Eutostea received the golden cup he had thrown out. If she hadn’t, it would’ve fallen to the ground. In the man’s eyes, it looked like a treasure she had called in using an incantation. Dionysus patted her on the back. Eutostea walked to the pond with the cup in her hands, mixed with the man’s expectations. She bent her knees slightly to grab hold of the clear liquor. She thought it was irresponsible to give such a dangerous drink to a visitor that was undeniable. However, she still wanted to test the effect of her alcohol on humans.
“My… my utmost gratitude to you.”
Using strange honorifics, the man crawled on all fours to her feet.
Eutostea told him, “Make sure you give it to your mother only. It’s Dionysus’s will.”
‘Please don’t let anything happen…’ She prayed to any god who could hear and handed over the golden cup to the man. He ran to his mother sitting on the floor, holding it dearly as if it were the world’s rarest treasure.
“I can’t believe you gave me such a valuable medicine… thank you, Lord Dionysus.”
Only Eutostea was in the heart of sincerely wishing to get better. Her god was watching, touching her chin playfully as if all this was merely an experiment. The old woman accepted the cup given by her son, raised it up to her head, worshiped it, and drank slowly.
‘Please, please…’
Eutostea could not bear to see her emptying the glass of sweet liquor.
“How are you feeling, Mother?”
“Marche?”
The old woman blinked her eyelids quickly. Her white eyes became darker and darker as if paint was spreading in them. Her eyes returned to their original color of faded sky blue. The son admired the change in his mother’s eyes.
“You’ve aged a lot.”
“Mother, do you see me?”
“Yes. Yes, I can even see your shabby face. You’ll need to wash up right away. What is this appearance you’re sporting in front of a noble existence?”
“How about your cough? You’re breathing?”
“It’s all well. It’s good enough for me to sleep with my chest fluttering up and down like a babe’s.”
The old woman’s voice was very clear. Eutostea found her complexion brighter. It was as if alcohol had purified the poison that had piled up in her body.
“Thank you, priest!”
The son hugged the old woman in tears. And with his mouth he praised Eutostea.
“It’s Lord Dionysus’ grace.” She had no choice but to say this, covering her mouth with her sleeves.
“Thank you, Lord Dionysus!”
With hot tears, the son continued to express his thanks with his mother. Eutostea approached his side and helped the old woman up, telling them to come inside and have a meal. Then the old woman stood on her own with no help from anyone and was surprised to find her legs moving. It’d been so long since she had this much energy. Twenty years ago, she wasn’t this healthy.
Eutostea looked around the pond, guiding them into the inner chamber. Dionysus was dipping his hand in her pond with a contemplative look on his face.
“The power of purification is something I don’t have. I distract the spirits of the drinkers, but I don’t wake them up. But your drink is mysterious. Making even a god with a strong heart and body fall into a fitful slumber and granting healing and purification to a weak human being.”
“How dare I use my powers to intend such discrimination, Dionysus.”
“Yes, you didn’t mean it. But, there’s something that’s bothering me.” Dionysus looked at the serious face of Eutostea and laughed, the wind blowing sound away. “Think of it as the heartache of a god who can’t drink your liquor but very much wants to. Why do you look as sullen as if you were beaten up?”
“Dionysus, don’t you think you don’t need to drink even my alcohol? You still only drink liquor instead of water. And I don’t just look as if I were beaten up, I was beaten up.”
“Okay. I was wrong. I forgot that the absolute ruler of my temple was not me, but Eutostea, my priest,” he smiled, looking down at her lips.
“Stop playing around and go inside. Did you have dinner?”
“Nectar and ambrosia! I filled my stomach with Olympus’ food delivered by the goddesses, but I feel like I can’t digest it because it’s not comfortable. What about you?”
“I also have to eat more. I left my guests behind, so I’ll have to go join them. Can’t humans see you?”
“Yes. They dare not see me unless I allow them to.”
