King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 166

The King of the Underworld is Tired 167 (166/179)

Something Strange About the Trojan War – (1)

The Greek Allied Forces set out to destroy Troy.

Most of those gathered were the next generation of heroes who had not experienced the Argonaut Expedition or the Calydonian Boar Hunt [a legendary hunt for a monstrous boar].

However, since childhood, they had heard stories from their parents about the great heroes:

Cadmus, Perseus, Bellerophon, Asclepius, Orpheus… and finally, the story of the greatest hero, Heracles.

Warriors trained with dreams of making a name for themselves and enhancing their reputation, just like the prominent heroes in mythology.

They hoped that this invasion of Troy would allow them to spread their unknown names far and wide, just like the great heroes.

“For Helen, who was kidnapped by that wicked Trojan prince!”

“No matter what cunning scheme they used to take Helen, they will certainly pay the price…”

“We must receive an oracle about this war. If the gods foretell something about the war, surely…”

From Menelaus, the man whose wife was stolen by Paris, to his brother Agamemnon, the king of Mycenae.

Ajax, the prince of Salamis, and Diomedes, who possessed outstanding martial skills despite his young age, were among the various heroes who participated.

Theseus and Jason, who had already achieved great feats, were excluded from the Allied Forces.

This was because they were not suitors of Helen, and since they had already enhanced their reputation enough, they did not feel the need to participate.

“A war? Not fighting monsters, but people? Huh. Gee. The world has gotten a lot better.”

“Tell me about it. In our time, monsters were everywhere, and we were attacked as soon as we left the city.”

“Isn’t that because you guys caught too many monsters in the name of building achievements?”

“You followed along with a spear, so what are you talking about, Idas?”

The previous generation of heroes who had also participated in the Underworld Training Camp were indifferent to the war, even though it was a war to build achievements.

The only two veterans who participated in this war were:

“I thought it was a war only for young guys. It’s good to see a familiar face.”

Nestor, the king of Pylos, and

“I’m not really interested in war; I’m just here to persuade my sister and take her away. You’re just here for fun, aren’t you?”

Polideuces (Pollux), one of Helen’s two older brothers and a master of Pankration [an ancient Olympic sport combining boxing and wrestling].

He stretched his body and wore a relaxed expression, having joined at the request of Menelaus, his sister’s husband.

Naturally, since it was a war in which numerous Greek states were involved, the gods’ oracle was also given.

The content of the oracle that everyone heard together was a bit strange.

The victory or defeat of the war had already left human hands.

“What on earth does this mean?”

“Does it mean the gods will decide? If so, surely we have a chance of winning, right?”

“Of course. The gods have no reason to let that wicked Paris guy get away with it.”

“Doesn’t Troy worship the god Apollo? The sun god…”

Because it was a really strange oracle, they decided to ask Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, who was said to be the wisest in Greece.

They thought he would naturally be here since he was the one who proposed the oath to Helen’s suitors, but…

“Where did King Odysseus go?”

“He didn’t come to this gathering in the first place?”

“…?”

King Odysseus was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

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Odysseus, the king of the small island nation of Ithaca.

He was very aware of his place. There are several examples that show Odysseus’s cunning well.

Odysseus originally headed to Sparta as a suitor of Helen, but after seeing the faces of the other suitors with formidable power,

He thought that he had no chance of winning as it was… on the condition that he would be allowed to marry Penelope, Helen’s cousin.

“You must be having a hard time because there are so many people aiming for your daughter.”

“…?”

“If you give me Penelope, I will tell you how to overcome this situation. Someone interferes with the marriage, so we fight together…”

He also gave Tyndareus, Helen’s adoptive father, the advice to demand an oath from the suitors.

And this was not the end.

Because his country was a very small nation, he had to choose a god to worship as the state religion carefully.

Just as Troy worshiped the god Apollo, Thebes worshiped the god Pluto [Roman name for Hades, god of the Underworld], and Athens worshiped the goddess Athena, the rise and fall of the country was determined by the god they worshiped.

‘We must worship a god who is moderately authoritative and benevolent. Someone who would care about such a small country and not be overshadowed by other gods…’

Odysseus pondered over and over again.

