For Persephone - Chapter 31 – The Devoted Follower

“Hades, you’re hurting me. I can’t breathe.”

“You little brat; what the hell are you?”

Persephone, who was hugging him back, tapped her fingers on his shoulder blades. “It feels so good that you’re hugging me like this, so I’m not thinking about anything else but you. I guess this is love. Do you feel the same way too, Hades?”

Through all the years of his life being cut off from the earth, Hades has neglected both Eros’ spiritual love and Aphrodite’s sexual love. Because of that, the word ‘love’ just flew over his head.

He repeatedly, and rudely, turned a blind eye to this little girl because she was cute, and he didn’t think she would say the word ‘love’ even though she didn’t hesitate to run up to him and hug him all day; he had lost his mind and wandered madly because he couldn’t accept the time that had disappeared right before his eyes.

A thorn sinking deeper into his heart rather than something that can be washed away by the river of oblivion. That’s what the girl was.

Carelessly, he blurted out, “I’ll give you this underworld.”

“Hades.”

“Will you be freed from being one of Phoibos’ slaves and join me in my world?”

“… You mean live here?” Persephone asked as she pushed him away.

“There are treasures in the underworld overflowing with all the wealth on earth; this place is filled with death, suffering, and the cries of the dead, so it can terrify you, but—”

“I’m really really…. happy, but I can’t do that.”

“….”

“It would break my mother’s heart. I have to be a good daughter to her. I want to see you every day, but… I swore to her that I wouldn’t disappoint her. But more than anything, Hades—”

“….”

“You haven’t really said that you love me. So I definitely can’t turn a blind eye to my mother and live down here. Do you love me enough to force me to stay?”

A brief silence fell. Hades, groaning softly, put his hand on his forehead and sucked his teeth. The moan soon turned into something like a sarcastic laugh or sneer.

“Seeing you now, it looks like you’re about to poke my head and make fun of me.”

“That’s not what I meant—”

“You were the one who wanted me first.” Hades smiled.

“I still feel the same way now.”

“No matter how much I say I’m attracted to you, you think I would force you to stay here? I don’t even know why you followed me around so much in the first place.”

“Why are you questioning me like that, Hades?”

“King.” The voice of another woman interrupted. “What’s that scar on your face?”

Ceres stood at the front of the door. Hades, who thoughtlessly rubbed his cheek, looked at her with a frown.

“What do you want?”

Persephone rolled her eyes, then quickly wiped the frown off of her face. She didn’t like her, but she hated her name even more. She was clueless at why this woman, who had the same second name as her mother, stood next to Hades of all places.

Ceres slowly frowned and glared at Persephone’s hand. Hades, speaking in a rather nervous tone, turned away.

“Is Hermes here?”

“Yes. He crossed Lette River just a while ago.”

His glare turned to Persephone for a second.

“You’re gonna leave just like that, Hades? We were in the middle of a conversation. I haven’t seen you in a long time, and you’re going to go back in such a bad mood?”

“Hermes is waiting. He also brought a message from Zeus.” Ceres words sliced through Persephone’s. Persephone balled up her fists and glared at the woman.

“When I get back.”

Persephone fully guessed what Hades’ cut-off sentence was. It meant ‘be here when I get back’. But seeing Ceres in the flesh made her even more irritated than that. That bitch who barged into the room.

“I’ll be a good girl and stay here.”

“….”

“I promise. So please hurry back. Sending you off like this in an angry mood also makes me sad.”

Persephone hoped today would be a little more—a constructive and pleasant reunion. She’s happy he didn’t forget her, but seeing him leave so angrily left her with a heavy heart. It would’ve been just fine if Ceres the Homewrecker hadn’t come in. Meanwhile, while her thoughts were restless, she was really hurt. ‘What’s more important than expressing affection to me right now?’

Persephone was about to get out of bed when she heard footsteps outside. ‘Just as I thought, he’s coming back because he doesn’t want to leave me alone,’ she thought, but the smile across her face slowly faded away.

Ceres, who had left with Hades, stood leaning heavily against the wall. With eyes as sharp as knives.

“Long time, no see.”

With a serious look on her face, Persephone felt goosebumps on her back.

Ceres looked quite unpleased because no matter how she looked at the girl sitting on Hades’ bed, she thought she was shady. A couple of months ago, Hades had given her orders to find the girl and had told Ceres that she was a nymph, which is why it was hard to believe. Nothing more than a nymph.

The underworld hasn’t settled in the last two months since the girl lured Hades and disappeared. Seeing how she angered Hades, Ceres couldn’t sit idly by any means.

“Who do you think you are?

“What are you talking about?”

“If you ran away, you shouldn’t have come back.” A suspicious look from Ceres fell on Persephone, who closed her mouth. “You’re really a nymph?”

Persephone remained silent with her lips clamped shut. She recalled Hades saying that today, and that’s why she was convinced of his suspicion from when Ceres barged in.

Persephone asked, “You love Hades? That’s why you told him that I wouldn’t be a nymph?”

“He’s the king; it’s like when free slaves on earth like you come down here to roam around freely. I have no choice but to love and respect him.”

“Does he love you?”

“I’m his most devoted follower. I love him with all I am.”