King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 175

The King of the Underworld is Tired 176 (175/179)

An Odd Trojan War – (10)

The Allied Greek forces signed a peace treaty with Troy on Thanatos’ Day [Day of Death, named after the personified spirit of death] and withdrew.

However, their future was not so smooth.

Zeus, never one to be satisfied, mobilized the Olympian gods because not enough heroes had died during this war.

The Greek army, while returning to their homeland, faced sea monsters and were driven off course to various islands, enduring all sorts of hardships.

The worst off was Achilles.

Achilles and Patroclus, stranded on an island teeming with strange monsters, had to endure unimaginable trials…

Day 1

They fought off a swarm of harpies [creatures with the body of a bird and the face of a woman].

Thanks to the combined efforts of Achilles, Patroclus, and the remaining soldiers, they managed to drive them away.

“Let’s build a ship as soon as possible and get out of this damn place.”

“Th-There! A monster is flying this way!”

“Damn it. Everyone, draw your swords! Archers, prepare yourselves!”

Three days since being stranded on the island.

Suddenly, a monstrous wolf rushed in, biting and killing soldiers.

Dozens were killed or injured before Achilles struck the beast in the flank with a spear, causing it to retreat, bleeding.

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Grrrr!

“It’s a monster wolf! Arrows bounce off!”

“Achilles! Didn’t you say your weapon was a divine weapon made by the blacksmith god [Hephaestus]! Use it!”

“I know. Patroclus! Haaap!”

A week passed.

Some nymphs [minor female deities associated with nature] stopped the soldiers who were cutting down trees to repair the ship.

Achilles revealed his identity and tried to appease the nymphs, but some soldiers had already fallen victim to the nymphs’ tricks and were killed.

The morale of the soldiers was plummeting, and even the heroes were growing weary.

“Humans! Don’t touch the trees! They’re our friends!”

“That’s right! Get out of here! Do you want to face the wrath of the goddess Demeter [goddess of agriculture]?”

“Wait. My mother is the goddess Thetis [a sea nymph]. I need to return to my homeland, so please, allow us to use some trees…”

A year passed since they were marooned on the island.

Achilles, with his unparalleled talent, fought monsters and grew stronger with each battle.

The blood of the monsters stained his body, and the surviving soldiers had, to some extent, adapted to the island’s monstrous inhabitants.

Patroclus, having just fought a giant snake monster, tore off a piece of hunted animal meat and began to write.

Achilles, noticing Patroclus writing every day since their arrival, inquired, “Patroclus, what are you writing?”

“Everything we’ve been through.”

“…Okay. Write or don’t write, do as you please. I don’t even know if we’ll be able to get out of here alive, seriously,” Achilles said, shaking off the dark red liquid from his spear.

“Now I know why Nestor and Polideuces didn’t show much interest in the war.”

“Hmm?”

“They must have fought to the death against opponents dozens of times stronger than the ones we’re facing now, right?”

“That’s true. I heard they even encountered a dragon on the Argo expedition [Jason and the Argonauts’ quest for the Golden Fleece].”

“Human wars must seem trivial to them. Haaa… I was going to make a great contribution in the Trojan War and proudly tell my father, but now it’s going to be difficult.”

The spirited appearance he had when he participated in the Trojan War was nowhere to be found.

But if it hadn’t been for Achilles’ efforts, the Greek soldiers would have been annihilated in less than a week.

“Hahaha! Why? Does Peleus [Achilles’ father] seem so great?”

“Yes.”

“Hoo… Achilles, you seem to have had a lot of thoughts while fighting monsters. You’re not the same as you were a while ago, are you?”

“Don’t you think so too, Patroclus?”

The heroes were finally able to repair the ship and return to their homeland after what felt like an eternity.

Few soldiers returned alive from the terrible monster island, and the bodies of those who did were covered in injuries.

“…Father.”

“Achilles! My son…! What on earth happened in the war!”

“The war ended anticlimactically. But after that…”

“First, let’s go inside and continue talking.”

Having set foot on land, they reunited with their families and began to share their experiences.

In particular, Patroclus, Achilles’ best friend, was instrumental in recording their journey on the island.

Patroclus, who had experienced it all, gathered scholars and writers to recount their stories.

Everything from the fierce Trojan War, the tales of heroes and gods, to the monster island where he was stranded with Achilles.

“Even after barely repairing the ship and setting out to sea, we were forced back to the island dozens of times because of all kinds of sea monsters…”

“Is that really true?”

“Of course. Achilles ended up slicing them all up, though.”

Thus, a saga was born.

A heroic tale featuring Achilles as the main character, telling the story of the Trojan War, gods, and monsters.

