Escape from an Ancient Civilization Ch 101

Chapter 101

 

As Medeus stepped through the gate, his gaze swept quickly up and down Nataek. The faint smile at the corners of his eyes vanished. As soon as Medeus approached, he snatched away the quiver in Nataek’s hand.

“Can you really laugh when you look like this?”

Medeus’s glance flicked toward Nataek’s hand. The bandages, wrapped clumsily by himself, were loosely tied, stained with blood and pus that had already seeped through and discolored the cloth. Nataek hurriedly hid his hand behind his back.

“Isn’t this how it usually ends up when you keep training?”

Without answering, Medeus set the quiver down and pulled Nataek’s hand toward him, carefully examining the mess.

“Herbs. Do you have them in your quarters?”

Through the parts of skin not covered by cloth, Medeus’s warmth seeped in. Nataek awkwardly pulled his captured hand away and answered,

“Yes. I do.”

He rubbed the lingering warmth on the back of his hand with his other hand. Watching this, Medeus reached toward Nataek’s head.

“What’s all this stuck in your hair—”

“I-I’ll take care of it myself.”

Nataek drew his upper body back, refusing Medeus’s concern. Before Medeus’s fingertips could brush his black hair, the distance between them widened. Medeus’s hand froze in midair. Nataek, without even looking at him, shook his head briskly. A short stem of a date palm fruit fell from his hair.

“When I was drawing the bow earlier, I was under a tree. Must’ve fallen on me then.”

“…I see.”

From the moment his touch had been refused, shadows crossed Medeus’s face.

“Go in first. I’ll tidy these up and come in afterward.”

Just as Nataek was about to pass him by and head toward the target, Medeus’s hand, still hanging in midair, caught his arm.

“Your hand. Treat it first.”

“It won’t take long. I’ll finish this first and then—”

“No. Treat it first.”

Nataek tried to slip out of his grasp as before, but Medeus’s hold was firm, leaving no room for escape. He pulled Nataek straight into the quarters.

Thud—the sound of the door closing made Nataek sigh inwardly.

He’d been trying so hard not to let things end up like this lately…

“Come here. Where did you put the herbs?”

“I can do it myself.”

Nataek stood at the doorway and answered, but his words were ignored.

“Where did you put them?”

“…Over there.”

He pointed beneath the cabinet where the flower vase sat. The clinking sound of jars echoed through the spacious room. It was late at night, the outside dark, the interior lit only by lanterns—forcing them close together, face to face. On top of that, the treatment would require skin-to-skin contact, sharing each other’s warmth. It was exactly the kind of situation Nataek had been trying to avoid lately. Especially here, alone together in this room.

“Come sit here.”

Medeus sat on the bed and beckoned him. There was a table in the room, yet of all places, he sat on the bed. Things Nataek had never been conscious of before now drew his attention.

“What are you waiting for?”

Medeus urged him as he pulled out herbs and a mortar from the box. With no choice, Nataek cautiously perched beside him.

“When you’re learning archery, injuries on your hands are normal. But if you don’t take care of them, they can worsen, so you have to treat them properly. Apply these herbs now and change the dressing once more before bed; it’ll be better by tomorrow.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

The rhythmic grinding of plants in the mortar filled the silence. Looking back, every time Nataek was alone with Medeus, the mood always seemed to shift strangely. Recently, it had been even more so. Maybe…

No, better to bring up work and cut off any weird developments.

“Lord Medeus, is it truly all right for you to personally head to Uruk? Isn’t Lord Agadis in charge of its defense right now?”

“That’s right.”

‘This key I’ve given you is the debt I owe. It is repayment for protecting our family all this time, so you can trust me.’

This wasn’t just a war between nations; it was also a war between two former comrades-in-arms.

“Why? Are you worried about Agadis?”

“No, not at all. I just wondered… if perhaps you might be.”

“The contents of the letter from the diviner were only the beginning. Exploitation will grow worse. Not only those outside the walls but even the Uruk people within them will suffer. The Uruk ruled by Luhaljagesh is not the Uruk we knew. Ever since Kushanna died, the seat of ensi of Uruk might as well be vacant.” ¹

“Do you think the people outside the walls evacuated safely?”

One of the requests Nataek and Medeus had made to the diviner was relocating the slums outside Uruk’s walls to the west, since the east would soon become the battlefield.

“The diviner passed it along—should be fine. No one’s quicker about those things than Hak.”

Nataek agreed. Relieved to hear the answer to something that had weighed on him, he drummed his fingers lightly on his knee as though playing piano.

“…Teresi.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you really want to go to the battlefield that badly?”

