King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 107

Eros’s Wedding – Aftermath (2)

A moment later, Selene adjusted the course of her moon chariot.

The brief solar eclipse ended, and the sun shone brightly once more.

“But won’t that be hard on the goddess Selene?”

“I smoothed things over with suitable compensation. Jewelry crafted by Hephaestus…”

In Olympus, ‘suitable compensation’ for a goddess usually meant items made by Hephaestus.

If the blacksmith god put a little effort in, trinkets similar to the magical artifacts made by Hecate appeared quite frequently…

“I heard Aglaia is pregnant with Hephaestus’s child.”

“I think following your advice was a good move, brother. Not only for them, but Aphrodite accepting Psyche so readily must be thanks to the divorce, right?”

You thought the same as me.

The reason Aphrodite had become considerably more agreeable than before must be because she finally divorced Hephaestus, something she had desperately wanted.

She herself wanted to escape from Hephaestus and experience free love…

I glanced over at Eros and Psyche, the newly married couple.

Aphrodite was sitting with her legs crossed, giving Psyche orders.

“Hey, Psyche, come over here and pour some nectar.”

“Yes, Mother…”

“Mother?! I never married Eros to someone who can’t even pour nectar properly.”

“Oh, Mother, please. I just got married today…”

“Hmph!”

She has become agreeable… right? Probably.

Judging by the fact that she’s not cursing or chasing her away right now, it seems she acknowledges her to some extent.

But at some point, Persephone disappeared.

She was clinging to me just a moment ago; where did she go?

“You are very beautiful. Would you like to spend some time with me? I may look like this, but…”

“No! Go away!”

A muscular god, appearing to be in his twenties by mortal standards, was hitting on Persephone.

Judging by the fact that I’ve never seen him before, he must not have been born long ago.

Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, is powerful enough to handle it, but…

I should prevent a disturbance at what should be a joyful wedding…

Shall I intervene for a moment?

* * *

The god smiled faintly and tried to grab Persephone’s wrist.

Persephone avoided him with a look of utter disgust. I’ve never seen her make such a face of revulsion.

“No, why are you refusing? I may look like this, but I am Priapus, the son of Dionysus…”

“Lord Hades!”

As I subtly approached him from behind, Persephone, who spotted me, brightened up.

She could have just stated who she was, and he would have backed off on his own, but did she want to play the princess being rescued by the prince…? Surely not?

As expected, the son of Dionysus, startled by my name coming from her mouth, turned around,

and made eye contact with me, who had already approached him from behind.

“Hade… H-Heok! I-I’m sorry! This is my first time at an Olympus event, so I didn’t recognize the face of Persephone, the goddess of spring…”

“Quiet. Son of Dionysus, you say?”

“Yes. That’s right!”

I think I’ve heard the name of this god who’s flustered in front of me.

Wasn’t his domain fertility and procreation?

“Do you always use your status and position to woo someone you desire?”

“Yes?”

“If you’re like this with gods, it’s obvious how you treat mortals… Listen.”

“Wh-What are you… saying?”

“If even one mortal is unfairly harmed because of you, you will pay the price in the underworld. If you understand, be gone.”

Watching the son of Dionysus hurriedly bow and retreat, I felt a sense of displeasure for some reason.

Could it be because I’ve grown fond of Persephone…? I felt a little worse than I thought.

“Hehe… Lord Hades.”

“Next time something like this happens, just say your name.”

“I didn’t think of that. Heehee.”

Looking at Persephone clinging to me and linking arms, the unpleasant feeling strangely disappeared.

Hmm. She is definitely one of the most beautiful in Olympus.

“Why are you staring so intently?”

Golden eyes and hair that are exactly like her father.

Her beautiful figure, which reveals Demeter’s beauty as it is, is enough to drive all the gods crazy.

Her beauty is such that young gods who don’t know Persephone’s face would recklessly hit on her.

No wonder Demeter is always worried. Ah, she found this place and is coming over here.

Demeter, with a deeply furrowed brow, glared fiercely at Priapus and said with a worried expression.

“Persephone. As I always say, try not to stray too far from Hades during banquets…”

“Oh, Mom. Why are you being so overprotective! I’ll be 300 years old soon!”

