Chapter 850: 332 Speech (Fear) Theory (Fright)

Chapter 850: Chapter 332 Speech (Fear) Theory (Fright)

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“Audacious!”

Within the grand tent, behind the desk, Priam’s expression changed the moment Iapetus finished speaking.

Facing impending death? Ridiculous.

Now, with the alliance besieging the city and the gods soon to come to aid,

even if he couldn’t win immediately, there was no possibility of a great defeat.

...

Besides, as the King of Troy, he had capable heirs to take his place; Priam never planned to head to the battlefield himself.

Under such circumstances, who could kill him, and who would dare?

Clang—!

“Father?”

The silver-hilted sword slightly drawn, Hector sought permission with his gaze.

With just a command, he could slay this madman.

However, under the prince’s watchful eyes, though Priam was furious, he hesitated to nod.

Few knew that, as the King of Troy, Priam was a devout believer in fate.

Perhaps it was due to his upbringing, or maybe it was his nature.

In the original myth, his second son Paris was such an example.

Merely due to the queen’s nightmare of this child turning into a blaze and burning down the palace, he was said to bring disaster and misfortune to the kingdom.

So the king ordered the slaves to kill him… of course, the outcome was predictable.

No one could change a destiny once spoken, and everything he did only hastened the conclusion.

Thus, Paris not only did not die but also became the catalyst for the ten-year war, ultimately making the prophecy a reality.

The high walls built by Sea Emperor Poseidon could not protect his people, and under the towering wooden horse, the entire kingdom turned into a sea of flames.

Of course, the story had long changed by now, and Troy was not facing the city-states of all countries alone. Yet, when Iapetus spoke so boldly, Priam hesitated.

For in legends, even in nursery rhymes, there were accounts of prophets foreseeing a king’s fate, only for the king to ignore, leading to calamity.

Even if Priam knew these were just stories, what of it… After much thought, Priam finally decided to hear what the visitor had to say.

“Facing impending death… Athenian, I can give you a chance, a chance to convince me.”

“But if you cannot convince me… then death will be your only outcome.”

“Heh… Alright.”

“Since His Majesty still wishes to hear how he will die, let me tell you one by one.”

Smiling slightly, Iapetus was unsurprised.

Once he spoke, no mortal could refuse to converse with him.

At least till now, he hadn’t encountered such a human.

…

“Come, let us see.”

Without delay, a sketch was drawn on the ground.

No backgrounds or figures, only symbols of the allied countries and gods.

Picking up a stick, the God of Speech sketched with flair and ease.

“I’ve heard that since ancient times, when two nations clashed, they always had a cause.”

“Whether national enmity or lust for gold and silver, to wage war always demands a reason.”

“And this time, the allied forces gathered, attacking under the pretense of purging witchcraft in Athens, but in truth due to disputes among the gods.”

“A Golden Apple banquet sowed discord among the gods.”

“Thus, it led to this siege by the alliance. I wonder, does Your Majesty have any objections to what I’ve just said?”

“…”

Silent, Priam neither denied nor admitted it.

Yet, in his heart, he felt the same.

Strictly speaking, Troy had no animosity with Athens, and without the will of the deities, they wouldn’t have come.

“It seems Your Majesty acknowledges my words… Then, let’s discuss why Troy joined the alliance.”

The stick drew an arc in the air, finally landing on the symbol representing Troy.

As the king’s expression slightly changed, Iapetus drew two crosses, placed over two divine symbols.

“Because of the will of the gods?”

“No, if it were other countries, perhaps that would be plausible, but not for Troy.”

“For interest or grudges?”

“This is even more impossible, as Troy and Athens not only have no enmity but are rather connected.”

“Since neither possibility holds, only one result remains.”

“Troy Kingdom had no choice but to come, and the reason you, Your Majesty, came here was completely out of compulsion.”

“… How should I address you, sir?”

Exhaling deeply, Priam asked for the visitor’s name for the first time.

Iapetus merely smiled, the response anticipated.

“You may call me Ilos, Your Majesty, but it seems I’ve been right again, haven’t I?”

“…”

Silent once more, Priam had to admit the Athenian before him spoke the truth.

Both he and the Trojans,

they came not to please the deities, nor because of any ancient grudge with Athens.

Quite the opposite, even within Troy City, there stood a statue of Athena (as per the original text).

If in the original mythical trajectory, the Trojans offended Athena due to their second son Paris’s choice, now that was not the case.

The goddess’s statue always protected the city, blessing them with favorable weather.

