Love and Fire - (3)
"So you're saying you want to divorce Hephaestus and Aphrodite and find them new partners?"
"Exactly. If you help me, convincing Zeus will be far easier, won't it?"
When I calmly laid out the situation, Hera quickly realized this was not a rebellion. Regaining her poise as Queen of the Gods, she leaned back in her chair and folded her arms.
"The Goddess of Marriage asking me to help destroy a marriage. Do you truly believe this is right, Hades?"
"But you already know it was a patched-together, unstable union from the very beginning."
Hera's brow furrowed slightly.
"Isn't finding them harmonious new homes precisely the duty of the Goddess of Marriage?"
"Hmm... I suppose one could see it that way."
"Hephaestus has already given up on Aphrodite. If you find him a new family, he'll weep with gratitude for his mother's mercy."
Hephaestus had been cast down onto the island of Lemnos by Hera the moment he was born. It was fortunate she had reflected deeply on that act since then.
"I believe the root cause of what happened between Hephaestus and Athena was that his relationship with Aphrodite left him unsatisfied. That dissatisfaction even led him to father a child with Gaia... So if Gaia were to dress herself beautifully and appear before him..."
"He might fall for her looks?"
"Even if not full betrayal, he might leak information or grant small favors. It's not impossible, is it?"
Hera held genuine affection for Athena, so this incident must have shaken her badly. A little more persuasion and...
"And I heard Zeus has brought home a boy named Ganymedes..."
"Gritting her teeth! Now he's laying hands on men as well! Must I now lose even to males?!"
The relaxed expression on the Goddess of Marriage's face vanished instantly, replaced by fury. I never imagined he had truly brought the boy to Olympus purely for his appearance...
"Ahem. In any case... Zeus himself reaches out to the same sex out of love... or rather, because of looks, yet he continues to suppress the love between Aphrodite and Ares, doesn't he?"
"That is certainly true."
"And if you help me now, Aphrodite may feel grateful that she can finally be with Ares and offer something in return. Meaning the Goddess of Love might..."
"Teach me how to win Zeus's attention back from that little human boy?"
"Precisely. If things go well, I'll make sure to tell her how crucial your assistance was."
Whether Aphrodite lent her magical girdle, the Kestos Himas, or offered advice as the goddess who ruled love itself, it was all profit for Hera.
"Very well. I'll lend my voice to the matter."
"Since we've started, let's go immediately."
So, accompanied by Poseidon and Hera, we headed for Zeus. We found the King of the Gods sprawled across a vast bed in his chambers, fast asleep.
Poseidon approached quietly and spoke to wake him.
"Wake up, Zeus."
"Mmm...?!"
The moment Zeus opened his eyes and saw Poseidon...
"Who... Poseidon, even you, Hera?"
He sprang up from his reclining position, thunderbolt already in hand. A massive surge of power erupted, and fierce lightning crackled with menacing presence around his fist.
Flash— Rumble!!!
"...Another rebellion!!! Poseidon, if you intend to challenge me again, come at me right now!"
"No, it's a misunderstanding..."
"Sigh... This isn't what you think, Zeus."
"...Eh? Brother Hades? Then it's not a rebellion..."
Amid the storm of divine power swirling wildly in every direction, I pinched the bridge of my nose.
"...Divorcing Hephaestus and Aphrodite?"
"Yes, so put that thunderbolt away. If I'd come to start a rebellion, I would have worn the Kynee!"
Only then did Poseidon lower his Triaina, still wearing a sullen expression. Hera looked utterly exasperated, and Zeus finally noticed me standing behind them with my hand on my forehead. He slowly made the thunderbolt vanish.
"Well... ahem! When I wake up and see Poseidon first thing, how could I not think it was a rebellion?"
"It was certainly a situation open to misunderstanding, but because this concerns Aphrodite, we three discussed it among ourselves first."
Discussing such matters in a building that had half-collapsed felt distinctly strange. The surrounding gods were already whispering among themselves, and I could see Hermes flying toward us in a hurry...
"Sigh... Let's move to a different location first."
"...That would be best."
We relocated to a quiet chamber. Poseidon, Hera, Zeus, and I sat around a round table. I carefully explained to Zeus the reasons behind divorcing Hephaestus and Aphrodite.
Hephaestus had been driven to the point of attempting to rape Athena. At this rate, if Gaia appeared before him in seductive attire, he would undoubtedly fall for her... After all, he had already exposed Ares and Aphrodite's affair during the last festival of arts. And now even Hephaestus himself had given up on Aphrodite... Aphrodite had borne Harmonia with Ares, and the situation had reached this point.
After thinking for a long while, Zeus looked at me and asked.
"But why are you involving yourself so deeply in their affairs, Brother?"
"...Because it's painful to watch. Besides, my nephew has made many things for me over the years."
