The King of the Underworld is Tired

Chapter 164: The Story of the Golden Apple – (2)

Zeus, with an awkward smile, subtly pushed the golden apple toward me, but I turned my head as if I hadn’t seen it.  

The way he was trying to shove the responsibility onto me was infuriating.  

“You seem to have quite the headache.”

“Mm. Borrowing the wisdom of other gods is tricky, especially since my daughter, the goddess of wisdom, has her eyes on the golden apple.”  

So, he’s asking for the help of my divine authority of fairness?  

I suppose he thinks that if I make the decision, the quarrel among the three goddesses will be less severe.  

“Isn’t this just pushing the burden onto me?” 

“No, it’s because there’s no one else suitable to decide. Look over there.”  

Following Zeus’s gaze, I saw the three goddesses still eyeing the golden apple.  

Judging by their glances, filled with possessiveness and pride, they looked utterly unwilling to give it up.  

“Well… frankly, aren’t you more trustworthy than I am? Remember how you handled that trial between Ares and Poseidon? You are the god of fairness, after all...”  

“If we’re being fair, the golden apple should go to Thetis, the bride of the wedding. Or we could cut it into three pieces.”  

“Hmm...”  

No, seriously, that’s what we should do.  

“Well, we’ll have to think about it more after the wedding.”  

“Agreed. I’ll also try to find a good solution.”  

Even if Zeus was unreliable, he did have a knack for making fair judgments when gods fought.  

He had resolved disputes neutrally before, like when Ares and Poseidon argued or when all the male gods vied for Aphrodite’s affection.  

For now, I decided to leave it in Zeus’s hands.

* * *

But the decision over the golden apple’s owner dragged on for a very long time.  

Even with the gods’ different sense of time compared to mortals, the discussions were excessive.  

In the meantime, Thetis and Peleus’s son was born, and even when Thetis requested to make her son immortal by bathing him in the River Styx, it was denied.  

“Why? Why is it not allowed? Even the god of strength was bathed in the Styx as a baby...”

“That is not allowed. Heracles was an exceptional exception. The son of Lady Thetis is not a prophesied hero.”  

Rumors also began to spread about Apollo falling in love with a mortal princess of Troy.

No one knew yet if this love would end in tragedy. Well, that was for the Fates to decide.  

“Lord Hades, a letter from Olympus has arrived.”  

Then, a letter from Zeus, stating that a decision must now be made, reached the underworld. So, I ascended to Olympus.  

Other gods, recognizing the gravity of the situation, had also gone to Zeus to share their opinions.  

“Lord Zeus, why not simply give the apple to Lady Hera? It could be justified as a gift to the queen of the gods...”  

“But wouldn’t the other goddesses vehemently oppose that?”  

“I still believe it’s best for Lord Hades to decide. It would be the most impartial.”  

“I agree. The judgment of the god of fairness would be the least contentious.”  

Why is everyone trying to push this onto me?  

After pondering for a moment, Zeus spoke. But something about his look seemed ominous.  

“Brother Hades, Gaia said something to me recently.”  

“Gaia?”  

“She said heroes are rampaging across the mortal world, not only killing monsters but hunting down every beast as well.”  

“What?”  

“Think about the heroes who offered up the Gigantes as sacrifices during the Gigantomachy. With their strength, they roam unchecked, and it must have irked Gaia.”  

The current Mother Earth goddess had fully acknowledged us.  

Although she didn’t attend Thetis and Peleus’s wedding, she sent her congratulations for her granddaughter’s marriage.  

Even if she disliked us, it meant she had no intention of ousting Olympus anymore.  

But she is a primordial deity, a protogenos. Someone who must never be underestimated. Even Zeus, the king of the gods, tread carefully around her.  

Zeus continued speaking,

"It’s only natural for heroes to seek out great deeds. But do you remember how alarmed I was last time, when they offered up the Gigantes as a sacrifice on the Plains of Phlegra?"

"So? What are you getting at?"

“So, what are you trying to say?”  

“I’m thinking of using the golden apple to wipe out the heroes.”  

“......”  

“Of course, I won’t unleash divine wrath like a great flood. I’ll target only those consumed by greed and selfishness.”  

Greed and selfishness. He’s planning to start a war.  

But war inevitably brings innocent casualties.  

“And… even without this, there are signs of war brewing among mortals.”  

“I know. Recently, Dike has been reporting to me about the atrocities of the heroes.”  

“Hermes mentioned that Greece’s city-states are eyeing Apollo’s favored Troy. A war will likely break out within half a century. What if we just advance it a little?”  

Wait. Something felt off.  n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The circumstances were unfolding too conveniently.  

Heroes wiping out monsters and animals as they seek glory.  

The Earth Mother goddess’s grievance and her desire to eliminate heroes.  

And now, at the perfect moment, the golden apple that could create the necessary pretext.  

I’d felt this kind of orchestrated alignment before.  

For instance, back when we fought the mighty Titans, when everything aligned perfectly for our victory.  

“Could this be… fate?”  

At my words, Zeus nodded.  

