If Lord Seto said it was a blessing, then it must be a blessing.
The guard, already terrified by the words of expulsion he had just spoken, felt cold sweat soaking his back. He had completely lost the arrogance he usually showed toward slaves.
“Lord Seto! This… this is not an ordinary cat!”
The guard fell to his knees, his hands pressed against the scorching sand, his forehead tightly against the ground. His voice trembled slightly from fear, yet he tried to raise it, hoping his flattery would seem more sincere.
“It must be a messenger of the gods! Only you, the incarnation of the guardian of the underworld, are worthy of such a blessing! Its claws touching your flesh may be bringing you the gods’ blessing!”
Anubis’s cold gaze fell on the guard for a moment, and it seemed he was quite pleased with the idea that only he could receive such a blessing.
In a flat tone, Anubis rarely responded. “Not bad.”
The guard suddenly looked up, glanced at the white cat, and quickly lowered his head again. His throat bobbed as he continued, “My earlier ignorance nearly offended this sacred blessing. Please allow me to prepare some offerings for it… no, not for the cat, but for you, my lord! To thank you for guiding such a miracle to descend!”
“…Hmm.”
Anubis swept his gaze over him.
“Go, and call your supervisor to see me.”
The tall, young royal envoy spoke.
As the most dazzling among Pharaoh Rahotep’s many brothers in Upper Egypt, Seto, though not part of the administrative system, had been personally granted the title of “Hand of Royal Power” by the White King. At the White King’s command, he could handle everything from military to religious affairs, moving between religion and politics.
His presence at the Aswan quarry today could only represent the will of the Pharaoh.
The guard had no idea where the problem lay. Could it be that the stone they shipped along the Nile failed to meet the Pharaoh’s expectations?
But such a question was absolutely not something he could voice.
The guard lowered his head respectfully. “Yes, Lord Seto.”
Anubis lowered his head. The pitch-black jackal mask was clearly custom made for him, covering the upper half of his face, fitting the contours of his temples and brow bone. The upright jackal ears stood like sharp daggers, golden patterns engraved above his eyes.
He and the white cat looked at each other, then he carefully folded his arms to hold the cat in a circle.
Although Anubis’s age, in modern terms, was barely that of an adult, harsh combat training and years of racing through the desert competing with wild beasts had given this young noble warrior a firm chest and a well-proportioned, athletic build. It was not overly exaggerated, but had lean muscles flowing as naturally as the tributaries of the Nile.
The faint heat of his body was passed to Xin Hexue through the close-fitting muscles.
Long-haired cats are not suitable for living in an overly hot environment like Egypt, but fortunately Xin Hexue was not a real cat. He had merely received Bastet’s blessing.
Although it was hot, it was still bearable.
Xin Hexue shifted his position in Anubis’s arms, pressing down paw prints that dented human skin.
As Anubis turned to leave, one of the kneeling slaves suddenly spoke. “Lord Seto, this is the cat I took in.”
All that came from the hot wind was a cold, sneer.
The white cat poked his head out from Anubis’s arm and glanced back at the dejected slave still in place.
Poor Nub could only watch helplessly as his god was taken away by a noble.
But he was only a little cat. How could he understand the feelings of a pitiful slave?
Xin Hexue yawned lazily, showing his snow-white, sharp little teeth and pink tongue. His red pupils narrowed slightly, gleaming with a careless light in the sun.
……
To entertain Lord Seto who came from afar, a huge white linen tent had been erected at the quarry’s sheltered edge, safe from sand and wind.
The surrounding pillars were decorated with gold and rubies, the top of the tent painted with symbols of the god Anubis. Soft animal hides covered the floor, the air was faintly scented with burning incense, and in the center was a gilded long bench with soft linen cushions.
On the table beside it lay rolls of papyrus for writing and fine ceramic water jugs.
Anubis reclined on the bench, one arm resting on the back, the other draped lazily over his bent knee, his posture like that of a black panther.
Servants bowed respectfully, adding ceramic plates full of melons and fruits to the table.
The freshly picked figs were round and plump, with green skin and flesh split slightly to reveal red cores. On the side were piles of deep purple grapes covered in dewy droplets, and cut pomegranates gleaming like bowls of blood-colored gems.
Red seeds were held to the white cat’s mouth.
Anubis said in a deep voice, almost reverently, “…Please have a taste.”
The little cat lifted his chin haughtily, allowing the jackal servant to feed the fruit into his mouth.
Xin Hexue pondered the flavor and found it had a mild sweetness, not too different from pomegranates of later times.
This multi-seeded fruit, symbolizing abundance, was rare and precious in ancient Egypt, almost exclusively for royal nobles and often placed as offerings to the gods.
Suddenly, the snow-white pointed ears twitched, the pink inside turning toward the outside of the tent.
Xin Hexue heard footsteps approaching. This royal envoy clearly had confidence in his own strength and disliked overly large entourages, only two guards had accompanied him here, and they were now stationed outside the tent.
The spears suddenly crossed together, blocking the visitor.
