King of Underworld

Chapter 94

The trial of Ares and Poseidon - (1)

After taking over the affairs of Thebes, I sat down with the goddess Styx and talked business.

It's thanks to her that I'm not overwhelmed with work every time I leave the empire...

"I swear by the River Styx that I am telling you the truth, Goddess, your hair is shiny again today."

"Ugh... don't keep swearing strange oaths in front of us! You haven't for a while, but then again..."

Even today, the goddess Styx is very shy about swearing in public.

But I can't help it when her beautiful black hair, like silk woven by Athena, flutters in front of my eyes.

I put the parchment down for a moment and stare at the black waves growing in front of me...

The goddess blushed slightly and opened her mouth.

"Then touch it... Do you want to see it? Just a little..."

I couldn't stand it anymore.

I nod dumbly and the Oath Goddess stands next to me, pressing her body against mine.

My nostrils catch the scent of piles and piles of parchment, or is it her olive scent?

I run my hand through her hair as she bends over her work, forcing herself not to look at me.

As I slowly stroke the goddess' hair, which seems to flow in my hands, I feel a strange, unrecognisable current of air.

"Mmm..."

Am I happy right now?

Spending quality time with a goddess, despite the hard and hectic work of the other world...

A thud.

"Hades, there's Ares at the entrance to the underworld... Huh?!"

"Hmph... What's going on?"

"Ugh...!"

It was Persephone, the goddess of spring and seeds, who opened the door and entered.

She quickly scanned the room, and as soon as she saw me and the goddess Styx clinging to each other, she pouted and put her hands on her hips.

"Blood... You're with the goddess Styx again and I'm nowhere to be seen, Hades?"

"You don't even call me uncle anymore..."

"That's because I have to call you when we get married, so when are you and I going to leave this world together?"

"...? You and I will leave this world together?"

"Oh, you act like you don't know. Rumours of Hades leaving with his favourite goddesses have already spread like wildfire in the underworld. Styx, Lethe and your mentor have also spent time with lesser gods, so why only me..."

Please. He's my nephew...

Of course, it's not a big deal between gods, but there is some psychological resistance...

Perhaps your presence is a little... premature for me.

The beautiful goddess of spring has given me a chance to reconsider my thoughts, but I'm reluctant to have anything to do with her...

Let's change the subject.

"...What do you mean by Ares coming to the entrance of the underworld?"

"Oh. That's right, he said he had a big fight with Little Poseidon's father and needed help to hold a trial..."

Poseidon and Ares had a big fight?

I thought the only time they had clashed before was during Poseidon's rebellion.

* * *

Just like that, I saw a male god step into the real world.

Muscular as iron, the armour of the gods forged by Hephaestus, a greatsword at his waist.

Ares, my nephew and god of war, knelt before me on one knee with an awkward smile.

Ares, who had been freaking out since the Flood, what was wrong with him?

"Good morning, Big Brother Hades."

"Yes. I've heard the story. What happened in the great battle between you and Poseidon, and why did you come to the other side?"

"I'll tell you slowly, what happened is..."

This is clearly a matter of this life.

Shouldn't Zeus decide for himself? But the fact that it was brought to me...

"It is... Because, as I said, everyone recommended Big Brother Hades."

"Tell me more."

The situation on Olympus, as Ares told it, was as follows.

Zeus, King of the Gods, decided to hold a trial in Athens because their quarrel had become so intense,

and the other gods had expressed their intention to attend.

But...

"Hmmm... So this Zeus is going to listen to both sides of the argument and make a judgement..."

"Zeus. Don't you think it would be better to ask Hades to do that instead of you?"

"I suppose that's Hera's point... After all, hasn't Hades always been in charge of such things in the underworld?"

"I think Hades is used to passing judgement..."

When Zeus offered to take on the role of judge, the goddesses disagreed and recommended me.

Hera, Hestia and Aphrodite gave their opinion and the other goddesses agreed...

"Ha! Yes, let's give it to Hades."

"I don't mind either, there's no fairer god than Hades."

"Hmmm. So everyone agrees to let Big Brother Hades be the judge?"

Even Poseidon and Ares before me agreed that I was a better judge than Zeus.

When Ares had finished, I looked at my nephew.

"So it is, big brother."

"And now you leave the affairs of this life to me."

"My father has said that if you help him, he will give you a ring of similar power to Harmonia's necklace."

The necklace of Harmonia, daughter of Ares and Aphrodite and wife of Cadmus, is a divine object that brings youth and beauty to its wearer.

But our gods are immortal and have no need of such a thing.

Nevertheless, the ring of youth...

It could be given to a favourite mortal, or it could make a fine collector's item.

"Hmm..."

Poseidon's son ran amok in Athena's city, by the way.

He may be an asshole, but I don't think Poseidon would have allowed or encouraged that, would he?

Athena and Poseidon don't get along, so it's quite possible.

I can see why the other goddesses told Zeus about me when he offered to preside over the trial...

I can also see why Zeus declined the offer.

Normally he would have offered himself as judge to keep Poseidon in check,

I'm sure he assumed that my character would side with Ares, and it wouldn't look good for him to be so blatantly against him.

Poseidon must have thought I was better than Zeus.

For now, that is what Ares told me.

It's something to think about, having heard both sides of the story.

"I see. I understand. Where do you want me to go?"

"Thank you. There's a trial tomorrow on a hill near Athens, and if you'd like to attend..."

Huh... Yes. There's another fight between the gods and I have to mediate.

I'll just have to go through the memories of that Halolithios... the one who was killed by Ares and became one of the people of the underworld... and go to the trial.