〈Episode 22. Three Promises (7)〉, preserving tone, tension, and nuance:
Hearing those words come from a Constellation made goosebumps ripple up my arms.
Beings who eat stories, who are obsessed with stories.
That—that was the true nature of Constellations.
[Death is like the ending of a story. Just as a cow turned into a steak cannot return to life, the dead cannot be revived either. Their story ends there.]
"I was under the impression that there are exceptions."
[False legends. There are no exceptions.]
False, she says.In Greek mythology, there's an idiom reserved for moments like this.
"Can you swear it on the River Styx?"
Of course, she did not swear.
For the first time, anger surfaced on Persephone's face.
[…The 'soul' you believe in is nothing more than a crude bundle of stories.]
"And that crude bundle of stories is exactly what I want."
[Those who turn back in the Underworld are destined to regret it. You need to learn how to accept the passage of time.]
If she was going to be this uncompromising, then I had no choice but to play the card I'd been holding back.
"Your Majesty. Time does not always flow only forward. I thought you would have realized that by now."
In an instant, the world turned ash-gray.
A murderous pressure seized the entire hall.
For a fleeting moment, I felt as though I had glimpsed Persephone's true body.
My mouth wouldn't open, but I wanted to scream in desperation.
And you say souls don't exist?
Look—my soul is crawling with terror right now!
Only after cold sweat soaked my back did the pressure finally disappear.
As if nothing had happened, Persephone smiled.
[Heehee… How interesting. Just as the children of Olympus said—you really are a 'singularity.']
But that smile was subtly different from before.
I didn't need to be told.
From here on out, one wrong move could send me straight to my grave.
"I know more than just that. I saw the giant soldiers being developed in Tartarus. If you make a deal with me, I can help shorten the time needed to complete them—"
[That won't be necessary. The
I was left momentarily speechless.
She truly was no ordinary goddess.
This time, it was Persephone's turn.
[However, this sort of deal might be worth considering. If you tell me how you came to know all of this information…]
"That would be difficult. To be honest, I don't think I could properly explain it."
I felt sorry for Shin Yoosung, but this was non-negotiable.
If I revealed that, all my future plans would collapse.
Persephone studied my eyes for a moment, as if measuring the sincerity of my answer.
Then she muttered in a strange voice.
[As expected, the ■■■ of ■■■ is…]
…What?
The next moment, messages from the Constellations exploded into my ears.
[Constellation, 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband,' doubts his own ears.][Constellation, 'Demon-like Judge of Fire,' widens his eyes.][Constellation, 'Heavenly Scribe,' criticizes the Queen's recklessness.][Constellation, 'Secretive Plotter,' falls into deep contemplation.]
Persephone frowned.
[Uninvited guests, be quiet.]
I asked in shock.
"…What did you just say?"
[Ah, it was nothing.]
I was genuinely shaken.
…■■■?
I couldn't pronounce it properly, but what I had heard was clearly filtered information—content that the scenario had not yet revealed.
But filtering doesn't activate for beings who already know the information.
That made no sense.
Was there really something even I, who had read Ways of Survival to the end, didn't know?
[Let us end the pleasantries here. The Underworld has no reason to make a deal with you. I can extract your information by other means.]
The knife gleaming in the dim light flashed coldly.
For some reason, I felt that I really didn't want to find out what those "other means" were.
[I've been holding back, but you know… you look rather delicious.]
In an instant, Persephone was right in front of me, gripping my chin.
I restrained my urge to kick the chair back and stood my ground with a smile.
"Harming a Sponsor in the middle of a scenario would bring consequences you couldn't handle."
[Hmm. You really think I couldn't bear that level of plausibility backlash?]
"And the Constellations watching over me wouldn't allow it either."
Persephone scoffed.
[Do you think the Lord of the Underworld fears such insignificant Constellations?]
Hades certainly had the right to be arrogant.
But "insignificant" wasn't a word to throw around lightly.
[Constellation, 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband,' provocatively tightens his grip on the Ruyi Jingu Bang.][Constellation, 'Demon-like Judge of Fire,' draws his supreme sword with a cold gaze.][Constellation, 'Secretive Plotter,' gleefully stirs the situation.]
Persephone responded in kind, releasing her own pressure.
[So that's how it is. You all want to try me now?]
In an instant, dark clouds gathered across the ceiling of the hall. Red and blue sparks crashed like thunder, igniting white flames throughout the banquet chamber.
This was a clash of Constellations.
Kuuuuung—!
As if prepared to descend in her true form, immense aura surged from Persephone's symbolic body.
At this rate, I'd die like a crushed shrimp caught between whales.
Calmly, I spoke.
"You said you like stories, didn't you?"
At the word stories, the Constellations' pressure eased for a brief moment.
"Then how about a deal like this?"
[Constellation, 'Secretive Plotter,' listens closely to your words.]
Persephone looked at me.
"If you help me, I'll show you the most interesting story in the world. A story that can't even be compared to the steak you just ate."
[Does that mean you're offering yourself as the meal?]
"With Your Majesty's refined palate, I doubt you need any more food. You must already be quite satisfied."
Having already grasped my intent, Persephone smiled with her eyes.
[…You plan to deny me even a taste, yet still demand compensation?]
"I'll let you enjoy the aroma. But if you devour me now, you'll regret it for the rest of your existence."
[Why?]
"Because you'll keep thinking that if you had waited, it would have tasted even better."
Interest flickered in Persephone's eyes.
[…How can you be so sure?]
"I can oppose beings who reverse time without relying on a sponsoring constellation."
Persephone's pupils wavered slightly.
