Her long, straight legs—slender and free of an ounce of excess fat—were pressed together. The exposed skin gleamed with a warm, pearly ivory whiteness, smooth and flawless. And there, right before Amyntas, was the girl’s delicate figure, her beauty too great for even the nine Muses to sing of. Amyntas’s heart lurched. Then he sat bolt upright.
“Lady Hilde, I…”
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
Right now, Hilde’s concern did nothing to make Amyntas happy.
The sight of Hilde transformed into a demon just wouldn’t leave Amyntas’s mind. And now she was sitting in front of him, greeting him as if nothing had happened. He had no idea what he was supposed to do. Amyntas raised his head and glanced around. The other hoplites and archers aboard the ship had all been tied up, and none of them had woken yet. Looking closely, he realized he was the only one who hadn’t been bound.
“I know what you want to say.”
Hilde sighed softly, looking a little melancholy.
“I didn’t tie you up because you were the only one who refused to insult Sophia and me.”
“My lady…”
“I heard every word you said.” Hilde smiled sweetly. The moment Amyntas saw that smile, his heart began racing. For someone like him, who was obsessed with the art of war and had always longed to face the Spartans on the battlefield, this was a first. Meanwhile, Hilde’s smile grew even wider. “And besides, you didn’t see anything just now, did you? You passed out when the Siren arrived, and only just woke up, right?”
“I… I…”
Amyntas wanted to find out
whether the images in his mind were real.
But when he looked at Hilde’s smile, he felt a chill deep inside, despite how beautiful it was. Amyntas knew that if it had all really happened, Hilde—who had easily killed the legendary Siren—would never let him off lightly. She might do the same to him, turning him into a pool of blood in agony. But Amyntas wasn’t afraid of death. He didn’t know why, but even knowing Hilde might be the demon of legend, he still felt drawn to her.
A girl whose fate had dealt her blow after blow.
A ship bound for death.
What a captivating legend.
Now Amyntas couldn’t help imagining what might happen once Hilde reached Byzantium. Perhaps she really would survive there and go on to accomplish great things. And if he chose to follow her, he could be the hero at her side—someone like Jason beside Medea. After thinking it over, Amyntas finally spoke. “I… I didn’t see anything.”
“Good, good.”
Hilde’s smile didn’t fade, but the killing intent vanished.
“What about that guy, Diodotes?”
“Him? The Siren ate him.”
“Serves him right.” Amyntas spat, then got to his feet.
There was no denying that Amyntas was one of the strongest warriors aboard the ship. He stood a full 1.9 meters tall, nothing like the usually short Athenians. His handsome features looked as if they’d been carved from stone, and his build radiated strength. Even the specially made Athenian linen armor he wore couldn’t hide the muscles beneath it. If Amyntas wore custom bronze muscle armor that showed them off, the effect would be truly striking.
As far as Hilde was concerned, Amyntas had been given the task of killing her, and he was the sort of person who was quick to feel guilty. He must have felt guilty about what he’d been ordered to do. Hilde also knew she couldn’t use her power too often. She had to save it for the most critical moments, when she needed it to stay alive. If too many people saw her in this form, she’d probably have to wander the world with Sophia.
So Hilde needed allies.
And Amyntas and his men were the best candidates.
Hilde did the math. Excluding Diodotes, whom she’d thrown into the sea to feed the sharks, there were still ten Athenian hoplites and thirty Athenian archers aboard. Athens’s army might not be as well equipped as Sparta’s, but it was still formidable—more than enough to deal with barbarians or bandits. If these men could be made to work for her, they’d give her a solid foundation in the early days. What’s more, Hilde had two thousand drachmae on hand, enough to recruit dozens of mercenaries.
Then Hilde turned to Amyntas.
“Amyntas, I have a request.”
“…Please, go ahead, my lady.”
“My father wants me dead. Do you agree with that?”
“My lady, I… I’m ashamed. As a warrior, I swore to Athena that I would defend Athens and protect its citizens. Yet in the end, I was going to raise my blade against an unarmed woman. Before, I had to obey because the archon had given the order. But now I’ve come to my senses. I won’t become the murderer who helps a father kill his daughter. My lady, tell me what you need. If there’s anything I can do to help, I, Amyntas, will do everything in my power!”
“Thank you.”
Hilde smiled faintly and pointed to the people on deck.
“You’re the strongest person here. Once I reach Byzantium, I’ll need protection. I hear the city is caught up in war. Its mother city, Miletus, is in turmoil both within and without, and its power has greatly declined. Miletus is preparing to decide whether to withdraw its support for Byzantium. If Byzantium loses Miletus’s support, the Thracians will surely seize the city once it’s run out of supplies and ammunition. And then, naturally… everything will be lost. My father may have mentioned Byzantium in passing, but his real aim was to have you kill me and throw me into the sea to feed the sharks. I knew that before we even boarded.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Amyntas hadn’t expected Hilde to know everything.
Then why had she boarded the ship so cheerfully?
“Still, I want to go to Byzantium.”
“My lady, you said yourself that Byzantium is dangerous. If you wish, our ship can take us to Miletus, where your mother, Aspasia, is. I’m sure the lady will protect you there.”
“But if I go to Miletus, all of you will die. Pericles would never let you live, because this would ruin his reputation.”
