Episode 25: The King of the Underworld is Tired

Episode 25: The Story of Pluto’s Temple – (2)

"Scream! Ah... Ah..."

Parona, the priestess of Hades' temple, let out a scream as she abruptly stood up from her seat.

The pain in her head from the influx of knowledge and the strange energy coursing through her body overwhelmed her.

She hurriedly grabbed the water beside her and drank it, trying to organize the memories that had been implanted in her.

First, her master, Hades, desired the revival of the temple and the expansion of its influence. Ultimately, he wanted her help in finding creatures called Gigantes.

She shuddered at the thought of the grotesque appearance of the Gigantes—creatures with the lower body of a serpent, the upper body of a human, and a massive size, man-eating monsters.

"Ugh..."

The blessings she had received from Hades were surprisingly numerous. Like the Oracle of Apollo in Delphi, who prophesied in a trance, or the huntresses who received the blessings of Artemis by swearing to maintain their virginity, she too could now wield a portion of the power of the god she served.

She had the blessing of wealth, attracting fortune even while standing still, the ability to communicate with certain spirits, and a cold, dark energy that she felt when she slightly raised her hand.

'I was always a bit envious of the priestesses of Hecate...'

Hecate, the goddess of magic. For a human to wield magic, they must become a priestess or follower of Hecate. Only then could they be taught the knowledge of magic and wield mysterious powers.

Even though she had been serving one of the three major gods, she had not been granted any abilities until now. Could it be that the Gigantes were so dangerous that even her god, who had shown little interest in the mortal world, would go this far?

‘Lord Hades... Honestly, I'm a little scared...’

And finally, she was appointed as the high priestess of the underworld ruler, Hades.

‘It seems like a responsibility far too great for me...’

Parona, on the verge of tears, slumped her shoulders. However, as a devoted priestess of Hades, she began to reaffirm her resolve when a guest arrived.

A young servant, dressed in a splendid and clean outfit, appeared, likely from the royal family.

"Are you the priestess of Hades—no, of Pluto? King Polydoros, the rightful ruler of Thebes, summons you."

* * *

Polydoros, the current king of Thebes and a descendant of the great hero Cadmus, who founded the city, clutched his head when he saw the priestess of Hades approaching.

As the priestess paid her respects to the king, he slowly began to speak.

"Last night, a figure claiming to be the god Morpheus appeared in my dream, telling me that if I revive the temple of Pluto, the kingdom will prosper..."

This was undoubtedly an oracle.

An oracle is when a divine being conveys their will or warnings to humans, predicts a special human's fate, or when a human asks a god for information.

"And he also told me to speak with the priestess of Pluto."

Already, the previous king of Thebes, Pentheus, had met his end due to the involvement of the gods of Olympus. Was another god meddling in Thebes?

Pentheus had been killed as a consequence of oppressing the followers of Dionysus, the newly ascended 12th Olympian god. Dionysus was the god of wine and madness, but Hades...

"So, if I don't follow the oracle, did Pluto say he would punish us by taking all the people of Thebes to the underworld?"

King Polydoros looked at the priestess before him with eyes filled with a mixture of fear and displeasure. Never before had the words of a beautiful priestess dressed in black felt so terrifying.

The priestess, seeming startled by the question, answered calmly.

"Lord Hades... only spoke of the benefits and said he would not impose any punishment."

"No punishment at all?"

Polydoros believed that all gods were capricious, self-centered, and arrogant. Anyone who had experiences like his would think the same.

The mistake of Pentheus, the king before him...

All he did was impose a small sanction on the followers of Dionysus, who were disturbing the peace of Thebes.

"Squeal! Mother, it's me! Pentheus!"

"A boar! It's a boar! Kill it!"

"It's a boar that disrupts Lord Dionysus's festival! Kill it!"

"Ahhh!!!"

To think that a king, and not just any king, but one killed by the hands of his own mother in a fit of madness—what a horrifying event. Since then, everyone in Thebes had been careful not to defy the will of the gods.

They say that no thief ever dares to break into the temple of Hades, and that no one dares to flirt with the beautiful priestess standing before him.

So King Polydoros asked once more.

"Stop lying and tell the truth. Either way, I intend to follow the will of Pluto."

"It is... the truth. The more followers he has, the more Lord Hades will bless Thebes with wealth."

