Chapter 227
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 227
Chapter Title: Lethe's Negotiation-2
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In the underworld of the Eastern immortal realms, where the River of Three Crossroads flows, five rivers course through the Greek underworld.
The river Acheron of woe, where the souls of the dead wail in anguish, and where my brother Charon, the ferryman whose face I have yet to see, awaits.
The river Cocytus of lamentation, cold as ice and reflecting the past lives of the departed.
The river Phlegethon of fire, its blazing flames purging sinners.
The river Lethe of oblivion, washing away the memories of purified souls from their earthly lives.
And finally, the river Styx of hatred, which winds nine times around the underworld—a name even the gods fear and loathe.
Each is both the name of a river in the underworld and the deity embodying it, kin to Oceanus and Tethys who sided with Zeus in the Titanomachy.
Thanks to their powers and their support for Oceanus in Olympus's victory, Zeus granted them authority over five sacred oaths in this Greece, assigning them divine duties and rights as overseers.
The most famous example is the oath sworn by Styx.
And alongside Styx, the other rivers are still venerated in Greece, subtly or overtly, through pacts sworn in their names.
Acheron governs oaths of repentance, Cocytus oaths of declaration of war, Phlegethon oaths of vengeance, and Lethe oaths of negotiation.
"And this stone tablet is the pact inscribed with the names of the Aloadae and yourself, freshly brought by Iris from the banks of Cocytus. This papyrus, grown on the shores of Lethe, is the scroll of agreement."
On the stones by Cocytus's banks, the names of those who declare war in its name and their foes are engraved.
And the blank papyrus grown on Lethe's shores becomes a scroll with the power to erase those names.
If a war declared on Cocytus's stone ends inconclusively, Cocytus raises its spear to shatter those names and drag their fates into ruin.
If the pact inscribed on Lethe's scroll is broken, Lethe extends its grasp to pull the violator's fate into the deepest oblivion.
"Even if war broke out due to Cocytus's declaration, you must know that once victory and defeat are clear, negotiation between rulers under Lethe's name is possible..."
Oh. As expected of Greece.
Its drama overshadows it, but it's truly the birthplace of civilization and philosophical debate.
They've set up safety nets for declarations of war and everything else.
'...But the top god of this world's mythology forgot about mechanisms like these?'
Because of that, I nearly ended up crossing to the underworld to see my brother whose face I haven't even seen yet?
"..."
"W-Well, when you reach my age..."
"Shall I tell Neris?"
"You little punk, hiding behind your wife's skirts like a miser..."
"Shall I stab right there, Executioner?"
If that fierce queen found out he'd stepped up not for someone else but to cover for his illegitimate kids, nearly costing him a kingdom on earth plus sending his baby brother's husband to the underworld, she'd be thrilled.
"...Sorry about that."
In the end, the Sea King bowed his head.
Say what you will, Zeus and all married men are helpless against their wives...
"In any case, I uphold the pacts of Cocytus and Lethe. I have come to mediate your negotiation in Father Zeus's stead."
Athena, Olympus's mediator and Zeus's proxy, declared the revision, and the negotiation began.
"What Brother wants is for the Aloadae—those boys—to be spared unharmed, right?"
"Yes. We're family, you and I. I'll rein them in myself. Just let them walk out on their own two feet..."
"Can't do that."
If Otus and Ephialtes had charged in alone and caused this mess, it might've been fine.
But they invaded at King Iasos's request, backed by Thespiae, turning the situation into a standoff between Thespiae under Poseidon's protection and Atalanta's forces under my aegis.
And the culprits who started this get to walk away unscathed on Daddy's say-so?
No way I'm letting that slide.
"At minimum, we take an arm each."
"W-What?!"
Poseidon panicked, not expecting me to be so firm, but honestly, an arm is generous.
"You bastard...!"
"It makes no sense for the war's prime instigators to walk away alive and whole."
"Then the head of that Thespios scum should suffice!"
Thespiae's king, Thespios.
I recalled meeting him once at Dionysus's banquet.
A natural-born warrior-king with top-tier personal prowess and strategy.