"I defeated a Returnee without the aid of an otherworldly god, stopped descended disasters, and made it here after only five scenarios."
Her upper lip slowly traced her lower one.
"I even entered the Underworld alive and stand before you now. Aren't you curious what someone like me will do next?"
[You speak well. However…]
She cast a sidelong glance at me and continued.
[That no longer sounds like a 'deal.']
"Then you may call it courtship."
[…What?]
I grinned.
"I'm sincere. I'll show you a story you've never seen before—one so compelling you won't be able to stand not knowing what comes next."
Perhaps thinking of "dealing" with Constellations in the first place had been a mistake.
After all, they were beings bound to eternity.
There was no way she would seriously entertain a deal with a paltry incarnation.
If that was the case, it was better to make an utterly unreasonable demand instead.
At the very least, an unreasonable demand made with sincerity.
And like all myths, sometimes gods are more moved by a handful of sincerity than by a hundred lies.
In truth, her expression wasn't displeased.
[Hmm, troublesome. This is why males are—]
"Oh, of course, this isn't a courtship directed at you, but at the 'Father of the Wealthy Night.'"
At my words, Persephone's eyes widened—then she burst into loud laughter.
She stepped back from me and leaned against the table, slowly crossing her legs. Her subtle gaze swept over my entire body.
[Interesting.]
Seeing her strike such a pose with Yoo Sangah's body was honestly terrifying—I felt like it'd haunt me even after I left.
Persephone stared into the darkness of empty space and slowly closed her eyes.
It was only a moment, yet the silence felt as heavy as hours.
She finally spoke just as I was beginning to suffocate beneath its weight.
[I will give you a 'task.']
So it had come at last.
[Didn't you say you'd show me an interesting story? If you succeed, I'll find the soul you desire.]
A system message followed immediately.
[A new 'Hidden Scenario' has been triggered.]
The word task brought several myths to mind.
Come to think of it, Heracles had once undertaken something called the 'Twelve Labors.'
Persephone continued, her eyes gleaming.
[I've always wanted to assign one myself. The Olympian children do it all the time, but I never got the chance after marrying such a well-behaved husband.]
"What is the task?"
[Your task is to bring me the head of a serpent.]
"…A serpent? You don't mean that serpent with multiple heads, do you?"
I asked, my voice shrinking slightly.
After all, that serpent was a Grade-2 disaster-class monster.
Persephone shook her head.
[I'm not talking about the Hydra. Killing that would only earn you comparisons to Heracles. The serpent you must kill is elsewhere.]
"But I'm in the middle of a scenario. I can't travel far."
[Don't worry. The place you're going—the serpent will be there as well.]
With a light snap of her fingers, a screen appeared in the empty air.
A message indicated that a channel had been connected, and I immediately realized what I was seeing.
…So this was how the constellations watched us?
A massive forest stretching across a green jungle filled the entire screen.
Before long, I recognized the location.
Because that place was the stage of the Sixth Scenario, which had yet to begin.
But—wait.
What was that?
「Hey, mister! Pull out some trees and make a place to rest. You're good at that stuff, right?」
「What I'm good at is gambling, not land clearing. You half-wit girl.」
I stared at the screen.
Gong Pildu and Han Sooyoung—who had vanished—were right there.
How was this possible?
The Sixth Scenario hadn't even started yet.
I felt Persephone's gaze fixed squarely on me.
[So? Will you do it? It might be quite difficult—but it has to be at least this much to deserve being called a 'task.']
I came to my senses a beat late.
Only then did I grasp what kind of 'serpent' Persephone truly wanted.
I slowly nodded.
Once all traces of presence vanished, darkness flooded the hall.
Left alone, Persephone gazed at the remaining feast and spoke.
[Clear it away. It tastes bad.]
Hands emerged from the darkness and swiftly removed the plates.
She watched as the food was thrown straight into the trash.
Swordmasters. SSS-rank hunters. Tenth-circle archmages…
Flavors she had long since grown sick of.
The darkness rippled, and a voice emerged.
—Persephone. Why did you do that?
It sounded as though space itself were speaking.
[Oh? My shy husband finally decides to speak.]
—I asked why you did it.
[Hades, isn't this what you wanted?]
—I never wanted that.
Persephone stared into the darkness and replied.
[You rarely create incarnations. Yet you seemed particularly fond of that child. Was I mistaken?]
—Why would you think that?
[Because you didn't kill him on the spot when he entered the Underworld.]
The darkness fell silent for a moment.
[You've always envied Zeus for having Heracles. So this time, I took the liberty of reading your heart.]
She looked down at her hands, clenching and unclenching her fists as she continued.
[Honestly, I was surprised. There were constellations even I couldn't handle. And yet they were all chasing a single incarnation…]
With a crackling sound, a screen appeared in the darkness.
But the signal was unstable, and the image failed to fully resolve.
The darkness stared at the screen with a lonely gaze and spoke.
—Before long, signs of the Later Days will appear.
Later Days.
At those words, Persephone spoke with a voice layered with disbelief, doubt, and unease.
[…Will the Later Days really come?]
—Most likely.
[But when that time comes… you'll still be by my side, won't you?]
Hades did not answer.
Instead, warm darkness gently enveloped her symbolic body.
Feeling that embrace, Persephone spoke softly.
[I'm very much looking forward to seeing what kind of story that child will show us.]
Her gaze settled on Kim Dokja, pushing through the darkness as he made his way out of the Underworld.
Struggling not to look back, forcing himself to move forward.
Watching him, Persephone smiled faintly—as if she found him adorable.
< Episode 22. Three Promises (7) > End