“This boat is mine now. Set sail for Colchis.” I said with a dry tone.
“Are you kidding us, kid? Do you want to die?” The man, who seemed to be the captain of the boat, glared at me, his eyes narrowing with a mix of disbelief and anger.
But then his gaze shifted past me, lingering on the alluring figure of Semiramis, standing quietly behind me. Her presence was undeniably captivating, and I could see the greedy glint in his eyes as he ogled her.
“Oh, you’ve got a good woman there? Leave her behind and jump off the boat, and I might spare you,” he sneered, licking his lips in a lecherous display.
Semiramis looked at him with utter disgust, but she remained silent, waiting for me to act. She could easily handle these men on her own, but today I was in charge. She stood there like a soldier awaiting orders from her commander, showcasing her discipline and loyalty. This Lord Commander rank was starting to feel quite empowering.
I found myself enjoying the authority, the way people obeyed without question. It was a nice change of pace.
“Have you gone deaf? I told you to sail for Colchis,” I repeated, my voice firm and unyielding.
The captain laughed, a harsh and ugly sound. “Hah! Kill him and bring me the woman! We’ll have a nice chat!”
One of his men, a brute with an ugly grin, approached me, sword drawn, clearly eager to follow orders. But as he reached out, he suddenly realized his hand was empty. Or rather, he had no hand at all. Both his arms had been neatly severed, blood spurting onto the wooden deck in a gruesome spray.
I flicked my sword to clear the blood, and no one had seen me move. My strike had been lightning fast, too quick for their eyes to follow.
“This is the last time I’ll ask before I slaughter every last one of you,” I said, my voice dropping to a menacing growl. Darkness began to swirl around me, and my golden eyes glowed with a dangerous, pulsing light. The slit in my eyes narrowed and widened rhythmically, adding to the ominous aura.
“Set sail to Colchis, or I’ll send you all to sail towards Hades,” I continued, invoking the name of the God of Death to intimidate them further. It seemed to work; the men recoiled in fear, and several let out terrified whimpers.
The captain himself looked pale and shaken, a dark stain spreading across his trousers. “YESSSS!!!” he screamed in panic, clearly eager to comply.
“Disgusting,” I spat, turning away from them. I headed towards the interior of the boat, claiming the captain’s quarters for myself. Semiramis followed me, her face a mask of calm, though I noticed her shiver slightly as we passed through the darkness I had summoned.
The Demon Kingdom had a traumatic history with Darkness Magic, a legacy left by the previous Demon King who had used it to commit untold atrocities.
“You want the Princess of Colchis, Medea, don’t you?” Semiramis asked as we settled inside the room.
“Exactly,” I nodded, reclining in the armchair and propping my feet up on the desk.
“I’ve heard about Medea. She’s a dangerous sorceress. I don’t understand why the Lord Commander wants her,” Semiramis said, her voice tinged with confusion. It was a reasonable reaction. Medea was known for her dark magic and unstable emotions. Any sane person would steer clear of her.
But I wasn’t exactly sane anymore. Near-death experiences tend to change a man, and I needed someone like Medea—someone with a twisted side that matched my own.
“I will make her mine, that’s all you need to know,” I replied, my voice leaving no room for further questions.
Semiramis fell silent for a moment before speaking again. “Who are you, my lord? You were summoned from another world, yet you knew about the Divine Knight and seem familiar with our world. Your name is also the same as the Devil who died countless centuries ago.” Her tone was serious, her eyes searching mine for answers.
It was a question that had likely crossed everyone’s mind at the castle, and one I hadn’t answered for any of them. Why did I choose the name Samuel? Khione had told me about the most feared man in the world, Samael. Was it reckless to adopt such a name? Perhaps. It could provoke many gods, making them think I was truly that Samael.
But it was a declaration, a challenge to the Divine Knights and the Gods of Light.
I wanted them to hear that name, to fear it, to doubt themselves, and to force them out into the open where I could confront them.
“All you need to know is that I am not an enemy of the Demon Kingdom unless you make me one,” I said, leaving the rest unsaid.
°°°°°
Even though Hermes didn’t bring us directly to Colchis, he got us pretty close. As we neared the border, I noticed another ship on the horizon. This ship was a sight to behold—much larger and more beautiful than the one we were on, with a sleek design and clearly made for serious travel. The crew aboard seemed capable, and among them was a young man who stood out as the captain.
He was striking, with brown hair and a confident demeanor.
“We’ve arrived, Lord Jason!” someone called out, holding a lyre.
“That’s great, Orpheus! Finally, the Golden Fleece will be mine!” Jason responded, his voice full of excitement.
“Let’s not rush things, Jason. First, we need to meet the King,” said a tall, muscular man, who must have been Heracles.
“Yeah, yeah, Heracles, leave the talking to me,” Jason grinned.
“Don’t get too cocky, Jason. This is our only chance,” a beautiful woman with green hair cautioned.
“I know, Atalanta,” Jason groaned, sounding annoyed. “I’ll handle everything.”
Jason, Orpheus, Heracles, and Atalanta—they all exuded a dangerous strength. Jason and Heracles, in particular, were names I recognized from Greek mythology. Seeing them here, talking about the Golden Fleece, made everything click into place. We had arrived at just the right time. Though a bit earlier would have been ideal, it was fine.
I needed to avoid a direct confrontation with Jason and Heracles; they were demigods, after all.
“Lord Commander, those people…” Semiramis’s voice trailed off, her face showing signs of concern.
“Stay calm. We’re here to meet the King as well,” I told her, my tone leaving no room for argument. Semiramis seemed taken aback but nodded, realizing that I wasn’t going to change my mind.
As we disembarked, I led the way with Semiramis close behind. Suddenly, a voice called out.
“Hey, you.”
I ignored it, continuing to walk.
The voice belonged to Heracles, who quickly caught up and placed a hand on my shoulder, trying to stop me. He was imposing, but his presence didn’t intimidate me.
“What?” I asked, turning to face him.
Heracles seemed taken aback by my directness. “You’re not from around here, are you? Did you come from another continent?”
“Yes, I’m here to meet the King,” I replied, shrugging off his hand.
“Oh, you’re meeting the King too?” Jason joined us, eyeing me suspiciously. “I hope you’re not here for the same reason I am.”
“I couldn’t care less about the Golden Fleece. Do whatever you want with it,” I sneered, leaving him momentarily speechless.
Before Jason could react to my dismissive attitude, Orpheus held him back. They ended up trailing behind us as we made our way to the small castle.
At the gate, a guard stopped us. “State your business.”
Jason stepped forward with a confident grin. “Good morning. I am Jason, and these are Heracles, Atalanta, and Orpheus. I’m sure you’ve heard of us. We wish to speak with the King.”
The guards quickly opened the gates, clearly recognizing them.
“Oh, and just so you know, they’re not with us,” Jason added, glancing back at us as he walked in.
“Who are you, and why are you here?” the guard asked, eyeing me suspiciously.
Jason smirked, giving me a wave as he disappeared into the castle.
“L-Lord Commander…” Semiramis whispered, sensing the tension rising. It wasn’t fear for our situation that made her nervous, but rather what she anticipated I might do next.
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