The King of the Underworld is Tired

Chapter 82: The Story of Bellerophon – (5)

During the hero's ongoing task, Gaia intervened with Chimera, destroying Athena's temple and killing Bellerophon...

Although she couldn't change the fate that Bellerophon would defeat Chimera, she found a way to influence the path to that fate, just like I had advised Perseus.

“Did you just see that, Lady Lethe?”

“Yes... Gaia possesses prophetic power comparable to that of Prometheus.”

“Even if we give birth to a hero and win the war against the Gigantes, it may only result in a Pyrrhic victory.”

Victory in the war against the Gigantes could mean that the Titans are released, or Gaia exacts her revenge.

Or Gaia could create other monsters to replace the Gigantes.

We must prepare more...

Gaia is one of the primordial gods, Protogenoi.

Of the ancient gods, only the Protogenoi can rival her.

Under the first, all-powerful Chaos, there are only a few Protogenoi like Gaia.

Lord Erebus, god of darkness, or Nyx, goddess of the night, or Tartarus, god of the abyss.

Lord Tartarus, the abyss itself, never involves himself in matters...

And Lord Erebus and Lady Nyx... hmm. They have also withdrawn from worldly affairs.

As I was deep in thought, Lady Lethe spoke to me.

“Hades.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Bellerophon will soon arrive in the Underworld... Will you give him a reward for his task?”

It had been some time since Thanatos' envoy was sent to him...

Soon, Bellerophon, who died along with Chimera, would arrive in the Underworld.

Although the flaw of killing his brother prevents him from going to Elysium...

One who fulfills a task should receive a proper reward.

I summoned a herald and gave an order.

“When the hero who killed Chimera arrives in the Underworld, bring him before me.”

“Yes, Lord Hades.”

* * *

After waiting in the audience chamber with Lady Lethe for a moment, the hero soon arrived.

Having regained his memories of the living world through the power of Lady Mnemosyne, Bellerophon had a pained expression, as if still feeling phantom pain.

Kneeling before me, he looked both regretful and resigned to the fact that he had died.

“Um... Why has the lord of the Underworld summoned me?”

“You have achieved the feat of slaying Typhon's offspring as a mere mortal, but you received no suitable reward in the living world.”

“…?!”

“Is there anything you desire? I promise to give you what is fitting for your achievement.”

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To not give any reward to a hero who sacrificed their life to kill a monster—who then would ever strive to become a hero?

If nothing else, I could at least make his name known widely...

But what he said next was beyond my expectations.

“In... in that case, I wish to become a god like Lord Pluto!”

“Hm?”

“To ascend to Olympus above the clouds and dwell among the gods, to live forever…”

Lifting his head, his eyes sparkling, he spoke passionately.

Well, becoming a god seems a bit excessive...

Especially since he's asking not just for the position of a minor god under my domain, but to ascend to Olympus?

That is not something I can grant, and it would require the consent of Zeus and the other gods.

Hmm. Still, for a hero who sacrificed his life to kill Chimera, I could overlook this much audacity.

Perhaps I should try to persuade him slowly.

I raised a hand to stop his words and explained calmly.

“You seem to have an overly romanticized idea of what it means to be a god.”

“Pardon?”

“What do you believe a god to be? Why do you want to become one?”

He pondered briefly before answering.

“Isn't it the case that gods are eternal, perfect beings? I've always aspired to be a god!”

“Perfect…?”

“Since I have slain that formidable monster, please give me the chance to become a god!”

There are cases where mortals have become gods, albeit rarely.

Medusa, for example, was made a god because she suffered greatly at the hands of a deity...

Dionysus spread the cult of wine throughout the living world and ultimately claimed his place as a god.

But even Cadmus or Perseus, who achieved great deeds, did not become gods—so making Bellerophon a god seems a bit...

He hadn't gathered followers in the living world, nor was he asking for a position in the Underworld but rather in Olympus.

And there was also the stain on his record for accidentally killing his brother.

However, considering his achievement in killing Chimera at the cost of his life…

“First, you need to understand what being a god truly means and what duties it involves.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“Spend 100 days here in the Underworld performing the duties of a minor god. If, after that, you still have not changed your mind, I will speak on your behalf to Olympus.”

“…! Thank you! Lord Pluto!”

He prostrated himself on the ground, repeatedly thanking me.

But perhaps it's a bit premature to be thanking me.

“Thank you so much!”

