Episode 172: The Peculiar Trojan War – (6)
I returned to the Underworld and saw Paris being dragged in by one of Thanatos’ avatars.
Soon, the sinner arrived in the audience chamber. He tried to bow and lower his head to the floor, but upon seeing my face, he gasped in shock.
“Ah... ah! L-Lord Plu—!”
“Do you finally recognize who I am?”
“O-of course! You are the Lord of the Underworld!”
Unable to meet my gaze, the sinner quickly buried his head again.
It seems he finally realized my identity—the name he once encountered when choosing the owner of the golden apple.
Although his memory had vanished after crossing the River Lethe, the restoration granted by the waters of the goddess Mnemosyne brought it all back to him.
“Remember that you are a prince of Troy.”
“…And who might you be?”
“That’s not for you to know. What you should do is make careful decisions and not be swayed by rewards.”
Clearing my throat briefly, I delivered judgment upon the sinner. Paris’s crimes were so great that he bypassed the three judges—Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Aeacus—and came directly to me.
“Your crime is this: using the blessings of the goddess Aphrodite, you stole another man’s wife and ultimately became the spark that ignited a war.”
“…!”
“Because of this war, countless mortals will perish. You must pay for your sins in full.”
“I... I didn’t mean to…!”
“Silence. You will not be given the opportunity to explain yourself.”
As Paris lost his voice, his lips moved soundlessly. I pronounced his sentence.
Though he clasped his hands and begged for mercy, imagining the terrible punishment that awaited, I am the King of the Underworld and also the God of fairness, I remain impartial.
“You committed the sin of coveting another man’s wife. But the war it caused has burdened you with countless more sins.”
“…!!!”
“Therefore, you shall have your memory erased and serve 100 years carrying stones in the Underworld as penance.”
“Take this sinner away!”
For coveting a woman already wed and plunging countless lives into despair through war, he would have to atone for his crimes for a very long time.
* * *
Meanwhile, King Menelaus, who had returned to the Greek camp after beheading Paris, announced that he would go back to Sparta with Helen.
Having avenged the grudge of losing his wife, his face seemed both relieved and somewhat hollow.
“Menelaus, you should have consulted me. Shouldn’t we take this opportunity to destroy Troy entirely?”
"Brother Agamemnon, I’m sorry. Too many soldiers have died or been wounded. Of course, I still hold a grudge against Troy for raising someone like Paris, but now I just want to return with Helen."
“What? How could you—”
“We’ve received sufficient reparations from Troy, accepted the apology of their heir Hector, and even dealt with Paris. I think it’s enough. I’m satisfied to withdraw.”
At once, several commanders began to denounce him.
Just having Menelaus, the ‘victim’ who had his wife stolen, within the Greek forces provided them with justification. But if he forgave Troy and left, wouldn’t the Greek army gathered here be nothing more than looters? Surely, the gods wouldn’t look kindly on such actions.
There was also resentment that Menelaus alone had taken all the compensation for reclaiming Helen from Troy.
“King Menelaus! Is this truly your decision? You’ve received your reparations, killed Paris, and reclaimed Helen, and now you’re just going to leave?”
“We’ve gained nothing from this, and yet you’ve dragged us all this way—”
“Why didn’t you consult us before swearing an oath on the River Styx?”
“Is it because you fear the gods who side with Troy? I didn’t take you for a coward, but now—”
“…You’d best watch your tongue.”
Menelaus glared at the last man to call him a coward before finally speaking.
In his eyes, one could see a resolute determination that could not be undone.
“It was a war that was wrong from the start.”
With those final words, Menelaus left the tent.
In response, Helen’s brother Polydeuces and the aged hero Nestor also spoke to the supreme commander, Agamemnon.
“Agamemnon, if Menelaus and Helen are returning, I’m thinking of leaving as well.”
“I feel the same. This is merely a war among men, not a battle against monsters. Besides, we all know they trained at Pluto’s temple, don’t we? It doesn’t feel right to keep defying the will of one who sides with Troy.”
…!!!
“I only joined this war to retrieve my sister, so I hope you understand…”
“Wait, Polydeuces. Even if Menelaus is leaving, could you at least join the final battle? Nestor, you too.”
“Hmm.”
“I understand that you, as legendary heroes who’ve undertaken countless adventures, find little interest in this kind of war. Clearly, you’ve taken a passive stance because you have no desire to slaughter the people of Troy.”
Agamemnon was right.
For Nestor and Polydeuces (Pollux), who had battled mythical monsters, a war between mere mortals likely seemed insignificant. If they were to fully commit to this war, the Trojan army would face annihilation.
