Even today, the underworld remains dark.
I, Hades, paused from my duties, lost in thought. Recently, whenever I sit on the throne and listen to the mortal world, I sense that many things have changed.
"Oh merciful Pluto, thank you for your grace today..."
"Bestow upon me the blessing of wealth, you who are the richest of all..."
"My father, who has journeyed to the underworld..."
For some reason, the prayers directed at me have increased lately. It’s not just a small increase; it feels like the entire city of Thebes is offering prayers.
All I did was descend near Thebes to fight on the mountain not long ago...
Could it be that the fear of death has grown, causing them to pray to me as a result of that incident?
In another place, a wealthy nobleman built an altar out of wood and knelt solemnly. On the altar lay twenty dead cows, and as the noble set it ablaze with a torch, he shouted out,
"Almighty Lord Pluto! I offer you ten bulls and ten cows!"
Not even Zeus can claim omnipotence, and looking at your servants behind you, it seems you have overworked them in offering these sacrifices to me. Furthermore, the sacrificial cattle appear to be diseased or elderly.
It seems that with more people believing in me, there are more strange ones flocking in. This one won't receive a favorable judgment from the underworld judges, the three brothers of Minos.
As I was about to look elsewhere, a messenger rushed in to report to me. I’ve become quite familiar with this messenger’s face by now. He’s likely one of the guards stationed near the court where Minos resides...
"Lord Hades! Another person has appeared from the River Lethe without losing their memories!"
"Again...?"
"They’re causing a disturbance at the judges' chambers, claiming injustice..."
More and more people seem to die with a great deal of resentment. However, meeting each of these individuals is endless, so I should call for Lady Lethe...
"By the way, I believe that person is the grandson of Cadmus, the hero who founded Thebes."
"Cadmus's grandson? Let's bring him here and see."
Thebes is a place where my worship is widespread. It is also the birthplace of the great hero Cadmus, who saved the world from Typhon.
Cadmus lived such a glorious life that he earned his place in Elysium, but what could have happened to his grandson that allowed him to retain his memories?
After waiting briefly, the doors to the audience chamber opened, and a spirit of a handsome young man entered. As soon as he saw me, he prostrated himself and his words were quite surprising.
"So you claim to be Cadmus's grandson..."
"Oh merciful Pluto! I am Actaeon, a mere mortal! Please, relieve me of my unjust suffering!"
I've seen many who invoke the name of Pluto, the god of wealth, upon their arrival in the underworld, but...
Why am I being called the god of mercy?
"I am not a god of mercy. Now, what grievance do you have that brings you here?"
"I died because I saw Artemis's naked form!"
What? What is he talking about?
As I was left speechless, Actaeon cried out, sobbing.
"I approached with no impure intentions! I never dared to think of spying on the body of the beautiful goddess!"
"...Calm yourself first."
Time passed, and Actaeon regained his composure. In a somber tone, he began to slowly recount the events that had befallen him.
"From a young age, I studied under the centaur sage Cheiron..."
A centaur with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse. They are typically wild and barbaric, but Cheiron was different from the other centaurs.
Cheiron was born when Kronos, transformed into a horse, raped his niece. He was gentle, wise, and skilled in various fields, including martial arts, music, and literature.
As his fame grew, it became customary for those wishing to become heroes to study under Cheiron. Thus, he earned the title of 'teacher of heroes,' and it seems Actaeon was one of his pupils.
"Thanks to Master Cheiron's teachings, I managed to gain some renown as an adventurer."
"So, you were Cheiron's disciple."
"The day I died... I had returned from a difficult adventure and went hunting in the forest of Cithaeron. But there..."
"You encountered Artemis?"
"Yes... Lady Artemis and her nymphs were bathing..."
According to him, Artemis, upon making eye contact with him, was enraged and laid a curse upon him. Actaeon's body transformed into that of a stag, and he eventually met his end, chased down by his own hunting dogs.
"I am truly aggrieved. Though I knew Lady Artemis swore an oath of virginity, I never intended to violate it..."
The reason Artemis was so furious was the shame of having her divine body seen by a mere human, and... the potential threat to her virginity.
