"Why can't I come in?"
"Because she's a girl."
The priest said helplessly.
"I'll send the priestess in to find her."
"Fine……"
So the priest walked aside and asked the priestess guarding the door of the room to go in and bring Rhodes out. At this time, Rhodes was sleeping in the room. After all, the series of events that happened today made Rhodes very tired, but she was suddenly called up, and she didn't know what happened, so she just followed the priestess out in a daze.
"Well……"
The sleepy Rhodes was brought out by the priestess.
At this time, Pericles looked at Protagoras beside him with some disbelief.
It's like saying, is this true?
After all, this girl is different from Hilde. Although Hilde is also a woman, Pericles completely believes that Hilde is an oracle because there are too many incredible things about her. However, this girl looks pretty, a simple farm girl. Because the life of the farm family is hard and the nutrition is not enough, she looks a little too thin.
How could Poseidon actually fall in love with such a girl?
Pericles was a little surprised.
"Mr. Archon, this is the Lord Oracle, Rhodes."
"Really?"
Pericles showed an expression of obvious disbelief.
He frowned slightly and looked at the priest, "You are not lying to me."
"of course not."
"So……"
At this time Pericles walked up to Rhodes.
Since this girl looked like an ordinary girl, Pericles did not take it too seriously. He walked up to the girl, bent down slightly, tried to show a kind smile, and said to Rhodes: "Have you heard of the name Pericles?"
"Pericles?"
The girl tilted her head.
"Is that the name of the fish?"
“Hahahahaha—!”
Protagoras, who was standing nearby, couldn't hold back his laughter and burst out laughing. Pericles turned back and glared at Protagoras coldly, then continued to say to Rhodes, "It's normal that you don't know me. Actually, my name is Pericles, and I'm the Archon of Athens. You can understand that I'm the highest official in charge of the entire Athens."
"Aren't you a very powerful person then!?"
The girl showed a surprised expression.
“That’s not wrong…”
"But... why did you come to see me?"
"You are the Oracle of Poseidon, are you not?"
"This... I'm not too sure. It's just that some time ago, I was fishing at the seaside and met a man who claimed to be the god of the sea. He gave me a golden trident and told me that I had been his oracle since that day. But... I didn't know anything. Suddenly, I became much stronger out of nowhere, and it seemed that there were some changes in my body. Then I was sent here by my parents."
Seeing that Rhodes looked a little aggrieved.
Pericles understood immediately.
This kid has absolutely no idea what's going on.
It seems that she is really a very simple fisherman's daughter.
Thinking this in his heart, Pericles smiled and reached out his hand, gently touching Rhodes' hair, "Don't worry, son. From today on, I will take you to live in Athens, and your parents won't have to go fishing anymore. I will ensure that your parents live a good life in Athens that you never dared to imagine before. They will have endless bread and meat, as well as grapes and fine wine. You don't have to starve, and you can live a very comfortable life."
"really?"
At this time, Rhodes turned around and looked at the priest.
"Is what he said true?"
“Yes…it’s true.”
Although the priest was very reluctant, he couldn't say anything in front of Pericles, so he could only accept this fact. At this time, Rhodes turned around and nodded to Pericles.
"That's great."
"Okay, let's do it tonight without delay. You can come back with me first. Don't worry, I will definitely do what I promised you." Pericles said with a smile, "I once thought, how nice it would be if I had a daughter with the same hair color as you, then I wouldn't have to worry about so many things."
"Don't you have a daughter?"
"used to have."
The smile on Pericles' face gradually turned bitter.
But of course, Rhodes couldn't detect it.
"Now that the matter has been resolved, let's leave here as soon as possible, lest Cleon's people come looking for us." Protagoras took a step forward. He saw the bitter expression on Pericles' face and knew what had happened. So Protagoras raised his head and said to the priest, "I hope you can recognize your own duties. You are a priest, someone who worships the gods. Although we respect you and the gods, this does not mean that you can trample on our politics at will. The clergy cannot be too involved in the politics of the city-state. This has been a consensus for many years."
"Yes……"
Faced with Protagoras the Sophist.
The priests had only to bow their heads.
"Then let's go back quickly."
"Thank you... Protagora. If it weren't for you, I really don't know what to do next. If Cleon really gets Rhodes, it will be a devastating blow to us all."
If Cleon had control of Poseidon's oracle, the next result would be obvious. Hilde's departure already represented the loss of an oracle for Athens, and this was Pericles's doing. If Cleon regained control of another oracle, then the Athenian people would have already figured out who to support.
And Creon that madman.
It would certainly push Athens to the brink of destruction.
So Pericles really breathed a sigh of relief.
Rhode knew almost nothing about what was going to happen next. She was just a very simple girl and didn't know how heavy the mission would be on her slender shoulders. So when she and Pericles set out on the journey back to Athens, she didn't think about what might happen next.
Athens had a new oracle.
This is naturally a good thing.
But there is also a new problem facing everyone.
The question is whether this oracle can be of great use?
After all, she is just a girl who knows nothing.
It's really too early to send her to the battlefield.
Of course, this incident did not affect Athens too much. Very few people knew about it. Only the Temple of Poseidon and Pericles knew about it. Of course, another good friend and rival of Protagoras, Socrates, also knew about it.
