King of Underworld

Chapter 50 Hephaestus’s Story – (1)

Not long ago, after dealing with the aftermath of King Oedipus’s rampage in Thebes…

I was bestowing my divine power upon the newly appointed priests.

“May Hades’s blessing be upon you…”

“O guardian god of Thebes…”

Even though my temple had been on the brink of destruction due to Oedipus, had their faith in me grown stronger because I personally descended, unlike Dionysus, who merely sent his sacred beast?

“Dionysus sent a sacred beast, but the lord of the underworld himself came down.”

“Is there anyone in Thebes who isn’t a follower of Pluto?”

“Of course not. How many in Thebes have not received Pluto’s grace?”

As a result, the priests at the temple were busier than ever. They managed the influx of people daily and vetted those who wished to become new priests…

Even Penedeia, who had recently been promoted to high priestess after the previous one stepped down, was showing signs of exhaustion.

Among the new priests, there was someone who looked very familiar.

“Hehe… Handsome and almighty Lord Hades…”

Bright, pale turquoise hair… A water nymph, a Naiad.

Mente? The one I met near Mount Etna?

She was praying to me.

Surprisingly, her faith was strong enough for me to descend into her body.

“Mente, how did you become my priest?”

“Ah! Lord Hades!”

When I spoke to her in her mind, Mente jumped in surprise.

The other devotees who saw her reaction turned their gazes toward her.

“Did you hear the voice of Lord Hades?”

“As expected from the creator of mint…”

“She is clearly favored by Lord Hades…”

The Naiad, Mente, moved to a quiet spot, smiling brightly as she clasped her hands in prayer.

“When I heard that there was a temple of Hades in Thebes, I came here!”

“Aren’t you a nymph from near Mount Etna? How did you make it to Thebes…?”

A nymph is a being that inhabits nature or objects. If the place they inhabit is destroyed, the nymph also dies. For this reason, most nymphs usually do not stray far from where they reside…

“I wanted to serve Lord Hades! Even though there are goddesses, I still want to serve you on this earth…”

Is this because of the wide distribution of mint, which has become my symbol?

That was a just reward, and you deserved the treatment you received.

“If you don’t protect your source, you could suddenly find yourself in danger. And yet…”

“I’m fine! I’ve asked other nymphs to guard it for me!”

Even if she had asked other friendly nymphs nearby to protect her source, it was akin to leaving her heart behind and traveling far away, if one compared it to a human.

I was at a loss for words, but Mente spoke cheerfully.

“I heard that Lord Hades sometimes descends into the bodies of his priests…”

“That’s true…”

“So, if you ever descend into my body, I could become one with you… Kyaaah!”

For a moment, I saw a glimpse of Zeus in Mente’s expression.

As expected of a Greek nymph, her thinking is a bit peculiar…

“The next time you descend, please come into my body…!”

Is she not afraid of me…?

Even other nymphs, not to mention gods, tremble when they see me…

Come to think of it, she did ask to spend time with me as a reward when I revealed my identity near Mount Etna…

Maybe it’s because of the stories spreading in Thebes about Pluto, the god of mercy.

Well, she’s endearing in her own way, so it’s fine.

* * *

After cutting off my connection to the mortal world, I took some time to handle my duties.

The story of how Gaia corrupted the hero of Thebes, King Oedipus, had already been conveyed to Olympus.

I had explained to Dionysus that it happened because of Gaia…

The patrols of Tartarus and Mount Etna were completed recently.

There were no more severe criminals that Minos found difficult to judge…

Could it finally be time for a little rest?

Just as I was about to lean back comfortably on my throne,

the goddess of oaths entered the room.

“Hades. Are you available right now?”

Goddess Styx?

“What brings you here? Has Thanatos attempted to flee again…”

“Hephaestus is at the entrance to the underworld. He says he wants to consult with you.”

“Hephaestus? Please let him in.”

What could Hephaestus want to consult with me about?

Could there be a soul among the dead that Hephaestus cares about?

After a brief wait, the simple-faced, limping god Hephaestus entered.

As the god of the forge, known as the world’s greatest blacksmith, his expression seemed unusually troubled.

“Uncle Hades, thank you for seeing me despite how busy you must be.”

