King of Underworld

Chapter 77 Persephone’s Epilogue

After Persephone and Eros arrived in the Underworld, the conditions for the gods who worked there significantly improved. Not only did Eros, tasked with pulling his bow day and night to torment condemned souls, find relief, but surprisingly, Persephone threw herself into helping with the tasks of the Underworld with unexpected enthusiasm.

The goddess of spring, who was new to these kinds of tasks, was clumsy at first but worked diligently to assist the other gods. Her dedication was puzzling, and I felt it wasn’t just because she had fallen for me. Determined to find out, I decided to approach her directly.

As I neared the place where the gods handling administrative work were stationed, I could already hear the sound of their struggles. Gods hurried past, some burdened with stacks of parchment, too focused to notice my presence.

They were certainly hard at work.

“Ugh… When will this ever be finished?”

“Oh! Lord Hades, you’re here.”

“Nectar… I could really use a cup of nectar right now.”

Among them, the most prominent figure was a goddess with long, golden hair. It was my niece, Persephone, sitting at a long desk, carefully working through a towering pile of parchments with a quill in hand.

Seeing her like this, it was hard to believe she was the lively goddess of spring. There was a strange air of weariness around her.

“Persephone.”

“Oh, Uncle Hades! Just a moment… I need to finish processing these documents from the soul residential sector.”

“…? Alright.”

Honestly, I was a bit taken aback. Her golden eyes sparkled with disappointment, but she immediately returned to her work.

What was going on here?

Ding. Ding. Ding.

“Ugh… My neck is so stiff…”

“Just let me rest my eyes for a moment. Wake me up when the bell rings again…”

After some time, the mountain of parchment dwindled, and it was time for a short break. Even in the Underworld, we didn’t work endlessly without a break. While gods like us were immortal and didn’t need food or sleep, the habit of taking breaks for lunch or dinner persisted from memories of our past lives.

Of course, this didn’t apply to Charon or Thanatos, or those dealing with the damned…

“Oh! Lord Hades?! When did you get here?”

“Are you… here to see Lady Persephone?”

The gods around me finally realized I was present and tried to greet me, but I waved them off, keeping my eyes on Persephone. Sensing the moment, the gods tactfully excused themselves, leaving me alone with her.

“Did someone force you to work here in the Underworld?”

“What? No?”

“Then why… why are you working so hard? You’re the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. I could make things easier for you…”

“Pff… But you wouldn’t find an incompetent goddess attractive, right, Uncle? I’m just trying my best!”

What was she talking about now? Since when did I prefer workaholics?

Persephone straightened up, puffing out her chest, as if emphasizing something, and continued.

“Even Lady Styx and that minor goddess Mente said so, didn’t they?”

“…?”

“If I can’t handle even this much work, you wouldn’t even look at me. All the goddesses trying to win your favor are saying that too.”

Where were these ridiculous rumors coming from?

It’s not like I could go around correcting every misunderstanding personally…

“Besides, you’re already responsible for regularly restoring power to the outskirts of the Underworld, so you could rest if you wanted…”

“That’s different! That’s a reward, but this is competition!”

“…?”

“Don’t worry about it, Uncle! It’s just a little thing. Hehe!”

Ding. Ding. Ding.

“Oh, time to get back to work! See you later at dinner!”

Something felt off, but I decided not to press the matter further.

* * *

“…So, give this matter to Lady Mnemosyne… Is there anything else that needs my approval?”

“What you just mentioned is the last of it, Lord Hades.”

“Good. Morpheus, you can go rest now. You’ll need your strength for tomorrow.”

Creak.

After finishing my duties for the day and finally preparing to relax, the door to the throne room quietly opened, and in came my niece, Persephone.

“Lady Styx isn’t here… neither is Lady Lethe… Hehe!”

“…? Persephone?”

She entered carrying a tray of dates and figs—snacks enjoyed by mortals—and sat down on the floor next to the throne with a mischievous smile.

“Uncle, if you’re not too busy, would you like to chat with me?”

“But isn’t it about time for you to return to the mortal world?”

We had reached the time agreed upon with Demeter. In fact, she had probably stayed a bit longer than she should have.

“I love the Underworld! I don’t want to leave yet! I’ll stay just a little longer!”

She pouted, puffing her cheeks in an adorable protest.

Still, she would need to return soon enough, or her mother would start worrying.

Thanks to her, work in the Underworld had been running much more smoothly for the past few months, so I could afford to let her stay a bit longer.

“Well… as long as it’s only for a short while…”

“Hehe… Then, Uncle, let me tell you about my time in the mortal world. I had so much fun playing games with the nymphs near Mount Etna…”

She went on to share stories about her life in the mortal world—playing games with the nymphs, guessing about the gods, and her thoughts on her mother, Demeter, who was both my sibling and her own protector.

I got to know Persephone a little better.