“We shall see…”

The daily lives of us gods are likely quite different from what you imagine…

After Bellerophon left, his face beaming with excitement, I turned to look at Lady Lethe beside me.

Lady Lethe, too, seemed to have similar thoughts, as she looked at me with twinkling eyes.

“Hades…! Could we perhaps assign that mortal to the River of Forgetfulness? Lately, the dead have been resistant to losing their memories…”

“My initial plan is to have him assist with the duties of Eros, who tortures the guilty. After that…”

"Ah..."

Hearing that he wouldn’t be assigned to her area, Lady Lethe’s eyes drooped slightly.

I glanced at the dejected goddess for a moment...

Swoosh

I gently ran my hand through her soft hair.

Her seemingly flawless strands of silver slipped through my fingers.

“…Hyat! Ha... Ha... Hades?!”

“I’m well aware of how much you’ve helped me all this time.”

She was truly startled. And yet, she’s always approached me so casually before…

Is this the first time I’ve reached out to her?

As the overly flustered Lady Lethe tried to pull away in surprise, I lightly grabbed her wrist.

“Please continue to help a little longer. One day, for sure…”

“Nehe… Yes… I get it. Just… let go of my hand…”

“Oh.”

As I released her, the silver-haired goddess hurriedly dashed out of the audience chamber.

Her red neck was especially noticeable as she ran with her face in her hands.

Thud.

“Ow! Ugh…”

She left in such a hurry that she bumped her head into the door.

Of course, the audience chamber door was dented where her divine forehead struck... Ah, I still need to repair the spot where Lady Styx stubbed her foot last time.

* * *

Lady Lethe, quickly leaving the audience chamber, moved urgently toward a certain place.

Her destination was an office in the Underworld.

“Styx! Styx! Styx!”

“Wha... What is it?! Lethe!”

“Lady Lethe…?”

Inside, Styx and Mente were sorting through piles of parchment, busy with their work.

They were shocked to see the flustered Lady Lethe running towards them with her face flushed.

But Lethe, the goddess of forgetfulness, paid them no mind and started questioning Lady Styx.

“For the past few days, Hades has been acting strange whenever he sees you. What exactly did the two of you do?”

“What? Why now all of a sudden...?”

“For the first time ever today, Hades gently stroked my hair with such a tender touch! Just tell me honestly! If this is how he treats me, what on earth happened with you recently?”

The truth was, not long ago…

Hades had kissed Lady Styx while riding Pegasus, and it hadn’t gone unnoticed by the other gods.

But up until now, the Lord of the Underworld, as Lethe knew him, was—

A god who didn’t shy away from approaching the goddesses who came close to him, but would always take a step back when they got too close.

As if there was an insurmountable wall around his heart.

So Lethe assumed it was just Lady Styx, clinging to him and feeling embarrassed afterward...

“Did you go all the way with him last time?”

“What… What do you mean, go all the way?!”

But seeing Hades act differently, like today, changed things.

Could he have developed a deep relationship with Lady Styx?

Lady Styx shook her head, but as the memory of the recent incident came to mind...

She couldn’t stop the tips of her ears from turning red.

“Now that you mention it, Hades has been acting strange since a few days ago. His gaze seems... warmer, somehow?”

“Well… it does feel like the wall around his heart has started to crumble a little.”

Even Mente, sensing something strange, added her own thoughts.

If Persephone were here, she’d have immediately rushed over to Hades to confront him about these changes, but…

She had long since returned to the mortal world.

“Could it be that Eros shot one of his arrows at him?”

“Eros is still working in the Underworld, though?”

* * *

Meanwhile, Bellerophon, who wished to become a god, was led by a servant to an unfamiliar place.

The air here felt even hotter than the flames of Chimera that he had faced in the living world…

“Argh!!! Stop...”

“Kraah! Gah!”

“Spare me! No, please forgive me!”

The place was full of great sinners, who, though unworthy of Tartarus, couldn’t atone for their sins through lighter punishments.

The dead writhed in agony, unable to escape the fiery ground beneath them.

“Here, all you need to do is deliver arrows to Lord Eros over there.”

“Ah…”

Whoosh! Thud!

“Aaagh!”

Even a god, who appeared as a winged child, was up above, constantly shooting arrows.

So that god is Lord Eros, but...

“Hey, human! If you’re here, hurry up and bring me more arrows!”

“Oh, yes, yes!”

Why was the god of love working in the Underworld?

And how was he managing to keep up this constant pace without a break?!