Chapter 193: Side Story – The Underworld’s Rebellion (Epilogue)
As the King of the Gods, I now gaze from Olympus’s golden throne instead of the dark and gloomy depths of the Underworld.
Of course, I remain the Lord of the Underworld as well.
Zeus’s greatest weapons, the Scythe and Astraphe, are now mine.
With Zeus dethroned, his kingly authority and the divinity of the skies have also become mine.
The Underworld, justice, mercy, sovereignty, the skies, and the law…
As my original domains combined with those inherited from Zeus, I could feel the immense weight pressing on my shoulders.
And with that weight came an irritation at how carelessly Zeus had acted despite these burdens.
“Even though you’re my brother, I can’t forgive you for plunging the world into chaos. You will bear the celestial sphere in Atlas’s stead.”
“Hades! How could you do this to me? After everything I’ve—”
“Take him away!”
“Ahahaha! Zeus, let me teach you how to bear the sphere more easily!”
Zeus, stripped of his throne and left only with the powers of thunder and lightning, was dragged away by Atlas.
Having lost both Astraphe and the Scythe, and now burdened with eternal labor, Zeus was doomed to carry the celestial sphere forever.
Of course, with his groin destroyed, he might as well become another Uranus.
Now the remaining issues were to keep the gods in check, quell the unrest among mortals, and solidify my power.
And most importantly, I had to negotiate with Gaia.
“Hades.”
While I sat on the golden throne, lost in thought, Hera approached me.
Once the Queen of the Gods, her authority had diminished significantly since Zeus’s fall.
“The King of the Gods needs a queen befitting his station. Have you thought of any goddess?”
I had never been particularly interested in romance or marriage, but as the King of the Gods, I needed a goddess to stand by my side.
For Hera to bring this up… perhaps…
“And why do you ask?”
“Well, it’s likely you’ll choose someone like Styx or Lethe from the Underworld, but there’s no rule saying you can’t have more than one goddess, is there?”
“And?”
“What about my daughter, Hebe, the Goddess of Youth?”
Hebe, the Goddess of Youth, was Zeus and Hera’s second daughter, often called the Princess of the Gods.
Her role in Olympus was to serve nectar and ambrosia to the gods.
Hera’s proposal was likely an attempt to stabilize my reign as the new King of the Gods while maintaining her own influence through Hebe.
Perhaps she feared being cast out or treated as a relic in Olympus after Zeus’s defeat.
But the proposal wasn’t bad.
Hera’s indirect support could contribute to stabilizing Olympus.
“This isn’t a decision I can make immediately. I’ll think about it later.”
“…Very well. You’re the ruler of Olympus now, so I’ll follow your lead. Zeus has already fallen…”
“I regret what happened to my brother. Had he ruled more wisely, I wouldn’t have come to Olympus.”
“Even Hestia turned her back on him. You have legitimacy on your side.”
Hera’s eyes were filled with mixed emotions—sympathy, resignation, understanding, and resentment.
No matter how much she resented Zeus’s infidelity or even conspired against him, there was still some lingering affection from their long history together.
“Hades, Uncle! You must come quickly!”
Hermes’s voice echoed, startling both Hera and me.
Something must have happened.
As Hera and I stepped outside the palace, we were met with an unexpected sight.
A goddess of breathtaking beauty, with green hair that seemed to flow like nature itself, stood there.
Her presence was overwhelming, radiating an aura of such intensity that no one dared approach her.
“Hades. It’s been a long time. I hear you’ve dethroned Zeus and claimed Olympus as your own?”
“…It is an honor to see the great Protogenoi.”
“Indeed. At least you’ve always shown more respect than Zeus or Poseidon.”
The Earth Goddess and great Primordial Deity—Gaia herself—had come to Olympus.
“All gods, leave us for now.”
May the persuasion of Peitho, the Goddess of Persuasion, guide my words.
* * *
I escorted Gaia into the ruins of Olympus’s palace.
It wasn’t as though I could refuse her entry—her ancient existence demanded respect.
“Hmm.”
Gaia surveyed the ruined Olympus with interest.
Even with Hephaestus as the god of blacksmiths, it would take time to restore the vast palace.
The twelve golden thrones stood before us, and I offered the seat of honor to her.
Gracefully, she sat on the throne, her gaze fixed on me.
“I’ve heard that the Lord of the Underworld has now become the ruler of Olympus.”
“I could no longer tolerate the chaos and cruelty of Zeus and the younger gods.”
“Then I suppose you’re willing to rectify the minor mistakes Zeus made?”
Gaia smiled softly as she spoke, but her gaze remained icy.
She was undoubtedly referring to Zeus imprisoning the Titans in Tartarus.
I needed to choose my words carefully. The future of Olympus hinged on my ability to persuade her.
