Aftermath of the Rebellion

After suppressing the rebellion on Olympus, I spoke to Zeus.

"Zeus, it was Thetis who alerted me to the rebellion and allowed me to come to Olympus in time." "Thetis told you...?"

Thetis was known as the second most beautiful goddess after Poseidon's wife, Amphitrite. Many male gods had courted her...

"The Thetis whose son is prophesied to become a hero greater than his father?" "Yes, that Thetis."

Zeus had once courted her, but after hearing Prometheus's prophecy, he abandoned the idea without hesitation. He had tried to marry her off to a mortal, but she persistently refused.

"I understand why you mentioned her, Brother. You want her contributions acknowledged and her granted some favor?" "While the prophecy is absolute, it can be interpreted differently. Just because her son surpasses his father doesn’t mean he will challenge your authority..."

The king of the gods, who was more sensitive about his authority than anyone else, wore a serious expression. Given that he had overthrown his own father, Cronus, Zeus was wary even of his own offspring.

So, marrying Thetis to a god was out of the question. If her son became superior to the gods, it would be a direct threat to Zeus.

"I need to think about it. As you know, we ourselves are here because we rebelled against Cronus." "But if Cronus had thought of us as his children rather than potential challengers, things might have been different." "Hmm!"

Sometimes I wondered, what if Cronus had seen us as his children... Would we still have overthrown him and seized the dominion of the world?

"Think of your beloved daughter, Athena. The prophecy didn't come true in the way you feared." "...If anyone but you had said this, I would have taken it as a challenge."

Zeus frowned slightly, pressing his temples, causing minor lightning to crackle around him.

Athena was now his favored daughter, but when he heard the prophecy that a son born to Metis would overthrow him, she was merely a threat. Hence, Zeus swallowed Metis, who was pregnant with Athena, and Athena was eventually born by splitting Zeus's head.

If Athena had been a boy... Another god might have been thrown into Tartarus that day.

"Considering Thetis's contribution and since you have no interest in the throne, Brother, I'll think about it." "Good. Now, what about the reward for Cadmus?"

It's best to leave the matter of Thetis at this point. Despite Zeus's sensitivity to power, he's more reasonable when it's his brother who helped during the rebellion speaking.

But regardless, Cadmus, who played a major role in the battle against Typhon, deserves his reward.

"I heard he's been searching for his missing sister, Europa, and founded a city called Thebes." "Oh? Oh... that."

Zeus suddenly avoided my gaze. Did he... Let's test him a bit.

"Rumor has it that this Europa is very beautiful." "Ahem. Hmm."

Oh-ho...

"Beautiful enough to drive the king of the gods, who is always chasing women, to kidnap her?" "Ahem! What do you want?"

Of course, it was your fault again. You meddled with the sister of Cadmus, who helped us. Perhaps siding with Uranus or supporting Poseidon wouldn't have been a bad idea.

"What's done is done, but at least let Cadmus meet her or alleviate his worries..." "Alright. Sometimes, Brother, you can be very nagging. I'll handle it."

Apollo and Hera betrayed you because of your attitude. This rebellion was self-inflicted.

Although Zeus gave Poseidon only a year's punishment, it seemed a reasonable compromise to maintain the pride of the second-in-command. Such actions show that Zeus can be somewhat rational.

Later, Cadmus was able to contact Europa, thanks to a decree from Zeus.

Despite hearing Europa's story, Cadmus had a perplexed expression, but somehow, they managed to settle things without diminishing the gods' authority. Europa, who had been kidnapped, seemed to have found Zeus to her liking...

"Um... so, Zeus took you..." "When I realized the bull was Zeus, I was shocked... but he was quite... vigorous..." "...?!"

Regardless of Zeus's virility, it’s none of my business.

Having returned from Olympus to the Underworld, I prepared for another journey.

I intended to visit some special gods living underground. I had my attendants bring a bottle of ambrosia and nectar, along with some cups.

At the outskirts of the Underworld, not in the fortress where souls reside, but in a dark and damp cave.

A chilling, ominous aura emanated from the cave entrance. The soul carrying the nectar trembled with fear, so I sent him back and entered alone.

"Hades." "You've come again."

Inside the dark cave, devoid of Hestia’s hearths or any artificial light, voices echoed.

What I saw were three goddesses with bronze wings, serpent hair, and blood flowing from their eyes.

"Long time no see, Erinyes." "Is that nectar in your hands?" "And ambrosia too, it seems."

The Erinyes, goddesses of vengeance born from the blood that fell on the earth when Uranus's genitals were cut off.

After the long war between the Titans and the gods, when I first gained dominion over the Underworld, I met them for the first time.

The three Erinyes sisters were seated on the cold ground of the Underworld. Their snake hair hissed defensively, and their eyes constantly bled.

Despite their terrifying appearance, I first felt pity for them. They were endlessly bleeding, and I honestly felt sorry for them.

"Isn't that painful?" "What...?" "I mean, the blood flowing from your eyes." "...Are you serious?"

Their eyes, filled with bewilderment, stared at me.

"If it’s very painful, next time..." "Pain always accompanies vengeance. This is nothing."

Despite being goddesses, the Erinyes bled red blood, not ichor. As the blood from their eyes hit the ground, it evaporated instantly.

Since that first meeting, I’ve often visited them to build a rapport. They were neighbors, and I pitied them for being shunned by other gods.

Initially, the goddesses were cold, but they gradually grew accustomed to my visits. Eventually, it became...

"Hades, sit and drink with us." "Alright."

...as natural as a friend dropping by for a visit.

"Is the Underworld less busy these days?" "It must be different from before."

Tisiphone, the Erinyes sister who punishes marital infidelity, folded her bronze wings and approached. Alecto, the unceasing one, laughed while drinking nectar. Megaera, the grudging one, silently nibbled on ambrosia.

Their snake hair also seemed pleased, writhing contentedly.

Sss...

One of the snakes on Alecto's head hissed and licked my hand as she drank nectar. When I stroked its head with my fingers, it rubbed against me contentedly.

Tap.

"Don't... touch the hair." Alecto turned her head abruptly, speaking softly, her ears red. Well, your hair licked me first...

Tisiphone sighed and spoke.

"Hades, don't visit too often. Our blades of vengeance dull when we're with you." "Umm..."

Megaera, chewing ambrosia, nodded in agreement. What did I do...

"There are fewer humans killing their kin nowadays, unlike before the Great Flood." "Indeed, wiping them out once was necessary."

Once marked by the Erinyes, one would be relentlessly pursued, day and night, driven to madness by guilt.

They were feared by humans, who avoided even speaking their names, much like calling me Pluto instead of Hades.

However, their situation was much worse than mine.

"There's not much to do lately." "Indeed, they'd rather become your subjects than endure our torment."

"Those who take their own lives fall under my jurisdiction."

Once they die by suicide, they come under my judgment, not the Erinyes.

Of course, suicide doesn't lessen their punishment in any way.

"Thank you for bringing nectar. We were bored." "Young gods avoid us these days..."

Our kind doesn't need ambrosia and nectar to remain immortal, but it's lonely not being able to share a meal and conversation.

I once invited the Erinyes to a feast in the Underworld, but they declined, not wanting to spoil the atmosphere. Even though they occasionally visited my fortress, it seemed too much for now.