#1022 Judge of the Underworld 

It’s me.

Here’s a quick recap of the story so far:

We traveled to a place famous for its premium beef, eager to taste it... only to find out that it hadn’t been produced there in over a century.

Shocking, I know!!!

Apparently, the breed died out about a hundred years ago!

Curse those humans from back then!

“Bad government is worse than a tiger,” they say, and now I truly get it!!!

The royals and officials who made that terrible decision are long dead, and even the country itself has crumbled into dust, but I can’t help being mad at those power-hungry fools!

“I’m so sorry you came all this way, and there’s nothing we can offer you. But how about a tour of our lush, green pastures instead?”

“So, you want me to eat grass instead of beef? Got it!”

“Uh, no, that’s not what I meant…”

The Minotaur’s attempt to console her wasn’t exactly a success.

Saintess Maradona is so shocked she’s ready to start munching on grass.

I’m pretty sure human stomachs aren’t equipped to digest grass, but if anyone could pull it off, it’d be her. That’s kinda scary.

“It’s such a shame, isn’t it, Lord Saint? To come all this way and not get what you wanted…”

That’s Sensei the Lifeless King, trying to comfort me.

Yeah, I’m just as surprised as you are, Sensei.

I was really looking forward to savoring the sensation of perfectly grilled meat melting on my tongue.

But what’s even more critical is that my plan to throw a yakiniku party for the pregnant ladies, like Platy, to wish them an easy delivery, is now impossible!

My grand plan is falling apart!

So, what do we do now?

Do we lower our standards and pick some random monster meat that kinda resembles beef?

Or do we settle for some square boar meat and call it a day?

No matter what we choose, I can’t shake off the feeling that we’re compromising too much.

But even if I stay here, there’s no way we’re getting our hands on that top-quality Minotaur beef…!

...So, what should I do?!

“Hm-hm-hm… You seem to be in quite a pickle, Lord Saint.”

What’s up, Sensei?

You’ve been grinning for a while now.

You’re not the type to enjoy seeing me struggle, so what’s going on here?

“Oh, it just fills me with joy to finally have a chance to fulfill my role again. Have you forgotten, Lord Saint? I’m the one to turn to when you’re in a bind!!!”

Huh?!

Now that you mention it, there was a time when I would always go to Sensei whenever something came up.

The immortal king, an undead ruler at the pinnacle of the undead, wields absolute power over the world and has lived so long that he knows pretty much everything.

That’s why whenever I asked him for advice, he’d usually have the answer, and his overwhelming power could solve just about any problem.

But lately, our farm’s been well-equipped, and with reliable allies like Horkosfon and Michizane, I haven’t had to rely on him as much.

Still, at the heart of our farm is the golden rule: “When in doubt, ask Sensei!”

“It truly brings me joy to be of service to you and everyone, Lord Saint! Now, let me unleash my power for the sake of the living!!!”

Though undead, Sensei is practically glowing with enthusiasm as he raises his staff.

And just like that, the clear skies over the Minotaur pasture darken with storm clouds.

It’s seriously ominous.

As expected of the undead king, everything he does ends up looking spooky, but I know what’s happening.

This is the special effect that happens when Sensei summons something.

And what he usually summons are gods.

Summoning gods is a big deal, something only a Lifeless King—one of the Two Greatest Calamities—can pull off.

I wonder what kind of god he’ll summon this time?

I mean, is there really a god that can solve this mess?

Are gods even that handy?

Just as I was pondering, the god appeared.

And what do you know—it’s one with a Western-style robe, looking all intellectual and refined.

Their face exudes nobility and has a wise, scholarly vibe.

Hmm, wait a minute…

I feel like I’ve seen this god before.

“I am Minos, Judge of the Underworld. Mine own favorite part of the meat...is tripe!!!”

Ah, right, he’s one of those gods who sometimes shows up when Hades decides to crash the party.

The Underworld god Hades sometimes gets summoned solo, but every now and then, he drags along his entourage of underworld deities to mooch off our farm’s food.

