Chapter 92
"....L-Lord Hades?"
Menthe urgently calls out to me, seeing my face frozen stiff...
but I couldn't pay attention to her.
Sacred Band? Same-sex love is true love? What on earth is this nonsense?
Dionysus wouldn't dare do such a thing, so is this really a naturally developed culture?
Is it influenced by Zeus bringing the Trojan boy Ganymede to Olympus?
Or else...
"Excuse me, I have something to ask."
"Oh. Are you perhaps a visitor?"
I briefly revealed myself to humans and grabbed the arm of a boy running past.
The child, seemingly used to such experiences, wasn't startled when a man who looked like an outsider spoke to him.
It was a good sign that many people were flocking to and prospering in Thebes under my rule, but for now, understanding this abnormal situation was the priority.
"Yes, I've come to Thebes after a long time... What's this Sacred Band thing?"
"The Sacred Band? It's our elite force in Thebes! The Sacred Band wasn't formed too long ago."
"What I mean is... why was a unit of men acting like that with each other created?"
While trying not to look at the hundreds of men still showing affection towards each other,
I asked the boy looking up at me.
"Well, that's what all the wise philosophers said!"
"Philosophers?"
"Yes! Do you know what the result was after debating about love for months in the square? It was the conclusion that [love between men is pure love devoid of the purpose of procreation]. Ahem!"
No... what.
"There's no other reason, like an oracle from a god or something?"
The boy looked at me with a rather puzzled expression.
"Huh? But wouldn't the gods like it too?"
"This?!"
"Because our Thebes has realized part of the truth before other cities. The theologians and priests say that even among the gods, same-sex..."
This does seem to be Zeus's influence...
Come to think of it, these so-called theologians have been around for a long time.
People who compile stories about gods and their genealogies without being priests.
Even such humans came to this conclusion?
"Menthe... let's go somewhere quiet."
"Lord Hades..."
I held my head as I watched the back of the child running away happily after receiving a few drachmas for answering my questions well.
Is this the madness of Dionysus that humans perceive? I should have paid more attention to Thebes.
This is what happens when I don't check on Thebes for a while because I've been quite busy lately.
The power of gods exists precisely for times like this.
Once my date with Menthe is over, I should appear in the dreams of the King of Thebes or the High Priest and give an oracle.
If I say to disband the Sacred Band immediately or that I'll throw those who engage in same-sex relationships into Tartarus, it would cause great chaos...
Just hinting that Pluto doesn't like same-sex relationships should be enough for them to stop on their own.
Stopping my thoughts, I took the right hand of Menthe, who had been quietly watching me.
"Ah...!"
"I'm sorry, Menthe. I got lost in other thoughts for a moment, ignoring you."
"It's okay. As long as you weren't thinking about other goddesses!"
"It looks like there's some kind of festival going on over there, let's go that way."
***
I moved in one direction, holding Menthe's hand.
It's much better now that those strange... Sacred whatever guys aren't visible.
As I expected, people were walking around with lively smiles as if there was some festival in Thebes today.
But what's stuck in the citizens' hair is... mint leaves?
"There are certainly a lot of people, probably because it's a festival day... Give me a mint leaf too."
"Yes, here you are."
A man who bought a mint leaf from a street vendor stuck it behind his ear.
It seems that if you want to participate in the festival, you put mint in your hair,
so is the festival currently held in Thebes for Menthe?
"For three days starting today! Selling oil made from mint at a low price! Good for bathing or applying to the body!"
"Is it more effective than olive oil?"
"This is the mint perfume that makes Elysium appear before your eyes, now..."
"As expected of a city that serves Pluto, they even have a mint festival."
"It's quite strange that they serve such a fearsome lord of the underworld..."
"Shh, don't say such things here. You'll be cursed. Have you forgotten that most Thebans are followers of Pluto?"
"The mint that even the priests of Apollo's temple in far-off Lydia acknowledge as effective..."
"So it means that Phoebus, the god of medicine, also thinks well of mint leaves."
"It has functions to clear the head and reduce fever. Besides that..."
All these people are talking about and even holding a festival for the symbol I chose.
Everyone praises the grace of the god and expresses gratitude.
It's always a heartwarming and rewarding sight to see.
Menthe, who was following me holding my hand, also had a pleased smile on her lips.
"Hehe... Lord Hades. Humans really like mint!"
"It's all thanks to you for creating it. It was an achievement worthy of becoming a god."
Menthe looks at me and smiles brightly.
Is this fresh scent coming from her? Or from the nearby humans enjoying the mint festival?
"Um... I have a question."
"What is it?"
"About when we first met. You said you would make mint your symbol."
