King of Underworld

Chapter 184: Side Story – The Goddess of Beauty and Love, Aphrodite (1)

The Underworld was bustling as always, with deities immersed in their work.

Unexpectedly, a messenger from Zeus arrived—a goddess of the rainbow, Iris.

“I greet the Lord of the Underworld.”

“Did Zeus send you?”

“Yes. Lord Zeus urgently requests your presence on Olympus to discuss an important matter.”

Zeus? What could he possibly want from me?

Crossing the rainbow bridge Iris summoned, I arrived at Olympus, only to witness a chaotic scene.

“Aphrodite is mine! You insolent whelps, stay back!”

“Lord Poseidon, perhaps it would be best to let Aphrodite choose for herself. Taking her by force would be…”

“Hmm. I have yet to marry, after all…”

“How can such beauty exist? Truly befitting of the Goddess of Beauty!”

“Hades, brother! You’ve arrived!”

Standing at the center of the commotion was a goddess of unparalleled beauty.

Even Queen Hera herself would envy her looks.

The goddess, whose beauty surpassed all others, stood there calmly, brushing off the covetous gazes directed at her.

She looked around with an air of curiosity, seemingly unaffected by the multitude of desirous stares.

“What is going on here? It seems the male gods are fighting to take this goddess as their wife.”

“Hah… She’s a goddess born from the sea foam created when our grandfather Uranus’s severed manhood fell into the ocean.”

“How much time has passed since then? And now, suddenly, this uproar?”

“The reason is unclear. She introduced herself as Aphrodite.”

Aphrodite. The name instantly brought back memories.

The goddess of beauty and love, known as the most beautiful among all Olympian gods.

No wonder so many male gods were fighting over her.

But who was supposed to be her husband originally?

“I see. You called me here to mediate the male gods’ quarrel, then.”

“Exactly. Can you lend a hand? At this rate, there might be a civil war on Olympus. I even considered forcing a resolution by pairing her with a specific god, but…”

“Unless she’s matched with someone who satisfies her and earns the respect of the other gods, there will be no peace on Olympus.”

No matter who she married, a conflict would inevitably arise.

Perhaps Poseidon? But he already had Amphitrite as his lawful wife.

If Aphrodite were given to Poseidon, the unmarried gods would fiercely oppose it.

“Alright, everyone, stop fighting! Enough!”

“Exactly. You’re all gods—how can you bicker like this over a single goddess? Have any of you even asked who she wishes to marry?”

I lent my support to Zeus’s words.

Finally, the uproar began to subside. The attention of the gods, including Aphrodite, turned toward us.

“Excuse me, who is the god who just spoke beside Lord Zeus? He seems to possess an incredibly high divine rank.”

“Huh? Oh, that’s Hades, the god of the Underworld.”

Aphrodite glanced at me briefly and whispered to Hestia.

There was something odd about her gaze.

—

With Zeus and me exerting our authority, everyone fell silent.

Poseidon looked somewhat dissatisfied but appeared to grudgingly accept the situation.

“Fighting over a goddess who has just arrived on Olympus—what exemplary behavior.”

“Hmph. Don’t act high and mighty, Hades. You desire Aphrodite as well, don’t you? Don’t pretend you’re above it all.”

“Poseidon…”

I was starting to get annoyed.

No matter how beautiful or alluring Aphrodite might be, were all these gods truly so smitten they lost their senses?

She seemed like a dangerously captivating goddess. If she wielded her beauty as a weapon…

“This is intolerable! I, Zeus, as King of the Gods, will decide who shall claim Aphrodite!”

Zeus, who had been scowling, suddenly rose from his seat and glared menacingly at the male gods.

At some point, he had summoned a gleaming thunderbolt into his hand.

“First and foremost, we will leave the choice to Aphrodite herself! However, those who already have lawful wives must cease their courtship immediately!”

Zeus’s decree drew a mixed reaction.

Gods already married to other goddesses sighed in regret, while the unmarried ones smiled in satisfaction.

Still, it was a fair judgment. By removing himself from the competition, Zeus established grounds to dismiss Poseidon’s protests as well.

As Zeus concluded his speech, Poseidon stormed off angrily, and a throng of male gods swarmed around Aphrodite, vying for her favor.

“Aphrodite, if you choose me, I will devote myself to you for eternity.”

