King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 139

The King of the Underworld is Tired 139

The Argonauts – Afterword

The Argonauts were greeted with great fanfare upon their return to Iolcos.

It was all thanks to the golden fleece shining on Jason’s shoulder as he disembarked.

“That’s the Golden Fleece… the fleece is golden as rumored!”

“To actually bring back the treasure that’s said to bring prosperity to the nation…”

“Who is that beautiful woman following behind him?”

“Does that mean Jason will become king now?”

People, captivated by the beautiful golden fleece and the dignified heroes, continuously cheered for Jason.

Behind Jason, who shrugged his shoulders and walked down the avenue, followed other heroes such as Hercules, Medea, Meleager, and Atalanta.

The heroes’ story had already concluded on the Argo.

They decided to help their friend, Jason, become king.

If Pelias refused to hand over the throne despite Jason bringing back the Golden Fleece, the achievements of the other heroes could also be diminished or downplayed.

However, that did not happen.

“…Fine. Tch. I’ll step down.”

“…?”

“What are you looking at? I said I’ll step down on my own accord, didn’t I?”

Pelias, with a face twisted as if he had chewed something bitter, readily handed over the throne to Jason.

Naturally, Jason was suspicious of the anticlimactic end. If this was going to happen anyway, shouldn’t he have handed over the throne before Jason even retrieved the Golden Fleece?

“Considering Pelias’s lust for power, I thought it wouldn’t be easy to get the throne back.”

“Well, isn’t it because of Hercules standing behind you, Jason?”

“And the story that the princess of Colchis followed you has also spread.”

“No, isn’t Pelias a son of Poseidon? Could it be like when the goddess Rhode, whom we met during the expedition, rebuked King Amycus…”

“The difference in power between heroes and human soldiers is immense, so did he just step down because he was afraid you might start a rebellion?”

Various speculations abounded, and in the end, the most convincing theory was that he couldn’t resist the heroes’ power, Poseidon’s potential punishment, and the justification of bringing back the Golden Fleece, so he reluctantly handed it over.

Having regained the throne, Jason sought out his father, Aeson.

Aeson had been exiled to a cave after Pelias seized the throne…

“Father? I thought you were in a cave.”

“Pelias, that rascal, released me. Suddenly, he was trembling and said he needed to receive my forgiveness to survive…”

“…?”

“Judging by the dark circles under his eyes… it seems he met a god in his dreams.”

He had been comfortably enjoying himself, freed by Pelias, who was terrified of something.

Jason was dumbfounded, but anyway, he thought it was good that his father was doing well, so he brought him back to the palace.

On the day of the coronation, when he formally ascended to the throne of Iolcos,

by his side was the beautiful princess of Colchis, Medea.

***

High Olympus.

In the palace of the gods above the clouds, Zeus was speaking to Hera.

“Dear.”

“…I know.”

“Please stop your resentment towards Hercules at this point. I have genuine feelings of regret towards you, but it was unavoidable.”

The achievement that the hero Hercules accomplished in Colchis was known to all the gods.

Who would have thought he would defeat the dragon that received divinity from Gaia [the primordial goddess of the Earth] and ascend to godhood himself.

The sleepless dragon of Colchis was originally a divine beast bestowed by Ares [the god of war].

However, that powerful divine beast was corrupted by Gaia and even gained divinity.

Although it did not gain immortality… it received plenty of the earth’s power and was comparable to a god.

Many were shocked and urged Zeus to make a decision, even Hera, who hated Hercules.

Nevertheless, the King of the Gods maintained his position with a heavy face.

“Father, if the hero of prophecy dies like this…”

“Be quiet, Ares.”

“Ugh! Aren’t you worried since he’s your son?”

“It’s not that I’m not worried. But if he can’t overcome this much…”

And when the corrupted dragon fell and a new god was born,

stories that the goddess Hera’s task was too much and pleas to calm her anger continued to rise.

