King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 117

The King of the Underworld is Tired 117 (117/140)

The Underworld’s Holiday – (2)

After much discussion about creating a holiday that encompasses the world…

The opinions of the gods, including mine, narrowed down to the following:

1. The holiday is once a month, set on the first day of each month.

2. A divine message is sent to the humans of the Overworld, officially recognizing it as a holiday sanctioned by the gods.

3. Wars are temporarily suspended on holidays, and any mortal who initiates a war on this day will be punished.

“For now, let’s establish this as the basic framework. We should also avoid executing death row inmates during this time…”

“If we send a divine message, humans will comply. This will also reduce the burden on the Underworld.”

While the gods were conversing, Hestia suddenly spoke up, a questioning look on her face.

“Wait, isn’t the reason for establishing a holiday because the Underworld is overburdened? Wouldn’t it be simpler if Olympus offered some assistance?”

“But does Olympus have sufficient spare capacity?”

I appreciate Hestia’s sentiment, but the gods probably aren’t that free at the moment.

I recently mentioned the need to locate Uranus’ traces, so some gods aren’t even present…

“Finding Uranus is manageable with just Hermes and a few others. It’s fine to take some younger gods along.”

“…Zeus, aren’t there too few gods searching for Uranus’ traces…?”

When I turned to Zeus, he chuckled and waved his hand dismissively.

“Don’t worry. We’ll find our grandfather, Uranus, soon enough.”

“You’ve found a clue.”

“I’ve been secretly searching for him for a long time. The battle with Gaia is approaching, so we need to know the location of the Protogenoi [primordial deities] who could become wild cards.”

I looked at Zeus with a hint of surprise. Seriously, why does his competence only surface at times like this…

“Besides, it’s easy to locate a place where the divine power of the sky, that isn’t mine, lingers. Even Aphrodite, his own child, is searching…”

“Good. Inform me when you find him. I’ll go and persuade him immediately.”

“It won’t be long. The search area is narrowing, perhaps within a month or two…”

It really is imminent.

Persuading him seems easier than persuading Nyx [goddess of the night], but to persuade a Protogenos, you need to present a token from another Protogenos. What’s up with that?

Still, if I go with Nyx’s feather, wouldn’t that make the persuasion easier?

We also share animosity towards Cronus, and resentment towards Gaia, who provided a sickle to her son and instructed him to sever his father’s manhood.

“Then, could you periodically send gods to the Underworld? Everyone has been suffering since humans were born.”

“Of course. I’ll regularly dispatch gods who are available.”

With Zeus’s assurance, the Olympus meeting concluded.

I was about to return to the Underworld to judge souls,

but Mente [a nymph associated with the river Cocytus] was waiting in front of the Acheron River [river of woe]. Charon [ferryman of the Underworld], the boatman, even paused his rowing and stared at us.

The goddess with turquoise hair rushed towards me, her expression filled with anticipation.

“Lord Hades! How did things go in Olympus?”

“It has been decided that the first day of every month will be an official holiday. And Olympus will now regularly send gods.”

“Hooray! Lord Hades is the best!!!”

Pooh.

It sounded as if a squishy sound effect emanated from my body, and Mente, who had been hugging me for a moment, quickly raised her head and exclaimed.

“Oops. This isn’t the time for this, I’ll go and share this good news with the other gods!”

“…Okay.”

Behind Mente, who ran off, I saw Charon, the boatman, approaching.

Since Charon assumed the role of boatman, he has never looked this cheerful….

“Hades, so I can rest on the first day of every month? Thank you so muc…”

“Ah, but people will still die, so you’ll still have to work. There will be fewer dead than usual, though.”

“…Damn it.”

Charon’s ability to transport souls across the Acheron River is unique.

No one can replace him. Not even the gods dispatched from Olympus, or even me.

* * *

The holiday agreed upon by the gods of Olympus was announced through a divine message.

The humans of the Overworld were initially perplexed, but soon adapted after weighing the pros and cons.

“The first day of every month is a holiday… and executions are prohibited?”

“According to the divine message from the Pluto Temple, those who commit crimes on that day will face a heavier punishment.”

“All the other temples say the same thing, so are the gods also resting?”

“But what about work for livelihood if we rest on the first day of every month?”

“Apparently, it’s recommended, not mandatory.”

Unlike ordinary people who simply accepted it as a new holiday,

theologians and priests viewed it from a slightly different perspective.

“But, is there a specific reason why they would create a holiday for us humans?”