"...?"
"Can you tell me what you meant by 'lost memory'? What was it that made you choose a mere plant I created as your symbol..."
"Yes, in return for reviving my forgotten memory, I said I would grant one wish."
Menthe looks at me with sparkling eyes.
But... even if I told her that in an unimaginably distant past, there was a time when I was a mortal, she probably wouldn't believe it.
After all, the reincarnation of mortals is managed by various gods belonging to the underworld.
Menthe wouldn't know about the various foods made from mint in a world where science has advanced, or how its unique scent was smelled daily after meals to keep the mouth clean.
So my answer is...
"That mint was a plant I originally knew."
"What? But until I accidentally created it, it didn't exist in the world..."
"A very long time ago, in a period you don't know about... there was always a plant by my side called mint."
Menthe's face, which was looking at me, becomes wistful.
I don't know what she's imagining, but I continued speaking.
"When that refreshing and unique scent, which many people either love or hate, touched my nose, I realized that what you created was that plant."
"Ah..."
"That's why I made mint my symbol."
Mint leaves stuck in the hair of the noisy humans around us.
To other gods, it might just be a plant with a unique scent, but to me, it was a medium that evoked long-held memories.
A precious plant that reminds me that I was once not immortal, but mortal.
That's mint. And Menthe, who created it, is also...
I brought my hand to Menthe's cheek as she quietly looked at me.
A refreshing scent wafts from her hair as she leans into me, not shying away.
"I'm always grateful to you, Menthe."
"What are you saying... The grace I, a mere nymph, received from you, Lord Hades..."
"No, you've revived memories for me that are irreplaceable."
Power, position, honor... As a powerful divine being reborn, I lacked nothing.
Although I don't remember well because so much time has passed, I'm sure I strived to grasp such things in my previous life.
Therefore, what's not in my hands now...
No, what I clearly remember but slips away like flowing water are the memories of my previous life.
"...I sometimes have unpleasant thoughts. Occasionally... like the ruffian gods I used to despise, I look down on mortals."
"Even you, Lord Hades... who is called the god of mercy by humans?!"
Even Zeus, not just a god but one of the Big Three and King of the Gods, can't treat me carelessly.
Most gods are younger than me or in a lower position.
And the divine role I'm in charge of is the underworld, which mortals fear the most.
I am the lord of the underworld, complete with position, wealth, and power.
It would be a lie to say that not even a bit of arrogance arises.
"Because I'm not a perfect god... often when mortals praise and fear me, along with thinking it's natural, I fall into arrogance."
"Lord Hades..."
"There were times when I thought I should show my dignity and not tolerate rudeness from humans as the great lord of the underworld."
"But Lord Hades is praised as the most fair and merciful among all divine beings."
"That's the result of effort, not my innate nature."
I, who am also called the god of mercy by mortals...
Even when punishing Tantalus recently, I had to suppress the urge to inflict even more terrible punishments that crossed my mind.
The feeling of wanting to execute severe punishment without giving the chance for excuses to a serious criminal.
Most of the underlying thoughts were anger towards someone who killed and cooked his own son,
but there was also a slight anger at the fact that a mere human dared to deceive and insult the gods.
"The lord of the underworld, who should be fairer than anyone, is in fact such an imperfect god who often wavers. Has your illusion about me been shattered a bit, Menthe?"
"No, not at all... The Lord Hades I know is..."
I smiled and looked at Menthe's face.
I could see a bit of moisture gathering in her clear teal eyes.
I reached out to wipe her eyes and placed my hand on the soft nape of her neck.
Seeing the goddess's fair skin up close naturally moved my heart. Indeed, I harbor the same feelings as her.
"You are the one who sometimes holds me back."
"Me...?"
"Yes, every time I remember you and recall the scent of mint... it makes me reflect on my actions."
What holds me back as my perspective on mortals gradually changes due to the passage of time is the memory of being human.
In my previous life, it was just an ordinary scent I always smelled, nothing special...
But now, as the god of the underworld,
mint is the thing that reminds me of the fact that I too was once a mortal.
"And I'm always grateful to you for creating mint, and feel indebted to you."
"And... and...? Anything else..."
"...I think I feel the same way as you do."
Menthe's face, which had been looking at me pitifully, turns bright red.
Looking at her face that seemed like it would burst if touched, I slowly applied force to the hand holding her nape and pulled her closer.
Like iron drawn to a magnet, the goddess's face comes closer without resistance.
In the intense scent of mint that almost takes my breath away... I kissed her lips.
"Mmph..."
This sweet and refreshing feeling is...
Surely, it was peppermint candy.