Chapter 64
Today is a day of racking our brains with Menthe in the office.
It's the day to solve Charon's complaint that most souls coming from the mortal world are emanating a mint scent.
"Ah, Hades, you're finally asking about that... My nose has been..."
"I see. I'm sorry. You should have said something earlier..."
"Don't misunderstand. It's not that I dislike your symbol or that it stinks... It's just, well..."
"...I'll discuss it with Menthe right away and solve it for you."
Athena mentioned it before, that there's too much of mint's unique scent up until the Acheron River.
So I checked from the entrance of the underworld and asked Charon as well...
"There's more mint scent than I expected. It's understandable that some might dislike it."
"Lord Hades. But if mint spreads as food, won't it increase the use of mint at funerals?"
"Even so, humans wouldn't wastefully use an edible plant at funerals..."
Mint is a plant with excellent propagation and survival abilities.
Is it because it was born with the power of Menthe, who was originally a nymph?
But in my previous life, a very long time ago, there were no nymphs...
While talking with Menthe and looking at the mint leaves on the desk,
I suddenly felt like having a refreshing mint tea.
"Lord Hades?"
"Just a moment..."
I got up for a moment and brought the Cornucopia (Horn of Plenty).
As I put my hand inside the broken horn, I imagined a yellowish fruit, a lemon.
Plop.
"Wow... This is the Cornucopia.. I'm seeing it for the first time."
"We don't really need to eat food, but it's a useful item when you want to freshen your mouth occasionally."
I levitated the lemon that popped out of the Cornucopia, peeled it, and along with mint leaves...
"Do you like something a bit sweet?"
"Of course! I love honey. Near Mount Etna, there are bees blessed by Pan..."
I turned the Cornucopia upside down and imagined honey, and a golden liquid slowly flowed out.
I caught an appropriate amount in mid-air, mixed it well, and put it in a golden cup...
Soon, lemon honey mint tea was ready.
"This is mint tea made by Lord Hades himself...!"
A soft yellow tea was completed in the golden cup.
I offered some to Menthe, whose eyes were sparkling, and took a few sips myself.
Slurp-
The well-ripened lemon mixed in gives it a proper tartness, the refreshing mint aroma,
and the sweetness of the finest honey I imagined blend together to create an excellent flavor.
"Wow.. This is really delicious. Humans would like this taste too."
"If there are any idle gods right now, I should call them and share this."
"I'll go. I saw Goddess Styx resting in her room earlier..."
Menthe, who had already finished her tea and was savoring the taste, left the office.
***
I waited for a moment for her to return, sipping the tea.
It might be good to increase the varieties of mint and encourage humans to consume it in various foods...
Ah, since many people dislike the mint scent, shouldn't we tell them not to persecute those who dislike it?
Because personal tastes in food can vary greatly, I could give an oracle that even among my believers, those who dislike it can stay away...
Clunk.
"Hades. Menthe called me, so I came."
"What are you trying to share this time?"
"Is it a reward for working hard so far..."
"Tea made from mint? Isn't that a plant used in human funerals?"
Those who entered the office with Menthe were Goddess Styx,
and Moros and Ceres, who symbolize destructive death and inevitable death.
I offered them seats and made the lemon & mint & honey tea again.
A soft and sweet fragrance wafted through the office, tickling everyone's noses.
"This is mint tea to be spread in the mortal world. Let's all try it."
"As I said before, is this to spread it as an ingredient in the mortal world because of the terrible mint scent from the souls?"
"Hmm... It's like seeing Dionysus's wine."
"Mixing honey, mint, and lemon... How about adding other spices?"
"That's really delicious!"
Soon, as a yellowish tea was placed in front of the gods,
I took out roasted lamb dishes that go well with mint tea from the Cornucopia.
Well-cooked lamb sprinkled with herbs and spices.
Seeing the juices slowly seeping out along the grain of the meat, I offered it to everyone.
"Hmm.. munch munch... The meat and mint go well together."
"Humans make bread with grains blessed by Demeter, and this mint tea with hard bread..."
"Wouldn't mint go well with fish dishes too? It seems it could be used as a spice as well."
Watching them enjoy the mortal food, I took out various dishes from the Cornucopia.
Roasted rodent dishes with beans and figs, salads with tomatoes and cucumbers...
With all this laid out, a feast was suddenly prepared.
"Hmm.. It's not as good as ambrosia, but it's still edible."
"...Should we call other gods?"
"Umm. Gulp. I saw Lord Hypnos earlier..."
The gathering to hear opinions about mint tea suddenly turned into a meal.
Can't be helped, I'll have to discuss mint with Menthe separately later.
"Since it's come to this, let's just hold a feast. You've all been working hard lately, right?"