“Sigh… It’s because I’m worried. There have been more than one or two goddesses who have been harmed by gods after showing off their power.”

Demeter’s concern is valid. There have been cases where even goddesses with high status have fallen victim to schemes.

She was almost targeted by Poseidon last time, so as a mother worrying about her daughter…

“Hades. I told you to take good care of my daughter. At events like this…”

“Oh, Mom! Please stop it!!!”

How noisy.

* * *

After Persephone’s outburst, Demeter finally calmed down and sat down.

Persephone and I also sat across from her and sipped nectar.

After sipping nectar for a while, Demeter put down her golden goblet and looked back and forth between me and Persephone.

“It’s been quite a while since I sent my daughter to the underworld; isn’t it about time for her to get married?”

“Oh… Mom, really…”

“Of course, Persephone should be the mistress of the underworld, right?”

She was angry when someone touched her daughter, and now she’s telling her to get married quickly.

Has her anxiety worsened since the incident where Ares’s daughter was almost harmed by Poseidon’s son?

“…I already have goddesses in mind.”

“Who said anything? You’ve been sticking with that goddess Styx since the Titanomachy [the great war between the Titans and the Olympian gods]. And what’s wrong with a god having multiple wives? Just look at Zeus.”

At Demeter’s words, I looked at Zeus.

“Uhaha! Ganymede, come over here and pour me another cup of nectar!”

“Zeus, you…!”

“…Go away.”

I turned my head back to look at Demeter.

The sight of Zeus smiling at Ganymede and then sending him away at Hera’s fierce glare.
A small crack appeared on Demeter’s face as she watched it.

“…Anyway, I think you’re too rigid. Well, that’s why I… ahem.”

“I know what you’re saying. Even so, I can definitely say…”

I was about to answer that it was difficult to say anything definite about Persephone.

I was lost in thought about something I had been putting off.

Do I like Persephone?

I, the owner and chief god of the underworld, don’t care if I’m seen as someone who’s fallen for a goddess.

I’m just acting as a protector for my niece, whose beauty is so outstanding that she’s targeted by all sorts of gods.

But… if you ask if I really have feelings…

I turned my head to Persephone, who was clasping her hands and looking at me with a slightly anxious expression.

She gave me an awkward smile when our eyes met. But there was anxiety in her eyes.

The thought that came to me in that instant was that I didn’t want to see it.

The anxiety in her eyes.
The feeling that came from the worry that I might not accept her.

Could it be because it doesn’t suit the witty goddess of spring that I felt this way?

“Lord Hades…”

Demeter, who seemed like she was about to urge me to answer quickly, was also silent.

She was just quietly eating ambrosia and waiting for my answer.

I looked back on the times I had seen Persephone and reflected on my feelings.

First of all, when she first came to the underworld… when she said she would continue to pour energy into the heroes’ training grounds for me…

Yes, Persephone was definitely beautiful.

Her actions were also cute, and I didn’t dislike them.

Then…

Swoosh-

I quietly reached under the table and took Persephone’s soft hand.

It’s a little embarrassing, but I can’t pretend not to know the feelings she has for me.

Even if marrying a niece who is a relative is still too much, at least…

“Ah…!”

“There seems to be some misunderstanding, Demeter.”

Could it be that I, too, have feelings for Persephone?

“I have never said that I dislike Kore [Persephone’s maiden name, often used as a term of endearment].”

“…? Hades. What did you just say…”

Demeter stopped eating ambrosia and stared blankly at me.

Persephone, who was shyly clinging to my side, was warm, and seeing her cheeks flushed red, I felt something stir in my heart.

“Eros’s wedding is almost over, so I’ll be going back now.”

“…Okay.”

* * *

On the way back to the underworld from Olympus.

As I drove the chariot through the strong winds, Persephone, who was riding in the back, called out to me.

“Lord Hades.”

“Why?”

“You called me Kore for the first time just now…”

Did I?

“Isn’t that your nickname? You said that everyone who becomes close to you calls you that.”

“…Heehee.”

Persephone, or rather Kore, who was riding in the back of the chariot, hugged my waist.

I felt the warmth of the goddess of spring and quietly drove the chariot to the underworld.