Yesterday, Amon overheard a conversation between Yoon Nam-na and Gilgamesh, which was related to the secrets of the gods. The relationship between Marduc and Enlil did not seem to be very good, and Humbaba was the guardian of Enlil's divine realm. He wanted to build his own shrine in Uruk so that he could have a divine realm as well, but Gilgamesh rejected him. What was a divine realm? Was it the realm where the kingdoms built shrines for the gods? Amon still did not know what was going on.
Humbaba accepted sacrifices from the people along the river, and his descendants were not allowed to attack people during the day. This seemed to be an agreement of the gods. Yesterday, a strange snake broke the agreement. Although it was killed by Amon, Gilgamesh seized the opportunity to kill Humbaba with Enkidu.
Amon was right. Gilgamesh had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. Since the day he became the governor of Uruk, he had wanted to kill Humbaba.
Like the city of Syah in the Kingdom of Bablon, the city of Uruk also produced precious cedar wood in large quantities. Syah's cedar wood had to be cut in the mountains and transported out, which was very expensive. But the conditions in Uruk were much better. Lumberjacks only needed to cut down trees from the mountains along the river, then put them into logs and let them float down the Euphrate River. When the water was calm downstream, the logs would be hauled to the shore by special boats.
Cedar wood was not only a precious wood, but also a material for chariots and warships. It was a very important economic and strategic resource and one of the main products of Uruk. But Humbaba and his descendants lived in the river. Every year, herds of cattle and sheep had to be sacrificed to them in order to sail safely during the day. But at night, any carelessness could lead to death. As the governor of Uruk, Gilgamesh had long wanted to eliminate this threat.
After using detection magic for a long time, the sound of fighting in the distance finally stopped. When Amon came back to his senses, it was already dawn. Although he had "rested" for a night, he felt even more tired than yesterday. He felt dizzy and even a little unstable, not only because of the indescribable shock he felt, but also because he had overused the power of magic for a day and a night.
It was the first time Amon had encountered such a situation. He almost suspected that he was sick. It seemed that he still lacked experience in using magic. Last night, he had used Detection Magic more than he could bear, but it happened slowly and unconsciously. When he came to himself, he was already very weak. Any mage in such a situation would need a long rest to recover. Fortunately, Amon had the physical strength of an advanced warrior, so he did not collapse on the spot.
Amon forced himself to stay awake and drove the carriage on its way. Misfortune never comes alone. He found that the two horses were also listless. White steam was coming out of their noses and they looked very tired. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't run fast and even had diarrhea on the way. Horses were delicate animals. Amon had driven the carriage too hard yesterday. If it had been an ordinary horse, it would have died of exhaustion. Even these two horses couldn't bear it.
They were artificially bred horses, but they didn't eat hay yesterday. They only drank some spring water and ate grass with dew on it in the morning. After a day of crazy running, they were also showing symptoms of weakness. Both the man and the horses were in such a state. Amon knew that he couldn't continue in this condition. He had to find a place to rest, or he would be in danger if he encountered an accident.
Fortunately, this place was very far from Uruk and the place was very remote. He wanted to find a farmer who would pay him enough money to stay for a few days to recuperate. At the same time, he wanted to feed his horse and bring enough fodder with him when he left.
He was really lucky. Before noon, he saw a farm at the foot of a hill in the distance. The house was large and beautiful. On the left was a continuous stretch of farmland, and on the right was a hillside with herds of cattle and sheep. There was a path leading to the farm. Amon cracked his whip and the two horses turned and slowly pulled the carriage towards the farm. They passed through the fence and came to the flat ground in front of the house.
A carriage entered the farm. The people in the house were alarmed. Several people came out of the house to see what was going on. Amon stopped the carriage and was about to explain the purpose of his visit when he found that the two men in front had already knelt down and saluted, "My dear lord, why have you come to our house?"
It was a coincidence that the two men who knelt down were the two warriors who had been guarding Amon on the ferry. They were the bodyguards that Leskhut had hired along the way. They no longer had their swords and were dressed like farmers, but their clothes were very clean and there were simple embroidery on their collars and cuffs. Behind them were probably their family members and the servants of the farm. When they saw the two men kneeling down, they also followed suit and knelt down to pay their respects.
