King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 182

Afterword – Olympus in the 21st Century (End)

The Underworld.

Of course, not the places where humans drill into the earth to mine oil and minerals, but the Underworld in a sense detached from the world above.

Here, a goddess and a god stood bowing their heads respectfully to someone.

Naturally, their identities were Melinoe, the goddess of nightmares, and Morpheus, the god of dreams.

A little ahead, Hades, the god of the Underworld, was leaning his chin on his throne.

“So, the fallen human I saw was someone you kept hitting on until they fainted… and you went to the world above because the work in the Underworld was too boring and tedious?”

“Yes… I was only going to rest for one day and then come back!”

How can her excuse be exactly the same as what Thanatos said?

It’s exactly what he said a long time ago when Thanatos rested in the world above under the pretext of being defeated by the human Sisyphus.

“Anyway, unlike before, humans have developed a lot, so wouldn’t it be okay… and there are hardly any monsters…”

“Hmm. Hmm. Lord Hades. Melinoe is saying this too, so maybe you could forgive her just this once…”

No. That Morpheus…!

If Melinoe isn’t performing her duties and is being negligent… shouldn’t he, as a senior god, be there to guide her?

Not only did he dare to seduce my innocent daughter, but now he’s defending her dereliction of duty?

“Thanatos! Are you outside!”

Click.

Thanatos, with black wings, opened the door to the audience chamber and entered.

These days, humans don’t die easily except from old age. At best, it’s due to accidents or wars.

But the number of mortals has also increased, so the work of bringing the dead to the Underworld is quite busy.

“Did you call?”

“Yes. Take Morpheus here. For the next year, you can have him assist in the work of reaping deaths!”

“Oho! It was a little lacking with just your daughter helping… Keuh heh. I can go on vacation to Olympus for a while!”

Thud.

“Ah. No. Lord Hades! I was wrong…”

Morpheus is grabbed by Thanatos and dragged away.

No matter how much he resists, it’s useless. The strength of the personified death, Thanatos, is the greatest in the Underworld.

As Morpheus was dragged away, I opened my mouth to Melinoe, who was trembling, in the kindest tone possible.

Hmm. Hmm. Was I too angry?

“Melinoe.”

“…Yes. Y-Yes!”

“Even though humans have created such advanced civilizations that they hardly need the help of the gods, we gods are the ones who maintain the balance of the world.”

“Yes…”

“Especially if you or I are in charge of areas that are not perfectly explained by human science.”

The gods of Olympus are busy enjoying feasts.

Wine, blacksmithing, fire, or messengers… many other concepts can be interpreted by human logic and science.

The reason why the lower gods who existed in mountains or rivers are rarely seen is also because of that.

But the Underworld is different.

No human dares to observe the afterlife, and no one is certain about reincarnation and judgment after death.

That’s why things still happen even as human science develops.

“Unlike in the past, we don’t receive faith from mortals… You may lack awareness that you are a goddess, but try to have a little responsibility.”

“Okay, Father…”

“Good. And there’s something I need you to do.”

I need to punish that impudent human I met earlier.

Of course, I’ve also thought a little about countermeasures for that. Even if humans don’t believe in gods, it’s hard to watch them wreaking havoc in the world above using the names of gods.

* * *

Olympus, which has been half-mechanized due to the development of civilization.

I was talking to Zeus about the scene I saw in the world above earlier.

“So, you’re saying humans are selling our names?”

“Yes. Even though this is an era with little intervention from the gods, shouldn’t we indirectly sanction them to some extent?”

“Hermes also brings news, and I roughly know what’s happening in the world above.”

Yes. There’s no way you wouldn’t know.

Maybe it’s because so much time has passed, but Zeus’s temper seems to have mellowed out a lot.

I remember when that King Salmoneus or whatever imitated you, you were furious and threw lightning bolts.

“Umm…! If it were the old days, I would have thrown lightning right away. But now that times have changed, I’ve been letting it go… Do you have any good ideas?”

“I told Melinoe to give those humans terrible nightmares. I’d like to borrow some of the goddess of fortune’s power for that.”

“Send Tyche [goddess of fortune] to the world above?”

