Fourth Labor - Triton's Conch (1)
Heracles could tell immediately that the young man who had just entered the hall was the child of a nymph. His striking appearance and flawless skin were characteristics that rarely appeared unless divine or fairy blood ran in one’s veins.
The king’s mention that he hadn’t invited him to the feast added credibility to this notion. The king’s heir was off to the side drinking, which meant that this young man was most likely the son of a nymph concubine.
"Greetings, Lord Heracles! My name is Hylas!" "Hylas...?" "Yes. I'm much younger than you, so please feel free to call me by my name!"
It was clear why the king hadn’t invited him. The adoring gaze, the curious questions, the casual way he approached—all these signs pointed to him being a naive youth who idolized heroes, unaware of the harsh realities of the world.
The king had probably feared that the boy might embarrass himself in front of the great hero.
"The Lamia? As the stories say, its claws were indeed quite sharp." "Oh... Of course."
King Teiodamas, who had been on the verge of reprimanding Hylas, decided to hold his tongue when he saw Heracles speaking with the boy. If Heracles grew fond of Hylas, it would be easier to bring him into the kingdom’s fold.
Thus, Heracles spent a relatively enjoyable time at the banquet where he was the guest of honor. Though his mighty body didn’t get drunk easily, there was always talk of getting intoxicated by the atmosphere.
"Now that the banquet is over, let me introduce you to Menodice. Hylas! Take this hero to your mother." "You wish to meet my mother? Please follow me."
And so, Heracles met Hylas’s mother, Menodice, a nymph. He wasted no time and directly asked her about Triton.
"I must meet Lord Triton for one of my labors. Since you are a nymph, might you know where I can find him...?" "Hmm... Unfortunately, I have no connection to Lord Triton, as I am a Naiad who lives in springs."
Even among water nymphs, they didn’t all live in the same place. The Oceanids lived in the ocean, the Pegaeae in springs—each had their own domain and their own names depending on where they resided.
Hylas’s mother, Menodice, was a Naiad who lived in ponds and lakes. She had no connection to Triton, who resided in the deep sea palace.
As Heracles’s face filled with disappointment, Menodice hesitated before cautiously offering a suggestion.
"But I do know of a beach where the sea nymphs, the Nereids, often come to play at night. If you ask them, they might know."
The sea nymphs, the Nereids, were daughters of the sea Titan Nereus and the goddess Doris. With over fifty sisters, these nymphs lived in the ocean and likely knew Triton.
"Please, tell me where this place is. I will repay you." "The favor has already been done. Instead, please take my son, Hylas, as your attendant."
This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.
The one surprised wasn’t Heracles, but Hylas himself. Clearly, this had not been discussed beforehand.
"Mother?!" "Haha. You’ve always despised the tedious life in the palace. Now, with the hero you admire so much before you, you can follow him and see the world." "...! Thank you..."
Heracles observed the exchange before nodding. An attendant or two wouldn’t make much difference to him.
Since Hylas wasn’t the king’s heir but the child of a concubine, it was likely the king would approve as well.
The next day, Heracles received King Teiodamas’s permission to take Hylas as his attendant. Perhaps it was due to Menodice’s influence from the previous night, but the king agreed rather readily.
Thus, Heracles and Hylas set out for the beach that Menodice had mentioned, where the Nereids often appeared.
A quiet beach.
Heracles and Hylas hid among the rocks, waiting for the nymphs to appear. But even though the goddess Selene had already begun driving her moon chariot across the sky, the nymphs were nowhere to be seen.
They had been staying in a nearby village for food and lodging while lying in wait for several days...
"Hylas, your mother wouldn’t have given us the wrong information, would she?" "Hmm. Shall I scout the area?"
As they grew restless from the long wait, a soft song drifted over the sea. It was too dark to see any humans, and the singing seemed to come from the empty ocean.
That could only mean... nymphs!
"What shall we do for fun today?" "Anelnoi, let's search for some shells! Since humans rarely come here, there should be plenty left!" "Are all the humans asleep by now?" "Ah~ I'm tired of seaweed dishes. I want to try human food!" "Human food? Should we sneak into a nearby village and take some?"
