Chapter 8
The Underworld, ruled by Hades, King of the Dead, is busy as usual today. Especially now, all the gods are mobilized to prepare for the great flood that will soon sweep away the surface world.
"When the great flood begins, the small animals in low-lying areas will die first."
"Looking at this register of the dead, the city we should visit first is..."
"Charon, the ferryman of the Acheron River, will have a hard time."
"We should use the souls to clear this area and relocate..."
The desperate struggle of the Underworld administrators preparing for the explosive population increase. And I, Hades, handling all the work while receiving all their reports.
Assigning and judging the souls coming to the Underworld due to the great flood, and preparing space for them to reside. On top of that, commanding the subordinate gods, efficiently distributing roles, and preventing various problems that might occur in the Underworld.
I have to handle almost everything. I must manage everything without encroaching on the jurisdictions of the gods in charge of each area.
Now I understand why there are so few stories about Hades in the gradually fading 21st-century Greek mythology knowledge.
"Lord Hades, if we expand the Underworld's range towards the Elysian Fields..."
"How about recruiting more ferrymen to help Charon?"
"Perhaps we should request support from Olympus after all..."
With so much work, it's impossible to leave the Underworld.
By the way, the Elysian Fields are a paradise where souls who achieved remarkable feats or showed great virtue in life reside after death. The majority of souls who don't qualify to enter there will reside in my Underworld.
Despite being underground, Elysium is a mysterious space with sun and abundant flora and fauna like an ordinary meadow in the living world. Souls that enter there engage in whatever they wish to do in the god-blessed fields, experiencing spiritual fulfillment beyond any material pleasure.
Simply put, you can think of it as the ancient Greek version of heaven.
"Lord Hades! Lord... Lord Zeus has come to the Underworld!"
Did I hear that wrong? I'm sure the soul that rushed into my office said Zeus was here outside.
"The chief god Zeus has visited the Underworld with Iris, the goddess of the rainbow!"
I expressed my displeasure through Iris earlier, but that proud Zeus actually came here?
I nodded, and as the soul soldier opened the office door, the blonde male god I knew appeared.
Zeus approached with an awkward face and a forced cough, with the rainbow goddess Iris cautiously following behind.
"Ahem. Ahem. It's been a while, Brother Hades."
He really came to this dark place in person.
***
The king of gods personally coming to apologize in the realm ruled by another of the Big Three? Could his power be unstable right now, or has some problem arisen in Olympus?
"It was my mistake not to tell you about the great flood in advance. I was so focused on punishing those shameless humans that I forgot to consult with you, brother."
I gestured for Zeus to take the chair opposite me.
I'm somewhat appeased that he came to apologize in person now.
"Ahem. I had no intention of disrespecting the Underworld's authority. I've prepared some things as an apology for this incident..."
"As an apology?"
"First, to prepare for the excessive workload that will hit the Underworld during the great flood, I'm dispatching some Olympian attendants and my daughter, Athena..."
Oh... this is quite good news. When it comes to handling tasks, the goddess of wisdom is worth a hundred workers; she should be able to manage the Underworld's massive workload.
"And there will never again be an Olympian decision to exterminate life in the lower world without discussing it with the Underworld."
That's only natural. Of course.
"I can swear this by the River Styx."
I, who had already softened my heart because Zeus came all the way to the Underworld to apologize, was nodding casually but then stopped. An oath sworn by the River Styx has absolute effect that even gods cannot break.
Well, it seems he's showing some remorse. No matter how much I curse Zeus, he knew when to swallow his pride as the king of gods. Of course, the fact that I'm not a pushover lesser god also contributed to this decision.
"And how about sharing a cup of nectar with me? We have a lot to talk about after so long..."
I smirked and temporarily cleared away the documents on my desk. The rainbow goddess Iris perceptively produced ambrosia and nectar from the rainbow and excused herself.
"Alright, let's have a drink after a long time."
