Lyclean (6)
"Thanks to that, the gods were in an uproar. At first, they dismissed it as mere rumor, but once they realized the Life Goddess was behind the prophecy, it escalated into a serious issue."
"The Life Goddess?"
"Yes. When it's none other than the Life Goddess, it's no ordinary prophecy. After that, the gods put their heads together to find a solution. Discussions ranged from what humans need to do to be worshipped as gods, to the idea of declaring you—who had just been born—a child of the gods and ascending you to divinity right away."
"A child of the gods...?"
"It was just an opinion, nothing that was actually carried out. It only spread as a bit of gossip, so no need to worry about it."
Hades continued in a calm voice.
"Other topics included studies on how long it takes for a human to achieve enough feats to grow and attain divinity, research into rituals that forcibly ascend other living beings as blood sacrifices to godhood, and various other debates. In the end... the gods concluded they were absolutely short on time."
"Short on time...? Wait, that sounds ominous. Forcibly ascending other lives as blood sacrifices?"
"Forget about that. If they'd actually tried it, the Life Goddess would have been furious. Anyway."
Hades cleared his throat lightly before continuing.
"Humans are at their frailest right after birth, so it naturally takes time to grow. But even that time was too much for the gods."
"So their downfall is imminent?"
"Yes. The Life Goddess is merciful, but not endlessly patient. Once she truly loses her temper, half the world perishing wouldn't be a big deal."
"Half the world...?"
"Long ago, the dragons that once greatly prospered in this world met their sudden downfall due to the Life Goddess's wrath. Not many remember it now."
At Hades's words, Lyclean's expression turned blank. Dragons? Those legendary dragons from myths had once flourished in the ancient past? And they fell in an instant?? Because of the Life Goddess??
It was a string of incomprehensible tales, but Lyclean somehow gathered his thoughts and spoke.
"Hearing one shocking story after another is making it all feel unreal."
"I understand. Elves might know, but it's not common knowledge among humans. Anyway, the fact that Baal—the king of the gods—was absent from his throne was enough to greatly anger the Life Goddess."
"Just for not being there? Was my past life that important to her?"
"Less 'important' and more... she was furious at the gods for letting Baal—the king she herself crowned—abandon his throne after all their mischief and headaches. It seems her anger stemmed largely from her authority being violated. As for your past life... probably just some guilt over passing on such a heavy burden."
"Guilt...?"
Lyclean felt a deep disappointment, then tilted his head, wondering why he felt that way. His past life was just that—past. It had nothing to do with who he was now. So why the letdown?
"Afterward, the gods begged the Life Goddess for mercy. There simply wasn't enough time to make you a god."
"Hmm... But why are all the gods so terrified of the Life Goddess? Couldn't they band together and defeat her?"
Hades shook his head slightly at Lyclean's question.
"Even if all the gods united their power, they couldn't touch the Life Goddess. She's that overwhelmingly powerful."
"She is?"
"To humans, she's known merely as a benevolent goddess who selects heroes... but in truth, the Life Goddess is on a completely different level from other gods. She was there at the birth of the world."
"The birth of the world...? Now that's something I can't just brush off."
"She herself doesn't seem to think much of it. Anyway, it's easiest to think of the gods as cowering before her. That's why they begged for mercy."
"Mercy..."
Lyclean shook his head faintly. If he were in the Life Goddess's position, he couldn't imagine granting such mercy. Setting aside his past life, if the manager he'd appointed vanished because of others' tyranny... anyone would be angry. Especially if the culprits were the very ones the manager was supposed to oversee.
"In that situation, the Life Goddess gave the gods a condition. In exchange for what they possessed, she'd grant them more time."
"What they possessed?"
"Yes. The fragments left behind by your past life... Baal."
"Fragments...?"
"Baal's soul reincarnated as you, but as the king of gods, he left behind much more. Some gods acquired his fragments and rose above the others."
"Even if it's my past life... it doesn't sit well with me."
"In exchange for returning Baal's fragments, the Life Goddess granted a 10-year reprieve from their scheduled downfall. Later... she recovered three fragments and gave them 30 more years."