Seven or eight women, soaked from the sea, emerged from the water. They weren’t human but sea nymphs—Nereids. Their youthful beauty left Hylas speechless.
Heracles waited until they got closer before slowly revealing himself from behind the rocks. He raised both hands in a show of non-aggression and calmly spoke.
"Excuse me. Are you the sea nymphs, the Nereids? I’d like to speak with you for a moment..."
"Kyaaaah!!!" "A monster! A human! Save us!" "Father Nereus! Help us!"
But Heracles’s effort was in vain. The Nereids screamed and scattered in all directions, with many calling on their parents, Nereus and Doris, as they dashed back into the sea.
"What the..."
Why had this happened?
In truth, the Nereids weren’t particularly afraid of humans. Their parents were a Titan and a goddess, and they themselves had some degree of mystical power. They often played pranks on handsome young fishermen or rescued drowning humans.
However... Heracles was currently wearing the pelt of the Nemean Lion. Along with that, he had a golden sword at his waist and a newly commissioned iron club from his battle with the Hydra slung over his back. He looked like a heavily armed hunter or hero.
And that hulking frame with those muscular arms—Nereids knew well the rough nature of Greek men. If caught, they’d likely have to fear for their chastity and their lives.
In the dark of night, Heracles raising his hands looked more like he was trying to grab them, and emerging from the rocks made him appear like a bandit ambushing them.
"Kyaaaah!!!" "Save us!" "Eek! A hunter! It's a hunter!"
And so, this situation unfolded.
The hero’s worries weren’t deep, and his judgment was quick. Heracles’s body moved like lightning as he grabbed the arm of the nearest Nereid.
"Kyahhhhh—!! Mmph!!" "Quiet down, please."
"No! Let go! You brute!" "Anelnoi!!!" "Let's tell Lord Triton! Quickly!"
Heracles subdued the Nereid called Anelnoi in an instant. Her scream echoed before fading into the sea, leaving the trembling nymph looking up at him in fear.
'Damn it, Chiron told me not to harm the weak. Now I've scared her unnecessarily.'
Heracles, looking somewhat troubled, released the nymph he had firmly held. She rubbed her arm and glared at him resentfully, knowing that fleeing would only lead to her being caught again.
"...I am Heracles, a mortal on a task for Lady Hera. If you answer my questions, I won’t harm you." "Liar!" "What?" "There are so many impostors claiming to be the great Heracles! You’re just another one of them, aren’t you?"
She didn’t recognize him, even after seeing the lion’s pelt and the golden sword at his waist?
Well, it made sense. By now, Heracles was quite famous in Greece. The tales of the great hero performing Lady Hera’s labors had spread far and wide.
The strongest hero in all the world—Heracles!
Monsters quivered at the sight of his iron club!
He wielded the golden sword he won by slaying Chrysaor!
He defeated the Nemean Lion and wore its pelt as a trophy!
And he obliterated the Hydra so thoroughly that he gained nothing from it!
Though he had only completed three tasks so far, his journey had been extraordinary. In a world lacking much entertainment, the heroic exploits of Heracles were the most exciting stories people could hear.
As a result, lion pelts were selling like hotcakes, blacksmiths were flooded with orders for iron clubs, and people were gilding their swords to wear them proudly at their waists.
"I am the real Heracles..." "Liar! The real Heracles never lays a hand on women! You brute, grabbing a maiden’s arm like that!" "Do you ever think about why I grabbed you when you all suddenly ran away?!"
The real Heracles was beside himself with frustration, having been mistaken for a fake. He needed to convince them that he was genuine and somehow use this moment to connect with Triton, but they refused to believe him...
Just then, Hylas approached, having witnessed the commotion.
"Lord Heracles!" "Ah, Hylas." "Is something the matter?" "This nymph doesn’t believe I’m the real Heracles."
"Hmph! I heard Heracles always traveled alone! You bandits!"
Her sharp retort left Heracles and Hylas at a loss for words.
Heracles thought that this misunderstanding might never be cleared up without swearing an oath on the River Styx. He was just about to open his mouth to do so when...!
Splash!
"Which human dares to... abduct the Nereids under my protection?!"
"Ah, Lord Triton!"
A massive wave surged, separating Heracles and Hylas from the nymphs.