The King of the Underworld is Tired

The goddesses Styx and Lethe, who had gone to change their clothes, returned.

But their outfits...

“Lady Styx, isn't that chiton... the one blessed by Lady Hecate with the magic of tranquility?”

“That’s right. It’s the outfit I received as a gift when I visited Olympus last time.”

Lady Styx appeared in a chiton that was deeply revealing at the chest, a very exposing garment. The beautiful black fabric only enhanced her divine beauty.

“And me... How do I look?”

Lady Lethe also approached shyly, dressed in a thin outfit that highlighted her thigh line.

Wait... I’ve never seen her wear anything like that before?

“I saved this outfit for moments like this, when I’d go out with Hades. Did I do well?”

“Y-yes… You both look beautiful today.”

Unlike her usual expressionless face, her gentle smile made her appear truly stunning.

And so, as if under a spell, I stepped out of the fortress with the two goddesses.

However, linking arms and getting so close seems a bit too soon, doesn’t it?

Being squeezed from both sides is... rather overwhelming...

“Yip! Whimper!”

“Good boy.”

I gave Cerberus, who was guarding the entrance to the fortress, a quick pat, and we passed through the River of Forgetfulness, the River of Fire, and the River of Sorrow in sequence until we finally arrived at the River Acheron.

Charon, who was piloting the newly born giant ferry, froze upon seeing us.

The ferryman, after glancing between me and the goddesses Styx and Lethe, quietly muttered:

“So, which one of you is the main wife?”

“It’s me!”

“Obviously... me...”

There’s a lot of pressure in both of my arms now.

The sensation is getting softer, so we’ll stop this here...

“Charon, please refrain from making unnecessary comments...”

“O-okay…”

And so, we somehow made our way to the world above.

It had been a while since I’d felt the fresh air and warm sunlight in my true form.

'Chirp' Chirp'

The cries of living beings and the vibrant energy of nature were things that couldn’t be experienced in the underworld.

“How are we going to get to Mount Etna?”

“I usually use my chariot. I’m always indebted to my phantom horses.”

Of course, it’s not just humans who come to the underworld upon death. All sorts of animals and monsters do as well.

With a wave of my hand, I summoned a translucent chariot and phantom horses from thin air. Blue flames flickered in their eyes, and they neighed powerfully, never tiring.

'Neighhh'

The chariot itself was a masterpiece crafted by Hephaestus. Though not quite a divine artifact, it was incredibly sturdy.

I lightly mounted the chariot, and when I extended my hand, the goddesses smiled as they took turns grabbing it and climbed aboard.

But... the belt on Lady Lethe's dress looks strangely familiar...

Just as I was about to inspect it more closely, Lady Styx urged me.

“Hurry up, Hades! Let’s go!”

I nodded, grabbed the reins, and set off for Mount Etna.

The chariot of the underworld, invisible to human eyes, moved swiftly.

* * *

Near Mount Etna.

Aside from the snow-covered summit, the surrounding scenery exuded warmth.

Vast meadows stretched out near the mountain, and various animals roamed energetically.

However, since Typhon's body was buried beneath the mountain, the area was prone to frequent earthquakes.

That’s why I often come above ground for patrols and to enjoy a change of scenery.

“I’ve always wanted to visit here. I’ve heard that even the goddesses of Olympus come down here from time to time.”

“Ah, and there are some nymphs over there.”

I stopped the chariot for a moment to look around.

I could see the beautiful nymphs of the forest, wearing revealing chitons, singing songs.

“Kyahaha!”

“Lady Kore! Come with us!”

“Let’s head into the forest next time!”

Hmm... Who’s that lively blonde goddess running around? I don’t recognize her. She must be a newly born deity.

Just as I was about to continue the patrol around Mount Etna, Lady Lethe gently tugged at my clothes to get my attention.

“Hades. Hades.”

“What is it?”

“Please let Styx and me down here.”

“We just want to look around for a bit. I see a nymph I know over there...”

“In that case, I’ll circle the mountain once and come back. Take your time looking around.”

A nymph she knows? Well, that’s possible.

The goddesses seemed excited, probably because they were always confined to the underworld and now had a chance to be in the world above.

“We’ll be back soon after looking around!”

“See you in a bit...”

* * *

The goddesses who had disembarked from Hades' chariot ventured deep into the forest.

They glanced around, searching for someone.

"Wasn’t this where we were supposed to meet?"

"Oh, over there..."

Soon, they spotted who they were looking for and walked over with faint smiles.

Standing in the middle of the forest was a goddess whose beauty was undeniable.

"Wait, did you really come out here with Hades? That stone-hearted man?"

"It's all thanks to the girdle Aphrodite lent us. Hehe..."

The goddesses of the underworld had found none other than Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love.

Lethe handed the girdle to Aphrodite, which was none other than the 'Kestos Himas', the enchanted girdle of seduction made by Hephaestus.

Receiving her girdle back, Aphrodite looked puzzled.

"You're telling me that the girdle I lent you actually worked?"

