Chapter 23
After the rebellion in Olympus was suppressed, I spoke to Zeus.
"Zeus. It was thanks to Thetis that I was able to detect the rebellion and come up to Olympus."
"Thetis told you...?"
Thetis is the goddess said to be the most beautiful after Amphitrite, Poseidon's official wife.
Many male gods courted her for her beauty, but...
"The protagonist of the prophecy that says the son she bears will surpass his father?"
"Yes, that Thetis you're thinking of."
Zeus also once courted her, but after hearing Prometheus's prophecy, he gave up without hesitation.
So he tried to marry her off to a suitable human, but she persistently refused.
"Hmm, I understand why you brought this up, brother. You want me to acknowledge her contribution and show her some favor?"
"Prophecies are absolute, but they can be interpreted in different ways. Just because he surpasses his father doesn't necessarily mean he'll threaten authority..."
The king of gods, more sensitive to his authority than anyone, puts on a serious expression.
After all, Zeus himself overthrew his father Kronos, so he's wary even of his own children.
So he can't marry Thetis to a male god.
If the child surpasses the gods, wouldn't that ultimately mean becoming the king of gods?
That's a direct threat to Zeus.
"I'll have to think about that. As you know, brother, the reason we're in this position is also because of our rebellion against Kronos."
"But things might have been different if Kronos had thought of us as his children."
"Hmm!"
It's a thought I've had occasionally.
What if Kronos had seen us as... children, not potential challengers?
Would we still have overthrown Kronos and seized control of the world?
"Think of your beloved daughter Athena, didn't the prophecy ultimately go astray in a different direction?"
"....If anyone other than you had said such things, I would have taken it as a challenge against me."
Zeus slightly furrows his brow, bringing his hand to his temple.
As if to prove his discomfort, weak lightning sparks from his body.
Although Athena is now his beloved daughter,
when he heard the prophecy that the son born between him and Metis would overthrow him, she was just an element to be wary of.
So Zeus swallowed Metis who was pregnant with Athena,
and ultimately, Athena was born by splitting Zeus's head.
It's fortunate Athena was a daughter; if she had been a son...
Another god might have been imprisoned in Tartarus that very day.
"Since Thetis contributed, and you, who have no interest in this position, say so, I'll think about it a bit."
"Good. Then next... Has Cadmus been properly rewarded?"
It's better to be satisfied with this much regarding Thetis.
Although Zeus is sensitive about power, this is his reaction when his brother who helped him during the rebellion speaks.
But that's that, and Cadmus, who made great contributions from the threat of Typhon, should rightfully be rewarded.
"I heard that while searching for his missing sister Europa, he founded a country called Thebes."
"Huh? Uh... that's..."
He suddenly avoids my gaze.
Could this bastard have...? Let me probe a bit.
"By the way, I hear rumors that this human woman called Europa is truly beautiful."
"Ahem. Hmm."
Oh ho...
"How beautiful? Beautiful enough for the king of gods, who cheats every day, to lose his mind and abduct her...?"
"Ahem! What do you want?"
As I thought, it was your fault again.
To have touched the sister of Cadmus, who helped us...
Maybe I should have 'Uranus-ed' you or sided with Poseidon.
"What's done is done, but at least let him meet Europa or ease his worries..."
"Alright, I get it. Brother, you can be quite nagging sometimes. I said I'll handle it."
Isn't it because of your attitude that Apollo and Hera betrayed you?
No matter how I look at it, the rebellion was your own doing...
Still, I think giving Poseidon just a one-year punishment is a suitable compromise to maintain his dignity as the second-in-command.
Looking at things like this, Zeus can be somewhat rational.
Fortunately, after that, Europa was able to contact Cadmus.
Zeus issued an oracle to allow Europa and Cadmus to meet.
Cadmus made quite a strange expression after hearing Europa's story briefly,
but it seems he managed to get over it somehow without damaging the god's authority.
Setting aside the fact that Europa, who was abducted, rather liked Zeus who took her...
"Umm... So you were taken by Lord Zeus..."
"When I first realized the bull was Lord Zeus, I was really surprised... but he was incredibly virile..."
"....?!"
Whatever his stamina might be, it's none of my business anyway.
***
After coming down from Olympus and returning to the underworld, I set off again.
