subtitle
Chapter 18
—
“Why is Adis here?”
Hades answered as he looked at the goddess gazing at him with innocent, unguarded eyes.
“I had some business to attend to on the surface for a moment. But why is Lili here?”
As if she had any idea how dangerous this was.
Standing with the massive cloud behind him, Hades subtly positioned himself to block Leuke from view.
That damned Zeus.
He shot a glance at his younger brother, who had taken the form of a cloud, silently ordering him to disappear.
But when Zeus lingered instead of leaving, Hades discreetly invoked his power.
From beneath his feet, something black and formless slithered outward, wrapping itself around the cloud.
Like a beast opening its jaws to devour its prey.
He did not forget to send a killing glare along with it.
Soon, the cloud drifted upward, floating away into the distant sky.
Still unaware that it had vanished, Leuke looked up at Adis with bright, curious eyes.
“I told you I was meeting a friend. I promised to meet Artemis here.”
Only then did Hades release a quiet sigh of relief, his eyes quickly scanning her.
“You’re not hurt anywhere, are you? No strange man tried to flirt with you or anything?”
“N-No. I’m perfectly fine.”
Hades let out another quiet breath.
It was a good thing he had placed someone to watch over her.
After their first date ended, he had assigned a shadow to follow Leuke.
What if someone threatened her, small and fragile as she was?
What if someone stirred her heart?
Hidden beneath the goddess’s shadow, Oompa had immediately informed Hades the moment Leuke approached the cloud that was Zeus in disguise.
Recognizing the signal from his subordinate, Hades had abandoned everything he was doing and rushed to the surface at once.
“Ah, it’s gone.”
“Gone? What is?”
Hades feigned ignorance.
Leuke beckoned him closer with a small gesture.
“Actually, Adis.”
Hades instinctively held his breath.
Leuke leaned in until her lips were just beside his ear.
Too close.
He could clearly feel her scent—a gentle blend of fragrant herbs and delicate flowers.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
His heart pounded wildly.
He wondered if it might burst. Or if his face might burn apart first.
Leuke whispered softly.
“That cloud was Lord Zeus.”
“Ah… I-I see.”
He should have asked how she knew that cloud was Zeus.
But his reason, scorched by heat, refused to function.
“I heard that Lord Zeus has recently taken an interest in a certain nymph. So I was going to distract him.”
She quickly added, before he could misunderstand, that she absolutely had no interest in Zeus.
“I thought I’d tell him Artemis was nearby and suggest he visit her instead. But he left first!”
She smiled brightly, clearly pleased.
Hades stared at her, entranced by a goddess more beautiful than any flower.
I want to keep looking at her.
By my side.
Thinking only of me.
“Adis?”
Rather than let her leave like this… perhaps he should take her to his palace now.
Instead of agonizing like this… perhaps—
“Leuke! Where are you?”
At the voice calling her name, she turned her head.
Only then did Hades snap back to his senses.
What was I just thinking…
His emotions had spiraled beyond control.
“I should go now, Adis.”
Leuke said regretfully.
Hades hid his true thoughts behind a gentle smile.
“Then I’ll see you the day after tomorrow.”
Leuke waved cheerfully before running toward the voice calling her.
“Be careful on your way, Lili.”
The moment he confirmed she had safely left, Hades immediately made his way to Olympus.
The Horae, the steadfast gatekeepers of Olympus, tilted their heads in confusion at his unexpected arrival.
“What brings you here, Lord Hades?”
“I’ve come to see your father. Open the gate.”
The daughters of Zeus and Themis bowed respectfully and opened the gate.
Hades went straight to Zeus’s palace, where he was greeted by the infuriating sight of his younger brother smiling as if he had been expecting him.
Shamelessly bare-chested in broad daylight, the scoundrel’s curly black hair was cut short around his ears.
It only made him look more hopeless.
“You saw it, didn’t you.”
“Saw what?”
Zeus’s eyes, blue like flickering flames, curved into a sly smile.
“…Whatever you saw, pretend you didn’t.”
“Why? Worried I might spread rumors about your love life through the goddess Feme?”
“….”
Hades considered his options.
How could he shut that insolent mouth?
Then he remembered Leuke’s words.
“I heard you came to Arcadia today because of a certain nymph…”
“!”
“What do you suppose would happen if I went to visit Lady Hera right now?”
“This is troublesome.”
Zeus pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed.
He had lost completely.
“Aren’t you usually uninterested in matters of the surface?”
“As the master of the Cornucopia that brings prosperity, how could I not be?”
Unable to argue further, Zeus fell silent.
“No matter how fond you are of women, you should show some restraint.”
Hades knew his words would be forgotten within a day.
But he said them anyway.
Because this mattered.
“The recent revelation. And the prophecy of the Moirai.”
Zeus’s expression hardened.
“At a time like this, is it wise to provoke Hera unnecessarily?”
“I know. I know very well.”
“And yet you still act like this?”
Zeus glared at him.
That damned mouth.
Normally he barely spoke, but when he did, it was always like this.
“If you’re done nagging, leave.” Zeus waved dismissively.
“I was about to. I have an appointment.”
“What appointment?”
An appointment? From a work-obsessed recluse?
“I’m getting skincare treatment.”
“…What?”
“Skincare. I was told it’s essential when meeting a woman. You didn’t know?”
Zeus blinked.
Hades… meeting a woman?
“That’s not all. I’ll also be learning dating techniques.”
There were such things?
“I’ll be going now.”
Zeus stared at his brother’s retreating back and let out a hollow laugh.
“…What?”
Just the other day, he and Poseidon had mocked Hades for struggling to even speak to women.
And now—this?
Who was the woman who had stolen that stone-hearted brother’s heart?
Hmm.
Curiosity flickered in his lightning-blue eyes.
—
The next day, I returned to Arcadia again.
I told Artemis it was because I wanted to see her.
But the truth was, I wanted to make sure Zeus wasn’t bothering Callisto.
He had backed off yesterday, but I knew that scoundrel wasn’t the type to give up easily.
Fortunately, today Callisto was learning hunting from Artemis.
As long as Artemis stayed by her side, Zeus wouldn’t dare approach her.
Just as I began to relax—
“Aaah!”
A piercing scream rang through the air.
This damned world never lets its guard down.
I leapt to my feet and ran toward the sound.
A terrible thought crept into my mind.
No.
Don’t tell me Zeus has already done something to Callisto…
“P-Please let me go, Lord Zeus!”
“Don’t keep me waiting any longer, Callisto. Hmm? Don’t struggle so much.”
That bastard has a death wish.
Rage surged through me.
My vision spun.
I wanted to run over and stomp between his legs.
If he became a eunuch, he wouldn’t be able to do this ever again.
But I only had one life.
So I endured.
Instead, I stepped in, pretending coincidence.
“Oh, Lord Zeus!”
The scoundrel froze when he saw me approaching.
Callisto looked at me with tear-filled eyes, as if she remembered me.
Help me.
Please save me.
How could I possibly turn away from eyes like that?
I had once struggled just like her.
“I heard Artemis came here to hunt. Did you come to see your daughter?”
Whether Zeus remembered my face or not, he could not ignore that name.
“Oh, I haven’t introduced myself yet.”
I smiled calmly.
“I am Leuke, daughter of the great Oceanus and Tethys, and childhood friend of Hera.”
