After Nemesis and the goddess Nyx departed, I returned to a peaceful daily life.
During that time, both Atalanta and Thetis, who had been pregnant, gave birth to sons. Atalanta's son was given the name Parthenopaios. The son I had with Thetis was named Achilles.
Both boys were born on the same day, but Achilles came out first, so naturally Parthenopaios became the younger brother.
That seemed like a safe, ordinary life, but then Thetis suddenly took Achilles and immersed him in the River Styx.
When I realized what she was doing, I stopped Thetis before Achilles could lose his humanity because of his immortality, and in the end, she did not submerge even his heel in the water.
Meanwhile, Noxia, the daughter I had with Hecate, showed such extraordinary talent for sorcery that Hecate herself began teaching Noxia magic.
Then Hippolyta and Medea also came to bear new life. When Hippolyta said she wanted to go to the Amazons after such a long time, I immediately boarded a ship with her and traveled to the land where I had first met her.
Because of what had happened before, I was not sure whether they would accept Hippolyta again, but thanks to Hecate stepping in and working her magic, the misunderstanding surrounding Hippolyta had been cleared away.
Thanks to that, Hippolyta and I safely arrived in Amazon territory, and the Amazon warriors who saw us took a wary stance. But because Hippolyta came forward and mediated, the atmosphere eased somewhat.
From them, we also learned that the one now ruling the Amazons was Hippolyta's younger sister, Penthesilea.
"Penthesilea..."
When Hippolyta heard that name, she showed worry, relief, and many other emotions besides. Seeing her like that, I quietly pulled her into my arms.
Afterward, we moved to where Penthesilea, queen of the Amazons and Hippolyta's younger sister, was staying.
Penthesilea spotted Hippolyta and me and made a face I could not quite decipher.
When Hippolyta and Penthesilea, who had not seen each other in a long while, began talking, I stepped outside.
Standing alone outside, I felt the gazes of the other women around me lingering on me, and under that scrutiny, I desperately prayed for Hippolyta to come out soon.
"Astellon...!"
"Hm? What is it? Did something happen, Hippolyta?"
While I was lost in thought, Hippolyta came out and approached me, her face showing a level of panic she had never displayed to me before.
"My younger sister... Antiope was kidnapped by Theseus!"
"...What?"
"Theseus... kidnapped my sister. Astellon. Help me."
Seeing Hippolyta like that, I went up to her and asked what had happened. In response, Hippolyta told me that one of her younger sisters, Antiope, had been kidnapped by Theseus and taken away, and she begged me for help.
"Since it's my wife's request."
At her plea, I said I would help, then immediately wrote a letter and sent it to Theseus through a familiar spirit. The letter said:
-If you do not return Antiope, the sister of my wife whom you kidnapped from the Amazons, to the Amazons at once, I will lead an army and come for you myself.
It was... a very simple(?) message, by my standards.
Not long after I sent the familiar spirit, I received a reply from Theseus saying he would return Antiope, and I relayed the news to Hippolyta and Penthesilea.
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it. How could I refuse the request of the wife I love?"
After that, Theseus truly did return the kidnapped Antiope, and Hippolyta and I decided to leave the next day.
Then, while Hippolyta was with the returned Antiope, Penthesilea approached me.
"Astellon. I have heard of your skill. Come, let us test ourselves against each other."
She proposed a sparring match.
"Ha. I'm not one to refuse an offer once it's been made. You'd better be ready."
I accepted her challenge, and in the end, Penthesilea and I sparred.
The winner of the match was, of course, me, and I extended a hand to Penthesilea, who had dropped to one knee.
"That was truly excellent. You're stronger than the royal bloodlines of foreign lands I fought not long ago."
"I see. So the rumors were true."
Penthesilea took my hand and rose, and that day I spent the rest of the time with Hippolyta.
========================
The website for reading paid chapters is available on my Patreon. The number of chapters on Patreon: 67
Link: patreon.com/UltraMagnus_T