I'm planning to meet some special gods living underground now.
I had an attendant follow me carrying ambrosia, a bottle of nectar, and cups.
The outskirts of the underworld.
A dark, damp cave, not the fortress where souls reside.
From the cave entrance, an ominous aura emanates and a chilling cold is felt.
The soul who brought the nectar this far trembled in fear, so I dismissed him and entered alone.
"Hades."
"You've come again."
Voices are heard from inside the dark cave, where there's neither Hestia's hearth that exists a bit in the underworld,
nor artificial light created using divine power.
Along with that, what's visible are three goddesses with bronze wings, snake hair, and blood flowing from their eyes.
"It's been a while, Erinyes."
"Is that nectar in your hand?"
"Looks like there's ambrosia too."
The Erinyes.
Goddesses of vengeance born from the blood that fell to the earth when Uranus's genitals were cut off.
The war between Titans and gods for world supremacy.
After winning the long war and gaining control of the underworld, I was able to meet them for the first time.
The three Erinyes sisters were sitting on the cold floor of the underworld.
The snakes on their heads hissing as if guarding in all directions, sharp eyes endlessly shedding blood.
Despite their terrifying appearance that everyone avoids, my first thought was pity.
I felt sorry for them endlessly shedding blood from their eyes, and honestly, I sympathized.
"Doesn't it... hurt?"
"What...?"
"The blood flowing from your eyes, I mean."
"....Do you truly think so?"
A puzzled look, as if my question was perplexing.
"If it's very painful, next time maybe..."
"Pain always accompanies vengeance. This much is nothing."
The three Erinyes sisters, despite being goddesses, shed red blood, not ichor.
The blood from their eyes evaporated as soon as it hit the floor.
Since first meeting them then, I often visited to build a friendship.
They were neighbors living nearby, and I felt sorry for them being shunned even by other gods.
The goddesses who initially showed a cold attitude gradually became accustomed to my visits,
and eventually, it came to today where...
"Hades, sit down and drink with us."
"Sure."
It became as natural as a close god often visiting...
"Isn't the underworld a bit less busy these days?"
"It must be quite different from before..."
Tisiphone, who judges adultery among the three sisters, gently folds her bronze wings and approaches.
Alecto, meaning unceasing anger, smiles while drinking nectar.
Megaera, the jealous one, also silently nibbles on ambrosia.
The snakes that serve as their hair also writhe as if in a good mood.
Hiss...
A snake on Alecto's head hisses and licks the back of my hand as she drinks nectar.
When I stroke the snake's head with my finger, it rubs its head as if pleased.
Thwack.
"Don't... touch the hair."
Alecto turns her head abruptly and says quietly. The goddess's ears are bright red.
No, your hair licked me first...
Tisiphone looks this way and opens her mouth with a sigh.
"Hades, don't come too often. When we're with you, the blade of vengeance dulls."
"Hmm..."
Megaera, who was chewing ambrosia, also nods as if in agreement.
What did I do...
"These days, unlike before the great flood, there are fewer humans who kill their own kin."
"I guess it was right to sweep them away once."
If you're marked by the Erinyes, goddesses of vengeance, you're thoroughly pursued day and night.
They even appear in dreams, endlessly criticizing until the target goes mad with guilt.
Humans feared these beings who flapped bronze wings while holding torches in one hand, and even avoided saying their names.
Just like how they don't call me Hades but use the alias Pluto.
But their case was much worse than mine.
"We haven't had many occasions to visit dreams for a long time."
"That's right, they'd rather become your subjects than suffer under us."
"Those who do are all paying for their crimes in my fortress."
If they take their own lives, from that point on, they're no longer under the Erinyes' jurisdiction,
but receive judgment from me, Hades.
Of course, there's absolutely no reduction in punishment just because they committed suicide.
"We were bored anyway, so thanks for bringing nectar."
"These days, young gods avoid us..."
We gods are immortal beings even without eating ambrosia and nectar.
However, it must be quite lonely not being able to have a meal and conversation with someone because they fear you.
Last time, I invited the Erinyes to a feast held in the underworld... but they refused, saying they couldn't ruin the joyful atmosphere.
It was a suggestion I made because they occasionally visit the fortress, slipping past the souls, but I guess it was still too much.