King of Underworld

Chapter 85

The Goddess of Forgetfulness, Lethe - (2)

Today marks the second day of the Olympia festival in honor of Zeus. The events include foot races, javelin throws, and chariot races.

As with yesterday, I plan to sit and watch the competitions with Goddess Lethe. Climbing the stone steps in search of a seat, I overheard the conversations of nearby mortals.

"Is the first event the foot race? Last time’s champion was..." "But in the end, won’t another one of the demigods win?" "Of course, without the bloodline of the Olympian gods, even the heroes can’t hope to win..." "Hey! But still, we humans can..."

Both demigods and mortals can participate in the Olympia festival dedicated to Zeus. However, the gap between those with divine blood and ordinary mortals is not easily bridged. The very fact of possessing godly lineage grants immense strength, stamina, and possibly special abilities.

Goddess Lethe, who had been listening to the conversation of the passing mortals, spoke up.

"It seems like the mortals feel a sense of deprivation..." "It’s understandable, given that they don’t possess divine blood. The difference is inherent from birth." "Then won’t a descendant of the Olympian gods inevitably win this competition?" "Perhaps..."

Even among demigods, those with a direct lineage from higher deities have an advantage. But that doesn’t mean the winner of such a competition is predetermined.

"The 16th contestant is a devout follower of the Goddess Artemis...!"

Seated at a decent height, we listened to the announcer. It seemed the foot race was about to begin, as the competitors were taking their positions, and the crowd grew silent.

Boom-

Thud. Thud-thud-thud.

"Whistle—" "Go, Moroclas!" "I’ve got so much drachma riding on this!" "Run faster!"

The drum sounded, and all the runners took off. Barefoot Greek men pushed off the ground with great force, sprinting ahead.

"Divine lineage does play a major role, but there are instances where personal effort can overturn it." "I’ve heard that cases where the natural gap is bridged are extremely rare..."

The world is inherently unfair. Lineage, talent, innate abilities, and social standing—none of these are easy for anyone to overcome.

"The winner is Deitos! The laurel crown will be bestowed upon you!"

"Waah!!!" "A demigod... lost to a human?" "I knew that guy would be something special from the way he trained outside the city!" "Who knew someone could be faster than the descendants of Hermes..."

But sometimes, there are mortals who overcome such differences. The man who won the foot race, beating many demigods, must be one of those rare individuals.

"Wow... that’s incredible. He seems to have the qualities of a hero..." "If he comes to Thebes, he might be worthy of nurturing in the Underworld."

An olive oil-filled terracotta jar, depicting a foot race, was presented to the winner. A laurel crown made from the branches of olive and laurel trees was placed on his forehead.

As the winner lifted the terracotta jar and smiled brightly, Goddess Lethe spoke.

"Speaking of heroes... what happened to the brother Bellerophon accidentally killed?" "His grudge seems to have greatly diminished. He actually expressed a desire to meet Bellerophon."

After arriving in the Underworld, Bellerophon had accepted my proposal for mediation. If his brother wished, Bellerophon would meet him and offer his apology.

Thus, Bellerophon met his brother in the Underworld, knelt before him, and sincerely apologized. Fortunately, the wronged soul accepted the apology.

As I was thinking about Bellerophon, a middle-aged man seated beside us suddenly spoke up.

"Hey... excuse me! Are you two... married by any chance?" "Is he speaking to us?" "Yes, you two. You seem close, but already-married women..."

He was eyeing Lethe with suspicion.

In the Olympia festival, a men’s-only event, married women were prohibited from both attending and observing. However, unmarried women were allowed to observe, as it was seen as a way to understand men’s roles in society.

"...I’ll be back in a moment."

I nodded, and she vanished.

Soon, her power of forgetfulness enveloped the house, and only the sound of soft breathing remained. The man who had suffered the horrors of war would soon find those memories fading.

When the Goddess of Forgetfulness returned, there was a small smile on her lips. It’s incredible to think that the goddess who once mourned her unwelcomed powers has changed so much...

"You’ve brought a little peace." "I don’t like seeing mortals suffer, bound by memories of their past."

That is the nature of forgetfulness. Though people cling to precious memories, they welcome her blessing when it comes to painful and horrific ones.

It’s much like the Underworld itself. As mortals age and approach death, they’re more likely to become my devotees. Meanwhile, the young, still far from death, chant the names of Ares, Apollo, or Zeus.

"It’s been a long time since I’ve had such a nice outing with you, Hades."

We had seen enough of the Olympia festival, and it was time to return to the Underworld. I raised my hand, pointing to a tall hill in the distance.

"Shall we climb that hill before we leave?"

Together, we climbed the hill, the sound of crickets echoing around us, fireflies flickering through the air.

Chrrr...

At the top of the hill, surrounded by darkness, we looked down at the grand city and sanctuary of Olympia, bathed in moonlight. The goddess, her silver hair fluttering in the wind, finally spoke.

"Hades." "Yes, my lady?" "Do you think that one day, the mortals living in that city will fully accept my blessing as well?"

Even gods with unbreakable wills cannot escape the blessing of forgetfulness. Over time, memories fade, and sometimes, they’re forgotten entirely.

Mortals forget even more easily. It’s common for them to lose fragments of yesterday’s memories.

"As the Goddess of Forgetfulness, I must bestow my blessing upon everyone." "Neither Zeus nor I have been exceptions to that, have we? Not even yourself, my lady."

Just as the Goddess of Love can fall in love, so too can the Goddess of Forgetfulness sink into the depths of oblivion. Lethe smiled faintly, her gaze fixed on me.

"But... today’s memories... I don’t want them to fade." "...I feel the same."

"Could you help me... make sure I don’t forget today?"

Desire flickered in the goddess's eyes for a moment before she closed them.

I moved closer to her and gently closed my eyes as well. Tilting my head slightly, I embraced her soft body, and our lips met once again.

"Gladly."

I parted my lips slightly, pressing my tongue softly against hers. A small gap formed between us as our beings intertwined.

The first thought that came to my mind was how sweet and warm she was. At the same time, I couldn’t help but want to continue this softness.

Our hands fumbled, grasping, but eventually, I regained my composure and pulled back.

A fine thread of silver remained between us for a moment before disappearing. A sweet taste of peach lingered in my mouth.

"Haa..."

Even if the flow of time and forgetfulness overtakes me, I will never forget this moment.