After the rebellion of Olympus was suppressed, I spoke to Zeus.
"Zeus, it was Thetis who helped me notice the rebellion and ascend to Olympus."
"Thetis informed you...?"
Thetis is said to be the goddess who is second only in beauty to Amphitrite, the consort of Poseidon.
Many gods sought her hand in marriage, but...
"Is she the one foretold to give birth to a son who will surpass his father, becoming a great hero?"
"Yes, that Thetis you are thinking of."
Zeus once courted her too, but upon hearing Prometheus's prophecy, he gave up without hesitation.
He intended to marry her off to a suitable mortal, but she persistently refused.
"Hmm, I understand your intention behind those words, brother. You want me to acknowledge her contributions and grant her some favor?"
"The prophecy is absolute, but it can be interpreted in different ways. Just because he surpasses his father doesn't necessarily mean he will threaten authority..."
The king of the gods, who is more sensitive to his own authority than anyone else, wore a serious expression.
After all, Zeus himself had overthrown his father, Cronus, so he would be wary even of his own children.
Thus, he could not allow Thetis to marry a mortal.
If she were to give birth to someone who surpasses the gods, wouldn't that ultimately threaten the king of the gods himself?
"That is something I need to think about. As you know, the reason we are here is also due to our rebellion against Cronus."
"But if Cronus had considered us his children, things might have been different."
"Hmm!"
It was a thought I occasionally entertained.
What if Cronus had regarded us not as potential challengers, but as his children? Would we still have overthrown him and seized control of the world?
"Think of your beloved daughter Athena. In the end, the prophecy did not deviate in a different direction, did it?"
".... If someone other than you had said such a thing, I would have taken it as a challenge."
Zeus frowned slightly, placing a hand on his temple.
A faint spark of lightning flickered from him, proving that he was somewhat displeased.
Athena is his beloved daughter now, but when he heard the prophecy that a son born from Metis would overthrow him, she was merely a cause for concern.
So, Zeus swallowed Metis, who was pregnant with Athena, and ultimately, Athena was born from his head.
It was fortunate that Athena was a daughter; had she been a son...
There might have been one more god imprisoned in Tartarus that day.
"With Thetis's contributions in mind, I suppose it is best to leave this matter here. By the way, has Cadmus received his due reward?"
It would be wise to be satisfied with this much regarding Thetis.
Although Zeus is sensitive to power, he reacted this way because it was his brother who helped him during the rebellion.
However, that aside, Cadmus, who had made great contributions since the threat of Typhon, deserved proper compensation.
"I heard that he founded the city of Thebes while searching for his missing sister, Europa."
"Uh? Oh... that."
He suddenly avoided my gaze.
Could it be that this guy... should I test him?
"By the way, I heard rumors that this Europa is a truly beautiful human woman."
"Ahem. Hmph."
Oh...
"How beautiful is she, that even the king of the gods, who flirts daily, would be driven to abduct her...?"
"Hmph! What do you want?"
Of course, it was not your fault again.
You touched the sister of Cadmus, our benefactor...
Perhaps siding with Poseidon or going for Uranus wouldn't have been a bad idea.
"What's done is done, but at least let me meet Europa or ease my worries..."
"I understand. You can be quite nagging sometimes, brother. I can handle it."
Isn't it your attitude that caused Apollo and Hera to betray you?
No matter how you look at it, the rebellion was a result of your own actions...
Still, I think the mere one-year punishment given to Poseidon was a reasonable compromise to protect his pride as the second-in-command.
From this perspective, Zeus does seem somewhat rational.
After that, fortunately, Europa was able to get in touch with Cadmus.
Zeus had decreed that they should meet.
For a moment, Cadmus, having heard Europa's story, wore a strange expression, but it seems he managed to navigate it without diminishing the authority of the gods.
As for Europa, who had been abducted, she found some comfort in the fact that it was Zeus who took her.
"Hmm... So, you were taken by Lord Zeus..."
"When I first realized that the bull was Lord Zeus, I was truly surprised... He was incredibly charming..."
".....?!"
Regardless of how vigorous he may be, that is something I do not know.
Having descended from Olympus and returned to the underworld, I set off again.