***
As Zeus and I drank nectar and talked in my office, whispers could be heard from various parts of the Underworld. Mainly lesser gods of the Underworld, administrators, and souls were whispering.
"My goodness... Lord Zeus in the Underworld..."
"They're brothers, but were they always this close?"
"There won't be any sudden lightning strikes, will there...?"
It seems he was alarmed by my words to Iris. To think he'd come so urgently to gauge the Underworld's sentiment.
"So other gods besides me have expressed dissatisfaction with the great flood."
"Poseidon is actually the biggest problem. He seems to keep eyeing my position, and this time too, he subtly..."
I popped some ambrosia into my mouth while listening to Zeus's not-quite-lament. It seems that although he gained justification to sweep away the surface world through Pandora, there were gods who were skeptical about the great flood and some who opposed it.
I spoke to Zeus, who was complaining incessantly. Whether he really needed to be so obsessed with the position of king of gods.
"You and Poseidon both, what's so great about the position of ruler of Olympus..."
"Hahaha! Could it be that you, Brother Hades, also covet this position?"
Zeus's eyes sharpened for a moment, but I casually removed the nectar cup from my lips. You know me, and I know you, so there's no need for unnecessary suspicion; it's just a joke.
"It's a joke. A joke. But don't you know the view from the Olympian palace too, brother? I'm rather curious about you, who has no interest in power at all."
The Olympian palace, that is, overlooking everything from above the clouds. Six gods including myself, Zeus, and Poseidon all saw that scenery before fighting the Titans.
Indeed, that feeling was truly overwhelming. Is this how an absolute being sees the world? A sense of omnipotence and elation as if the whole world is in the palm of your hand. It was also one of the reasons I decided to fight the Titans.
But if you ask why I'm different from Poseidon when I have the power and position to challenge that seat...
"If I ascend to the golden throne of Olympus, I won't be able to stay here anymore."
"Olympus would be much better than this gloomy Underworld."
Should I explain it in more detail?
If I were to usurp the position of king of gods and go to Mount Olympus, many changes would occur.
First, I wouldn't be able to see the grateful goddess Styx who made my sword for me often… Thanatos, who works hard harvesting souls every day, wouldn't come up to Olympus either… Neither would Hypnos and Moros & Keres who help with the Underworld's work, nor Lethe, the goddess of forgetfulness.
Lastly, all the souls who currently reside in the Underworld and follow my rule would have to be separated.
Costalis, the guard who always stands in front of my office door, refused reincarnation even though he died from an unjust incident on the surface and had his memories erased. Nerdis, the woman who pours nectar for me at every Underworld banquet, also died after suffering terribly at the hands of wicked ruffians...
At this point, Zeus interrupted my words. He probably got bored when I started going into the humans' stories. However, the golden male god was nodding as if he had realized something while stroking his beard.
A glimpse of Zeus's true nature as the god of kingship, something I hadn't seen in a very long time. His true face showed for a moment.
"I see, now I understand. Brother, you don't covet the position of king of gods because you're already truly a king."
That's right. I am the King of the Underworld. Becoming the most powerful among the gods is nothing compared to fulfilling my duties befitting my current position or taking care of my people. Perhaps I've grown attached to this dark and gloomy place.
And if you've just realized this now, why don't you stop with the rogue-like rapes as the king of gods? Not just rape, but how many affairs have you had? And you still want to protect your power?
I conveyed this message, softening it appropriately.
"Well? I have a duty to propagate the Olympian gods. And honestly, even now, Iris's lovely figure lingers in my mind..."
Zeus shook his head with a seemingly stern expression, but his eyes were full of lecherous intent as he spoke of Iris's figure.
Aren't you afraid of Hera, Zeus? Isn't the prosperity of the Olympian gods you speak of like a habit just an excuse to fulfill your own desires? If not, there's no reason to have relations with all your sisters and relatives...
"Hmm, why are you looking at me like that?"
He avoids my gaze with an uncomfortable look.
Should I just go 'Uranus' on him?