episode_0061

061 – Serpent Voodoo # 2

This underworld, the Soul Society, is extremely vast.

Among them, a large portion is occupied by what was formerly called Tartarus, now known as the “Happy World.” Even within the grounds of this “Happy World,” more than half of the area was so fierce and barren in its land energy that even ghost colleagues could not stay there.

Squish, squish-. Squelch.

Deep mire, like mud, filled everywhere.

“Walking with my knees sinking deep is truly difficult! Joy manager! Please carry me on your back!”

“Oh! Joy manager nim, I was pricked by a thorn! Carry me on your back too!”

Prickle, prickle-.

If you let your guard down even a little, strangely self-grown hell cacti, like thorny bushes, would wrap around your hands or ankles.

Originally, in the world of Greek mythology, Tartarus was a place even the gods feared to tread, so it was, well, only natural.

I too will truly die if I let my guard down even a little.

Krauser, covered in mud all over his body, admired my appearance.

“Look at Joy manager’s tension-filled face! Her firm resolve makes even me shiver. Wow, it truly reminds me of venturing with the Argo expedition!”

“A headquarters manager-level person is also here, so I feel reassured.”

“Still, it’s a bit scary though….”

The foggy wasteland of the Happy World, where nothing could grow other than thorny bushes and dreadful carnivorous plants.

Would you believe it if someone said someone was staying in such a place?

“Alright, alright, there isn’t much left to Nyx nim’s garden! Cheer up a little more!”

Admetus ssi, the perennial manager from “Charon Transport,” stood at the front and clapped his hands loudly. Just as he said, somewhere in this wasteland was the garden of Nyx, the Goddess of Night. This was because she was living in that terrible wasteland as her residence, to the extent that even these executives were reluctant to enter it. It could be said to be an example showing how great a majesty a primordial, a god of Protogenoi level, possessed.

It was then.

From far away, someone with pink hair tied in two pigtails waved their hand.

“Hey! Hey—! You guys are this year’s subjugation team, right? Here it is! Here! Come quickly!”

She was wearing a white one-piece dress, and on her head, she wore the skull of some creature, whether a goat or a bull, like a helmet. That appearance reminded me of Morose nim.

She’s probably a similar being.

‘Is that person also a child of Nyx nim, the Goddess of Night?’

Nyx nim, the Goddess of Night, had a great many children. The sheer number of her bustling family, indeed, was the core that formed the ‘Night Faction’.

So what kind of deity was that strange pink-haired woman, after all?

As I recalled the family tree of the Greek gods and was guessing, Krauser exclaimed in admiration.

“Isn’t that Nixdoti nim! To see someone rumored to be difficult to meet like this! Indeed, being with Joy manager brings good luck!”

“Nixdoti nim?”

Was there such a deity?

When I expressed my surprise, Krauser added an explanation.

“The gods of night and darkness are said to have each spent a large part of their miracles to give birth to her, their youngest daughter. However, now she is more famous as Zagreus Prince’s first wife.”

I recalled the fact that because the ‘Night Faction’ supported Zagreus Prince, Melinoye nim was unable to inherit the successor’s position.

“Zagreus Prince even married a terrifying daughter of the night for the sake of his career, I see.”

“No, that’s not necessarily the case. Zagreus Prince met Nixdoti nim when he had run away to the surface. She was said to be living on the surface like an ordinary human.”

“Human?”

The youngest daughter of the night living like a human, how strange.

As I thought it was a curious story, Krauser looked around and added quietly.

“The fact that she was the youngest daughter of the Goddess of Night was a story revealed after their marriage. Therefore, at the time of the marriage, there was strong opposition. Bringing a living human to this underworld and making her his wife was against the laws of the underworld at the time. That’s why Zagreus Prince implemented ‘Work Reforms’.”

In other words, Zagreus Prince pursued major changes in order to allow his beloved partner to legally stay in this “Soul Society.”

“I heard that Zagreus Prince grabbing the chairman’s collar also happened because he desperately fought to get approval for his marriage.”

To be able to do so much for love. He’s more of a romantic than he appears. Even so, the fact that he’s a pervert wearing only red underwear and a cape would not change. Also, when I think about his work reforms that caused me to suffer in this mud, I still couldn’t think favorably of him.

