Xin Hexue had already recognized the incoming snake as soon as it came into his field of vision.
This type of cobra was a common and highly venomous snake native to Egypt, with copper-yellow scales. When facing a threat, the front half of its body would rise up, displaying its characteristic feature;
The snake’s hood at its neck spread open like a fan, which was very intimidating.
If only it weren’t facing a cat.
The cobra hesitated for a moment when it met Xin Hexue’s constricted vertical cat pupils. The scents coming from the two humans made it even more wary.
But this hesitation caused a pause of less than two seconds, which was enough for Rahotep to react swiftly. He stepped forward, and the sword at his waist cut through the air as he drew it. A cold gleam flashed, and the hood was severed from the middle of the neck, separating the head from the body.
Bright red blood dripped and splattered onto the yellow sand.
The sharp bronze blade, bright as light, was now tinged with fresh red. Rahotep stared at the dead venomous snake, his eyes dark and unreadable.
Before he could sheathe his sword, he caught sight of the divine envoy swaying unsteadily out of the corner of his eye, and collapsing weakly to the ground.
The long sword clattered to the ground. Rahotep’s arm caught the unconscious young man, and he shouted loudly, “Iah!”
………
As night fell, the bustling crowds along the Nile dispersed, and the complex sounds of the mortal world gradually turned into mothers calling their children, the crackling of firewood, and herdsmen cracking whips to drive cattle and sheep into sheds.
Daytime during the Akhet season is scorching, but the nighttime is cool. The colors on the horizon were magnificent, orange and deep blue intertwining. After the last trace of sunlight from Ra’s solar boat faded from the sky, clusters of stars twinkled in their place.
The Pharaoh’s palace in Thebes was majestic and vast, divided into different areas based on functions like worship, administration, or residence. High walls isolated and protected it from other parts of Thebes. Tall, brave guards stood watch at the entrances. When mentioned by the people, this massive complex was praised as the “Great House”.
The central courtyard used for banquets was broad and solemn.
As early as three days ago, the “Hand of the King,” who enjoyed the Pharaoh’s deep trust, had brought news of the giant stone prophecy and that Upper Egypt was about to welcome the divine envoy.
This was undoubtedly the blessing of the sun god. Upper Egypt would hear the divine will before Lower Egypt. This banquet to welcome the divine envoy naturally required the attendance of all the dignitaries of Upper Egypt.
In the spacious courtyard, palm shadows swayed in the wind, and water droplets from fountains refracted dim yellow light in the air. The melodies of harpists echoed deep within the palace, and nobles strolled along the lotus ponds. Regardless of gender, they used green malachite or black charcoal eyeliner to draw heavy lines around their eyes, forming an upward flick at the outer corners. This eye makeup, considered capable of warding off evil spirits, sufficiently displayed their status.
The use of spices symbolized nobility and personal taste. Nobles attending the banquet in full attire would not forget to bathe in fragrances like frankincense, myrrh, cinnamon, or iris. As they walked, the turquoise-inlaid gold bracelets on their arms swayed gently, and intricate scents drifted through the moonlit night.
Anahet enjoyed the crowd’s flocking and flattery. Although after the previous Pharaoh entered his tomb, he was no longer the most favored son of the Pharaoh during his lifetime, but now the brother of the newly enthroned Pharaoh…even an obscure and overlooked brother.
But with the support of the High Priest of the fertility god Osiris, and within the worship of Osiris as the main god established by the previous Pharaoh, Anahet’s status was considerably higher than that of Seto-Anubis, second only to the Pharaoh.
An attendant leaned in, receiving news from outside.
He nodded to the guard who delivered the message, then hurried to Anahet’s side.
“What is it?”
Anahet looked at his confidant.
He leaned in to listen, and his eyes widened slightly after hearing the secret words. The eyeliner made from ground green malachite lifted like a snake’s tail beneath his brows.
His uncle, the High Priest of the fertility god, was indeed right?!
Anahet raised his brows, a pleased look in his eyes, and drained the wine from his golden cup in one go. “What envoy of the gods? Clearly, he is a cursed one! I heard that as soon as he descended from the Pharaoh’s boat and set foot in Thebes, he was attacked by Uraeus!”
He threw the cup to the ground, where it landed with a clear sound. “By the fertility god above, if he weren’t an ominous one, how could he be cursed by the venom of the protector of royalty?”
The cobra, known as “Uraeus” in this land, was regarded by the people of the Nile as one of the protectors of royalty, possessing sacred power to spit fire or venom to repel enemies. It was often depicted on the Pharaoh’s headdress to protect him and display his divine authority.
