King of Underworld

Chapter 54 Prometheus the Prophet – (2)

Even if I manage to stop Prometheus’s punishment, he still holds a deep grudge against Zeus and will likely refuse to help us. He would probably respond to any requests with nothing but mocking laughter, refusing to reveal anything about Gaia’s plans or his own prophecies. It’s uncertain whether his concern for humanity outweighs his anger toward Zeus.

Having returned to the Underworld, I quickly left the fortress.

As I moved beyond the pitch-black walls of the fortress, heading toward the outskirts of the Underworld, a solitary path soon came into view.

A little further… if I head to the northernmost part of my fortress, where few souls venture…

After walking down a narrow path for a while, a soul emerged from a small house.

She was a beautiful female spirit with a beauty that could rival even that of goddesses.

“Pandora. Could you spare a moment to hear me out?”

“…Why have you come all the way here?”

She was the first woman created by the gods.

A means created by Zeus to punish humanity with a great flood.

Driven by a moment of curiosity, she unleashed diseases, disasters, and all the evils that plague the human world.

Pandora, who was married to Epimetheus, the brother of Prometheus.

* * *

Pandora invited me inside her house, where I took a seat.

“What business does the Lord of the Underworld have with a lowly human?”

“The first woman, blessed by many gods, is hardly lowly. Don’t say such things.”

Her husband, Epimetheus, being an immortal Titan, still resides in the mortal world, living in seclusion…

But Pandora died during the great flood brought about by Zeus.

And when she arrived in the Underworld, she realized she had been used and despaired over it.

Although time has likely lessened her bitterness, back then, she retained her memories even after crossing the River of Forgetfulness.

I had offered to erase those memories out of pity, but she chose to live on the outskirts of the Underworld, without reincarnation, holding onto those memories.

Convincing Pandora would require…

“I intend to end Prometheus’s long punishment.”

“…I see.”

“But I need a reason that Zeus would find convincing. I’d like you to help persuade Prometheus.”

I explained everything to Pandora, including Gaia’s enmity toward the Olympian gods and my plan to release and persuade Prometheus to gain his prophetic insight.

After hearing me out, Pandora sighed softly and replied calmly.

“Lord Hades, while you have been kind to me, I still have no desire to do anything that would help Olympus.”

I had shown Pandora kindness by occasionally bringing her news of her husband, Epimetheus, who still lived in the mortal world, and vice versa.

Though the two couldn’t meet… I remember how they rejoiced whenever they received news of each other.

Epimetheus, wandering and living in seclusion across the world, was difficult to locate, but he always brightened up upon hearing about Pandora, or so the messengers said…

“Weren’t I and my creation meant to punish humans who received fire? To bring about their demise at the gods’ hands?”

“I won’t deny it. The reason for your creation was indeed because Prometheus angered the gods by giving fire to humanity.”

The gods bestowed countless blessings upon Pandora, creating her ultimately as a trap to bring about humanity’s downfall.

Simply put, she was a weapon of destruction.

“So why should I help Olympus, the gods who used me and brought ruin to humanity?”

Pandora spoke without any change in expression.

As the first woman, she loved and cared deeply for her human descendants.

Her daughter, Pyrrha, born from her marriage to Epimetheus, had married Deucalion, becoming the progenitor of a new line of humanity.

Her resentment likely stemmed from a mixture of guilt for being used to destroy humanity and anger toward the gods who had orchestrated it.

“Who’s to say that Gaia and the Gigantes gaining power wouldn’t be better for humanity?”

“The Gigantes eat humans. They’ve even kidnapped people from the cities where my temples stand, using them as sacrifices.”

“…Is that so?”

Although she was listening to my words, which had been favorable to her in the past, it was another matter entirely to convince her.

“There will never be another flood like that one. Even if Zeus tries to destroy humanity again, I will stop him.”

“…You, Lord Hades, would oppose Lord Zeus?”

“Not if it’s a justifiable end, but if it’s for a reason as petty as anger over humanity receiving fire, yes.”

Back then, it was necessary to establish the authority of Olympus during its early days, and it wasn’t until Pandora’s box was opened, spreading evil across the human world, that we realized she had been artificially created and sent by the gods…

I respected Zeus and merely expressed concern at the time without voicing significant opposition.

And in return, Zeus respected me by allowing Pandora and Epimetheus to communicate.