“Come to think of it, that’s right. It’s not the day any god was born, nor is it an anniversary?”

“The gods wouldn’t really create a day because they wanted to rest, would they?”

“Hush! That’s blasphemy. The omnipotent gods don’t need such a day at all, do they?”

“No… but those who look down from Olympus have personalities similar to ours…”

That’s right. Gods can casually accomplish feats that humans can’t even imagine,

but they are personality gods, close to mortals, and their behavior is also capricious.

“…Then, do they actually want to rest?”

“It seems like it has a different meaning than just a day off.”

“Wouldn’t it be that those who harmonize the world set everything aside for a day and observe the Overworld?”

“That’s a plausible explanation. A day to observe the Overworld…”

The conclusion they reached was that the holiday was based on the gods’ interests.

But they couldn’t uncover more due to a lack of information.

However, there was a brave priest…

“Athena, Goddess of Wisdom! As one who seeks knowledge, I beseech you for your wisdom! What is the meaning of the holiday on the first day of every month? Like the rumors circulating in the Overworld, do the gods truly need a rest?”

“Th-that crazy bastard!”

“Isn’t that blasphemy? I think he’ll be punished by the gods.”

“But isn’t he a priest who has served the Goddess Athena for decades? Let’s wait a little…”

The priest of the Goddess Athena, unable to suppress his curiosity, asked her for wisdom,

and the goddess’s divine message descended.

The first day of every month is a day to stay away from death. It is also a holiday for the gods belonging to the Underworld.

Those who heard the divine message of the Goddess Athena nodded in understanding.

Theologians diligently recorded the divine message, and the goddess’s priests offered sacrifices of gratitude.

“Indeed, that’s what it was. A day to stay away from death!”

“Death is an inevitable end. Is it because they are considerate of what all life avoids?”

“There may be such an interpretation, but the side that it is a holiday for the gods belonging to the Underworld as the goddess said…”

“There was the god Thanatos [god of death] in the Underworld temple in Thebes…”

“Ah! That’s right. If we say it’s a day dedicated to Thanatos, who harvests souls, it makes sense!”

“Well, he harvests souls every day…”

So the first day of every month… came to be called Thanatos’ Day by mortals.

The meaning of a day of rest given to the god who guides the dead spread widely throughout Greece,

and eventually reached the ears of the gods.

* * *

Today is the Underworld’s holiday. In name, it is a day of rest for everyone.

But there were gods who couldn’t rest even on this day, namely the chief god Hades, the boatman Charon, and…

“Kuh.. Kuh-heup! Thanatos! Isn’t today your day, but why are you still working?”

“…Shut up, Hypnos [god of sleep]. You’ll be working soon too…”

“Unlike someone, I’m only a little busy at night! I have some free time during the day.”

It was Thanatos who brought naturally deceased humans to the Underworld.

Hypnos, the god of sleep, was teasing him relentlessly. No, what if Thanatos runs away again because of that?

When I gave him a warning look while glancing at the god of sleep, he shrugged and stepped back with a laugh.

“Mortals are so admirable that they mainly sleep only at night. Ehehehe!”

“Hoo… Hades. I’m okay, but isn’t it time for the gods from Olympus to arrive?”

“Yes. Today is the turn for new gods to come to the Underworld.”

As Zeus promised last time, Olympus was periodically sending gods.

Whose turn is it today? Himeros [god of desire]? Anteros [god of requited love]? Or Semele [mother of Dionysus], the mother of Dionysus who was promoted to goddess?

But an unexpected god came to the Underworld.

“Peitho [goddess of persuasion], the goddess of persuasion? You came to the Underworld? Then…”

“Yes. Lord Zeus said he found Uranus’s traces. He also ordered me to accompany Lord Hades.”

“You’ve already found Uranus. Where is he?”

“He is hiding near the foot of the constellation Aquila [the Eagle] in the sky.”

He was hiding in the constellations in the sky, so we couldn’t find him until now.

By the way, if it’s the constellation Aquila… was it to commemorate the merits of the eagle that brought Ganymede [Zeus’ cupbearer], who Zeus favored?

Why do you make it a constellation for such a reason?

“Peitho, go back to Olympus and tell Zeus. There is a possibility that Uranus may find the power of persuasion uncomfortable or unpleasant.”

“Yes? But…”

“I’ll persuade him alone.”

It would be beneficial if I could secure Uranus’s protection this time.

Then I wouldn’t be afraid of Gaia at all.