The King of the Underworld is Tired

Even if Prometheus’s punishment is stopped,

he, who has accumulated deep resentment toward Zeus, would never offer his help.

He would likely just sneer and say nothing about Gaia’s intentions or his own prophecies.

Perhaps his care for humanity is greater than his anger toward Zeus, but that remains uncertain.

Upon returning to the Underworld, I moved quickly and left the fortress.

Leaving behind the pitch-black fortress and heading toward the outskirts of the Underworld, I soon found a desolate road.

If I go a little further... to the northernmost part of my fortress, where most souls do not venture…

After walking for quite a while along a narrow path, barely wide enough for one or two people, a soul emerged from a small house.

A beautiful female soul, with beauty that could rival that of many goddesses.

"Pandora. Could you spare a moment to hear me out?"

"...Why have you come all the way here?"

She was the first woman created by the gods.

A pretext Zeus used to punish humanity with a great flood.

She was the one who, out of a fleeting curiosity, released diseases, disasters, and all the evils into the world.

This was Pandora, who married Prometheus’s brother, Epimetheus.

* * *

I was guided into Pandora’s house and sat down.

"What business does the Lord of the Underworld have with a lowly human like me?"

"Don’t say such things. The first human woman, blessed by countless gods, is not lowly."

Her husband, Epimetheus, is an immortal Titan and thus remains hidden in the mortal realm...

But Pandora met her end during the great flood caused by Zeus.

Upon arriving in the Underworld, Pandora realized she had been used and despaired.

Though time has passed and her resentment may have lessened, she once retained her memories despite crossing the River of Forgetfulness.

I felt pity for her and offered to erase her memories,

but she chose to live on the outskirts of the Underworld, retaining her memories without reincarnation.

The way to persuade such a Pandora...

"I plan to end Prometheus’s long punishment."

"...Is that so."

"But there needs to be a reason that Zeus would find convincing. So, I would like your help in persuading Prometheus."

I told Pandora everything, including the threat of Gaia, the enemy of us Olympian gods,

and the fact that I intended to free Prometheus and seek his foreseer powers.

After listening to my story, Pandora sighed softly and replied calmly,

"Though you have treated me well, Lord Hades, I still do not wish to do anything that benefits Olympus."

I have shown kindness to Pandora, often delivering news of her living husband, Epimetheus, and vice versa.

Though they could not meet... I remember how happy they were to hear about each other’s well-being.

Epimetheus, who wanders the world in hiding, is not easy to locate,

but whenever he heard of Pandora, the messenger said he was pleased...

"Wasn’t I originally created by the gods to punish the humans who received fire?"

"I won’t deny it. The reason for your creation was likely due to the gods’ anger at Prometheus for giving fire to humans."

The gods bestowed all manner of blessings upon Pandora and created her ultimately as a tool to destroy humanity.

To put it simply, she was a trap.

"Why should I help Olympus, who used me and destroyed humanity once?"

Pandora spoke calmly, without any change in expression.

As the first woman, she cherished and loved her descendants, the humans.

Her daughter with Epimetheus, Pyrrha, married Deucalion and became the progenitor of a new human race, further deepening her connection.

One could say her hatred stemmed from a mix of resentment toward the gods who destroyed humanity and the guilt of being used.

"Isn’t it possible that it would be better for humanity if Lady Gaia and her Gigantes seized control of the world?"

"The Gigantes devour humans. They kidnapped people from cities where my temples were built and used them as sacrifices."

"...Is that so."

Pandora, who had received many favors from me, was listening attentively to my words, though being persuaded was another matter.

"There will never be another flood like that again. Even if Zeus tries to destroy humanity again, I will do my best to stop him."

"...Lord Hades would defy Lord Zeus?"

"Not if it’s a justified destruction, but if it’s for something as petty as humans receiving fire and upsetting Zeus."

Back then, it was necessary to establish the authority of Olympus in its early days,

and when Pandora’s box was opened, releasing malice into the human world, I discovered she had been created artificially by Olympus...

Out of respect for Zeus, I only expressed concern and did not voice any major complaints.

And Zeus, in turn, respected me enough not to prevent Pandora and Epimetheus from communicating.

He also didn’t interfere with me providing Pandora with comforts in the Underworld.

