Mint's Goddess and Thebes - (2)
".... Ha. Hades?"
Mente called out urgently as she saw my face stiffen...
But I could not pay her any mind.
Holy Legion? Homosexuality as true love? What on earth is this?
Dionysus would never dare to do such a thing, and is this really a culture that has naturally arisen?
Did Zeus's act of bringing the Trojan boy, Ganymede, to Olympus have an influence?
Or perhaps...
"Wait, I have something to ask."
"Ah. Are you an outsider?"
I grabbed the arm of a boy who was running by, revealing himself to humans for a moment.
He seemed to have had similar experiences, as he was not flustered when a man who looked like an outsider spoke to him.
It was a good sign that many people were flocking to Thebes and thriving under my rule, but first, I needed to understand this unusual situation.
"Yes, I came to Thebes after a long time... What is this Holy Legion?"
"The Holy Legion? That is our elite force in Thebes! The Holy Legion was formed not long ago."
"So what I mean is... why was a legion made for men to act like that?"
While I tried not to look at the hundreds of men exchanging affectionate gestures with each other,
I posed the question to the boy who was looking up at me.
"Well, the wise philosophers all said so!"
"Philosophers?"
"Yes! Do you know what the result was after discussing love for several months in the public square? It was concluded that [love between men is pure love, free from the purpose of reproduction.] Ahem!"
No... what.
"Is there no divine oracle or other reason behind this?"
The boy looked at me with a puzzled expression.
"Huh? But wouldn’t the gods also like it?"
"This?!"
"Our Thebes realized a part of the truth before other cities. The theologians and priests say that the gods also..."
It seems this is indeed influenced by Zeus...
Now that I think about it, these theologians have been around for quite some time.
They are not priests but those who write about divine anecdotes and the genealogy of the gods.
Did such people also come to that conclusion?
"Mente... let's go to a quiet place."
"Hades..."
I watched the boy run off happily after receiving a few drachmas for answering my questions well, and I scratched my head.
Is this the madness that mortals see in Dionysus? I should have paid more attention to Thebes.
Lately, I have been quite busy and hadn’t checked on Thebes, and look at this situation.
The power of the gods is meant to be used at times like this.
Once my date with Mente is over, I should appear in the dreams of the king of Thebes or the high priest and deliver an oracle.
If I were to demand the immediate disbandment of the Holy Legion or throw those engaging in homosexuality into Tartarus, it would cause great chaos...
Just hinting that the god Pluto does not favor homosexuality should be enough for them to stop.
I stopped my thoughts and took Mente's right hand, who was quietly looking at me.
"Ah...!"
"I'm sorry, Mente. I got lost in thought for a moment."
"It's okay. As long as you weren't thinking about other goddesses, I'm fine!"
"It seems there's some kind of festival happening over there, let's go."
Holding Mente's hand, we moved in one direction.
It was much better not to see those strange beings of the Holy Legion.
As I expected, it seemed that there was some kind of festival in Thebes today, as people were walking around with lively smiles.
However, what was stuck in the citizens' hair... mint leaves?
"Indeed, since it's a festival day, there are many people... Give me a mint leaf as well."
"Yes, here you go."
A man who bought a mint leaf from a street vendor stuck it by his ear.
It seems that if one wishes to participate in the festival, they stick mint in their hair,
So, is the festival happening in Thebes now for Mente?
"Starting today for three days! We are selling mint oil at a low price! It can be added to baths or applied to the body for good effects!"
"Is it more effective than olive oil?"
"This is the mint perfume that shows Elysium right before your eyes, and right now..."
"Truly, as a city that worships the god Pluto, they also hold a mint festival."
"How strange it is to worship the fearsome lord of the underworld..."
"Shh, if you say that here, you'll get scolded. Did you forget that most of the people in Thebes are followers of Pluto?"
"The mint that has been recognized for its effectiveness even by the priests of the Apollo temple in faraway Lydia..."
"It means that the god of healing, Phoebus, also thinks highly of mint leaves."
"They say it clears the mind and reduces fever. Besides that..."
All these people are chatting about the symbol I established and even holding a festival.
Everyone praises the grace of the gods and expresses their gratitude.
It is always a heartwarming and fulfilling sight.
Mente, who was holding my hand and following me, also had a pleasant smile on her face.
"Hehe... Hades, humans really love mint!"
"That's all thanks to you for creating it. It was a feat worthy of a god."
Mente looked at me and smiled brightly.
Is this refreshing scent coming from her? Or is it from the humans nearby enjoying the mint festival?