“Wouldn’t a little misfortune be a warning? It’s a pity that the goddess of justice is lamenting because humans don’t even fear the judgment after death.”

Even though I also have the divine power of mercy, I certainly have the divine power of the Underworld and fairness.

Those who sell the names of gods as they please, force false faith, and act licentiously need some warning.

“Um. Okay. But there’s no need to inflict curses or misfortunes that have too much of an impact.”

“That’s enough.”

If there are those who don’t come to their senses even after this, there’s no way to save them.

The only option is to judge them all after death.

* * *

The next day, in the world above.

In South Korea, members of the infamous pseudo-religious group [Elysion Church] were preaching on the streets when they were all hit with bird droppings on their heads.

But their misfortune didn’t end there. The leader tripped over a stone and was hospitalized, and all sorts of hardships began.

– Elysion Church members in Seoul were taken to the hospital due to an unexplained mass stomachache during a prayer meeting…

– Interviews with pseudo-religious people who recently visited psychiatrists complaining of nightmares…

– The police launched an investigation into a series of accidents in a large religious group, but found no traces of terrorism…

– Continuing misfortune of the pseudo-religion, is it the wrath of Hades?

– Judgment handed down to the Elysion Church, which attracted people by selling the name of God.

The pseudo-religion, which had grown in power by using the leader’s skills and fear of the afterlife as bait, took a big hit and disappeared.

Of course, it was obvious that the intervention of the gods, including the goddess of fortune, was behind it.

“Oh my! Merciful Lord Hades! Please let my useless son, who has only taken care of his mother all his life, receive some blessings in that world!”

“If you live kindly from now on, you can go to Elysion [the paradise in the Underworld] after death…”

“Should I go to the temple from now on? I should buy some mint just in case.”

However, there was a minor incident where my believers briefly surged…

Anyway, the time of mortals is short. They’ll forget as time passes.

I’ve intervened in the world above for the first time in a while, so should I not pay attention until it calms down again?

The Underworld isn’t that busy unless a sudden world war breaks out like last time. It’s not to the point where we can take our hands off the world above like the Olympian gods, but…

Ah. But it seems like we’re not completely uninvolved either.

It seems that Hercules gives some blessings to humans who exercise, and Orpheus, who ascended to the position of a god, bestows genius upon musicians in the world above.

The goddess of justice, Dike, has been looking depressed for some time. She said she clearly became evil from the time when humans didn’t truly believe in the existence of God.

But I think this is just right.

If we intervene too much in the world above, we won’t be able to foster the independence of humans.

Click.

The door to the audience chamber opened again, and Lethe, the goddess of oblivion and one of my wives, entered.

I can’t help but smile when I face her beautiful face again today, but why does she look so sullen?

“…Hades…”

The goddess, walking with quick steps, plops down on my lap, sitting on the throne.

I gently hugged Lethe, who was leaning against my back, and stroked her hair. I always love this silver hair.

“Humans keep praying to my statues. They’re asking me to cure Alzheimer’s disease… I feel sorry for them… Should I help them a little?”

“Ah.”

Temples, which have long been used as places to pray to the gods and offer sacrifices, still exist in this era.

As befits the times. They were built with magnificent buildings and state-of-the-art facilities, or they burned currency as sacrifices to the gods.

And of course, in my temple, there were also statues of my wives and gods belonging to the Underworld, so it seems that humans who want the grace of Lethe, known as the goddess of oblivion, are praying at her statue.

This is not just Lethe’s case. There were countless humans who swore in front of the statue of the goddess Styx.

Of course, humans who swear to the Styx River and break their oaths…

Considering the era of scarce faith, they were only given some labor in the Underworld, not Tartarus [the deepest, darkest part of the Underworld].

“Ahem. Apollo and Asclepius are occasionally inspiring humans who are researching diseases. Wouldn’t it be better to wait until they invent a cure themselves?”

“Is that so… Well, Hephaestus also said that humans still aren’t using metal properly. Huhu.”

“More than that, you. You look really beautiful today. I don’t have any work today either…”

The goddess Lethe turned her head while leaning against my back, and I kissed her.

As long as my beloved wives and children exist. This happiness I’m enjoying now will also be eternal.