Chapter 43
Another dark day in the Underworld.
I, Hades, paused my work and fell into contemplation.
Lately, when I sit on my throne and listen to the mortal world, I feel that many things have changed.
"Merciful God Pluto... Thank you for your grace today as well."
"Please bestow upon me the blessing of wealth, O Wealthiest One..."
"Our father who has gone to the Underworld..."
For some reason, prayers directed at me have increased recently.
Not just increased, but it feels like all of Thebes is praying.
All I did was descend near Thebes and fight on a mountain not long ago...
Has the fear of death grown, causing them to pray to me?
Elsewhere, a wealthy nobleman built a wooden altar and knelt devoutly.
On the altar lay 20 dead cows, and the nobleman, holding a torch, shouted as he set fire to the altar:
"Almighty Lord Pluto! I offer you 10 bulls and 10 cows!"
Omnipotence is impossible even for Zeus, and judging by the servants behind you, you've overworked them to offer sacrifices to me.
And the cows offered as sacrifices are either diseased or old.
It seems that as my believers increase, many strange ones are also drawn in.
That fellow won't receive a good evaluation from the three judges of the Underworld, the Minos brothers.
As I was about to look elsewhere, a messenger ran up to me.
I'm familiar with this messenger's face now. Probably a guard near the judgment hall where Minos is...
"Lord Hades! Another soul who hasn't lost their memories in the River Lethe has appeared!"
"Again...?"
"They're causing a disturbance at the judges' place, claiming injustice..."
Souls with tremendous grudges keep appearing.
But it's endless to meet all of them, so I should call Goddess Lethe...
"But it seems this person is the grandson of Cadmus, the hero who founded Thebes."
"Cadmus's grandson? Let's meet him, bring him here."
Thebes is where my faith has spread widely.
And it's the birthplace of the great hero Cadmus, who practically saved the world from Typhon.
While Cadmus lived a life glorious enough to go to Elysium,
I wonder what his grandson experienced to maintain his memories.
After a short wait, the audience chamber doors opened, and the soul of a tall, young man entered.
But what he said as soon as he saw me, prostrating himself, was quite a sight.
"So you're Cadmus's grandson..."
"Merciful God Pluto! I am a human called Actaeon! Please resolve my unjust fate!"
I've seen many souls dragged to the Underworld hailing the God of Wealth, Pluto, but...
Why am I the God of Mercy?
"I am not the God of Mercy. What grudge do you have that makes you act like this?"
"I was killed for seeing the naked body of Goddess Artemis!"
What? What nonsense is this?
As I was at a loss for words, Actaeon wailed and shouted.
"I never approached with ill intentions! I had no thought of daring to peek at the beautiful goddess's body!"
"...Calm down for now."
***
After some time, Actaeon regained his composure.
He slowly recounted what happened to him in a gloomy tone.
"From a young age, I studied under the wise Centaur teacher Cheiron..."
Centaurs, with human upper bodies and horse lower bodies.
Although they're a violent and barbaric race, Cheiron was different from other Centaurs.
Cheiron, born when Kronos transformed into a horse and raped his niece.
He was a wise man with a gentle and wise personality, skilled in various arts including martial arts, music, and literature.
As his fame grew, it became natural for those aspiring to be heroes to study under Cheiron.
It seems Actaeon also received teachings under Cheiron, who gained the nickname "Teacher of Heroes."
"Thanks to Teacher Cheiron's teachings, I was able to gain some fame as an adventurer."
"I see, you were Cheiron's disciple."
"The day I died... I had just returned from a difficult adventure and headed to the forest of Cithaeron to hunt. But there..."
"Was Artemis there?"
"Yes... Goddess Artemis and her nymphs were bathing..."
Artemis, upon making eye contact with him, became enraged and cursed him, he said.
Actaeon's body was transformed into a deer, and he was eventually chased and killed by his own hunting dogs.
"I truly feel wronged. I knew Goddess Artemis had sworn to remain a virgin, but..."
The reason for Artemis's anger was the shame of showing a goddess's naked body to a mere human,
And... the situation that could have threatened her virginity.