“Hmph! If you pick me, Ares, all the glory of war will be yours…”

“My beautiful lady, I am Hermes, the messenger god. Shall we embark on an endless journey together?”

“Aphrodite, even your name is exquisite. I am…”

As countless gods approached her with their proposals, I walked over to Hestia.

The goddess of the hearth stood with her arms crossed, pouting, her hands resting on her hips.

She glanced at me and raised a questioning eyebrow.

“Hmph. What do you want, Hades? Aren’t you going to join them? You haven’t married yet, have you?”

“I’m not interested in Aphrodite. Instead…”

“What? Then why are you here… W-wait, don’t tell me!”

Hestia’s face suddenly flushed red as she stammered.

What could she be thinking to react so flusteredly? Ah, so she thought the same thing I did.

“I-I’m a virgin goddess, so… I’m sorry, but I can’t accept your feelings…”

“Could that goddess have been sent by Gaia?”

It wasn’t impossible for her to be a spy sent by Gaia.

—

I remembered that Aphrodite was the Goddess of Beauty and Love, but I didn’t know how she came to join Olympus.

However, seeing her surrounded by male gods vying for her favor… Could this be Gaia’s scheme to divide Olympus?

I shared my hypothesis with Hestia.

“I don’t think she was sent by Gaia.”

“Why not?”

“I heard she’s been wandering over the sea all this time. She’s never touched the earth and came directly to Olympus.”

That made sense.

But her beauty, which bewitched all the male gods, was something to be cautious about.

“Aphrodite! If I can have you, I will offer all my treasures!”

“Surely, only I, the Sun God Apollo, can match the brilliance of the Goddess of Beauty…”

“Excuse me, gentlemen. May I pass through?”

Aphrodite, surrounded by male gods, pushed her way past them and walked toward me.

…Huh? Why was she walking straight toward me, looking directly at me?

“Pardon me, handsome one, but what’s your name?”

Aphrodite stood before me, looking up with a faint smile.

Didn’t she hear my name from Hestia earlier? And those envious and jealous stares from the male gods behind her…

The headache was already beginning, and I had so much work waiting in the Underworld.

“…I am Hades, god of the Underworld.”

“Oh my, what a splendid name. Lord Hades, have you married yet?”

“I have no intention of courting you, so you’d best consider another god.”

“Aw. Am I not to your liking?”

The goddess of beauty looked up at me with sparkling eyes.

Not to my liking? Which man could resist her beauty?

In truth, standing this close to her, even I felt my heart waver.

“It’s not about whether I like you or not. I simply have no plans to marry.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Marriage is a union of mutual love and a commitment to a lifelong partner. You should find a god who truly loves you.”

Unlike the other male gods bewitched by her charms, my lack of interest seemed to intrigue her.

Her actions and demeanor revealed her naivety, making it clear she was a newly born goddess.

“Do you live underground instead of above the clouds?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t the Underworld dark and damp? It must be so gloomy there…”

“Someone has to govern the Underworld.”

“Why haven’t you married yet?”

“Just because.”

Aphrodite bombarded me with questions, her curiosity seemingly endless.

Yet even this added to her charm, accentuating an innocent beauty that made her radiate even more.

“Please take me to the Underworld.”

“What?”

“I want to see where you live, Lord Hades.”

You want to come to the Underworld? A place all gods avoid?

I was about to refuse outright but glanced behind her.

The scene of countless male gods clamoring over her, their desires laid bare.

“W-what did you say?!”

“Aphrodite, the Underworld isn’t a place for a beautiful goddess like you to go…”

“Does this mean Aphrodite belongs to Lord Hades?!”

“Remember, if you go to the Underworld, never eat anything! Otherwise, you’ll be bound to live there forever…”

If I refused her outright, what would happen to Aphrodite? Would the male gods continue their endless quarrels over her in Olympus?

As far as I knew, there was no myth where Aphrodite was associated with the Underworld.

I glanced at Zeus, who gave a subtle nod.

Perhaps he saw this as a way to send the seed of discord thrown into Olympus to the distant and separate realm of the Underworld.

Tch. Fine. I’ll just think of it as gaining another helper for the Underworld.

“On the condition that you assist with the work of the Underworld during your stay, I will accept.”

“Fufu. Thank you.”

Thus, the Goddess of Beauty and Love, Aphrodite, accompanied me back to the Underworld.