Those reforms could actually have been for the sake of marrying that pink-haired woman?

“Oh shit! There are so many people! What is it? What on earth is it? Huh? Why is this subjugation team so bustling with people!”

But perhaps it was just my imagination, that goddess seemed a bit strange. She was hyper, like someone who had taken drugs.

“Everyone, good luck with the subjugation! I’ll cast voodoo for you all! What kind of voodoo, you ask? Serpent voodoo! Its effect is… *Puhaha*, actually, I don’t know either! That’s how voodoo originally is! Shh, shh…!”

Was ‘Shh, shh-’ an imitation of a snake’s sound? Quite strange.

Nevertheless, Krauser and Admetus were very much welcoming the pink-haired goddess Nixdoti.

“To meet Nixdoti nim, how lucky!”

“Indeed. She always casts voodoo like that. Though it has absolutely, not even a tiny bit, of effect.”

Is she a feel-good existence like a ‘bluebird’?

Objectively speaking, in fact, for the mortal employees, she was a goddess whom they had no reason to hate.

“Everyone, goodbye! If you go just a little further, you’ll see the battlefield!”

We thus passed by Zagreus Prince’s first wife. But then. I suddenly became curious.

If she was the first wife, did the prince also have a second and third wife?

I became curious in many ways, but there was no opportunity to ask.

Far away.

Rooooooar-.

As the fog cleared, a giant monster was waving its arms and legs. It was a massive being, to the extent that it seemed it might touch the ceiling.

“Typhon, who was resurrected this year, is even bigger than last time!”

Krauser, marveling. At his words, I recalled who ‘Typhon’ was.

###

Typhon.

The etymological source of ‘typhoon,’ which means ‘hurricane.’ He was the ultimate weapon born of Gaia, the Mother Goddess of Earth, to drive the Greek gods to ruin.

God of Storms. A descendant of the Primordial, Protogenoi. His power was said to be enough to overwhelm Zeus, the king of the gods.

Of course.

That Typhon eventually fell due to the heroic efforts of Zeus and the human hero, Cadmus. And he was thrown into Tartarus back then, wasn’t he?

He was also a god connected to Melinoye nim. As Typhon, thrown into Tartarus, ran wild, many ‘cracks’ appeared in the Soul Society. The Chairman went on patrol to the surface to examine those cracks, and ended up meeting the Madam.

In other words.

If Typhon hadn’t existed, Melinoye nim wouldn’t have existed either.

“I am the ruin of Olympus!”

Booming-.

As the colossal god, soaring high into the sky, roared, powerful winds blew in all directions. A sight like a scene from a myth.

What was even more surprising was the being facing such a Typhon.

“It’s Zagreus Prince!”

“Is the prince facing this year’s Typhon, just like last year?”

“Other executives from the safety management team are there too!”

The man in red underwear floated into the air and was exchanging blows, fighting the gigantic Typhon.

Thud, thud-!

Every time they threw a punch at each other, the sound of piercing air shook this ‘Soul Society,’ making me feel like, ‘So this is what a gods’ battle is like,’ and as if I was standing in the middle of a myth.

This sight also seemed magnificent to Admetus ssi, who was called a hero.

“Because of the punishment regulations, with his bare body, without any proper equipment, to corner that demon god Typhon like that. Zagreus Prince is truly amazing.”

“Regulations?”

I asked.

Then Admetus ssi said.

“The prince had freely traveled between the surface and the underworld, hadn’t he? While coming and going, he hid various items to bring in or stole them to take out. For example, things like the Kynee. That’s why he was punished.”

So, wearing only a pair of underwear wasn’t his personal fashion preference? I misunderstood him as a pervert for no reason. As I was having a small reflection on myself for having a prejudice, Krauser added.

“As for that punishment, I heard it ended last year.”

Reflection canceled. Prejudice and physiognomy are statistics.

“So, Joy manager nim, what should I do? Huh?”

Just then, Hedone linked arms with me.

“Hedone, how about you go over there and help with the fighting?”

“Huh? Joy manager nim, you tell such funny jokes! How can a weak and delicate person like me interfere in such a terrifying battle?”

