King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 13

The King of the Underworld is Tired – Episode 13 (13/82)

The Story of Typhon – (2)

The traces of Typhon, a giant large enough to cover a mountain, subduing and dragging Zeus away were clear.

Land so completely overturned that Demeter [goddess of agriculture] would be beside herself.

A disastrous scene where surrounding plants, animals, and humans all died because of the gales naturally emanating from Typhon’s body.

And the remnants of divine power left behind by Zeus as he resisted being dragged away.

After traveling for some time, I confirmed that the traces stopped at a certain mountain.

Thinking that there must be a cave where Zeus is imprisoned on this mountain, I looked around…

“Thus, my sinews are now in Typhon’s grasp. If you can help me, in the name of Zeus, King of the Gods…”

A voice flowed from the translucent form of a bull, speaking to a prostrate human.

I noticed that the bull was made of Zeus’s divine power and approached, taking off Kynee [Hades’ helmet of invisibility].

“Zeus.”

“Hmm? Hades, is that you, brother? I’m glad Hermes [messenger god] succeeded. But now, I don’t have enough power to maintain this any longer…”

Zeus’s condition didn’t seem good; as his divine power scattered, the bull also disappeared.

I looked down at the human kneeling beside me.

“I… I, the humble human Cadmus, greet the Lord of the Underworld, Hades!”

Oh… Ordinary humans fear and avoid my name, but this man was different.

Most people call me Hades when a loved one has died or when their life is in danger; otherwise, they call me Pluto…

Looking at Cadmus, who kept his head bowed and avoided eye contact, he began to explain.

He said he was Cadmus, a prince of Phoenicia, and that Zeus was imprisoned in a cave on this mountain after losing the fight against Typhon…

Zeus had his sinews stolen and sent a bull to him, asking for help, or something like that…

Roughly, he meant that he was trying to retrieve the sinews from Typhon under Zeus’s command.

It was hard to understand his rambling, but it was clear that Zeus had gone mad.

To ask a human who could die from Typhon’s breath to retrieve his sinews.

Was the situation that urgent, or did he see something in this human?

“Are you really going to follow Zeus’s command? Your short life may be further shortened.”

If he said he couldn’t do it, that he was too scared, that he was actually afraid.

If he begged me… I was willing to prevent Zeus’s wrath.

However, the blond man, Cadmus… did not do so.

* * *

Cadmus, the prince of Phoenicia, is an ordinary human.

A normal human who fears monsters and mysteries and reveres the Olympian gods.

To such an ordinary human…

One day, his father, King Agenor, ordered Cadmus to find his sister, Europa.

He sent all his princes out with the order not to return to the country if they could not find Princess Europa.

Of course, Cadmus did not find any trace of Europa and reached near Mount Cilicia with vague feelings.

As he was about to search the mountain to find his sister, something suddenly appeared before him.

“Human, I am Zeus, King of the Gods.”

He quickly bowed his head to something in the form of a translucent bull.

With a dignified tone and mysterious aura, he wasn’t sure if it was really Lord Zeus, but it was definitely a god.

The god commanded Cadmus to help him.

He asked him to retrieve his sinews from a powerful monster that even the god had been defeated by.

A god’s command is absolute; he must follow it.

Cold sweat ran down his neck.

Can I do it?

The rewards spoken by the bull, presumably sent by Zeus, King of the Gods, did not register in his ears.

Cadmus’s mind was filled with fear and dread of having to face a monster.

That was until a man with a gloomy impression suddenly appeared.

“Zeus.”

“Hmm? Hades, is that you, brother?”

At that moment, his mind was washed away with a fear greater than that of the monster.

Although the sun was shining in the sky, the surroundings darkened, and the air became heavy.

Cadmus, who was finding it difficult to breathe, saw the grass around the man withering.

A cold aura emanating from the man dominated the surroundings, and an immense presence and weight were felt.

If this isn’t a god, then what is?

‘Surely… those two said Hades and Zeus… Then…!’

Is that person, no, is that being the Lord of the Underworld, Pluto?

Was that bull really sent by the god Zeus?!