There was no other place in the field except for the farm at the foot of the hill. Since he had encountered Amon, it was too late to hide. He put down the whip and got off the carriage. "What a coincidence! I met you again here. My horse is sick and needs to be fed. I am also a little tired from the long journey. I want to find a place to stay for a few days. I will pay you enough. "
The two men said in unison, "My dear lord, it is our honor to have your carriage parked in front of our house. Why are you talking about payment? You saved our lives and we should repay you. Please come in, your horse will also receive the best care. "
Amon stayed at the brothers' farm. He had only wanted to stay for a day or two, but he had not fully recovered from the excessive consumption of magic power. His body felt uncomfortable and he stayed for more than ten days in a row. The two brothers treated Amon with great respect. They let him stay in the best room, eat and use the best things in the house.
The two brothers were called Cain and Abel. They lived in a large farmhouse. They shared a hall but the house was divided into two parts, each with its own staircase. Amon lived on the floor above Abel's house.
The two brothers were actually nobles, but their family had long been in decline. All that was left of the family's territory was this farm and a pasture outside. Since the farm and the pasture were next to each other, the two brothers lived together after they separated. The farmland was given to Cain and the pasture to Abel. On his deathbed, their father told them to live in harmony and help each other.
They had servants to take care of the farmland and graze the cattle and sheep. Occasionally, the two brothers would work in the fields and pasture themselves. More often than not, they liked to go out and look for various opportunities, such as serving the kingdom to restore the honor of their ancestors and revitalize their family.
Although the two brothers' family was in ruins, they had the opportunity to learn body arts when they were young. Now they were both second-level warriors. They didn't have to worry about food and clothing, but they weren't rich. Traveling on a long journey cost a lot of money. On their way back, they ran out of money, so they were hired by a merchant as bodyguards. They crossed the desert and crossed the Euphrate River to deliver goods safely to the city of Uruk. Unexpectedly, they encountered a monster on the river. If it weren't for Amon, they wouldn't have made it back.
Usually, when they talked together, the two brothers were very respectful. They answered whatever Amon asked them, for fear that their explanations were not detailed enough and would offend the esteemed mage. Amon did learn a lot about the Kingdom of Bablon and the city of Uruk. At least he knew about the feud between the so-called god of the Euphrate River, Humbaba, and the city of Uruk. He also knew why Gilgamesh wanted to kill Humbaba.
Amon also heard something interesting. He finally "confirmed" the identity of Yoon Namna. The beautiful girl should be Princess Sissila, the sister of the King of Bablon, King Hammurabi II.
It was said that Princess Sissila was amazingly beautiful, but she was romantic by nature and did not like the life in the palace. She often traveled to various places and yearned for the heroic stories in myths and legends. She also liked to disguise herself as a commoner girl and wandered the streets and fields, seducing the hearts of many men. Because of her identity, there was no need to explain why. Those men who pursued Princess Sissila like a commoner girl, including those who harbored evil intentions towards her, did not have a good ending.
When Gilgamesh met Yoon Namna, he sang a song. If the lyrics were about Princess Sissila, everyone in the kingdom would know what it meant. Another important piece of information was that Princess Sissila was Gilgamesh's fiancée. This marriage was arranged by the old King Hammurabi I. The purpose of this marriage was, of course, to win over the most famous hero of the kingdom. He also promised another city in the kingdom as the princess's dowry.
This political marriage would not only strengthen the rule of the Kingdom of Bablon, but also better control the important city of Uruk, which guarded the throat of the Euphrate River. To the west of the Euphrate River, across the desert was the border with the Empire of Eygut and the Hittite Kingdom. Since the marriage had been arranged, the parties involved could not refuse. It seemed that no one had any reason to object. One was the most beautiful princess of the kingdom, the other was the most famous hero of the kingdom.
However, after the death of the old King Hammurabi I. three years ago, the situation changed subtly. Hammurabi II, the eldest son of Hammurabi I, succeeded the throne. He was already very old, but he did not have any children of his own. Thus, the fight for the throne of Bablon was foreshadowed. Those who were qualified to participate in the fight for the throne were Princess Sissila and the King's nephews.
