After changing their clothes, the goddesses Styx and Lethe returned. However, their outfits...
"Lady Styx, isn't that chiton the one blessed by Lady Hecate with the magic of tranquility?"
"Yes, it's the dress I received as a gift when I visited Olympus."
Lady Styx wore a chiton with a deeply plunging neckline, and the beautiful black fabric accentuated her beauty.
"And how do I look?"
Lady Lethe approached, wearing a thin garment that revealed her thigh line. I had never seen her in such clothing before.
"I saved it for occasions like today when we go out with Hades. Did I do well?"
"Yes... You look particularly lovely today."
Her face, usually expressionless, now bore a bashful smile, and she looked truly beautiful. Entranced, I left the stronghold with the two goddesses.
But linking arms and clinging to me seems a bit premature, doesn't it? It's getting quite stifling with both of you doing this...
"Cerberus, stay here."
I petted Cerberus, who guarded the entrance of the fortress. Then we crossed the rivers of Forgetfulness, Fire, and Sorrow in sequence and arrived at the River Acheron.
Charon, who was piloting the newly crafted, massive ferry(?), stiffened upon seeing us. As he glanced between Styx, Lethe, and me, the ferryman quietly muttered.
"...So who is the true bride?"
"Me!"
"Of course... It's me..."
There's increasing pressure on both my arms. As I begin to feel an even softer sensation, let's leave it at that...
"Charon, please refrain from saying unnecessary things..."
"Alright, alright..."
Somehow, we managed to emerge into the mortal realm. The fresh air and warm sunshine, which I hadn't faced in a long time as my true form, were refreshing.
The chirping of birds, a sensation of life and the vibrancy of nature, which were hard to experience in the underworld.
"How will you get to Mount Etna?"
"I usually travel by chariot. I rely on the ghostly steeds."
Of course, not only humans but also all sorts of animals and monsters meet their end and come to the underworld.
With a wave of my hand, I summoned a translucent chariot and spectral horses into the empty space. The horses, with blue flames flickering in their eyes, neighed as they materialized, their neighs echoing as they were summoned.
The chariot, crafted by Hephaestus himself, was a masterpiece. Though not a divine artifact, it was incredibly sturdy.
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Climbing onto the chariot, I offered my hand to the goddesses, who smiled and accepted it, climbing aboard one after the other.
But... That belt Lady Lethe is wearing seems familiar somehow... As I tried to look closely, Lady Styx urged me.
"Let's hurry and depart, Hades!"
I nodded and steered the chariot toward Mount Etna. The chariot of the underworld, invisible to mortal eyes, moved swiftly.
Near Mount Etna
Except for the snow-covered summit, the surroundings exuded warmth. A vast meadow spread out near the mountain, and various animals roamed energetically.
Yet, due to Typhon's body being buried beneath the mountain, earthquakes frequently occurred here. Hence, I would sometimes come to patrol and enjoy the sights of the mortal realm.
"I've always wanted to visit here. I heard even the goddesses of Olympus often come down to this place."
"Look, there are some nymphs over there."
I stopped the chariot briefly to look around. I saw beautiful forest nymphs in revealing chitons singing nearby.
"Kya-ha-ha!"
"Lady Kore! Come with us!"
"Let's go into the forest next time!"
Hmm... Who's that lively, golden-haired goddess running around? Since I don't recognize her, she must be a newly born deity.
I was about to resume steering the chariot around Mount Etna when Lady Lethe gently tugged at my robe.
"Hades. Hades."
"Yes, what is it?"
"Please let Styx and me down here for a moment."
"We'll look around briefly and return soon. I see a nymph I know over there..."
"Then I'll circle the mountain once. Feel free to explore."
A nymph they know? Well, that could be possible. The goddesses, always confined to the underworld, seemed excited to be out in the mortal world.
"We'll be back after a quick tour!"
"Alright, see you shortly..."
Meanwhile
The goddesses who had disembarked from Hades's chariot ventured deep into the forest. They looked around, seemingly searching for someone.
"Didn't we agree to meet here?"
"Oh, over there..."
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Soon they spotted the one they were looking for and walked over with slight smiles. In the heart of the forest stood a goddess embodying beauty itself, with her arms crossed.
"Really, did you actually come out with Hades? That stone-faced man?"
"It was all thanks to the belt Aphrodite lent us. Heh..."