If possible, Priam did not wish to attack Athens.

As for pleasing the deities, it was even more laughable.

Though Priam loathed to admit it, he understood well enough that ever since his father committed such acts, Troy had long been blacklisted by the gods.

Laomedon, the notorious ‘Deceiver,’ and ‘Mad King who employed the gods,’ was also Priam’s father.

During his reign, for some reason Poseidon and Apollo, who had fallen into the mortal realm, came to the land of Troy.

Perhaps seeking faith or something else, in any case, both principal gods served the then-king for a time, asking only for rewards useless to them.

Laomedon agreed, so Apollo herded for him while Poseidon built him an unbreakable wall.

However, what Priam could never comprehend was how his father outright refused to pay the reward in the end.

Angered deities, Laomedon’s name echoed through the mortal realm.

Since then, Troy rarely had godhood practitioners willing to join, and the mad king naturally received punishment from the Olympian gods.

“It seems you have understood my meaning, but what I have to say doesn’t end here.”

“After all, the reason you attacked Athens was actually to atone for past sins.”

“Perhaps you think that as long as you distinguish yourself in this war, all past wrongs can be wiped clean, correct?”

“Troy will rise again in your hands, becoming a powerful kingdom… But frankly, King Priam, do you truly believe in such a future?”

Extending the stick, sketching once more.

This time, King of Troy saw it clearly.

The place where Athens was situated, Iapetus divided it into three parts.

One near other countries, a part would become the spoils of a triumphant victory.

Another was at the edge of the ocean, which would become the domain of the Sea God.

These regions were also marked with different gods, symbolizing the principal gods worshipped by these kingdoms.

As for the last part, it belonged to the prince who betrayed his father, also Athens’s remaining territory… Yet, as Priam watched, he broke into a cold sweat.

Because he realized why Iapetus said he would die.

Yes, his actions weren’t wrong. If Athens perished, perhaps Troy would indeed be spared by the gods.

After all, why destroy a kingdom when it could be subsumed into their faith?

Then the question arose, what else needed to be done before turning this kingdom over to the gods?

“Just as you think, the gods need Troy, but not the son of Laomedon.”

“The gods seek faith, but also hope to intimidate future kings beforehand.”

“However, the gods can’t directly kill you, as it would hinder building their faith in Troy.”

“But they can’t spare you either, because as long as they desire it, they can do anything.”

“So King Priam, when do you think your life will end?”

“… Naturally, not long after, during this war with the Athenians.”

Following the final sentence, Priam solemnly gazed at the mortal form adopted by Iapetus.

Strictly speaking, the predictions by the God of Speech weren’t without flaws.

Or, in some places, Iapetus hadn’t intended to delve deeply.

He was the God of Speech, not the God of Strategy or the Goddess of Wisdom.

Moreover, observers see clearly while participants remain confused; Priam might have been aware of his peril but was incapable of resolving it, thus subconsciously ignoring these issues.

Iapetus considered the problem from the gods’ perspective and naturally discovered many overlooked details.

Yet despite the flaws, Priam was persuaded.

He was genuinely struck by the foresight of the God of Speech and profoundly understood the precarious situation he found himself in.

Looking around, the sole person capable of aiding him was this one.

“Previously, I was quite rude… Please, sir, save my life!”

With a bow, the king sincerely pleaded.

“It’s alright, after all, Troy City has been under the protection of the goddess.”

“In this regard, we can be considered family.”

“Though the Olympian gods are many, Lady Athena is not without her means.”

“King, do you remember Achilles?”

“What!”

Startled, though he hadn’t met him, Priam was no stranger to the name.

Achilles, the one who severely wounded Agamemnon in a few moves, was also Athens’s trump card?

“Heh, it’s good that Your Majesty knows.”

“So there’s no need to worry. Although the allied nations have the advantage, the eventual victor will belong to Athens.”

“By then, the territories of the western nations likely couldn’t be managed by Athens alone.”

Smiling silently, Iapetus didn’t confirm Achilles’s connection to them, but the implications were clear in his words.

Captivating first, then fear-mongering, and finally painting a future, enticing with benefit.

Dealing with a mortal king, this was more than enough.

“Alas… That individual surely carries the blessing of great divine power.”

“Otherwise, why else couldn’t I perceive his mind or influence his judgment…”

Having accomplished his great task, Iapetus relaxed.

However, at that moment, he recalled that human representing the abyss.

Great divine power… If only he had such power, he wouldn’t need to exert such effort.

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