King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 174

The King of the Underworld is Tired 175 (174/179)

An Odd Trojan War – (9)

Poseidon’s divine beast, a giant turtle, slowly entered the audience chamber of the Underworld.

I pushed aside the documents for a moment and acknowledged the divine beast’s greeting as it approached. I felt a sharp gaze from the side.

Tingle.

The goddess Lethe subtly gathered the pile of documents that the goddess Styx had just placed down, sending a resentful look my way.

Hmm. Hmm. I apologize, but I would appreciate a bit more effort. I can’t be seen only reviewing documents when a messenger from another chief god arrives.

The turtle divine beast opened its mouth, speaking in a slow, deliberate voice.

“Greetings, Lord Hades.”

“Yes, you’re the one I saw when I met Poseidon last time.”

“It is an honor that you remember me. Poseidon wishes to convey something directly to Lord Hades through me…”

Swish!

As he finished speaking, a clear and refreshing energy, quite out of place in the Underworld, emanated from his body.

Is Poseidon attempting to possess the divine beast’s body to speak with me directly?

Soon, as the energy subsided, Poseidon, now inhabiting the turtle’s form, looked at me with blue eyes.

“Hades.”

“What brings you here this time, Poseidon?”

“It’s not a major matter. It concerns the ongoing war between the Trojan army and the Greek allied forces.”

Is he here to address my descent to the mortal realm yesterday?

But if that were the case, Zeus, the king of the gods, would have dispatched a messenger, not Poseidon.

“It reflects poorly on you, as the ruler of the Underworld, to interfere in human wars. Mortals, after all, harbor a great fear of death…”

He’s suggesting it would be better for me to stay out of human conflicts? You’re interfering as well, Poseidon, and making peculiar statements.

I’m already overwhelmed with Underworld duties to further involve myself in the war in the mortal realm, but perhaps I should test the waters slightly?

“You’re siding with the Greeks, so what are you talking about? I might listen if Zeus were saying this, but I don’t believe you’re the one to make such a pronouncement.”

“Hmm. I also received offerings from the humans. Can’t you consider my honor a little?”

“Did the humans offer sacrifices or something?”

Was that the reason?

Polideukes and Nestor were aware of my descent to the mortal realm.

They must have informed the Greek army before returning to their homeland.

This war is already too much for me to handle. If Poseidon requests it, I might be able to withdraw for the sake of his honor… Ah, this could work.

“Alright. I’ll agree to that. But there’s one condition.”

“What condition?”

“You must also withdraw from the war. Apollo and Aphrodite, who support Troy, won’t be able to defy your authority.”

“Hmm… but Troy. Those fellows dared to humiliate me…”

“But wasn’t that the previous king? The current king of Troy is not guilty.”

The blue eyes of the turtle possessed by Poseidon darted around.

After a moment, he slowly nodded.

“Okay. Then let’s do that. Let’s both cease our involvement in this war.”

“You’ve made a wise decision, Poseidon.”

Even if I withdraw, Troy should be capable of defending themselves.

* * *

The Greek allied forces, emboldened by offering sacrifices to Poseidon, once again set out to capture the Trojan castle.

Agamemnon, Achilles, Diomedes, Ajax, and other prominent generals gritted their teeth and led their soldiers.

If the god Pluto [Hades] doesn’t intervene, they can definitely capture Troy!

That’s how they set out to capture Troy this time…

“…Agamemnon. Let’s retreat.”

“The gods don’t seem to think it’s time for Troy to be destroyed yet.”

“Is there someone among us who has incurred the wrath of the gods?”

They failed again.

The commander-in-chief of Troy, Hector, firmly closed the castle gates and resisted, and the walls built by the god himself did not collapse.

The morale of the Trojan army, focused solely on defense, remained high, while the morale of the Greek army, lacking justification, was greatly diminished.

As the Trojan generals Aeneas, Pandaros, Hector, and others steadfastly defended the castle…

The Greek soldiers climbing the walls on ladders fell one after another.

It seemed like they were making some progress due to Achilles’ efforts, but that was all.

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“It’s Achilles! Achilles has climbed onto the wall!”

“Archers! Shower that place with arrows! Lord Hector! Here…”

“Achilles! Come on!”

“Ugh! You guys!”

Achilles was not Nestor or Polideukes. [Nestor and Polideukes were older, wiser, but less physically powerful heroes.]

