The Banquet of the Underworld - (2)
"Glory to the Underworld!"
All those present raised their golden goblets high, following Thanatos's words, and drank the nectar.
I too took a hearty gulp of the divine drink contained in my cup.
Gulp, gulp—
"Ah... So this is nectar... It's incredibly delicious...!"
"Hahaha! Mente, now that you are a god, you will soon get used to it."
"Hmm. It reminds me of the first time I tasted nectar and ambrosia a long time ago."
"Hypnos, stop teasing the young god."
"This is nectar..."
"Try some ambrosia too, Medusa."
The taste made from mint tea or Dionysus's wine could never compare to this heavenly flavor.
Since it is not limited to a single taste, no drink can rival nectar.
Nectar not only tastes good but also provides a spiritual fulfillment to the gods.
There is a reason why mortals do not age while consuming nectar and ambrosia.
However... if one drinks too much, this is what happens.
"Hades... It's been a while since we shared a drink... Hehe..."
"You seem quite drunk, Lady Stix..."
Yes, just like the Lady Stix, who wobbles towards me with a goblet in hand.
Having drunk a lot of nectar, her cheeks are flushed, and a captivating smile graces her lips.
"Hades... Hehehe..."
In truth, the intoxication is so light that it would wear off with just a little use of divine power, so the gods drink it much like mortals do with wine...
But... somehow, it seems she is intentionally getting drunk...
"Oh my!"
Whoosh.
Ah, was this her intention...
As she stumbled awkwardly, sending me a longing gaze, I instinctively reached out to catch her.
As I tried to help her up, releasing her arm and waist...
"Ah..."
With her lips pouted and eyes closed, the Lady Stix seemed to wish for something troublesome...
"Hey! Get away, Stix! Just a moment of not watching and you..."
"... Ah! Really! Are you serious, Lethe?"
In an instant, the Lady Lethe approached and swiftly lifted the blindfolded goddess of oaths.
Then, the intoxication that had made Stix struggle just moments ago vanished, and she began to complain to Lady Lethe...
"Let’s share the goblets together..."
"Mente? Nectar is flowing from your mouth, you know?"
"... Huh? Yes..."
"Tsk tsk... So you haven't married yet..."
"They say Zeus and Poseidon have so many concubines they can't even count them..."
"Hades, you are quite popular."
Ahem...
No, well... sigh...
I moved my steps towards where Medusa and the Erinyes sisters were seated.
The three goddesses of vengeance had a rather daunting appearance, with bronze wings, blood flowing from their eyes, and hair made of snakes...
But since they had finally agreed to attend the banquet after continuously refusing, I had to approach them first.
This was an act to show the lower gods and the overseers of the underworld.
As the ruler of the underworld, I must demonstrate that I treat them with this level of respect and care.
...
This way, there would be no mistreatment.
"Medusa, are you enjoying the banquet?"
"Yes. Thank you for your consideration."
"Hmph! The womanizing god is quite something."
Alektos, who symbolizes unending rage... why did she glare at me once before turning her head?
And why is the snake hair acting as if it is looking this way...
Hiss.
Hiss.
"Ugh... What is going on here!"
"Hades, I have told you time and again not to do that..."
"Umm..."
Alektos, blushing as she scolded her own hair, sighed, while Tisiphone spoke with a sigh, and Megaera nodded with her mouth full of ambrosia.
"Hmm... I will invite you to the banquet more often in the future. Will you come?"
"... Hmph!"
"Well, it's not bad, but..."
For some reason, I feel like I experienced something similar last time...
What was it?
Still, since we had talked to some extent, they would not be treated with disdain at future banquets.
Next, I approached Charon, the ferryman of the River Acheron, who was sitting to one side, sipping wine.
For some reason, he was downing wine while ignoring the nectar.
"Charon."
"Oh, Hades. Have a drink of this wine."
"Are you not having any nectar?"
"Sometimes, the taste of wine isn't bad. Wasn't it made by the god Dionysus?"
Charon, who had been drinking only wine without touching ambrosia or food from the horn of plenty, suddenly seemed to remember something and spoke to me.
"Recently, the souls coming to the underworld seem to have a lot of relieved expressions."
"Why is that? For mortals, the underworld is..."
"Yes, a symbol of unavoidable death and fear. But you see... as more gods come to trust you, many are pondering about life after death."
