Episode 61: The King of the Underworld is Tired

Episode 61: The Story of Perseus – (3)

After sending Athena off with the Kynee, I returned to the throne of the Fortress.

Soon, Perseus would kill Medusa and become a hero, as fate had decreed.

"Thanatos, why don't you send one of your shadows ahead to where Medusa is?"

"Hmm. Is it already time for that? Very well..."

The elderly god with black wings nodded and moved.

In a short while, Medusa's soul would come to the underworld, having met her fated death.

As I sat on the throne, thinking of Medusa, the goddess Styx approached and spoke to me.

"Hades. Let's watch how Perseus is doing."

"I'm too busy for that..."

"Don't say that. Come, let’s observe. Many gods are watching him, after all."

Perseus was the son of Zeus, destined to be a hero.

Thus, many gods had lent him their sacred weapons without hesitation.

Not only the gods of Olympus but also the gods of the underworld were keenly watching his journey...

"Very well, I'll divert my gaze to the mortal world for a moment."

* * *

Perseus stood before the cave where Medusa was said to dwell, taking a deep breath to steady himself.

His fate was about to be sealed.

He closed his eyes, recalling the journey that had brought him to Medusa’s lair.

The path that led him here...

"Perseus. I am Athena, goddess of wisdom. And this is Hermes, the messenger god."

"The gods of Olympus...!"

"The gods have graciously lent you their weapons. First, my shield, Hermes' sandals, Ares' sword, and Lord Hades' helm..."

"My goodness... Thank you!"

The goddess Athena and the god Hermes had given him the gods' sacred items.

Among them was the invisibility helm of Pluto, which he had briefly glimpsed.

"The three Graeae sisters have eyes that see everything, so they will know where Medusa is. They may appear as old hags, but while they are three in number, they only have one eye and one tooth among them. Make good use of that."

"Three of them share a single eye and tooth?"

"Hehe. Many gods are watching your journey. I wish you the best of luck."

"It seems even Uncle Hades is protecting you. Stay strong!"

With that, Perseus donned the winged sandals and flew off to meet the Graeae sisters.

Just as Athena had said, the old hags were indeed sharing a single eye and tooth among themselves, passing them from one to another.

Perseus, hidden by the helm, approached and stole their eye.

"I have your eye. If you don't tell me where Medusa is, I'll throw this far away!"

"What?! How did you get so close without us noticing?"

"What?! Give it back at once!"

"You scoundrel! Ugh... the Gorgon sisters live west of here..."

"I see. But if all three sisters have snakes for hair, how will I know which one is Medusa?"

"Medusa’s snake hair is venomous, so her head snakes will have triangular heads, unlike her sisters!"

The location of the Gorgon sisters, which he had learned from the Graeae, was on an island to the far west.

It appeared to be an ordinary, small island, but as soon as he stood before a suspicious cave, a cold aura swept over him.

Even outside the cave, the pressure was palpable.

It was clear that the Gorgon sisters lived here.

As he approached Medusa, the intensity would surely increase.

Perseus, cloaked in the helm, held Athena's shield and faced away from the entrance of the cave.

He slowly walked backward, observing the scenery behind him through the shield’s reflection.

'If I see Medusa’s hair, I’ll turn to stone instantly... I must never look back!'

The sacred helm of Pluto concealed all traces of his presence—his sound, his scent, and his aura.

Thus, the immortal sisters, Stheno and Euryale, and the demigod Medusa, were unaware of the human intruder in their lair.

Hades' helm, Athena's shield, and the winged sandals were all serving their purpose.

The sword of Ares in his hand could easily sever Medusa’s head with a single strike.

But the real problem was...

'She's just sleeping, and yet this pressure...!'

The pressure came from Perseus himself.

Athena, Hermes, and Hades had prepared him for his heroic fate...

But the immense energy radiating from the sleeping Gorgon sisters was overwhelming for a mere human on a quest.

Every step he took toward the sleeping sisters made the pressure more intense.

He had endured until the entrance of the cave.

But as he weaved through the stones and stalactites toward the sleeping sisters...

Perseus felt an overwhelming pressure he had not anticipated.

One step.

Sweat dripped from his forehead.

Step by step.

On the fifth step, sweat dripped from his hand, holding Athena’s shield, and hit the floor.

Perseus clenched Ares' sword tightly.

But the extreme fear made his body tremble.

Twenty steps backward.

The snakes in the sisters' hair flicked their tongues.

For a moment, it felt as though he had made eye contact with the snakes... but it must have been his imagination.

Surely, Pluto’s helm couldn’t be detected.

Surely...

Drip. Drip.

The sweat that drenched his body fell to the floor.

