King of Underworld

Chapter 182: Epilogue – 21st Century Olympus (Final)

The Underworld.

Not the mines and tunnels drilled into the ground by humans for oil and ore, but the Underworld in the metaphysical sense, separate from the mortal world.

Here, a goddess and a god stood with their heads bowed respectfully before someone seated on a throne.

Of course, they were Melinoe, the Goddess of Nightmares, and Morpheus, the God of Dreams.

Leaning on the throne slightly ahead of them was Hades, the God of the Underworld.

“So, the mortal I saw collapsed because they were pestering you, and you made them faint?

And you went to the mortal world because you were bored with how tedious and dull the Underworld has become?”

“Y-yes… I was only planning to take a single day off and then return!”

How could her excuse sound exactly like Thanatos’s from back in the day?

Long ago, Thanatos had used the same excuse after he was tricked by the mortal Sisyphus and took a break in the mortal world.

“With how advanced humanity is nowadays, shouldn’t it be fine? Most monsters are nearly gone, too…”

“Hm. Hm. Lord Hades, since Melinoe has said so, perhaps you could forgive her just this once…”

No. That Morpheus…!

If Melinoe is neglecting her duties, isn’t it the elder’s responsibility to guide her?

Not only did he dare to seduce my innocent daughter, but now he’s defending her negligence?

“Thanatos! Are you outside?”

*Creak.*

The door to the throne room opened, and Thanatos, with his black wings, stepped inside.

Nowadays, mortals rarely die unless from old age, accidents, or war.

But since the number of mortals has increased, his work of escorting souls to the Underworld has become busier.

“You called?”

“Yes. Take Morpheus with you. Assign him to soul-reaping duties for the next year.”

“Oh-ho! Just having your daughter help wasn’t enough, but now with him too… Haha! Maybe I can finally take a vacation to Olympus for a while!”

*Thud.*

“N-no! Lord Hades! I was wrong—”

Dragged out by Thanatos, Morpheus struggled helplessly.

Resistance was futile. Thanatos, the personification of death, had the strongest grip in the Underworld.

With Morpheus gone, I turned to the trembling Melinoe, speaking in the most gentle tone I could muster.

Hm. Hm. Did I overdo it?

“Melinoe.”

“…Y-yes, Father!”

“Even though humans have created remarkable civilizations and require little from the gods, we still maintain the balance of the world.”

“Yes…”

“Especially for those like you and me, who oversee realms beyond the comprehension of human science.”

The gods of Olympus merrily revel in their feasts.

Wine, smithing, hearths, messengers—most of these concepts are now explainable through human logic and science.

The lesser gods of mountains and rivers have largely faded for this reason.

But the Underworld is different.

No mortal dares observe the afterlife, nor can they ascertain reincarnation or judgment after death.

That’s why our work persists, even as human science progresses.

“Although we no longer receive the faith we once did from mortals, you mustn’t forget that you are a goddess.

You must carry some sense of responsibility.”

“I understand, Father…”

“Good. And there’s something I need you to do.”

That insolent mortal I encountered earlier deserved a small punishment.

I had a plan in mind.

Even if humans no longer believe in gods, I cannot stand by while they exploit our names to commit atrocities.

* * *

Thanks to advancements in civilization, Olympus had become partially mechanized.

After witnessing the situation in the mortal world, I was now discussing it with Zeus.

“So you’re saying mortals are using our names for their own gain?”

“Yes. Even though this is an age of minimal divine intervention, some indirect measures might be appropriate.”

“I’ve heard similar reports from Hermes, and I have a general idea of what’s happening in the mortal world.”

Of course, you wouldn’t be unaware.

It seems that over the years, Zeus’s temper has mellowed considerably.

Didn’t he once hurl thunderbolts in fury when King Salmoneus dared to impersonate him?

“Hm…! Back in the day, I’d have thrown thunderbolts without hesitation.

But the times have changed, so I’ve been overlooking it. Do you have any suggestions?”

“I’ve instructed Melinoe to give those mortals terrible nightmares.

And I was thinking of borrowing the power of the Goddess of Fortune.”

“You want to send Tyche to the mortal world?”

