Mint's Goddess and Thebes - (1)
"Lord Hades! Shall we depart right now?"
Behind the urging Mente, I see a mirage of a puppy's tail wagging wildly.
It seems she was quite disappointed that our last walk was interrupted by the Gigantes' attack.
"I must not have paid enough attention to you. If you had told me in advance, I would have taken you out."
"Well... I wanted to, but..."
The Goddess of Mint shows a troubled expression.
"You wanted to...?"
"Oh, no! If I cut in line, I would be cursed... I would be trampled..."
Suddenly, she clasps her hands together and trembles.
What on earth is she talking about? Cursed... trampled?
"Anyway, let's move directly to Thebes after passing through the heroes' training ground. I need to get out to refresh my mood."
"Yes! I will make sure to decorate myself beautifully to please Lord Hades! Oh, and I..."
Mente, who was about to leave the audience chamber with a happy face, suddenly stopped and spoke softly.
Her back was turned to me, so I couldn't see her face, but her ears were flushed redder than ever.
"I think the golden-threaded chiton you wore when we first met suits you best, Lord Hades. It's not my preference or anything, just..."
"If you liked it, then wear it."
Was that outfit I saw last time Mente's preference?
I chuckled at her bold words and changed my attire.
It may sound strange, but I was fully aware of my appearance and popularity.
However, it is rare to find a deity who treats me without formality due to my high position as the King of the Underworld.
Moreover, most mortals fear the name Hades and call me Pluto.
That must be the case... but the Goddess of Mint was different.
"Wow...! Lord Hades, you look incredibly cool right now! Hehe... I'll be back soon!"
When she met me as a water nymph, Naiad, she was a unique nymph whose curiosity and excitement outweighed her fear.
Perhaps it was her nature that allowed her to become my priestess and eventually rise to the position of a goddess.
Mente and I soon discovered Chiron in the heroes' training ground, where Persephone's power lingered.
The centaur sage was giving a lecture to aspiring heroes, looking happier than ever.
"When shooting an arrow, keep your feet shoulder-width apart, and the back leg..."
Chiron was nocking an arrow and aiming at the target.
The aspiring heroes were sitting around the open space, carefully observing him.
After Chiron finished his explanation, they scattered to practice archery.
It seemed they had gathered those who were not very skilled at archery, as they awkwardly pulled back their bows, and Chiron approached.
He was at a distance where the heroes couldn't see us, but it seemed he spotted us.
"When did you arrive, Lord Hades? Goddess Mente has come as well."
"Chiron, it seems the training of the heroes is going well."
"Ah, of course. Didn't many heroes who recently accomplished their tasks come here? Thanks to that..."
Chiron paused mid-sentence and turned his head.
In an open space far from here, heroes were aiming weapons at each other.
I recognized some familiar faces, like Bellerophon... and Perseus too...
Crash!
A man easily dodged a flying sword and tripped the man opposite him.
The fallen man complained to his opponent, looking wronged.
"King Perseus! What is a great hero like you doing here!"
"What do you mean? Training the next generation is also a hero's duty, isn't it?"
"No, but still, a king like you shouldn't be training..."
"...? Look over there, Cadmus is also present. Compared to me, he's a nobody. Come at me quickly!"
It was a sight to see all sorts of renowned heroes, who had completed their tasks and died, training aspiring heroes.
When Perseus died and arrived in the Underworld, Zeus had intended to turn him into a constellation along with his wife Andromeda.
However, upon learning about the hero training center in Thebes, Perseus refused.
He expressed his desire to continue nurturing the next generation even after death, and they honored his wish.
Originally, he was supposed to be sent to Elysium, but he knelt down, saying a sinner who killed his grandfather could not go there.
He truly reminded me of Cadmus in many ways.
"Here, they can receive such high-level training. It's much better than when I taught alone."
"I'm glad to hear that. If there are any heroes you want in the future, I will send them here."
After looking at Chiron's satisfied smile for a moment, I turned my gaze to Mente.
She was admiring the scene of the heroes training.
"Wow... Lord Hades. Look over there. Is that the royal serpent Python...?"
"Mente, if we show ourselves to them, it will cause unnecessary commotion, so let's pass quietly."
I urged Mente and moved my feet outside the gap in space.
Swoosh—
"What... What?! The heroes are still coming out... Ah! Lord Hades...!"
