King of Underworld

Chapter 141 Proposal

A moment later, the River Styx once again formed into the goddess’s shape.

Did she have a place to get dressed inside the river? Her attire and appearance seemed slightly different.

“…Hmph. How can you propose so suddenly! At the very least, set the mood…”

“Perhaps you’re not interested…”

“Not interested?! I spent ages wondering if I should propose first!”

The goddess—no, Styx—pulled me close with her flushed face. I didn’t resist and smiled, leaning in for another kiss.

A silver thread connected us briefly, then broke as she spoke in a slightly trembling voice.

“…I’m your first proposal, right? You didn’t already go to the other goddesses…?”

“Yes, you are the first.”

From the start, Styx had been my longest companion and the one I felt closest to.

Now, for the first time in ages, I felt a sense of peace.

“Hmph. I thought as much! Naturally, of course! But where did you get this ring?”

“I melted down the Stygian sword you gifted me and had Hephaestus forge it into this.”

“Oh…”

“I considered other gems and treasures, but this seemed to best convey my feelings.”

As I held her close, I wiped away her tears.

It wasn’t difficult to soothe the goddess, who sniffled in my embrace for a while.

“Do you know how long I’ve waited for this moment? I even dreamed of it…”

“Morpheus must have been working overtime.”

“Oh, really! You’d say that now? You’re a heartless god!”

Styx playfully smacked my chest with a small pout, a sight that made my lips curl into a smile.

We sat by the river, chatting about various things.

Although we’d often enjoyed such conversations, the nature of our bond and the emotions we shared had changed.

“And just so you know, I… I don’t mind…”

“I know. I don’t think of you as someone who’d lack understanding. Besides, I never intended to make you bear the title of queen alone. Go ahead and visit the other goddesses.”

“Thank you. I swear on the River Styx… I will make you happy.”

“…!”

Splash!

Ah. She fell in again.

* * *

Next, I headed to the audience chamber.

I’d initially gone to the River of Forgetfulness but was informed by one of her attendants that she’d taken some documents to the audience chamber.

“Hades… look at this…”

Thud.

The goddess, her eyes heavy with sleep, dropped a mountain of documents before me.

But work wasn’t supposed to be this overwhelming these days.

“What is all this?”

“When Gaia unleashed the dragon during the Argo expedition and killed the people of Iolcos, it caused an influx of souls.”

“That’s right.”

“But a few days ago, Hercules arrived, and since then, things have only piled up further.”

How could there be more work when we’ve increased our manpower—no, our divine power?

The goddess Lethe clenched her fist, trembling slightly, with a faint trace of exasperation in her expressionless eyes.

“He may be good at physical tasks, but he’s utterly lost when it comes to paperwork. The minor gods working alongside him have been grumbling incessantly. Even Apollo stormed out, shouting, ‘I cannot work with that oaf!’”

“Ah.”

“So now we’re dealing with even more disorganization, and I’m left cleaning up the mess…”

It made sense. Chiron had trained Hercules in combat, etiquette, and heroism, but never administrative work.

Underworld affairs are complex, requiring decision-making befitting a god.

And as the god of strength and struggle… no wonder Apollo would get frustrated.

“But as a god, he should experience such tasks at least once. I hope he learns a lot from this.”

“Sigh… Let’s get it sorted quickly. I’ll help.”

We moved to the office and began combing through the scrolls.

Proposal? The thought was long forgotten in my mind.

Tap.

Until our hands suddenly brushed together.

“Oh.”

“What’s the matter? Remember something?”

Ah, right. I’d meant to propose to the goddess Lethe here.

What am I even doing? I need to finish this quickly and get it done.

But now that I’d become conscious of it, I found it hard to focus on the task.

Thinking about how to bring it up, my hand slowed, and her scent, so close, made my head spin.

“Hades.”

“…?”

“Do you have something you want to tell me?”

“Ah. Was it that obvious?”

“Yes… very…”

Lethe lowered the parchment, gazing at me expectantly with her tired, quivering eyes.

“If you have something to say, say it first. I’d like to rest a bit, too.”

“All right, then…”

I swallowed and pulled a small box from my coat. Inside was the Ring of Youth that Zeus had once given me.

I opened the lid, turned it toward the goddess, and, taking a deep breath, spoke my wish.

