<CHAPTER 12>
“If you act like this, how am I supposed to borrow jewelry from Amphitrite and Thetis?”
“Just say you want to borrow it for a moment. When have you ever cared about the kids’ situation?”
“Then I’d look like a really bad mom.”
“Not a bad mom, just an indifferent mom.”
“You really know me unnecessarily well.”
“Hmph. You’re the same way, though.”
The winner of the following argument was me. My skill from my past life, making the entire hospital laugh and cry with just words, hasn’t gone anywhere.
“Ahem.”
Feeling oddly proud, I placed my hand on my waist, but Doris didn’t seem interested at all.
“Alright, let’s get ready quickly.”
“Woah.”
“What do you mean, woah? It’s your date prep! There’s really no time, no time!”
Doris was more frantic than I was, the one actually going on the date.
“Ten days aren’t enough?”
“Of course it’s not enough!”
I asked Doris, who was shouting at me while I overturned my vanity.
“I don’t have any pretty chitons or jewelry at all, is that okay?”
“Not a single one?”
“Yeah. Not a single one.”
Doris opened my wardrobe, telling me not to joke, then paused in silence.
My wardrobe only had leftover tunics or curtains that my older sisters had given me in the past. I’ve never been much interested in dressing up.
“So you weren’t going to ask for our help?”
What kind of confidence was that? The unsaid words came through Doris’ gaze.
“That’s why I’m telling you now.”
“Ugh, thank goodness you told me now. If you’d gone out in those ragged clothes, you’d have been rejected immediately.”
“That bad?”
“You’d have set the record for the shortest date ever.”
I didn’t realize my wardrobe was that bad. No wonder Kore kept wanting to buy me new clothes; maybe I shouldn’t have refused.
“By the way, I didn’t ask this.”
Doris threw the dusty clothes aside and suddenly asked.
“Who’s the guy you’re seeing? A god? A hero? Maybe human?! Half-god or human, how old? Surely not a dying old man, right? Huh?”
Questions poured out rapidly. Doris enthusiastically fired them at me.
“Oh, our little Poplar, no humans. You don’t want to end up like Selene or Eos, the epitome of failed love.”
Why did Selene and Eos, the examples of doomed love, even come up here? I cut in.
“Not human. He’s a minor god.”
“Then what about looks? How does he look?”
“Huh? Isn’t personality first?”
“Hmm?”
Doris’ voice sank as if giving a serious lecture.
She was like a top instructor emphasizing an exam’s key point.
“Men are all about looks. Sorry, Hephaestus, but looks are the most important, got it?”
This extreme beauty-obsession existed even in this era.
“If some ugly guy confesses, tell him ‘I only eat squid, not dine with you.'”
But how can I help my gaze naturally going to pretty things? I had to play along with Doris’ beauty-first doctrine.
“Anyway, if you’re going to live together forever, might as well be handsome. Right?”
“That’s true.”
I found myself nodding seriously without realizing it.
“First your eyes are drawn to him, then your hearts align, and later your bodies. That’s how I seduced your brother-in-law. Got it?!”
What is this lady saying? Well… it’s Tim!
“You have to live with someone handsome. It reduces fights.”
“So that’s why you’re so sweet with your brother-in-law?”
“Isn’t that obvious? Oh-ho-ho!”
I stared coldly at my sister. Poor brother-in-law…
When I muttered, *“Doris only married him for his looks,”* he laughed, saying I was being mischievous. He claimed my brother-in-law looked at her inner self, not just her face.
Seems like she’s under a full-on love spell. I wondered if it would ever wear off, but seeing them live happily so far, maybe it’s okay.
“Exactly my type. No wonder my eyes kept going that way, oh-ho-ho!”
Wow, same for me. When I saw Adis, he perfectly matched my type, so my eyes went straight to him.
“Seeing his expression, he really is handsome. So grab him on this date. Your sisters raised you that way. So you can marry and have bunny-like kids.”
After finishing her advice, Doris went straight to the vanity.
My heart sank instantly. Reality hit me hard from her words.
Could I really marry and have children and live happily? I might not even get to date… let alone marry. I…
“Why did your expression suddenly drop?”
Doris noticed my bad expression instantly and came closer.
“Are you worried because you’re not feeling well?”
I quietly nodded.
No one knew I was terminal. To tell them, I’d have to confess being possessed, who would believe that? I didn’t want to cause worry. I’m already relying on them enough.
“It’ll be fine.”
Had I unconsciously shown a sad expression, Doris said firmly.
“Our little Poplar, you’re going to be healthy.”
“We’ll make sure of it.”
My sisters treated me more specially than others, partly because I was naturally weak, but also because I grew up under their care.
You looked at me with your big shining eyes, I couldn’t look away.
Every night you moved your lips as if dreaming, so cute I wanted to bite them.
So one day I asked… why they raised me personally. Was it just out of duty?
“Of course not. If it was duty, we’d have raised hundreds of children.”
“It was love, not obligation.”
“And still is.”
I was their first child.
“You’re our gold, our treasure.”
And simultaneously their most painful fingertip.
“Did someone say you couldn’t be healthy?”
Turning my body under the pretense of cleaning the dusty vanity, there was deep sadness hidden in my sister’s words.
“Bring it to me, I’ll give you plenty of comfort.”
“No thanks. I’m not a child.”
“You are, though. No matter how grown, you’re our baby.”
“A baby this big…”
I felt embarrassed and muttered.
Even then, Doris was swallowing her tears hard.
“These days, you even take nectar and ambrosia blessed by Apollo. You’ll be fine.”
“I’ll be fine.”
That’s what I wanted to hear. Past life or this life. That it’s okay, don’t worry, I can live. Even if just words, hearing them from my family was precious.
“Sis…”
“, Foolish one”
“Foolish? Only I call you that.”
“Others call me pretty, at least you can call me foolish.”
Doris tilted her head, swallowed her tears, and said jokingly.
“Look at Thetis. She’s been called pretty since childhood. She thinks she’s the prettiest in the world.”
Doris hugged me and stroked my hair. Her embrace was warm and comforting, like a sea embracing all.
“Worrying won’t help. When you go on your date, just think about how you’ll win him over.”
I smiled lightly and leaned into my sister’s embrace, hiding the tears forming at the corners of my eyes.
Meanwhile, the Golden Palace of the Underworld
“I will assign you a mission, Ophion.”
The atmosphere in Hades’ office was serious.
“Yes! I’ll do anything you ask!”
The young snake, Ophion, lifted his head high. The tiny snake, no bigger than Hades’ finger, wore a determined expression.
Finally, I can perform a mission! Ophion internally danced with joy. For 300 years, I couldn’t get missions just for being young, only following my master.
Ophion vowed to succeed even at the cost of his limited life.
“Your mission is…”
Gulp. Ophion swallowed.
“To find out the truth.”
It must be a huge truth. One you should pretend not to know even if you learn it!
“I have to see if the goddess Leuké has taken her virgin vow…”
“?”
“That’s what you need to find out.”
Ophion’ jaw dropped. Going on a date? Our master? Really? Isn’t he… supposed to be…?