"Three?"
"Yes. Baal's emotion, Baal's body, Baal's wisdom. Those three. If Zeus's fragment of Baal's authority is also recovered, everything except the soul will be complete."
"Everything except the soul... except me?"
"Yes."
"So... does that mean I have to die right now?"
Hades shook his head at Lyclean's words.
"No need to die immediately. It doesn't matter even after you finish your life as a human."
"What? But according to what you said, if I don't return to the throne of the gods, won't they fall?"
"To borrow the Life Goddess's words: 'It'd be good for those pathetic gods to perish once.'"
"So the Life Goddess... never intended to forgive them?"
"No. She never planned to forgive them from the start."
Hades's words were tantamount to a death sentence for the gods.
"Of course, she won't wipe out every single god. Some are genuinely helpful to the world. She'll strip divinity from those who deserve it, demoting them, and keep those worth keeping. It's more like a cleanup and sorting."
With that, Hades looked at Lyclean and said,
"Of course, if you return as the king of gods, the Life Goddess might change her mind..."
Lyclean fell deep into thought under Hades's gaze. Becoming a god—that was undoubtedly immense glory. Ascending beyond humanity would become legend. Even legendary heroes hadn't achieved godhood through their feats.
But... was that okay? If his ascension let those gods continue existing?
The thought sent an inexplicable disgust crawling up his spine. He'd had no strong feelings about gods before, but Hades's story alone stirred loathing. As if suppressed emotions were bursting forth at his words. As if memories from a nonexistent past life were seeping into him.
"Are the gods... necessary?"
"Who knows. At least the Life Goddess thinks there are too many as it is."
"Do they harm this world?"
"Some don't, but more do harm than not."
Lyclean nodded at Hades's words.
"Then, if I abandon the throne... the gods get sorted out."
"That's true, but ascending to godhood is tremendous glory. You're willing to give that up?"
Lyclean shook his head at Hades's question.
"If me becoming a god doesn't sort them out, most of the troublemakers stay the same, right?"
"Well... yes."
"If we leave them be, there's a chance the Life Goddess gets angry again someday?"
"If something like this happens again, yes."
"And as a god, I'd become king of the gods again, like in my past life?"
"Yes. That's certain. The Life Goddess left the throne empty for you."
With Hades's words, Lyclean's resolve hardened. Repeating his past life's actions would surely cause problems. Unless the gods were sorted.
So.
"I won't become a god."
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah. Even if I did now, it'd just repeat the past, wouldn't it?"
"Maybe, but... quite a few gods have already been sorted?"
"Might as well do a thorough cleanup while we're at it, right?"
Lyclean said lightly, as if suggesting it was better to clear out all the trash in the house at once. Blasphemous words treating gods like garbage—but with no divine ears present, it caused no issue.
"Understood. If that's your decision, so be it. I'll convey it to the Life Goddess. She'll prepare accordingly... hmm. No need for you to know that."
With that, Hades gestured lightly, and a small box floated over from somewhere.
"Your friend's soul is inside this box. I apologize for using him."
"Using him?"
"Yes. To lure you to the underworld. Originally, he was fated to freeze to death asleep on the street after getting drunk—not beaten to death by you."
At Hades's words, Lyclean's expression went blank.
"Fated to freeze on the street?"
"Yes. I changed that fate to death by your hand to bring you here. As compensation... I extended his lifespan a bit with my authority. Sorry to you, who ended up beating your friend to death."
"Hmm... I don't even remember beating him. So that's how it happened?"
"Yes. As for the knowledge to preserve the body cold and unrotting, I believe the Life Goddess whispered it softly in your ear."
Lyclean tilted his head at Hades's words. True... the idea of keeping the body cold to prevent decay had popped into his head somehow. Was that the Life Goddess's doing? He wasn't sure, but if it worked out fine, that was good.
"But can you just extend a lifespan so casually?"
"Normally no, but this is special. Since I used him to summon you, compensation is due."
Hades spoke matter-of-factly. Lyclean could only shake his head faintly as he watched.
