King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 85

The King of the Underworld is Tired 85

The Goddess of Oblivion, Lethe – (2)

Today is the second day of the Olympia Festival dedicated to Zeus.

It’s a day for events like running, javelin throwing, and chariot racing.

As yesterday, I plan to sit with the Goddess Lethe in the stadium and watch.

As I climbed the stone steps, looking for a place to sit, I overheard some humans talking nearby.

“Was the first event running? Who won last time…?”

“But won’t someone with the blood of the gods win again anyway?”

“After all, it’s hard for heroes to be anything other than descendants of the Olympian gods…”

“Hush! Still, with our human strength…”

The Olympia Festival dedicated to Zeus is open to both demigods and humans.

However, the gap between those who have inherited some of the divine blood and ordinary mortals cannot be easily bridged.

Having the blood of the gods grants great strength, stamina, and perhaps even special abilities.

Goddess Lethe, who was listening to the people passing by, said,

“The humans seem to feel a sense of deprivation…”

“They have reason to, if they don’t have divine blood. Their very origins are different…”

“Then, won’t a demigod, a descendant of the Twelve Olympians, win these games anyway?”

“Well…”

Even among demigods, there is a difference in ability depending on whether they are direct descendants of a major deity.

But that doesn’t mean the winner of these games is predetermined.

“Contestant number sixteen is a devout follower of Artemis, the goddess of the moon!” the announcer declared.

I settled into a moderately high seat and listened to the announcer.

The athletes were getting ready to start the race, and the audience quieted.

Thud-

Taptap. Thump thump thump.

“Whee-”

“Go, Moroklas!”

“I bet so many drachmas [ancient Greek currency] here!”

“Run faster!”

As the drum sounded, the athletes surged forward.

The bare feet of young Greek men powerfully pounded the ground.

“Bloodline certainly plays a big part, but there are cases where individual effort overcomes it.”

“I know that cases where innate gaps are filled are very rare…”

The world is inherently unfair.

The differences in bloodline, talent, innate ability, and status are not easily overcome.

“The winner is Deitos! The laurel wreath will be given to you!”

“Wow!!!”

“A demigod… lost to a human?”

“I knew it; that guy was running around outside the city every day!”

“There was someone faster than the descendant of Hermes…”

But sometimes there are humans who overcome such differences.

That man who won the race, defeating numerous demigods, must be one of them.

“Wow… that’s really amazing. He seems to have the qualities of a hero…”

“If that person comes to Thebes, it would be worth raising him in the underworld.”

Olive oil filled a terracotta vase depicting a running race.

A laurel wreath, a headband made of laurel and olive tree branches, was placed on the winner’s forehead.

Goddess Lethe, watching the winner lift the terracotta vase and smile brightly, said,

“Hero… come to think of it, what happened to his brother whom Bellerophon accidentally killed?”

“It seems that the resentment has faded a lot, and he also hopes to meet Bellerophon.”

After Bellerophon arrived in the underworld, he accepted the mediation I proposed.

He would apologize directly if his brother wanted to meet him.

Bellerophon, who met his brother in the underworld, knelt down and apologized.

And fortunately, the victim of fate accepted the apology.

A middle-aged man next to us spoke as we were contemplating Bellerophon’s situation.

“There… wait! Hey, you two, are you married?”

“Are you talking about us?”

“That’s right. You seem to be on good terms, but a married woman…”

He was looking at Goddess Lethe suspiciously.

The Olympia Festival is a festival for men, and married women are prohibited from attending or watching.

However, virgins were allowed to watch to understand the world of men.

It would be solved by simply saying that the goddess and I are not yet married.

But… a bold word came from the lips of Lethe, who had a shy expression.

“Yes. We’re married…”

* * *

“What, what?! Hey! Guard! There’s a married…”

He was flustered by Lethe’s confident declaration and tried to call the guard.

But soon he lost his memory for a moment and became dazed.

Goddess Lethe glanced at me as if she was checking my reaction.

‘Is it because I just told that human that we were married…’

“Goddess.”

“Why… why? Aren’t you going to marry me, Hades?”

I swallowed the words that were about to come out of my mouth.

We are not yet married, and we are not even dating…

However… I’m not a fool who doesn’t know what she wants to hear.

Maybe now I can give the answer the goddess wants?

“Moo…”

“Yes? Louder… tell me…”

The cheers of the athletes participating in the next game, the words of humans laughing and chatting.

The sound of thunder, proof that Zeus is watching the game from above with satisfaction…

All I could hear through it all was the goddess’s question.

I could see her little fingers fidgeting, as if she had taken a lot of courage to say this one word.

Slightly moving red lips, trembling eyes.

