The Wanderings of the Gods - (3)
After the two goddesses, Styx and Lethe, disembarked from their chariot, a little time passed.
Whoosh—
The ghostly horse's legs moved busily as it galloped across the earth.
The sound of the chariot wheels and the hooves echoed across the vast grasslands surrounding Mount Etna.
Of course, humans would not know this, as their senses were blocked from sight and sound.
"Ha ha ha!"
"Throw it this way!"
Despite the fact that Typhon's body was sealed in a dangerous mountain, the beautiful scenery meant that many nymphs could be seen with just a slight turn of the head.
Nearby, a forest spread out, and a small stream of clear water flowed.
It was a natural landscape where fairies would surely thrive.
Naturally, my expression softened, and my heart became calm.
It was definitely a refreshing change from staring at parchment scrolls in my office every day.
I briefly made the chariot and ghostly horse disappear and approached the mountain while suppressing my power even further.
If my presence were to cover this area, the stimulated body might go wild and cause an earthquake.
Swoosh—
The black divine power slowly swept over the mountain, observing the movements of the beings beneath.
Hmm.
Typhon's body is still well.
It's quiet.
As I was about to return to the place where I had parted with the two goddesses, I sensed someone calling me from among the trees.
It was the presence of a female nymph who had been glancing this way for a while.
"Hey, handsome! If you're bored, come play with me!"
A nymph with bright, light turquoise hair approached me, waving her hand.
She radiated a refreshing and clear aura.
Perhaps she was one of the Naiades, the water fairies.
But it seemed she was already aware that I had a guest...
"Menthe! What’s so good about that guy? Why are you talking to him?"
"No, I said I don’t want to! Go away!"
A male centaur rushed in from behind the nymph and roughly grabbed her hand.
I had thought they were acquaintances since he had been hovering around her for a while, but it seemed it was one-sided affection.
"Shut up! Just come with me!"
"Ah! Go away!"
The centaur, seemingly angry, roughly pulled the nymph into his embrace.
Soon, a crime that was far too common in Greece would unfold.
Zeus or Poseidon... all sorts of gods and men raping beautiful women.
The reason why women who were raped and killed would harbor deep resentment and petition Minos, the judge.
"Hey! What are you looking at! This woman is mine... Gah!"
"Ah!... Hah..."
Unable to bear the truly disgusting sight, I exerted my pressure and killed him.
The heart of the ferocious centaur, who had just tried to rape the nymph, stopped, and he fell to the ground, frothing at the mouth.
"Yikes...!"
The nymph met my gaze and, trembling with fear, tears streamed down her face.
Seeing her hurriedly putting on her half-torn clothes, I couldn't help but sigh.
"... I have no interest in you, so don’t worry."
"Are you... a god from somewhere?"
"Yes, and you should stick with the other nymphs. There are plenty of those kinds around."
From the highest god, Zeus, who is a rapist, to other races, they are no different.
Especially the centaurs, who have animal lower bodies, are even more faithful to their instincts.
Having taken care of my business, I was about to leave when I caught a familiar scent from her.
It was a very... refreshing aroma that I had smelled a long time ago.
Around the time Athena was born? When my father, Cronus, was overthrown and I seized control of the world?
No, it was before that, a scent I had only experienced in my past life...
A truly nostalgic smell.
The nymph, now fully dressed, expressed her gratitude to me.
"Thank you so much. If you see any nymphs around here, please tell them I’m Menthe’s benefactor..."
Menthe... no, this is definitely...
"What’s your name?"
"My name is Menthe."
Menthe.
Mint... the mint when talking about mint chocolate?
"You are a water nymph, Naiades... do you perhaps cultivate plants that emit a refreshing scent?"
"Yes? How did you know?"
"This way, my lord."
As I showed interest in the plants, Menthe urged me to follow her.
As I entered the forest behind her, I saw plants growing beside a stream.
"This is it. It’s just an ordinary plant, but I infused it with my power, and it changed like this..."
Small leaves, a new species I had never seen in this world.
This plant is indeed...
"Mint... peppermint."
"Yes?"
Ignoring the puzzled Menthe, I put the plant in my mouth and chewed.
A refreshing sensation spread in my mouth.
It was a nostalgic feeling I hadn’t experienced in a long time.
"You said your name was Menthe. I am Hades, the god of the underworld."
"Y-You...? Hades?!"