Surprisingly, she enjoyed quiet pastimes like weaving and watching plays…

“Wait… I’ve been talking about myself this whole time. Uncle, tell me something! What kind of goddess do you find attractive? Or what do you find most appealing in the opposite sex?”

I turned my head away as she eagerly awaited my response, her eyes gleaming.

What was this girl talking about now?

“I don’t have such preferences.”

“…Cheh. Well then, tell me an old story! You’ve lived for so long, surely you have many tales…”

What good was living for so long anyway? Though, as she said, I did have quite a few stories to share.

Starting from the beginning… with our father, Cronus.

“Have you ever…”

“Huh?”

“Have you ever been to the top of Mount Olympus?”

“Oh, yes! Only once! Mother didn’t take me there very often…”

“…I still can’t forget the view from the top.”

I closed my eyes, momentarily lost in the memories of the past.

Persephone, sensing my reverie, quietly waited for me to continue.

A long time ago, when I was first born and climbed to the peak of Mount Olympus…

That was the moment I first desired to live long in this world.

It was the same longing that drove us to fight so fiercely during the war with the Titans.

Our quest for control of the world’s power—that ambition stemmed from that very desire.

Now, Zeus ruled the sky, but we all once vied for it.

Yes, that feeling of omnipotence from standing atop the heavens, overlooking everything below…

Recalling those days, I shared my past with Persephone.

“Wow… So even the famously detached Lord Hades once had such ambitions.”

“Back then, yes. Over time, I came to prefer ruling the Underworld.”

As I reminisced about the past, time flew by, and I realized it was probably time for her to return to the mortal world.

Wasn’t it, niece?

Just as I was considering this, the doors to the throne room opened, and a messenger came running in.

“Lord Hades! Lady Demeter, goddess of the earth, has arrived to take Lady Persephone!”

Demeter had come in person?

It wasn’t like her daughter was too late returning to the mortal world, but…

There must be something she wanted to say directly to me.

“Lead her to the throne room. She must have something to discuss with me.”

Hearing this, Persephone quickly stood up.

So, she was planning to flee before her mother arrived.

“Um… well then, Uncle Hades, I’ll just be going… hehe…”

“If you don’t want to face Demeter’s scolding, I suggest returning to the mortal world on time next time.”

* * *

Not long after Persephone left for the mortal world, my guest arrived.

Her stern yet elegant expression and beautiful, golden-brown hair marked her presence unmistakably.

Demeter, goddess of the earth, had come to the Underworld.

“Hades, where is my daughter…?”

“She ran off to avoid your scolding. She should be in the mortal world by now.”

“…I see.”

As if expecting this, Demeter’s expression didn’t change.

Even though she had come all this way to take her daughter, it was clear she had more to say.

She lowered her head slightly, casting a glance to the side as her divine power sealed the surrounding space, preventing anyone from eavesdropping.

“…Do you know why I’m so overprotective of Kore?”

Her voice, tinged with sadness, was low. I didn’t respond, sensing she didn’t need an answer.

Not waiting for a reply, she continued.

“My daughter, Kore, is too beautiful. Anyone who lays eyes on her praises her beauty.”

As Hephaestus had mentioned before, Persephone was exceptionally beautiful.

Only Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, surpassed her in appearance.

Few, if any, other goddesses could compare to Persephone’s beauty.

Demeter spoke even more quietly, her voice heavy with sorrow.

“In Greece, to be beautiful is…”

“Yes, it’s a curse, not a blessing. I know.”

In a land rife with rape, adultery, and deceitful schemes, beauty was not a blessing but a curse. Even Aphrodite, because of her beauty, had been forced into an unwanted marriage.

Persephone resented her mother’s overprotection, but without Demeter, it wouldn’t have been surprising if something terrible had happened to her long ago.

“There have been countless suitors for my daughter. Even though I am her mother and her father is Zeus…”

“Because Persephone is beautiful.”

“It was only a matter of time before something happened. I was always afraid.”

Not even Zeus, the king of the gods, nor Demeter could always be at Persephone’s side.

“…Until the rumor spread that the ruler of the Underworld had fallen for my daughter at first sight and abducted her.”

One of the reasons I had kept Persephone in the Underworld was now spoken aloud by Demeter herself.

Mortal men believed the rumor that I had been struck by Eros’ arrow and kidnapped Persephone, but I had not corrected it. The more the rumor spread that I loved her…

“Hades, thanks to you, the men who once pursued Kore have disappeared. No fool would dare approach someone chosen by the ruler of the Underworld.”

She turned to look at me, gratitude in her eyes.

“I know you’re not like the other gods, driven by lust. My daughter remains untouched…”

“……”

“I don’t know if you two will eventually marry, but if that day comes, please take care of Kore.”

It wasn’t a request from the goddess of the earth, but from a mother concerned for her child.

I glanced at Demeter, waiting for my response, and I gave it quietly.

“…Don’t worry.”

“I’ll return to the mortal world now. Keep what we talked about today a secret from Kore.”