As the Argo left the harbor of Iolcus and sailed farther away, the firmness of the ground beneath my feet gave way to the rhythmic heaving of the waves.
The briny scent of the sea filled the air, accompanied by the steady, synchronized sound of the heroes rowing.
A vitality entirely different from the stillness I had felt in Eirene’s garden brushed against my skin.
I sat leaning against the stern, lightly stroking Noctis’s neck as he quietly gazed out at the horizon beside me.
Perhaps because he was a divine beast, he showed no agitation upon the open water; if anything, he seemed to be enjoying the scenery.
“For some reason, it seems you’re better suited to this hard wooden deck than to a throne, my disciple.”
At Lady Hecate’s languid voice, audible only within the shadows, I smiled silently.
“Indeed. Listening to the sound of the oars is far more relaxing than leafing through a code of laws.”
“Hey, Astellon! What are you thinking about so deeply?”
From afar, Heracles came lumbering over, his massive frame shaking the deck as he dropped heavily beside me.
The sheer weight of his landing made the ship sway.
Heracles studied the holy sword at my waist before speaking.
“That sword is said to bear a goddess’s blessing, right? I saw it earlier, and it’s clearly no ordinary blade. Do you remember when we used to spar under Master Chiron? That time you broke my club with that old wooden practice sword of yours?”
“You were simply too careless back then,” I answered, closing my eyes.
We were only eight years old at the time. Those were the days when we would gaze at the stars to debate wisdom and sweat together while mastering the arts of war.
“Careless? Your speed was just absurd! You've probably gotten even faster now, haven't you? I couldn't even hear your footsteps when you boarded the ship earlier.”
Heracles looked at me with eyes full of anticipation.
In the world of warriors, a proposal to spar was as common as a greeting. However, I simply shook my head lazily.
“Let’s save it for later. We have a long journey ahead of us.”
Just then, I felt a sharp gaze from above the deck.
It was Atalanta.
She was leaning against the mast, trimming the fletching of her arrows, but she was clearly eavesdropping on our conversation.
I wondered what had crossed her mind when she heard the news that I had returned as a king.
While I was lost in thought, Jason was at the prow, shouting orders and rousing the spirits of the heroes.
Jason was as flashy and noisy as ever, but I had to acknowledge his reckless courage in binding this ragtag group of heroes together to seek the Golden Fleece.
“Come on, everyone, keep your energy up! We’re still a long way from Lemnos Island!”
The heroes let out a thunderous cheer at Jason’s shout.
I closed my eyes again, feeling the flow of the wind.
The weight of the holy sword, Lady Hecate’s secret whispers, and the breathing of old friends.
Though the setting was unfamiliar, the atmosphere was not something I disliked.
***
Following Jason’s signal, the ship set sail. The male heroes took to the oars, while Orpheus played his lyre at the prow, guiding them forward.
The ship cleaved through the waves, heading steadily toward the east.
However, as the rowing continued, the men began to tire one by one. Heracles and I, still perfectly fine, looked at each other.
“Heracles. Shall we have a contest to see who can row longer until we reach the island?”
“You're on. But if it's a test of strength, I'm the one who wins.”
“Is that so? It’s not as if I’ve been idling all this time.”
We began our wager, rowing with every ounce of strength we possessed. Seeing this, the other heroes grew excited.
“Alright, place your bets! Who’s it going to be—Astellon or Heracles? Put your money down!!”
One by one, the heroes began tossing their coins into a pot managed by Jason.
“Heracles, I think I see a crack in your oar. Why don't you just give up now?”
“Hmph. You're the one who looks exhausted. Be the first to let go!”
“Not a chance.”
Oblivious to Jason's gambling ring, we focused solely on each other, rowing with increasing intensity.
Snap!
“Ah.”
At the exact same moment, both of our oars snapped in half.
“Damn it. I can't believe my oar broke too. I thought Heracles would be the one to break his first by failing to control his strength...”
“...We'll have to carve new oars as soon as we hit land.”
“Hey, Jason! This is a draw, so you're giving all the stakes back, right?”
“What are you talking about?! Since both oars broke, the bet on a draw wins! The pot is mine!”
The heroes erupted into a mixture of jeers and cheers directed at Jason, turning the voyage into a boisterous carnival.
I looked down at the broken handle remaining in my hand and let out a hollow laugh.
I had secretly worried that my muscles had withered from spending my days on a throne twirling a pen, but to match Heracles in a test of raw power... it seemed my body still remembered.
“See, Astellon? What did I tell you? You can't beat me with strength alone.”
Heracles laughed boisterously, wiping sweat from his forehead. His own oar was equally shattered.
“You were the one who couldn't control your power. I simply rowed to the absolute limit of the wood's endurance. It was your mindless strength that pushed it over the edge.”
I replied lazily as I stood up.
In a way, I was relieved. With the oar broken, I didn't have to keep rowing even if I wanted to.
“My disciple, you emphasize order so much, yet you are the first to destroy the ship's equipment. What a contradictory king you are.”
“I know. I didn't expect it to end like this...”
I answered inwardly to Lady Hecate’s mocking praise echoing from the shadows.
As the other heroes took over the rowing, I stepped back to the rear of the deck.
“You. I assumed you would have had no time to train after becoming king, but it seems you've returned stronger than before.”
Atalanta approached me as I withdrew from the rowing line.
“Well... I happened to gain an unexpected connection.”
“A connection?”
“Yes. Let's just say it was thanks to that.”
“...What exactly have you been learning?”
“Hmm... magecraft.”
“Magecraft? You?”
Atalanta stared at me in genuine shock.
“No. You were a master of various weapons, were you not? Why magecraft? How did this happen?”
“Well... my master told me I had a decent amount of talent for it, fortunately.”
“...You change every time I see you.”
“I agree. I never imagined I'd end up like this either.”
I continued chatting with Atalanta until a commotion broke out at the front of the ship. We both walked toward the prow to see what was happening.
“What is it? What's going on...?”
“Astellon, Atalanta! Look! An island! There's an island right ahead!!”
I looked where Jason was pointing, and there it was.
“...It's true. It really is an island.”
Just as Jason had shouted, a massive island had appeared before us.
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