"I will show you how your daughter Pyrrha and her husband Deucalion’s descendants are living now."

* * *

The landscape of the mortal world that I often observe.

I briefly shared my view of the mortals living in Thebes with Pandora.

Despite the turmoil caused by King Oedipus in the past, Thebes has prospered.

Thanks to the blessing of wealth I granted, there aren't many who go hungry, and humans speak of the grace of the gods.

“Today, I plan to pray to the statue of Morpheus at the Temple of Pluto.”

“Did you have a good dream yesterday?”

“I hope it was a prophetic dream about a successful trade...”

“Thanks to the mint bestowed by the merciful god, Pluto, even the air around the cemetery smells sweet.”

“Oh, you're exaggerating.”

“You’d understand if you worked as a cemetery keeper. The foul stench used to be so...”

“I’m from Athens, but what in the world is it about Thebes... I mean, how do you serve the god Pluto?”

“Haven’t you heard about the mint? And not just that. If a believer is threatened by a monster, he personally descends…”

“The Lord of the Underworld... a god of mercy?”

Ahem... I sometimes wonder if humans talk too much about me...

In Thebes, my name is almost as revered as Zeus’s, so it can't be helped.

“So many people are chanting Lord Hades' name. A god of mercy…”

“…Somehow, that’s what they call me.”

Pandora, with wide eyes, gazes down at the mortals on earth.

I wonder what thoughts are running through her mind as she watches the people who can be considered her descendants?

“The reason I descended to Thebes was because of the Gigantes who follow the Earth Mother, Gaia.”

“……”

“I barely managed to save my follower, who was kidnapped and in danger of death at the hands of a Gigantes.”

“Gaia’s servant…”

“Yes, to counter Gaia’s prophetic abilities, I plan to persuade Prometheus to seek his counsel.”

Pandora closes her eyes, deep in thought.

I can only hope that her love for humanity is as great as her hatred for the gods.

The time it takes to empty a wine cup filled with Dionysus’s wine passes, and Pandora, having seemingly made up her mind, opens her eyes.

She fetches a scroll of parchment and a quill from the room and begins to write something with determination.

Then, she takes off the golden necklace she was wearing and hands it to me along with the parchment.

“If you take this to Lord Prometheus, it might help.”

“…I’m truly grateful.”

Pandora’s golden necklace is a treasure that exists nowhere else in the world.

When she was born… it was a gift given by the Three Graces, who serve Aphrodite, and the goddess of persuasion, Peitho—a symbol of Pandora herself.

It would serve as proof that the letter I deliver to Prometheus is indeed from Pandora, and a sign of her resolve.

Prometheus wouldn’t doubt it with this.

Just as she was about to hand over the letter and necklace, Pandora’s hand briefly paused, and then she quickly added,

“But don’t think for a second that my grudge against the Olympian gods has been resolved, nor that I’m siding with them.”

“Then…”

“I just believe it’s better for humans if the current gods rule rather than a monster like Gigantes dominating the world. And…”

Pandora halts her words for a moment, her lips trembling slightly.

“…The promise that if the gods ever try to destroy humanity again, you would stop them.”

It seems that my years of kindness toward her have paid off, slowly turning her heart over time.

“Your grace in all this time has earned my trust, Lord Hades.”

I had considered seeking help from her husband, Epimetheus, Prometheus’s brother, but he is always wandering and in hiding, making him hard to find quickly.

“You’re choosing to trust me personally and change your heart, not the Olympian gods. Are you sure about that?”

“I hardly think the Lord of the Underworld would deceive a humble human, would he?”

“…Thank you. If Prometheus is persuaded, it will all be thanks to you.”

The first woman smiles faintly before me... Perhaps it’s not love for humanity but guilt over having caused their destruction that led to her decision?

“Don’t expect too much. I only wrote about what I saw, heard, and felt in the city of Thebes that you showed me.”

“That’s more than enough.”

I managed to turn the heart of someone who once resented the gods, realizing the truth behind the manipulation used to destroy humanity. It should also bring a significant change in Prometheus’s perspective.

Now, all that’s left is for me to take Pandora’s letter and necklace and personally visit Prometheus.

No matter what, I will persuade him.