Chapter 91
"Lord Hades! Shall we depart right away?"
Behind Menthe, who was urging me, I saw an illusion of a dog's tail wagging furiously.
It seems she was quite disappointed about the walk that was interrupted by the Gigas attack last time.
"I haven't been paying enough attention to you. If you had told me earlier, I would have taken you out."
"Well... I wanted to, but..."
The Goddess of Mint showed a troubled expression.
"But...?"
"Oh, no! If I cut in line, I'll be cursed... cursed... I'll be stepped on..."
Suddenly, she clasped her hands together and trembled.
What on earth is she talking about? Cursed and... stepped on?
"Anyway, let's go straight to Thebes through the place where heroes train. I need to go to the mortal world for a change of mood as well."
"Yes! I'll dress up prettily to please you, Lord Hades! Oh, and I..."
Menthe, who was about to leave the audience chamber with a happy face, suddenly stopped and spoke softly.
Although I couldn't see her face as her back was turned to me, I could see her ears turning redder than ever before.
"I think Lord Hades looks best in the chiton decorated with gold thread that you wore when we first met... It's not just my preference or anything..."
"If you liked that, I'll wear it."
So that outfit I wore before was to Menthe's liking?
I smiled slightly at her bold words and changed my attire.
It may sound redundant, but I was well aware of my appearance and popularity.
However, due to my high position as the King of the Underworld, it's hard to find divine beings who treat me casually.
Moreover, most mortals fear even the name Hades and call me Pluto instead.
Surely that would be the case... but the Goddess of Mint was different.
"Wow...! Lord Hades, you look so handsome right now! Hehe... I'll be right back!"
When she met me not as a lesser god, but as a Naiad, a water nymph...
She was a unique nymph who felt curiosity and excitement rather than fear.
Perhaps it was because of this nature that she became my priestess and eventually rose to the position of a goddess.
***
Menthe and I, who went to the heroes' training ground where Persephone's power lingered, soon found Chiron.
The wise Centaur was lecturing aspiring heroes, looking happier than ever.
"When shooting an arrow, spread your feet shoulder-width apart, and your back foot..."
Chiron was aiming at a target with his bow strung.
And the heroes observing him carefully were sitting widely around the open space.
After Chiron's explanation, they scattered here and there to practice archery.
As I watched them awkwardly drawing their bows, as if only those not very proficient in archery were gathered, Chiron approached.
We were at a distance far enough not to be seen by the heroes, but he seemed to have noticed us.
"When did you arrive, Lord Hades? I see Goddess Menthe is here too."
"Chiron, it seems the heroes' training is going well."
"Ah, of course. Didn't you send many heroes who recently accomplished their tasks? Thanks to that..."
Chiron stops mid-sentence and turns his head.
In an open space far from here, heroes were pointing weapons at each other.
I see some familiar faces too, there's Bellerophon... Perseus is there too...
Clang!
A man lightly dodged an incoming sword and tripped his opponent, making him fall.
The fallen man complained to his opponent, seemingly feeling wronged.
"King Perseus! What's a great hero like you doing here?"
"What do you mean? It's also a hero's duty to train the next generation, isn't it?"
"No, but for a king to train..."
"...? Lord Cadmus is over there too, so I'm just a nobody compared to him. Come at me quickly!"
The scene of various renowned heroes who had completed their tasks and died, now training aspiring heroes.
When Perseus died and came to the Underworld, Zeus wanted to turn him and his wife Andromeda into constellations.
But Perseus, upon learning about the hero training center in Thebes, refused this offer,
expressing his desire to continue training the next generation even after death, and his wish was granted.
Originally, he was to be sent to Elysium, but he knelt down saying that a sinner who killed his maternal grandfather couldn't go there.
He was truly a hero reminiscent of Cadmus in many ways.
"That's how they can receive such high-level training. It's much better than when I was teaching alone."
"I'm glad it's been helpful. If there are any more heroes who wish to come here, I'll send them."
After watching Chiron smile contentedly for a moment, I turned my gaze to Menthe.
She was in the middle of admiring the sight of heroes training.
"Wow... Lord Hades. Look over there. Is that the Python...?"
"Menthe, let's quietly pass by. If we show ourselves to them, it might cause unnecessary commotion."
I urged Menthe and moved towards the gap in space leading outside.
Whoosh-
"Wh-what?! The heroes aren't supposed to come out yet... Gasp! Lord Hades...!"