“…Hades?”

Yes, just like the Goddess Styx…

I stopped trying to say something and moved closer to her.

The Goddess of Oblivion flinched as my face gradually approached, but she did not avoid my eyes.

I hid my appearance with illusions so that the surrounding eyes would not be drawn.

So that even an ordinary Olympian god could not see.

Something I’ve already done once.

Skillfully moving my hand, I gently cupped the back of the goddess’s head and drew her towards me.

Hoping that this would convey my answer to her.

Kiss.

This is the second time.

* * *

As the time for Helios [the sun god] to drive his sun chariot passed,

Darkness fell upon the city of Olympia.

Goddess Lethe and I were walking slowly, arm in arm, on the quiet night streets.

Thump thump.

Was it because of that short kiss earlier?

I keep being conscious of the soft touch I feel on my arm now.

“Heh…”

A beautiful goddess who leans her head this way, unable to stop holding hands.

I don’t dislike this feeling that makes my heart flutter.

As I walked around the streets for a while, I looked around,

Something was caught in my transcendent divine sense.

“Ugh… the sword… blood on my body…”

A groan was heard from inside a brick house.

There was an old man inside who was having a terrible nightmare, likely a soldier who participated in the war.

That poor man, closing his eyes and sweating coldly, has not yet escaped from the battlefield.

Usually, this is under the jurisdiction of Morpheus, the god of dreams,

But the goddess next to me is also perfect for relieving his pain.

Goddess Lethe, who seemed to have reached this thought, stopped walking and looked at me.

“…I’ll be back for a moment.”

I nodded, making eye contact, and the goddess disappeared.

Soon, the power of oblivion enveloped the house, and only small, panting breaths remained there.

Those who have experienced the pain of war will gradually see those terrible moments fade away.

The Goddess of Oblivion returned in an instant with a very small smile on her lips.

That goddess, who used to be sad because she had a realm that was not so welcomed by others, has changed like this…

“You came to deliver a little peace.”

“Hmph… I don’t like seeing humans suffering while trapped in past memories.”

That’s what oblivion is.

It is reluctant to reach precious and important memories, but it is desired for terrible and painful memories.

It feels like the underworld.

The closer a mortal gets to death as they get older, the more likely they are to become a believer in me.

On the other hand, young people who are far from death call out to Ares, Apollo, Zeus, etc.

“It’s nice to come out with Hades after a long time and see good sights…”

I’ve seen enough of the Olympia Festival, a festival dedicated to Zeus by humans.

I can’t leave the underworld empty for too long, so I have to go back.

Finally, I raised my hand and pointed to a high hill.

“Would you like to go up there one last time?”

And so, I went up the hill with the Goddess of Oblivion.

The sound of insects could be heard from all directions, and beautiful fireflies were flying around.

Chirping-

In a place full of black darkness, I looked down from the highest point of the hill.

The night streets of Olympia, a huge city and sanctuary, came into view.

And… a goddess with silver hair fluttering in the strong wind opened her mouth.

Her gaze was fixed on the city, not looking at me, but for some reason, it felt like she was facing me directly.

“Hades.”

“Why do you call me?”

“The countless mortals living in that city will eventually… fully accept my blessing, right?”

Even gods with unbreakable minds, there is no one who does not receive the blessing of oblivion.

Memories from the distant past gradually fade and are sometimes forgotten.

Mortals forget even more easily.

Humans even partially forget yesterday’s memories.

“As the Goddess of Oblivion, I have to give a little blessing to everyone.”

“There were no exceptions for Zeus or me. Not even for Lethe herself.”

Just as the goddess of love falls in love, the goddess Lethe also falls into the swamp of oblivion.

Goddess Lethe looked back at me, smiling faintly again.

“But I don’t want to let today’s memories disappear.”

“…I feel the same way.”

“Would you help me one more time so that I don’t forget today?”

As she finished speaking, longing arose in the goddess’s eyes and soon disappeared into her eyelids.

I too approached her and slowly closed my eyes.

Tilting my head to the side… at the same time, I hugged her soft body and touched her lips.

“Gladly.”

Slightly opening my mouth, I touched her lips with my tongue.

A small gap is created, creating a connection between us.

The first thought that came to my mind was that it was sweet and warm.

At the same time, what flashed through my mind was the desire to continue this softness.

The intimate connection was not unpleasant at all.

Rather, this desire to be connected more… a little more.

A lost hand groped somewhere, finally regained its reason, and fell.

A long silver thread appeared and disappeared between me and her.

The sweet taste of peach lingers in my mouth.

“Haa…”

Even if oblivion covers me due to the passage of time,

I will never forget this moment.