As soon as we crossed over to the mortal realm, we were greeted by a middle-aged male priest who looked flustered upon seeing us.
A high-ranking priest with quite a deep faith...
I am sure his name is...
"Was it Besileidis? His devotion, praying without fail every day, is truly exemplary for a priest."
"You remember my name... It is an honor! Cough..."
Wait a minute.
Don't suddenly prostrate and cry on the ground...
I only slightly praised him for praying every morning and evening.
The stone floor here must be cold; we need to leave quickly.
"It is uncomfortable to keep seeing my priest lying on the cold stone floor. Get up."
"But... how can I..."
"It is an order."
Only then did the priest carefully rise.
"Keep the fact that the Goddess of Mint and I have come to Thebes a secret."
"Of course! To the River Styx... um."
"... There is no need for such an oath."
As soon as I heard the mention of the River Styx, I quickly silenced him.
Why is he trying to swear by the River Styx right away?
There is no need for that...
Isn't his faith a bit excessive?
If Mente and I stay here any longer, he might faint; we need to move on...
We passed by him, who showed almost fanatical faith, and concealed our presence as we blended into Thebes.
However, as soon as we exited the temple connected to the Underworld, we saw...
"Are you going to keep insisting? The consort of Lord Pluto is surely Goddess Styx!"
"Isn't your argument too weak? She was struck by Eros' golden arrow and..."
"That golden arrow was not proclaimed by the priests of Lord Pluto, so stop the baseless speculation!"
"How do you explain that the statue of Lethe is right next to the statue of Pluto?"
There were many people in Thebes discussing my consort.
Some were debating seriously, while others were expressing their opinions with interest.
However, the sheer number of them... was a problem, as they filled the open space in front of the temple.
When I made eye contact with Mente, she too sent me a look of bewilderment.
"The Goddess of Mint was originally a nymph who became a low-ranking deity, so isn't this a sign of Pluto's favor?"
"That's because she created the mint, which is the symbol of Lord Pluto, not favor!"
Just then, the conversation about Mente surfaced.
Was my making Mente a low-ranking deity a sign of my favor towards her... or was it merely a reward?
Suddenly, I felt a small hand grasping my right hand.
The goddess's soft touch shyly held onto me, and I turned my head to look at her.
"Lord Hades... I... I'm curious too."
"Mente."
"Do you... perhaps think about me...?"
She asked this question as soon as we stepped into the mortal realm.
Her face was flushed red, but she spoke while looking into my eyes.
It was a question she had always been curious about.
I sensed a hint of anxiety in her gaze.
Surely, it was Zeus who made Mente a low-ranking deity, not me.
But when it came to whether I favored Mente...
"... Lord Hades?"
Her turquoise hair shone brightly, and her clear eyes sparkled.
Even when she was a water nymph, she boasted beauty that rivaled the goddesses, and she became even more beautiful as a low-ranking deity.
As I silently gazed at her, she seemed to feel anxious and hurriedly spoke.
"I... I don't dream of being a consort... but even as a mistress..."
"Mente."
I slowly raised my hand and gently stroked her head, causing her to stop speaking.
Though in the past, I might have thought of avoiding this situation, I resolved not to do so anymore.
From the moment I first met Mente as a nymph... the days when she became my priestess and worked in my temple,
The memories of her liking me and becoming a low-ranking deity to come to the Underworld flashed before my eyes.
Despite being burdened with all sorts of petitions and work, the reason I could maintain my smile in the Underworld...
The Goddess of Mint, who never lost her liveliness, had already deeply entered my heart.
"... You don't need to plead so much. I don't dislike you either."
"Ah..."
Her eyes widened in surprise, and she soon relaxed and embraced me.
The refreshing scent emanating from her body tickled my nose.
As I savored the soft touch of her turquoise hair, something behind Mente caught my eye.
"I love you, Melediphos."
"I too... like you just the same, Alcaeus."
Two men in their twenties to thirties were embracing each other.
Even the other citizens showed no reaction as if it were nothing unusual.
"Yes. That is true love."
"Love with a woman is a pure affection aimed at reproduction."
In the midst of such an absurd scene, I quickly scanned the surroundings...
Hundreds of men in uniform were engaging in affectionate acts on one side of the street.
Who dared to poison my Thebes?
"... H-Hades?"