King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 33

The King of the Underworld is Tired 33

The Story of Otus and Ephialtes – (1)

Not long after sending the messenger, Iris arrived.

“Hades, what brings you to me…”

“Open the passage to Olympus.”

“…Understood.”

Seven streams of light flowed from Iris’s fingertips.

Soon, a beautiful rainbow appeared, opening a passage connecting space and space.

Indeed, it’s convenient to call Iris when traveling long distances.

Shuaaa-

Passing through the passage, space twisted, and Olympus, wreathed in clouds, appeared.

Let’s see… Zeus’s location is…

“Ah, Uncle Hades?”

“Apollo.”

My nephew, Apollo, with his splendid golden hair and eyes like sparkling sunlight, was nearby.

He was heading somewhere today with his lyre [a stringed instrument similar to a harp] in hand.

“What brings you to Olympus today?”

“That’s none of your concern. Where is Zeus?”

“Ah, Father is probably in the banquet hall over there.”

Oh ho, a banquet.

I dispatched Thanatos [the personification of death] because he was supposedly a heinous criminal, but it was a false accusation.

And he’s having a banquet without even considering the situation caused by his own rape?

As soon as I entered the banquet hall, I saw all sorts of gods.

Drinking nectar and ambrosia [the food and drink of the gods] and playing around; it’s just like a typical banquet.

“Uh…? Lord Hades?”

“He doesn’t seem to be in a good mood today…”

“What’s the reason for your visit to Olympus after so long…”

And there, on the golden throne, sat the King of the Gods, comfortably.

“Thanatos was sleeping? He’s not the kind of god to do that. You must have seen wrong…”

“Really, Father! He was lying down so comfortably…!”

Zeus was making a dumbfounded expression while listening to Ares’s report, who had just come from the Underworld.

Disbelief filled his face.

Thump, thump.

As I walked straight towards Zeus, he looked surprised to see me.

“Oh? Brother Hades, what brings you to Olympus…”

“Everything Ares said is true.”

“What? Then Thanatos really disobeyed my orders…!”

A vein popped out on Zeus’s forehead, but my words were not over yet.

“But about that human you told Thanatos to take to the Underworld…”

“You mean Sisyphus?”

“What crime did he commit that the King of the Gods personally called Thanatos to send him to the Underworld?”

“Ah.. haha…”

Zeus gave an awkward smile as if he had noticed something.

Well, as you know, we have the goddess of memory, Mnemosyne, in the Underworld.

“As Hades said, what crime did that human, Sisyphus, commit to deserve that?”

Hera approached, eating ambrosia a little distance away.

The Queen of the Gods’ face was full of curiosity. She didn’t seem to know exactly what was going on.

You deserve to know, so I’ll tell you everything.

“Um. It’s because Zeus raped…”

“Ah! Ahem! Brother, wait. Just a moment!”

“Hush! You be quiet! So, what about Zeus?!”

He tried to change the subject as if he was flustered, but no way.

Hera sensed something strange and silenced Zeus.

You know why I’m bringing this up here, right?

Reap your karma, Zeus.

“Hera, you know the river god Asopus, right?”

“I’ve heard of that god.”

“Zeus raped his daughter, and Sisyphus was the one who told Asopus about the rape.”

“…?!”

Zeus glanced around, trying to get up from his seat, but Hera grabbed him.

“So… in conclusion, Zeus tried to kill the human who told about his rape after he was caught…?”

“That’s right.”

Hera glared at Zeus before turning her gaze back to me.

“You’re not lying, are you?”

“I confirmed it with the help of the goddess Mnemosyne. I swear on the River Styx [a river in the Underworld upon which gods swear unbreakable oaths] that all of this is true.”

“Ze… Zeus!!!”

Hera’s face turned into a demon in an instant.

The Queen of the Gods is the goddess of home and marriage.

Naturally, acts such as rape and adultery are absolute evil in her eyes.

“Ahem!”

“Did you think I would stand still even after you forcibly touched another goddess again!”

“Should the god of death, Thanatos, be doing things like punishing the human who told about your rape?”

He couldn’t say anything and was just sweating.

Oh ho.. look at him avoiding my eyes.

“No, brother, that.. Thanatos is protecting the dignity of the King of the Gods…”

“Dignity? Did the god of rape, who forcibly has relationships if he likes them, even have dignity?!”

Zeus’s complexion turned even paler.

That’s because Hera was also glaring at him and constantly nagging beside him.

“You’re always like that. Whether it’s Leto, Europa, or human women, if they have a pretty face, you turn around and pounce on them. I don’t know if you’re the King of the Gods or the King of Adultery. Should I tell you how many times you flirted with Iris today! And yet, this time you raped the daughter of the river god? And you send the commendable human who told about it to the Underworld? If there’s even one thing I said that’s wrong, try to refute it…”

“Ugh.. I.. I was wrong.”

