The Bargain

Io was accustomed to seeing severed heads.

Ever since she was young, she had personally butchered meat for the Minotaur she raised, a creature that would not touch meat unless it was fresh and dripping blood.

The first thing she always removed when preparing meat was the head.

Meat with the head attached looked unpleasant, and staring into the eyes of a s*ave filled with pain and resignation made her feel stupid herself.

So she always threw it away as soon as the butchering was done.

But this time, she couldn’t.

Because this was the first time she looked at the heads of those she considered, in her own way, friends.

Inside the sack were the severed heads of Medeia and Polyphemus.

Io wanted to scream, but she couldn’t.

Iason crushed her mouth shut with his large hand.

With bloodshot eyes, Iason glared at Io struggling beneath him.

‘Is he planning to kill me too?’

Io’s face turned white with fear.

How foolish she had been.

No matter what Iason said, she should never have come running alone.

At the very least she should have brought slaves with her.

Io thrashed desperately.

“Mmph—! Mmmph!”

Then Iason commanded,

“Be still.”

Just that one sentence made Io freeze like a lie.

She immediately regretted reacting like she always did—obediently following Iason’s orders.

But his next words widened her eyes.

“Good. You really do listen well.”

Iason slowly loosened his fingers.

“I should have kept you beside me instead of those arrogant traitors who hid behind their family names.”

His hand lifted like a weight removed, but Io did not scream.

She simply stared in disbelief.

Iason slowly laid a handkerchief across a rock and sat down.

Even now, he refused to sit anywhere without preparing something beneath him.

Io couldn’t help thinking that was impressive before she asked,

“…Do you mean that?”

Iason nodded slowly.

Encouraged, Io checked the contents of the sack again.

Since he didn’t stop her, she observed both heads closely.

Both heads, crusted in dried blood, stared wide-eyed—as if on purpose.

Heart pounding, Io lifted Medeia’s head with both hands.

Medeia’s eyes were wide open.

Io recognized fear in them instantly.

Staring into eyes she had rarely seen face-to-face while Medeia was alive, Io soon realized something.

The once confident, reckless Medeia had died wearing the exact same expression as a s*ave about to be eaten by the Minotaur.

Io couldn’t help but whisper,

“Wow…”

The fact that the mighty Medeia had the same eyes as livestock was so shocking it took her breath away.

Io shoved the head back into the sack.

If she kept looking, she felt she would become stupid too.

She tied the sack tightly and even nudged it away with her foot.

Then she asked, slightly excited,

“…What exactly did you do?”

“……”

“Hurry and say it, Iason. I need to know what happened to decide whether I help you or not.”

Iason stared at her with those bloodshot eyes.

Io looked down at him with a face full of benevolent understanding.

After a long silence, Iason asked,

“Will you help me?”

“I’ll decide after I hear everything.”

Her tone was more excited than before.

She pressed further,

“What happened that you killed not one but two fellow Elders? Even being the princess’s son, this will be difficult to cover up.”

“…They deceived me.”

“What?”

“They conspired together to betray me. Just like you said—me, the son of a princess.”

“Really? They betrayed you?”

Unable to hide her smile, Io leaned closer.

Iason continued,

“Medeia tried to kill my father after killing her own brother.”

“So she really still had feelings for you.”

“Feelings?”

Iason snorted bitterly.

“Is that what you call it? She tormented me just because she couldn’t marry me. She even knew Polyphemus was cheating with some Odysseus. If she had any love left for me—”

Tears ran down Iason’s cheek.

“She should have at least told me he was having an affair.”

“……”

“I’ll never forgive them. Never. How little did they think of me…?”

Veins bulged over his clenched fists.

Io waited until he calmed slightly, then asked,

“So what do you want from me?”

“Help me get rid of the bodies.”

“……”

“I won’t let these traitors rest peacefully. I want every trace of them gone from this world.”

“…I understand. But how can I—ah.”

Io suddenly thought of the Minotaur.

Revulsion washed over her.

“You’re not planning to feed them to it, are you…?”

“Yes. I don’t know whether the beast you adore so much can chew through skull, but it’s worth trying.”

“……”

The Minotaur was a species of cattle from the southern continent, the only livestock that subsisted on meat.

Its jaw strength rivaled that of sirens, easily crushing skulls.

In the past, Io always removed the head because it was ugly.

But if given, it would certainly eat it.

‘But…’

Sensing her hesitation, Iason asked,

“Why the sour face? Feeling guilty?”

“No.”

Io glanced at the sack.

“Once breath stops, meat is just meat.”

Relief flooded Iason’s face.

He had dreaded handling everything alone.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

After answering, Io fell silent for a moment, then eyed him sideways.

It was amusing: mighty Iason watched her anxiously.

Io lifted her chin high and asked,

“But I never said I would help you.”

“…Why not? You don’t even like them!”

“Of course I don’t. They always looked down on me. How could I like them?”

“Then obviously you should help me! This is the perfect chance to humiliate them!”

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“Certainly, that part is tempting… but as I said earlier.”

Io’s lips curled.

“I am a more rational elf than either of them.”

Iason flinched.

Io felt another thrilling wave rush through her and lifted her chin higher.

“Did you think I move without gaining anything?”

Iason’s eyebrow twitched.

But Io did not shrink away.

“You called me here because you can’t handle this alone.”

“……”

“And…”

Io trailed off, then pressed a finger to his chest.

“You’re scared, aren’t you?”

“…What do you take me for? If I were scared I wouldn’t have done any of this in the first place!”

Iason drew his sword.

“I can kill you right now and deal with the Minotaur myself!”

But that was the worst mistake he could have made.

Io watched the trembling sword in his hand with a calm, almost amused expression.

Then she returned the advice he once gave her when she dressed in royal splendor,

“Iason, stop bluffing.”

She patted his shoulder gently.

“Everyone can see you’re terrified of being alone.”

“……”

“Poor Iason.”

The sword slipped from his trembling hand and fell to the ground.

At that same moment, Vanessa, standing near a cart loaded with cuts of meat, pulled up her hood to conceal her face.

It was time to move on to the next stage of the plan.