Artemis's virginity, sworn on the River Styx, was at risk of being compromised by Actaeon seeing her naked. She killed him to prevent any rumors from spreading about what he saw.
"I fully understand your grievance. I will tell Minos to consider your unfortunate circumstances during judgment."
"Thank you very much for listening to me. Glory to merciful Pluto..."
All I can say is that he was incredibly unlucky. Is this the effect of Ares's curse on Cadmus's descendants?
Actaeon bowed his head and sobbed, his circumstances truly pitiable. I should provide him with some conveniences in the afterlife.
"...Such was the case."
"Goddess Artemis can indeed be quite merciless."
"Truly unfortunate."
Next to me, leaning against the throne, was Goddess Styx, shaking her head. On the floor, Goddess Lethe, seated and looking up at me, lowered her gaze slightly.
"But why are the goddesses here?"
"We need some time off too. We worked so hard, you know."
"I'm not like Thanatos..."
A certain god, who seems on the verge of tears and cries somewhere, comes to mind, but let’s move on for now.
However, you're both standing a bit too close, and the soft sensations are becoming distracting...
Both of them are looking at me expectantly, so I forcibly averted my gaze and changed the subject.
"But Actaeon called me the god of mercy. Has there been some misunderstanding of my divine attributes among humans?"
"Well, there's a rumor circulating in Thebes right now."
Goddess Lethe often absently observes the humans in the mortal world. Occasionally bestowing the blessing of forgetfulness and watching their reactions, she is sensitive to the rumors from above.
"The rumor is that the merciful lord of the underworld descended to save his follower in distress."
"But don't other gods often aid their followers as well?"
Helping their followers or turning them into constellations is quite common among gods. It's also why humans call upon the names of the gods they believe in when in danger.
"Death is inherently frightening and dreadful, after all. It's also unavoidable."
"Humans rarely even mention the underworld..."
Perhaps my actions contradict the image humans have of me. Then again, there aren't many who seek me out as Hades rather than Pluto.
"I believe Prometheus or Hestia are more suited to the aspect of mercy."
Prometheus, who brought fire to unfortunate humanity. Hestia, the gentle and warm protector of the hearth and home.
To call me, instead of them, the god of mercy...
As I pondered for a moment, Goddess Styx, with a gentle smile, sidled up closer. No, and Goddess Lethe too...?
"Hehe... Hades, your arms are really strong."
"Then perhaps here too..."
If I start counting how many souls have entered the underworld today, or tallying how many goddesses Zeus and Poseidon have violated, one, two, three...
In my frozen state, unable to move an inch, I heard an enchanting whisper. The soft locks of Goddess Styx brushed against my shoulder.
"Hades, would you like to go out into the mortal world to clear your head? You've been working so hard lately."
"I agree. The Gigantes won't attack for a while, so why not take a break and venture out?"
"But I must remain in the underworld..."
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Trying to avoid the eager gazes of the two goddesses, I scrambled for an excuse. But then, I caught sight of the silver-haired goddess who quietly murmured, looking up at me.
"I've had a hard time too... Can't we? Please...?"
"Gasp...!"
Her crystal-clear blue eyes and her cheeks and ears turning red with embarrassment were enough to captivate even a god. In this moment, I was not a deity but a man.
"Yes... Alright, let's go out for a while."
...!
After all, there are things I need to do in the mortal world as well, so it wouldn't hurt to go out together.
The underworld's system is well-organized enough that the two goddesses can afford a brief break from work, and more importantly, it's essential to escape this precarious situation.
"I was planning to patrol near Mount Etna, where Typhon’s body lies, so shall we go there together?"
Hearing my words, the goddesses' faces lit up with joy.
"Really? The goddess of oaths has heard it, so you can't break your promise!"
"Hehe... We did it, Styx!"
Ah... I fell for the goddesses' scheme. The cunning gods of the underworld managed to persuade me with their words and... bodies?
Well, still...
"Hihi... I'll go change my clothes. Just wait a moment, Hades!"
"Oh, Lethe, I'm coming with you!"
This peaceful moment isn't too bad.