Only when the visitor, trembling under the sharp and cold gleam of the spear tips, showed his identity as a Supervisor, did the two guards expressionlessly put away their weapons. “Please come in, Supervisor.”
The Supervisor did not dare show any dissatisfaction toward the two guards who followed Anubis, and instead said politely, “My lords, you have worked hard.”
After entering, he first lowered his head and saluted Anubis. “Great Lord Seto, incarnation of the Underworld, Pharaoh’s most loyal protector, your subject comes to report.”
When Egyptians addressed others respectfully, they always liked to give those of higher status many titles.
Xin Hexue sat upright on the long bench.
Seto-Anubis had no reaction to the Supervisor, as if he had not noticed that there was one more person here.
The Supervisor instead let out a breath of relief.
He lowered his shoulders and unfolded the papyrus roll he was holding. “At present, the quarry has a total of one hundred and twenty slaves, forty of whom are skilled stonemasons. The remaining eighty are responsible for carrying and auxiliary work. Today the quarry mined twenty-five huge stones, fifteen of which have been carved and are ready to be sent to Thebes to be used as the foundation stones for the Pharaoh’s temple. The remaining ten are being organized and transported, and it is expected that they can depart within three days. Please rest assured, the slaves are working day and night, and no one dares to slack off for even a moment.”
Thebes was the new capital of Upper Egypt.
Xin Hexue recalled the setting in the plot.
The ancient Egyptians attached great importance to the purity of bloodlines, so it was not strange for royal brothers and sisters to marry each other. Even the Ennead in Egyptian mythology were siblings who were each other’s spouses…
The Sun God created a pair of children, Shu, the God of Air, and Tefnut, the Goddess of Moisture. Tefnut gave birth to her son Geb, the God of Earth, and her daughter Nut, the Goddess of the Sky. Nut then gave birth to four children for Geb: Osiris, God of the Underworld, with Isis, Goddess of Magic; Set, God of Strength, with Nephthys, Goddess of Funerals.
According to the previous plot summary, the former Pharaoh and Queen were royal siblings who shared power and gave birth to a pair of twins, later known as the Red King and the White King. However, because of power struggles and marital discord, the Queen left Abydos, the capital at that time with Osiris as the main god, and with the support of local forces and the priest group, established Lower Egypt with Buto as the capital, dividing Upper and Lower Egypt into two.
To this day, as power passed to two new Pharaohs, Upper and Lower Egypt were still fighting over which side had the true royal bloodline and divine mandate.
After the new Pharaoh of Upper Egypt took the throne, as the first step of reform, he moved the capital of Upper Egypt to Thebes and began building a new temple.
The white cat had little interest in the supervisor’s report, and lay lazily on the bench.
The supervisor cautiously lifted his eyes to observe Seto-Anubis.
However, with that pitch-black mask in the way, all he could meet were the man’s emotionless golden-brown pupils.
The supervisor quickly lowered his head.
Two years ago, he had gone to the then-capital, Abai Dos. The aged and ailing former Pharaoh would only show a trace of proud smile when he saw Seto battling a lion.
However, he felt an unprecedented fear toward this prince who was rumored to have been born under the rising Dark Moon, causing his mother to die in childbirth.
Lord Seto…
He could not see any emotion a human should have from Prince Seto’s eyes. He was a jackal, a true beast that fed on flesh and blood, no different from the lion across from him.
However, lacking humanity also meant lacking greedy ambition. And not understanding human emotions meant he was the Pharaoh’s most useful blade.
The supervisor respectfully finished his report, wiped away the sweat, and when Anubis showed no objection, he cautiously withdrew.
Anubis raised his head and said in a voice devoid of emotion. “The Pharaoh will arrive here on the solar barque at sunset.”
The supervisor’s legs nearly gave out, almost collapsing to the ground. “This minister will immediately arrange the reception, and ensure every preparation is flawless. All slaves, guards, and officials will gather to await the Pharaoh’s arrival.”
…
As sunset approached, the slaves received word from the supervisor that work would end early.
“You mud worms, go clean yourselves up! Wash off that stench from your bodies!”
Nub stood among the crowd. Whispers about the Pharaoh’s arrival drifted past his ears.
There were not many guards at the quarry to begin with, which meant that tonight, they would definitely gather around the banquet site to protect the Egyptian king, leaving patrols of the edges neglected…a situation that was actually in his favor.
A worker brushed past Nub, and they discreetly exchanged items.
Nub received a cloth bag of sulfur powder, and the worker received a tiny piece of gold.
This was a keepsake left by Nub’s birth mother, of which he had broken off a corner.
The amulet in his palm had a lion carved at the front, and the back was engraved with Nubian hieroglyphic blessings. Its four corners were intricately designed, but one of them was missing.
Nub silently rubbed the broken edge with his palm.
…
The Nile’s surface rippled faintly, the last streak of light spilling over the golden ceremonial barque, like a floating sun.
Until night fell, the sound of instruments drifted from the largest tent.