“Apollo [god of music, arts, knowledge, healing, plague, prophecy, poetry, manly beauty, and archery], the god of art, will surely be impressed if he sees this heroic tale!”

“That’s really interesting! This is definitely something that bards or minstrels would sing about…”

“This is not the time for this. I must remember all the heroic tales I just heard…”

Stories of mythical monsters such as Typhon [a monstrous giant and one of the deadliest creatures in Greek mythology] and Hydra [a serpentine water monster in Greek and Roman mythology] were well known, but

The heroic tale told by Patroclus included a record he wrote himself. In other words, it had credibility and a sense of reality.

The story of the hero Achilles’ experiences, Axilleia, was spreading throughout Greece.

* * *

A dispute that arose according to Gaia’s [personification of the Earth and one of the Greek primordial deities] request and Zeus’ plan.

The Trojan War, in which the Olympian gods actively intervened, came to an end.

“Finally. The war is finally over. I almost lost all the feathers on my wings.”

“…Thank you for your hard work, Thanatos.”

“Can’t you just take over the position of God of Death, Hades?”

“……”

Thanatos is really the same as ever. He hasn’t changed even after all this time.

Well, the immortality of the mind is a characteristic of the gods.

Can I really rest for a while now?

Zeus’ war to reduce the number of heroes is over, and the gods have reduced their atrocities a lot because they are aware of me.

I feel rewarded for running around so busily. I don’t know how many times I’ve been to this world, which is not even under my jurisdiction…

Knock.

The door to the audience chamber, where only Thanatos and I were, opened and someone came in.

Beautiful blonde hair and this soft and refreshing divine power… My wife, Persephone [goddess of spring]?

“Lord Hades!”

“Kore [Persephone’s original name]. What is it this time…”

“I’m pregnant!”

What? What did the goddess of spring and seeds, smiling brightly in front of me, just say?

A child. Really? My child… I got up from my seat and carefully approached her, placing my hand on her stomach.

Swoosh.

A faint and small feeling of life. She was really pregnant with my child.

I, the master of the underworld, who I thought was far from life, am now going to be a parent.

I hugged her and smiled.

This is quite the unexpected gift. I’m really happy, and my heart is full.

“Hehe… My and Hades’ child is in here…”

“Kore. Thank you. From today, take a comfortable rest until you give birth.”

“Oh, right! Other goddesses besides me are also…”

Knock.

The audience chamber door opened again.

Lethe [goddess of oblivion], Styx [goddess of the River Styx], and Mente [a nymph] are coming this way?

“Hehe…”

“Lord Hades!”

They were giggling as they approached, as if something pleasant had happened, just like Persephone.

“Don’t tell me…”

“Oh my. Did Persephone tell you in advance? That’s right. Everyone is pregnant with your child.”

I couldn’t say anything, my mouth agape. Mente, who couldn’t make eye contact, and the goddess Lethe, who puffed out her chest and boasted.

Finally, the goddess Styx, who elegantly smiled while gently covering her flushed cheeks.

Everyone is pregnant with my child.

Is this the joy of the underworld, or a blessing?

But what should I name the children when they are born? What kind of divinity will the children who inherit my blood be born with?

Will it be a reliable son? Or a cute daughter? My thoughts are complicated. But it’s definitely not a bad feeling.

A child was born between me and my loved ones.

That I am going to be a father is an unspeakable emotion.

I thought my emotions had become quite dull after living as a god for so long…

“…That’s the best news I’ve heard in centuries.”

“Oh my. What did you say…?”

“Our children’s names are…”

As I started chatting with them, Thanatos discreetly slipped out to make room.

I should tell this news to the other gods as soon as possible. To Zeus in the Olympus Palace and to those I have been friends with…

“I told Persephone too, but everyone should rest and do nothing until they give birth.”

“Ah. Really?”

“Yes. Mente, no matter how much of a god you are, you have to rest when you are pregnant.”

“Oh my. Hehe.”

“…Waa… I love you…”

Oh? Wait a minute. If four goddesses are resting for a year… Do I have to do all the work in the underworld?

No. What am I thinking? I can’t entrust work to my wives when they are pregnant.

Still, the busy days are over, so I can handle it alone.

Since I’ve said that, the Olympian gods won’t cause any accidents.

Just when I thought that.

The voice of a messenger knocking on the door from outside the audience chamber was heard.

Don’t tell me, again?

“Lord Hades! It’s a disaster! Zeus said that there are too many heroes in Troy and wants to reduce them a little…”

“…Tell him not to say such nonsense!”

The King of the Underworld is tired again today.