The goddesses of the underworld had been searching for none other than Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love. As Lady Lethe approached, she undid her belt and handed it over.
It was the girdle of allure crafted by Hephaestus himself, the Kestos Himas. Receiving her belt back, Aphrodite looked puzzled.
"The belt I lent you worked?"
"Yes! For the first time, Hades, who always used to brush us off, came to the mortal world with us!"
"This is all thanks to Lady Aphrodite."
While the goddesses beamed brightly, Aphrodite wore an expression of surprise and disbelief.
"Hmph... He always seemed so indifferent when I wore it..."
"...Did he? He was especially kind today."
"Maybe it was because it was worn incorrectly..."
Aphrodite's face twisted slightly, feeling her pride wounded. She held her head and cried out, the goddess of beauty seemingly vexed.
"No way! I'm the goddess of beauty and love, after all... Ugh, how frustrating!"
After fuming for a moment, Aphrodite pouted again, folding her arms. She was about to summon a cloud and return to Olympus when Styx called out.
"Um... Aphrodite."
"What is it...?"
"Didn't you also like Hades before? Why did you lend us the belt then?"
Lady Lethe gazed curiously at Aphrodite, echoing the question.
It was common knowledge among the deities in the underworld that Aphrodite had followed Hades there. Even those who were clueless could sense the goddess's interest in him. But why would she lend her girdle of allure to a love rival?
Aphrodite chuckled softly as she answered their puzzled inquiries.
"I only wanted a night. Anyway, it's not unusual for someone like a major god to have many consorts, is it?"
"Then, how about Poseidon or Lord Zeus..."
"They aren't my type. Besides, Lady Hera keeps a keen eye on Zeus..."
Watching the goddesses nod in understanding, Aphrodite whispered in a low voice. Even her mischievous expression seemed enchanting as the goddess of beauty.
"Once he experiences the joys of marriage, won't he stop looking elsewhere?"
"I don't think Hades is fond of goddesses who commit adultery."
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"Ahh! Quiet! It's not like I chose to marry Hephaestus willingly..."
However, her expression crumbled at Lethe's remark. Now it was Aphrodite's turn to question the goddesses of the underworld.
"Aren't you worried about the burdens of marriage? Marrying the lord of the underworld means dealing with many responsibilities and the weight of being the wife of a major god..."
Hades, as a god, was quite popular among the goddesses. As one of the major gods, with a handsome face, albeit a bit gloomy, and a character different from his brothers. However, some goddesses hesitated to become his official consort.
With great power comes great responsibility. Living in the dark underworld instead of Olympus, or managing the numerous tasks as the lady of the underworld, could be off-putting.
"I don't mind any of that."
"There's a lot of work already..."
But the goddess of oblivion and the mistress of the Styx had no such concerns. Their answers came without a moment's hesitation.
Aphrodite briefly recalled Pygmalion, a mortal who touched the heart of the goddess of love with his sincere devotion to love.
"...Thanks to the blessing of the goddess, I lived a life without regret with my beloved wife!"
Pygmalion achieved love through the blessing granted to his statue, yet the goddess of love herself had not experienced the love she desired.
"Oh my... To be so beautiful, you must be mine, Poseidon!"
"Uncle Poseidon, please yield her to me."
"You are more enchanting than anyone I've ever seen..."
"My goddess, I have composed a poem praising your beauty."
"Enough, enough! If this goes on, there'll be an internal strife among the gods. I, Zeus, shall decide who Aphrodite's husband will be!"
Her beauty, so alluring that all gods coveted it. To prevent strife among the Olympians, the supreme god Zeus forcibly decided on her husband.
"The lame Hephaestus? Why should I..."
"Father, this is too much..."
"Uh? But..."
"To let Aphrodite decide would be..."
Crack! Boom!
"No more objections! From now on, the husband of the goddess of beauty is Hephaestus!"
Thus, a marriage was forced upon her. Her husband, Hephaestus, tried his best to please her. He created whatever she desired and gifted her the magical girdle, the Kestos Himas.
However, she couldn't bring herself to love him, leading to numerous affairs. She even bore Harmonia, the goddess of harmony, with Ares and had relations with many gods.
The more one tries to suppress it, the more fiercely love burns.
The goddess of love's smile was tinged with a hint of sadness. She sent her blessings to the two women embarking on their quest for love.
