King of Underworld

Chapter 88 Love and Fire – (3)

“…So you’re saying you want to divorce Hephaestus and Aphrodite and find them new partners?” Hera asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Exactly. If you help, it’ll be much easier to persuade Zeus,” I explained calmly.

Hera quickly realized that this wasn’t a rebellion and returned to her composed demeanor as the queen of the gods, relaxing in her seat with arms crossed.

“You’ve come to the goddess of marriage to ask for help in dissolving a marriage. Do you think that’s appropriate, Hades?”

“Yet, you know well enough that this marriage was doomed from the start, held together by nothing but strings,” I countered.

Hera’s expression tightened, a frown forming on her brow.

“Isn’t it the duty of the goddess of marriage to ensure the formation of happy, harmonious unions?” I pressed.

“Hmm… I suppose you could see it that way.”

“Hephaestus has already given up on Aphrodite. If you help him find a new partner, he’ll likely shed tears of gratitude for your divine intervention.”

Hephaestus had been cast off to Lemnos by Hera the moment he was born. Fortunately, she now regretted that decision.

“The root of this whole mess with Athena was Hephaestus’s dissatisfaction with his relationship with Aphrodite. And now, he even has a child with Gaia. If Gaia appears before him, dressed in her full beauty…”

“He might fall for her charms?” Hera asked, picking up on the implication.

“Perhaps he wouldn’t betray Olympus, but sharing secrets or doing her favors… it’s not out of the realm of possibility.”

Hera had a soft spot for Athena, and this entire situation must have been quite the shock for her. With just a little more persuasion…

“And I’ve heard that Zeus recently brought a boy named Ganymede to Olympus…”

Crack! Hera clenched her fists. “Now he’s going after boys too! Am I supposed to be losing to men now?!”

The previously calm and collected goddess was now fuming. So it really was about Ganymede’s beauty…

Ahem. “Regardless, Zeus has been chasing beauty, male or female, and yet continues to suppress the love between Aphrodite and Ares. Isn’t that a double standard?”

“You’re not wrong there.”

“And if you help me now, Aphrodite may express her gratitude by letting you in on how to regain Zeus’s attention… after all, the goddess of love has her ways.”

“You’re suggesting she might tell me how to steal back Zeus’s affection from that mortal boy?”

“Exactly. I’ll make sure to tell Aphrodite how valuable your help was in all of this.”

Whether it was through lending Hera her magic girdle, the Kestos Himas, or offering some other form of guidance, Aphrodite would surely repay the favor.

“Fine. I’ll add my support.”

“Let’s go now.”

With Hera and Poseidon in agreement, we made our way to Zeus. As expected, we found him lying down in his massive bedroom, napping.

Poseidon approached him quietly and spoke.

“Wake up, Zeus.”

“Mmm…?” Zeus opened his eyes and saw Poseidon standing over him, followed by Hera.

Immediately, the sky god leapt from his bed, grabbing his thunderbolt as he rose.

Crack—BOOM!!!

“…Another rebellion?! Poseidon, if you dare challenge me again, come at me!” Zeus roared, his divine power tearing through the air as the massive palace walls began to crack.

“No, it’s not what you think—”

“Sigh… Calm down, Zeus, it’s not what you’re imagining.”

“…Brother Hades? Then… this isn’t a rebellion?”

Amid the swirling divine power and lightning storm, I sighed and rubbed my temples.

* * *

“…You want to divorce Hephaestus and Aphrodite?” Zeus asked, bewildered.

“Yes, and would you mind lowering the lightning bolt? If I were here to rebel, I’d have brought my Kynee.”

At that, Poseidon put away his Trident with a sour expression, while Hera crossed her arms, exasperated. Zeus looked at me and slowly made the thunderbolt vanish.

“Well… ahem! I was in the middle of a nap, and with Poseidon appearing, how could I not think of rebellion?”

“Yes, it’s understandable, but we’re here to discuss Aphrodite. We’ve already talked it over among ourselves,” I explained.

Standing in the middle of the destroyed palace with the walls blown out was surreal. I could see Hermes flying toward us urgently in the distance, and the other gods were whispering.

“…Let’s move this discussion elsewhere,” I suggested.

“That might be best,” Zeus agreed.

We soon found ourselves in a quieter room.

Poseidon, Hera, Zeus, and I sat around a circular table. I began explaining the rationale behind the divorce.

Hephaestus had been pushed to the point of nearly assaulting Athena. If left unchecked, what if Gaia, dressed in her full beauty, tempted him?

And wasn’t it telling that Aphrodite herself had exposed her affair with Ares at the arts festival?

They had even borne children, such as Harmonia. Hephaestus, meanwhile, had accepted that his marriage was over.

After pondering for a while, Zeus finally spoke.

“But why are you, of all people, so involved in this matter, brother?”

“…Because I feel sorry for him. My nephew has done much for me, creating the bident and repairing my weapons.”

“That bident of yours is indeed quite sharp…” Poseidon added.