Now, I was thinking of meeting some special gods who lived underground.
I had my attendant bring a bottle of ambrosia and nectar, along with some cups.
The outskirts of the underworld.
Not the fortress where souls reside, but a dark and damp cave.
From the entrance of the cave, an unusual aura emanated, and a chilling cold was felt.
The soul who had brought the nectar trembled in fear, so I decided to enter alone.
"Hades."
"You've come again."
In the dark cave, devoid of Hestia's hearth or any artificial light created by divine power, a voice echoed.
What appeared alongside it were three goddesses with bronze wings, snake hair, and blood flowing from their eyes.
"It has been a while, Erinyes."
"Is what you hold nectar?"
"It seems you also have ambrosia."
The Erinyes.
The vengeful goddesses born from the blood that fell to the earth when Uranus's genitals were severed.
In the war between Titans and gods for supremacy over the world, I, having gained control of the underworld after a long battle, was finally able to meet them.
The three sisters of the Erinyes sat on the cold ground of the underworld.
The snakes in their hair hissed as if on guard, and blood continuously flowed from their sharp eyes.
Their terrifying appearance was something everyone shunned, but the first thought that came to my mind was pity.
I felt sorry for them, endlessly bleeding from their eyes, and honestly, I sympathized with them.
"Isn't it... painful?"
"What did you say...?"
"I mean, the blood flowing from your eyes."
"... Do you truly think so?"
Their bewildered gaze reflected my question.
"If it is too painful, perhaps next time..."
"Pain always accompanies vengeance. This much is nothing."
The three sisters of the Erinyes, despite being goddesses, bled red blood instead of ichor.
When their blood dripped to the ground, it evaporated instantly.
Since that first meeting, I often visited them to build a rapport.
After all, they were neighbors living nearby, and I felt sorry for them as they were shunned even by other gods.
At first, the goddesses showed a cold attitude, but gradually they became accustomed to my visits, and eventually, it reached the point where...
"Hades, you should sit and drink too."
"Of course."
It became as natural as a close friend visiting often...
"Is the underworld a bit less busy these days?"
"It must have changed a lot from before..."
Among the three sisters, Tisiphone, who judges infidelity, approached with her bronze wings folded.
Alecto, who embodies endless rage, drank nectar while smiling.
Megaira, the one who embodies jealousy, silently nibbled on ambrosia.
The snakes that served as their hair also wriggled as if in a good mood.
Sssss...
One of the snakes on Alecto's head slithered and licked my hand.
When I stroked the snake's head with my finger, it rubbed against me as if pleased.
"Don't... touch the hair."
Alecto quickly turned her head and said softly.
The goddess's ears were bright red.
Well, that snake licked me first...
Tisiphone looked at me and sighed before speaking.
"Hades, don't come too often. Being with you dulls the edge of vengeance."
"Um..."
Megaira, who was mumbling ambrosia in her mouth, nodded as if she agreed.
What have I done...
"These days, unlike before the great flood, there are fewer humans who kill their own kin."
"Indeed, it was right to sweep them away once."
When marked by the vengeful goddesses, the Erinyes, one would be thoroughly pursued day and night.
They would even appear in dreams, endlessly criticizing until the target was driven to guilt.
Humans feared them, holding a torch in one hand and avoiding even calling their names, just as they referred to me as Pluto instead of Hades.
But their case was far worse than mine.
"I haven't visited in dreams for a long time."
"That's right; rather than being tormented by us, they would prefer to become your subjects."
"Those kinds are all paying for their sins in my fortress."
Once they take their own lives, they fall under my judgment, not the Erinyes.
Of course, just because one commits suicide does not mean they are absolved of their sins.
"Anyway, I was getting bored, so thank you for bringing the nectar."
"These days, young gods tend to avoid us..."
Our gods are immortal beings who do not need ambrosia or nectar.
However, it must be quite lonely not being able to have a meal with someone due to fear.
Last time, I invited the Erinyes to a banquet held in the underworld, but they declined, saying they couldn't ruin the pleasant atmosphere.
I had occasionally visited their fortress to avoid souls, so it was a proposal thrown out, but perhaps it was still too much to ask.