“It’s not the battlefield—I only wish to accompany your campaign to Uruk.”

“…Why?”

“Perhaps Inanna’s blessing might truly help.”

“Are you saying that as Inanna’s envoy?”

“Well… I suppose so.”

“That excuse was only to fool Samuagon.” ²

Medeus, who knew what kind of life Nataek had led before arriving at Kish and whether he truly was Inanna’s envoy or not, wasn’t buying it. Yet until now he’d never brought it up—why mention it now?

“It could be true, though.”

“I’ve always won victories without divine blessing.”

“That’s true.”

“You don’t need to follow me; the Kish army will win regardless.”

“I know that too.”

The grinding of the herbs ceased. Medeus looked at him with a deep, searching gaze.

“Then why insist on going to such a dangerous place? Even soldiers try to avoid the frontlines—why do you insist on following me there?”

So quiet… Is he planning to leave me behind again?

Wait—am I about to be dumped because I tried keeping some distance?

I have to stick close to Medeus until all of this is over. Alarm bells rang in Nataek’s mind. He scooted closer to Medeus instinctively.

“When we left Uruk, I promised you, didn’t I? That I’d stay by your side no matter what. And isn’t it a servant’s duty to take responsibility for their master until the end? Attendants are bound to stay with their lord. I’m still yours, Lord Medeus—whether you head to the battlefield or anywhere else, I’m bound to follow.”

Nataek rattled off his words like rapid gunfire, and Medeus chuckled softly.

“Finally, you come close on your own.”

“…What?”

Medeus took Nataek’s hand and set it on his thigh, then carefully unwrapped the poorly tied cloth.

“You’ve been avoiding me ever since that day you came back from the river covered in mud.”

Nataek flinched instinctively.

Why’s he so damn perceptive?

“…I never avoided you.”

Feigning ignorance, Medeus casually tossed aside the dirty cloth and gently placed the herbs over Nataek’s injured fingers.

“You did.”

“I didn’t. Why would I ever…”

Before Nataek could finish, Medeus suddenly reached for his cheek. Startled, Nataek leaned his upper body back, but Medeus lowered his hand as if expecting the reaction.

“See?”

“If someone suddenly does that, anyone would flinch.”

“You didn’t flinch before.”

“…”

Back then, even when you did things like that, I felt nothing. My heart didn’t drop into my stomach, nor did my skin tingle with a strange aftertaste. Or maybe… maybe I only now understand what those feelings were.

Medeus continued tending Nataek’s hand.

“Did I… do something wrong to you?”

“Wrong? What do you mean?”

Silence fell between them. After a long pause, Medeus spoke again.

“Is it because I kissed you? That day I taught you archery?”

That kiss—closer to passion than blessing—flashed in his mind. The memory of that bewildering moment left Nataek suddenly parched.

Nataek had tried desperately to dismiss what Medeus did that day as some ancient custom. Medeus himself had even called it nothing more than a blessing. But no matter how hard Nataek tried, the modern part of him couldn’t easily accept it.

Is it really because of that day? Because Medeus keeps doing confusing things… and the shock of that kiss hasn’t faded yet?

To Nataek, it was an event he couldn’t accept as purely sacred—but now was hardly the time to bring it up.

“That was just a blessing, wasn’t it?”

“…”

If by chance Medeus were to say it wasn’t a blessing—or if Nataek were to admit that he couldn’t see it as one—their relationship might unravel. If the conversation twisted in the wrong direction, if they grew distant…

No. Absolutely not. He had to stay close to Medeus until the day he escaped.

Nataek sealed off even the faintest chance.

“It was merely sharing a blessing; why would that be a mistake? I don’t mind it at all. That’s not why.”

“Then why?”

“…Lord Medeus.”

Fine. Since it came up, I might as well draw the line now. Stop driving me crazy.

“I’ve been debating whether to bring this up… Like when the deputy commander was shocked to see us sharing that blessing, or for the sake of the troops’ discipline… I think we should maintain more propriety with each other.”

“What kind of propriety?”

“Except when a blessing is truly necessary…”

Nataek’s mind spun, searching for a word that wouldn’t sound ridiculous. He couldn’t exactly say let’s not touch each other. A no-closer-than-one-meter rule? That seemed too extreme…

“Except when?”

“Except then… we should try not to touch each other, as much as possible.”

The unrefined words slipped from Nataek’s lips.

“…Why?”

Footnotes:

Ensi – A Sumerian title for a city-state ruler, roughly equivalent to a governor or prince.

Samuagon – Likely a high-ranking figure or military leader; in context, someone who had to be deceived about Nataek’s supposed divine role.