There were boundaries I couldn’t yield, even as the King of the Gods.
“If you’re asking me to release the Titans from Tartarus, I cannot oblige.”
“…Hoho. I had thought you’d be more reasonable than Zeus. Was I mistaken?”
“As you know, freeing those who oppose Olympus would ignite another war among the gods.”
Gaia narrowed her eyes and clicked her tongue.
But I wasn’t finished.
What I needed was a mix of straightforwardness and strategy.
“If you crave the throne so badly, I suppose there’s no helping it.”
“I don’t seek the throne out of greed. I rebelled against Zeus because of how immortals treated mortals.”
Gaia, as the Earth Goddess, was also the Mother of All Life—a creator deity.
She might show some leniency toward mortals.
“…Go on.”
“Zeus, the so-called King of the Gods, left his wife Hera and went about violating mortal women. Olympus’s gods, rather than tending to the mortal world, fought over the Goddess of Beauty. I could no longer stand idly by.”
“……”
“If the Titans were freed, they would undoubtedly seek to dismantle Olympus’s order. While I am confident I could defeat them, countless mortal lives would be lost in the process.”
Atlas, Prometheus, and Epimetheus were now allies, though Atlas required vigilance.
Aside from Cronus, I was confident in defeating the Titans in Tartarus.
But could humanity endure the decades-long war that would follow?
Gaia scrutinized me for a moment before speaking.
“So, you claim your actions were just, and now you ask for my leniency?”
“I am a god of fairness and mercy, and the Goddess of Justice resides in the Underworld.”
“Hmph. Did you think such reasoning would sway me?”
Of course, she wouldn’t yield so easily.
That’s why I had prepared another offer.
“In that case, I have a proposal for you.”
“Oh?”
“I invite you to take a seat in Olympus’s council. Please guide me with your wisdom.”
Gaia’s eyes widened slightly.
Her once-irritated gaze now held a hint of intrigue and curiosity.
“You want me to remain in Olympus and watch over you? Hmph. Zeus would never have made such an offer.”
“If I fail to meet your expectations, you are free to cast me aside. You have the power to do so, do you not?”
“…Hmm. How interesting.”
Gaia rose from her seat and approached me.
Her gaze, now fully alight with interest, swept over me from head to toe.
She placed her hand under my chin, pulling me closer to her.
Hmm. Surely not… No, it couldn’t be? From what I knew, Uranus, Cronus, and even Zeus had all…
“You’re fascinating. A god hailed by mortals as one of the Three Sovereigns, now the King of the Gods, yet you care for mortals as if you were one of them. How amusing.”
“Thank you.”
“And you’re quite handsome… Why not entertain me in other ways?”
Gaia’s delicate hand traced my chest, her intent unmistakable.
Her overwhelming presence, coupled with her striking figure, made it difficult to meet her gaze.
I swallowed hard. I had resolved to embrace all goddesses who came my way as the King of the Gods.
But this… was monumental.
Still, if Gaia supported me, Olympus would fall completely under my control…
“How long must I wait?”
As she whispered seductively, pressing closer, I found myself unable to hesitate any longer.
“…Allow me to escort you further inside.”
“Hohoho. Now that’s a manly response.”
Bonus Chapter 194: Final Postscript!
Hello, this is Plutos.
First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to all the readers.
Thank you to all the Novelpia readers who followed this story to its conclusion!
Now, the epilogues and side stories have all come to an end.
June 26th.
That was the day I first attempted the challenge on Novelpia. Time has flown by, and half a year has passed already.
My love for Greek mythology, folklore, and legends became my motivation to write this story… and thanks to that, I had a lot of fun throughout the writing process.
Luckily, this novel received overwhelming support from readers, and I achieved the challenge milestone much faster than I expected.
To be honest, I did consider continuing the side stories for a bit longer.
I had envisioned a scenario where Hades falls into a world of constellations and takes on the title “[The Terminus of Mortals],”
forming a connection with a reincarnated version of Parona, the woman introduced in Chapter 24.
But… I’m sorry to say, my current life has made it difficult to write any further. ㅠㅠ
Real life has been so hectic—maybe it’s because I named myself Plutos instead of Hades?
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Novelpia PD who supported me throughout this journey,
the readers who patiently awaited the next chapter and supported me,
those who left comments and encouragements with every update,
and the quiet supporters who expressed their love through views and silent readership.
To everyone, I extend my sincerest thanks once again.
Winter is upon us, and it’s freezing—perhaps because of Hades and his “kidnapping” of Persephone?
I hope you all stay warm and enjoy the blessings of Hestia, the goddess of the hearth!
Thank you so much!!!!
TL note: Thanks for supporting us till the end. Hope you enjoy our work! Have a blessed every day!