulgar louts. Diodes shoved Amyntas aside and approached Hild with a leering grin. “Dear Miss Hild, I’m afraid you don’t understand the situation you’re in.”

“Oh, I know.”

Hild smiled gently and pointed to her ear.

“I heard everything.”

“What? Y-You heard everything?”

“That’s right. You’re planning to kill me and throw me into the sea for the sharks—but before that, you want to assault me. How cruel of you, to target a helpless fifteen-year-old girl. You’re all supposedly upstanding citizens of Athens, the sort who’d gladly kill a criminal with your own hands. But now you’ve turned into the worst kind of criminals yourselves. How frightening.” Hild hugged herself, putting on an exaggeratedly frightened expression. “What are you going to do to me? How are you going to hurt me? Have you already come up with so many ideas that you can’t choose? I’m so scared.”

Hild had gone from acting like a proper young lady to saying things like that.

Everyone there, Amyntas included, was stunned.

But then the fear Hild had deliberately put on her face gradually faded. In its place came her familiar smile—the warm, cheerful expression that made people let their guard down.

“Miss Hild, since you—you already know, if you cooperate, I’ll make it less painful for you. Or the six of us could make sure you don’t survive what we do to you.” Diodes was the first to recover. He gave a sickening leer and started toward Hild. “And your slave—what was her name again? Oh… Sophia. That Carthaginian woman. Tell her to come join us too…”

“Wait a moment.”

Hild raised one finger.

“I don’t care what you think about me.”

Hild’s smile grew even wider.

“But Sophia is mine. You set your sights on her, so now I have to care. It’s a shame, really. I hate it when people covet what’s mine. Once, an ant touched one of my favorite toys, so I smashed it to pieces.” As she spoke, the crimson light in Hild’s eyes grew brighter. In her shining pupils, the stars began to whirl faster and faster around their center.

A power unlike anything before erupted from Hild.

“Aah—! Kill her!”

Seeing that something was wrong, Diodes immediately drew his sword and swung at Hild.

But at that moment, the ship suddenly struck something with a deafening crash. It lurched violently, and the soldiers on deck lost their balance. One hoplite fell hard and was flung overboard. Hild, however, stood as if on solid ground, her feet planted firmly on the deck.

But now Hild looked confused, too.

“I-Is it a sea monster?”