The old King had only two adult children. His eldest son was Hammurabi II, who was almost seventy years old. His other daughter was Princess Sissila, who was born to his favorite concubine in his later years. She was not even twenty years old yet. Such a huge age difference was not uncommon in the royal family. The old King had many concubines, but he only had two children in his later years.
Princess Sissila had publicly stated that she was not interested in power. She only wanted to leave the capital and have fun. She did not want to marry at such a young age. She looked like a mischievous and mischievous girl. There was a rumor in the kingdom that some political enemies wanted to assassinate the princess when she was away from home. There was another rumor that if Gilgamesh married Princess Sissila, he might usurp the throne of Bablon Kingdom. No one knew who started the rumor.
Gilgamesh was very unhappy with the rumor. He was not in a hurry to marry Princess Sissila, so the marriage was delayed.
Princess Sissila had disguised herself and left the palace for some time. It was said that she did not return to the palace from last summer to this winter. She was probably playing pranks as a commoner again. She did not look like a noble princess at all. It was said that Princess Sissila was innocent and romantic. She had attracted the tears of many infatuated men in the kingdom. Some people said that it was improper and dangerous for her to behave like this. Her political enemies would take this opportunity to assassinate her.
After hearing the rumor, Amon was sure that Yoon Namna was Princess Sissila. This was the only way to explain what he saw. Why Yoon Namna wrote her name in hieroglyphs with a mark that only gods or nobles could use. Why did she know Gilgamesh? Gilgamesh sang a song like that, but he bowed to her and invited her to travel with him.
Enkidu knew that Amon was a sorcerer, but he said that he was traveling under the protection of Yoon Namna. He also threatened Amon not to have any improper thoughts, or he would kill him. The reason was simple. Princess Sissila was Gilgamesh's fiancée. Everything made sense now.
Now that he "knew" that Yoon Namna was Princess Sissila, Amon let out a sigh and stopped thinking about it. Maybe he was just one of the many people that the romantic and naughty princess teased in the kingdom. Even if they arrived at Bablon City, Amon could not go to the palace to look for her. As for the reward that Yoon Namna promised him, he did not want it either.
But he had a good impression of Yoon Namna. At least the stroll in the wilderness was beautiful. The pancakes that she gave him were the most delicious that Amon had ever tasted. She had not done anything wrong to him. She had gone back on her word to protect a Magician who had exposed his identity safely through Uruk City. Keeping this feeling and gratitude in his heart, he didn't want to think too much about it. All he could do was rest and recuperate in the two brothers' farm.
The two brothers took good care of Amon. They provided him with a comfortable place to hide and recover his magic power. Amon was grateful from the bottom of his heart. When he was on the ferry, the two brothers walked up to the bow of the ferry and guarded him. The others were hiding in the cabin in panic. Amon was very grateful to them. Then something happened, which made Amon, who was recuperating, decide to repay them.
On the seventh day after Amon moved into the farm, messengers from the city arrived on the road outside the farm. The governor of the city sent many messengers with flags to every village in the city to announce two pieces of news. The first news: seven days ago, Humbaba's descendant, a ferocious snake, attacked the ferry during the day and was killed by a sorcerer on the spot. Gilgamesh made an announcement to the entire city, stating Amon's identity as a sorcerer, but did not mention his name.
Gilgamesh did not hide Amon's identity, but the messengers did not say what happened to the sorcerer. People whispered that the sorcerer had left quietly after disembarking from the ferry. It had been seven days, and he was probably far away from the territory of Uruk.
A Magician had slain a monster and saved all the people on the ship. This was a shocking thing, and it was even indescribably absurd. But the second news attracted people's attention. Seven days ago, the captain of the city's guards, Lord Enkidu, killed Humbaba, the god of the Euphrate River. He cut off all nine of Humbaba's heads and made a war drum out of the snake's skin and drumsticks out of the snake's bones. He also extracted nine snake tendons and thirty-six fangs.
Lord Gilgamesh fought side by side with Enkidu and blocked Humbaba's escape route. In the end, Enkidu cut off all of Humbaba's heads. It was a heroic feat that shocked the world. As soon as the news spread, the names of Enkidu and Gilgamesh became gods in the hearts of the people of Uruk.
