Type-Moon Simulation: Conquering Greek Goddesses from the Start! Chapter 8

[Her face lit up with a pleasant smile.]

[At the same time, she left you with that beautiful smile at the very end, one that seemed to hold more than just friendship.]

[The Argo sailed onward toward Colchis.]

[Along the way, you encountered all manner of trials.]

[You hunted down the Siren, struck down the Harpies.]

[On the Virginia Coast, you faced the six-armed giant Geryon—three heads, six arms, towering like a mountain.]

[You were the first to cleanly sever the giant's head.]

[Orpheus played his lyre, plunging the giants into confusion; Heracles drew his bow and effortlessly pierced them through; Atalanta shot out every giant's eyes.]

[Geryon could not stop your advance.]

[After defeating the Geryon giants, you chose to rest by the coast. The starving heroes all turned their gazes to you as one.]

[Even though these heroes feared no hardship,]

[they knew nothing of cooking. The exquisite culinary skills you had honed over years of caring for a goddess conquered every hero's stomach.]

[After tasting your food, even the stern Heracles would give you a satisfied smile.]

"Whoa! So good! Too good! I'm so stuffed I can't eat another bite—this kind of deliciousness must be reserved for the gods alone! Moran! You really are my awesome bro, just as handsome as me!"

Jason gave Moran a thumbs-up.

His smug expression seemed to say, "You all get to enjoy this feast thanks to yours truly."

[Atalanta shot Jason a disdainful glare.]

[Peleus wordlessly turned his head away.]

[Heracles handed his bowl to Moran, asking for seconds.]

[Clearly, that captain had no status aboard the Argo—everyone knew the credit for the food belonged to you.]

ps: Last chapter added a picture of Atalanta—feel free to check it out.

Also, begging for your monthly tickets and flowers! Onegai! This author will do anything (crying)!

Chapter 10: Melancholy Offered to the Moon Goddess [Begging for flowers! Begging for monthly tickets!]

"Hey hey hey! What's with those looks! I'm the one who brings out your best talents! So obviously, the biggest credit goes to me, right!?"

"Yeah, yeah, you're the best."

"Right? See, I knew it...!"

[Noisy laughter rang out across the deck.]

[The heroes chatted as usual, while you alone went to the stern, letting the sea breeze wash over you as you gazed at the ocean.]

[Quietly, you sensed someone approaching.]

[It was Atalanta.]

"Honestly, those idiots—don't they know that once you start talking back to that fool Jason, he'll get so cocky he won't know his place?"

"Heh, that's just how he is. Atalanta, not interested in hanging around those big men? Care to join me here?"

"Is that not allowed?"

[Atalanta stepped forward with the grace of a cat.]

[She sat down naturally beside you.]

[As if recalling something, she glanced at you, a charming blush spreading across her cheeks.]

[During the hunt for the Siren, Atalanta and half the heroes had fallen into a trance, ensnared by the Siren's song.]

[With your strong Magic Resistance, you had withstood the bewitching melody.]

[When Atalanta opened her eyes, the handsome face she saw was full of concern—she had been held in your arms at that moment.]

[She thought back to that day once more.]

It seemed that from that day on, everything had changed.

Gazing up at the flawless full moon reflected on the sea, her heart no longer held only reverence for the beloved goddess.

Beyond that, there was a strange, surging emotion she couldn't understand.

Nor did she know how to vent the growing ache in her chest.

She couldn't help but feel as if her heart might burst.

If she didn't press her hand to her face, it felt like her cheeks would burn away.

Yet it wasn't unpleasant.

An indescribable radiance filled her entire chest.

A numbing fullness flowed from her neck back up into her brain—a completely unknown sensation.

Joy mingled with anxiety and fear.

"I thought you'd keep avoiding me, and once these fools on the ship figured out we're just pretending to be a couple, you'd be swarmed by suitors again."

Moran spoke in a light, conversational tone.

That day, when he'd faced the Siren, he'd been startled to realize that Atalanta was the first person on his mind.

Before his thoughts could catch up.

He'd already pulled her into his arms to protect her.

He knew they were a fake couple.

He respected the Vow of Chastity Atalanta had once sworn, while still holding onto thoughts of The Invisible Island.

So many women lingering in his heart.

Was he being too greedy?

"Pretending, huh..."

Atalanta's tone seemed to dip slightly.

Moran didn't catch that subtle shift.

She didn't even notice it herself.

"You're always staring at the sea like this..."

"Well, no matter where I am, the view of this sea is almost the same as when I looked at it from the island where I grew up. Don't laugh at me—just think of it as a bit of homesickness..."

"Slaying giants, hunting down monsters.

A peerless hero like you—I never thought I'd see you show such a melancholic side."

Atalanta said this teasingly.

But in truth, she was constantly suppressing her feelings.

[Never stopping, never falling]

[In her eyes, you, who crush every obstacle to reach your goal, are as straight as an arrow loosed from a bow]

[She thought there must be something wrong with her]

[That night, after finishing her conversation with you, Atalanta went alone to the stern and clasped her hands together]

[Once again, she offered a prayer to the Moon Goddess]

[Ever since the incident with the Siren, Atalanta's prayers had grown more frequent. Far beyond what an ordinary devotee would offer]

"Lady Artemis, please hear my prayer. I beseech you, great one, to guide my path and dispel my confusion... This strange feeling in my heart—what is it?"

Atalanta clasped her hands together with utmost piety.

She bowed her head toward the bright, full moon.

Unable to face this unknown within her, the lost girl could only place her faith in her divine patron.

[Perhaps it was an emotion too deep]

[Or maybe just a simple coincidence]

[The Moon Goddess, reflected on the surface of the celestial sphere, sensed it. She perceived this starlike radiance]

[Though it was only a faint glimmer]

[In the darkness, it shone all the more brilliantly]

"Oh? Isn't that the child I adopted back in Arcadia? My, praying so devoutly every day! Wonderful! Among all my followers, she's one of the best!"

Artemis said with great satisfaction.

Sensing the immense energy contained within this prayer, she decided not to brush it off lightly.

She examined it carefully.

Her own child was praying so earnestly.

As a goddess so fervently worshipped, Artemis occasionally had to show the proper demeanor of a deity.

Yet this prayer was different from ordinary ones.

It was an unknown she could not probe.

"Huh? What's this...?"

Artemis had assumed it would be like a typical prayer.

Human prayers were mostly requests for her to do something.

And when she found a favored follower, she would bestow divine blessings.

If it were a hunter, she would let them hunt a rare mythical beast.

If it were an ordinary person, she would grant a blessing that they would never suffer from illness for life.

Making someone a hero was also well within her power.

With domains over hunting, nature, war, and healing, she could naturally bestow such blessings.

Yet, this time, Artemis could not decide.

Even after consulting the data of the Machine Gods.

Listening to the prayers of her believers, laced with emotions unknown to her, was also a blind spot for Artemis.

Curiosity, confusion, worry.

She felt every emotion within Atalanta's heart.

Surprised that they burned so fiercely.

Even as a goddess, she could not find an answer, and her desire to uncover the truth would not let her rest easily.

The cause of all this was that man.

A fellow crew member of the Argo alongside Atalanta, a peculiar man named Moran.

"Since that child is lost because of this man, I just need to figure him out~! Mmhm, the database gives no answer, but I'll get to the bottom of it!"

Artemis nodded in satisfaction.

The Moon Goddess had been drawn by Atalanta's prayers, and her gaze ultimately fixed upon one man.

This bond was so strange that.

Moran himself probably never saw it coming.

PS: Is anyone reading this? Could you make a sound? If it's too quiet, the author gets a bit anxious writing.