“More precisely, it’s the fate of war breaking out in the mortal world. If we forcefully try to alter it, we might succeed, but… with the heroes being such a nuisance, why should I bother?”  

A golden opportunity to gain justification, practical benefits, and even the Earth Mother goddess’s trust?  

Zeus’s final words weighed heavily on my mind.  

* * *

The fate of the Titan gods relinquishing their dominance to Olympus.

The destiny of Typhon and the Gigantes being defeated by us.

The tragedies of King Oedipus and King Perseus unfolding as prophesied.

A law that lesser deities cannot even perceive, only gods of the caliber of the Twelve Olympians might attempt to alter it.

In some ways, it could be considered a higher concept than prophecy.  

“Do you really have to start this war? Countless mortals will die and suffer because of this.”

“No matter what you say, brother, I can’t back down this time. This is the decision I’ve made as King of the Gods.”

From Zeus and the other gods' perspectives, it makes sense.

By slightly fanning the flames of a war that would eventually occur anyway...

They can gain Gaia’s trust and seize the opportunity to eliminate heroes who pose a threat to the gods.  

“…Zeus. Out of respect for your authority, I’ll say no more.”  

“Hmm. I appreciate that.”  

“But I won’t just stand by and watch. I’ll intervene in the mortal realm in my own way.”  

Still, it’s not as if fate is entirely unchangeable.

There must be some way to twist it slightly, just as I managed to mitigate the tragedy of King Perseus.

Stepping back to show I had no more opinions to share, I leaned against a nearby pillar.  

Crossing my arms and turning my head away, I noticed Hermes quietly approaching Zeus to speak.  

“Father…”  

“Hermes. Do you have something to say?”  

“Since even Uncle Hades has agreed to step back, if you’re truly set on starting a war, why not leave it to me?”  

“Explain.”  

Hermes cleared his throat before beginning.  

“You know I frequently travel the mortal realm, don’t you? There are some very interesting mortals I’ve observed lately.”  

“Hmm.”  

“If you plan to use the golden apple to spark a great war, it would be best to involve mortals of high status who can attract attention and controversy.”  

Was he planning to use some king from one of their kingdoms?

“How about bringing Prince Paris of Troy, currently hailed as the most handsome man alive, and having him choose which goddess deserves the golden apple?”

“Prince of Troy, you say…”

“No doubt, Lady Hera and others will approach him with offers. Sister Athena might promise victory in battle or wisdom, while Lady Aphrodite will likely offer him the most beautiful woman in the world…”

“Whoever he chooses, it’s bound to cause an chaos, isn’t it?”

At Hermes’ suggestion, the other gods nodded in agreement.  

“Indeed. That’s a clever approach.”  

“Depending on the prince’s choice, there will be ample justification for conflict.”

“And if war doesn’t seem imminent, we can reinforce it with prophecies…”

Is this even reasonable? Taking a mere mortal and forcing him to choose among three goddesses, then using that to ignite a war? I still find it distasteful.  

But having already stepped back out of respect for Zeus's authority, I can’t step in again now.

In that case… This human, the Prince of Troy, was it? Maybe I should involve myself briefly during the moment he chooses which goddess to give the golden apple to.  

If he turns out to be a rational man, I’ll protect him even if he incurs the goddesses’ wrath. 

He’s a prince, after all, so the chances of him making a foolish decision should be low.  

“Hermes! Go and inform the three goddesses to leave the judgment to the prince of Troy.”  

“Yes, Father.”  

“Wait. I’ll come with you, Hermes.”  

“Eh? Yes, sir!”  

Let me try one last time.  

* * *

The three goddesses readily agreed to Hermes’ suggestion.  

Their confident expressions showed they had no doubt that the mortal, Paris, hailed as the most handsome man alive, would choose them.  

“Then let’s go straight to that mortal.”  

“Good. Since he’s the prince of Troy, he should be capable of making a fairly wise decision.”

“Hmm… But no matter how wise he is, he’s still a man. Surely, he’ll choose the most beautiful one—me.”  

Before their bickering could continue further, I stepped in.  

Athena and Hera were already resolute. The only one who might listen to me was Aphrodite.  

“Aphrodite. A moment.”  

“What is it?”  

“Didn’t I help you divorce Hephaestus before? Think it over again. Do you really have to fight over this?”  

“I’m sorry, Hades. Even if it’s you asking, this involves my divinity. I can’t back down.”  

“…Athena. Do you feel the same? Hera, you as well?”  

“I still believe I’m the most deserving of the golden apple. Even if this is Father’s will.”  

“I feel the same. I understand your concern, Hades, but it doesn’t matter to me.”

Athena and Hera seem to understand why Zeus chose to leave the decision to a mortal rather than decide himself.  

Even so, they remain unmoved…  

“Ha. Fine. Understood.”  

Gods cannot interfere lightly with punishments or rewards bestowed by other gods.  

However, if those decisions haven’t yet been executed, they can still be altered.

If this mortal prince, Paris, makes a wise choice, perhaps the aftermath could be minimized.