It was said that Lord Gilgamesh made a decision to divide the spoils of war into three portions, each containing three snake tendons and four fangs. One portion would be kept in Uruk as a permanent memorial, one would be dedicated to the great Marduc, and one would be sent to the palace of Bablon as a gift for his fiancée, Princess Sissila.
Recently, the news that Gilgamesh would go to the shrine of Marduc and the palace of Bablon in the name of a gift spread, not only in Uruk, but also in the entire Kingdom of Bablon. In every city-state and even the most remote villages, people were excitedly talking about this grand event that had not been seen for many years.
The people of Bablon seemed to be far away from Amon, who lived in the farm, but now he was in an awkward situation. The messenger of the city came to the gate of the farm and read the announcement of Lord Gilgamesh. He heard it clearly from upstairs, and the two brothers who were on the ferry at that time naturally knew who he was.
They had taken a sorcerer into their home and given him the best hospitality. If they didn't know about it, they could still explain it, but now that they knew about the announcement of the city, what they should do was probably capture Amon and hand him over to the shrine of the city. The two brothers had seen Amon's ability, and they knew that they were no match for him. Of course, they couldn't do that, but it was not appropriate for them to keep Amon.
Amon didn't want to cause trouble for them either. After watching the messenger go away from the window upstairs, he had already planned to pack his things and leave. However, when the two brothers returned home, they acted as if nothing had happened. They still respectfully invited Amon downstairs for dinner. The dinner was more sumptuous than usual, and they didn't mention the announcement at all. During dinner, Amon tactfully expressed his gratitude and said goodbye. He planned to leave immediately, and he didn't even want to stay for one more night.
However, the two brothers sent everyone away. Abel said very sincerely in front of Amon, "Our benefactor, please don't doubt our sincerity in entertaining you. You saved our lives, and your arrival is a blessing to us. In fact, we can see that you haven't been feeling well these days and need a good rest. Your horses are also sick, and the groom in the farm will definitely feed them well and carry you on your future journey. Please don't worry about anything. Stay here until you are fully recovered, and the journey may be smoother. "
Abel was obviously hinting to Amon that the two brothers already knew that he was a magician, and it was not convenient for him to continue on his journey. They wouldn't mind, and they wouldn't reveal Amon's identity. They would still treat him respectfully and repay him for saving their lives. Now that the news had spread throughout the city, if Amon returned to the main road, someone might recognize him. It should be safer to completely recuperate before continuing on his journey.
This was indeed a wiser choice for Amon. Although he hadn't fully recovered, he wasn't afraid of the two brothers. Everyone in the farm was within the range of Amon's detection magic. In this remote place, even if something happened, it would be very convenient for him to hide in the nearby fields and forests.
Amon thought about it and finally nodded, "Thank you for your kindness. I will definitely repay you. If you have any requests, please don't hesitate to ask. I will do my best to do it." He didn't mean anything by saying this. Although Amon's clothes were ordinary, he was definitely rich. He had enough financial resources to heavily reward the two brothers, even if he had to buy a farm several times larger than it was now.
Amon's words moved the brother. After dinner, Cain called his brother Abel to the field and discussed with him, "Amon asked us to ask for anything. My dear brother, what should we take this opportunity to ask him for?"
Abel shook his head and said, "Although Amon is a sorcerer, he can afford scrolls. He should be very rich. But we entertain him to repay him for saving our lives. How can we covet his money? "
Cain patted his brother on the shoulder and said, "You misunderstand. How can I want his money? We all saw it on the ship. He is such an excellent sorcerer, and he has mastered such a powerful and magical power … Don't forget, we are also qualified to learn divine incantations, and we have even registered our names in the ritual records of the shrine, but no one will teach us divine incantations. "
Abel also sighed and said, "Yes, grandfather's friend, the respected old priest, has passed away."
The conversation between the two brothers also touched on the past. Only nobles were qualified to learn magic, but it didn't mean that all nobles could learn magic at will. This required the permission of the shrine. To accept the awakening ceremony, there must also be a clear registration, which was equivalent to being recognized.
Therefore, it was very difficult to fake the identity of a mage. Every mage's origin was recorded in the records, such as the city-state, the shrine, and the priest who held the awakening ceremony. These records were very clear.
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