Blessing of the Underworld

The Blessing of the Underworld — Cerberus's Essence. My heart raced as I stared at the glass vial sloshing with the blood of Cerberus. If this contained the essence of a mythic beast, no modern essence could ever compare. Even the highest-grade essences would fall short of Cerberus's blood. It was an utterly insane reward.

"I will use it gratefully." I expressed my thanks to Hades and Heracles in turn.

"It's been a while since a human with manners appeared." Hades's lips curled in satisfaction. The words seemed casual, yet I sensed layers of meaning beneath them. Compared to Heracles's bold demeanor, I might simply have seemed polite, but Hades ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had specifically used "a while." That implied one thing.

Theseus has already come to the Underworld.

Theseus. Heracles's close friend, the hero famed for slaying the Minotaur in the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠labyrinth. He had descended to the Underworld to aid his companion Pirithous. Pirithous's goal was to kidnap Persephone, wife of Hades and daughter of Zeus, the goddess of spring, and make her his own wife. Naturally, the two would-be kidnappers incurred Hades's wrath and were detained in the Underworld.

The fact that Hades praised my manners while using the phrase "a while" suggested Theseus was likely already imprisoned ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠here. —Just recently two fellows came, and lately quite a few living visitors have been dropping by the Underworld. The ghost I met at the border with Hermes had said something similar.

My guess was confirmed soon enough.

"Theseus!" As we left Hades's palace, Heracles spotted Theseus and Pirithous in an open reception room.

"What happened? Theseus, why are you in the Underworld?"

"……."

The two sat on black-crystal chairs, showing no reaction to Heracles's call. They merely stared blankly ahead with their mouths hanging open, like vegetative patients.

"……Haaam, the Chair of Forgetfulness." The one who answered was Hypnos, the god of sleep who had guided us. Finally awake, are we? He rubbed his drowsy black eyes and replied. "Those two incurred Lord Hades's wrath and were made to sit in the Chair of Forgetfulness."

The Chair of Forgetfulness was exactly what its name suggested. Once seated, one lost all memories and remained frozen in time, bound to the chair for eternity. It was the punishment Hades had decreed for the two men who had tried to kidnap his wife.

Meanwhile, upon hearing Hypnos's words, Heracles immediately grabbed Theseus's hand and pulled him up. Theseus was the friend who had stopped Heracles when he had been driven mad by Hera and tried to kill his own family and then himself, helping him receive the Twelve Labors instead.

"It's no ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠use. Once you sit in the Chair of Forgetfulness, you can never rise……" Hypnos's words trailed off. His sleepy eyes widened so far it seemed impossible. "H-how……"

Theseus was being lifted from the Chair of Forgetfulness, a seat from which rising was said to be impossible. Heracles's monstrous strength was so overwhelming that even the god of sleep was jolted awake. Crack— Thud— A piece of Theseus's rear had torn away, still stuck to the chair.

"Theseus, are you back to your senses?"

"……Heracles?" Clarity returned to Theseus's vacant eyes. "So you freed me. Thank you."

Released from the Chair of Forgetfulness, Theseus bowed respectfully to Heracles in gratitude. "We'll talk details later." Heracles then moved to lift Pirithous as well. In the original myth, an earthquake sent by Hades would have forced Heracles to release Pirithous, and by the laws of the Underworld, once released, he could never be reclaimed. Heracles would have left without saving him.

But—

"Lord Heracles."

"?"

"Do not save him." I stopped Heracles from reaching for Pirithous. "He is a being of the living world. No matter what crime he committed, the living should not be bound to the Underworld."

"But he is a shameless kidnapper who tried to abduct Lady Persephone."

"Kidnapping? Theseus. Is that true?"

"Ahem!" Theseus coughed and glared at me. Yet even under his warning look, I did not stop denouncing Pirithous. More precisely, I defended Hades. "It is entirely right for Lord Hades to punish a kidnapper who tried to steal his wife."

Hades might be watching from somewhere. Given the myth's record of him causing an earthquake to interfere with Heracles, it was highly likely he was observing the current situation. After all, this was his palace.

