King of Underworld

Chapter 84

The Goddess of Forgetfulness, Lethe - (1)

Once again, a peaceful day in the Underworld. The return of the Goddess of Spring from the living world is not far off.

Persephone... she harbors deep feelings for me as well. As my thoughts wandered toward the Goddess of Spring, Demeter came to mind.

"I don’t know if you and that child will eventually marry, but if that day comes, please take good care of Kore."

Demeter had asked me to look after her daughter. Though Persephone is technically my niece... I don’t seem to have the time to dwell on her just yet.

Especially when I’m currently facing the resolute expression of the Goddess Lethe, approaching me with determination...

"Hades! Please... come to the living world with me!" "Pardon?"

I stopped my thoughts and turned to look at her, her silver hair fluttering in the air. The Goddess of Forgetfulness, with an expression that seemed almost heroic, was clenching one of her fists as if she were heading to battle.

"Ah... that's not what I meant... There's a festival in Olympia to honor the god Zeus, and I thought, perhaps, you could join me and observe the humans’ situation..."

The festival in Olympia is part of a ceremony to honor the king of the gods, Zeus. Held every four years, it lasts for five days, and many gods come to observe the event.

During the Olympia festival, all wars and conflicts are prohibited, even Ares' ongoing battles are put on hold. If any humans dare to break this rule, divine punishment swiftly follows.

It’s only natural, considering the mortals are offering sacrifices to Zeus.

"My apologies. I should have been the one to suggest this. Let me get ready, and we’ll leave shortly." "W-what? Hades, you’re... suggesting this...?" "I was hoping to spend some time with the Goddess as well."

Approaching the Goddess of Forgetfulness, who seemed frozen in disbelief, I placed my hand on her shoulder, meeting her gaze that was a mix of confusion, shock, and... hope.

"It seems I’ve been neglecting you for too long... but I intend to change that now." "N-nehe..."

What is love? Maybe with a little more experience, I’ll come to understand it.

We ascended to the living world and headed toward Olympia, where the festival honoring Zeus was being held. This place is entirely within Zeus's domain, so I suppose I should at least pay my respects.

A god roaming the city in disguise is something Zeus would certainly not appreciate.

"Shall we head to Zeus's temple first?" "Are you going there to chat?"

We entered the temple of Zeus, remaining unseen by the mortals. As expected of the temple of the king of gods, the massive structure was filled with people.

How does it compare to my temple in Thebes? Considering the upcoming festival, with tourists, merchants, and athletes flooding in...

"Great Lord of the Sky, in your grace..." "I have raised these cattle well, and I wish to donate them to the temple of Zeus..." "This eagle, symbol of Zeus, is a finely carved..."

We passed through long lines of mortals, priests, and guards, moving deeper into the temple. We also passed worshippers carefully washing their hands and preparing incense... until finally, we entered a wide hall.

There, the enormous statue of Zeus came into view. Holding a thunderbolt in one hand, seated on his throne, the size of the statue was overwhelming, as if it were composed of dozens of humans combined.

We approached the statue, flanked by marble pillars. The throne, made of cedar and gold, was supported by a wooden framework covered with ivory and gold.

The sculptors have done well in capturing Zeus’s throne from Olympus.

"What are you doing... quickly... Ah~"

But that’s only on the surface. After spending so much time together, I came to realize that she harbors the spirit of a young maiden, like the spring itself.

When did I first notice that she treats me a little differently than she does others? Was it when our divine pantheon claimed dominion over the world, and I still bowed my head in greeting to her? Or because, unlike my more lustful brothers, I never pursued goddesses? Or perhaps when I personally ruled in favor of a human connected to the gods, granting them leniency?

Or maybe it was even before then...

"My arm is hurting..." "I remember when we first met." "...?" "It was not long after I became the ruler of the Underworld. At that time..."

Closing my eyes, I allowed myself to reflect on the past.

A memory from long ago—when I first surveyed the five rivers of the Underworld, inspecting my domain after our victory in the war against the Titans.

It was then that I met a goddess by the River of Forgetfulness.

Sitting on the riverbank, her head buried in her knees, the silver-haired goddess exuded an aura of forgetfulness that spread around her.

"Pleased to meet you. I am Hades. Might you be the Goddess of Forgetfulness...?" "...Please, go away."

Though our first meeting did not go well, I continued to visit her. Over time, we spoke often. Living creatures forget her even when she’s still, and the power of forgetfulness swallows the history of mortals.

Limos, the Goddess of Hunger, similarly drives all living things into hunger just by being present. Though gods can resist, it comes at the cost of continuously expending power.

In the same way, the Goddess of Forgetfulness invoked fear among mortals and was not warmly received among the immortals. More than that, she seemed lost in despair.

Yet I kept visiting her...

"We gods can resist the power of forgetfulness, can we not? You might find it more comfortable to stay in the Underworld..." "...Why do you keep coming to me?" "Because seeing you alone here in the middle of nowhere doesn’t sit well with me." "A busy lord like you comes to see me because..."

And what did I say back then...? Ah. I think I simply spoke my mind, out of frustration.

"It’s part of my duty." "...What?" "A goddess burdened with a shunned power and overcome by despair—helping her is the duty of the Lord of the Underworld."

For the first time, she lifted her head, showing a glimpse of emotion.

"There's no living being that likes forgetfulness. Just leave me be..." "...I like it." "What...?"

From that day on, the Goddess of Forgetfulness began residing in the citadel of the Underworld.

Back in the present, I looked at Lethe, who was beside me. A smile, filled with my own emotions, naturally appeared on my face.

"Why... why are you smiling, Hades?"

I could see her face, usually so still, brightening just a little. Perhaps it was due to her long stay in the Underworld...

No, let’s not avoid the truth. I know why she’s acting this way.

Aphrodite herself would have trouble defining this feeling... but it’s likely love.

"...It’s just that seeing you makes me smile, my lady." "Ugh... just eat this instead."