"Yes! Hades, who always used to reject us whenever we asked to go somewhere, actually came with us to the surface!"

"It's all thanks to you, Aphrodite."

The goddesses smiled brightly while Aphrodite, on the other hand, wore a perplexed expression.

“Ugh… When I wore it, he barely paid me any attention at all...”

“Really? He seemed especially kind today.”

“Maybe you weren’t wearing it properly…”

Watching the two goddesses, who seemed genuinely confused, Aphrodite's face twisted in frustration.

Her pride wounded, the goddess of beauty clutched her head and cried out in exasperation.

"No! That's impossible! I'm the goddess of beauty and love, after all... Argh! This is so annoying!"

After a brief moment of venting, Aphrodite crossed her arms again with a sulky expression.

She summoned a cloud, preparing to head straight back to Olympus, but Styx stopped her.

“Um… Aphrodite.”

“What now…?”

“Didn’t you used to like Hades as well? So why did you lend us the girdle?”

Lethe also looked at Aphrodite curiously.

Everyone in the underworld knew that Aphrodite had once descended to the underworld in pursuit of Hades. 

Even those who were oblivious to most things couldn’t help but notice the goddess’s interest in him.

So why had she lent a weapon of seduction to her rivals in love?

Aphrodite chuckled softly as she answered their question.

“All I wanted was a single night. Besides, it's not strange for someone of the Three Great Gods to have numerous women, is it?"

“Then, what about Poseidon or Zeus?”

“They're not really my type. Besides, Lady Hera's gaze is… a little intimidating when it comes to Zeus."

As if it all made sense, the two goddesses nodded their heads in agreement, while Aphrodite whispered in a low voice.

Even with a mischievous expression, the goddess of beauty still looked mesmerizingly enchanting.

"And besides, once someone gets married and experiences the pleasures of it, wouldn't they be less tempted to look elsewhere?"

“Hades doesn’t seem like the type to appreciate a goddess who engages in affairs.”

“Ah! Shut up! It’s not like I wanted to marry Hephaestus either…”

However, Lethe’s words quickly broke Aphrodite’s facade, causing her expression to crumble.

The goddess of beauty then threw the question back at the goddesses of the underworld.

"But aren’t you two worried about marriage? Being married to the ruler of the underworld means not only dealing with all that work, but also carrying the weight of being the wife of one of the Three Great Gods..."

Hades, the god of the underworld, was popular among the goddesses.

His divine status as one of the Three Great Gods, his handsome but gloomy appearance, and his kind nature, which differed from that of his brothers, all made him desirable.

However, there were some goddesses who hesitated to become his official wife.

With great power came great responsibility.

Living in the dark underworld instead of the bright Olympus, managing the countless duties of the underworld, and bearing the title of the queen of the underworld—these were not things to be taken lightly.

“I don’t really mind that sort of thing.”

“I already have a lot of work as it is…”

However, the goddess of forgetfulness and the ruler of the Styx River didn’t seem to share those concerns.

Their answers came without hesitation or doubt.

Aphrodite briefly recalled Pygmalion.

A mortal who had been more sincere in his love than anyone else, a man whose dedication had moved even the heart of the goddess of love.

"...Thanks to the goddess’s blessing, I was able to live a fulfilled life with my beloved wife!"

Pygmalion had achieved the love he desired after receiving the goddess’s blessing upon his statue, but ironically, Aphrodite herself, despite being the goddess of love, had never truly attained the love she wanted.

“Oh… How could anyone be so beautiful? You belong to me, Poseidon!”

“Uncle Poseidon, please yield to me.”

“You are the most beautiful being I’ve ever seen…”

“My goddess, I have composed a poem to praise your beauty.”

“Enough, enough! If this goes on, there will be a civil war among the gods! I, Zeus, shall choose Aphrodite’s husband!”

A beauty so dazzling that all the gods coveted her.

To prevent a conflict in Olympus, the supreme god Zeus forcefully decided her husband.

“Lame Hephaestus? Why him…”

“Father, this is too much…”

“What? But…”

“Zeus, letting Aphrodite choose for herself would…”

RUMBLE! CRACK!

“There will be no further objections! From now on, Aphrodite’s husband shall be Hephaestus!”

And so, her marriage was arranged against her will.

Hephaestus, her husband, did his best to treat her well.

He created anything she desired, even gifting her the magical girdle, 'Kestos Himas'.

But no matter what, Aphrodite couldn’t bring herself to love him, and thus she began to commit adultery.

She even bore a daughter, Harmonia, with Ares, and had affairs with many other gods.

The more love was repressed and constrained, the more fiercely it burned.

A melancholy smile played on the lips of the goddess of love.

She cast her blessing toward the two goddesses who now ventured into love with a determined gaze.

“Well, that is love after all. I, Aphrodite, will be cheering for you. So go and do your best.”

Meanwhile, at that very moment, Hades…

“What’s your name again?”

“I'm Menthe.”

...was having a conversation with a nymph, stirred by the nostalgia of old memories.