As soon as we crossed into the mortal world, we saw a middle-aged male priest startled by our appearance.
A high-ranking priest with quite deep faith... His name was certainly...
"Basileides, was it? Your devotion in offering prayers every day without fail is truly exemplary for a priest."
"For you to remember my name... It's... an honor! Sob..."
No, wait. Don't suddenly prostrate yourself on the ground and cry...
I just slightly praised you for praying every morning and evening.
The ground here is stone, so it must be cold. We should leave quickly.
"It's uncomfortable to keep watching my priest prostrate on the cold stone floor. Stand up."
"But... how can I..."
"It's an order."
Only then does the priest carefully stand up.
"Keep it a secret that the Goddess of Mint here and I have come to Thebes."
"Of course! By the River Styx... mmph."
"...Such an oath isn't necessary."
As soon as I heard the words "River Styx," I temporarily prevented him from speaking.
Why on earth would he try to swear by the River Styx right away?
There's really no need for that... Isn't his faith a bit excessive?
If we stay here any longer, he might faint. We should pass by quickly...
After passing by the priest showing faith bordering on fanaticism, we concealed our appearance and blended into Thebes.
***
But what we saw as soon as we left the temple connected to the Underworld was...
"Come on, are you going to keep insisting? Lady Styx is clearly Lord Pluto's official wife!"
"Aren't your grounds too flimsy? His Lordship was struck by Eros's golden arrow and for Lady Persephone..."
"That golden arrow, it wasn't even declared by the priests of Pluto's temple, so stop with the speculation, will you?"
"How do you explain Lady Lethe's statue being right next to Lord Pluto's?"
It was numerous Theban people discussing who my official wife was.
Some were debating seriously, while others were asserting their opinions with interested expressions.
The problem was that their numbers... filled the open space in front of the temple and more.
When I made eye contact with Menthe, she also sent a bewildered look.
"The Goddess of Mint was originally a nymph before becoming a lesser god, isn't this a clear sign of Pluto's favor!"
"That's because she created mint, which is Pluto's symbol, it's not favoritism!"
Just then, talk about Menthe flowed out.
Whether my making Menthe a lesser god was a sign of my favor towards her... or if it was just a reward...
Grasp.
Along with that, I felt a small hand grasping my right hand.
The goddess's soft touch shyly held onto me, and I turned my head to look at her.
"Lord Hades... I... I'm curious too."
"Menthe."
"Perhaps... what do you think of me...?"
A question thrown as soon as we came to the mortal world.
Menthe, with a face flushed red, spoke while looking into my eyes.
It's a question she's always been curious about. I can sense a bit of anxiety in her eyes.
Clearly, it was Zeus, not me, who made Menthe a lesser god.
But to the question of whether I favor Menthe or not...
"...Lord Hades?"
Glossy, shining teal hair and clear eyes.
She, who boasted beauty not inferior to goddesses even when she was a water nymph, became even more beautiful after becoming a lesser god.
As I silently stared at her without speaking, Menthe, seemingly feeling anxious, hastily opened her mouth.
"I... I don't even dream of being the official wife... but even as a concubine..."
"Menthe."
Slowly raising my hand and gently stroking her head, she stops speaking.
Although in the past I might have thought to avoid this situation, I've decided not to do so anymore.
From the moment I first met Menthe when she was a nymph... the days she worked in my temple as a priestess,
her coming to the Underworld after becoming a lesser god because she liked me, and the scenes of working together with her flashed before my eyes.
The reason I could keep smiling in the Underworld despite being plagued by all sorts of petitions and work...
The Goddess of Mint, who didn't lose her cheerfulness even in the Underworld, had somehow deeply entered my heart as well.
"You don't need to plead so much. I don't dislike you either."
"Ah..."
Her eyes widened roundly, and then she relaxed and snuggled into me.
The fresh scent emanating from the goddess's body tickled my nose.
As I was enjoying the soft touch of her teal hair,
I saw something behind Menthe.
"I love you, Melediphos."
"I... I like you too. Alcaeus."
The sight of two men, appearing to be in their 20s to 30s, embracing each other.
Moreover, even other citizens showed no reaction as if there was nothing strange about it.
"Yeah. That's true love."
"Love with women is impure affection aimed at reproduction."
Quickly looking around at this incredibly absurd scene...
Hundreds of men in uniform soldier attire were engaged in acts of affection on one side of the street.
Which madman dared to spread poison in my Thebes?
"....L-Lord Hades?"