“Will you marry me, Lethe?”

“Oh…!”

“I swear never to forget my love for you, not until the end of the world.”

Her hand trembled slightly as she extended it toward me, and I gently slipped the ring onto her finger.

The Ring of Youth encircled her delicate finger, which looked as if it might break with the slightest touch.

People say that the gift of forgetfulness granted by the goddess Lethe is a blessing, accompanying the aging process.

By gifting her the ring symbolizing youth, I hoped to convey my intent to love her with a memory unclouded by time.

“Yes. I would like that, too.”

And then, naturally, we kissed.

Holding Lethe close, I gently pressed my lips to hers as her eyes drifted shut.

Smooch.

“Mmm… this is nice… Hehe. Am I the first?”

“Uh. Well…”

“…Not the first?”

That sudden chill… Was that her power at play?

* * *

I spent a while comforting Lethe, who had taken on a sulky expression.

She muttered something about fairness among goddesses… or why she wasn’t the first… Fortunately, she was quite understanding.

I had no intention of becoming like Zeus or Poseidon, the type of husband whose wives quarreled over him.

Thankfully, the goddesses knew I sought to avoid that, and they seemed to get along well enough.

Of course, much would depend on my own conduct.

Next, I was planning to visit Mente, though she was currently in the mortal realm visiting her nymph friends.

So, it was time to see my niece and Demeter’s daughter, Persephone.

Following her divine aura of spring, I found myself back in the audience hall.

I spotted my adorable niece with her golden hair. What was that in her hand?

“Oh! Uncle Hades!”

“…Kore.”

Don’t call me uncle so suddenly. For a while, you’d been addressing me as Lord Hades…

Hearing that now makes me feel guilty about what I’m about to do.

“I’ll be returning to the mortal world tomorrow! And I have a gift prepared… hehe!”

A gift? Perhaps flowers from the mortal world?

I chuckled, about to ruffle her hair as I sat back on the throne, when I heard music playing.

♬ ♪~ ♩

“Huh? Could it be Lord Apollo?”

“Lyre music…?”

The heartfelt melody drew closer, a sound that seemed to reach the soul.

I’d heard all kinds of music before. Cadmus’s playing had entranced even Typhon… Apollo’s lyre…

The harmonies of the Muses… even the Sirens’ songs and Pan’s flute.

But I’d never encountered such a mesmerizing melody.

Wondering if it might be some kind of magic, I cloaked myself in divine power, but it was nothing of the sort.

Pure skill alone had crafted this music.

There were very few beings who could produce such music.

Actually, perhaps none. Could even Apollo’s full power create such a sound?

But Apollo was busy working in a corner of the Underworld, so it had to be someone else.

“Aah… Sob!”

I saw Persephone drop what she was holding and gaze in awe.

A tear rolled down her cheek.

♪~

The sound of the lyre filled the Underworld.

For a goddess to shed tears at a melody—personified nature moved to tears—was proof that this music could sway even the nonliving.

It would affect the gods working here, the ceaselessly punished, even the souls of the damned.

It wasn’t some trick of a god… nor a spell from Lady Hecate.

Ha. Whoever it is, they are remarkable. With music alone, they’re stirring the Underworld…

“Sniff…sob…”

“Here, dry your tears, Kore.”

“Yes…sniff…”

After handing her a handkerchief, I sat back on my throne, waiting.

The music was drawing nearer, and it was clear that I was its destination.

Could someone be entering the Underworld, hoping to make a request of me through music?

Smirking, I rested my chin on the armrest, curious about who it might be. I needed to see this person’s face.

♬ ~

I didn’t have to wait long.

Soon, a human man entered, playing a lyre as he approached.

Though not quite at the level of a god, he had a handsome face, long hair, and tears streaming from his closed eyes.

He had been trained by Chiron and was one of the heroes who’d sailed on the Argo.

Pluck.

As he let go of the lyre, the music that had filled the Underworld ceased.

Persephone… Kore, stopped crying for a moment as well.

The man, now in the audience chamber, knelt before me, tears streaming down his face.

“Oh Lord of the Underworld! I am but a humble mortal named Orpheus. Please, grant me mercy and bring my wife, Eurydice, back to life!”

I watched the mortal bow his head before me.

Bring back the dead…?

Even Zeus had asked this in vain. And now you ask for an exception?