Rise of the Eromancer

Chapter 327 Who Are You?

"Finding your… father?"

Both Mikkos and his wife just looked at each other for a few seconds after that question before staring at Rhys's face. They both squinted their eyes at the same time and finally, after a few seconds more, Mikkos just forced out a chuckle while shaking his head.

"I don't think people like you would be visiting places like this, Brother," Mikkos continued to let out a hearty chuckle while eating his fish, "You would have more luck in the big cities like Athens, or maybe even Corinth."

"People… like me?" Rhys could really only blink a couple of times.

"Yes, rich people," Mikkos shrugged, "You are obviously wealthy, big strong man like you — it would probably take 3 cows just to feed you, Brother."

"That…" It would seem these people have a misconception of him — although, he wouldn't really be able to blame them. From what he has seen so far, almost all the men were borderline skinny, only the women actually had meat in them. His toned and extremely muscular body most likely meant that he was rich for them.

"Boy." This time, it was Agapia's turn to speak to Rhys as she pointed her finger at him, "If I've seen someone who looked like you in my heyday, do you think I would have married this old fool? I know most of the women of this village would have flocked around your father like flies on chum."

"Oi!" Mikkos lightly slammed the table, "I'm right here! What are you even talking about? You're the one who asked me to lay with you."

"What did you say!?" Agapia grabbed a large bone and pointed it at Mikkos.

"I… I'm sorry!" Mikkos could really only cover his head and lean away. And judging from how their son was just casually finishing his meal, this was an everyday occurrence in this household — the hut was small, but it also gave the advantage of everyone living in it being closer than usual.

Well, aside from all the sermon and scolding, Mikkos seemed happy — and as the night went on, it would seem he was really happy.

Rhys was offered a cloth to sleep on, but he refused it since they took it from Mik — and now he wished he accepted it just to cover his ears with it since Mikkos and Agapia were loud; their moans, causing the entire hut to shake.

Fortunately, after what seemed like 2 minutes, the sound stopped and was just replaced by wheezing and heavy breathing. And after a minute more, the hut became extremely quiet — quiet to the point that Rhys could finally hear the sound of the waves just hitting the shore and dock.

He could also hear the vibrating sounds of the insects just chirping through the night.

"Hm," Rhys couldn't really sleep — he wanted to step out of the hut, but the creaking of the floorboards was just too loud that Rhys just opted to stay inside the tent and just looked at the window.

He still couldn't get used to how large the moon looked — it almost seemed like if he reached his hand, he could touch it. This place was not even allowing him to forget that he was now in a completely different world — and… it seemed like a much more peaceful world, at least with what he had seen so far.

And very soon, this peace washed over him completely as he felt the god of sleep calling him, figuratively.

"Why are you still here!?"

Rhys did not really know how long he had slept, but he did know it was time to get up when his ears were suddenly violated by a scream. He quickly sat up, only to see Agapia pushing and chasing Mikkos out of the hut.

"You should have gotten us some firewood by now! What am I going to cook with!? Do you just want me to use the chair, is that it!? You—"

And before Agapia could continue nagging, she noticed that Rhys was already awake.

"Ah, did I wake you up?" Agapia let out a short but very deep sigh while shaking her head, "It's because of this useless husband of mine — has the energy to sail a day away to bury a stranger, but can't even wake up at the proper time!"

"I am going, my love! I am going!" Mikkos just raised his palms in surrender.

"I… can help," Rhys immediately got up.

"You are even asking the guests for help!?" Agapia once again raised her voice.

"The brother just wants to escape from your irritating voice, my love," Mikkos sighed.

"What did you say!?"

"Aye, Brother! Come on, then! We have some wood to chop!"

"Wait!" Agapia shook her head before staring at Rhys from head to toe, "You can't go out looking like that now, can you? Here."

Rhys could really only let out a breath as Agapia threw him a set of clothes—well, a cloth. It was just a tunic, similar to what Mikkos and the rest of the men were wearing around the village…

…but it was better than the tattered shirt and paths he had now.

And so, Rhys just excused himself to change — he still wanted to wear his pants, but since all of them were not wearing pants at all, Rhys would just look like he didn't belong.

"Wow, I have never seen clothes of this material," Agapia quickly said as she touched Rhys's tattered clothes, "Such a shame for them to become like this. But still, I did not know people from the wealthy area wear trousers now — I thought only barbarians wear them."

"Ack, let's just go, Brother. Before the woman starts boring us with her tales again," Mikkos then pulled Rhys out of the hut, "I do have to say though, you truly are good-looking — it's like you're one of the gods, and I mean no blasphemy with that…

…and it's not just me who knows it, look."

Rhys then looked to where Mikkos was pointing, only to just once again see the women of the village staring at him; the Hearts floating above their heads, just flickering whenever Rhys returned their stares.

"Well, come on then, Brother," Mikkos gestured to Rhys to follow him, "Let's just go before the vultures come and get you."

Rhys had initially thought they were going into the jungle to chop wood, but not at all — they had a place that sold entire logs deeper into the village.

"It's time to put those muscles of yours to good use, Brother," a wide smile crawled on Mikkos's face as he handed Rhys an ax, "You do know how to chop wood, right?"

"...I can try," Rhys had really only chopped wood once when he was in the Underworld Corps, and he remembered not being very good at it. But of course, with his strength, it doesn't really matter.

But the people here did not seem to have any abilities of any kind, and Rhys just opted to be careful not to show too much of his strength.

"Wow, I knew you'd be strong, but to just pull a log? We use a cart for that, Brother."

"That's…" Rhys could really only sigh. He just wanted to pull out a log to chop, but he truly did underestimate just how used he was to having herculean strength. And so, he just became extra careful while chopping the log into wood — watching the other men there and following their lead.

And after an hour of chopping, Rhys already had a pile with him… as for Mikkos, well, he spent the entire time chatting with one of the men.

"Mikkos! Mikkos!"

"What!? What!?"

Soon, however, as Rhys was finishing up, screams started to whisper from the distance and a man came running toward Mikkos while frantically waving his hand.

"It's… it's your son!"

"What!?" Mikkos did not even wait for an explanation as he just quickly rushed and ran away. And of course, Rhys also followed behind them as they rushed toward the beach — and soon, they saw several huts completely broken down and ruined. The men, all running in a single direction with a spear in hand.

"What's going on!?" Mikkos screamed — no one really answered his question, as the answer was already in front of him.

There was a gryphon, and on his beak was Mik; hanging by his clothes and flailing around unconscious.

"S…someone, please! Save… save my son!" Agapia was also there, waving a knife while being held back by several other women, "Let… let me go!"

As for Mikkos, he also quickly grabbed a fishing spear that was lying around and joined the other men who were trying to scare the gryphon away — but alas, they just found themselves being thrown away with a single flap of its wings.

Rhys decided to watch for a few seconds to see if any of the men would exhibit abilities, but none of them did. And as the gryphon started to lift up into the air with Mik, the only thing Rhys could really do was let out a sigh before grabbing the spear in Mikkos's hand and then just leaping into the air…

…throwing the spear straight through the gryphon's head and then catching Mik on his way down.

"M…Mik!" The women who were holding Agapia back could really only let go as soon as they saw that. And it wasn't only them, all the villagers looked at Rhys like he was some sort of deity.

"Thank… thank you, Rhys! Thank you!"

"You…" Mikkos pointed at Rhys with his trembling fingers,

"...Just who are you, Brother?"