Beauty of Thebes

Chapter 52: A Past Memory

Two leopards turned their eyes to their master, pupils greatly dilated.

“Why don’t you catch those rats?! I’m here breaking my back working hard and you want to play around?! Eutostea may not scold you yet for she fears you for the time being, but I’m not afraid! Go and catch those rats. Step and crush and smash the head! Do something useful! After all, you’re living in the house of a god without paying rent!”

Dionysus whistled with two fingers on his lips. The leopards jumped high on the floor as if it was a race. The squeaky rats’ scream vanished from the ringing roar.

Dionysus rattled them like a drummer, pounding a rake on the floor. A light whistle came from his dried lips. It was a prelude to the battle.

The Moussa helping Eutostea stood up as if possessed and began to dance wildly.

It looked a mess.

Eutostea looked up at the warrior-like goddesses dancing like crazy with a blank look.

“Mariad! Bring back the chubbiest rat! He’s the real culprit. I’m already worried about running a poor temple and look, my beautiful priest is in trouble! Right, I’ll give it to her as a gift.”

“I don’t need such a gift!” Eutostea shouted to Dionysus.

Dionysus, who was whistling and clapping his hands, clasped his belly and laughed.

‘I don’t know what’s so funny. Why are you so happy?’

Eutostea watched and observed Dionysus’ dance. He clapped his hands like a tambourine and cheered for the beasts.

Eutostea’s heart rate also increased with the sounds of pounding.

With the cheers of Moussa, Mariad and Eonia walked proudly on all fours with many flesh in their mouths.

The plump, fat rat was dead, its stomach torn out and intestines sticking out. The tongue stuck out the open mouth and its two long molars were the color of yellow.

Dionysus strokes the leopards’ head and praised their actions, taking the carcass of the mouse out of their mouths.

“Rats, how dare you touch what’s mine?”

When he gave a squeeze, the body spurted blood between his grasp. It was crushed like pumpkin.

Dionysus crushed the remaining rats’ body with his foot as the leopards did. Sounds of bones cracking and guts bursting echoed.

The floor became so wet as blood after blood came out of their small body.

Eonia and Mariad grew fervent with excitement watching their master and roaring loudly.

“Eutostea,” said Dionysus, turning his head and looking at her. “I finished cleaning the basement.”

Staring blankly at his beaming smile, Eutostea glanced at the lump of guts scattered on the floor.

“We’ll need water. You’ll get it, right?”

“I can wash it off with wine.”

“Bring the mop.”

Stopping him, Eutostea pointed to a separate room where he kept the tools.

Dionysus walked awkwardly along, scratching his back neck.

Examining the white-faced Eutostea, Moussa grabbed her shoulder.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes. We’ll clean up again.”

Eutostea smiled faintly and held the cloth tighter.

Mariad and Eonia smacked their mouths, scratching their claws at the bloodstains trampled by Dionysus.

Eutostea distinctly remembered a scene that had been imprinted in her memory. It was a memory of Artemis’ hounds, which fell with a heavy noise next to her after being shot by Apollo’s arrow.

Was she lucky to be alive? That her neck wasn’t bitten?

She didn’t think much of it then, but now, she was pleased that they had died.

Suddenly, as she approached and brushed Eonia’s soft hair rubbing her head against her thighs with her fingers, Eutostea felt vivid joy spew out from her heart.

Excited by the rhythm and beat of Dionysus, she stretched out the tip of her finger and smiled.