King of Underworld

Chapter 62 The Story of Perseus – (4)

“Yes, and the second option…”

Medusa’s gaze focused on my lips.

“I will grant you the right to choose your future.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“If you wish to remain in the underworld and not be reincarnated, I will grant you the greatest comforts. If you desire reincarnation, I will allow you to choose your new identity and everything that comes with it.”

If she wanted, I would even adjust the blessing of forgetfulness for her. But that wasn’t the end of it. The truly important part was…

“Lastly… if you wish, you could become a lesser god of the underworld.”

…!!!

Medusa’s eyes widened in shock.

But it wasn’t really something to be so surprised about… After all, she was already a demigod, and her sisters were gods themselves.

I judged that this level of compensation was the most appropriate for her.

The Minos brothers, standing beside me, remained calm, likely because I had already discussed this with them in advance.

However, Thanatos, who had brought her here, seemed quite flustered.

“Why are you offering me such things?”

Medusa looked at me with a stunned expression.

Her eyes were filled with nothing but confusion.

“No matter how merciful a god you may be, making a monster defeated by a hero into a god…”

“You are not a monster. You are merely a victim of fate.”

I interrupted her and answered.

“There are many reasons. Even though it was fated, I was involved in your death. Moreover, I am the god who governs the underworld, the final destination for mortals…”

For those who suffered misfortune in life, I offer rest.

For those who committed excessive sins, I deliver punishment.

This is the responsibility of the king of the underworld, who must maintain the cycle and balance of the world.

And…

“But the biggest reason is that I have never seen anyone suffer as much harm at the hands of the gods as you have.”

“…?!”

Because of her beauty, she was raped by Poseidon, a disaster she could not resist.

As if losing her purity wasn’t enough, she was abandoned by Athena, whom she served, and turned into a monster.

She tried to live quietly with her sisters on a small island without harming anyone, only to be used as a stepping stone for a hero’s glory.

From my personal judgment… Even when considering Phaethon, Oedipus, Cadmus, and countless humans,

There was no one who had suffered more at the hands of the gods than she did.

“The underworld is a world separate from Olympus… Though I am not Zeus, I do have the authority to elevate someone to the rank of a lesser god.”

“Ah… You truly are a merciful god.”

I didn’t particularly like being called a merciful god.

How many gods must have caused such trouble that simply returning what was taken was considered mercy?

However, if those words came from her mouth, it wouldn’t be so bad to be a merciful god, at least for a moment.

If it could bring her comfort and a sense of relief, I didn’t mind.

Like encountering a beam of light in a dark cave…

There was a glimmer of hope and expectation in Medusa’s eyes.

“If I become a god, will I be able to see my sisters again someday?”

“It won’t be possible to live in the mortal world, but I will allow you to visit them from time to time.”

She nodded slightly upon hearing my words.

“If I can see my sisters again… Yes, please make me a god.”

Medusa nodded, and I waved my hand.

A surge of black divine energy flowed towards Medusa, who stood before me.

Swoosh—

The power that transcends mortal understanding forcibly elevated her status.

Her demigod soul was engulfed in black flames, and as she was reborn as a new entity, a burst of light erupted, blessing her transformation.

Fwoosh—

I could sense that the entire underworld welcomed the birth of a new lesser god.

Since Medusa was already of Titan blood and had the status of a demigod, her elevation wasn’t difficult.

As the black flames that had enveloped her mortal body vanished,

She emerged as one of the many gods of the underworld.

The clothes her mortal body had worn were gone, leaving her as she was at the moment of her rebirth.

Her green, beautiful hair and her soft, flawless figure drew exclamations from the Minos brothers.

“You are now a lesser god of the underworld, Medusa.”

Medusa examined her newly transformed body, opening and closing her hands, before suddenly letting out a scream.

“Kyaaah!”

Trying to cover her private parts with her hands, her face flushed with embarrassment, she spoke…

“Um… I’m sorry, but could I have some clothes…?”

Oops.

* * *

After sending off Medusa, now a lesser god, I leaned back on my throne as the goddess Styx approached.

The goddess… Your attire is quite bold as usual today.

“Hades. Now that Medusa is a lesser god, how should we assign her duties?”

“Do you feel sympathy for what she went through?”

“Of course… There’s hardly a god who wouldn’t feel sorry after hearing her story.”

Now that she had become a god, she had to fulfill her duties to maintain the balance of the world.

However, since she was made a god as compensation for what she suffered…

“Let’s assign her simple tasks. I didn’t make her a god to burden her with work.”

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

“And please summon Mente.”

After the goddess Styx left, a weary-looking Mente soon arrived before me.

She was holding documents in her hands, probably from handling tasks just before being summoned.