“Queen of the Gods, Goddess Hera. Please calm your anger. The human hero who will save Olympus is that Hercules…”

“We know you are angry as the goddess of the household. But…”

“Hasn’t he already accomplished nine tasks? The last task could be replaced by killing that dragon…”

Especially Hebe, the goddess of youth, her daughter who had tested his patience before, was the most active.

It seemed she had even been captivated by Hercules.

“I swear on the River Styx [a river in the Underworld by which the gods swear unbreakable oaths]. I will never commit adultery again without your permission.”

“What. What did you say?!”

“Ahem… Haven’t I always told you? My actions to create a hero may be inappropriate, but you are always my top priority.”

The Queen of the Gods’ eyes trembled at the sudden oath of the Supreme God.

Ha. How much she had wanted to receive this oath!

“…I was going to acknowledge Hercules anyway, even if you didn’t do this.”

“But there would still be lingering resentment. I want you to get along with my flawed son. Remember Hercules kneeling before your temple… Instead, rebuke me.”

“Hmm.”

…Okay. This is enough.

***

Meanwhile, Hercules, who had left Iolcos, was heading to the temple of Hera to receive his final task.

He had accomplished nine tasks. If he completed the last task, Hera would acknowledge him.

As Hercules arrived at the goddess’s temple…

“Welcome, Hercules!”

“Priest?”

“Please lower your voice. I received a divine message from Hera. This way…”

The welcoming of the priests who came out to greet him in front of the temple.

A completely changed attitude from before he participated in the Argonaut expedition…

Guided by the priests, Hercules entered the deepest part of the temple.

As if they had received some instruction, all the priests hurriedly left him and went outside.

And…

Whoosh-

The Queen of the Gods.

The goddess of marriage and family.

The pinnacle of goddesses.

A divine presence filling the vast temple. Seemingly cold but elegant beauty. Dignified attire.

Hera, the wife of Zeus, had descended in person.

Herkules knew who she was at a glance and bowed deeply.

Unlike the first time, he did not kneel… because for some reason, it felt like he didn’t have to.

However, Hera did not scold him for not properly paying his respects in front of her.

She simply looked at him with complicated eyes for a moment, then spoke in a calm tone.

“Hercules. You have excellently completed my nine tasks.”

“Thank you, Goddess Hera.”

“Killing the dragon empowered by Gaia in the expedition to retrieve the Golden Fleece was also a great achievement.”

The Queen of the Gods continued to explain to Hercules, who briefly lowered his head.

“The sleepless dragon you killed was originally Ares’s divine beast… but our grandmother, the goddess Gaia, sent it to kill you.”

“…”

“Chrysao and Lamia, who approached you last time, were the same. The reason is that you are the hero of prophecy who will help us.”

“…”

“The Gigantes [giants] who rampaged throughout Greece. They were created by Protogenoi, the Mother Earth Gaia. And the prophecy said that our gods must receive the help of a human hero to defeat the Gigantes. That is why Zeus brought you as a baby and fed you my milk.”

A calm tone coming from Hera’s mouth.

But the content she was speaking was clearly the secret of the gods.

“…At first, I couldn’t believe Zeus’s words that you were the protagonist of the prophecy. But now I have no choice but to admit it.”

“Thank you. All of this is thanks to the tasks given by the goddess.”

“To ascend to godhood with your own power… so far, only Dionysus has been like you.”

So far, only Dionysus, one of the 12 Olympians, had risen to the position of a god by gathering faith and building achievements on his own.

He traveled all over the world, spreading the method of making wine, and gained immense faith.

Even excluding the fact that he was the son of Zeus, he was able to ascend to the position of one of the 12 main gods because of such achievements.

“God of Strength and Struggle, Hercules.”

“Yes, Goddess Hera.”

“I will give you my daughter, the goddess of youth, Hebe. Come up to Olympus.”

It was a shocking proposal, but Hercules showed no surprise.