"Um... but I have something I'm curious about."
"What is it?"
"When we first met, you said you would take mint as a symbol."
"...?"
"Could you tell me what you meant by lost memories? Why did you choose to symbolize something I created?"
"Alright, I will grant you one wish in exchange for reviving the lost memories."
Mente looked at me with sparkling eyes.
However... even if I told her that there was a time long ago, in a past I could hardly imagine, when I was a mortal, she would not believe it.
The reincarnation of mortals is managed by various gods belonging to the underworld.
In a world where science has advanced, the various foods made from mint, and the unique scent I used to smell every day after meals,
Mente would not know.
So my answer is...
"That mint was a plant I originally knew."
"Huh? But it didn’t exist in the world until I accidentally created it..."
"A long time ago, in a time you do not know... the plant that always existed by my side was called mint."
Mente's face, which had been looking at me, changed to a distant expression.
I don't know what she is imagining, but I continued speaking.
"When that refreshing and unique scent touched my nose, I realized that the plant you created was that one."
"Ah..."
"So I took mint as my symbol."
The mint leaves stuck in the heads of the humans chatting around us.
To other gods, it may just be a plant with a unique scent, but to me, it was a medium that evoked long memories.
A precious plant that reminds me that I was once a mortal, not an immortal.
That is mint.
And the one who created it, Mente...
I brought my hand to Mente's cheek as she quietly looked at me.
She did not shy away but leaned into me, and the refreshing scent wafted from her hair.
"I am always grateful to you, Mente."
"What do you mean... As a mere nymph, the grace I received from you, Hades..."
"No, you have revived memories for me that are irreplaceable."
Power, status, honor...
As a powerful deity reincarnated, I lacked for nothing.
Though so much time has passed that I can hardly remember, I must have worked hard to grasp such things in my past life.
That is why what does not come to my hand now...
No, I clearly remember, but what slips away like flowing water are the memories of my past life.
"... Sometimes I have bad thoughts. Occasionally... I look down on mortals like those despicable gods I despised."
"The merciful god Hades, even you?!"
Not just any god, but even Zeus, the king of gods, cannot treat me carelessly.
Most gods are younger or of lower rank than me.
Moreover, the divine position I hold is the underworld, which mortals fear the most.
I am the ruler of the underworld, possessing power, wealth, and strength.
It would be a lie to say that I do not feel a hint of arrogance.
"Because I am not a perfect god... sometimes when mortals praise and fear me, I find myself falling into arrogance along with the thought that it is only natural."
"Hades..."
"As the great lord of the underworld, there were times I felt I should not tolerate the rudeness of mortals and show my majesty."
"But Hades is praised as the fairest and most merciful among all deities."
"That is the result of effort; it is not my innate nature."
I, who am also called the merciful god by mortals...
Even when punishing Tantalus not long ago, I had to suppress the urge to impose even more horrific punishments.
The desire to execute the most severe punishment without giving the sinner a chance to explain.
Most of the thoughts that formed the basis of that desire stemmed from anger at the one who killed his own son and served him as a meal,
But there was also a faint anger at the audacity of a mere mortal trying to deceive and insult the gods.
"The lord of the underworld, who should be the fairest of all, is actually just a clumsy god who sometimes wavers. Has your illusion of me been slightly shattered, Mente?"
"No, no... not at all. The Hades I know..."
I smiled as I looked at Mente's face.
I could see a bit of moisture gathering in her clear turquoise eyes.
I reached out to wipe the corners of her eyes and placed my hand gently on the back of her neck.
Seeing the goddess's fair skin up close stirred my heart.
Indeed, I share the same feelings as her.
"You are the one who sometimes holds me back."
"Me...?"
"Yes, every time I remember you and the scent of mint... I reflect on my actions."
As time passes, my perspective on mortals gradually wears away, but what holds me back is the memory of being human.
In my past life, it was a scent that was not particularly special, one I had always known...
But now, as a god of the underworld,
The very thing that reminds me that I was once a mortal is mint.
"And I am always grateful to you for creating mint; I feel indebted."
"What... and...? Also..."
"... I think I feel the same way as you."
Mente's face, which had been looking at me with pity, turned bright red.
As I gazed at her face, which seemed ready to burst if touched, I slowly tightened my grip on the back of her neck.
Like iron drawn to a magnet, her face drew closer without resistance.
In the thick, sweet mint scent...
I kissed her.
"Hah..."
This sweet and refreshing feeling is...
Surely, peppermint.