The helm of Pluto couldn’t hide the sweat dripping from his body.

One Step Away from Medusa.

As Perseus drew closer to Medusa, he tried to shake off the numbness in his legs.

His body, trained through years of swordsmanship, was instinctively warning him:

Get away from this powerful monster with all your might!

The sweat that had dripped to the ground was revealing his position.

If even one of the three sisters woke up, his location could be exposed.

Hiss. Hiss.

Perseus slowly raised his sword to aim at Medusa’s neck, but his arm froze in place.

The hissing of the snakes, which served as the monster’s hair, sounded louder than ever.

Maybe… Maybe it’s still not too late to run away?

Even with this being Ares’ sword, could I really sever her neck with my own strength?

"Have confidence in yourself and move forward. My blessing, the blessing of Hades, will be with you."

That’s right… I, Perseus, am destined to be a hero!

It’s too soon to return to the embrace of Pluto!

Perseus bit his lip until it bled, forcing his arm to move.

Something hot surged from his chest, resisting the overwhelming pressure that weighed down on him.

Slice—Sssh—

"Huh..? Kyahhh! Medusa!"

"What is this?! Who dares!"

Perhaps that surge was what people call courage.

* * *

At that moment, the gods watching Perseus from the underworld were impressed.

"...It's over."

"The pressure must have been immense, but he overcame it."

"Well. Quite impressive."

Perseus' blade, clenched tightly in his grip, sliced through Medusa’s neck.

Ares' sword, a masterpiece forged by Hephaestus, easily cut through the skin of a demigod.

"Thanatos. Please bring Medusa’s soul now."

Now, it’s time to clean up.

Perseus’ destiny doesn’t end here, but watching the hero’s tale ends at this point.

Now, it’s time to meet the victim of Poseidon and Athena.

As I waited for a moment in the courtroom with the three judges of the underworld, Thanatos soon brought a woman.

Upon her death, the hideous form she’d taken due to Athena’s curse had reverted to her original appearance.

Her beauty, which had once captivated Poseidon, now illuminated the underworld.

However, she kept her head bowed, as though her radiant appearance was now a source of shame.

Thud.

"Were you Medusa, once a priestess of Athena?"

As soon as I finished speaking, Medusa, who had collapsed to the ground, suddenly raised her head.

Her eyes burned with endless flames of hatred.

"I’m not anymore. Don’t call me that."

"...I apologize. Daughter of Phorcys and Ceto."

I had spent quite some time pondering over Medusa’s situation.

The death of a monster is a fixed point in the birth of a hero, but the circumstances behind the creation of the monster...

"You were wronged by Poseidon in life and caught in Athena’s wrath."

'Grind...'

At the mention of the two gods, she clenched her teeth, and a faint, simmering voice escaped her.

"Is the ruler of the underworld mocking me?"

"No, I intend to apologize to you."

A trace of confusion flickered in Medusa’s eyes, barely visible amidst the rage as she struggled to suppress it.

"You were turned into a monster, used as a sacrificial lamb for the birth of a hero, all because your life was manipulated by the gods. You deserve better than that."

"......"

"I bestowed sacred weapons upon the hero who killed you. While I cannot apologize on behalf of Poseidon or Athena, as the ruler of the underworld, the final destination of mortals, I offer my apology."

I looked into Medusa’s eyes and offered my apology in a calm tone.

I truly felt sorry, but as the king of the underworld, I couldn’t go as far as to bow my head.

"...The rumor that the ruler of the underworld is a god of mercy must be true."

After some time, the burning fire in Medusa's eyes softened slightly.

It’s a relief that my apology could provide even a bit of comfort—moments like these make being one of the three chief gods feel worthwhile.

"Now, let me tell you about the compensation you will receive. You may choose one."

"Compensation...?"

"The first option is that I will speak to Zeus and have you made into a constellation."

Being transformed into a constellation is an extraordinary honor, a sign that one’s legacy will be remembered.

Heroes, animals, and gods alike have been immortalized in the stars by Zeus’ personal decree.

If she chooses this...

Her tarnished honor as a monster slain by Perseus could be significantly restored.

Medusa, who had briefly relaxed her expression after my apology, looked utterly dumbfounded.

"...A monster like me? Turned into a constellation?"

"Zeus might initially refuse, as it would glorify you who were killed by a hero, his son, but in the end, he’ll accept it."

If Poseidon feels any guilt, he may be reluctantly inclined to support the woman he violated...

And Zeus won’t easily brush aside my request.

Athena, who turned Medusa into a monster? If she has any sense, she will accept it.

If she opposes it... I might have to scold her a bit.

Looking at the bewildered Medusa, I continued.

"Now, the second option..."

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