Side Story – The Queen of the Underworld is Tired (TS)
The master of the underworld, feared by all mortals.
One of the three supreme gods alongside Poseidon and Zeus, known for fairness and compassion, the god of the underworld is…
“Hades, Lord Poseidon has expressed his wish to visit the underworld. He suggested going on an outing to the mortal world together…”
“Tell him to buzz off.”
…a very beautiful goddess.
“Hades, Lord Zeus has sent gifts, including a golden apple and many other treasures…”
“Send them back. And tell him that if he tries anything like this again, I’ll lead the army of the underworld straight to Olympus.”
A goddess whose beauty rivals even that of Aphrodite.
The queen of the underworld, who rejects the advances of these two gods, brushes her stunning black hair aside and ponders.
Surely, in her previous life, she was a man, and Hades from Greek mythology was a male god.
But why, upon being reborn, has she become a goddess?
“Sigh…”
Holding a document in one hand and massaging her forehead with the other, the queen of the underworld looked like a painting come to life.
Her languid yet soft eyes, the subtle aura of decadence brought on by her work, and her all-black toga – all these elements combined to create a breathtaking sight.
Her beauty alone explained why so many haughty gods pursued her.
Though the fact that she ruled the underworld might be a slight deterrent, her reputation as a goddess of fairness and mercy made her irresistible to many.
As the queen of the underworld reviewed her documents, a servant’s voice called out from outside.
“Lady Hades, King Salmoneus, who met his end imitating Lord Zeus, has arrived in the underworld.”
“I'm gonna judge this grave sinners personally. Have him drink from the waters of the River of Memory and bring him before me."
Salmoneus.
The madman who hurled torches at his people, claiming they were Zeus’s lightning bolts, and drove a chariot while declaring its rumble to be thunder.
This tyrant, who demanded to be called Zeus, was ultimately struck down by Zeus’s lightning, his entire kingdom obliterated.
After some time, King Salmoneus was dragged before the queen of the underworld.
“So, you’re the one who pretended to be Zeus and threw torches at your people?”
“And who are you?”
“I am Hades. The one who will now pass judgment on you. So, you’re Salmoneus, are you…”
“Oh, what a beauty you are! The rumors of the goddess Pluto’s beauty rivaling that of Aphrodite are true!”
As expected of someone whose madness could rival Dionysus, Salmoneus only had eyes for the stunning queen of the underworld.
Had he forgotten his situation as a dead man?
“…Gouge out his eyes and send him to Tartarus.”
“No, wait, please…!”
As the madman was dragged away, the goddess of mercy turned her attention back to her documents, massaging her forehead once again.
Her beauty must have become known among mortals through rumors.
Heroes like Cadmus and Perseus had seen her in person, and even the gods and nymphs of Olympus praised her beauty.
When the great hero Cadmus, who had deceived Typhon, confessed his love to her, it had been quite troublesome.
“Oh-ho, so this is the temple of the goddess Pluto?”
“What a grand portrait… Ahem! Did Pluto also oversee beauty?”
“I’d love to ask the dead if the queen of the underworld is truly this beautiful.”
“This statue… Hm, it seems to capture the goddess’s benevolence well.”
As a result, temples dedicated to Pluto in the mortal world were filled with portraits of the queen of the underworld.
While they were ostensibly painted out of devotion and offered as tributes, receiving them always felt… uncomfortable.
Perhaps this was why so many men visited the temples of the goddess of wealth and the underworld.
Still, she couldn’t just banish them all, which left Hades feeling very troubled.
* * *
Today was the day of a banquet on Olympus.
As the ruler of the underworld, and given the unwanted attention from male gods, Hades had ignored Olympus’s invitations for centuries.
But now, she was beginning to think it might be time to make an appearance. Just as this thought crossed her mind, the goddess Styx approached her.
“Hades! Surely you’re not planning to attend dressed like that?”
“…Excuse me? What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
Hades looked down at her attire.
There wasn’t anything wrong with it, was there? It wasn’t too casual or inappropriate.
“You’re wearing the same thing as always! How can you be so indifferent about your clothes?”
“Well, I’m just going to drink some nectar. It doesn’t have to be—”
“Unbelievable! Wasting that beauty of yours is a crime! Come here, now!”
And so began the rampage of the goddess Styx.
From who knows where she’d gotten them, Styx brought out an array of stunning outfits and began dressing Hades in them one by one. As the two went on, word seemed to spread, and soon other goddesses crowded around Hades.
