"Hey! I'm talking to you! Human! Are you looking down on me?" Phlegon said angrily.
Tch, he was no better than Jason.
"No, I was merely choosing my words carefully, so as not to offend you, noble divine beast Phlegon!"
"Mhm! Very good. Later, I'll give you a few extra mouthfuls of grass. This is my gift!" Phlegon proudly raised his head and nodded, suddenly finding this human rather pleasing.
He had good judgment! This was how humans ought to act when they saw a divine beast like him!
"O noble Phlegon, I heard that Nyx, goddess of night, also had four mares pulling her Night Chariot!
And one of them represented the arrival of dawn and the rising sunlight. She yearned for the daytime!"
"So?" Phlegon grew excited. He vaguely understood Thaumas's unspoken meaning.
"So, I'm saying that perhaps you could exchange duties with her?"
The dagger had finally been revealed.
"Can... can that be done? Would Lady Nyx agree?"
"I'll persuade Lady Nyx. You only need to agree!
Besides, this way, you'll have a large private room, enjoy feed personally given to you by gods, and work every day alongside three beautiful mares! And your work will still be the night you love most. What is there left for you to hesitate over?"
That sentence was a blade straight through the throat.
Honestly, who could withstand such temptation?
Everything had been offered in full. If he still refused, Phlegon would simply be greedy—and the other horses would laugh at him for the rest of his life.
"Fine, I agree! You promised I'd get to work with the little mares, so you're not allowed to go back on your word!"
"Then come with me first!"
"Mhm. Do you need me to carry you?"
"No. My butt would get scorched—it'd be uncomfortable. Griffin will do."
"Hmm? An exchange? Hahahaha! Just as expected of you, Thaumas! You could even come up with such a crazy idea!" said a young man named Hermes.
"No matter what, as long as you brought him back, that's enough. Whether or not the exchange happens doesn't matter. He's already here—where else could he run?
Thaumas, you really are clever! You solved this problem in less than a day!" Apollo said approvingly.
"Neigh—" Phlegon immediately sensed that something was wrong. He felt as though he had been deceived.
But a single look from Apollo made him too afraid to say another word. He lowered his head dejectedly, able only to blame himself for being too impulsive and failing to see through the human's lies.
"That may be true, but since Thaumas has said so, he will certainly do it, won't he, Thaumas?" Athena asked gently.
Even Phlegon's hopes flared up once more.
"Of course, Goddess of Wisdom! I will definitely do it! Because I am a hero, and heroes do not break their promises. I will do this, even if I ultimately fail!" Thaumas answered firmly, then looked at Phlegon and said to the anxious fire horse:
"Phlegon, rest assured. I will make this happen. But first, you need to return with Lord Apollo. After all, negotiating with Lady Nyx will take time. You understand that, right?"
Thaumas put on a serious expression—Chen Gong's face.
"Neigh—what if you're lying to me again?" Phlegon asked cautiously.
"That's not right. When have I ever lied to you? Don't make things up, okay? It has always been like this.
I said I would help you. But I never said when I would help you! This is also for the sake of the plan's success. You understand, right?
If you still don't believe me, then I swear upon the Olympian Gods that I will absolutely help you! Unless I die!" Thaumas said earnestly.
"Pfft—hahaha, Thaumas is so wicked!" Hermes burst into laughter.
But he quickly found himself unable to laugh anymore. Apollo's sword was already held before him.
"But there is one more thing, Thaumas. Perhaps you do not know this, but Phlegon and the others represent the laws of the world. If you exchange them so casually, the sun will become less pure," Athena reminded him. She wanted to know how the hero would resolve this problem.
"That's not much of a problem, is it?" Thaumas waved a hand and said unconcernedly, "The moon has its waxing and waning. Even if the sun occasionally has an eclipse or something, that's perfectly normal. Nothing in this world is absolutely perfect!
Besides, Phlegon represents the arrival of night and the descent of the stars. The one belonging to Nyx, goddess of night, represents dawn breaking and the departure of darkness. An exchange like this should work, shouldn't it?"
So that was it? This problem did not need solving? Mm, indeed—things with flaws were more real. Then let it be so!
Athena nodded, approving the hero's approach.
Though Hermes continued to prattle on about it.
Thaumas ignored Hermes's behavior. That fellow had always been like this. Then he looked seriously at Phlegon and asked:
"Then, are you willing to believe me? Believe that I will bring you a miracle?"
"Neigh—!"
Phlegon nodded earnestly and let out a long neigh before walking to the Sun Chariot. The harness of the Sun Chariot automatically fastened around him.
Then the four fire horses were reunited once more.
"Phlegon, you came too? Forget it, I'll ask later. Aethon, you still haven't finished. Hurry up!" Pylos urged.
"Are you done bothering me? What else could have happened? Apollo beat me up badly! Is that enough for you?" Aethon said angrily.
"Hehe, that's what I thought. That brat was usually so arrogant, yet now he's hanging his head like that. He must have been beaten flat," Eos said with a laugh.
"Looks like all three of us got beaten up. Wait, Phlegon, what happened to you? Why aren't you injured? Don't tell me you weren't beaten? How can that be? We're all brothers—let us beat you up too!" Pylos said excitedly.
That was why Phlegon hated those three bastards so much! They were all complete assholes!
"Then, Thaumas, I must depart first. The sun should have risen by now after all this time.
Farewell, little darling. I look forward to our next meeting." Apollo eagerly leaped onto the Sun Chariot, gripped the reins, and drove the Sun Chariot forth, bringing light to the world!
"Farewell, esteemed Lord Apollo!"
I hope we never meet again! That is very important!
"Neigh—!" "Neigh—!"
Amid the pounding hooves and ringing neighs, the sun finally arrived.
Nyx, goddess of night, was delighted. All that unpaid overtime had left her utterly exhausted.
At last, she could rest too!
Before you continue