Of course. No weapon could compare to the bident Hephaestus forged for me.

“If Hephaestus has truly given up on the goddess of beauty… Morally, it would be right to separate them. But…” Zeus hesitated.

“Are you worried about other gods fighting over her?” I asked.

“That is a concern. If I reverse my decision and go back on my word…”

It would tarnish his authority as the king of gods.

That was why Zeus hadn’t dissolved their marriage earlier. Hephaestus’s contributions had certainly been a factor, as had the hope that Aphrodite might eventually stop her affairs. But with all of these circumstances combined, he had hesitated.

“Then we can help with that, right, Poseidon?” I said.

“Well, I can at least offer a show of support,” he muttered.

“And I will, too,” Hera added. “It’s not as though they’ve ever had a happy marriage.”

Zeus stroked his beard in thought.

“But how do we stop the other gods from fighting over her?”

“Send anyone with serious complaints to the Underworld. If they’re so obsessed with the goddess that they can’t control themselves, I’ll… educate them,” I replied.

“Isn’t that a bit much? You’re taking on quite the burden,” Zeus noted.

“A burden? If anything, you’ll be helping me reduce my workload.”

I doubted many gods would actually be foolish enough to challenge the king of gods, especially with me, Poseidon, and Hera standing by his side.

“…Very well. It’s settled, then. Bring Hephaestus up from the Underworld, and I’ll summon the gods for a council.”

“Good decision.”

* * *

“…After much deliberation, I believe it’s time to dissolve the bond between Hephaestus and Aphrodite,” Zeus declared to the gathered gods.

Most of the gods had come to witness the announcement. Aphrodite couldn’t hide her joy, and Hephaestus, while solemn, sighed with acceptance.

“Hephaestus, I’ve found you a new wife. How would you like Aglaea, the goddess of radiance?”

“Yes, Father. I’ll follow your will.”

Aglaea, the goddess of radiance, was one of the three Charites, born from Oceanus’s daughter Eurynome and Zeus. With her long, sea-green hair, she was quite beautiful herself.

As she waved at Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths seemed content. Although she didn’t surpass Aphrodite in beauty, she was still stunning.

Aglaea made her way through the gathered gods, linking her arm with Hephaestus’s and smiling.

“Lord Hephaestus!”

“Yes, well…”

“That necklace you made me last time—it’s absolutely beautiful!”

Although Hephaestus was a blacksmith, his divine status as the god of fire and volcanoes placed him among the highest-ranking deities.

Regardless of his appearance, as one of the Olympian Twelve and Zeus’s eldest son, there was always demand for him.

Aphrodite and Ares, meanwhile, looked quite pleased.

The problem, of course, came from the other gods. It started with Hermes.

“Father… but didn’t you once say that Aphrodite’s husband was Lord Hephaestus?”

At this, Zeus’s expression darkened, and he glared at Ares and Aphrodite.

“Those two are hopelessly entangled… tsk! They’ve even had children, Harmonia and Eros!”

Despite Zeus’s scornful look, Ares and Aphrodite appeared unbothered, shrugging it off as if they were used to it.

“I acknowledge that it was a mistake to force an unwanted love upon them! However, if any god dares stir up trouble over Aphrodite now, they’ll answer to my thunderbolt!”

Rumble!

Zeus’s stern warning resonated through the hall, and Poseidon, Hera, and I stood by, silently watching the other gods.

There would be no

more challenges for Aphrodite’s hand after that.

I’d have to remind Aphrodite to temper her seductions… though controlling Ares was likely impossible. Still, I’d have to curb any more trouble.

However, a few high-ranking gods, their eyes still filled with desire, could pose an issue.

“Aphrodite, if you ever tire of Ares…” Hermes began.

“Hermes. The granddaughter of King Minos, Apemosyne, whom you forced yourself on, is in the Underworld. Shall I bring her here?”

“What?! N-no, that’s not necessary.”

“Ahem, Uncle Hades… unlike Hermes, I’d treat Aphrodite with all the happiness she deserves,” Apollo interjected.

“Apollo, shall I summon Daphne, the nymph who became a tree to escape you? She must be weeping in the Underworld.”

“Th-that’s because of Eros’s arrow… never mind.”

Poseidon had already accepted defeat in this matter, but there were still some suspicious glances…

There—Dionysus.

I narrowed my eyes at him, sending an unspoken warning.

The god of madness quickly looked away, pretending not to notice.

Fine, Dionysus. You’ve already filled the Underworld with countless souls who died in madness because of your festivals.

“Hahaha…”

As for Ares… well, given that he and Aphrodite had children, I’d leave them be. I surveyed the other gods one last time.

Let’s see… the wind gods, the river gods, maybe some of the gods under Demeter…

Wait a minute, most of these gods are reckless troublemakers, aren’t they?

Then again, starting with Zeus, the king of the gods…

“…Ahem! This concludes our council! Hephaestus and Aglaea’s wedding will be held on Olympus…”

With so many gods on Olympus, why are there so few normal ones?