“But just this once—just once, as a favor to me—could you join the fight? We’ve come so far, and I can’t bear to return empty-handed. I beg you.”
Agamemnon bowed his head, his expression earnest.
While he had joined the war out of sympathy for Menelaus' situation, deep down, he sought to gain fame, honor, and wealth through the Trojan War.
To go beyond punishing a foreign prince guilty of adultery and achieve the feat of destroying Troy—that was his ambition.
After exchanging glances, the two heroes reluctantly nodded, though their expressions were less than enthusiastic.
“…Just this once, we will fight and then leave.”
“I’ll do the same. If we cannot bring down the city with our strength, then it must mean the gods do not will Troy’s destruction.”
Thus, Nestor and Polydeuces entered the war.
* * *
Though King Menelaus returned to Sparta with Helen, the morale of the Greek alliance remained unexpectedly high.
Agamemnon, Menelaus’s older brother, remained, encourage by an oracle from Poseidon:
'Do not fear Hades’ support of Troy. Bring down the city.'
“My brother Menelaus showed mercy to Troy, but I cannot overlook the wickedness of those Trojans! Poseidon’s blessing is with us!”
Athena, too, who desired Troy’s downfall, gave her blessing and encouragement.
“Diomedes, my strength is with you. Slay the Trojan commanders without mercy.”
“For the glory of the goddess on the battlefield! I will obey!”
And the decisive reason for their renewed confidence…
Step, step.
“The son of Zeus, Polydeuces!”
“The heroes of the Argo are stepping forward. Troy will end today.”
“To see the legendary feats of Nestor in action… this is a privilege.”
“No matter how great Aeneas and Hector are, they are no match for them!”
It was because of a single unarmed man walking forward with nothing but his bare hands, accompanied by an older veteran who looked to be in his later years.
Though their appearances seemed humble at first glance, those who recognized them erupted into cheers.
For they had trained at the renowned Pluto’s temple, famous for producing mighty heroes.
They had defeated countless monsters and villains.
And they had survived the legendary voyage of the Argo, even battling a dragon and living to tell the tale.
In the end... heroes among heroes who had even slain Gigantes, beings said to rival the gods.
As these legendary figures, who had been mere spectators until now, showed signs of joining the battle, the morale of the Greek army soared to its peak.
Compared to the monsters they had vanquished, the commanders of Troy were nothing but trifling opponents.
Shrring!
The supreme commander of the Greek forces, Agamemnon, drew his sword and shouted loudly.
“Warriors of Greece! Let us end Troy today and return home victorious!!!”
“Uwaaaaaah!”
“Hail King Agamemnon!”
“Destroy Troy and take everything they have!”
“The goddess of war blesses us!”
At the vanguard stood the battle-hardened heroes,
And with morale piercing the heavens, the army advanced toward Troy.
The Olympian gods siding with Greece smiled with satisfaction.
Even though there were only two heroes of the previous generation who had built legendary achievements by slaying monsters, with them in the fray, Troy’s fall was inevitable.
“…It’s over. The Greek alliance will win.”
“Isn’t Polydeuces the son of Zeus with extraordinary Pankration skills?”
“Hector is a remarkable human, but it would be a shame for him to die here…”
Zeus, who sought to prolong the war, stroked his chin in contemplation.
Even a gathering of dozens of mortals like those heroes had managed to defeat Gigantes in the past. Hector, Troy’s greatest champion, would be subdued in an instant.
Even if the gods siding with Troy lent their aid, the gods supporting Greece wouldn’t stand idly by.
Should he send a message to Polydeuces to withdraw? Or perhaps summon Athena?
No matter how he considered it, this wasn’t a situation where Zeus, who claimed neutrality, could intervene.
As he pondered ways to extend the war, something caught his attention.
“…Hmm.”
A calm expression returned to his face as he leaned back in his throne.
Meanwhile, in the underworld.
Amid the influx of souls, I occasionally observed the mortals.
This time, my gaze fell upon the Greek army—specifically, Polydeuces and Nestor, who stood at its forefront.
Really? I trained them here in the underworld to slay monsters, and now they’re using that training to bring down Troy?
When I intervened on the battlefield recently to stop Aphrodite, they seemed to restrain themselves from meddling in mortal wars, so I let them be.
Let’s see… Is there a suitable devotee among the Trojans through whom I can descend to the mortal realm? Ah, there is one.
Has the shadow of death from this war brought me more followers?
“Your body… I’ll need to borrow it for a moment.”
“Wh-Who are you? No, it can’t be—!”
Shhhhhhh—
A cold aura surrounded Hades as he closed his eyes,
And on the battlefield, filled with death, the god of the underworld began his descent.