"...Well, that's what love is. I, Aphrodite, wish you luck. Do your best."
Meanwhile, Hades was...
"What did you say your name was?"
"I am called Menthe, sir."
...conversing with a nymph whose presence evoked nostalgia from the past.had been a little while since the two goddesses, Styx and Lethe, had disembarked from the chariot.
The ghostly steeds swiftly galloped across the expansive plains on the outskirts of Mount Etna. The sound of the chariot's wheels and the hooves of the horses echoed across the wide-open landscape. Of course, being invisible and silent to humans, they remained unaware.
Laughter and calls echoed from afar.
"Over here! Throw it this way!"
Despite the mountain's inherent dangers, with Typhon's body sealed within, its beauty still drew many nymphs. The landscape featured lush forests and a clear stream flowing through, the ideal setting for fairies.
Naturally, my expression relaxed, and I felt a sense of calm. It was indeed a pleasant change from staring at scrolls in my office all day.
After temporarily vanishing the chariot and ghostly steeds, I suppressed my presence as I approached the mountain. If my presence were to overwhelm this area, Typhon's body might be stirred, potentially causing an earthquake.
I sent out my dark divine energy to gently sweep over the mountain, probing for any movement in the buried body beneath. Hmm. Typhon's body remains where it should, undisturbed.
Just as I was about to return to where I had parted from the goddesses, someone called out from the trees. The presence of a female nymph who had been glancing my way caught my attention.
"Hey, handsome! If you're bored, why don't you play with me?"
A nymph with striking light teal hair approached, waving me over. The cool and refreshing aura suggested she was one of the Naiades, water nymphs.
But there seemed to be another who had already claimed my attention...
"Minthe! What's so special about that guy? Why don't you talk to me?"
"No, I don't want to! Go away!"
A male centaur rushed over and roughly grabbed the nymph's hand. He had been hovering around her for a while, and though I thought they might be acquaintances, it appeared to be one-sided courting.
"Shut up! Just come with me!"
"Kyaa! Let me go!"
The centaur, angry, roughly pulled the nymph into his embrace. Soon enough, the all-too-common crime in Greece would have occurred.
The many instances of gods and men alike assaulting beautiful women, such as Zeus or Poseidon, lead to the arrival of women in the underworld, full of resentment, pleading with Minos for justice.
"Hey! What are you looking at? This woman is mine—ugh!"
"Eek!... Haah..."
Having seen enough, I intimidated the centaur, leading him to his death. The heart of the centaur, who was about to assault the nymph, stopped, and he collapsed, frothing at the mouth.
"Eek...!"
The nymph, catching my eye, cried in fear, tears welling up. Watching her hurriedly dress in her half-disheveled clothing, I sighed.
"...I have no interest in you, so don't worry."
"Are you... a god from somewhere?"
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"Yes, and you should stay with other nymphs. There's no shortage of scoundrels like him."
Starting with the supreme god Zeus, there wasn't much difference with other races. Particularly with centaurs, who had the lower bodies of beasts, they were even more instinct-driven.
Having accomplished my task, I prepared to leave when a familiar scent caught my attention from the nymph. It was a refreshing scent, one I had smelled a long time ago.
It had been ages since I last encountered this scent—perhaps around the time Athena was born? Or when we overthrew my father, Cronus, to seize control of the world?
No, it was even earlier, a scent I only experienced in a past life...
A scent I dearly missed.
The nymph, who had finished dressing, thanked me.
"Thank you so much. If you meet any other nymphs around here, you can say you're an acquaintance of Minthe."
Minthe... Could this be related to...
"What did you say your name was?"
"I'm called Minthe."
Minthe. Menthe... Mint? Like the mint in mint chocolate?
"You are a Naiad, a water nymph... Are you by any chance growing fragrant plants?"
"Huh? How did you know?"
"Over here, my lord."
Noticing my interest in the plant, Minthe gestured for me to follow. I trailed behind her into the forest until we reached some plants growing beside a stream.
"This is it. It's just a regular plant, but I infused it with my power, and it turned out like this..."
Tiny leaves, a new species I hadn't seen in the mortal realm before. This plant is indeed...
"Mint... It's peppermint."
"Huh?"
Ignoring Minthe's bewilderment, I plucked a leaf and chewed it. The refreshing sensation filled my mouth—a long-forgotten scent from my past.
"Minthe, is it? I am Hades, god of the underworld."
"W-what...? L-lord Hades?!"
"Yes, you've revived my forgotten memories, so I'll grant you one wish."
I didn't foolishly swear by the River Styx. I intended to grant a wish within reason.
Though, to be fair, the "reasonable" range was quite broad.
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Upon hearing my words, Minthe was taken aback and flustered, her face flushing red before she managed to speak.
"T-then, could you... Uh, never mind... How could I ask for something..."
"You can take your time to think it over."
"W-would you... spend a little time with me?"
...Is that really your wish?
She asked hesitantly, her face a deep shade of red.
"Was that too bold a request?! I'm sorry..."
"That's a simple request. But I wish to reward you further..."
As a spirit and a fairy, wealth's blessing wouldn't be of much use. She didn't seem to have any grand desires...
Ah! I've got it. I could give her the honor that everyone desires.
"In addition, I'll make your creation, mint, my symbol."
"W-what?! T-that's too much..."
It's not too much, considering she awakened memories of my past life. The reward doesn't end there.
"From now on, mint will always grow in my temple, and I will let the humans know you created it. Foods made from mint will spread across the world..."
"E-eek..."
Minthe, unable to speak, opened and closed her mouth repeatedly. Her face turned crimson, like Hephaestus's flames, as she covered it with her hands.
Next, I was about to fulfill her simple wish for a brief walk when I sensed the approach of goddesses.
Lady Lethe and... Lady Styx?
"Ah, Hades! There you are... Oh?"
"We've been looking everywhere for you... But who is that..."
The goddesses approached, alternating their gaze between Minthe's flushed face and me. Their expressions hardened, and their divine energy emanated ominously.
Sensing the divine energy, Minthe glanced between me and the goddesses...
"This energy... G-goddesses? Th-then! I'm sorry!"
...and she fled, seemingly having realized something.
No, wait! What am I supposed to do if you just run away like that? Should I have stopped her and asked for her help in clearing up the misunderstanding?
The eyes of the approaching goddesses made my chest ache.
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"Hades is a male god, after all..."
"You came out to play with us, but you're already chasing another woman..."
"...It's not what you're thinking."
Days later, at the flourishing temple of Hades in Thebes...
The high priest, who had been praying with his eyes closed, suddenly rose in shock. He rang the bell beside him, and the clear sound echoed through the temple.
"The Oracle of Hades has descended! All priests, gather immediately!"
"An oracle?! What does it say this time..."
"Lord Hades has declared his symbol!"
Amidst the temple, dark divine energy swirled as Hades's gift arrived. After finally clearing up the misunderstanding with the two goddesses, Hades had sent a substantial amount of mint to his temple.
The priests, staring at the pile of mint leaves and seeds, wore puzzled expressions.
"This is... I've never seen a plant like this before. It has a strong scent."
"There must be a reason Lord Hades sent this to us..."
"He named it 'mint' after the nymph Menthe who created it..."
"Did that nymph perform some great deed?"
One of the priests finally spoke up after pondering for some time. It was Peneideia, the future high priestess whom Hades had directly descended upon.
"Could it be that Hades is showing consideration for the dead and their families?"
"Consideration for the dead?"
"If we use mint's strong scent in funerals to mask the stench of corpses, wouldn't it ease the minds of both the deceased and their families?"
"Ah! It's similar to the coins we give to the ferryman Charon!"
Realization dawned on their faces.
"Indeed! No one wants their deceased family members to emit a foul odor..."
"So that they can have some peace on their final journey..."
"As expected, he sent us a fragrant plant. The merciful god..."
The priests prayed to the god of mercy, whose kindness surpassed that of anyone else. In that moment, their faith in him deepened.
From then on, a tradition began in Thebes to place the symbol of the merciful god, Pluto—mint—among the clothes of the deceased during funerals.
"Pluto's mercy is embodied in mint leaves, they say?"
"They say it's a solution to the stench of decaying bodies."
"The god of the underworld is truly merciful..."
"And the nymph Menthe must be quite something."
And in the underworld, a certain god noticed his growing power...
"Could it be that I have another temple on earth, besides Thebes?"The Tragedy of Oedipus - (1)
In Thebes, the only state in this world that houses the temple of Hades, a heavy shadow has been cast over what seemed to be a peaceful land...
