After getting married, the ones whose faces brightened the most were none other than my retainers.
After I became king, succession had been a grave matter for them, since I had not spent a single night with any woman, let alone taken a wife. But once I made three women my wives, all those worries vanished.
And then, as though nothing had ever happened, they discussed state affairs with spotless faces.
"Those bastards?"
Seeing their expressions, I thought perhaps they had assumed that with three wives, an heir would appear in no time.
I had considered taking revenge on those shameless retainers, but...
"But... what am I supposed to do about the nights? Yesterday made it clear that all three of them are no joke... Damn it! I've got no choice. I'll have to sneak around the city under the pretense of a patrol and come back later..."
After that, while receiving reports from my retainers, I was told that life here was better than in other places, yet for some reason I still felt unsatisfied.
"What is needed to make the lives of the people even better here... Ah, yes! First, to raise the level of knowledge, I should build a school where scholars can gather and place all kinds of books there. And for those who cannot read, and for children who do not yet know the world, I should make a place of learning. As for the name... let's simply call it an academy."
As I pondered how to improve the lives of my people, I eventually built a school where many scholars could gather and debate, with books collected in one place, along with an academy where anyone could receive instruction.
"Is this enough to raise the level of knowledge? But for some reason, it still feels lacking... Yes. Rather than saying I'm decorating a school and an academy, perhaps I should sponsor the arts—sculpture, painting, and the like."
After that, I continued to support the artists of the kingdom, and with that news, scholars and artists from all over gathered in Eirene, and it developed into a city of art.
Along with that, a culture of fusion also flourished greatly.
Then, one day...
"We rushed here as soon as we heard the news, but... to think it really was you..."
While I was out hunting, my retainers hurried over and told me that a guest had arrived, so I returned to the castle upon hearing the news.
"...It's been a while, Astellon."
Back at the castle, I saw a man with a familiar build, and he greeted me warmly as well.
"Yes. It certainly has been a while, Heracles."
The one who had come to see me was none other than Heracles.
It had been a long time since we last met after the voyage of the Argo, and seeing him again filled me with delight, so I invited him to dine with me.
"...So. What brings you here?"
As I asked during the meal, Heracles answered my question.
Recently, he said, in order to cleanse the sin of killing his own family with his own hands, he had been carrying out ten labors for Eurystheus, the king of Mycenae.
So far, he had completed the tasks of bringing back the lion from the valley of Nemea, killing the Hydra, bringing back the hind of the goddess Artemis, capturing the boar of Mount Erymanthus, cleaning the stables of King Augeas, driving off the monstrous birds of Stymphalus, capturing the mad bull of Crete, and seizing the mares of Diomedes.
And for his next labor, he had been ordered to bring back the beautiful girdle of the queen of the Amazons.
"So. You came to ask me for a ship and soldiers to go to the Amazons?"
"Yes. King Eurystheus would not provide me with ships or soldiers, so I came to you."
"...I see."
Hearing Heracles' words, I answered with a smile of interest.
"Lending you ships and soldiers is no difficult matter."
"Then..."
"However. There is one condition."
Heracles' expression brightened at the prospect of an immediate yes, but at the mention of a condition, it quickly stiffened.
"And that is...?"
"Nothing much. I've simply grown interested in seeing this land called the Amazons for myself. I haven't been able to go out much lately, after all..."
"...Ha. Is it really all right for a king to behave like that?"
At my words, Heracles let out a dry laugh as if he found me absurd, but soon he flashed his usual boisterous grin and gave my shoulder a light shove.
"Of course. Because I'm me."
"...Well, I suppose the temperament of the man who once roamed the world aboard the Argo wouldn't have changed. It must have been a torment, being bound to three wives and the affairs of the kingdom."
Thus, the expedition to obtain the queen of the Amazons' girdle set sail from the harbor of Eirene.
But I departed with the sharp gazes of my wives at my back. In particular, Medea's smiling threat—"If you bring back another woman from there, that woman and you will not leave unharmed"—followed me all the way to sea.
**
Leading soldiers and heading toward the Amazons, Heracles and I cut through the rough waves and reached our destination.
"So that's... the Amazons."
After arriving, Heracles and I left the soldiers on the ship and slowly stepped down onto the land.
Then, the moment we entered the forest after disembarking, dozens of gazes pierced us.
"Stop. Take one more step and we'll shoot."
Those gazes belonged to the warriors of this land, and the unusual thing was that every one of them was a woman.
And the female warrior at their head looked at us and spoke coldly.
At that, Heracles, who stood beside me, stepped forward and spoke.
"I am Heracles. I have come to meet the queen of the Amazons."
At those words, the surroundings stirred for a moment.
Then several of them went somewhere, and when they returned...
"Her Majesty... says she will meet you personally."
At that, we were guided by them toward the center.
After that, we stopped before a door.
"Just a moment... Your Majesty. I have brought guests."
"...Enter."
Then, at the female warrior's words, a woman's voice came from inside.
At that, the female warrior who had guided us opened the door and let us in, then closed it behind us and stood guard outside.
Once Heracles and I entered the room, we met a woman with red hair standing before us.
"I am Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons."