SWNOVELXO Chapter 51 - Hephaestus’s Story - (2)
Chapter 51 Hephaestus’s Story – (2)
Hephaestus’s Story – (2)
Hephaestus shed tears for a moment, then conjured flames to dry them.
Somehow, the flames looked sorrowful, as if they carried emotions…
Is there truly no other way…?
Maybe I could use my divine power to change my appearance to match Aphrodite’s preferences…
“Ah, how about seeking out Apollo? He’s the god of medicine, so maybe your appearance…”
“I’ve already visited Apollo.”
According to Hephaestus, he sought Apollo out, hoping he could change his appearance to suit Aphrodite’s taste.
But that, too, was impossible.
It wasn’t as if he were an ordinary human; changing the appearance of one of the Twelve Olympian gods was difficult…
“When I summon flames to work as a blacksmith, my face reverts back immediately.”
“Ah…”
No matter how handsome a face Apollo’s divine power fixed in place,
The flames and power of Hephaestus, the god of fire, always restored his original appearance.
After all, us gods always maintain the appearance we were born with…
The reason the god of blacksmithing is ugly and lame isn’t because he fell on the island of Lemnos,
It’s because he was born that way from the start.
“But thank you anyway, for listening to my worries so earnestly.”
“No, it’s… I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. It’s all because I couldn’t win over my wife.”
As Hephaestus finished speaking and was about to leave, flames flickered in his eyes.
What… What thought has crossed your mind again, my nephew?
“But I absolutely cannot forgive that scoundrel Ares!”
“You mean Ares, who had an affair with your wife and fathered Harmonia?”
Aphrodite loves Ares so much that she bore Harmonia, the goddess of harmony, from their relationship.
But it’s not like you can suppress the goddess of love and tell her not to love…
Even so, since she’s had Harmonia, Hera must have told her to take it easy, right?
“Didn’t Hera once tell Aphrodite to stop her affair?”
“Yes, that did happen. But…”
Unable to bear it any longer, Hephaestus had complained to Hera,
And feeling guilty for throwing her son onto the island of Lemnos, Hera accepted his request.
I heard that the queen of the gods then quietly scolded the two who had committed adultery.
Though, to be exact, it was Hermes who often visits the underworld who relayed that information.
The Olympian gods are somewhat free-spirited when it comes to love.
However, after having a child from an affair, it was probably meant to convey that it was time to stop.
Even Zeus didn’t engage in extramarital affairs beyond a one-night stand much.
When a child was born, he would be careful for a while, watching Hera’s reaction…
“Even though my mother spoke to them, they remained the same. I recently discovered the two of them enjoying a secret rendezvous.”
Ares, true to his title as the god of war, possesses a muscular physique.
And with a handsome face and a protective nature towards his children, it’s no wonder Aphrodite finds it hard to let go of him.
“How could they keep meeting even after having a child and getting caught, shamelessly!”
“Mm…”
“I’m furious with my wife too. I’ve overlooked it a few times considering our forced marriage, but enough is enough…!”
“It’s a bit much, I must admit…”
“Still, thanks to coming to the underworld, I’ve been able to organize my thoughts! Thank you, Uncle.”
What exactly are you thinking?
What are you planning to attempt now… my nephew?
“Apollo is hosting an art festival on Olympus for a few days. I would like you to attend, Uncle.”
“Well, I don’t really want to go up to Olympus…”
“If you come to Olympus, I’ll check your Styx Sword, Bident, and Kynee for you.”
“…But since it’s my nephew’s request, of course, I’ll go up.”
It seemed like there might be some rust on the Styx Sword anyway,
And if he’s going to inspect the invisible helmet and Bident too, it’s all the better for me.
Hearing my words, Hephaestus appeared to have made a firm resolution,
Nodding heavily, he spoke.
“I have a magnificent piece of art to showcase at the festival. I would like as many gods as possible to witness it, so could you also invite the other gods of the underworld…”
What are you planning to do?
* * *
And so, the day of the art festival to be held on Olympus arrived.
Since it’s a festival hosted by Apollo, the god of art, I’m a bit excited…
“I’m coming with you to the festival!”
“I want to go too… Styx.”
Lethe and Styx, these two goddesses, both expressed their desire to accompany me to Olympus.
However, only one can leave their post.
If both goddesses were to disappear from the underworld, the remaining gods would be overburdened with work,
So one must stay behind to handle affairs…
“Are we going to keep doing this?”
“You were hugging Hades behind my back last time…”
“Styx, you’re the one with that large chest…”
“What did you just say?!”
The goddess Styx puffed out her cheeks in a sulky expression as she placed her hands on her hips,
But Lethe, who crossed her arms and pouted, was not backing down at all.
Please… just stop.
“I’ll just go alone…”
“Then let’s draw lots.”
“That sounds fair.”
Watching the goddesses swiftly draw lots to determine who would accompany me…
For some reason, a suffocating tension filled the air.
“Wow! I won! Let’s go to Olympus right away, Hades!”
“Ugh… Lady Tyche, the goddess of fortune, only abandons me at times like this…!”
Overjoyed, the goddess Styx waved the winning lot high in the air and then embraced me.
But if you bury my face like that… Ugh!
….#$%@%!
“Eek! Get away from Hades, Styx!”
“No way~”
The underworld is as peaceful as ever today.