It all began when a prophecy was delivered to King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes. According to the oracle from the Temple of Delphi:
"Your son will kill his father and lie with his mother."
Upon hearing this prophecy, King Laius was horrified.
A prophecy that foretold his son would kill him and lie with his wife. King Laius secretly summoned a shepherd.
"Take this newborn to a place where no one knows and quietly kill him." "What...? But, Your Majesty, this is your son..." "Son or not, I cannot allow him to live if he is to kill me and lie with my wife."
Thus, the shepherd took the newborn and left Thebes. He headed to a quiet place with the child.
However, wracked with guilt over killing a newborn, the shepherd wavered. At that moment, a passing couple noticed him.
"Hey there, what are you planning to do with that child?" "Well... you see..." "If you're struggling to raise the child, leave him with us. We happen to be without a child ourselves. And since his feet are swollen, why don't we name him Oedipus (Swollen Foot)..."
The couple turned out to be the king and queen of Corinth, who had been yearning for a child. And so, Oedipus became the son of King Polybus of Corinth.
Years later, as a grown man, Oedipus heard a shocking story from Polybus's brother during a royal banquet. Though the speaker was drunk on wine...
"Hic... You are not my brother's real son, Oedipus." "What do you mean, uncle...?" "I mean, you're the child my brother and his wife received from a shepherd... Hic!"
Shocked by these words, Oedipus decided to visit Delphi to seek the truth from the oracle of Apollo, the god of prophecy.
"You will kill your father and lie with your mother."
However, the prophecy did not clarify whether he was their biological son, only predicting the tragedy that awaited Oedipus.
Believing that his adoptive parents were the father and mother referred to in the prophecy, Oedipus left Corinth in the dead of night. He thought that by leaving Corinth, where his adoptive parents ruled as king and queen, he could avoid the prophecy.
But...
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In a narrow alleyway, Oedipus encountered a group of people, and an argument ensued. The driver of a carriage, seeing Oedipus in humble attire, demanded that he make way.
"How do you expect me to move aside in such a narrow alley?" "Ha! Do you know who is riding in this carriage?" "I suppose it's some noble, but it's disgraceful to act so arrogantly just because of status." "How dare you! The person in this carriage is a king!"
Oedipus laughed at the driver. What kind of mad king would wander outside the palace, especially beyond the city walls, where the lands are nearly lawless?
In the mythic age, the lands beyond city walls were almost lawless territories, full of centaurs, nymphs, various monsters, and rampant with bandits and thieves.
"If the person inside is truly a king, then I am a prince of Corinth!" "What?!"
At that moment, someone inside the carriage, hearing the conversation, extended a hand and lashed a whip. The long whip struck Oedipus on the head, knocking him down.
"Ugh!" "How dare a commoner be so insolent. Move out of the way if you don't want to die." "Fine, let's see how you like this!"
Enraged, Oedipus drew his sword and killed the guards as well as the person inside the carriage, leaving only the driver to barely escape with his life.
But the person inside the carriage was none other than King Laius, who was on his way to consult the oracle about a monster called the Sphinx that had appeared in Thebes.
Oedipus had, according to the prophecy, killed his own father.
Continuing his journey, Oedipus eventually arrived in Thebes, where he heard a story.
"They say that the monster Sphinx is still blocking the road and causing havoc." "Ah, that one who devours anyone who can't answer its four riddles?" "The widowed Queen Jocasta has announced that she will marry whoever can get rid of the Sphinx." "If I answer the Sphinx's riddles, I could become the king of Thebes?" "Already dozens have gone to the grave because of it..."
Oedipus asked for directions and headed to the place where the Sphinx appeared. Upon arrival, he indeed encountered a large monster with the body of a lion and the head of a human.
He immediately challenged the monster.
"Oh ho... a challenger? If you fail to answer my four riddles, I will devour you." "Just ask your riddles, monster."
"There are two sisters who give birth to each other. What are they?" "Day and night."
"It grows larger in the morning, shrinks at noon, starts growing again in the afternoon, and disappears at night. What is it?" "A shadow."
"What creature walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening?" "A human."
Oedipus quickly answered three riddles in a row. The Sphinx, a massive creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human, bared its teeth and growled.
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But the last riddle will be impossible to solve!
"Which god do mortals fear the most but also seek the most grace from?"