“Anyone who made the Bident is always welcome in the underworld.”

I called for a servant to bring nectar and offered it to Hephaestus.

He downed the golden goblet in one gulp and then spoke to me.

“Aphrodite has been so cold to me lately… Uncle…”

“Ah…”

Aphrodite, despite being married to Hephaestus, was notorious for her affairs with other gods.

Hephaestus must already know this…

“Despite all the efforts I’ve made to win the heart of the goddess of beauty, she doesn’t even give me a glance. Would you believe me if I told you we haven’t shared a bed even once since our marriage?”

* * *

Not even once?

By the gods… Was it really that bad…

He even gifted her the magical girdle, the Kestos Himas, and made everything she asked for.

“But why are you seeking advice from me? There are other popular gods, like Apollo or others.”

Hephaestus glanced at Goddess Styx beside me and then spoke.

“Well… Uncle, despite being busy day and night, aren’t you very popular among the goddesses?”

“Uh…”

“There are many goddesses in Olympus who long to be embraced by Uncle Hades.”

Is he talking about those young ones who are technically my nieces or granddaughters?

I do think there are goddesses who are drawn to me because of my position as one of the Three Rulers.

“And most importantly…!”

“…?”

“There’s a rumor that my wife wanted to spend a night with you, even if she had to descend to the underworld… Of course, I trust you, Uncle…”

Hephaestus, with his muscular body and round eyes, looked utterly dejected.

Don’t worry… I’m not like a certain king of the gods; I would never commit adultery…!

“Well, thank you for trusting me. I swear by the River Styx that I have never had relations with your wife.”

“I knew you would say that! As expected, you’re known for your iron will in the divine realm…”

Iron will… What…?

I stared at Hephaestus with an incredulous look, and he quickly coughed and bowed his head.

“Ahem. My apologies. I meant to say you are the dignified lord of the underworld…”

“Stop with the nonsense. So, you’re seeking advice, correct?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Let’s think about why Aphrodite might dislike Hephaestus.

Well… it’s probably his appearance.

When Hephaestus was born as the son of Hera and Zeus,

Hera, disappointed by his ugly and crippled form, threw him down from Mount Olympus.

Hephaestus fell for nine days and landed on the island of Lemnos, where he later took revenge on Hera before reconciling with her…

Anyway, compared to other gods, his appearance wasn’t exactly a strong point.

As I quietly organized my thoughts, disappointment began to cloud Hephaestus’s eyes.

His head drooped lower and lower, and he looked like he might soon embody the god of gloom.

Feeling a bit sorry, I thought of something to say…

Ah…! An idea came to mind.

“How about… trying a different approach?”

“What…?”

“Perhaps make Aphrodite regret neglecting you and have her become obsessed with you instead…”

Hephaestus, despite his rocky relationship with his wife, loved her deeply.

That’s why he made everything she requested, including the Kestos Himas.

“So, if you start refusing Aphrodite’s requests and treat her with indifference…!”

Just as I said this,

Goddess Styx, who had been listening quietly, interrupted me.

“Hades! You can’t do that!”

“Then, Goddess, do you have another idea to help Hephaestus bring harmony to his marriage?”

“Uh… Well, that approach won’t work! If you do that, won’t Goddess Aphrodite just enjoy herself more by meeting other gods?”

Enjoy herself more… What…?

Even though they’re a couple, surely they have some level of affection…?

Goddess Styx stepped forward confidently.

Being a goddess like Aphrodite, she might have a different solution.

“Why don’t you seek the help of Lady Hera, the goddess of marriage?”

“Goddess Styx… I’ve already tried that method, but it didn’t work.”

“Then, perhaps creating another item like the Kestos Himas, something that can move a goddess’s heart…”

“I already have dozens of similar items in my forge…”

“Th-Then!”

“No need to say more. It seems there is no solution…”

The steadfast god of the forge was now weeping in

sorrow.

Despite his position as one of the twelve Olympian gods and his reputation as the world’s greatest blacksmith,

“My ugly face… my limp… I guess they’re not to Aphrodite’s taste…”

“Ah…”

Now, he was just a pitiful man who couldn’t win the heart of the goddess he loved.

Goddess Styx and I couldn’t find any words to say.