The subordinate god contract dissipated.
Alistair could also sense Persephone, that perfect control.
With a hint of curiosity, he asked with interest, "Persephone, given your personality, why did you sign the contract?"
"Because I fear death."
Persephone hid nothing, nor did she feel any shame.
"Fear death?"
Alistair was taken aback by her answer.
Persephone nodded, saying, "When Hades took me, even if I sealed myself, there was no danger to my life. Hades wouldn't do anything to me."
"But."
"You wouldn't show any mercy. Given your personality, you wouldn't hesitate at all."
"That's not wrong."
Alistair nodded in agreement.
Indeed.
He had already planned for Persephone. Becoming his subordinate god was the best outcome for everyone.
If she refused?
Well!
He'd have to consider indulging a few times first. If she didn't agree, there was no way he'd let Persephone live.
"So, I'm very much afraid of death. Even gods fear it."
Persephone spoke lightly, not finding it shameful in the least.
"That's a reasonable take."
Alistair agreed, then pondered, "Speaking of which, the entire Underworld is left with just the three of you. And I'm curious."
"Athena actually killed Hades?"
"Without the cycle of life and death."
"Wouldn't that cause problems for the world?"
Alistair had always found this odd.
It didn't add up!
If Athena had sealed Hades, Alistair would find that normal and acceptable.
But.
Killing Hades outright—wouldn't that disrupt the world's cycle of life and death?
"It wouldn't."
Ker explained, "Your Majesty, you don't have a deep understanding of the Greek pantheon."
"In reality."
"The Underworld was created by Hades in a newly formed dimensional world."
"While it governs the cycle of life and death, that's due to Hades' authority."
"Fundamentally."
"It's not deeply tied to the Underworld itself."
"And."
"With Hades' death, that authority returns to the Underworld, without affecting the world's cycle of life and death."
Alistair nodded, understanding.
No wonder.
Athena acted without hesitation. If it truly impacted the world, Athena would have only sealed Hades.
Or rather.
Other gods wouldn't allow Athena to kill Hades and disrupt the cycle of life and death. That would be bad news for any god, not to mention a terrible thing.
"Speaking of which."
Alistair looked at Ker, continuing, "Ker, you're a plural goddess, like the Dream Gods, right?"
Plural gods!
Many gods sharing the same law.
For example.
The 3,000 Dream Gods all wield the Law of Dreams, all being Dream Gods.
And Ker, the Goddess of Fate, should also be a plural goddess.
"Yes."
Ker explained, "I, along with Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, are all Goddesses of Fate."
"Children of Erebus and Nyx."
Alistair tapped the armrest of his divine throne, musing, "Hades' subordinate gods—Hypnos, Thanatos, you, Ker, or the Dream Gods—are all children of the primordial goddess Nyx."
"Yes."
Ker didn't deny it, continuing, "But during the mythical era, in the war of the three divine kings."
"Hades was defeated."
"The other Underworld gods were either killed, sealed, or taken away."
"Among them."
"Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos."
"Were taken by Zeus."
"Zeus used his divine power to control them. They were tasked with weaving fate and guarding the deepest abyss of the Underworld, watching over the twelve Titan gods."
Ker spoke with a touch of nostalgia, "The war of the three kings in the mythical era ended with Zeus' victory. Poseidon lost his divine body, and Hades, while retaining much, ultimately..."
"His forces were nearly wiped out."
"That's also why."
"In the Holy War, Hades was no match for Athena."
"Otherwise..."
Alistair raised a hand to stop her, "Enough with the excuses. Even with the Underworld's current setup, with just a bit better strategy, there's no way Athena could've bullied you for so long. Hades was just plain bad at this."
"Hypnos, Thanatos, the 3,000 Dream Gods, plus you."
"The entire Underworld."
"Aren't they all gods? Even descending as mortal forms, paired with well-trained Specters, how could they be defeated by the Sanctuary time and again?"
Alistair's complaints left Ker silent.
She didn't know how to retort.
Because.
It was the truth.
There was no way to argue against it.
"As for the Olympus side, that's even more laughable."
"From what I know."
"Zeus has already left, doing who-knows-what."
"So!"
"What do you think the core issue is?"
Alistair continued, "Apollo? I don't deny that Apollo, sitting on the throne of the divine king, is strong. But to say a newly ascended divine king like Apollo is so much stronger than Hades and can completely manipulate the Holy War—that seems unlikely, doesn't it?"
"..."
Ker fell completely silent.
Persephone watched this with amusement.
No matter how you looked at it, she was someone Hades had abducted. Hearing her new master roast Hades was, of course, delightful.
At this moment.
Pandora stepped forward, softly saying, "Your Majesty, now that you're the Lord of the Underworld, do you wish to continue vying for the authority over the earth?"
***
If you enjoyed this story, don't forget to drop 5 stars and your power stone. And if you want to read more than 70 chapters in advance, feel free to visit: pat reon . com / KangTL