* * *
So, I came to Olympus with the goddess Styx.
From outside the halls of Olympus, the sound of laughter and music could be heard.
Various instruments, such as the lyre, kithara, and aulos, harmonized beautifully.
“Huh…? Isn’t that Lord Hades?”
“And the one beside him… is that the goddess Styx? Surely not…”
“I haven’t heard any news that the lord of the underworld has gotten married?”
It’s been a while since I’ve heard the gods gossiping as I pass by.
Even if you block the sound with your divine power, I can hear it all. You youngsters…
“Wow… Hades, look at that.”
Clinging to my arm, the goddess Styx pointed somewhere with her other hand.
There, a weaving contest among many goddesses was taking place.
“Ooh… their handwork is amazing.”
“Does weaving require wisdom too?”
“I wonder which goddess is the best weaver on Olympus…”
Weaving beautiful patterns into the fabric is also a form of art,
The contestants… Athena, Hera, and Hestia.
Swish, creak, clatter.
Athena’s weaving depicted Zeus sitting on a golden throne.
It also portrayed numerous gods fighting Typhon, and herself bestowing blessings upon humans.
Hera displayed the harmonious daily life of a happy human family.
The depiction of a woman holding a child and smiling was particularly exquisite.
Hestia, on the other hand, wove an image of her hearth, illuminating the dark night,
Creating the illusion that her warm energy was emanating from the fabric.
“Of course, Lady Hera is amazing…”
“Lady Athena is the goddess of wisdom, but she’s also a great weaver.”
“It’s hard to say who’s better, but Athena’s weaving is the most elaborate…”
“I agree. Perhaps craftsmanship is also part of the wisdom goddess’s divine attributes?”
As the gods around me admired the completed weavings of the three goddesses, they each added their comments.
Even to my eyes, Athena’s weaving appeared to be the most elaborate and skillfully crafted.
“Athena, you are truly remarkable.”
“It’s just a small skill, Lady Hera.”
“You’ve beautifully depicted our battle with Typhon…”
Athena’s tapestry, depicting the Typhonomachy, the battle between the gods of Olympus and Typhon.
It even included an image of me, wielding my scythe in one hand and Kynee in the other.
As I slowly examined the tapestry, I heard someone calling my name.
“Lord Hades.”
“Dionysus.”
A male god with golden curls resembling Zeus and a rich scent of wine.
It was Dionysus, the god of wine and madness.
When he shook the golden cup filled with nectar, the contents transformed into a deep, rich wine.
“Please, have a taste. I’ve crafted it in the style most popular among humans.”
I accepted the cup and slowly sipped the wine.
The taste was bitter yet sweet, and the rich aroma of grapes delighted my tongue.
Of course, nectar tastes better, but Dionysus’s wine is a delicacy in its own right.
As I set down the empty cup, the god of wine sighed and spoke.
“Sigh… Due to what happened last time, my worship in Thebes has significantly diminished.”
“When King Oedipus went mad?”
“My temple was burned, my followers fled, and it seems unlikely that my worship in
Thebes will ever flourish again.”
However, Thebes, when you spread your worship there,
You instilled fear by even killing the king, so the loyalty? Devotion of your followers didn’t seem very deep…
“I have a request. Uncle.”
“Go ahead, speak.”
“Though Gaia’s case is different, could you impose a harsher punishment on Oedipus, that human?”
That won’t do.
No matter how much my nephew asks, I can’t alter the laws of the underworld at my whim.
“I can’t change an already decided sentence. And I judged that the current punishment is appropriate.”
“But that human killed my beloved leopard.”
“I understand your feelings. But I hope you’ll remember that he was also a victim.”
“I see… Yes, I understand, Uncle.”
With a bitter smile, Dionysus lowered his head and quietly stepped back.
Though I had already informed him of the punishment decision last time,
It seems he still harbors unresolved feelings of resentment towards Oedipus.
“Uncle Hades, you’re still so lenient towards humans. Refusing even your nephew’s request.”
“Hermes.”
“And, could you lend me your ear for a moment…”
With a grin on his face, Hermes approached me.
Why the ear… Do you have some secret to share?
“Hehe… Actually, you refused Dionysus’s request because he’s not a cute niece, isn’t that right?”
“Enough with the nonsense. But tell me, has there been a war or something?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Even though it’s a big festival, I’ve noticed that some gods are missing. Ares, for instance, is nowhere to be seen.”
Although it’s the usual festival held on Olympus, some gods have been absent since earlier.
Ares, who should be drinking nectar merrily, is missing,
Aphrodite, who would normally be sitting somewhere, eyeing the male gods lasciviously, is also absent,
And more importantly…
“I was invited by Hephaestus, but where on earth has he gone?”
“What? As far as I know, Brother Hephaestus went to Lemnos Island on some business and won’t be back for a few days.”
What’s going on?
Just as Hermes looked puzzled,
The god of blacksmiths appeared on the wide platform.
“What…? Wasn’t Lord Hephaestus supposed to be on Lemnos Island?”
“I thought he’d return on the last day of the festival.”
After briefly asking Zeus for permission, Hephaestus began to speak.
His powerful voice shook Olympus.
“Ahem. Ahem. Everyone! I, Hephaestus, have created a work of art that could be considered the pinnacle of artistic achievement for the gods attending this festival!”