The Story of Life - (3)
The underworld ruled by Hades, the king of the afterlife, was bustling as usual.
Especially now, all the gods were mobilized to prepare for the great flood that would soon sweep across the earth.
"When the great flood begins, the small beasts in the lowlands will be the first to perish."
"First, when we looked over this realm, the city we must prioritize visiting is..."
"The ferryman Charon of the Acheron River will have a hard time."
"We should have the souls clear this area and move to another place..."
The desperate struggle of the underworld officials to prepare for the explosive population growth.
And I, Hades, was handling all the reports they submitted.
Assigning and judging the souls that would come to the underworld due to the great flood, and preparing the spaces they would inhabit in the afterlife.
In addition, overseeing the subordinate gods, efficiently distributing roles, and preventing various issues that might arise in the underworld.
There was hardly any part that I did not need to touch.
I had to manage everything while respecting the jurisdictions of the gods in their respective areas.
At this moment, I began to understand why the story of Hades was so little known in the fading knowledge of Greek mythology from the 21st century.
"Hades, if we expand the realm of the afterlife towards the Elysian Fields..."
"How about recruiting more ferrymen to assist Charon?"
"Indeed, it would be better to request support from Olympus..."
With so much work, it was impossible for me to step outside the underworld.
For reference, the Elysian Fields is a paradise where the souls of those who achieved remarkable feats or showed kindness during their lives reside.
The majority of souls who do not qualify to enter there will live in my underworld.
Despite being underground, it is a mysterious space filled with sunlight and abundant flora and fauna, much like an ordinary meadow on the earth.
Souls that enter there can do what they wish in a meadow blessed by the gods, experiencing a spiritual fulfillment that surpasses any material pleasure.
Simply put, one can think of it as an ancient Greek-style heaven.
"Hades! Right now, the great Zeus has come to the afterlife!"
Did I hear that wrong?
The soul that rushed into my office seemed to say that Zeus had come.
"The great god Zeus has visited the afterlife with the goddess of the rainbow, Iris!"
Earlier, I had conveyed my displeasure through Iris, but that proud Zeus has come all the way here?
As I nodded, the door to my office opened by a soul soldier, revealing the golden-haired god I knew.
Zeus approached with an awkward expression, clearing his throat, followed closely by the goddess of the rainbow, Iris.
"Hmm. Hmm. It's been a while, brother Hades."
He really came to this dark place directly.
The king of the gods personally came to apologize in the domain ruled by the other three gods.
Could it be that his power is unstable, or is there some problem in Olympus?
"It was my mistake not to inform you in advance about the great flood. In my eagerness to punish those shameless humans, I completely forgot to consult you, brother."
I gestured for him to take a seat across from me.
Now that he has come to apologize in person, my heart began to soften.
"Ahem. I had no intention of disregarding the authority of the afterlife. I have prepared some things as a gesture of apology..."
"As a gesture of apology?"
"First, to prepare for the excessive workload that will come to the afterlife during the flood, I will send some attendants from Olympus and my daughter, Athena..."
Oh... this is quite good news.
The goddess of wisdom can handle the immense workload of the afterlife with ease.
"And there will be no more decisions made solely by Olympus that lead to the extinction of life in the mortal realm without discussing it with the afterlife."
That goes without saying.
Indeed.
"I can swear this by the River Styx."
Hearing that Zeus came all the way to the afterlife to apologize softened my heart, and I nodded casually before stopping.
An oath sworn by the River Styx holds absolute power that even the gods cannot break.
Well, it seems he is reflecting on his actions.
No matter how much I criticize Zeus, he knows when to humble himself as the king of the gods.
Of course, the fact that I am not a lowly god also contributed to this decision.
"And how about sharing a drink of nectar with me? It's been a while, and we have much to talk about..."
I chuckled and cleared some documents off my desk.
The goddess of the rainbow, Iris, quickly took out ambrosia and nectar from the rainbow and stepped aside.
"Alright, let's have a drink after a long time."
As Zeus and I shared nectar and talked in my office, whispers could be heard from various corners of the afterlife.