Defending him won't hurt. I had felt the same with Artemis—the Greek gods operated on clear give-and-take. Hades himself had gifted Heracles an essence condensed from Cerberus's mana as thanks for retrieving the beast and a warning not to touch it again. That was why……

"Lord Heracles's words about the living being bound to the Underworld are also correct, but I see no need to extend the laws of the living world even to a kidnapper."

"Who are you?" An enraged Theseus approached me. "Just who do you think you are, slandering my friend?"

As Theseus raised his hand, Banesha quietly drew her scissors, as if ready to sever his arm at the slightest advance. But the arm was never cut.

—Stop. A beautiful voice echoed through the space, halting Theseus's action. And then— Whoosh…… A warm spring breeze seemed to stir, and a woman in radiant robes appeared before me. She offered me a gentle smile.

"From what I've heard, you speak nothing but the truth."

"Pardon me, but who might you be?" Though I had already guessed her identity, I asked out of courtesy.

"I am Persephone." Persephone, goddess of spring. Wife of Hades and queen of the Underworld. "The goddess that shameless man sitting in the chair tried to kidnap."

Persephone shot a cold glare at Pirithous, who sat blankly in the chair. Theseus, caught in her gaze, flinched and backed away. Yet when her eyes returned to me, Persephone wore the same warm smile as before.

"Thank you for defending me."

"I merely spoke what was right."

"Hehe, many people fail to say even that. The Underworld is a world that faces discrimination, after all." Perhaps because I had taken her side, Persephone remained consistently favorable toward me. "Heracles, leave that man be. He is a sinner of the Underworld."

Hades entered the room. As expected. Just as I thought, Hades had been watching everything. At his appearance, Heracles abandoned the idea of saving Pirithous and stepped back. But the matter did not end there.

"Lord Hades, shouldn't you grant a blessing to the one who defended me?"

"You want me to bless a being of the living world?"

"If not for him, Pirithous would have escaped."

"Hmm." Hades looked displeased at Persephone's suggestion to bless someone outside the Underworld. Yet her persuasion swayed even him. From Hades's perspective, unaware of the future, if I had not stopped Heracles, Pirithous would likely have escaped the Chair of Forgetfulness as well. And since Pirithous had already received the punishment of the Chair of Forgetfulness, Hades would have had no authority to detain him once freed. Pirithous was a being of the living world, unbound by the laws of the Underworld. In other words, it appeared as though I had been the one who allowed Pirithous to remain captured in the Underworld.

"This is my token of sincerity for stopping Heracles." With a wave of Hades's hand, a pitch-black darkness rose and seeped into my body. At the same time, a status window appeared.

It meant that even in a space filled only with demonic energy, I could convert it into mana. ……Damn, this is an overpowered ability. I had only defended him on a whim, yet another ridiculous power had come my way. Was this everyday life in the Age of Gods? The gods' rewards each surpassed my imagination. I almost regretted reducing the number of labors.

"I will see you to the surface." With a gesture from Hades, we found ourselves transported outside the gates of the Underworld. A red sky and barren earth. The gloomy rivers of the Underworld's Border stretched before us. Hades's intent to send us away quickly, lest Heracles cause more trouble, was obvious.

"Thank you." I bowed to Persephone, who had come to see us off outside the gates. It was thanks to her goodwill that Hades had granted the blessing. "Hehe, travel safely."

"Charon, take them to the surface."

"As you command, Lord Hades." The boatman with a thick white beard guided us to his ferry. "Board."

"How do we bring this one aboard?" I asked, pointing at Cerberus, who followed obediently behind Heracles. The ferry looked far too small for a beast the size of a small hill. Yet— Whooom— Cerberus's body suddenly shrank until it was no larger than a puppy. The now-tiny creature hopped into Banesha's arms. "Oh my." Cerberus curled up quietly in Banesha's embrace, caught off guard. He can even control his size. So this was a mythic beast. When Banesha patted his head, he let out a pleased whimper, every bit the pet dog.

"We depart." We boarded Charon's ferry and leisurely admired the border of the Underworld as we headed toward the surface. I belatedly remembered leaving Hermes behind, but…… He's a god. He'll manage. I took out the vial containing Cerberus's essence and smiled. I wondered what changes it would bring. It surely wouldn't end with just increasing my slots.

Standing before the distant gates of the Underworld, I gave a small bow toward Persephone, who was watching us from afar. The journey in Greece was drawing to a close.