The banquet attendees were already uncertain about the prophecy concerning the divine envoy. They had never seen the magnificent stone mural described by Seto, and their attitudes wavered.
Whispers gradually surfaced.
Anahet spoke with righteous indignation, “My elder brother must have been bewitched by this cursed one, deceived by sweet words that blinded the eyes of Horus!”
Of course, he couldn’t say anything bad about the Pharaoh, so he shifted all blame onto the divine envoy he had never met before.
It was impossible for Anahet not to feel jealous of his elder brother, the Pharaoh. He was clearly their father’s most favored son!
Although Pharaohs were usually male, to ensure bloodline purity, the dynasty’s continuation was inherited through the maternal line. Only the children of the Queen and the Pharaoh could rightfully inherit the throne.
Rahotep’s mother was the sister and queen of the previous Pharaoh. He would naturally be the successor of the dynasty, the “divine son” born of the Pharaoh and the queen.
Anahet’s jaw tightened, and he gritted his teeth, saying, “I will definitely make my elder brother see through the true face of this divine envoy!”
The residual wine from the golden cup at his feet leaked out, dampening the brick floor.
A cold gleam was drawn from its sheath.
The sharp blade pointed directly at him, almost as if it would lift the carnelian gem necklace on Anahet’s chest and then pierce his heart.
Anahet frowned. “Seto! What are you doing?! Carrying a sword in the central courtyard, pointing the blade at your elder brother…is this your royal etiquette?”
From the dark slit of the jackal mask, a pair of golden-brown eyes stared coldly at him.
“Slandering, Mother Goddess, forbidden.”
Even though he had some understanding of his brother’s mental instability, Anahet was still shocked. “Are you crazy?! How dare you call someone cursed by Uraeus’ venom ‘Mother Goddess’?”
Before Anahet’s words fully landed, the clear sound of a staff striking the corridor floor echoed.
From behind the pillars adorned with lotus and papyrus patterns, the Pharaoh holding the crook and flail staff entered the central courtyard.
The sun disk on top of the staff refracted the firelight.
Rahotep asked sternly, “The divine envoy merely fainted from the fatigue of travel. Anahet, why are you fabricating lies about a venomous snake bite? Moreover, how did you receive this news within the palace?”
His brows pressed down, displaying the same sharp and oppressive pressure as his father.
Anahet saw the figure in snow-white robes following behind the Pharaoh. Clearly, the other party was standing there perfectly fine, showing no signs of having been bitten by a venomous snake. He stammered, unable to speak, “E-elder brother…”
The surrounding officials and nobles bowed in salute, “Great Pharaoh, may you have longevity, prosperity, and health.”
Rahotep raised his hand to signal them to rise, his violet eyes fixed on Anahet. “The divine envoy will bring abundance and peace to Upper Egypt. It is in response to the expectations of the people in Thebes that he chose to come here.”
“Yet you publicly fabricate slander about the divine envoy.”
“Have I been too indulgent with you? Anahet, your current state would disappoint our father.” Rahotep said coldly, “As the elder brother, I have the responsibility to discipline you on father’s behalf. From today onward, Anahet is stripped of his position as chief charioteer and transferred out of the Golden Chariot Guard. He will be responsible for the construction of the obelisk in front of the temple gate.”
Anahet’s face turned pale then green. His eyes passed through the crowd to meet his uncle, the High Priest of the fertility god.
The High Priest clearly had not expected things to deviate so much from the plan. His expression changed repeatedly, and he frowned, signaling Anahet to keep calm.
Anahet’s face showed indignation, but he had to suppress his emotions and kneel in salute. “Yes, Anahet will follow the Pharaoh’s orders.”
Rahotep chuckled sarcastically. “Speaking of which, what a coincidence…when I entered the palace, I caught a rat sneaking in to deliver messages…”
His gaze swept over the High Priest in the crowd.
Only when the elderly High Priest had a bead of sweat on his forehead did Rahotep slowly say, “But since it’s a rat, of course, it was killed on the spot to avoid bringing plague to the palace.”
This meant that he would not pursue the ultimate mastermind behind the chain of events, raising the issue high only to gently set it down.
But it was not without warning.
Under the Pharaoh’s pressure, the High Priest avoided Anahet’s gaze and instead, to Anahet’s disbelief, said with full reverence, “Great Pharaoh, your justice and mercy are as profound as the flow of the Nile, as dazzling as the radiance of the sun god Ra. Respected Divine Envoy, you are the protector of all beings, walking in the mortal world to convey the will of the gods, using your light to dispel darkness.”
The officials and nobles followed the High Priest in saluting and praising.
