Chapter 22 – A Familiar Face in a Foreign Land Isn't Always a Good Thing
Yukinoshita Haruno almost couldn't stop herself from rushing out.
Because among the figures of the Egyptian envoys, she saw a very familiar face.
Though he wore the short Egyptian robes of this era, it was immediately obvious from his appearance that he wasn't ethnically Egyptian.
That face—Haruno could never forget it. People might look similar, but for someone to look the same and have the same aura? That was nearly impossible.
And more than anything, this person didn't bow, and instead stared at the priestesses' chests one by one with a "Let me inspect thoroughly" kind of expression! Only one person she knew would have the shamelessness to act like that.
Her reaction, understandably, drew suspicion from those around her.
"Pinaruti, do you have a problem?"
The Priestess of the Snake Goddess clearly had it out for Haruno today. While the others only looked puzzled, she directly questioned her.
"Do you know this disrespectful envoy? Is this why you asked Minos to receive the Egyptians?"
But before Haruno could speak, someone else replied first.
"So, in Knossos, the 'priest-king' really calls the shots, huh?"
The voice came from the only Egyptian envoy who hadn't bowed. A young man of Eastern appearance stepped forward, pushing past the Egyptians in front of him.
Haruno noticed how respectfully the Egyptians treated him.
"If you're trying to provoke Knossos, then congratulations—you've succeeded. We will ally with the Hittites," the Snake Priestess said with a frown.
"Don't act like you're so important. In the war between Hatti and Egypt, you people don't have the power to intervene."
The young man sneered.
Clearly, he didn't take the real power-holders of Knossos seriously. He continued:
"I didn't come here to persuade you, but for the sake of Ramesses II, I'll say this: if the Hittites defeat Egypt, you're doomed."
"Such tricks won't work, Egyptian envoy. The Hittite king has already expressed goodwill toward us."
"And when all of Canaan falls into Hittite hands, where will you go to buy raw materials for bronze? Do the Hittites need to make friends with people who can't even equip their soldiers
with bronze weapons? Without enough bronze, do you think you can become stronger than Mitanni or Babylon? Other than Egypt, who can help you resist the Hittite invasion?"
A few quick exchanges, and the Snake Priestess was left speechless.
Not because she was convinced, but because she genuinely didn't know how to respond. After all, her main job was serving the gods, not diplomacy—let alone geopolitical analysis.
She had no interest in this kind of thing at all. If not for how much she disliked Haruno, she wouldn't even have bothered to speak.
She hadn't expected that when she finally condescended to say a few words, this damned envoy would talk back, and even make sense! This was intolerable!
"Insolent wretch!" the Snake Priestess exploded in rage. "Guards!"
At her cry, a group of Minosian guards rushed in, wielding wooden clubs, completely surrounding the Egyptian envoy group.
These weren't shining, armored warriors—but big, half-naked men holding giant wooden clubs. The boy looked slightly disappointed, but he knew this was completely normal for this era. Even Egypt's regular army hadn't fully phased out such cheap mass-produced weapons.
"Kill this man who has defiled our sacred ground!" The Snake Priestess pointed directly at the youth.
As she spoke, she glanced at Haruno, expecting to see panic on her face.
But to her shock, this foreign woman didn't seem afraid at all—instead, she looked almost shy, covering her face with both hands… Only to part her fingers and peek eagerly at what was about to happen.
How much contempt does this woman have for me?!
The Snake Priestess could almost hear something snap inside her head.
And then came a series of pained cries.
She looked toward the sound—and was stunned to see the guards she'd called in collapsed all over the floor, completely incapacitated. They weren't dead, but clearly unable to move—groaning, barely conscious.
"Useless trash! I—"
The next moment, her eyes met a pair of golden pupils. A thunderclap exploded in her mind.
She heard the sound of wind.
She saw the royal hall engulfed in flames.
Scorching fire devoured everything around her—except her. A terrifying giant snake rose slowly from the fire, opening its massive, bloody mouth toward her. The intense heat made it hard to breathe—
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
The Snake Priestess screamed in terror. And at that very moment—the hallucination shattered.
She found herself still standing in the royal hall. No giant snake, no sea of flames. Just the calm-faced Egyptian envoy group… The mocking young foreigner… And the heap of groaning guards on the ground.
With a loud thud, she collapsed to the floor, drenched in sweat. Her bare, heaving chest rose and fell, and sweat trickled down her well-maintained white skin—dripping off her curves.
"Lame. Another one who can't even handle a little teasing," the boy muttered. Then he turned to Haruno with an annoyed look. "You ran off way too far. You were really hard to find, you know."
"Hachiman… it really is you?" Haruno no longer tried to sneak glances. She was now 100% certain—the boy in front of her was her boyfriend.
That tone. That face full of smug mischief— And this jerk was still ogling that woman's chest!
What's so great about her? Just big boobs!?
That's right. It was Hikigaya Hachiman!
She grabbed her long dress and ran down the steps—no, jumped into Hachiman's arms. Correction—she leapt up and shoved his head right into her chest.
And you're still looking!? What's there to see in some local hick from ancient times? Are mine not good enough!?
She was fuming with jealousy—but at the same time, overflowing with joy.
She could finally go home.
Then she felt a pair of strong arms lift her up.
"You trying to smother me?" Hachiman grumbled, holding her up.
Haruno noticed his expression looked a bit… disappointed?
She was puzzled. She didn't know what Hachiman was disappointed about.
But she quickly found out.
"You're really out of place here. You're the only woman not showing anything." He sighed while looking at her chest.
Haruno snorted coldly.
"If you think I'm wearing something like that for you—you can keep dreaming."
"The Cretans worship fertility, okay? This isn't 'boob watching'—it's sacred. Don't you get it? This is serious academic inquiry."
"I don't get it. And that look on your face doesn't help your case."
"You really don't understand me. That's okay. We'll talk more tonight."
Hachiman laughed and gently set her down.
Then he turned back to face the stunned Minosian priestesses—and the young boy on the throne, who was watching with wide-eyed curiosity.
"Anyone else want to try killing me? Better hurry. I'm on a tight schedule."
But no one responded.
All the priestesses were utterly dumbfounded. These women, the true power-holders of Knossos, exchanged helpless glances, still trying to process what just happened.
And the Snake Priestess's earlier breakdown only added to their fear.
What kind of being could reduce a high priestess—a servant of the gods—to that state?
And why was the Priestess of Poseidon so close to him? They all knew she had suddenly appeared at the altar one day—clearly not of this world.
There was only one possibility they could think of. But it was a possibility so terrifying… none of them dared to say it out loud.