King of Underworld

Chapter 113

Justice and the Underworld

I managed to mediate the conflict between Ares, Aphrodite, and Eos well enough. Although, calming Aphrodite’s anger proved quite challenging.

[Aphrodite, try not to get so worked up and just listen.]

[Hades?!]

[If Eos has taken Ares from you, is there any reason you cannot win him back? I don’t see the goddess of love and beauty as any less attractive than the goddess of dawn.]

[...But.]

I reminded her of all the feats Eos had achieved and persuaded her, pointing out that free love was in line with her own desire to leave Hephaestus.

"Lady Eos, targeting Ares when he already had a partner was not the right thing to do."

"Is that your judgment as the god of fairness?"

"...Anyone would say the same. While not formally married, Ares and Aphrodite already have children together..."

I also chastised Lady Eos, gave Ares a talking-to, and resolved the matter without invoking the power of fairness.

Though I did not wield Dike's sacred balance, there was still an unsettling feeling when things went awry. This was indeed the power—and the duty—of fairness.@@@@

But I would not be governed by it. I would make judgments based on my own rationality. Since fairness was merely an additional role for the ruler of the Underworld, it was a perspective I could take.

The standards of fairness are not so clear-cut. For instance, blasphemy among gods is typically punishable by death...

It serves well enough as a reference, but it is far from perfect. Can a judgment based on my own understanding truly be called fair?

With that thought, I began walking toward Zeus.

When I saw Zeus again, he was leisurely gazing down at the mortals below from beneath the clouds, his hand resting on his chin and a blue light glinting in one of his eyes.

As I entered the audience chamber of the Olympian palace, Zeus waved away the other gods and attendants.

"Observing the mortal realm, were you?"

"Indeed. Lately, it seems like people are committing fewer sins—perhaps thanks to you, brother."

"This whole fairness business is nothing but a nuisance."

Zeus smiled as he looked at me.

"I think I understand why you’ve been given multiple domains. Mortals revere you so fervently..."

"So, why did you summon me? It must be an important matter."

"Ah... about that."

He cleared his throat, then stroked his beard, drawing out his words.

"Hmm. Hmm. You know, it’s about Dike, the goddess of justice."

"Since she recently became part of the Underworld, I doubt she’s caused any trouble..."

"I understand why you accepted the domain of fairness, but could you spare a thought for my pride?"

Ah, I immediately understood what Zeus meant. I’d heard that Dike had been going around lecturing the gods whenever she had a moment. The unruly gods likely didn’t take it well and went to Zeus with their complaints.

It seemed they had gone to Zeus because I, as the god of fairness, had been standing my ground and supporting her.

"I did manage to dismiss them easily enough, but there’s still quite a bit of dissatisfaction. It’s just that they’ve been living that way for so long..."

"There are too many who lack sense. Tsk."

"Hmph. While it would be nice if everything went justly, that’s not always the best approach."

Pursuing absolute justice inevitably clashes with reality. Just as reason and emotion conflict, so too must injustice and justice find a balanced compromise.

Even if I supported Dike, achieving a dramatic change would be difficult. But, I had accepted her for a reason, so gradual change might be possible.

"Hey! The nectar count in storage room 112 doesn’t match up! What’s going on?"

"I’ll make sure the guards conduct a proper inventory check."

"Do I really have to deal with this? Get a proper investigation done!"

"It seems a soul has reincarnated into the wrong body. It was supposed to be in a male body, but instead, it's in a female one..."

"Who on earth messed that up?"

"What?! How could they botch something like reincarnation?"

"Who’s responsible for this? The one with red horns?"

"Did you receive Lady Lethe’s blessing? That guy’s supposed to be torturing sinners!"

The Underworld was a noisy, even chaotic, place. Witnessing this hubbub, Dike felt overwhelmed by the state of affairs in this feared realm of mortals. At this moment, someone addressed Persephone beside her.

"Lady Persephone?! What brings you here? Shouldn’t you be over there?"

"Ah, I’m showing Dike around today!"

"...Lucky you."

Persephone beamed as she pointed at another goddess who had noticed them and nodded slightly. The shadows under her eyes invoked sympathy and sorrow.

"I’ll introduce them to you one by one. You should at least know their faces."

"Alright."

"First, this is Medusa. You know of her, right? She was...”

"Goddess of justice, it’s an honor."

"...You can call me Dike."

"Then, I’ll return to my duties. I’m behind schedule."

As Medusa, once a mortal turned into a goddess by Hades, resumed her work, Persephone explained how Hades had granted her leniency in her workload but that Medusa often volunteered on busy days.

"...Over there is the goddess of mint, Menthe."

"Ah... Hello, Goddess of Justice!"

"Indeed, I’ve heard much about the nymph who crafted Hades' symbol."

The goddess of mint, emitting a refreshing scent, hurried about with a teary expression. Before Persephone and Medusa’s arrival, she had been the youngest goddess here.

Persephone then pointed to two other goddesses amid mountains of scrolls, their conversation audible even from a distance. They appeared to be of a higher rank than Persephone.

"Styx... I think I wrote this wrong?"

"Oh no! I’m sorry, Lethe! It’s been so busy today, I keep making mistakes..."

"Haa..."

Dike cautiously introduced herself to them, guessing they were the goddesses of the Styx River and of Forgetfulness, Lethe, from their conversation.

"I am Dike, goddess of justice. I’ve recently started working here in the Underworld."

"I received a report. The daughter of Themis, if I’m not mistaken? As the goddess of justice..."

"Should we assign you to the courthouse? The famed scales..."

"That might work, but as the goddess of justice, she’ll need to oversee the mortal world too..."

Dike pondered.

Is there no justice in the Underworld?

This was, after all, the realm the gods dreaded to enter. The true state of the Underworld.