The commemoration ceremony held in the morning of March 15th.
With the conclusion of my speech, the opening ceremony successfully ended, creating countless conversation topics.
What remained was a 3-day festival spreading throughout the entirety of Athens.
No one doubted the fact that people would cut down on sleep to enjoy the festival for three days.
Everyone would watch the sunset three days from now, commemorating the grand finale of the closing ceremony.
But perhaps…
There was one person who might not be able to see that closing ceremony, where all memories converge.
That person was me.
The priest Ark.
The double Twelve Labors due to Dionysus’ curse were nearing the two-week deadline starting from the first day of the festival today.
“Tch…! The fact that the tattoo is spreading tells me I’m feeling the pressure.”
Checking my left wrist where the bracelet-shaped Labor tattoo was drawn,
It looked as though the bottom had been forcibly rubbed but left untouched, only spreading outwards.
The realization that tonight could be the end made my body feel constricted and stiff, like wearing thin clothes during winter while wandering around.
Those who knew my situation would think this: Why am I so anxious when I’ve developed cider and even prepared a room?
Indeed, the fifth Labor seemed to end in a rather anticlimactic way.
As soon as the festival began, the gods got drunk with the taste of cider, continuously drinking several glasses, and the extra cider I brought is almost out.
However, there was another problem.
It was Dionysus.
In the morning, I delivered the proclamation and observed the faces of the citizens.
I didn’t see him on the designated seats in front of the stage prepared for Dionysus, which made me think, “Oh no.”
The sixth Labor was clearly to humiliate Dionysus, making Hades laugh.
But without the main subject, Dionysus, whom I’m supposed to humiliate, all my gag materials become useless.
Dionysus, the god of wine and festivals, was surely aware of this fact.
To prevent any unintended events caused by me, he merely observed from a consistent distance.
When I approached, he distanced himself, and when I distanced myself, he got closer.
Dionysus, who knows tonight is the last deadline for the Labors.
It was evident he intended to monitor and ensure my failure of the Labors.
“Tch! Maintaining a certain distance is quite an art. Not the god of wine, but the god of stalkers.”
Dionysus, amidst the noise of the citizens chatting, clearly heard my muttering from afar, merely drinking his wine and laughing.
Have I underestimated him as a drunkard?
Or is his cunning on another level?
Because of this, I couldn’t find a proper solution with only two hours left until midnight in this current situation.
“In any case, what about Artemis…”
If by any chance I really fail, today would be my last day, so I wanted to spend the remaining time with Artemis,
“Hahaha~ Drink, drink~!”
But beneath the podium, at the table prepared for the gods, Artemis was enthusiastically walking around, offering cider to various deities like an overly eager person.
Artemis, who already got a mood boost from the cider’s attention, found great enjoyment from my announcement that I would give Hera the pre-sale tickets for this year’s cider, leading Apollo to argue with the lower gods for over three hours.
“Drink, drink~ Come on, who is this? The rising star, huh? From now on, Hera will be the supplier of cider, not me. Hahaha!”
“…Sister? It was a sort of attraction to celebrate today. Seeing the moon so happy, it seems the event was a great success.”
“Yeah. I even saw the scene where his pre-sale tickets were snatched away, didn’t I? What did that angry lower male god say? Did he not mention the one who calls bribes ‘brain water’ for the first time? Haha, hahaha!!!”
“…sh**t.”
Apollo, trying to package and escape his shameful parts,
Got his only escape route blocked by swift Artemis.
Is she really that satisfied?
To have succeeded in avenging her shame from a long time ago during a school arts festival?
Now that I think about it, it’s possible she’s overwhelmed with dopamine and the thrill of revenge.
This could be my last day, but does she not worry about me at all? I felt a twinge of disappointment within me.
But conversely, I realized that Artemis trusts me to succeed without any doubt, which is why she could behave this way.
Most importantly, seeing all the twelve deities harmoniously laugh and enjoy themselves,
I didn’t want to interfere with her time.
“Let her be.”
Watching her, who couldn’t stop laughing, brought a strange sense of relief.
It’s enough for the finale to have Artemis laughing so much that her canines show.
I’ll etch her laughing face into my eyes and then move on.
Thinking multiple times about how to bring Dionysus to appear before me,
My wandering footsteps stopped in front of a narrow alleyway where no lamplight reached.
Seeing the dark alley made me realize d*ath was at my back, and I immediately turned around.
Just as I was about to return to the plaza, overflowing with light for the festival,
“Focus is necessary for thinking. And there is no quieter place than darkness.”
In the pitch-black alley devoid of a single ray of light and a single person, a male voice emerged, terrifyingly like water released from a dam.
As I started checking the walls on both sides of the alley, the owner of the dark voice sighed deeply and revealed his identity lurking in the darkness.
A figure cloaked in d*ath’s shadows, from his black hair to his lips.
The name of this god, shining brighter than anything in the pitch-black darkness, is…
“H-Hades, my Lord… Greetings, I am Priest Ark from Artemis—”
“The introduction is done.”