His eyes, hungry for talent, left an impression—especially when he offered his daughters to Hercules and me as we pleased.
He'd raised his kingdom to rival Athens in renown, marking him as a top-tier monarch.
But this time, his greed brought disaster.
Mortal power meant less than dust to gods debating from heaven, so I silently wished peace upon Thespios's neck as he climbed onto the bargaining table without hesitation.
"A mere mercenary leader? Even without me, Jason and the others are already sharpening their blades for him."
This guy's trying to slip an ace under the table.
"A king of some upstart realm? Way too paltry as war spoils."
I had plans for Thespiae.
More precisely, Jason and Eleania were grinding their teeth over it—they'd handle the cooking.
"Mortal riches and lands? We can seize as much as we want. A single worthless human head? No room for debate."
But the Aloadae's fate is different.
Jason reported they'd squandered massive forces and advantages while captured.
Plus, their rampages through mountains and fields left Arcadia's highlands and farmlands scorched—restoration costs uncalculable.
"At the very least, while I'm still breathing, those two won't strut around with heads held high."
Not to mention, judging by those brats' tempers, they'd sooner invade Arcadia for revenge than grow up.
They were barely ten, yet if they matured and came charging—
Suddenly recalling the myth, gauging their level with the sword, even I couldn't handle them lightly then.
"You insolent brat!!"
"Lord Poseidon, this is Lethe's negotiation."
Poseidon glared daggers at my words, but Athena swiftly intervened to restrain him.
"Besides, it's highly unusual for a defeated commander in Cocytus's war to keep his life.
And claiming the loser's head beyond Cocytus's declaration is the victor's right."
"Athena, even you...!"
"So as one who entered this negotiation, Lord Poseidon, offer compensation the victor can accept."
Poseidon probably wasn't used to this.
Who in Greece had ever dared oppose the ruler of its vast seas, dragging Athena into mediation?
'Ah, there was that one time.'
I'd heard in Chiron's theology class—it was the Areopagus trial?
Poseidon's son Halirrhothius tried to rape Ares's daughter Alcippe, got slain by Ares.
Poseidon raged, sparking dispute; Athena mediated the trial, earning her role as goddess of mediation and Olympus's judge.
Like then, I could demand the Aloadae's heads, and Poseidon couldn't refute.
Instead, we're settling for arms, plus spear insights I'd gained.
Poseidon, glaring fiercely, soon sighed and drew his trident.
"...Hmph. How about this!"
He slammed the trident's tip into the ground, and white sea foam suddenly bubbled up.
-Bubbling bubbling!!
The foam swelled to match Poseidon's massive frame, bubbling ceaselessly.
Then it twisted, bellowing a mighty neigh.
-Hiiing!!
From the foam emerged a massive white beast.
With pearl-like mane flowing, sea-blue eyes sparkling, it bounded before me—
A pair of magnificent white stallions.
"What do you think? They rival Pegasus without shame."
"M-Magnificent steeds."
Even cool-headed Athena gasped in admiration.
And I agreed completely.
'Wonder if Lü Bu's Red Hare was like this?'
Flawless white hide over endlessly rippling powerful muscles.
Blue eyes gleaming with spirit reminiscent of absent Neris.
Pearl-ground gold shimmering in the white mane.
Even a modern person who never rode would covet them—peerless beauties.
As the noble pair nuzzled close, I rose unbidden to stroke necks and manes.
"Ho, already recognizing their master? Arcadia's plains and gentle hills have bred fine horses and cattle since ancient times. This should suffice as compensation, no?"
Poseidon's confident words rang true—these were superb.
In modern Greece, horses were worth more than cars.
Such steeds? Someone might sell a kingdom for them.
A breeding pair? Arcadia could amass cavalry mounts.
"Steeds like these? I'd trade my own arm for them."
"Haha! Right? Should've done this from the start—instead of scowling! Eh?"
"Hahaha! Indeed!"
At my approval, Poseidon's mood flipped; he slung an arm over my shoulder, roaring with laughter.
But the laughter died swiftly.
Of course.
Their lives for their lives.
Reparations were separate.