Goddess of Forgetfulness, Lethe - (2)
Today marks the second day of the Olympia festival in honor of Zeus. The events include foot races, javelin throws, and chariot races.
As with yesterday, I plan to sit and watch the competitions with Goddess Lethe. Climbing the stone steps in search of a seat, I overheard the conversations of nearby mortals.
"Is the first event the foot race? Last time's champion was..." "But in the end, won't another one of the demigods win?" "Of course, without the bloodline of the Olympian gods, even the heroes can't hope to win..." "Hey! But still, we humans can..."
Both demigods and mortals can participate in the Olympia festival dedicated to Zeus. However, the gap between those with divine blood and ordinary mortals is not easily bridged. The very fact of possessing godly lineage grants immense strength, stamina, and possibly special abilities.
Goddess Lethe, who had been listening to the conversation of the passing mortals, spoke up.
"It seems like the mortals feel a sense of deprivation..." "It's understandable, given that they don't possess divine blood. The difference is inherent from birth." "Then won't a descendant of the Olympian gods inevitably win this competition?" "Perhaps..."
Even among demigods, those with a direct lineage from higher deities have an advantage. But that doesn't mean the winner of such a competition is predetermined.
"The 16th contestant is a devout follower of the Goddess Artemis...!"
Seated at a decent height, we listened to the announcer. It seemed the foot race was about to begin, as the competitors were taking their positions, and the crowd grew silent.
Boom-
Thud. Thud-thud-thud.
"Whistle—" "Go, Moroclas!" "I've got so much drachma riding on this!" "Run faster!"
The drum sounded, and all the runners took off. Barefoot Greek men pushed off the ground with great force, sprinting ahead.
"Divine lineage does play a major role, but there are instances where personal effort can overturn it." "I've heard that cases where the natural gap is bridged are extremely rare..."
The world is inherently unfair. Lineage, talent, innate abilities, and social standing—none of these are easy for anyone to overcome.
"The winner is Deitos! The laurel crown will be bestowed upon you!"
"Waah!!!" "A demigod... lost to a human?" "I knew that guy would be something special from the way he trained outside the city!" "Who knew someone could be faster than the descendants of Hermes..."
But sometimes, there are mortals who overcome such differences. The man who won the foot race, beating many demigods, must be one of those rare individuals.
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"Wow... that's incredible. He seems to have the qualities of a hero..." "If he comes to Thebes, he might be worthy of nurturing in the Underworld."
An olive oil-filled terracotta jar, depicting a foot race, was presented to the winner. A laurel crown made from the branches of olive and laurel trees was placed on his forehead.
As the winner lifted the terracotta jar and smiled brightly, Goddess Lethe spoke.
"Speaking of heroes... what happened to the brother Bellerophon accidentally killed?" "His grudge seems to have greatly diminished. He actually expressed a desire to meet Bellerophon."
After arriving in the Underworld, Bellerophon had accepted my proposal for mediation. If his brother wished, Bellerophon would meet him and offer his apology.
Thus, Bellerophon met his brother in the Underworld, knelt before him, and sincerely apologized. Fortunately, the wronged soul accepted the apology.
As I was thinking about Bellerophon, a middle-aged man seated beside us suddenly spoke up.
"Hey... excuse me! Are you two... married by any chance?" "Is he speaking to us?" "Yes, you two. You seem close, but already-married women..."
He was eyeing Lethe with suspicion.
In the Olympia festival, a men's-only event, married women were prohibited from both attending and observing. However, unmarried women were allowed to observe, as it was seen as a way to understand men's roles in society.
It would be simple to just explain that Lethe and I are not married yet. But then, to my surprise, a bold statement came out of Lethe's mouth, her face blushing.
"Yes. We are married..."
"W-what?! Hey! Guards! We have a married woman here..."
Panicking at the bold declaration from the Goddess Lethe, the man tried to call for the guards. However, in the next moment, his memory was wiped, and his eyes went blank.
Lethe glanced at me, seemingly unsure of what to expect after claiming we were married. Perhaps she was worried about the statement she had just made.
"My lady." "Why... why? Aren't you going to marry me, Hades?"
I swallowed the words that had been about to leave my mouth. I could tell her that we aren't married, and that we aren't even courting...
But... I'm not a fool. I know what answer she wishes to hear. Perhaps now, I should give her the response she's hoping for.
"I... uh..." "Say it louder... please."
The cheers for the next race, the laughter and chatter of the mortals, the rumbling thunder from the sky, a sign of Zeus's satisfaction with the competition...
