At that instant, the forest seemed to freeze in place.
The brief word that spilled from Medea's lips pierced my reason far more sharply than the confession of love she had just uttered.
Medea's eyes, still dazed beneath the heat of the golden arrow, trembled minutely with awe, fear, and relief all tangled together.
"...Lady Hecate, Goddess of Magecraft..."
I kept hold of the hilt of my holy sword and glanced sidelong at my teacher, who stood behind me, radiating a chill presence.
Lady Hecate wore none of her usual languid smile. Instead, she looked down at her disciple's "disciple" with a stern, strangely inscrutable gaze.
Then Lady Hecate slowly approached Medea.
Each time the hem of the goddess's garments, as though woven from darkness itself, brushed the ground, the earth of Colchis trembled faintly.
"Yes, Medea. My priestess, and... the child who understood my teachings most deeply. And yet, what is this state you are in?"
Her fingers lightly lifted Medea's chin.
The moment her touch landed, the light of the golden arrow embedded in Medea's heart surged in response.
"The Queen of the Gods has played a rather nasty trick. To dare place such a vulgar chain of emotion upon a priestess of magecraft who belongs to my domain..."
Medea could scarcely breathe before the divine majesty pouring from Lady Hecate, and yet she still looked at me with desperate yearning.
Whether because of the arrow's curse or some instinctive pull, affection for me still lingered in her eyes.
[Disciple, are you surprised? This girl is one who honed her magecraft in my temple. For a human, she was quite clever, so I favored her... I never expected she would meet you in such a fashion.]
Lady Hecate turned her head and smiled languidly at me.
"...Teacher. Then you must also know how to resolve this situation. How to stop this runaway emotion."
Lady Hecate's gaze settled on Medea's heart, on the unseen arrow lodged there.
"Well..."
Then, with a low laugh, she continued.
"It is a brand carved directly by the Queen of Olympus. If you force it out, this girl will break."
At those words, Medea's shoulders shook violently.
"But."
At that one word from Lady Hecate, the air tightened once more with tension.
Lady Hecate's gaze slowly returned to me.
"There is no lack of a method."
"...Please tell me."
I answered briefly.
Then the corner of Lady Hecate's lips rose ever so slightly.
"It's simple."
"...?"
"You abandon this girl."
"...Pardon?"
My eyes narrowed at that.
"If it is now, it is not yet too late. Before the emotion takes root completely, if you draw the line, that girl will simply collapse and end there."
Yet her tone remained calm.
She spoke of a human's ruin with far too much ease.
"...That is your solution?"
"One solution, yes."
When I answered with disappointment, Lady Hecate shrugged.
"Or..."
Then her eyes shone as she looked at me.
"You accept her."
"..."
"But I do not recommend it."
Her voice lowered.
"That girl is a rather dangerous existence for the you of now to bear."
As soon as she finished speaking, Medea's trembling hand clutched at the hem of my clothes.
"...Please don't abandon me."
A small voice.
Yet within it lay a desperation that was entirely her own.
"...I don't care what I become."
Medea lifted her head as she said it.
Her eyes were still wavering.
But within them was a resolve of her own.
"If I can remain by your side..."
"...."
Seeing that, I said nothing.
The forest's silence was heavy, and from the slender fingertips clutching my clothes, a desperate warmth seeped through.
The forced affection carved by the golden arrow and the earnest desperation that belonged to her alone mingled together, clouding my reason.
I raised my head and met Lady Hecate's eyes as she watched me as though testing me.
Within Lady Hecate's gaze lingered an intrigued expectation, as if she wished to see how I, one who pursued "order," would deal with this "great disorder."
I slowly removed my hand from the sword hilt. Then I placed my hand over Medea's, the one clutching my clothes.
Her hand, cold as if it had long since gone numb, trembled at my warmth.
"...Teacher. You always told me that order and chaos are two sides of the same coin."
My voice rang quietly through the night air.
"If this girl's feelings are disorder brought about by a god's mischief... then as king, I need only give them a new law. To leave her to break is an answer I cannot choose, neither as the King of Eirene nor as your disciple."
With strength in my arms, I helped Medea to her feet.
She staggered as though her legs had given out, but she managed to steady herself by leaning against my chest.
Tears gathered in her violet eyes beneath the moonlight.
"Medea, listen well."
I looked straight into her eyes and murmured in a low voice.
"Whether the heart you offered me is false or true, I will gladly bear it. But standing beside me is no simple matter. If you follow me... you will no longer be the princess of Colchis. Even so... can you bear it?"
"...Ah."
A trembling exclamation escaped Medea's lips.
She buried her face in my arms with an expression as though she had gained the whole world.
"If it is your command... if it is your order... I will gladly accept even death. So please... please lock me away in your world."
[Heh, just as expected of my disciple. So you've decided to drink that poisoned chalice after all.]
Lady Hecate, having watched my decision, gave a languid laugh and stepped back, her form slowly beginning to melt into the darkness.
[Very well. Since it was your choice, I shall watch how the tale unfolds from here. Medea, attend well to my other disciple. If you disappoint him... then as your teacher, I shall personally take you in.]
As the goddess's presence vanished, silence returned to the forest.
Medea, still in my arms, drew a breath and handed me a vial and a stone.
"These... will lead you to victory tomorrow. King Astellon... from now on, I am yours."