King of Underworld

Chapter 44 Excursion of the Gods – (2)

After saying they would briefly change clothes, the goddesses Styx and Lethe returned.

But their attire…

“Goddess Styx, isn’t that chiton… the one blessed by Hecate with the magic of serenity?”

“Yes, it is. It’s the garment I received as a gift the last time I went to Olympus.”

Goddess Styx had put on a chiton that was deeply cut, revealing a lot of skin.

The beautiful black fabric enhanced the goddess’s beauty even more.

“And I… how do I look?”

Goddess Lethe also approached quietly, wearing a thin garment that revealed the line of her thighs.

Wait… I’ve never seen them wear such outfits before.

“I saved it for when I went out with you, Hades. Didn’t I do well?”

“Yes… You look particularly beautiful today.”

Her face, usually emotionless, was now glowing with a shy smile, and it was truly beautiful.

Thus, I found myself captivated, leaving the fortress with the two goddesses.

But isn’t it a bit early to be locking arms so closely?

It’s a bit suffocating to be squeezed from both sides…

“Kiiing! Kkiing!”

“There, there.”

I petted Cerberus, who was guarding the entrance of the fortress, before passing by the River of Forgetfulness, the River of Fire, and the River of Lamentation, and finally arriving at the Acheron River.

Charon, who was steering a newly made giant ferry, froze when he saw us.

He looked at me, Styx, and Lethe, his gaze lingering on each of us, and muttered quietly.

“…So who is the primary wife?”

“It’s me!”

“Of course… It’s me…”

I could feel the pressure in both of my arms intensifying.

The soft sensation growing stronger, I had to stop this here.

“Charon, please refrain from making unnecessary comments…”

“Ah, understood…”

And thus, we somehow made it to the mortal world.

It had been a while since I’d encountered such fresh air and warm sunlight in my true form.

Chirrup- Chirp chirp.

The sounds of life and the vitality of nature, which are hard to feel in the Underworld.

“How do you plan to get to Mount Etna?”

“I usually use my chariot. The ghost horses always help me out.”

Naturally, it’s not just humans who end up in the Underworld after death.

All sorts of animals and monsters as well.

With a wave of my hand, I summoned a translucent chariot and ghost horses into the empty space.

Their pupils blazed with blue flames, and the horses, which never tire, let out rough neighs as they were summoned.

Hiiieeeigh-

The chariot, one of the finest crafted personally by Hephaestus, though not a divine artifact, was incredibly sturdy.

I lightly boarded the chariot, holding out my hand to the goddesses as I took the reins.

The goddesses soon smiled and took my hand, boarding the chariot one after another.

But… the belt that Goddess Lethe was wearing seemed strangely familiar…

I tried to get a closer look, but Goddess Styx urged me on.

“Let’s get going! Hades!”

Nodding, I drove the chariot, heading towards Mount Etna.

The Underworld chariot, invisible to human eyes, sped along swiftly.

* * *

Near Mount Etna.

Except for the snow-covered peak, the landscape everywhere was warm and inviting.

A vast meadow spread out near the mountain, with various animals roaming around energetically.

However, since Typhon’s body was buried beneath the mountain, earthquakes occurred frequently in this area.

As a result, I often came out to patrol the area while also taking in the sights of the mortal world.

“I’ve always wanted to visit here. I heard the goddesses of Olympus often descend to this place.”

“Look, there are nymphs over there too.”

I stopped the chariot for a moment and looked around.

I saw beautiful forest nymphs, dressed in revealing chitons, singing.

“Kya hahaha!”

“Lady Kore! Come with us!”

“Next time, let’s venture into the forest!”

Hmm… But who is that blonde-haired goddess running around energetically over there?

Since it’s a face I don’t recognize, it must be a newly born deity.

Just as I was about to continue my patrol around Mount Etna,

Goddess Lethe gently tugged at the hem of my robe, calling for me.

“Hades. Hades.”

“What is it?”

“Please let Styx and me get off here for a while.”

“We’ll just have a quick look around. I even see a nymph I know…”

“Then I’ll take a lap around the mountain. Feel free to take your time.”

A nymph she knows? Well, that could be.

The goddesses seemed excited, likely because they had been confined to the Underworld for so long and were now out in the mortal world.

“We’ll be back soon!”

“Then, see you later…”

* * *

The goddesses who had disembarked from Hades’ chariot ventured deep into the forest.

They looked around, searching for someone.

“Weren’t we supposed to meet here?”

“Ah, over there…”

Soon, they spotted who they were looking for and walked over with faint smiles.

In the middle of the forest, a goddess of unparalleled beauty stood with her arms crossed.

“Wait, you really came out with Hades? That stone-hearted man?”

“It’s all thanks to the belt Aphrodite lent us. Heh…”

The ones the Underworld goddesses had been searching for were none other than the goddess of beauty and love, Aphrodite.

Goddess Lethe approached Aphrodite and handed over the belt she had removed.