None of it mattered. All I could hear was the Goddess's question. I saw her small fingers trembling, perhaps from the courage it took to ask.
Her lips moved faintly, and her eyes wavered.
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"...Hades?"
Like the Goddess Styx herself, I abandoned my hesitation. I leaned in toward where she sat, and though she flinched, she didn't avert her gaze.
Ensuring we were unseen, I used an illusion to conceal us, invisible even to most Olympian gods.
I'd done this before. Moving smoothly, I gently took hold of her hair and pulled her toward me, hoping this gesture would be enough of an answer.
Smack.
Our second kiss.
Time passed, and Helios's sun chariot crossed the sky, bringing darkness to Olympia.
In the calm night, Goddess Lethe and I walked slowly, arm in arm.
Tap. Tap.
Perhaps because of the brief kiss earlier, I was all too aware of the soft touch against my arm.
"Hee..."
The beautiful goddess, not just holding my arm, but leaning her head on my shoulder. I didn't dislike the tickling sensation in my chest.
As we strolled around the city, taking in the sights, something caught my attention through my divine senses.
"Ugh... the knife... the blood on my body..."
A groaning sound came from inside a nearby brick house. It seemed to be coming from an elderly man, likely a soldier haunted by his participation in war. With his eyes closed and drenched in cold sweat, the poor man hadn't yet escaped the battlefield.
Ordinarily, such matters would fall under the jurisdiction of Morpheus, the god of dreams. But easing his pain would be well within the abilities of the goddess beside me.
As if reading my thoughts, Goddess Lethe stopped walking and looked at me.
"...I'll be back in a moment."
I nodded, and she vanished.
Soon, her power of forgetfulness enveloped the house, and only the sound of soft breathing remained. The man who had suffered the horrors of war would soon find those memories fading.
When the Goddess of Forgetfulness returned, there was a small smile on her lips. It's incredible to think that the goddess who once mourned her unwelcomed powers has changed so much...
"You've brought a little peace." "I don't like seeing mortals suffer, bound by memories of their past."
That is the nature of forgetfulness. Though people cling to precious memories, they welcome her blessing when it comes to painful and horrific ones.
It's much like the Underworld itself. As mortals age and approach death, they're more likely to become my devotees. Meanwhile, the young, still far from death, chant the names of Ares, Apollo, or Zeus.
"It's been a long time since I've had such a nice outing with you, Hades."
We had seen enough of the Olympia festival, and it was time to return to the Underworld. I raised my hand, pointing to a tall hill in the distance.
"Shall we climb that hill before we leave?"
Together, we climbed the hill, the sound of crickets echoing around us, fireflies flickering through the air.
Chrrr...
At the top of the hill, surrounded by darkness, we looked down at the grand city and sanctuary of Olympia, bathed in moonlight. The goddess, her silver hair fluttering in the wind, finally spoke.
"Hades." "Yes, my lady?" "Do you think that one day, the mortals living in that city will fully accept my blessing as well?"
Even gods with unbreakable wills cannot escape the blessing of forgetfulness. Over time, memories fade, and sometimes, they're forgotten entirely.
Mortals forget even more easily. It's common for them to lose fragments of yesterday's memories.
"As the Goddess of Forgetfulness, I must bestow my blessing upon everyone." "Neither Zeus nor I have been exceptions to that, have we? Not even yourself, my lady."
Just as the Goddess of Love can fall in love, so too can the Goddess of Forgetfulness sink into the depths of oblivion. Lethe smiled faintly, her gaze fixed on me.
"But... today's memories... I don't want them to fade." "...I feel the same."
"Could you help me... make sure I don't forget today?"
Desire flickered in the goddess's eyes for a moment before she closed them.
I moved closer to her and gently closed my eyes as well. Tilting my head slightly, I embraced her soft body, and our lips met once again.
"Gladly."
I parted my lips slightly, pressing my tongue softly against hers. A small gap formed between us as our beings intertwined.
The first thought that came to my mind was how sweet and warm she was. At the same time, I couldn't help but want to continue this softness.
Our hands fumbled, grasping, but eventually, I regained my composure and pulled back.
A fine thread of silver remained between us for a moment before disappearing. A sweet taste of peach lingered in my mouth.
"Haa..."
Even if the flow of time and forgetfulness overtakes me, I will never forget this moment.Love and Fire - (1)
Recently, Gaia has been quiet.