But Socrates didn't care about this.
Athens has a new oracle, so what?
The crisis Athens is facing now still cannot be resolved.
Socrates cannot be said to fully support Pericles, as he is somewhat skeptical of Pericles' policies. However, it is better to say that Socrates is skeptical about everything, which is his habit of doing things and thinking about things.
But this time when Pericles exiled Hilde, Socrates felt that something was very wrong. As a result, Socrates recently learned about a series of events that happened to Hilde after she left, and she actually became the queen of a new kingdom.
This is the most surprising thing.
A fifteen-year-old girl.
A year's time.
She became the queen of a very powerful kingdom, and the strength of this kingdom even surpassed Athens and became a powerful separatist force in the North Aegean Sea. Such a thing is completely unbelievable. Therefore, Socrates felt that there must be a lot of things he didn't know.
Chapter 3, Section 7: The Appearance of Pericles
Socrates has always been a person who likes to study when he encounters a problem, which is why his philosophical thoughts can influence the whole world. So the matter about Hilde really made Socrates very interested. After all, before Hilde left, Socrates had already realized that something unexpected might happen, but he didn't expect that things would go in such a direction.
A new kingdom.
A new queen.
This combination is indeed quite interesting.
So Socrates then had a plan in mind.
It's time to go out and take a look.
Moreover, Socrates also remembered that Herodotus had also gone to the Byzantine Kingdom and had not returned yet. Socrates knew what kind of person Herodotus was. To be able to keep him in one place for a whole year, there must be some reason that he could not refuse. Therefore, Socrates planned to go to the Byzantine city to see what was going on. At least, Socrates believed that according to Hilde's character, when she saw his old friend, she would definitely not turn a blind eye.
A few days later.
Rhodes had been living in Athens for several days.
Pericles first kept Rhodes' situation strictly confidential and let Rhodes live in his mansion, while Protagoras used his connections to find out a series of news about the oracle of Poseidon in the society. However, Pericles' previous warning to the priests was obviously very effective. This news was not spread outside. After a few days, only the residents near Cape Sounion knew about this matter, after all, they had seen it with their own eyes.
"Mr. Archon!"
One day, Rhodes walked towards Pericles holding his trident.
"My parents, are they already living in Athens?"
"Yes, you can go and see it anytime and anywhere if you want."
Pericles's considerate care for Rhode these days has made the new girl relax her guard. She thinks Pericles is a good person and different from those priests. Although those priests also respect Rhode, she just feels that these priests give people a very strange feeling and cannot be compared with Pericles who treats her as a daughter. Therefore, at this time, Pericles smiled and said:
"But today, I want to take you to a place."
"Where?"
"The port of Piraeus."
"What kind of place is that?"
"That is the most prosperous port area in Athens. There are rare treasures from all over the world. When you get there, you can see many things you have never seen before." Pericles looked at the trident in Rhodes' hand and said with a smile, "But I have something to tell you in advance. The purpose of our trip to Piraeus Port this time is to inspire people and make everyone believe that we will win in the end."
"Victorious? Inspiring?"
Rhodes didn't understand at all.
Pericles said very patiently:
"Child, you don't understand yet."
"Um……"
"In fact, Athens is now in a great crisis. Outside the city walls, there are very vicious enemies who have surrounded the entire city. They are now dreaming of breaking through Athens and taking away everything we have now. The people in Athens are very scared. They dare not imagine what will happen if the city is broken. But, child, I have told you these days that you are the hero who protects Athens, and the adult who gave you the trident is the adult Poseidon whom you fishermen worship day and night."
"Ok, I know!"
Rhodes nodded heavily.
During this time, she memorized almost all of these things.
Pericles was not like those priests who had to use obscure language to explain, which made Rhode a little scared. Pericles simply told her about Rhode's current situation. After communicating with her for the past few days, Rhode was very clear about the power he now possessed and his current identity. She could already accept that she was the oracle of Poseidon. Then, this meant that the first step of the mission was over.
Next, it’s the next step.
How to make this oracle a hero of Athens.
Rhodes is really like a blank sheet of paper.
Pericles had to be guided slowly.
Therefore, this time Pericles will take her to the port of Piraeus. The purpose of going there is to let the Athenian citizens and other foreign merchants know that Athens now has an oracle, and the one who protects Athens is Lord Poseidon. Spreading this news first will greatly improve the morale of Athens and the people's support for Pericles. Now Pericles can imagine how amazing Cleon's expression will be.
Then Pericles continued:
"My child, it is indeed very stressful for you to take on such a task, but I hope you can do it, because Athens is indeed facing big problems. Behind us are not only your parents, but also thousands of Athenian citizens like your parents, who are facing many problems."
"Um……"
Rhodes didn't know if he really understood.
But there was the issue of her parents.
She also became nervous.
"If the Spartans invade Athens, everyone will live a nightmare life, with death and hunger spreading all over Athens. Child, you are the hope of Athens. The two hundred thousand Athenians all depend on you. If possible, I hope you can stand with me. I will lead you and teach you how to save the people of Athens."
"……OK."