Oedipus pondered for a moment. Many gods inspire both fear and desire in humans.
Zeus's lightning is fearsome, yet everyone prays for the blessings of the sky. Hera is the goddess of marriage and family but is vengeful toward infidelity... Artemis is the goddess of the hunt but also the bringer of plagues...
Many gods possess such duality. However, this monster appeared near Thebes. The gods most venerated in Thebes are Dionysus, the god of wine and madness, and...
"The god of the underworld and mercy, Pluto." "Rrghhh!!!"
The correct answer to the last riddle was... The god of the underworld whom everyone fears but who also shows mercy to the living, Pluto. Anyone could have known just by seeing the mint, Pluto's symbol, growing all over Thebes.
"Rrghh! How could I... lose to such a man?!"
The Sphinx, overwhelmed by shame, threw itself off a cliff and died. Oedipus then married Queen Jocasta, his biological mother, and became the king of Thebes.
The prophecy had come true in its entirety.
As king of Thebes, Oedipus ruled wisely, bringing prosperity to the city. He and Queen Jocasta, who maintained her youth thanks to the Necklace of Harmonia, a treasure of the Theban royal family, even had children together.
However, one day, a plague began to spread in Thebes.
"Oedipus, your majesty! Today, dozens more have died from the plague!" "Gather the dead and cremate them with mint leaves. Separate the sick from the rest of the populace..." "The plague is growing worse. Perhaps we should seek an oracle from Delphi?" "Hah..."
Despite Oedipus taking every possible measure, the plague only intensified. Eventually, he sent Jocasta's brother, Creon, to receive an oracle. According to the priest of Delphi...
The plague will not end until the parricide who killed his father and married his mother is punished.
Upon hearing this, Oedipus was enraged.
"Such a wretch exists! When I find him, I will blind him myself!"
And so, Oedipus summoned the blind prophet Tiresias to help him find the parricide.
Tiresias was once cursed by Hera to become a woman after killing a pair of mating snakes. After living as a woman for seven years, Tiresias killed another snake and was transformed back into a man.
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Having lived both as a man and a woman, Tiresias was summoned by Zeus and Hera to resolve their dispute...
"Tiresias, since you have lived as both a man and a woman, you can judge correctly. Which is stronger, the pleasure of a man or a woman?" "What do you wish to know from me, divine ones?" "You have lived both lives and can judge fairly. Whose orgasm is stronger, a man's or a woman's?" "That is..."
After thinking for a moment, Tiresias answered.
"If a man's orgasm is one, a woman's is nine." "Hahaha! Hera! I was right, wasn't I?" "Urgh..."
For this answer, Hera cursed Tiresias with blindness. However, Zeus, feeling pity for him, granted Tiresias the gift of prophecy and a long life.
In any case, when Tiresias met Oedipus alone, he immediately understood everything. After sighing deeply for a long time, the weary prophet finally spoke.
"The parricide... is none other than you, your majesty. You are the son of the late King Laius and the one who married his widow."
"Wha... what?!"
Had Oedipus been a foolish man, he would have chased the prophet away in anger. But Oedipus was a wise king who had won a battle of wits with the Sphinx.
'The words of a prophet gifted with foresight cannot be false. He is risking his life to tell me this. How can it be a lie?'
The expression on Oedipus's face grew increasingly distorted as confusion took over.
"He speaks with the knowledge that I could kill him for such words. How could it be false!"
"Ugh... Ugh! Aaaahhh!!!"
Bang!
"Your... your majesty?! What happened with the prophet...?!" "Is it true...?"
And then, the prophecy of the priestess at Delphi flashed through his mind.
"You will kill your father and lie with your mother."
Oedipus immediately mounted his horse and rode out of Thebes. He was consumed by self-loathing, fury, and despair. All these emotions overwhelmed him.
The wife he loved was his mother! He was a parricide who killed his own father! Because of him, the plague was ravaging Thebes, killing countless citizens!
"Ahhh!! Damn it! Damn it all!!"
Oedipus rode furiously to the mountains until he could no longer feel any sign of life. Trembling with rage, he clenched his fists and raised them to his eyes.
He was determined to fulfill his vow to blind the parricide.
At that moment,
"Alas... a mortal is suffering due to Ares's curse..."
Just as Oedipus was about to gouge out his own eyes, he froze at the sudden sound of an old woman's voice.