“A small dose of misfortune should serve as a warning.

Mortals don’t even fear judgment in the afterlife anymore, something that would sadden even the Goddess of Justice.”

Though I also embody the aspect of mercy, I am undeniably the god of the Underworld and fairness.

For those who exploit the names of gods, spread false faith, and act recklessly, some degree of warning is necessary.

“Hm. Alright. But avoid curses or misfortunes that cause too much harm.”

“That will suffice.”

If even this doesn’t make them come to their senses, there’s no saving them.

I’ll simply have to judge them all in the afterlife.

* * *

The next day, in the mortal world.

In South Korea, members of the infamous cult *Elysium Church* were struck by bird droppings during their street proselytizing efforts.

But their streak of misfortune didn’t end there.

Their leader tripped over a rock, resulting in a hospital stay, and a series of misfortunes began to befall them.

– “In Seoul, thirty members of Elysium Church were hospitalized due to an unexplained outbreak of food poisoning during a prayer meeting…”

– “Interviews with cult members seeking psychiatric help after experiencing recurring nightmares…”

– “Police have begun investigations into a series of mishaps at a large religious group but have found no evidence of foul play…”

– “Persistent misfortunes plague a cult—divine retribution from Hades?”

– “Judgment falls on *Elysium Church*, which exploited Hades’ name to deceive people.”

With their leader incapacitated, and members suffering nightmares and streaks of bad luck, the cult saw a mass exodus of followers.

The media sensationalized their misfortunes, and the cult, which had gained influence by exploiting fear of the afterlife, suffered a crippling blow and vanished entirely.

Of course, the involvement of Tyche, the Goddess of Fortune, and other deities was no secret to me.

“Oh, exalted Lord Hades! Please grant some blessings to my ungrateful son who has done nothing but leech off his mother his whole life!”

“If I live virtuously from now on, will I go to Elysium after death…?”

“Should I start visiting temples now? Maybe I should at least buy some mint, just in case.”

There was, admittedly, a brief spike in my worshippers.

But mortal lives are short, and over time, they’ll forget again.

Since I’ve meddled in the mortal world for the first time in a while, perhaps I’ll refrain from intervening until things calm down.

As long as another sudden world war doesn’t break out, the Underworld won’t be too busy.

I’m not as detached from the mortal world as the other Olympian gods, but still…

Not entirely uninvolved, either.

For example, Heracles occasionally bestows blessings upon athletes, and Orpheus, now a god, grants musical genius to mortal musicians.

Goddess Dike has seemed somber for some time now.

She claimed humanity grew wicked when they stopped truly believing in the gods.

Still, I think this balance is just right.

Too much interference in the mortal world would stifle humanity’s independence.

*Creak.*

The doors to the throne room opened, and Lethe, the Goddess of Forgetfulness and one of my wives, entered.

Seeing her always brings a smile to my face, but why does she look so glum today?

“Hades…”

“Lethe?”

She hurried toward me, plopped down on my lap, and leaned against me.

I gently held her and stroked her silver hair, which was as beautiful as ever.

“Humans keep praying to my statue. They’re begging me to cure Alzheimer’s… It’s so pitiful… Should I help them a little?”

“Ah.”

Temples built for praying to the gods and offering sacrifices still exist in this era.

Although they now feature grand architecture and modern facilities, and some offer currency as a sacrifice instead of burning incense.

Naturally, my temples house statues of my wives and other Underworld deities, including Lethe, whose blessings mortals seek through prayers.

This isn’t unique to Lethe. Many humans swear oaths before the statue of Styx.

Of course, those who swear by the River Styx and break their oaths…

Considering the era’s diminished faith, they are only sentenced to minor labor in the Underworld instead of being sent to Tartarus.

“Hm. Apollo and Asclepius sometimes inspire human researchers studying diseases.

Perhaps it’s best to wait until they invent treatments themselves?”

“That’s true… Hephaestus often complains that humans still don’t fully understand how to work with metals.”

“More importantly, you’re especially stunning today. Since I have no tasks today…”

Lethe turned to face me while leaning against me, and I kissed her softly.

As long as my beloved wives and children exist, this happiness I enjoy will last forever.