Perhaps it's because the aspiring heroes who gathered in Thebes have completed their training and returned to the living world, hunting down monsters as they go?
There's also the matter of the items I gave them, each imbued with Dionysus's power, to help them resist Gaia's madness. Chiron also seemed aware of this and put quite a bit of effort into mental training.
"Hades, Demeter and Persephone have arrived at the entrance to the Underworld." "Has the time come for Persephone to return? Let them in."
A messenger approached, informing me that it was time for Persephone to return to the Underworld.
After a brief wait, the door to the audience chamber opened, and two goddesses entered. Demeter, with her cold expression, and running toward me, golden-haired...
"Uncle Hades! I missed you!"
Poof.
I hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to dodge or not... but when I met Demeter's gaze, I simply embraced her. Seeing me hold her daughter, Demeter's expression softened.
Wasn't she the one who used to make such a fuss before...
"Oh? You're accepting me so easily now? Hehe..." "It's been a while, Persephone. Now, step aside for a moment."
Setting her down beside me, I turned to face Demeter. The Earth Goddess, arms crossed, met my gaze and finally spoke.
"Hades. You've probably already heard the news from Olympus." "If you're referring to the document about sending Hephaestus to the Underworld after he caused trouble, then yes."
Swish.
I pulled out the letter from Zeus, written in a hurried and furious hand. Anyone could tell just from the handwriting that Zeus was livid.
"Hades, brother, you said things were quite busy in the Underworld? Well, Hephaestus has made a mess, and for a while, he'll need to stay in the Underworld..."
I wasn't sure what had happened, but having another hand in the Underworld would be helpful, so I gladly sent my approval back to Olympus...
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"So, what exactly brings you, the Earth Goddess, to the Underworld?" "It's about that incident! Hephaestus didn't just make a mess; he failed to assault Athena and impregnated Gaia!" "What kind of nonsense is this, Demeter?!"
What on earth is happening now...
The story Demeter told was as follows.
Athena had gone to Hephaestus's forge in Olympus to request high-quality weapons from the blacksmith god. She had been furious lately after her temple was attacked by a Chimera.
But then...
"Hephaestus, could you craft me a new shield and spear..." "Athena... Huff...!"
After being rejected by Aphrodite and left in isolation, Hephaestus, entranced by Athena's beauty, attempted to assault her. However, Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and also the Goddess of War...
"Hah!" "W-what?! Argh!"
Thud!
She flipped Hephaestus over and threw him to the ground.
Unfortunately, in the commotion, some of Hephaestus's... essence... landed on Athena's thigh. Disgusted, Athena wiped it off and discarded it onto the earth.
"So, Gaia, the Mother Earth Goddess, gave birth to Hephaestus's child, and now Athena is temporarily raising the child?" "That's right! And the child is already showing signs of being like his father—trying to assault a virgin goddess!"
Zeus didn't send Hephaestus to the Underworld just because of the attempted assault on Athena. We're currently in conflict with Gaia, the Mother Earth Goddess.
Who knows what Gaia, now bearing the child of her great-grandson, might do. This incident could be seen as a provocation or an insult—a violation, even—toward a powerful enemy.
She's not entirely our enemy, being the grandmother of both Demeter and me. But now, with my nephew Hephaestus involved and a child born from that union...
"Hmph! So now you see why I'm here. When Hephaestus comes to the Underworld..." "Yes, yes... I'll make sure he doesn't come near Persephone."
Thankfully, Demeter's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. So, she's here to send off Persephone and to ensure that Hephaestus doesn't approach her daughter.
Wait... If Gaia became pregnant from Hephaestus's essence landing on the earth... don't we also have an Earth Goddess here? Like Demeter, standing right in front of me?
I glanced at Demeter's stomach, but she didn't seem pregnant. Still, it's best to hear it directly from her.
"But you're an Earth Goddess too, aren't you? Are you—" "Ugh! Do I really need to say out loud that I don't fully control the earth, which is why I'm safe?!" "...My apologies."
Flushing red and fuming, Demeter stormed out of the Underworld. Meanwhile, Persephone, now aware of what happened with her "cousin" Hephaestus, approached me.
Hop.
She climbed onto my lap, sitting softly and flashing a tempting smile. Hmm. She's much less convincing than Aphrodite...
"Hehe! Lord Hades! If Gaia can bear Uncle Hephaestus's child, surely it's fine for us too, right?" "...If only Demeter could see you now..."
Why does she call Hephaestus "uncle"? He's your half-brother... no, your cousin... Ugh, my head hurts. I need to stop thinking about this.