………
Xin Hexue’s face was hidden beneath the long robe, the shadow of the hood extending so that he could observe those present without revealing his features.
Admittedly, he still felt some nausea toward animals like snakes, but after the second world, he had actually become somewhat desensitized.
As for the fainting episode, it was entirely an act.
Xin Hexue had already noticed something when that unusual gaze fixed on him.
A cobra inhabiting the edge of the desert, abnormally jumped out from the papyrus bushes along the riverbank at sunset…it was hard not to suspect human involvement from the start.
But unfortunately, he and Rahotep had drunk wine flavored with mint during their conversation before disembarking. Under the influence of relatively high alcohol concentration and the mint scent, snakes’ highly sensitive sense of smell and forked tongues detecting scent molecules in the surrounding air would inevitably be irritated, achieving a repellent effect.
So, from the beginning, Xin Hexue had been calm and composed, not fearing the snake’s threat.
He also didn’t need to go to great lengths to find the person who released the snake; he just had to go along with the other party’s intention and pretend to have been bitten and fainted.
Later, with layers of guards and shifting figures, and the tension of the situation, the person who released the snake couldn’t quickly verify whether the snake had bitten him.
And the related parties behind it would naturally jump around like foolish clowns.
From his observations of Rahotep over the past few days, Xin Hexue had noticed the completely unmoving love value and had roughly understood the attitude of this Upper Egyptian Pharaoh.
The other party was not as reverent toward the divine will in the giant stone prophecy as he appeared. As a newly enthroned king, Rahotep only needed to support a new, more persuasive, and more sacred “divine messenger” to counter the local priestly groups that had threatened the Pharaoh’s power throughout the dynasty.
Xin Hexue’s gaze swept over Anahet, the High Priest, and the similarly priestly dressed figures behind him.
Under the worship of Osiris established by the previous Pharaoh, when their interests are shaken, they would naturally use having heard the will of the fertility god as a shield and even forge a sword to challenge the new king’s supreme power.
‘Rahotep…’
Xin Hexue thought about how, after disembarking, the other party had used the pretext of communicating with him about “yeast” to dismiss the guards and create distance.
Perhaps he had also intended to use the enemy to test the capabilities of this divine envoy.
It was just unclear whether his sudden move to cut the cobra was due to an instinctive response to crisis or some other plan.
Xin Hexue narrowed his eyes slightly.
At the moment the other party held him, Xin Hexue, who was pretending to be unconscious, heard the notification.
[Rahotep love value +5]
………
The interior was luxurious and magnificent, the walls adorned with lavish paintings made from mineral pigments, and the ceiling dotted with gold foil star patterns.
At the banquet, Rahotep brought out the wine Xin Hexue had given him. “This is the rare wine brought by the Divine Envoy. Please, everyone, taste it together.”
An official seated to the left below the Pharaoh asked, “Pharaoh, what is the container holding the wine?”
Rahotep laughed. “To think there is something even the Vizier of Upper Egypt does not recognize. This is a wine bottle made of ‘glass.'”
The man holding the position of Vizier, the head of all officials in Upper Egypt, said embarrassedly, “This subject truly has never heard of it.”
He repeated the new word, stammering through the syllables, “Glass…”
The attendant carefully took the glass bottle from the Pharaoh’s hands. Because the amount of wine was limited, only the nobles and officials seated at the front could receive a small cup of wine according to the order of seating.
The Vizier was not very interested in the wine but was quite intrigued by the container. “Might this subject take a look?”
Rahotep looked toward Xin Hexue’s direction and, seeing the long robe hood dip slightly, had the attendant hand the glass bottle to the Vizier.
The Vizier examined the transparent glass bottle carefully, holding it under a candle. The light shone through faintly, shimmering with flowing colors. “A creation of the gods… If we could know how it is made, it would surely be of great use.”
The Divine Envoy’s voice was cool and his tone was neither hurried nor slow, like the night breeze gently brushing over the Nile’s water surface.
“I have such intentions as well. Then, please, Vizier, bring several outstanding craftsmen from Upper Egypt to discuss this with me in detail later.”
The Vizier’s face lit up with joy. “Okay!”
The Pharaoh’s gaze swept across the crowd. “The divine envoy alo brought a gift from the gods…a new wine-making technique. I have already tasted it, and it is indeed a rare and fine wine.”
He clapped his hands, and the servants presented trays of golden cups and a wine vessel.
The wine was poured into the cups.
The Vizier, who had been silent until now, took the initiative to step forward and lift a cup. He first bowed to the Pharaoh, then turned to the divine envoy. “This wine is clear and fragrant, truly a divine gift. I wonder if the divine envoy would have time tomorrow to discuss the method of making this wine?”
