King of Underworld

Chapter 74 A Slightly Different Story of the Underworld – (2)

Step, step.

As I carried Persephone back to the fortress, I felt her stir in my arms.

Has she regained enough strength to regain consciousness?

“Ugh… Where am I…? Oh!”

“You’re awake. I’ll take you to your room shortly, so just wait.”

Covering another god’s domain with your own power is not an easy task.

It’s the same reason Gaia has trouble messing with my overflowing followers in Thebes.

Even for a supreme god like me, it’s no simple feat to cover places like Athens or Delphi with my power.

It’s not impossible, but it does drain quite a bit of energy.

And here, a goddess who doesn’t even match the Twelve Olympians touched my domain?

Even if it’s just a small part of the Underworld, it’s no easy task.

The only reason this was possible is because Persephone is Zeus and Demeter’s daughter.

If she hadn’t been here, one of the Twelve Olympians would’ve had to personally come to neutralize the Underworld’s aura.

“Hades, Uncle… You’re holding me so gently… Does this mean you’ve finally decided to marry me?”

“Be quiet and focus on regaining your strength before I set you down.”

The goddess in my arms gave a weak smile and tried to joke, but her face was pale.

She’s probably too exhausted to even lift a finger right now.

When I checked the balance of her power and the neutralized aura of the Underworld…

“This isn’t something that will last permanently. You’ll need to reinforce it with your power every six months to maintain it.”

“Then I’ll get to be held by you once every six months, right?”

“…You’ve done something valuable, so as much as you like.”

The spring energy Persephone infused won’t last forever.

After some time, the Underworld’s aura will encroach again, and it will eventually revert to its original state.

“Heh… Hehe…”

“What are you smiling about? You won’t be able to use your divine power for a while.”

“I just like this moment…”

“Haa…”

As Persephone looked up at me with a bright smile, I felt the corners of my lips curl upwards without realizing it.

My niece, still nestled in my arms, looked up at me with a startled expression.

“Huh?! You just smiled, didn’t you?”

“…You’re imagining things.”

* * *

After setting Persephone down in a suitable room, I returned to my throne and closed my eyes.

I needed to start preparing for the oracles that would be delivered to the living world and the training of heroes.

Morpheus had been taken by Zeus to deliver an oracle to the king of Thebes in a few days…

I should also inform the priests at my temple in advance.

I’ll need to send training equipment and other necessary supplies to the gorge…

And since the heroes will need food from the world above, not from the Underworld, I’ll need to make arrangements for that too.

The priests in the world above will have a tough time for a while.

“Are you the current high priest? I’ve called you to pass along some instructions.”

“This… This is! Lord of the Underworld..! I await your command!”

The current high priest was an old man.

Seeing mortal faces and titles change over time often makes me feel the fleeting nature of time…

“We will be connecting the Underworld to the world above, using my temple as the starting point.”

“Y-yes?!”

But now wasn’t the time for idle thoughts.

The high priest was flustered by the abrupt announcement, but I ignored him and continued my explanation.

I told him about the serpent monster, the Gigantes, the training and management of heroes, the oath by the River Styx to keep everything secret…

“…That’s all. Discuss the details with the king of Thebes after he receives Zeus’ oracle in a few days.”

“I will do as you command. O merciful Lord Pluto!”

“And one more thing… Build a statue for Persephone, goddess of spring and seeds, daughter of Demeter and Zeus.”

“Are you saying the goddess of spring… resides in the Underworld?!”

“It just happened that way. She is now a goddess of the Underworld.”

I passed on the limited information to the priest in Thebes and ended the message.

Even though he was the high priest of my temple, there was no need to divulge every detail of the gods’ affairs.

Still, this high priest seems to have a particularly strong faith.

It’s becoming easier to convey my will and establish a connection between the Underworld and the mortal world.

It feels like, as time passes, the faith of the mortals is gradually growing…

“Hades, Lord! Here’s a letter from Lady Demeter addressed to Lady Persephone!”

“…There’s no need to bring it to me. Just deliver it directly to Persephone.”

Sitting on the throne, I could feel the work piling up.

“Next, there are those who arrived in the Underworld with lingering grudges and are making disrespectful remarks about the gods…”

“Inform Lady Lethe, the goddess of forgetfulness, of the situation.”

“Lord Eros, who is responsible for punishing serious criminals, is petitioning to stop pulling his bow…”

“Is he begging for release?”

“Uh… He didn’t go that far.”

“He still hasn’t learned his lesson. Ignore any further messages from Eros for now.”

“Also, Triton, son of Lord Poseidon, has arrived and sends his regards…”

“Lead him to the audience hall and bring some nectar.”