"Yes, as a reward for reviving my forgotten memories, I will grant you one wish."
I did not commit the foolish act of swearing by the River Styx.
I intended to grant a wish within reasonable limits.
Of course, that reasonable range was quite broad.
Upon hearing my words, Menthe was greatly surprised and began to panic, waving her hands.
Her face turned bright red and then returned to normal repeatedly.
"Um... then, perhaps... uh, no... yes, what could I possibly..."
"You can take your time to think about it."
"Then...! Please spend some time with me!"
...
Is that really your wish?
With a face flushed bright red, she barely spoke a simple and modest desire.
"Was that a rude request?! Ugh... I’m sorry..."
"That’s simple enough. And I want to repay you further..."
As a spirit and fairy of nature, she wouldn’t need a blessing of wealth,
And she didn’t seem to have any great desires...
Ah! I had a good idea.
If I grant her the honor that everyone desires, that would be enough.
"Additionally, I will take the plant you created, mint, as my symbol."
"Y-Yes?! Th-That?! It’s too much..."
Too much? This is the price for awakening the memories of my past life.
The reward doesn’t end here.
"From now on, mint will always grow in my temple, and I will widely announce to humans that you are its creator. Foods made from mint will spread throughout the world..."
"Ugh..."
Now, Menthe could only mumble, unable to say anything.
Her face, covered by both hands, turned as red as Hephaestus's flames.
Next, I was going to grant her wish for a short walk when...
I sensed the approach of the goddesses nearby.
Goddess Lethe and...
Goddess Styx?
"Oh, Hades! You were here... huh?"
"We’ve been looking for you... but who is that..."
The approaching goddesses looked back and forth between Menthe’s flushed face and me.
Their faces gradually hardened.
A sinister divine power was radiating from them.
Feeling the divine power of such goddesses, Menthe looked between me and them...
"Th-This power... G-Goddesses? If that’s the case! I-I’m so sorry!!!"
As if realizing something, she fled away.
No, what am I supposed to do if you leave like that?
Should I have caught her while she was running and asked for an explanation?
My heart ached at the gazes of the two goddesses, who were gradually moving away.
"Hades is indeed a male god..."
"After coming to play with us, you’re with another woman... it’s increasing..."
"... What you’re thinking right now is absolutely not true."
A few days after that incident,
The temple of Hades, which prospered greatly in Thebes.
The high priest, who had been praying with his eyes closed, suddenly stood up in shock.
And when he struck the bell beside him, a clear sound echoed throughout the temple.
"Hades has delivered a prophecy! All priests, gather!"
"A prophecy?! What will it be this time..."
"Lord Hades has bestowed his symbol!"
A black divine power swirled in the center of the temple as Hades's gift arrived.
Having barely resolved the misunderstanding with the two goddesses, Hades sent a large amount of mint to his temple.
The priests’ eyes widened in surprise at the mountain of mint leaves and seeds piled up.
"This is... a plant I’ve never seen before, but it has a very strong scent."
"There must be a reason why Hades sent this to us..."
"He named it mint after the nymph who created this plant, Menthe..."
"Perhaps that nymph has accomplished something great."
After a while of contemplation, one of the priests spoke up.
It was Phenedaia, the next high priest who had directly descended from Hades.
"Could it be that Hades is considering the deceased and their families?"
"Considering the deceased...?"
"If we use the strongly scented mint to lessen the stench of the corpse at funerals, both the deceased and their families might feel a little more at ease, right?"
"Oh! Is it similar to the coins given to Charon, the ferryman?!"
Realization dawned on them.
"Indeed! No one would want their family to die and emit a foul odor..."
"Even if it’s just for the last journey..."
"It makes sense that he sent a plant with a refreshing scent. Oh, merciful god..."
The priests prayed to the merciful god, who cared for mortals more than anyone else.
In that moment, their faith grew even stronger.
After that, in Thebes, a culture arose where mint, the symbol of the merciful god Pluto, was placed between the clothes of the deceased during funerals.
"Is it said that the mercy of the god Pluto is the mint leaves?"
"They say it’s a solution to the stench that comes from the decaying body."
"The god of the underworld is truly merciful..."
"That nymph, Menthe, is quite remarkable too."
And a certain god in the underworld felt a strange sensation as his power grew stronger...
"Has my temple in the mortal realm expanded beyond Thebes?"