He slightly raised his head to examine Hades, who was looking at the bull of Zeus, but…

Looking into the eyes of the gloomy god, he was horrified and had no choice but to bury his head back into the ground.

Because there was a black abyss in both eyes that could not be thought of as human eyes.

A high divinity of Olympus, not just a common river god.

‘…It’s definitely the god Hades!’

Cadmus, who was bowing his head, felt the Lord of the Underworld looking at him after the bull of Zeus disappeared.

His mouth moved on its own at the gaze that seemed to be asking him to explain the situation.

“I… I, the humble human Cadmus, greet the Lord of the Underworld, Hades!”

‘Should I have called him Pluto…?!’

Cadmus swallowed hard once and explained to the Lord of the Underworld, who continued to look down at him.

Everything about himself and everything the bull sent by the god Zeus had just said.

‘Damn it, I stuttered too much, what if he takes me to the Underworld for being rude…?’

A brief moment of silence as Hades pondered.

Cadmus felt a tension that seemed to drain his blood as the silence continued.

Finally, the mouth of the god of the Underworld moved.

“Are you really going to follow Zeus’s command? Your short life may be further shortened.”

Cadmus, who had bowed his head, inhaled.

This was clearly a statement made out of consideration for him.

He was worried that I, a humble human, would lose my life to a monster.

From the Underworld’s point of view, a human’s death would mean an increase in his power…

The god of the Underworld, whom everyone in his kingdom shunned and feared and did not build temples for.

Pluto, no, was Hades such a benevolent god?

Apart from such benevolent words, he racked his brain to answer his question.

How should he accept the command of the god Zeus?

As the god Hades had just said, insignificant humans easily die to monsters, so why did Lord Zeus choose me to help him?

Moreover, the monster Typhon is a terrifying being who defeated even the great King of the Gods, Zeus.

No matter how great Lord Zeus is, isn’t my life more important?

Perhaps it is a god’s prank to test this weak human.

If I die to the monster Typhon… I won’t be able to find my sister, Europa, and neither will my brothers…

Cadmus, who bowed his head, pondered and pondered until his thoughts were organized.

And finally, he answered in a clear voice.

“Yes, of course.”

* * *

The air of fear that had been present due to my presence had faded.

Is he enduring the pressure by using a firm belief as a pillar to support himself?

Although I have been suppressing my presence since the moment I appeared out of consideration for him, even that would be difficult for an ordinary human to handle.

A figure where fear, self-assurance, and confidence coexist.

Why does he volunteer to die by following Zeus’s command?

“…Why?”

I asked him, harboring many questions.

Humans are not slaves or servants of the gods. If it was a choice made because he felt Zeus’s command was coercive, I would protect him.

Cadmus cleared his throat once and stated the reason.

“Well… I have learned about the grace of the gods since I was young. That the gods created living things, including humans.”

It is true that the gods created humans, but that was only a birth out of necessity. Is the action he is showing now really just a repayment to his creator?

“The rising sun this morning was the mercy of the god Helios [god of the sun], and the moonlight that comforted me every night was the grace of the goddess Selene [goddess of the moon].”

Cadmus’s eyes held a firm belief.

His voice no longer trembled.

“The food I eat every day is grain full of the blessings of Lady Demeter [goddess of agriculture], and the water I drink is blessed by Lord Poseidon [god of the sea]. Besides this…”

He constantly spoke of the grace of the gods.

Not something hastily made up or a lie, but a thought that truly came from the heart.

“…Lastly, even if I die to Typhon, I will be cared for by the god Hades who is before my eyes, so how can I be afraid of a monster and avoid it.”

Amazing.

Has there ever been such a person in this world?

Cadmus slightly raised his head and looked at me.

Blood flowed from his bitten lips as if it was difficult to make eye contact with me, but he did not avoid my eyes.

The eyes of a human filled with will, overcoming the fear of monsters.

Courage surpassing Ares [god of war] was burning there.

“Surely, I am an insignificant human compared to the great gods, but,”

He bowed his head to me again.

Not pressed by the presence of divinity, but with gratitude and reverence.