Artemis's virginity, sworn upon the River Styx, was in danger of being broken by showing her naked body to Actaeon.
She killed him to prevent him from spreading rumors about seeing the goddess naked...
"I fully understand your grievance. I'll tell Minos to consider your pitiful circumstances in the judgment."
"Yes... Thank you so much for listening. Glory to Pluto, the God of Mercy..."
There's no other way to explain it except that he was extremely unlucky.
Is this the effect of the curse Ares placed on Cadmus's descendants?
Actaeon, bowing his head and sobbing,
His situation is so pitiful that I should give him some conveniences in his Underworld life...
***
"...That's what happened."
"Goddess Artemis is really merciless, isn't she?"
"...How pitiful."
Goddess Styx, leaning against my throne, shakes her head.
Goddess Lethe, sitting on the floor looking up at me, slightly lowers her gaze.
"But why are you goddesses here?"
"We need break times too. We've been working so hard."
"I'm not God Thanatos..."
I'm reminded of a certain god who might be crying and wailing somewhere, but let's move on.
But when you get too close, I keep feeling soft sensations...
Both of them are looking at me expectantly, so I forcibly turn my eyes away and change the subject.
"By the way, Actaeon called me the God of Mercy. I wonder if my divine attributes have been misunderstood among humans..."
"Well, there are rumors circulating in Thebes right now."
Come to think of it, Goddess Lethe often observes mortals in a daze.
She's sensitive to rumors from the surface, occasionally bestowing the blessing of forgetfulness and watching humans' reactions.
"The rumor is that the merciful Lord of the Underworld manifested to save a believer in danger."
"But don't other gods often help their followers too?"
It's quite common for gods to help their believers or turn them into constellations.
That's also why humans call out the name of their god when in danger.
"Death is probably fearful and scary. It's also unavoidable."
"Humans don't even like to mention the Underworld..."
Is it because I acted contrary to the image humans have of me?
Well, there are still not many believers who seek Hades instead of Pluto...
"But I think the divine attribute of mercy suits Prometheus or Hestia better."
Prometheus, who gave fire to pitiful humans.
Hestia, the gentle and soft guardian of the hearth and home.
To call me the God of Mercy instead of them...
As I fell into thought for a moment, Goddess Styx smiled gently and clung to me.
No, Goddess Lethe is doing the same...
"Hehe... Hades, your arms are really firm."
"Then, maybe here too..."
HowmanysoulscametotheUnderworldtodayifIcountthegoddessesZeusandPoseidonrapedonebyoneonetwothree
Frozen and unable to move even slightly, I hear a devilish whisper in my ear.
Goddess Styx's soft hair touches my shoulder.
"Hades, shall we go to the mortal world to clear our heads? You've been working so hard lately."
"I'd like that too. The Gigantes probably won't invade for a while, so why don't we go out without worry?"
"But I need to stay in the Underworld..."
As I try to avoid the expectant gazes of the two goddesses and think of excuses,
I notice the silver-haired goddess looking up at me and muttering softly.
"I've been having a hard time too... Can't we go? Uuu..."
"Gasp...!"
Those incredibly clear blue eyes, her cheeks and ears gradually reddening as if embarrassed by her own words.
A god's heart that transcends humanity doesn't stop, but right now, I was not a god but a man.
"Al... Alright... Let's go out for a while then."
...!
I might as well go up to the mortal world since I have things to do there anyway.
The Underworld's system has been organized enough for the two goddesses to take a break from work,
And more importantly, I can escape this difficult situation.
"It's about time I patrol near Mount Etna where Typhon's body is buried. Would you like to come along?"
The goddesses' faces light up at my words.
"Really? The Goddess of Oaths has heard it, so you can't back out!"
"Hehe... We did it, Styx!"
Oh no... I've fallen for the goddesses' scheme.
As expected of the cunning Underworld goddesses, persuading me with words and body(?)...
Well, still...
"Hehe... I'll go change my clothes. Wait a moment, Hades!"
"Ah, Lethe, I'll go with you!"
This kind of peace isn't so bad.