As I dealt with each task the messenger brought, I thought to myself, Now this feels more like the usual Underworld.

* * *

Olympian oracles were delivered to the world above.

At the Temple of Apollo in Delphi, the Temple of Athena in Argos…

The message the Olympian gods delivered to the mortal world was clear and unanimous:

“Those who seek to become heroes, go to Thebes.”

Though it was just one short oracle, it stirred the hearts of all the young men dreaming of becoming heroes.

Since the death of Chiron, the famous teacher of heroes, it has become harder to achieve hero status…

But given the recent havoc caused by the giant snake-bodied monsters, the Gigantes, which had swept across all of Greece,

There was no shortage of people eager to become heroes.

“Does that mean we can go there, grow stronger, and become heroes?”

“Apollo said the name of the monsters Chiron killed was Gigantes.”

“They say that in Athens, Lady Athena descended to slay one of the Gigantes.”

“A monster only a hero can face… That’s the challenge I want!”

Since all the gods had spoken through the oracle, the conclusion was clear.

“If we go to Thebes, we might catch the gods’ attention!”

“Those chosen there will receive blessings and weapons to become heroes!”

“I want to be like King Perseus of Argos…!”

Every day, dozens of hero aspirants flocked to Thebes.

With people of all genders, ages, and skills gathering in the city, Thebes experienced an unexpected boom.

“Your Majesty, even just today, the number of people passing through the city gates…”

“The population of the city is increasing rapidly.”

“The commercial district is overcrowded, so we might need to expand it…”

Though the rapid increase in population could lead to a shortage of essential goods and facilities,

Thebes was a city blessed by Pluto, the god of wealth.

The royal treasury was always full, and no one went hungry.

The city’s specialty, mint, became renowned, spreading across the world through merchants passing through Thebes.

“So, this is the famous mint. Is it really a blessing from Pluto?”

“It’s perfect for tea leaves, and if placed at a funeral, it can prevent decay.”

“These leaves are also useful for headaches and stuffy noses… There’s no other way to explain it except that Pluto gave them to mortals out of mercy.”

Naturally, worshippers also flocked to Pluto’s temple in Thebes.

They marveled at the grandeur of the temple, were awestruck by the statues of various gods of the Underworld, and finally…

“Wait, why is there a statue of the goddess of spring in Pluto’s temple?”

“Oh, that?”

“Isn’t Lady Persephone the daughter of Demeter and Zeus?”

“Haha. Well, you see… Lord Pluto was struck by Eros’ arrow and brought her to the Underworld!”

“What?! An arrow from Eros?”

“How else could the solemn ruler of the Underworld suddenly fall for the goddess of spring?”

The rumor that Pluto had kidnapped Persephone began to spread.

As speculation about the Underworld’s new mistress grew, so did curiosity about her identity.

“Well, if the merciful god brought the goddess of spring to the Underworld, it must have been because of Eros’ arrow.”

“Pluto is the Zeus of the Underworld, so no matter how hard Demeter tried, it might have been futile…”

“Isn’t it said that Eros’ golden arrows can stir emotions, even between people of the same gender?”

A new group of worshippers began to form, venerating Persephone as a goddess who had come to the Underworld, rather than one originally belonging there.

They believed Pluto had brought her to the Underworld out of love.

“O Lady Hera of the Underworld, beloved of Pluto, may this year’s crops thrive…”

“Well, since the seasons remain normal, it seems she still ascends to the world above occasionally.”

“She must be receiving great affection from Lord Pluto.”

However, those who viewed Persephone as the true mistress of the Underworld soon faced fierce opposition.

Many questioned the presence of other goddess statues that had always existed in the temple.

“No, Lady Persephone is just a whim of Lord Pluto!”

“There are already statues here of Lady Lethe, goddess of forgetfulness, and Lady Styx, who rules the River Styx…”

“Then what will you say about Lady Mente, who created mint, became Pluto’s priestess, and eventually became a goddess of the Underworld?”

“If Lady Hera is Zeus’ rightful wife, and Lady Amphitrite is Poseidon’s queen, then the rightful mistress of the Underworld is…”

“Isn’t it possible there is no rightful wife? Perhaps that’s just our assumption…”

“Nonsense! How could the ruler of an entire realm not have someone by his side?!”

“Well, that might be true, but Lord Pluto is always so busy…”

This debate among ancient Greeks, who loved discussing trivial matters, soon found its outlet.

The large square in front of Hades’ temple…

Became a place where worshippers of the Underworld gathered daily to debate who should be Pluto’s rightful wife.