“No, you’re incredibly strong. Have a little more confidence.”

“Pfft! That’s hilarious!”

Thump, thump-!

Hedone punched me in the chest. It felt like being hit by a meteorite. I’m seriously going to die.

It was at that very moment.

Rumble-.

With a great tremor, Typhon collapsed.

“…I, am reborn.”

“Then everyone, prepare for battle!”

Admetus ssi, who shouted loudly.

Clang, clank-.

Soon, weapons prepared from various places were seen aimed in all directions. And Hedone clung to me even more tightly.

“Eeek! Joy manager nim! I’m so scared!”

You’re the one I’m most scared of.

However, the next moment, I was horrified by the terror.

Typhon’s body.

It began to scatter as if decomposing and transform into dreadful hell wheels!

Hell wheels, you say!?

Of all things, the very thing I hate the most…!

—Grind! —Grind! —Grind…

A tsunami of wheels began to surge forward like a disaster. The reason the subjugation team was formed was precisely because of that tsunami, I see.

We were the ones in charge of cleaning up the hell wheels!

“Aaaaargh!”

It felt like my guts were twisting. Of all things, the hell wheels I hate the most!

Krauser, hiding behind me.

“Indeed, Joy manager! Such an earnest battle cry, this Krauser has never heard before! It reminds me of Hercules! So please protect me!”

“Me too!”

A black wave began to swarm. I squeezed my eyes shut. Perhaps it’s for the best. What better opportunity to reveal how powerless and incompetent a human I am than this?

Farewell, Soul Society!

But then, something astonishing happened.

—Gr-grinding…!? —Grinding! —Grind…

As soon as the hell wheels approached me, they flipped onto their backs and began to die.

What on earth happened?

At that moment, I realized my hand was moving on its own. As if someone was wildly swinging it.

—Shh, shh…!

Upon closer inspection, the bracelet on my arm was hissing like a ferocious snake and stretching its body here and there, massacring the hell wheels.

“Oh, damn, what is this!”

At this moment, I recalled the serpent voodoo that the strange pink-haired goddess had cast for me. And also the story that Melinoye nim’s hair had good compatibility with night magic.

Of course, Krauser, who didn’t know that fact, was making a fuss.

“Just by lightly waving a hand, to massacre hell wheels! Th-this is the power of a headquarters manager-level person! Manager’s spirit! Being able to destroy enemies without even touching them!”

“Jo-Joy manager nim, you’re so cool!”

“Hedone is dead!? You dirty wheel bastards! How dare you kill our colleague!”

“…We can’t just stand by! Charge recklessly!”

“Mwahaha, disgusting hell wheels, retreat…! Nymph Secret Technique: Reckless Beating!”

“It’s the Nymph Secret Technique: Reckless, Reckless Beating…!”

“…Look over there! The nymph employees have arrived!”

“The hell wheels are retreatingttttt!”

“It’s our victory!”

“Long live Joy manager nim!”

Sliiiide-.

Before I knew it, the bracelet was back on my hand. I desperately tried to argue that it wasn’t my doing, but…

“The bracelet did it! The bracelet did it!”

“Oh, come on, how can a bracelet do such a thing?”

“Serpent voodoo, you say, *pfft*. Joy manager nim, do you really believe such a thing exists? How long has it been since voodoo was proven to be ineffective! Joy manager nim, that’s hilarious!”

No one believed my words. However, this rumor spread in a strange way again.

“Joy manager tried to give all the credit for defeating the wheels this time to Nixdoti nim, they say?”

“Indeed. They were claiming that Nixdoti nim’s voodoo defeated the hell wheels.”

“Voodoo? *Pfft!* We saw Joy manager massacring the hell wheels with our own eyes, so why say something like that?”

“Perhaps it’s her intention to create a debt for Zagreus Prince.”

My mind could no longer bear it. I took annual leave.

As I was resting at home, covered by my blanket, Melinoye nim, without even knocking, entered the room like a ghost, swooshing in.

“Joy, you’ve been invited to Zagreus Prince’s wedding anniversary party. The invitation isn’t from Zagreus himself, but from my sister-in-law. If this was also part of her plan, then she’s truly amazing.”