The two started conversing very harmoniously.
Rahotep’s brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed into a magnanimous expression. “Vizier, the divine envoy has traveled from afar and needs time to rest. For now, set aside the glass bottle and enjoy the fine wine.”
The Vizier nodded. “It was inconsiderate of me.”
Anahet was depressed. After Rahotep ascended the throne, he had only been a minor general in the Golden Chariot Guard, and now he was demoted to being an obelisk construction officer!
His chest heaved, and he felt short of breath. He tilted his head back and poured the wine from the golden cup into his mouth like an ox, draining it in one gulp.
Only when the sweet and cool taste of the wine spread across his taste buds did he suddenly realize its flavor. It carried the natural aroma of ripe grapes, intertwined with the coolness of mint, without the sediment or overly sweet taste of other wines. The rich alcohol and refreshing fruitiness were condensed together.
Anahet had never tasted such wine before.
Or rather, all the nobles and officials of the Nile present, except for Rahotep at the top who had already tasted it in advance, were astonished by this wine.
“This is a miracle,” a noble who enjoyed fine wine exclaimed loudly. “Like the dew bestowed by the goddess Tefnut, sweet but not greasy, yet as lively and vibrant as the newly risen waters of the Nile. Even the protection of Wadjet is not as refreshing as this wine.”
Anahet’s ears had already turned slightly red. The numbness from the alcohol made him drunkenly forget his worries, but it also brought rising courage and a stirring recklessness.
He glanced at the divine envoy seated to the right below the Pharaoh. Upon his arrival in Upper Egypt, this envoy had already taken the place of his uncle, the High Priest, in terms of seating. Anahet raised his empty cup. “Divine Envoy, why aren’t you drinking? Is there something in the wine?”
Although he addressed him as “Divine Envoy,” his tone lacked much respect.
However, the divine envoy who was shrouded in white robes, showed no anger toward him. Instead, he raised his cup from afar, pausing slightly in Anahet’s direction as a response.
Then, he brought the golden cup to his lips and took two shallow sips.
Because of his movement, a white chin and light pink lips were revealed from beneath the wide brim of his hood, the lines of his face elegant and soft.
When he set down the golden cup, a sheen of residual wine glistened on his lips.
Anahet’s gaze suddenly stopped. For some reason, he felt that those lips were…
Very…
Very…
Anahet couldn’t find the words.
He flushed red, snorted twice, but then quieted down, sitting in his seat and waiting for the banquet to end.
………
Aside from the wine brought by the divine envoy, the banquet naturally also featured fresh wines from various regions.
Anahet drank cup after cup freely, his handsome features less domineering than usual.
After the banquet ended, he returned to his palace.
He had not yet married, unlike those brothers who had families and had moved out of the royal palace.
Because he was not trusted by the new king, Anahet’s palace was in a neither good nor bad location, which was actually somewhat remote.
He walked back with steady steps, followed by his trusted attendants. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a white-robed figure at the end of the corridor. The other party had few people around him, unlike during the banquet when he was surrounded by crowds.
The white figure appeared particularly thin and lonely under the moonlight.
Anahet, who was fueled by alcohol, didn’t know what he was thinking. Perhaps he was just thinking of the image that lingered in his mind, those pink lips…
This divine envoy must look like lifeless stone, an unfinished statue, and his body was as shriveled as a dried-up tree!
Otherwise, why would he always be shrouded in robes and unwilling to show his face?!
Anahet seemed to have finally found a way to redeem the humiliation he had suffered today, a trick to turn the tables. The suppressed frustration in his chest rose, expanding continuously until it reached its limit.
“Divine Envoy, wait!”
The white-robed figure ahead indeed stopped and turned around, his voice as clear and smooth as moonlight pouring down. “Construction Officer, is there something you need?”
Anahet was provoked by the address “Construction Officer” and charged forward in one breath, reaching out to pull off the young man’s hood.
“You must be…”
The derogatory words about the other person’s appearance suddenly caught in his throat, twisted, and were swallowed back down.
In the perception of the people of the Nile, the heart was the organ of thought. His heart thumped incessantly, proving he was experiencing a storm of mental activity.
Moonlight and torchlight illuminated.
The young man’s silver-white hair, its color surpassing snow, cascaded down, gently curling around his shoulders.
His long, white eyelashes lifted, and his light red eyes looking toward him were like the sunset melting over the Nile.
“Is there something wrong?”
Anahet stammered, changing the unfinished sentence and connecting it with a different word. “Must be using beauty to serve the king…”