"Oh! That's good!"
"We can rest for a day or so."
"The underworld's work has decreased a lot..."
"It's not bad to eat this instead of always eating ambrosia or nectar."
I should call all the gods at this opportunity.
I'll also invite the relatively free administrators and the three Minos brothers who are judges.
"Messenger! Tell Goddess Lethe, who's working in the soul residential area, that I'm looking for her, and those guiding souls on the River Styx..."
***
The gods who had gathered in the office moved to the underworld's banquet hall.
The gods I had summoned by sending messengers here and there started to arrive, and I turned the Cornucopia upside down.
Roasted birds skewered and sprinkled with herbs, salads with small rolls of bread and vegetables garnished with cheese and olive oil..
Aged wine with beautiful colors, though not as good as what Dionysus himself would make.
"Wow... The underworld's feast is splendid."
"Hehe. Menthe. This place might not match Olympus, but it's not inferior to the underwater palace's feasts, right?"
"The food coming from Lord Hades' Cornucopia couldn't possibly taste bad..."
A dish of well-aged cheese mixed and stir-fried with tomatoes and peppers.
Wraps made by rolling cabbage leaves with meat and peppers, yemista made by hollowing out tomatoes or pumpkins and filling them with meat...
Numerous dishes were laid out in the banquet hall, and the gods were anticipating the upcoming feast, cleansing their palates with wine.
Creeak-
The Erinyes (Furies), the three sisters who are goddesses of vengeance, not Nemesis, also walk into the banquet hall.
They had bronze wings and snake heads, and were coming in with an awkward air, looking around cautiously, but...
"Ahem.. Are we really allowed to participate in the feast?"
"Hello! I'm Menthe, who recently became the goddess of mint!"
"Ah. A newly born god. The nymph who created mint?"
"Hey, Tisiphone, long time no see. Have the adulterers in the mortal world decreased lately?"
"...Thanatos."
Fortunately, they seem to be blending in well.
I'm proud that my efforts are finally bearing fruit.
It was good that I occasionally took gods to the dark caves on the outskirts of the underworld where they reside.
The aversion to their terrible appearance tends to dilute over time with frequent meetings.
"...Lesser god Medusa greets Lady Alecto (unceasing anger)."
"I was actually thinking of visiting you."
"Is that so.."
"If you still harbored anger even in the underworld, I was going to hold the gods accountable too."
"Even those two gods.. you mean?"
I was a bit surprised by the conversation between Medusa and Alecto.
In fact, the goddesses of vengeance rarely appear to powerful gods.
Just as Hera is the goddess presiding over family,
she can kill women who have been raped, but cannot harm Zeus, following the same principle.
Alecto sighed and continued speaking to Medusa, who had lowered her head.
"Poseidon and Athena did too much to you. You must resent the gods a lot, but..."
"Yes..."
"I hope you realize that not all gods are like that."
As I noticed the gazes of the two goddesses talking turning this way, I turned my head.
Ahem... The problem isn't that I'm a good god, but that all the others are somehow weird..
Fortunately, Medusa and Menthe, who had newly ascended to godhood, were also getting along well.
It seems my efforts in educating the other gods have paid off.
My efforts to minimize discrimination based on low position and humble status...
"When should we start?"
"Oh? Lord Charon? How did you come here?"
"Ah... Tsk. Am I not allowed to come? I left it to my avatar that I imbued with my power. But I have to go back soon."
"Morpheus. What if you send dreams just before I put them into a deep sleep?"
"I must have dreamed too..."
"The residents of Athens might mistake it for an oracle. Be careful next time."
"Ugh... Hades, start quickly. Everyone seems to be here..."
Goddess Styx called me, looking drunk on nectar even though the feast hadn't started yet.
No, no matter how hard your work is, isn't drinking too much nectar a bit much?
Everyone's gaze gathered on me, and I slowly looked around the crowd.
Goddess Lethe, Goddess Styx, the seemingly awkward Medusa and Menthe, Thanatos who's still working hard...
And many other gods and underworld administrators... These grateful ones who always help and support me.
I hope today's feast will be a small repayment to them.
"Ahem. Ahem."
After standing up, I slowly raised the golden cup filled with nectar and opened my mouth.
The other gods also raised their cups filled with nectar, following me.
"Then, let the feast of the underworld begin now! It may be modest compared to Olympus, but I hope everyone enjoys themselves today!"
Hmm... The formal speech feels awkward.
Zeus of Olympus might be used to it as he rules with strong authority,
but the underworld is somewhat more horizontal after all..
After my words ended, Thanatos, one of the eldest here, set the mood.
"Glory to Olymp... the underworld!"
"""Glory to the underworld!"""
And so began the uncertain feast that no one knew when it would end...