The Greece Antagonist

The next day, an angry roar echoed through the entire royal palace.

"I am not dead yet! Do you think I would bow down to those foreigners at sea? As long as I live, there will be no such possibility!"

Summoned back from various city-states once again to report to the palace, the five princes were facing the wrath of King Minos for their passive approach to war preparations and for trying to persuade Crete to seek peace with the Atlanteans.

As a result, the aging lion of a King was so furious that he cut short his convalescence, burst out of the inner chamber, and in full view of the court, beat his five sons half to death with a whip.

Had it not been for the intercession of his second daughter, the high priestess, and the generals, King Minos might have sent his five disobedient sons straight to the Netherworld.

But it seemed that the eldest prince, Androgeos, had inherited his father's stubborn nature, for even as he lay dying, he still spat out his heartfelt words amidst blood and foam.

"Father, we cannot win, do you want to kill us all?"

At these words, everyone's hearts turned cold.

Although with the situation becoming increasingly clear, nearly everyone had thought of this possibility, it was at most a mere thought.

However, now that even the King's own flesh and blood were so resolute, the future of Crete Island was almost predictable.

"Very well!"

Hearing his eldest son's rebuttal, the old man laughed in extreme anger.

"If you want to live, no one is stopping you! I give you three days to get off Crete Island immediately!"

The old man then turned to his changing-faced retainers and without holding back, demonstrated his stubbornness and hardness once again to his subordinates and citizens.
Experience tales at empire

"Who else? Any person in the city who wants to leave can go with them, I will not stop them! I swear by the law!"

Although the King had always been strict with the law and had almost never broken his promises.

There was silence on the scene, as if everyone were loyally resolute.

Only some gazes quietly glanced towards the five princes on the ground, gradually recuperating.

The brothers said little more, solemnly took leave of their father in the great hall, supporting each other as they departed with long strides.

As night fell, several fully-loaded ships quietly set sail, passing through the wind-sheltered port and away from Crete Island.

Among them were the families and followers of the eldest prince, as well as people from his city-states who wished to follow him.

According to insiders, they were headed for Paros Island, a territory conquered by King Minos overseas.

Following the news of his eldest son's escape reaching the palace, King Minos showed no intention of pursuing or punishing anyone for a whole day.

He even ordered the lifting of the martial law on several wind-sheltered ports, with an attitude of laissez-faire.

Seeing the example set by his older brother, the second prince Catreus was even more decisive. He didn't wait for nightfall and led a large contingent of people out of the harbor, heading for Rhodes Island, another overseas territory of the Minosians.

Upon receiving the news, King Minos, as promised, remained indifferent.

With the success of the two older brothers, the remaining three princes quickly followed in their footsteps, severing ties with their stubborn father, saying farewell to the land where generations of Minosians had lived.

Similarly, some unsettled generals and ministers quietly began to move their families and friends.

When the news spread to the populace, virtually everyone could sense the impending collapse.

Driven by fear and the will to survive, masses of people began to flee with their families.

Seeing this, King Minos not only did not pursue the matter, but he also extended the open port period by another two days.

In a short time, the population of Crete Island drastically decreased as numerous ships departed like fish fleeing Sea Beasts, migrating toward the mainland and new lands for survival.

At this moment, in the royal hall.

Looking at the bustling fleets on the sea and the thinning smoke on the island, the aged king on the throne could not help but display a touch of melancholy.

This was the kingdom he had built bit by bit, but now, it was also being destroyed by him, bit by bit.

Indeed, this great spectacle of father-son strife had all been a contrivance between him and his secretary.

Among his sons, only the eldest had been informed of part of the plan and had cooperated. The rest had simply acted on their genuine impulses.

Therefore, the eldest son Androgeos was given the first choice of the Minosians' overseas territories, and ultimately he chose to become the king of Paros Island.

As for the other sons, how they chose and where they would go was left to their wisdom and luck.

Children eventually grow up, and even King Minos himself could not protect his offspring forever.

And at the brink of collapse, leaving them an escape route was the greatest act of kindness this old father could offer to his descendants.

Also, if he was so lenient towards the members of the royal family who were supposed to defend their land, he naturally wouldn't blame those who fled Crete Island.

——No one had an obligation to die with him.

"Father, why are you up again? Please lie down and rest!"

At that moment, Princess Ariadne, who had rushed to the palace, saw her frail old father, standing barefoot at the gateway alone. She quickly ran up to support him back to the bed in the rear hall and gently covered him with a blanket.

However, even as the second daughter pressed him back to the bed, the old man was still restless.

"How did things go?"

Princess Ariadne immediately replied softly, "Do not worry, father, everyone has been notified, not a single household has been missed."

"Did you send the fleet?"

"Yes, as instructed, they are watching from a distance. But with the Sea of Okeanos behind them and Crete Island's coastal defenses in front, they are unlikely to encounter Sea Beasts."