On the long table lay roasted lamb leg with a crispy char, grilled fish laid over lotus leaves, and pigeons stuffed with a sweet mixture of honey, dates, and nuts. The air was thick with the fragrance of wine and meat.
The Pharaoh of Upper Egypt sat at the central seat. His face was hidden in the play of light and shadow, his temperament calm and gentle, yet possessing the authority befitting a king.
Pharaoh Rahotep raised a cup of sweet wine and took a light sip. “It’s crisp on the tongue, acceptable enough.”
The voices of flattery from the supervisor and the recorder rose and fell in turn.
The young king turned his gaze toward the astrologer at his side.
The astrologer spoke. “Half a month ago, I observed Sirius crossing paths with Orion, and a strange red star streaked through the night sky. Its trajectory perfectly aligned with the direction of this quarry. Such an omen suggests that deep beneath the earth may lie the will of the gods…or an echo from the underworld.”
“Supervisor, have you noticed any unusual happenings in the quarry lately?”
Before the supervisor could speak, Anubis abruptly stood up. “It’s gone.”
Rahotep shifted his gaze to his suddenly ill-mannered brother. “Seto, what is it?”
“Nephthys.” Seto-Anubis directly called out the goddess’s name, looking around for the white figure. “…Gone.”
Almost the moment his words fell, a deafening boom of shattering stone came from outside.
Blazing firelight illuminated the northwest corner of the quarry.
…
The rock wall was already red-hot from the flames. Slaves climbed to the higher ground, about to pour a large bucket of cold water from the reservoir onto the stone.
Nub tossed a burning strip of cloth into a crack packed with sulfur powder, then quickly moved away to avoid injury from being too close.
A few seconds later, there was a loud bang.
The entire quarry shook. Just as flames shot up to the sky and thick smoke billowed, Nub heard the guards’ shouts.
He should have run immediately, but within the split stone, a mural was revealed. Nub took one glance and was nailed in place.
A companion’s pained wail reached him…it turned out that while fleeing, they had been crushed under a collapsed slab of stone.
Nub struggled to lift the scorching rock, but his companion’s internal organs were already damaged. Blood was pouring from his mouth, his face was pale, and it was clear that his life was slipping away.
Nub saw a pair of bare feet stepping on the dusty ground out of the corner of his eye.
The feet were so white they were almost translucent, with faint blue blood vessels flowing under the skin like streams. The overly long hem of a robe brushed against the sand beside them.
“Let me do it.”
Xin Hexue’s voice was soft.
Nub looked up at him.
The shadow of the hood covered most of his face, revealing only a cold, jade-like jawline.
For some reason, Nub turned his gaze away, as if his eyes had been scalded.
Xin Hexue frowned. He held up the slave’s head with one hand and removed the small clay bottle tied to the back of the neck with the other.
It was the holy water he had just exchanged from the system mall for one hundred points.
There was only a very small amount.
A drop of crystal-clear holy water fell onto the slave’s parched lips, sliding into the mouth and down the throat.
The other person revived at a speed visible to the naked eye, and blood no longer spilled from his mouth.
The guards’ footsteps had already approached, and heavy shadows surrounded this small area.
Before them, huge basalt slabs unfolded like a scroll, and the extreme collision of red and white caused continuous whispers.
What drew even more attention was the white figure in a long robe standing between the Red King and the White King.
A guard came to his senses. “Which mud worm set the fire?”
The tip of a spear glinted in the firelight of the deep night, and one of the guards cursed loudly, “Nub! You damned slave!”
The slender white-robed figure beside Nub turned his head upon hearing the voice.
The wind blew from the direction of the Nile, carrying a damp coolness that brushed across everyone’s faces.
The edge of the hood was lifted by the wind and trembled slightly, and in the end, unable to resist the force, silver-white strands of hair slid down together with the hood like a waterfall.
The young man’s long hair carried the soft luster of moonlight, lifting in the wind like a flowing galaxy.
A pair of light pink eyes were cold as they swept over them with guarded vigilance.
Before the guards could recover..
A gust brought by someone running fast made the flames flicker.
Xin Hexue was suddenly knocked to the ground by a force and weight, arms braced on either side of him. The jackal’s pitch-black mask was cold, pressing to the side of his neck. “I found you, Nephthys.”
‘What?’
Although Xin Hexue did not understand his meaning, he still frowned and said, “Can you get up? You’re crushing me.”
Seto’s throat tightened, his body seemingly suppressing countless emotions, and he said in panic, “This is my fault.”
He pulled Xin Hexue up, knelt before the young man, and carefully took that fair hand, placing it on his own head. “Please punish me, Mother Goddess.”
Author’s note:
There are two versions regarding Anubis: one says he was born of Nephthys and Set, the other says he was the child of Nephthys and Osiris outside of marriage. Here the latter is adopted.
This small world is set in the mortal realm of ancient Egypt, so there are no real gods, only so-called “incarnations of gods.” After all, it is not an ancient Egyptian mythology fanfiction; mythology here serves the role of religion to consolidate rule.