My polite greeting was coldly cut off by Hades.
The icy aura that enveloped d*ath swirled around my body and eventually began coiling around my neck.
Failure of the Labor would result in the eternal binding of a fetter.
That place exists somewhere between the mortal and the afterlife.
However, it’s surely not part of the mortal realm; hence, the role of sending one through the gap exists solely with Hades and Persephone.
There’s no need to ask why he has appeared before me.
“… Have you come to take my life? For a guide, you’re quite a big name.”
“Such a cheerful tone. You use a very interesting expression.”
The expression on Hades’ face remained devoid of any changes from calling it interesting.
There’s not even a trace of a smirk in his breath.
“Could you at least smile once if you find it amusing?”
“Why?”
“I believe the basic expression of ‘amusing’ includes laughter.”
“Hmm, my thoughts differ somewhat. Laughter is something shown to the other person, unrelated to my emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness.”
……
Impressive.
I thought I was quite rational in my perception of things and events.
But right now, there’s a god before me who surpasses even me in this aspect.
Can I truly make this god laugh?
“I’ll ask you a question this time.”
“Ask away, Lord Hades.”
“Hum.”
Hades nodded approvingly at my respectful conduct.
He then pointed with a finger towards Dionysus, who was hiding behind the opposite side wall, watching us,
“Your life remains only twenty minutes. To survive, you must bring Dionysus to humiliate him before me.”
“That’s correct.”
“But why can you be so nonchalant? Shouldn’t you be chasing after that drunkard in an attempt to catch him?”
“……”
“Why not abandon that naive thought that your Labor’s fate will protect you? The same Labor that strongly protected you will mercilessly abandon you for your incompetence.”
Leaning with his arms crossed, Hades declared firmly.
Ah.
I understand now.
With less than ten minutes left, Hades has shown up before me out of curious warning.
“To be honest, I never imagined Dioinysus would be fleeing to avoid becoming a variable.”
“Incompetence.”
“……”
“Anyone values their own lives. When the end comes, everyone flails hopelessly… So, is there any way? …More likely, you’re just an inept fool.”
The bloodless and tearless cold critique from Hades pierced my heart.
Still, there was no method.
It was unforeseen, after all.
Also, I couldn’t think of a solution even until now, so I deserve to be called incompetent.
“There’s nothing I can do after hearing such words from Lord Hades.”
“I’ll follow the procedures according to the established rules.”
Hades took out a small golden key from his robes.
Stretching his arm forward with the key and twisting his wrist clockwise,
Click!
At that moment, it sounded like a lock clicked open in the empty space.
A portal of darkness immediately appeared, tearing through the space,
Instinctively, I felt that stepping through this door would be the end of everything for me.
Hades continued to call forth the Grim Reaper’s scythe,
Then, without any warning, he mercilessly swung the scythe and severed my neck in one go.
“Ah…”
Though my neck was clearly severed, I felt no pain.
Feeling around with both hands, I sensed nothing unusual.
I merely watched as my vivid body began to grow hazy like the morning fog in the forest.
“The five minutes left in your mortal realm will expire, your body will vanish, and you will become a soul. Then, you must enter this door of darkness and, in the eternal fetter, continue the failed Labors forever.”
“Is that…so?”
“Make your final statement. The god of the underworld, I, Hades, shall hear it.”
Hades, who took away lives, was still expressionless.
He simply resembled me on a regular day, diligently checking complaints at work.
Since taking lives has been happening for thousands of years, his emotions must have dried up.
Having to make this god laugh might have been close to impossible in another sense.
“If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask one favor? It’s a simple one.”
“Your life has five minutes left. If it’s possible, I will honor the request.”
At that, I smiled lightly, placed the bag on my back down, and handed over to Hades a single cup, the size of a tumbler, sealed tightly.
“This is…”
“Cider. It has ice, and it’s sealed nicely; it will stay cool when you open it.”
“Why are you giving this to me?”
“All the other twelve deities have said it’s delicious, but you, Lord Hades, haven’t tasted it. I wish to hear your review in this final moment.”
“…Understood.”
Hades slightly nodded at this final request of mine, brimming with attachments to the mortal realm.
Though his actions were undoubtedly cold, I now realized his inner piety, respecting the lives of others.
“Thank you, Lord Hades. May I offer a toast?”
I held the last cider tumbler remaining in my bag.
My last drink in the mortal realm.
It would be wonderful to share it with Hades.
I extended my arm, not opening the cap, for the toast.
Hades responded in kind.
At the moment when our cider tumblers were about to clink together…
“Phahahaha!!! So much attachment to the mortal realm!”
That was the moment.
A man suddenly intruded between us,
Snatching the cider I was holding with victory in his grin.
“Defeatist Ark! The toast of victory shall be mine! Why is the soon-to-d*e you drinking cider!? Kuheeheehee~”
Dionysus stared down at me with a smirk, mocking me.
Yes.
It’s a good timing, Dionysus of the god of complacency.
It’s showtime, with a minute left.