"Hehe... Didn't you miss me?! I thought about you every single day, Lord Hades!"
Why did she drop the "uncle" all of a sudden, dear niece? And please... stop rubbing against my arm.
After sending Persephone off to her chambers, some time passed before two gods arrived in the Underworld.
"Uncle Hades, it's been a while." "Greetings..."
One was a muscular god, shoulders slumped in defeat, wrists bound—Hephaestus. The other, following behind as if to ensure he didn't escape, was Artemis, Goddess of the Moon.
Artemis kept casting sharp, disdainful glances at Hephaestus. It seemed the incident had spread throughout Olympus.
Most of the gods must know the full story by now.
"I know what happened. Artemis, you may return now." "Ah... and one more thing..." "Did Zeus have a message for me?"
Artemis's sharp voice echoed in the audience chamber as she spoke, bowing her head. Given that she, like Athena, had sworn her chastity to the River Styx, this incident must have hit close to home for her.
"Yes, my father asked me to tell you, 'You can make Hephaestus do whatever you wish, as much as you wish.'"
Hephaestus's face darkened even more. But really, this was his own doing, wasn't it?
"Tell Zeus I understand. You may leave now." "Understood, Uncle."
Before leaving, Artemis shot one last glare at the miserable blacksmith god. He, for his part, simply avoided her gaze, knowing he was in no position to respond.
"...Hmph!"
Thud. Thud.
As Artemis returned to the living world, I turned my attention to Hephaestus. At the sound of my voice, his well-trained muscles twitched as though I had prodded a rotten piece of meat.
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"Hephaestus." "Yes, Uncle." "Why did you do it? Athena is a virgin goddess, having sworn her chastity to the River Styx. And you tried to force yourself on her, without even a formal marriage." "That's... I was wronged, Uncle!"
What on earth could he possibly claim to be wronged about? You tried to assault her and failed...
Looking at him in disbelief, Hephaestus burst out in frustration.
"Uncle Poseidon told me the reason Athena was coming to my forge was because she had feelings for me!" "...Ah."
I understood immediately. The two of them never got along.
I remembered hearing that during Poseidon's rebellion, he had invited Athena to join him, but she refused. And when Poseidon had an affair with Medusa, Athena turned her into a monster.
They even fought bitterly over the possession of a city in the mortal realm. In the end, the people of the city chose Athena and her gift of an olive tree over Poseidon's horses.
That city is now called Athens. It is where the most devout worshippers of the Goddess of Wisdom reside.
"So Poseidon tricked you into believing that Athena liked you to get back at her... Tch." "I believe that's what happened. But no one believes me." "Of course not! Who would believe the man who tried to assault a goddess in her own forge?!" "Th-that's..."
Sigh... Hold it together, Hades. Calm down. This isn't his fault alone—it's a matter of education. He likely learned this behavior from Zeus, with his history of womanizing. And besides, Hephaestus has never even shared a bed with his wife, Aphrodite, so it's no wonder...
The future of Olympus seems as bright as ever.
"Bring in Eros, the one who's been in charge of torturing criminals." "Yes!"
After waiting briefly with Hephaestus in the audience chamber, the young god Eros appeared, his fingers dripping with ichor. The moment he entered, he immediately prostrated himself.
"Lord Hades, I've reflected on my actions, and I—" "Eros. Show Hephaestus what you've been doing, then you may return to Olympus."
Eros's face lit up with joy, his eyes widening. The exhaustion he had shown moments before vanished in an instant.
"Thank you! Lord Hades! I swear, even if my mother orders me again, I'll never do it!"
"And... Uncle?" "What is it?" "Do I really have to torture the criminals? Couldn't you give me something to do as a blacksmith instead?" "If you keep spouting nonsense, I'll tell Zeus to officially assign you to the Underworld."
...
The root of Hephaestus's attempted assault on Athena was his loneliness. Despite being married to the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, he had been unable to fulfill his desires.
"I'll be going now..." "Follow me, Hephaestus!"
As I watched Hephaestus and Eros leave the audience chamber, I rubbed my temples.
Wait... if Hephaestus was driven to attempt assault on a virgin goddess like Athena, how will he react if Gaia, now carrying his child, shows up beautifully adorned?
And with a child already born between them... Hmm...
Perhaps we really should consider dissolving his marriage with Aphrodite and finding him a new goddess? "...Hephaestus." "Yes?"
I'm going to have to deal with this marriage mess.