Someone in the crowd was the first to break, letting out a loud laugh.
It might have been some bastard god disguised as a bard.
After all, everyone knew the cruelness of the huntress in front of them.
Even though they felt she might not kill them, many were still too scared to break the situation.
However, it was broken.
And once the first laugh erupted, it was as if a dam had broken.
The laughter spread like wildfire.
Soon, the entire crowd was in hysterics, some doubling over with uncontrollable mirth.
Even King Iasus, Atalanta's cheap father, couldn't help but laugh heartily.
Meleager, who still wrapped in bandages, laughed so hard that the healed wounds on his body split open, causing blood to spill, but even that didn't stop him.
As the laughter grew more and more, Atalanta's face darkened.
Her usually calm and determined expression morphed into one of growing anger.
Her angry bright green eyes darted toward Pegasus, scaring the laughing creature so much that he quickly lowered his head, as if to say, "Don't look at me, I don't know anything."
"...Promise!"
Her voice, filled with barely contained fury, echoed across the plains.
With gritted teeth and clenched fists, she turned and sprinted off, faster than she had ever run before.
This time, she wasn't running for the race.
And the moment Atalanta disappeared, everyone could no longer control themselves and laughed unscrupulously.
It filled the Arcadian plains, the kingdom, and beyond. Even the gods themselves couldn't help but join in.
Fueled by righteous anger, Atalanta reached her fastest speed ever in her life and soon caught up with Promise in front of her.
At this point, however, as she prepared to draw her bow, she stopped.
Because at that moment, Promise was calmly standing still, waiting for her, as though he had no intention of running anymore.
"Promise, you—"
Before she could finish, Promise, still calm, looked at her with a mischievous grin.
Seeing this, Atalanta, filled with rage, was about to explode, but before she could say anything, the boy interjected.
"What are you doing? And let me warn you, if you even think about hitting me, I'll just lie down right here. Do you believe me or not?" Promise lifted his chin in defiance, his tone so self-assured that Atalanta found herself momentarily speechless.
And truth be told, the thought of punching him and the consequences it might bring made her hesitate.
Because she suddenly realized she couldn't actually go through with it.
"And besides, I haven't broken any rules, have I?" Promise continued, looking as innocent as ever. "I didn't have Pegasus run the race for me, and I'm still here, honestly running to get the leaf from the ancient tree and return it to the post."
Post?
"Give me back the Post!" Atalanta opened her eyes wide and said angrily, "Promise, where did you put that stake?"
"Hey, what? The stake is missing?" Promise acted shocked, his expression one of exaggerated surprise. "Whoa! Where did it go? How could it just vanish?"
Watching Promise's awful acting, Atalanta nearly laughed out of sheer frustration.
She was ready to retort when Promise continued.
"Oh no, this is bad! Without the post to place the leaf on, the race can't end!
But this game is being witnessed by the gods, so there must be a result.
If this doesn't end, Atalanta, you'll be in trouble."
Hearing this, Atalanta was slightly stunned and hadn't reacted yet when the boy continued.
"Otherwise," Promise added with a sly grin, "you'll be stuck in this race forever, Atalanta. Forever running, never finishing, and... never being able to marry."
After hearing this, Atalanta was completely stunned, and at the same time she completely understood his idea.
Looking aat her like this, Promise smiled, then turned and began running again, leaving the huntress standing there, staring after him in disbelief.
For a long time, Atalanta didn't move, her bright green eyes following Promise as he continued down the path.
'I knew it,' she thought, a small smile tugging at her lips.
'I could never truly beat him, could I?'
Atalanta, unable to hold back her smile, sighed softly before jogging to catch up with the bot.
When she reached his side, Promise, feeling clearly tired from running, had slowed to a walk.
So she simply matched his pace, walking beside him without saying a word.
Though her heart was conflicted, and there were so many things she wanted to say, she remained silent.
She didn't thank him either, as they didn't need such words between them.
After a while, Atalanta casually remarked, "You know, if that's the case, there's no reason for you to get the leaf from the tree anymore."
Hearing this, Promise glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, but there is. You see, I hold grudges."
"Holding a grudge?" Atalanta, who obviously did not expect to get this answer, looked at him in confusion.
"Yep, grudges!" Promise declared proudly, without a hint of shame. "Atalanta, have you ever thought about why I had to drag you along and let others spread your name?
Why I insisted on pulling you into the limelight?"
Atalanta looked puzzled. "Why?"
"Because you laughed at me the first time we met!"
"Remember? When the whole thing with that bandit happened, and you thought it was hilarious!"
Indeed, when a story involving a thief's reputation had gotten out of hand Atalanta had laughed at him during their first encounter,
"...What?"
But now the truth had come out so late that Atalanta couldn't understand it all at once.
"And this time, you went even further! Actually laughing at me and calling me a fool in front of so many people!"
Promise's voice took on a mocking tone as he glanced at her, his expression smug. "I wasn't planning on getting that leaf at first, but now... well."
He shot her a mischievous look. "I've got the post in my hands, and soon, I'll have the leaf too. So, Atalanta, if you ever upset me again... muahaha!"
Placing the leaf on the stake faster than Atalanta would mean victory.
So, the meaning was clear—if Promise placed the leaf on the post before her, he would win, and winning meant... a marriage.
"Y-You... You're impossible! Promise, you scoundrel!"
"Uh-oh! She's gonna hit me!" Promise cried out, clutching his head dramatically. "Somebody help! Goddess Artemis! God Apollo! Help, I'm being attacked!"
Under the clear morning sky, bathed in the warm rays of the sun, Atalanta chased after Promise, her fists clenched as he ran ahead, shielding his head and laughing all the while.
And under this warm light, the two gods were watching this scene silently.
"It was never really necessary to go through all this trouble, was it?" Artemis murmured softly.
Standing beside her, Apollo couldn't help but chuckle softly.
"There was never any need for that leaf or the post.
All it would've taken was for her to know how much effort that boy had put in just to stand before her. That would have been enough..."
He turned to Artemis, his voice gentle. "Don't you agree, Artemis?"
The Moon Goddess remained silent, not responding to her brother's words.
Pegasus was imprisoned in the sky, and the gods no longer responded to the call of promise, but even so, the frail boy never stopped.
Without getting any help from anyone, he ventured into the dense and shadowy ancient forest, facing the beasts and monsters of the era of the gods along the way, alone, suffering so many injuries.
However, even then, he pressed on amd continued to move forward.
Yet, when the golden-antlered deer appeared, it was clear that in the end, Artemis couldn't help but soften her heart.
...