Mostly from the lower gods, officials, and souls in the underworld.
"Oh my... Zeus is in the afterlife..."
"Though he is a brother to Hades, were they really that close?"
"Surely, there won't be a sudden lightning strike...?"
It seems that my words reached Iris, and she must have felt the urgency.
I never expected him to come so hastily to gauge the sentiments of the afterlife.
"I see that other gods have also expressed dissatisfaction about the great flood."
"Poseidon is actually the biggest problem. He seems to be eyeing my position, subtly..."
Listening to Zeus's lament, I popped ambrosia into my mouth.
Though he gained justification to sweep the earth through Pandora, it seems there are gods who harbor doubts about the flood and those who oppose it.
I spoke to Zeus, who was lamenting.
Was it really necessary to cling to the position of king of the gods?
"You and Poseidon, what is this obsession with being the masters of Olympus..."
"Hahaha! Are you perhaps envious of my position, brother Hades?"
Zeus's gaze sharpened for a moment, but he casually took the nectar cup away from his lips.
We know each other well enough that there is no reason for unnecessary suspicion; it must have been a joke.
"It was a joke. A joke. But you know the view from Olympus, right? I find it strange that you, who seem to have no interest in power, would be so curious."
The Olympus palace, looking down on everything from the clouds.
All six gods, including myself, Zeus, and Poseidon, had seen that view before fighting the Titans.
Indeed, that feeling was truly overwhelming.
Could this be what it feels like to see the world from the perspective of a supreme being, as if the entire world were in my hands?
It was one of the reasons I decided to fight against the Titans.
But if I were to ask why I am different from Poseidon, who has the power and position to challenge that seat...
"If I ascend to the golden throne of Olympus, I will no longer be able to remain here."
"Surely Olympus would be much better than this gloomy underworld."
Should I explain a bit more?
If I were to seize the position of king of the gods and ascend to Mount Olympus, many changes would occur.
First, I would no longer be able to frequently see the grateful goddess of the Styx who forged my sword...
Thanatos, who struggles daily to harvest souls, would not come up to Olympus...
Hypnos, Moros, and Cerberus, who assist with the affairs of the underworld, and the goddess of forgetfulness, Lethe, would also be separated.
Lastly, all the subjects who currently reside in the underworld and follow my rule would also have to part ways.
The guard, Kostaris, who always stands at the door of my office, refused to reincarnate even after dying unjustly on the surface and having his memories erased.
Nerdis, the woman who serves nectar beside me at every banquet in the underworld, also met a tragic end at the hands of wicked ruffians...
Just as I was about to continue, Zeus interrupted me for a moment.
Perhaps he found it quite boring when I began to delve into the tales of humans.
However, the golden-haired god stroked his beard, nodding as if he had realized something.
For the first time in a long while, the aspect of a true king revealed itself in Zeus.
His true nature shone through for a moment.
"Indeed, I understand now. You are already a true king, so you do not covet the position of king of the gods."
That statement was correct.
I am the king of the underworld.
Becoming the most powerful among the gods is nothing compared to fulfilling my duties in my current position or caring for my subjects.
Perhaps I have grown attached to this dark and dreary place.
And if you have just now realized that, shouldn't you, as the king of the gods, stop acting like a ruffian?
Not just ruffian acts, but how many times have you committed adultery? And yet you still want to hold onto power?
I conveyed my thoughts gently, softening the words.
"Well? I have a duty to ensure the prosperity of the Olympian gods. And in fact, even now, the lovely figure of Iris is lingering in my mind..."
Zeus shook his head with a feigned stern expression, but his eyes, speaking of Iris's figure, were filled with lewdness.
Are you not afraid of Hera, Zeus?
The prosperity of the Olympian gods you often mention seems to be just a pretext to satisfy your own desires, doesn't it?
If that were not the case, what reason would you have to engage with your sisters and relatives...?
"Hmm, why are you looking at me like that?"
He averted his gaze from mine with an uneasy expression.
Should I just say 'Uranus'?