And now that I think about it, I remember this guy being part of that group.

“Minos is one of the gods under Hades’ command. He judges the souls of the dead in the Underworld and decides their fate in the afterlife,” explains Sensei. “There are two others with the same role, Rhadamanthys and Aecus. Collectively, they’re known as the Three Judges of the Underworld. They judge all the souls that descend into the underworld, whether human or demon. Not even a god could handle it all alone.”

I see.

I used to lump him in with all the other gods, but he’s got an irreplaceable, important job, huh?

But why on earth is the Judge of the Underworld here?

In the past, we’ve called upon gods to help solve them when faced with big problems.

Most gods come with a title or role that reflects their divine domain or specialty.

You’ve got gods of all kinds—sculpting gods, sea gods, war gods, earth mother gods, and even scholarly gods.

And now, we’ve got Minos, the god who just showed up, who’s apparently the judge of the underworld.

He’s the one who weighs the karma of departed souls, sending the naughty ones to hell and guiding the virtuous to heaven. That’s a pretty big deal.

I get it, I really do.

...But, uh, does it fit this situation? I’m not so sure about that.

We’re on a quest for the finest Minotaur beef, and we’ve just hit the wall of reality—there’s no way we’re getting it.

So, when the Judge of the Underworld walks in, are we supposed to go, “Oh, thank goodness! We’re saved!”?

I feel like his job description might be a little off for this scenario, though...

“The truth is, there’s nothing Judge Minos can do here in his role as an underworld deity,” says Sensei.

He looks rather pleased.

If he knows that, then why on earth did he summon this god to the mortal realm?

“However, Minos also has another divine role. He’s the guardian god of the Minotaur tribe.”

...

Wait, what?

And that’s when I noticed.

The Minotaur elder’s trembling all over, prostrating himself in utter reverence!

“Lord Minos, our guardian Minosssss! Thank you, thank youuuuuuuuu!!!”

And it’s not just him—people from all around are starting to gather, and they’re all dropping to the ground in the same worshipful pose.

All of them, with bull horns on their heads, clearly members of the Minotaur tribe.

“The ‘Mino’ in Minotaur actually refers to Minos. So, Minotaur literally means ‘Minos’s bull,’” explains Sensei.

Oh, so it’s not named after “mino,” a piece of tripe, then.

“The minotaurs have always worshipped Minos, never skipping a day of prayer. Among all the gods, Minos is one of the most devoutly worshipped.”

Well, that much is obvious from the way these Minotaurs are practically bursting with enthusiasm.

It’s like when a hometown hero returns.

Minos is apparently quite the celebrity here.

...But wait a minute.

Something doesn’t add up.

Minos is a judge of the underworld.

So, basically, we're dealing with the gods of the underworld.

At the top, you’ve got Hades himself.

He’s on the same level as his brother, Zeus, who runs the heavens. Though they’re lowkey rivals when it comes to who gets to rule over Earth.

Now, Zeus is the boss of humans, and one branch of humans is therians. Minotaurs fall under that category, too.

...This is all over the place.

Anyway, the fact that Minos is supposed to be the guardian god of the minotaurs is totally out of his jurisdiction. Is that even allowed?

“Indeed, it is possible,” Minos himself says. "Ponder this—dost thou truly believe that those gods of the heavens concern themselves with the safeguarding of mere mortals?"

Yeowch, that’s some straight fire right there.

But now that he’s said it, I can’t really argue.

Most of those celestial gods probably couldn’t care less about what happens down here, except maybe Velesasres, and even he’s likely more of a ‘live or die, it’s up to you’ kind of guy.

Even if they’re from a different department, if you’ve got even a bit of compassion, you’d feel inclined to help out, right?

"But there is more to this tale. A reason exists as to why I became their guardian. If thou dost desire to hear it, I shall recount it unto thee. It all began in the days when mankind was yet in its infancy..."

And so, Minos starts telling his tale.

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so sorry for the lack of updates this week, there's been a storm and it has been pouring day in and out. slowly catching up again by uploading 2 chaps today ;;