“Oh my, my. Look at this! She’s so gorgeous when she dresses up. Why wear such dreary clothes all the time?”
“Lady Eris, I can take care of it from here…”
“Nonsense. Hey, Lethe, hold this. Let’s try this one next!”
“Hades… just stay still…”
At this very moment, the goddesses shared a unanimous thought.
There’s no way we’ll let Olympus gossip that the goddesses of the Underworld neglect their appearance!
Hades was dressed in beautiful garments, almost by force. Her face was adorned with honey and olive oil.
From head to toe, every part of her was transformed by the hands of the goddesses.
* * *
This was Olympus.
The gods attending the banquet kept glancing at the entrance, especially the male gods.
Today was the day Hades, the Queen of the Underworld, had announced her intention to attend. Many had come just to see the beautiful ruler of the Underworld, said to rival the Goddess of Beauty herself.
“Hades is supposed to come today, isn’t she? She hasn’t arrived yet.”
“When I saw her last time, she was truly incredible. I thought, ‘So this is what a goddess of beauty looks like.’”
“Hey! Watch your words. Aphrodite is right here.”
“Just wait till you see her. If you ever see them standing side by side, you’ll never forget it…”
“It looks like plenty of gods are here to propose to the Queen of the Underworld.”
As time passed and Hades didn’t appear, the atmosphere in the banquet hall began to cool.
The male gods’ faces grew bored, and they began to leave one by one.
But just then, the doors opened, and walking in was a breathtaking goddess.
Creak.
“Gasp…!”
“Wow…”
“Hades?”
Her hair, black as midnight, cascaded down to her waist. Her obsidian-like eyes and a figure accentuated by her form-fitting attire captured everyone’s attention.
Her tired, languid gaze, coupled with the subtle makeup on her lips, only added to her allure.
Already known for her beauty, which could rival the Goddess of Beauty herself, the Queen of the Underworld shone even brighter with such deliberate preparation.
The male gods, who had been spellbound by her beauty, quickly snapped out of it and swarmed toward her.
Yet not one of them could manage their gaze from wandering over the body of the Queen of the Underworld.
“H-Hades! Do you remember me? I’m the God of Wind…”
“Ahem! Hades, we’re holding a banquet by the sea next time. I’d love for you to join us there.”
“You’re particularly stunning today. Perhaps, after the banquet, you and I could…”
“Are you the Goddess of the Underworld? I just happen to have a piece of jewelry that perfectly complements your beauty.”
“…Move aside, all of you.”
Hades frowned as she dismissed them all.
But she had already drawn too much attention, and staying out of the spotlight was no longer an option.
Deciding to sit quietly in the most secluded corner and sip nectar before leaving, she found even that impossible.
The sharp stares of the attendees seemed intent on etching her every move into their minds, and Zeus himself was watching her, which made her feel apologetic to Hera.
In short, being the Queen of the Underworld was exhausting.
“Well, well, Hades. You’ve really dressed up today, haven’t you?”
“Yes. It’s been a while, Aphrodite.”
“Urgh! What’s with that lifeless answer? How can the only goddess who could rival my beauty have such an attitude?”
“Stop saying such nonsense. My head already hurts enough as it is.”
Even the goddesses were no exception.
In fact, because of their heightened sensitivity to beauty, the emotions in their gazes were intense—jealousy, admiration, and pure reverence for her beauty.
Gulp, gulp.
“Ohhh…!”
“Such a sight to behold…!”
“Truly remarkable. She should attend banquets more often.”
As the Queen of the Underworld drank her nectar, her white, slender neck was exposed, drawing the male gods’ stares.
Of course, Hades wasn’t unaware of this. She was even considering returning to the Underworld right away when she sensed someone approaching her side.
“Ahem. Lady H-Hades. How has the Underworld been faring these days?”
Zeus, the King of the Gods, approached, forcing himself to ignore the bewildered looks of the other gods.
Though he tried to justify himself with a formal question, his rapidly darting eyes betrayed his true intentions as they scanned Hades from head to toe.
“If the Underworld feels too lonely, you’re always welcome to visit Olympus more often. Or perhaps, if you’re interested, you and I could spend some… enjoyable time together…”
“Take a look behind you before saying another word.”
“Huh?”
Zeus turned around and found himself face-to-face with Hera, Metis, Leto, and Maia, all glaring daggers at him.
Hera, the Queen of the Gods, on the verge of snapping, muttered in a low, chilling voice.
“Zeus… Let’s have a little talk, shall we?”
“Oh… dear.”
The god of philanderers was quietly dragged away.