Chapter 17
Yelp! Whine! Yip yip!
How should I deal with this?
I quietly looked down at the three-headed dog desperately wagging its tail and showing its belly.
Looking at it like this, it's a bit cute, but... hmm...
"Lord Hades, shouldn't we eliminate it since it's the seed of a monster? It's already quite strong..."
It's a bit concerning that it could already withstand Pan's lightly thrown attack.
But judging from Pan's translation, its survival instinct seems to take priority over ferocity.
"Alright, follow me to the underworld."
Whine! Yeeelp!
As soon as I finish speaking, the magical beast foams at the mouth and goes berserk.
Its huge tail whirls like a windmill, and tears flow from the eyes of all three heads.
"I am Hades, king of the underworld. I don't mean I'll kill you to take you there..."
Yip yip! Woof woof!
"I'll devote all my loyalty to you... is what it's saying..."
The tears have suddenly disappeared, and the strong-weak-weak-strong monster circles around me, wagging its tail.
Pan carefully translates with a face that has lost all composure.
How should I put it, it seems like a monster that would betray you very well.
***
I headed to the underworld with the three-headed dog I named Cerberus.
I thought it might try to run away on the way, but it followed obediently.
I thought about what task to give this creature, and it seems best to use it as a guard dog.
There are occasionally souls that try to escape the underworld and return to the world of the living.
"Tear apart any soul that tries to sneak out. You can even eat them if you want."
Grrrrr...
Cerberus nods its heads, understanding my words.
Its body is dark, it's quite hideous, strong, and its teeth have poison - a fitting guard dog for the underworld.
"For now, I'll show you around the underworld. Keep following me."
"Pant pant!"
The three heads move busily, eagerly observing the surroundings. The atmosphere of the underworld doesn't seem too bad for Cerberus, a monster.
Now, if we just cross the River Lethe and the River Styx, we can return to my fortress.
"Hades is coming... not coming... coming..."
Now what's this sound?
Who dares to sit mumbling absent-mindedly at the sacred River of Forgetfulness... Goddess Lethe?
"Ha... Hades..."
Goddess Lethe, who was crouching and mumbling at the bank of the River of Forgetfulness, Lethe, sees me and runs over.
Hug.
"I've been waiting here all this time... You didn't die and come here, did you...?"
The soft skin of the goddess touches my chest.
If you hug me so suddenly... cough!
"I feel like I'm about to die now."
"Aah... I'm sorry!"
I'm immortal because I'm a god, I just got hit by that Typhon fellow and am a bit sore.
Especially my chest hurts a lot, if you could just move away a bit... Ugh!
"I-Ichor is coming from your mouth...!"
***
And so, I returned to the fortress of the underworld.
I sat on my throne, receiving reports about what happened while I was fighting Typhon.
The area near Olympus was completely destroyed in the fight against Typhon, causing many lives to be lost.
As a result, the work in the underworld also temporarily increased.
The work increased, but with me, the highest decision-maker, absent, the fatigue of the gods only grew...
In the end, it led to Goddess Styx confronting me with sunken eyes.
"How could the chief god, the king of the underworld, go directly to the battlefield..."
Couldn't Olympus handle their own affairs... Was there really a need for me to participate in such a dangerous battle, if it was a fight where I'd be spitting ichor, couldn't I have told Zeus to handle it himself... Wasn't retrieving the sinews enough to save face, and wasn't that sufficient involvement... Even if we're brothers, did I properly agree to receive compensation...
Ah... This isn't because work is busy. I appreciate your concern for me, but...
My face was also becoming haggard from the incessant nagging hurting my ears.
Yes, yes... I'm sorry. It's all my fault.
"...Phew"
Has it finally stopped?
"Still, I'm glad you're safe. You don't know how worried I was here... sob"
Goddess Styx's face gradually turned red, and she covered her mouth and turned her head.
I can see clear, transparent liquid coming from her eyes and flowing down her cheeks.
No, why are you crying again?
Unable to bear the stinging gazes around me, I got up from my seat and comforted Goddess Styx.
"Tsk... Hades, my boy, it's not good to make your wife worry."
"Making the lady of the underworld angry, that's quite the chief god-like composure. I could never match up..."
"Um, I think you should look at the other side too..."
Setting aside Goddess Lethe glaring at me with sulky eyes, I wish everyone would just be quiet.
I'm a god who's not only unmarried but doesn't even have a romantic partner, why are they all so interested in others' affairs...
By the way, Thanatos, don't you not have any close goddess friends either?
"What's with that look? Somehow it makes me feel bad."
It's nothing.
"More importantly, Lord Hades, why did you bring that monster?"
Where Morpheus pointed, Cerberus was sitting obediently, waiting for my orders.