He didn’t interfere with the favors I granted Pandora in the Underworld either.

“Let me show you how your daughter, Pyrrha, and her husband, Deucalion’s descendants are living.”

* * *

I shared with Pandora the view I often have of the mortal world.

A glimpse of Thebes, where mortals lived.

Despite the chaos caused by King Oedipus in the past, Thebes was flourishing.

Thanks to the blessing of wealth I had bestowed, there were few who went hungry, and many spoke of the gods’ grace.

“Today, I’m planning to pray at the statue of Morpheus in Pluto’s temple.”

“Did you have a good dream last night?”

“I hope it was a prophetic dream about a successful business trip…”

“Thanks to the mint provided by the god of mercy, Pluto, the air in the cemetery smells sweet.”

“Oh, you’re exaggerating.”

“You’d understand if you worked as a gravekeeper. The smell used to be so foul…”

“I’m from Athens. How on earth did Thebes… ahem, come to worship Pluto?”

“Haven’t you heard about the mint? Not only that, but if a believer is threatened by a monster, he personally descends to save them…”

“The Lord of the Underworld… the god of mercy?”

Ahem… I’m starting to think that perhaps these humans talk about me too much…

But in Thebes, my name is almost as prominent as Zeus’s, so it can’t be helped.

“It’s remarkable how many people call upon your name, Lord Hades. The god of mercy…”

“…That’s how they’ve come to refer to me.”

Pandora gazed wide-eyed at the humans on the surface.

What could she be thinking as she watched these descendants, who are in some way her own?

“The reason I descended to Thebes was because of the Gigantes who served Gaia.”

“……”

“I was able to save one of my followers who had been kidnapped by the Gigantes and was about to be killed.”

“Gaia’s servants…”

“Yes, it’s precisely to counter Gaia’s prophetic abilities that I want to persuade Prometheus to help us.”

Pandora closed her eyes, lost in thought.

I could only hope that her love for humanity was as strong as her hatred for the gods.

After the time it would take to finish a cup of Dionysus’s wine, Pandora opened her eyes, seemingly having made a decision.

She retrieved a parchment scroll and a quill pen from within her house and began writing something diligently.

Then, she removed the golden necklace she was wearing and handed it to me along with the scroll.

“Take this to Lord Prometheus. It may help.”

“…Thank you.”

Pandora’s golden necklace was a unique treasure, the only one of its kind in the world.

It was her symbol, given to her by the Charites, the three goddesses of beauty who assisted Aphrodite, and Peitho, the goddess of persuasion, when she was created.

The letter I was to deliver to Prometheus would be verified as authentic by this necklace, and it also signified her resolve.

With this, Prometheus wouldn’t doubt my words.

As Pandora handed me the necklace and letter, her hand paused for a moment before she quickly continued speaking.

“But don’t misunderstand. This doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven the Olympian gods or that I’m on their side.”

“In that case…”

“I just believe that having monsters like the Gigantes rule the world would be worse for humanity than the current gods. And…”

Pandora hesitated, her lips trembling slightly before she spoke.

“…And your promise to stop the gods if they ever attempt to destroy humanity again.”

It seems that showing kindness to Pandora over the years was the right choice.

Have I unwittingly managed to change her heart over time?

“I trust in the kindness you’ve shown me, Lord Hades.”

In truth, I had wanted to seek help from Epimetheus, her husband and Prometheus’s brother, but since he was always wandering and living in seclusion, it would have been difficult to locate him in such a short time.

“You’ve chosen to trust me, a single god, rather than all of Olympus. Are you sure about that?”

“Surely the Lord of the Underworld wouldn’t deceive a lowly human?”

“…Thank you. If Prometheus is persuaded, it’ll be all thanks to you.”

The first woman, smiling faintly before me… Is she doing this out of love for humanity,

Or is it guilt for being used to bring about humanity’s downfall?

“Please don’t expect too much. I’ve only written down what I saw, heard, and felt about Thebes, the city you showed me.”

“That’s more than enough.”

I managed to turn the heart of one who resented the gods after realizing she had been used to destroy humanity.

Sure

ly this would also have a significant impact on Prometheus’s mindset.

All that remains is to take Pandora’s letter and necklace and meet Prometheus in person.

No matter what, I will persuade him.