A Fine Catch, 3/3
Prince of Calydon led the three into the bustling hall. From the moment they entered, they greeted the heroes of various Greek city-states with fist bumps and shoulder pats, and he also introduced Atalanta and her party to them.
After the city fell, Samael adopted the name "Theseus" to better conceal himself.
He personally witnessed the sacrifice of Circe and Atalanta and had no objections whatsoever.
The heroes in the hall secretly sized up the three newly added hunters. After listening to some information they had gathered from their tests and Prince of Calydon's repeated praise, the disdain in their eyes faded, and their attitudes became more friendly.
Meanwhile, through Prince of Calydon's introduction, Samael gained a general understanding of the dozens of Greek Heroes present.
Currently, a banquet is being held in the main hall. The further out one goes, the weaker one becomes, but they all have divine bloodlines and each possesses their own unique fighting skills. They are definitely not mass-produced weaklings.
As they continued deeper inside, the heroes who participated in the Calydonian Hunt grew increasingly powerful.
In his spare time, Samael would secretly match the images of those heroes with the names of those he knew, playing a guessing game in his mind with great interest.
That frivolous-smiling, blond-haired, green-eyed, and flamboyantly flashy young man, who looked incredibly handsome, was none other than Jason, the future captain of the Argonaut Expedition.
Although this guy was seated in a lower-middle-class seat, he was not at ease. He was holding his wine glass and swaying around aimlessly, trying to make friends with everyone.
But his excellent oratory skills and outstanding ability to warm up the crowd enabled him to integrate well into the group and make the heroes around him laugh heartily and drink to their hearts' content.
Soon, Jason energized the entire atmosphere, pushing the celebration to a new level.
However, this blond handsome guy is much more friendly to men than women.
He had just picked up his wine glass, his face beaming, and was about to greet the female warrior with a wheat-colored complexion who was leaning against the corner, and get a little friendly.
But before they even got close, the female warrior opposite them gave them a cold glance, her eyes full of disdain.
"What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a woman before?"
"Haha, I've never seen anyone as unique and charming as you. If I could see you in the hunting grounds tomorrow, this trip would be even more memorable."
Faced with such a fiery tone, Jason raised his glass half-seriously and half-jokingly to ease the awkwardness, then wisely turned away and continued to seek out those muscular hunks to chat with.
Huh? Isn't that Caenis from Boiling Sheep?
Good heavens, Juliusha is here too, and it seems she's still in the state before Poseidon raped her.
By the way, this hot-tempered, boastful young woman is supposedly the most beautiful woman in the Kingdom of Thessaly? It's said that many men in the city-state are pursuing her?
Wait, the one on the left closest to the pillar has light green fur, golden eyes, and a distinctive facial contour.
Tsk, I'm not watching anymore.
He must have married the sea goddess Thetis, the great hero and King Peleus of Thessaly, who would later become the father of Achilles in the Trojan War.
Samael thought to himself, if he remembered correctly, the sea goddess Thetis was once Zeus's lover.
However, because Prometheus prophesied that this Divine General give birth to offspring stronger than her father, Zeus decisively dumped his old lover and summoned his grandson, the demigod Peleus, to take over.
With the help of the gods, Peleus learned of the situation and hid in the cave where Thetis often rested. He captured her when she was unaware. No matter what the sea goddess did, Peleus did not let go, even when she transformed into a lion, Ushumgallu, or the sea. In the end, the Demigod Hero successfully took over and secured his throne.
Thetis eventually realized that this suitor was not lacking in charm, so she reluctantly gave in and lived harmoniously with her husband.
No wonder, his hair is green, this is definitely the malice of the world!
The ancient snake secretly grumbled to itself, then moved its gaze around the venue and discovered new amusement.
The dark-skinned beauty Caenis, nicknamed "Boiling Sheep," noticed that the old King didn't even go up to greet her; the two kept their distance and ignored each other.
It seems she has severed ties with the Kingdom of Thessaly.
With his keen insight, Samael guessed the relationship between the two parties with a high degree of accuracy.
Samael then became engrossed in this amusing game and continued to focus his attention on Peleus, comparing him to his more famous son.
Now, Peleus has reached the middle age, with long green hair flowing down his shoulders, a gentle yet dignified expression, and eyes that possess the depth and wisdom accumulated over the years, unlike the impulsive and warlike Achilles.
Beside this King sat a burly man with an ancient face, a full beard, large knuckles, and a robust build. The spear and shield beside him were much larger than those of the others.
If it weren't for the occasional glint of sharpness in his eyes, to outsiders he would look more like an old farmer than a warrior.
Samael didn't guess, but based on the conversation between "Old Farmer" and Peleus, and the way nearby heroes addressed him, the ancient serpent learned the hero's name.
Telamon, brother of Peleus, and father of Ajax the Great.
He was also a close friend of the Great Hero Hera.
Despite his unassuming appearance, this "old farmer" inherited the virtues of humanity, just like his brother Peleus —reason and wisdom.
As far as Samael knew, Telamon was a typical example of someone who appeared foolish but was actually wise.
In a future campaign against City of Troy, Telamon was the first to breach the gates and charge into the city, gaining the highest honor, leaving even Heracles behind.
For the first time in his life, this Hercules Great Hero was surpassed in battle by another hero. Under the curse of Hera's madness, he was both angry and anxious, burning with jealousy.
Heracles then lost his mind, drew his sword, and tried to cut down Telamon, who was standing in front of him.
Telamon happened to turn around and guessed Heracles's intention. He quickly bent down, gathered the nearby bricks and stones, piled them up, and called his companions.
When others asked him what he was doing there, he replied, "I am building an altar for Heracles the Victorious!"
These words restored the Great Hero to his senses, and he felt deeply ashamed. Heracles immediately bowed his head and apologized to Telamon, then rejoined the party and fought alongside him.
Afterwards, this Hercules drew his bow and shot an arrow, killing the then Trojan King Laomedon and several of his sons. In the end, only one prince survived, and the Trojans completely lost their will to fight.
In gratitude to Telamon, Heracles gave the Trojan Princess to the Great Hero, allowing him to win her heart.
Even from this glimpse, one can clearly see how remarkable the "old farmer's" resourcefulness and wisdom are.
Otherwise, he wouldn't even be able to keep his head, let alone the beauty.
After all, countless heroes died directly or indirectly at the hands of that cursed villain.
The brothers Peleus and Telamon, though not the most powerful among their contemporaries, used their wisdom to protect themselves for a long time.
They were more outstanding and braver. The child was stronger. Achilles was pierced by an arrow and died in the Trojan War. He was irritable. Ajax the Great, out of jealousy of Odysseus's highest honor, murdered him and then committed suicide in anger.
This is, undeniably, a great irony.
Samael shook his head and turned his gaze to the imposing figure sitting in the innermost corner, surrounded by other heroes who kept their distance, giving him a large private space.
It seems that, regardless of location, Hercules is the focus of Greek Heroes.