You admitted your mistake with your own mouth.

“Then give me compensation.”

“Com.. compensation?”

“Because of you, the Underworld’s work has been so busy for the past few days that it’s about to explode, so I’ll have to borrow the gods of Olympus for a while.”

Zeus glanced around, rolling his eyes.

Then he opened his mouth slightly…

“Hmm. Hmm. Of course. You can take them as you wish..”

“And don’t go around using busy gods as you please again, especially not for useless things like this time…”

If he had said no, I was wondering if I should cut off his manhood with a scythe..

But still, he’s the King of the Gods, and he’s being harassed by Hera, so I’ll just let it go this time.

“Zeus! I’m not done talking yet!”

“That is.. this time..”

In the first place, another reason I came up here was to take some of the gods to the Underworld.

Rather than arguing with Zeus further, I should quickly return to the Underworld and get back to work.

Let’s see, who should I take to work?

Athena, who has experienced the work of the Underworld? Or Ares, who used to lead the souls well?

My gaze turned to the side.

Ares, who was blankly listening to the conversation, met my eyes and waved his hands.

“Heok…! Uncle Hades, it would be better to take Athena than me!”

“…Since you reported Thanatos’s atrocities to the Underworld right away, I’ll leave you out.”

Leaving Zeus, whose ears were bleeding ichor [the ethereal fluid that is the blood of the gods] from listening to Hera’s constant nagging, I looked around the banquet hall.

Where… is there a talent, no, a divine talent, perfectly suited for the Underworld?

* * *

Gods have better senses than humans.

Conversations held at a slight distance are heard very well unless blocked by divine power.

Therefore…

“Did Zeus rape someone again?”

“No.. Father..”

“Asopus’s daughter was sacrificed this time…”

It is natural that Zeus’s notoriety is further heightened.

The virgin goddesses sighed, and the already married goddesses shuddered.

“Should I also swear my virginity on the River Styx?”

“Rather like Goddess Athena…”

“Was the rumor that Zeus had the divine power of rape and adultery true?”

One goddess showed a different reaction in the meantime.

“Oh my, Zeus doesn’t come to me…”

Beauty that seems to have shaped all the beauty in the world.

The goddess of beauty and love, Aphrodite.

As she slightly raised the corners of her lips and smiled, Ares’s face relaxed and his eyes glazed over.

He’s going to get badly hurt by Hephaestus [Aphrodite’s husband] later.. tsk tsk.

Aphrodite walked lightly on the clouds and approached me, who was looking around at the gods.

No, she’s wearing that headache-inducing girdle [a belt or sash] again.

“Hades, seeing you come to Olympus today, you must have wanted to see me again?”

“Go to your husband.”

The beautiful forehead of the goddess of love furrowed slightly.

However, the goddess, who sublimated even that into beauty, smiled at me.

“Hehehe… How long are you going to keep playing hard to get…”

“Aphrodite, don’t make things too difficult for Hades.”

“Oh my? Lady Hestia?”

Hestia, who was guarding the hearth in one corner of the banquet hall, quietly approached and spoke.

“Didn’t Lady Hestia swear to protect her virginity on the River Styx?”

“…? What does that have to do with this?”

“There’s only one thing I can guess: that you’re trying to stop free love between men and women, right?”

Aphrodite went behind Hestia, who was relatively short, and whispered.

Is that lecherous gaze a characteristic of the goddess of love?

“Ha! Hades and I are not like that!”

“Hey, you can just tell me secretly. Love counseling to this goddess of love~”

Wait, could Aphrodite’s charm be useful in managing the souls of the Underworld?

* * *

“Aphrodite.”

“Yes~ Tell me, Hades.”

“Do you have any thoughts of coming to the Underworld for a while?”

Aphrodite smiled brightly and said to me.

“Ah~ So you had that kind of taste. You should have told me sooner. Spending time in a quiet and secret place isn’t bad either.”

“So, are you coming?”

“Of course I am!”

That smile had a seductive divine power that made my head hurt,

But I smiled too. If I’m like this, the souls coming to the Underworld will be completely out of their minds.

“Anyway, if you’re the goddess of beauty and love, you probably don’t have anything else to do in Olympus, right?”

“Of course! I can spend a hot night… no, a hot few days and nights with you.”

Hestia, who was watching us, shuddered and made a determined expression.

It’s not what you think…

“Ha.. Hades! You can’t do that! You have Lethe and Styx…”

“Aren’t they goddesses who haven’t even married Hades yet? I can have a good time first..”

“Um. Good time, very good words.”

If you come to the Underworld, everyone will be able to work a little more enjoyably.

Especially the boatman Charon and the lower gods will like it very much.

As Aphrodite and I looked at each other and sent expectant smiles,

A loud noise was heard from the outskirts of Olympus.

Thump! Kuwoong!