“Hades niiim… Why did you call for me?”

“Mente, it seems thanks to your efforts, mint has spread quite a lot in the mortal world. You’ve done well.”

“Nehee?! Does that mean…”

After glancing at the documents in her hands, she beamed as she spoke to me.

There was no need to get so close; I could hear you just fine…

“Does that mean I don’t have to spread mint in the mortal world anymore?! Please say that’s the case!”

“Uh… Yes. Now that it’s widely known as my symbol, you can stop…”

“Yay! Finally…!”

Oh dear, she’s already got more tasks to do, but…

Still, it’s been a while since Mente looked so happy, so I stayed silent.

A little sense of relief after all this time shouldn’t hurt.

“Hehe… So, why did you call me? Could it be that as a reward, you’re taking me on a private tour of the mortal world…”

“…No, I called you to discuss how to prepare mint as a food for mortals.”

“Do I have to spread that knowledge in the mortal world?”

When I nodded, Mente, who had seemed to regain her energy from her nymph days, quickly wilted.

Her expression showed extreme disappointment. Truly, the goddess of despair.

“Charon is having a hard time because the scent of mint emanating from the souls is too strong.”

“Yes…”

“So, if we make mint into a food and have mortals consume it, the amount used in funerals should decrease…”

As I explained to her while looking at the parchment, Mente, who had slumped over, seemed pitiful.

Still, this was relatively minor… Given that she used to do nothing and rest when she was a nymph, it couldn’t be helped.

“If you handle this task well, I’ll take you along when I patrol near Mount Etna.”

“…!!! Really? You mean just the two of us, not with the goddess Styx or goddess Lethe?”

Did I say something wrong?

Seeing those sparkling eyes… This feels off.

“Those goddesses went last time, so I suppose…”

“You just said it would be just the two of us, right?! Heeheehee…”

Mente… You’re cute, but something about this feels strange.

I can’t help but feel she’s giving off a bit of an Aphrodite vibe.

“Alright, first we need to introduce mint tea and mint leaf dishes to mortals…”

“Heehee… Yes… Hehehe…”

I forcibly turned my gaze away from Mente, whose eyes were growing increasingly intense.

Ahem. Ahem. Stop looking at me like that.

* * *

Since Perseus had slain Medusa, it was time for the Kynee I lent him to be returned to me.

Sure enough, Hermes, the messenger god of Olympus, arrived in the underworld.

“Uncle Hades, it’s Hermes! I’m back!”

“The Kynee?”

“Ah, here it is. By the way, Perseus is certainly polite.”

Polite? Did he express his gratitude for lending him the weapon?

I took the Kynee he handed over and placed it beside my throne.

“Along with returning the weapon, I also presented Medusa’s head to Sister Athena.”

“Hmm. Bring it to the underworld.”

“Pardon?”

Hermes looked at me with a puzzled expression and spoke.

“Uh… If you request it, Sister Athena will likely give it to you. But, may I ask what you plan to use it for…”

“Medusa is now a god of the underworld. Since her body was left in the mortal world, it must be retrieved.”

“A god?!”

The messenger god froze in place, stammering as he spoke to me.

“Uh… Uncle…? You turned the monster Perseus killed as an achievement into a god…”

“She was not a monster but a poor woman who was raped by Poseidon and punished by Athena.”

“But my father and Sister Athena are likely to protest…”

“And what do you want me to do about that? Just bring

Medusa’s head. If they refuse, tell them I’ll come get it myself.”

“Y-yes…”

Hermes bowed and, looking troubled, returned to Olympus.

Not long after, Medusa’s head, which had been left in the mortal world, was returned to its rightful owner.

The head of the monster, eyes closed, with its many snake-like strands of hair.

When I handed it to Medusa, she looked somewhat embarrassed as she bowed her head.

“…Anyway, it has come to pass that I have retrieved your head.”

“Um… Thank you. Truly…”

“Your head… Hmm. Since it was your mortal body, you can do as you please with it.”

As I finished speaking and turned to leave, I felt a hand grab my sleeve.

“Hmm?”

When I turned around, she hesitated for a moment before looking at me directly.

“The grace you have shown me, by making a dead monster into a god, if you permit, I would like to spread it among the mortals.”

“…You may do as you wish with such matters. However, I too…”

Bear responsibility for her death.

If not for the Kynee I lent, it would have been Perseus, not Medusa, who died.

“But unlike the other gods, you did apologize.”

“……”

“And you even made me into a god so that I could live a new life… I want to spread word of your grace.”

Has she abandoned the goddess she once served and chosen to follow me as her new faith?

It felt more like a crutch to cover her emotional wounds than a true devotion born of grace.

“…Very well.”

Even so, I couldn’t bring myself to refuse her.