"We've got Iskios!!!"
On the shore where the Argo was docked, a few familiar faces burst into cheers as if they'd been waiting for me.
There were about twenty in total. I spotted Peleus and Telamon, but no sign of Heracles yet. The rest? I didn't care to remember them.
The reason he's not here is that Heracles is right now undertaking his Twelve Labors. It's a story famous throughout Greece... From what I'd heard, he'd just completed the third labor, capturing Artemis's Stag.
Even if I hid myself under a mask and cloak, Jason's shouts that he'd brought me along would give me away... I'd left the forest in Peleus's hands, but I was worried I'd be gone for up to a year.
"So you're Iskios."
"...And you are?"
"Ah, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Nestor, a mere mortal who happens to be king of a place called Pylos."
Nestor... That name rang a bell. He's the hero who joined the Argo expedition, hunted the Calydonian Boar, and fought in the Trojan War.
I heard he was the eldest among the Greeks at Troy, but looking at him now, smiling so freshly, I couldn‘t guess his age... Ah, but it‘d be rude to ask directly, right?
Although he couldn‘t see my face, I didn‘t catch any of the leering looks I‘d had from other guys. He seemed like a decent sort... though I‘d still keep my guard up. For now, I shook Nestor‘s hand.
"Ah, so you are Iskios. Today, this meeting is truly a grand occasion!"
A silver-haired man, holding a lyre in both hands and clearly handsome by anyone‘s standards, greeted me with a gentle smile and offered his hand for a shake. Like Nestor, there was no hint of impropriety in his gaze.
There was no lecherous glance—only pure light shining from his eyes. And I could tell at once he wasn‘t a bad guy at heart. Silver hair, a harp, and the Argo expedition—there‘s only one man who matches that description.
"My name is Orpheus. From now on, let's do our best as fellow members of the Argo expedition."
"Yeah, likewise. I look forward to working with you."
Orpheus... I‘d heard that name before too. He‘s the musician aboard the Argo, but what stuck in my mind most was him blurting out "because you ruined my vibe, you‘re paying for this" and then saying "Yes, Lord Dionysus," only to strum guitar-like sounds on his lyre—
No, best to stop there. It‘d be rude to think more about it when he's standing right in front of me. Besides, that story didn‘t end well... For now, I‘ll just welcome him as a comrade sailing on the same ship.
While greeting and chatting with the heroes waiting on the shore to board the Argo, I finally got to reunite with Heracles after all these years—
"...You, Heracles?"
"Ah, Iskios. Long time no see."
It was exactly what you'd expect from a 'brachi-synchro': his bulk far exceeded anything I'd imagined. When I last saw him, he was around 180 cm, but now he looked almost 250 cm tall.
Are you familiar with the character Ira Gamagori from Kill la Kill? That character also hits the 250 cm range like Heracles, but sometimes he's drawn even bigger than Mobile Suits. There was even a line: “Gamagori‘s size is singular: BIGGER THAN YOU!”
It might sound unreal, but that reality was right in front of me, and I was disoriented. Still, I held out my hand to Heracles for a shake after all this time.
"You‘ve grown an awful lot since I last saw you."
"Likewise, I've heard about you. They say you ran from the gods for two years without a scratch? And on top of that, you—"
"—Don‘t say any more."
By now not just Heracles, but news of me being a demigod had spread through how I settled things with Apollo—and my mother‘s identity too. Thanks to that, my name drew even more attention, but since I usually hid out in the forest, it didn‘t really matter.
But... I caught a glance coming from behind Heracles, as if someone were sneaking behind him. The boy looked barely 165 cm tall... a pretty-faced young lad. No way, Heracles... surely you didn‘t—
"That little one? Who is he?"
"He‘s Hylas. Right now—"
The moment I heard what came out of Heracles‘s mouth next, I half-stopped mid-thought as a wave of fear and loathing I‘d long forgotten rose up in me.
-The best members have assembled, yet things have gone awry.-
***
Hah, just as I thought! Despite claiming he hates being noticed or wants to live quietly, Iskios‘s true nature is something else entirely!
Iskios can‘t stand seeing the weak oppressed or when trouble erupts without jumping in headfirst! He‘s by no means the type to keep quiet!!!
It‘s a truly amusing contradiction. I don‘t know why he wants to live quietly, but he can‘t help but get involved in others‘ troubles when they‘re in a bind.
"Jason."
"Hm? What is it, Heracles?"
An old familiar face approached—it must‘ve been at least as large as before, that golden gaze unmistakable. My long-time comrade, Heracles.
Yet I saw an unfamiliar gloom on Heracles‘s face—something I‘d never seen in him before. What on earth happened? And who was that figure hiding behind his leg?
"It‘s because of Iskios..."
"Huh? What about Iskios?"
I wondered why, and then I saw Iskios sitting alone, picking up pebbles. He moved slowly, but the way he crouched with only one leg bent showed he was still on guard.
I didn‘t know why he was gathering stones... I guessed it was a precaution to protect himself from other men. But then, as if sensing the gazes of Heracles and me, Iskios turned toward us.
"Kaaaaargh!Tch!"
Iskios glared at Heracles with open disgust and spat on the ground. Because Iskios and I had been Heracles‘s close companions since long ago, in a world where most envied and resented his talent, only the two of us remained his true friends. Yet now, Iskios was openly showing disgust toward Heracles.
"W-What‘s wrong?"
"Just a moment ago, for whatever reason, Iskios looked at me as if I were garbage."
"What on earth did you do?"
"I introduced him to Hylas—"
Damn it—I'd completely forgotten! Iskios has an extreme aversion to homosexuality! In my obsession with becoming king, I forgot such an important fact... What a blunder!
If this causes Iskios to drop out, it'd be a huge loss!!! I have to do something... Iskios himself won't make the mistake of showing his face openly, but the problem lies with those who know what he looks like from Chiron‘s stable.
"What should we do, Jason?"
Heracles was troubled, but honestly, there weren‘t many options from here.
Iskios, you see, has always had an extreme aversion to homosexuality. It goes back to his days in Chiron‘s stables, but since fleeing from Apollo, his disgust seems to have only grown.
Still, his ability to guard his body so well that even the gods couldn‘t lay a hand on him is a feat beyond human comparison—one I can‘t help but admire. Trying to approach him now would only backfire. It‘s best to keep our distance for the time being.
"Is that so...?"
"What he hates is homosexuality. He doesn't hate you like that. Have confidence!"
I tapped Heracles‘s massive arm—whether muscle or stone, it was so rock-solid it surprised me—and offered whatever consolation I could. For now, waiting was our only option.
...Good, with these key figures assembled—Heracles and Iskios—their participation in my expedition will attract the attention of every other hero in Greece!!!
With Iskios and Heracles now on board, the expedition's roster stands at twenty. There will be more! Soon enough, I'll become king!!!