Even among heroes who appear superhuman to mortals, there is a clear disparity.

He was struck by a rain of arrows, a shower of boiling water, and a barrage of stones, as well as a combined attack by Trojan generals, and eventually had to retreat with an arrow lodged in his shoulder.

He might have perished if his close friend Patroclus hadn’t supported him…

“Damn it! What is this? My mother clearly told me that I would achieve a reputation surpassing my father’s.”

“Are you referring to the goddess Thetis as your mother, Achilles?”

“That’s right, Patroclus. Don’t you agree? I still possess excellent martial skills…”

Regardless of their conversation, the Greek allied forces had retreated after attacking Troy for several days.

The command, including Agamemnon, was seething inside… and the gods who desired Troy’s destruction were not pleased.

‘…More heroes than I anticipated have survived. This is completely derailing my plan.’

Of course, Zeus, who was observing this, felt the same way.

Many heroes had become citizens of Hades [died and entered the Underworld], but it was far from Zeus’s objective.

Zeus, watching from the clouds, observed the Greek allied forces retreating.

The soldiers were preparing to return home after reaching an agreement with Troy… Athena and Hera looked troubled.

“Really, the gods… haa…”

“Oh dear. The Trojan expedition has failed.”

“Let’s return to our homeland and rest quickly. It was pointless to come all this way…”

Zeus, who had been watching silently, stroked his beard and called out.

“Hermes!”

“Yes, Father!”

“Summon all the gods of the wind, including Zephyrus and Notus. And relay what I’m about to say to Poseidon…”

He began to whisper something to the god of messengers.

Hermes, nodding quietly, moved swiftly.

* * *

On their way back to their homeland after reaching a suitable agreement with Troy, Achilles and his close friend Patroclus were conversing on a ship crossing the sea.

“No, I’m saying, Patroclus, I distinctly heard those words from my mother, didn’t I?”

“The goddess Thetis is certainly not one to lie, but still, the extent of the reputation you gained in this war…”

“I know. Do I know? I didn’t make a significant contribution compared to my father. Therefore, the prophecy must mean I will make a name for myself in the future…”

Achilles is currently regarded as the most talented hero in Greece.

Although he is not as accomplished as the previous generation who battled monsters, there were rumors that he would undoubtedly be comparable to them if he matured.

And the prophecy he carries is that he will surpass his father, Peleus.

The one who delivered the prophecy was none other than the goddess Thetis… and his father, Peleus, was a renowned hero who defeated various monsters and married a goddess.

But why couldn’t Achilles play a dominant role in this war?

He himself was filled with questions.

“No, if I had fully participated in the war! That’s precisely what it means to be greater than my father…”

“Haha. Calm down for a moment, Achilles. I observed your performance closely. If we return to our homeland, I will write a book about your exploits.”

“Book? Haa… What book, Patroclus? Stop talking nonsense.”

“What’s wrong with that? If we gather skilled writers and recount the Trojan War…”

A being in the clouds was watching the mortals chattering on the ship, unaware of the future that awaited them.

It was Boreas, the god of the north wind, who had received Zeus’s order.

Whooooosh-

“Uh. What! No, the wind is…”

“Even if we row, the ship is being pushed to a strange place! The current is also…”

“It seems like we’ve deviated from the intended route significantly?”

The ship carrying Achilles began to drift far from its intended destination.

The god of the north wind, Boreas, headed to the ships of other Greek heroes again…

* * *

How long had passed at sea?

After enduring a storm and the ship breaking apart, Achilles, Patroclus, and the soldiers, who barely managed to land on an island, beheld a sight they had never witnessed before.

Dense forests and cliffs. It would be fitting for an uninhabited island untouched by human hands…

Swaaaaaaak-

A giant bird flying in the distant sky.

But that bird clearly possessed the face of a human woman.

“Harpy?”

“Achilles. Were you aware of these monsters?”

“My father told me about them. He said he ventured to places untouched by human hands.”

“Where on earth has the ship drifted to?”

They looked around in a daze for a moment.

Wasn’t almost all the monsters dead? There was a wolf bigger than a person sleeping over there, and a nymph laughing and disappearing.

All sorts of inhuman beings living on an uninhabited island untouched by the hands of human heroes.

“Have we been cursed by God and drifted to an island of monsters?”