Hmm... Let's see. I'll have it guard the gate leading to the underworld.
Now there won't be any souls escaping from the underworld.
"But that's a monster. Such a dangerous creature will betray us someday when it feels it's become strong enough..."
"Ah, you don't need to worry about that."
I've granted Cerberus a bit of underworld power, changing it to be closer to a divine beast than a magical beast.
Although it still retains the ferocity of a magical beast, it won't escape the underworld or disobey my orders.
"But what happened to Typhon?"
Goddess Lethe's question, with her arms crossed.
Zeus personally sealed Typhon's body under Mount Etna.
And I threw the severed head into Tartarus.
"Hades! You damned rat! Where is my body!"
"At the bottom of Mount Etna."
"Arghh! If you don't attach my head to my body right now... Aaaagh!!!"
I'm a bit worried that Typhon's body trapped under Mount Etna might cause trouble,
but it's not a problem if I occasionally patrol, doubling as sightseeing in the world of the living.
The Olympian gods in the sky are also watching where Typhon is buried, so his body can never be freed.
At most, it will end with causing some damage to the surface by making a fuss.
"My goodness... His body buried under a mountain and his head in Tartarus..."
"At times like these, you really do seem like the god of the underworld... But why sometimes..."
Sometimes what?
Thanatos, who met my eyes, subtly averts his gaze.
"Ahem. Ahem. I hear that God Hermes' wounds have healed, and he's about to return to Olympus. He wants to express his gratitude to you, how about dropping by?"
Right, Hermes.
***
As I entered the place where Hermes, who had collapsed at the entrance of the underworld, was being treated, I saw the messenger god smiling with all his limbs intact.
As expected of a god, he seems to have recovered long ago and was waiting for me.
"Uncle Hades, I heard you repelled Typhon!"
"It seems your body has fully recovered now."
Wearing the caduceus staff with two intertwined snakes and winged sandals, he now looked like the Hermes I knew.
When he was brought in covered in blood, it was really...
"Thank you so much for helping Olympus. I'm sure Father will give you a great reward!"
"No, forget about the reward, just take this Schythe with you on your way back."
I was supposed to return it to Zeus, but I accidentally brought it to the underworld.
"Ah... So this is Schythe. It's my first time seeing it."
"Give it to Zeus, he'll know what to do."
Hermes receives Schythe with both hands and touches it curiously.
He's a young god, he probably hasn't had the chance to see Olympus's strongest weapon made of adamant.
"But aren't you going to use it yourself, Uncle?"
"It wasn't mine to begin with."
Unfortunately, the sickle doesn't suit my hand.
Of course, after experiencing the long war with the Titan gods, I can use any weapon, but swords or spears feel more natural to me.
No matter how good and strong a weapon is, if the user's proficiency is low, it's hard to exert its full power. It's right for Zeus to use this.
I shook my head roughly and nodded, and the messenger god prepared to leave the underworld.
"Haha. Well then, I, Hermes, messenger of all, will take my leave now. Next time I come to the underworld, I'll prepare a gift for you, Uncle..."
Yes, go on now. Your son was worried about you too.
As I watch Hermes floating in the air, a soul soldier runs up to me.
"Lord Hades, the rainbow goddess, messenger of Olympus, has arrived at the entrance of the underworld!"
Iris has been coming often lately.
With Hermes injured and lying in the underworld, I suppose Zeus had no choice but to send Iris.
After waiting for a moment, the rainbow goddess with beautiful wings entered.
"I greet the lord of the underworld again. Lord Zeus asked me to convey that he wishes for Lord Hades, who participated in the battle against Typhon, to come to Olympus so he can repay you."
He's asking me to come to Olympus?
I wish he wouldn't tell me to come and go so troublesomely, I'm not Zeus's subordinate.
As I frown, Iris adds an explanation while breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Lord Hephaestus said that to create a weapon worthy of presentation, it needs to be fitted directly in the dedicated forge... And since Typhon has been defeated, a victory feast will be held in Olympus. If you could please attend and grace us with your presence..."
Did Zeus order Hephaestus to make a weapon for me? But I already have the Styx sword.
And an Olympus feast, this is a bit tempting?
It wouldn't be bad to enjoy a feast up in the clouds after a long time.
It might also be good to go and observe the atmosphere, as who knows what might happen in Olympus where most of the gods gather...
I'm a bit worried about the affairs of the underworld,
but compared to when the great flood occurred, the system is sufficiently established and has entered a stable period, so it should be fine to leave my post for a while.
"Alright, I'll go right now."
"Then I shall escort you, Lord Hades."
Iris asked for permission and created a rainbow, making a passage connecting to Olympus.
It's truly an enviable power no matter how many times I see it.