It was the Kestos Himas, the belt of seduction personally crafted by Hephaestus.

Receiving the belt back, Aphrodite had a puzzled look on her face.

“The belt I lent you actually worked?”

“Yes! For the first time, Hades, who always resisted, came out to the mortal world with us!”

“It’s all thanks to you, Goddess Aphrodite.”

While the goddesses beamed, Aphrodite’s expression turned to one of disbelief.

“Ugh… When I wore it, he barely showed any interest…”

“…Really? He was especially kind today.”

“Could it be that I wore it wrong…”

Aphrodite’s face scrunched up as she looked at the two goddesses who genuinely seemed confused.

Whether her pride was deeply wounded or not, the goddess of beauty clutched her head and cried out.

“No way! I’m the goddess of beauty and love, after all… Ugh! This is so frustrating!”

Aphrodite, who had been fuming for a moment, crossed her arms with a sulky expression.

And just as she summoned a cloud to head back to Olympus, Styx called out to her.

“Uh, Aphrodite.”

“What is it…?”

“Didn’t you originally like Hades too? Then why did you lend us the belt?”

Goddess Lethe also gazed at Aphrodite, curious.

The fact that the goddess of beauty and love, Aphrodite, had once descended to the Underworld after Hades was something that all who worked in the Underworld knew.

Even someone without keen perception could have noticed that the goddess had a certain interest in Hades.

But why would she lend a belt of seduction to her rivals in love?

Aphrodite responded with a smirk to the goddesses, who were full of questions.

“I just wanted a night with him, and it’s not unusual for a god of the Triumvirate to have many women, is it?”

“Then what about Lord Poseidon or Lord Zeus…”

“They’re not really my type. And as for Lord Zeus, well, the glare from Lady Hera…”

Aphrodite whispered in a low voice as she looked at the goddesses, who nodded in understanding.

The goddess of beauty, who was beauty incarnate, looked captivating even with a sly smile on her face.

“Besides, once he gets married and finds joy in it, he won’t be looking elsewhere, don’t you think?”

“I don’t think Hades is the type who would favor goddesses who cheat.”

“Ack! Be quiet! It’s not like I married Hephaestus by choice…”

But Aphrodite’s face crumbled at Goddess Lethe’s single comment.

This time, Aphrodite posed a question to the goddesses of the Underworld.

“But don’t you find the idea of marriage burdensome? Marrying the Lord of the Underworld would bring a lot of work, and being the wife of one of the Triumvirate gods carries a heavy weight…”

Hades, the god of the Underworld, was quite popular among goddesses.

A high divine rank as one of the Triumvirate, a handsome but solemn face, and a good nature, unlike his brothers.

However, there were goddesses who hesitated to become his primary wife.

With great power comes great responsibility.

Living in the dark Underworld rather than Olympus,

And the countless tasks to manage as the lady of the Underworld were seen as burdensome.

“I don’t mind such things.”

“I already have a lot of work…”

But the goddess of forgetfulness and the ruler of the River Styx were different.

Their responses came instantly, without a hint of hesitation.

Aphrodite briefly thought of Pygmalion.

The mortal who was more sincere in love than anyone, the man who moved the heart of the goddess of love.

“…Thanks to your blessing, Goddess, I was able to live a fulfilling life with my beloved wife!”

While Pygmalion had achieved his love by receiving the blessing she had

bestowed upon his statue,

She herself, despite being the goddess of love, had not found the love she desired.

“Oh… How can you be so beautiful, you are now mine, Poseidon’s!”

“Uncle Poseidon, please yield her to me.”

“You are more beautiful than anyone I have ever seen…”

“Goddess, I have written a poem in praise of your beauty.”

“Enough, enough! At this rate, the gods will start fighting among themselves. I, Zeus, will decide who will be Aphrodite’s husband!”

The beauty that all gods coveted.

To prevent a civil war among the gods, the highest god, Zeus, forcefully assigned her a husband.

“A crippled Hephaestus? Why me…”

“Father, this is too much…”

“Uh? But…”

“But Aphrodite should be the one to decide…”

Rumble! Crash!

“I will hear no further objections! From now on, the goddess of beauty’s husband is Hephaestus!”

And so she was forced into marriage.

Her husband, Hephaestus, tried his best to please her.

He made her anything she desired and even gifted her the magical belt, the Kestos Himas.

But she never grew attached to her husband and began to engage in affairs.

She bore Harmonia, the goddess of harmony, with Ares and also had relationships with many other male gods.

The more love is suppressed by force, the more it burns with passion.

A melancholy smile played on the lips of the goddess of love.

She sent a blessing to the two women who were challenging love with a sorrowful gaze.

“…Well, that is love, after all. I, Aphrodite, will cheer you on, so do your best.”

And at that time, Hades was…

“What did you say your name was?”

“I’m called Menthe.”

He was engaged in a conversation with a nymph, one that stirred memories of the past.