Eutostea received the golden cup he had thrown out. If she hadn’t, it would’ve fallen to the ground. In the man’s eyes, it looked like a treasure she had called in using an incantation. Dionysus patted her on the back. Eutostea walked to the pond with the cup in her hands, mixed with the man’s expectations. She bent her knees slightly to grab hold of the clear liquor. She thought it was irresponsible to give such a dangerous drink to a visitor that was undeniable. However, she still wanted to test the effect of her alcohol on humans.
“My… my utmost gratitude to you.”
Using strange honorifics, the man crawled on all fours to her feet.
Eutostea told him, “Make sure you give it to your mother only. It’s Dionysus’s will.”
‘Please don’t let anything happen…’ She prayed to any god who could hear and handed over the golden cup to the man. He ran to his mother sitting on the floor, holding it dearly as if it were the world’s rarest treasure.
“I can’t believe you gave me such a valuable medicine… thank you, Lord Dionysus.”
Only Eutostea was in the heart of sincerely wishing to get better. Her god was watching, touching her chin playfully as if all this was merely an experiment. The old woman accepted the cup given by her son, raised it up to her head, worshiped it, and drank slowly.
‘Please, please…’
Eutostea could not bear to see her emptying the glass of sweet liquor.
“How are you feeling, Mother?”
“Marche?”
The old woman blinked her eyelids quickly. Her white eyes became darker and darker as if paint was spreading in them. Her eyes returned to their original color of faded sky blue. The son admired the change in his mother’s eyes.
“You’ve aged a lot.”
“Mother, do you see me?”
“Yes. Yes, I can even see your shabby face. You’ll need to wash up right away. What is this appearance you’re sporting in front of a noble existence?”
“How about your cough? You’re breathing?”
“It’s all well. It’s good enough for me to sleep with my chest fluttering up and down like a babe’s.”
The old woman’s voice was very clear. Eutostea found her complexion brighter. It was as if alcohol had purified the poison that had piled up in her body.
“Thank you, priest!”
The son hugged the old woman in tears. And with his mouth he praised Eutostea.
“It’s Lord Dionysus’ grace.” She had no choice but to say this, covering her mouth with her sleeves.
“Thank you, Lord Dionysus!”
With hot tears, the son continued to express his thanks with his mother. Eutostea approached his side and helped the old woman up, telling them to come inside and have a meal. Then the old woman stood on her own with no help from anyone and was surprised to find her legs moving. It’d been so long since she had this much energy. Twenty years ago, she wasn’t this healthy.
Eutostea looked around the pond, guiding them into the inner chamber. Dionysus was dipping his hand in her pond with a contemplative look on his face.
“The power of purification is something I don’t have. I distract the spirits of the drinkers, but I don’t wake them up. But your drink is mysterious. Making even a god with a strong heart and body fall into a fitful slumber and granting healing and purification to a weak human being.”
“How dare I use my powers to intend such discrimination, Dionysus.”
“Yes, you didn’t mean it. But, there’s something that’s bothering me.” Dionysus looked at the serious face of Eutostea and laughed, the wind blowing sound away. “Think of it as the heartache of a god who can’t drink your liquor but very much wants to. Why do you look as sullen as if you were beaten up?”
“Dionysus, don’t you think you don’t need to drink even my alcohol? You still only drink liquor instead of water. And I don’t just look as if I were beaten up, I was beaten up.”
“Okay. I was wrong. I forgot that the absolute ruler of my temple was not me, but Eutostea, my priest,” he smiled, looking down at her lips.
“Stop playing around and go inside. Did you have dinner?”
“Nectar and ambrosia! I filled my stomach with Olympus’ food delivered by the goddesses, but I feel like I can’t digest it because it’s not comfortable. What about you?”
“I also have to eat more. I left my guests behind, so I’ll have to go join them. Can’t humans see you?”
“Yes. They dare not see me unless I allow them to.”