‘The princess of Arcadia and the prince of Calydon held a wedding in Thebes in the past. Their bond is the training center for heroes that used to be in Thebes. Thebes, Arcadia, and Calydon formed a three-way alliance with the sense of unity that they worshiped the god Pluto. The island of Seriphos is also like that… then, shouldn’t we worship the god Pluto too?’

The head of the greatest strategist in Greece, who was even noticed by Athena, the goddess of wisdom… spins quickly.

There was a very ominous element called the Underworld.

But Pluto, the god of wealth, benevolence, and fairness, would not punish them severely if he didn’t like it.

The people might dislike it a little, but if our Ithaca could sneak into the three-way alliance…!

“Hey, you!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“Our Ithaca worships Pluto, the god of wealth and benevolence. Build a temple and appoint a priest immediately…”

That’s how Ithaca came to worship the god of the Underworld.

Odysseus used his cunning appropriately and eventually succeeded in getting a foot in the three-way alliance.

He cultivated a friendly relationship with Thebes and was praised by the people as a wise king.

And now, when Menelaus’s letter arrived asking him to participate in the war.

Odysseus received an oracle about the war at the Temple of Hades. Naturally, the King of the Underworld was very negative about the war.

King Odysseus judged that he should not displease the main god.

“Lord Odysseus. Lord Menelaus sent me. Please help us attack Troy.”

“I’m sorry, but Pluto, the main god of Ithaca, doesn’t like me participating in the war.”

“Yes? But Lord Odysseus also proposed the oath of the suitors…”

“Anyway, I can’t go. How can I do something that the god I worship dislikes?”

He rejected the proposal of the messenger sent by Menelaus at once.

“Instead of me, why don’t you take that Achilles? That friend who is said to be the son of the hero Peleus and the goddess Thetis.”

“We have already persuaded him. Although he was hiding while disguised as a woman… when I told the story of the great hero Heracles, I found the one who showed the most interest.”

“Then you have that friend too. Do you really need me? It’s not like there’s a prophecy that we can only win the war if I’m there…”

“Hmm…”

Of course, the messenger persistently urged him, but Odysseus, who had a foot in the three-way alliance, was not so afraid of the coalition’s retaliation.

He continued to make excuses about the god Pluto until the end.

“Tch. I will report this to Lord Menelaus!”

“Well, do as you please.”

Odysseus: Absent.

Achilles: His disguise was revealed, so he participated in the war.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Troy.

King Pramadas, who heard the news that the Greek Allied Forces had been formed and were approaching Troy.

He wore an uneasy expression due to the increasing pressure day by day.

“Pluto sent the god Morpheus [god of dreams] again last night. The Underworld is where the goddess of justice belongs, but what does this mean?”

“Pluto is the god of fairness and benevolence. Perhaps he is trying to give strength to the more just side?”

“But we also built a Pluto temple, and he said he would help Troy…”

“If we want to receive help from the god of fairness and benevolence, shouldn’t we be just first?”

Once again, the vassals began to speculate about this.

Their opinions were easily gathered, and that was that Troy was definitely not just now.

“Your Majesty. We provided the cause for this war. I wonder if Pluto is pointing this out…”

“It must be because of the woman that Paris brought. So what should I do?”

“If the Greek Allied Forces set foot on Trojan soil, we must return the woman that the prince brought!”

“…But that ultimately means we are surrendering to their army.”

In fact, he thought that he could just return Helen, who was the cause of the problem, but it was not that simple.

The prince’s status. Troy’s face. A gesture of stepping back from the power struggle between countries.

Giving up the woman the prince had set his sights on because he was afraid of foreign troops?

Even if it was an unjust love, it would show Troy’s weakness.

Even according to Paris, it was like a reward given by the goddess Aphrodite…

“Your Majesty. Pluto has already given the oracle twice. The god of fairness is clearly very interested in this matter.”

“Your Majesty! If we weigh the goddess Aphrodite and the god Pluto, shouldn’t the main god take precedence!”

“A fair judgment awaits the end of mortals. Please remember this.”

The elderly king frowned and clutched his head.

Surely, if he goes to the Underworld, his son Paris will also pay the price for his sins. Then, wouldn’t returning Helen now be a way to reduce his sins?

A war in which the god Pluto is involved in this world… Apollo hasn’t said anything yet… Huh…

After a long deliberation, King Pramadas opened his mouth.

“…That woman who brought disaster to Troy. Send her out immediately.”

Yes, the prince was wrong in the first place.