A god of the underworld showing more mercy than the god of wine? Perhaps he is merciful because, in the end, everyone becomes his subject in the underworld. Or could it be that he only acts as a god of wealth when interfering in the mortal world?

Hades is also the owner of all treasures beneath the earth...

In any case, the will of the gods must be followed, and the risk of harm to Thebes seems low. Although they would be relying on Pluto's mercy, perhaps the city would receive some divine protection.

King Polydoros quickly made up his mind and showed his agreement.

"Alright, I understand. Is there anything you need me to do?"

"First, in the name of the royal family..."

* * *

The Cold, Dark, and Fearsome Underworld.

I was watching the events unfold in Thebes from here.

“They say praying to the statue of Pluto will bring the blessing of wealth?”

“That’s officially announced by the royal family. The story goes that His Majesty received an oracle.”

“Huh... Does this mean that Pluto will now protect Thebes?”

“Not quite. It’s more like he will bring wealth to his followers…”

I breathed life into my marble statue inside the only temple in Thebes. If the faithful offered sincere prayers there, they would receive a minor blessing of wealth.

“I prayed at the temple and found a drachma on the ground afterward.”

“The name of Pluto is quite fearsome, but...”

“Going there wouldn’t anger Ares, would it?”

“Could praying improperly drag me down to the underworld?”

Gradually, more and more people began to visit my temple, which stood alone on the outskirts of Thebes.

At first, it was mostly merchants seeking the blessing of wealth, but as the royal proclamation spread and word of mouth grew, ordinary citizens with curiosity also began to visit.

The frequency of offerings, which occasionally came from the mortal realm, increased, and as more worshippers experienced the blessings of wealth, they brought others with them.

“O Pluto, please ensure my journey to Athens goes smoothly.”

“I’m about to enter a mine—could you reveal the location of a gold vein…?”

It was mostly for wealth.

Of course, that was what I intended.

While the name Hades evokes fear, Pluto, my other name, is favored by all as the god of wealth.

If mortals were wary, I could simply operate under another name while in the mortal realm.

“O Hades, ruler of the underworld… I wonder how my parents, who passed away last year, are doing…”

“My friend wasn’t the most virtuous, but please show mercy…”

Sometimes, worshippers sought not the god of wealth, but the lord of the underworld.

Usually, these were people nearing death or those who had lost a loved one to Thanatos' visit.

Their prayers were more desperate than those who invoked the name of Pluto.

Occasionally, I would listen to these desperate prayers and have Morpheus arrange for them to meet their deceased loved ones in a dream.

Of course, this was only done under the strict supervision of Morpheus or Hypnos, and though mortals usually forgot most of the dream upon waking…

“Please! Please, let me see my mother just one more time!”

“Sniff… To hear my father’s last words in a dream… At least he’s doing well where he is.”

More and more people came to my temple, longing to see their departed loved ones again.

Even if their prayers were sorrowful, they were only allowed one chance each. Don’t let your heart grow too soft.

From this, strange rumors began to spread among mortals.

The rumor was that if you wanted to see your dead family members just one more time, you should visit the temple of Pluto…

* * *

The Underworld, Hades' Office.

I was quite pleased to see the influence of my temple in Thebes growing day by day.

If the temple’s influence continued to expand, it might expedite the search for the Gigantes.

If needed, I could even descend into the mortal world, taking possession of the priestess.

If someone prays about a loved one killed by a half-human, half-serpent monster near Thebes, that would be a sign of the Gigantes.

The priestess Parona is doing well, so now all that remains is for the Gigantes to fall into the information network I’ve set up in the mortal world…

“Hades.”

I turned my head and saw the goddess Lethe, with her long silver hair, approaching me, her lips pouting. What could she be displeased about this time?

“Hades, I hear you’ve been expanding your temple in Thebes lately?”

“Yes, that’s correct…”

A look of disappointment flashed in the goddess Lethe’s dazed, unfocused eyes.

Could it be that she’s saddened by the absence of her own temple?

“But why isn’t my statue next to yours…?”

While some divine couples are worshipped together in the same temple…

But we’re not married, are we?

The goddess Lethe gazed at me, slightly parting her lips.

Her soft words escaped like a whisper…

“I want to be by your side too…”

When you look at me like a rain-soaked small animal… it’s hard on my heart.

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