"That Bident of yours was rather sharp, I suppose..."
Poseidon brought up the Bident. Of course. No weapon could compare to it.
"If Hephaestus has truly given up on the Goddess of Beauty... then morally, divorcing them may be the right thing. However..."
"Are you worried the other male gods will fight over her?"
"That is a concern. If I reverse a decision I've already made..."
The weight of the King of the Gods changing his words would undermine his authority. That was exactly why he had never divorced them before. Of course, he had also considered Hephaestus's contributions, and perhaps hoped the affair would eventually end. Many factors were entangled.
"Then we can help a little, can't we, Poseidon?"
"Well, if we simply show our agreement..."
"I permit it as well. Those two have never once enjoyed a happy married life..."
Zeus stroked his beard again, deep in thought.
"Can we truly suppress the backlash from so many male gods?"
"...Send any who complain too loudly to the Underworld. I'll personally educate any who have gone mad with lust for a goddess."
"Is that alright? It feels like I'm pushing too much work onto the Underworld..."
"Pushing work? I'd say I'm reducing it."
In truth, I doubted there would be many such fools. With myself, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hera all issuing stern warnings, who would dare voice open discontent?
"...Very well. We'll do it that way. Then summon Hephaestus from the Underworld for a moment. I'll gather the gods of Olympus as well."
"Good. You've made the right choice."
"...After careful deliberation, I have concluded that it is right to sever the bond between Hephaestus and Aphrodite at this time."
In the assembly where most of the gods had gathered, Zeus formally declared their divorce. Let's see... Aphrodite couldn't hide her obvious joy, while Hephaestus simply sighed and stood in silence.
"Hephaestus, I shall introduce you to a new wife. How does the Goddess of Splendor, Aglaea, sound?"
"Yes. I shall follow Father's will..."
The Goddess of Splendor, Aglaea. She was one of the three goddesses born between Eurynome, daughter of the Titan Oceanus who ruled the seas, and Zeus. A goddess of striking beauty with sea-green hair waved at Hephaestus. The God of the Forge seemed reasonably satisfied as he looked at her face. While she could not match Aphrodite, she was still exceptionally beautiful...
Aglaea slipped through the crowd of gods, linked her arm with Hephaestus's, and smiled.
"Lord Hephaestus!"
"Mm. Yes..."
"The necklace you made for me last time was truly beautiful!"
Though Hephaestus was the God of the Forge, he also held dominion over fire and volcanoes, granting him an extremely high divine rank. No matter how unattractive his face, as one of the Twelve Olympians and Zeus's eldest legitimate son, there was no way he would lack suitors.
Aphrodite and Ares looked positively delighted... The problem, as expected, was the other male gods. It began with Hermes's question.
"Um... Father. But didn't you say before that Aphrodite's husband was Brother Hephaestus..."
At those words, Zeus's face twisted fiercely as he glared at Ares and Aphrodite.
"Those two are madly in love, so... Tsk! Didn't they even have Harmonia and Eros together?"
Even under Zeus's sharp gaze, Ares and Aphrodite showed no sign of displeasure. On the contrary, they simply shrugged as if willing to endure this level of criticism.
"Forcing unwanted love upon others was my mistake! However, if anyone causes excessive conflict by making improper advances toward Aphrodite, they shall face this Zeus's thunderbolt!"
Rumble!
Zeus's powerful declaration rang out, and beside him stood Poseidon, myself, and Hera, all watching the gods closely. Lower gods would no longer dare fight over Aphrodite. I would need to tell her to restrain herself from seducing too many male gods... Though Ares was unavoidable, the seeds of discord still needed control.
However, as expected, a few high-ranking deities whose eyes had been stolen by the Goddess of Love's beauty remained a problem.
"Aphrodite, if you ever grow tired of Ares..."
"Hermes. Your granddaughter by force, Apemosyne, is currently in the Underworld... Shall I bring her up?"
"What?! No, that's..."
"Ahem, Uncle Hades. Unlike Hermes, I would make Aphrodite happy..."
"Apollo, Daphne—who became a tree because of you—is weeping in the Underworld even now."
"That was because of Eros's arrow... Never mind."
Poseidon had already given up... And there was one more whose gaze looked dangerous. Yes, Dionysus over there. I glared at him intensely. He quickly turned his head away.
That's right... The Underworld was filled with those who had gone mad and died because of his festivals of madness.
"Ahaha..."
As for Ares... he had already fathered children with her, so we would let that pass... I scanned the other gods one last time. The wind gods, river gods, or those under the Earth Goddess Demeter... Wait, weren't most of these simply self-indulgent troublemakers? Starting with the King of the Gods himself...
"...Ahem. Ahem! With that, this assembly is concluded! The wedding of Hephaestus and Aglaea shall be held on Olympus..."
There are so many gods on Olympus, so why are there almost no normal ones?