King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 38

The King of the Underworld is Tired 38

The Tumultuous Tale of the Underworld – (3)

“Grandpa Charon, you really should be rowing less these days…”

“Keuheuk. What do you know! Even before, I used to use my authority, so I didn’t have to row much. The important thing is that I have to keep ferrying mortals on this Acheron River! Why do I have to keep rowing when there’s a device that can move the boat on its own…?”

I guess carrying souls was really hard on him.

That’s just how it is deep down in the Underworld.

“Still, isn’t it better than Thanatos’s job? Cheer up.”

“That’s not comforting at all…”

Charon, the ferryman of the Acheron River—or rather, the captain—ended up rowing his newly acquired boat.

His oar also became longer to match the size of the huge boat.

“I’ll try to exert some influence in the living world to slightly increase the number of coins placed in the mouths of the dead.”

“…I don’t need money, just let me rest.”

Still, let’s at least tell my temple’s priest.

Even if the deceased’s family is poor, if the mourners who go to the funeral contribute even a little, Charon’s pockets will get thicker.

Later, will this be known as condolences… or funeral expenses?

“Get on, you lot! I’ll take you across the Acheron River!”

The boat carrying the souls moves away again by Charon’s rowing.

Although an automatic motor was made at the bottom of the boat, Charon is destined to keep rowing because of the laws of the Underworld.

“Hades. Can’t you hear me..? I want to spend some *quality* time with you…”

Aphrodite, who was managing the souls on one side, comes over to me and places her hand on my chest.

The goddess of love smiles softly and tries to seduce me.

Um, please move away.

“Actually, there’s a dead person who came specifically to see you after hearing that you were in the Underworld.”

“Yes? A soul who wants to meet me?”

After waiting for a moment with Aphrodite, who has a puzzled expression,

A man comes out of Charon’s boat, which had dropped off the souls on the other side of the Acheron River.

As soon as he sees Aphrodite, he rushes over and prostrates himself.

“Ah… you’re definitely a human I remember.”

“Aphrodite… I, Pygmalion, who received your grace, your favor, your mercy, offer my gratitude.”

The man’s name is Pygmalion.

The world’s best sculptor, who was able to marry the statue he created thanks to Aphrodite’s grace.

Pygmalion paid his respects to Aphrodite with a more serious face than when he was making the statue.

The goddess of beauty and love straightened her posture at the mortal’s sincerity.

The goddess Aphrodite puts her hand on the believer’s shoulder.

Pygmalion lowered his body even more, as if deeply moved.

“The sculptor from the island of Cyprus who made the statue and prayed to me.”

“Yes! Thanks to the goddess’s blessing, I lived a life without regrets with my beloved wife!”

“I witnessed that pure love until death with the woman I breathed life into, not just a statue.”

The sculptor trembles at the way she refers to it as a woman, not just a statue.

“All of this is thanks to the goddess’s grace. I really wanted to thank you for helping me achieve my love.”

“Think of it as you received a reward because you desperately craved love.”

I didn’t interrupt their conversation and stayed quiet.

Because the current Aphrodite had a benevolent smile like the goddess of love, not the goddess of beauty.

* * *

Pygmalion, who had been expressing his gratitude with tears, left.

Come to think of it, there was something I was curious about…

“Back then, what were you thinking when you breathed life into the statue?”

“Ah~ back then?”

Aphrodite was lost in thought for a moment.

The goddess’s beautiful figure, even in her thoughtful pose, was reflected in the Acheron River.

Soon, the goddess opened her mouth with a playful smile.

“Wouldn’t it be like a god to fulfill the impossible wishes of mortals and respond to their earnest prayers?”

Impossible wishes and earnest prayers.

We gods live forever, but our emotions don’t become dull, and we don’t just repeat the work we’re assigned like machines.

Should I say we maintain our formed personalities? Or should I say they are personal gods with humanity?