Through the temples in Thebes and Argos, the influence that can be exerted in the mortal realm is gradually increasing.
Although I thought it was still a minor faith, if Charon can feel it, it seems there are quite a few believers.
"Those who lived honorable lives in the mortal realm and died appear very composed."
"That is indeed good news."
"Don't your followers believe they will receive just judgment after death? It seems that such influence is spreading in the mortal realm..."
As the tale of Medusa spread quietly around Thebes, rumors began to circulate that even those who became monsters could receive my mercy.
If one were to listen closely to the mortal realm right now...
"Are you okay with going back with this false accusation?"
"Don't worry too much... Pluto is a fair one..."
"Those scoundrels will surely face judgment in the underworld!"
"Can you say that you are innocent before the god Pluto as well?"
"Of course! I can swear it in the temple!"
"... You are so confident, I will look into it again."
However, there are still not many who call me Hades.
No matter how much I am referred to as the god of mercy or wealth rather than the god of the underworld... this is truly unavoidable.
For mortals, what is feared like Zeus's thunderbolt is death, and soon the underworld...
Hmm.
As evidence, most of those who pray at the statue of Thanatos in Thebes are elderly men.
Last time, the rumor of Medusa even reached the ears of Perseus, who had become a king.
At that time, he personally came to the temple in Argos to pray to me.
"O lord of the underworld... Is it true that the Medusa I beheaded was originally human?"
On Perseus's face were mixed expressions of slight disbelief, guilt, and concern.
I possessed the body of a priest and answered him...
"Indeed, she was transformed into such a hideous form by the whims of fate."
"Ugh...! This can't be..."
"The Medusa, who has become a lesser goddess of the underworld, wishes to meet you. Would you like to have a conversation with her?"
"...!! Please!"
Just then, the newly ascended goddess Medusa requested, and I switched them.
Medusa, possessing a human body, seemed to show no particular emotion even when meeting the Perseus who had beheaded her.
"It was you who beheaded me, Perseus."
"Uh... Are you perhaps Medusa? What should I say..."
"... It's fine. You were merely swept away by fate, I do not hate you."
"But..."
Perseus appeared quite troubled yet was trying to apologize.
The one who achieved the hero's feat was not of bad character.
As their conversation lengthened, I quietly slipped away.
After a while, a small temple was built next to my temple in Argos...
And the owner of that temple was the lesser goddess of the underworld, Medusa.
Rumors began to spread that King Perseus occasionally visited Medusa's temple to pray...
As I reminisced about the tale of Medusa and Perseus, a loud noise snapped me back to reality.
Thanatos, the god of death with black wings, rushed into the banquet hall in a hurry.
Earlier, he had rushed out of the banquet hall... was he going to find out what was happening?
I should give Thanatos a vacation sometime...
"Ceres, Moros, Charon, we have a big problem! A war has broken out in the mortal realm!"
"What?! Again?"
"Damn it! Let's go quickly, Moros."
"Those mortals have started another war?"
Charon, who had been drinking wine recklessly, threw down his goblet and stood up hastily.
The other gods of death, Moros and Ceres, also left the banquet hall.
"A war in the mortal realm...? How many souls will come this time..."
"Hades, I’m sorry, but I think I should go too."
Upon hearing this news, more than half of the lower gods and overseers rushed out.
The three Minos brothers also glanced around before heading towards the courtroom.
"Why is it that every time I try to take a break, there’s a flood, a hero’s rampage, and now a war..."
"It can't be helped. Hades... we must go back to work."
Lady Lethe brushed past me, leaving a remark.
Seeing her beautiful eyes droop helplessly, I was left speechless.
"Hades?! Is this how the banquets of the underworld are?"
"...?"
Medusa and Mente froze at the sight of the gods and overseers leaving the banquet hall in an orderly fashion, as if resigned.
Yes... this is the underworld.
There is no time to relax.
Mente, who made eye contact with me, awkwardly swallowed the ambrosia she was eating and spoke.
"Hades, do I have to work too..."
"Mente, let’s focus on developing that mint dish we didn’t finish earlier. We should also think of ways to spread it to the mortal realm..."
Since this has happened, I might as well finish what I was doing and then take a break.
It’s unfortunate, but the banquet ends here.
As I led the pouting Mente back to my office, I heard Medusa’s voice.
"The underworld is truly... a unique place."
I thought so too.