That’s why Zeus’s rape cases, the tragedy of Phaeton and Helios [Phaeton was the son of Helios, the sun god, who tragically failed to control his father’s chariot], the rebellion of the gods, or the strike of Thanatos happen, but…

“Well, if you really want to get down to it, it’s just a whim. I never thought a human would move my heart…”

Occasionally, such heartwarming stories arise.

As I nodded in agreement, Aphrodite glared at me with sharp eyes.

“Anyway, I’ve been asking since earlier. Now, how about spending some time with me…”

“Ah, if you like *hot times*, I can assign you to the Phlegethos River [the river of fire in the Underworld].”

“No! Why do I have to work in the Underworld!”

“…? Didn’t you want to come to the Underworld?”

The goddess of beauty’s expression contorts, and she gets angry.

“That’s not what I meant! I meant having a good time *with you*…!”

“You met Pygmalion, and isn’t working here quite enjoyable…?”

“Aaaagh! I, I just want to go back!”

What. Go back? No way.

I already got permission from Zeus to take any god I wanted.

You need to work a little more here.

“For your information, Zeus also allowed me to bring you.”

“Yes…?”

“I protested about Thanatos and decided to dispatch some of the gods of Olympus.”

Aphrodite’s expression goes blank after hearing the news that Zeus sold her out.

She can’t accept the reality that has happened to her and is denying it.

“That’s how it is, so please take good care of the dead in the Acheron River.”

“Ha… Hades!”

Aphrodite is working hard in the Acheron River.

Thanks to her, I can feel that many changes are happening in the Underworld.

Charon quickly takes over the souls, which improves Thanatos’s work efficiency,

And the number of souls reaching the River of Woe, Cocytus [a river in the Underworld made of lamentations], quickly increases, which ultimately gives all the gods of the Underworld more time.

Even the number of those who can’t accept the reality that they died and cause a riot is decreasing…

“Hades! This is not what I expected!”

* * *

Anyway, after encouraging Aphrodite, who is working hard in the Acheron River,

I returned to the Underworld fortress, leaned back on the throne, and tilted my head.

Too many incidents have happened recently…

Still, since the goddess Aphrodite is helping in the Underworld, there will be some time for peace for the time being…

Poohk.

The presence felt behind the throne slowly approaches and hugs me.

Soft silver hair, a beautiful touch.

“Goddess Lethe [goddess of oblivion], how is the control of the dead in the Lethe River going…?”

“I left it to my subordinate.”

“Then, what about the selection of the newly selected servants…?”

“Don’t think about those things.”

I just closed my eyes as the goddess’s tiny hands gently covered my vision.

The feeling of touching something soft from my comfortably tilted head… um.

I tried to get up from the goddess Lethe, who was hugging me from behind the throne, but failed.

Um… your hands are getting stronger…

“Zeus and Poseidon don’t have as much work as Hades.”

“…It can’t be helped because of the nature of the Underworld.”

Zeus, who rules the sky and the whole world, may be the busiest,

But that’s why he distributed the work to many gods.

Sun and wind, nature and earth, art and madness…

Except for major events such as the threat of the Gigas [a race of giants in Greek mythology] or war, other Olympian gods handle them.

Poseidon, who rules the vast sea and water, also entrusts most of the work to numerous sea nymphs, Nereids [sea nymphs in Greek mythology], and divine beasts.

In fact, no matter what happens, you don’t need to worry unless it’s an event that affects the entire marine ecosystem.

Whether there is an earthquake on the seabed… or a shark eats a fish in the sea,

All of this is a natural death and the cycle of the ecosystem.

But the Underworld where I am is a little different.

It is the position to adjust so that the cycle is carried out normally.

If there is a problem with the souls coming to the Underworld, it becomes difficult to allocate souls to the newly born lives.

If the space in the Underworld is insufficient or saturated, it becomes difficult to receive the dead.

If the judgment on sins is not properly made in the Underworld, the laws of the world will not be established.

And the most important problem is…

“All the gods are so busy. Just look at Charon or Thanatos…”

“Well, that’s true…”

Unlike Olympus, the effect of work division is not great…!