That’s when I heard a voice calling me. I turned immediately, with surprising ease even to myself.

On the opposite side, from the mountain of jewelry and fabrics meant for women, a slender white hand poked out. 

Following it came brilliant golden hair, and then a face more pale and handsome than the glittering treasures around it, and everything below.

He ran to me without hesitation. I noticed his sandals were loose. He nearly tripped several times on the gold coins and pearls scattered across the floor. 

Without realizing it, I almost stepped toward him. I had to test my self-control, like pulling on invisible reins. The difficulty was immense. 

I had no memory of experiencing such a thing, where the body reacts before reason.

“Wow, fancy meeting you here!”

Persephius stood so close that I had to take a step back. His sharp jawline and straight white neck, like a temple column, were right before me. 

The scent of daffodils wafted strongly. For a moment, I forgot what I had prepared to say and nearly dropped the mask I was wearing.

“Is no one else here? Did you come alone?”

Persephius asked with a grin.

“You can’t imagine how much Momus grumbled trying to keep me from entering. But who am I? I got in anyway. He was cursing me so much outside the door! Then suddenly it went quiet, so I figured he must have gone to report to you. But I don’t see Momus anywhere?”

Oh, heavens. I felt thunderstruck.

Since that night, I had desperately avoided being alone with him! Yet I had dismissed Thanatos and Momus with my own hands! What foolish mistake this was!

I stepped back twice. It felt like someone was beating a large drum near my ears. I thought I might go deaf.

“Why… are you coming out from there?”

In the end, my first words were neither a stern warning nor a diplomatic compromise, but something utterly foolish.

“I thought you would be looking at swords or armor. That side is nothing but jewelry and fabrics.”

“Ah!”

Persephius leaned his upper body toward me and grinned.

“Perfect timing. I needed you anyway.”

With that, he suddenly grabbed my hand!

“What insolent behavior is this? Let go immediately. Now!”

“What’s the big deal? No one’s watching. Watch your step. I nearly cracked my head open earlier.”

He began walking, almost running, while holding my hand. I felt dizzy and weak in all my limbs, drunk on strong wine. Despite being able to push away this mere child immediately, strangely, I couldn’t summon strength to my hand. 

The silver and gold coins under our feet jingled. I nearly lost my balance twice, and each time Persephius supported me with his large hand. Me, being supported by this child!

“This place needs some organizing. Might take about a thousand years.”

Persephius finally brought me to a hill of jewels rippling with hair ornaments, necklaces, belts, and brooches.

“If you need new clothes, you don’t need my permission. Pick any silk and fasten it with any brooch.”

“I’m fine with my clothes. I’m sick of women’s clothing.”

Just as I was about to snap at him asking what all this fuss was about, he bent down and picked something up. 

He suddenly held it out to me and opened his palm. A deep emerald green silk, like the foliage of a summer night, unfurled to the floor.

“I was looking at things that might suit you.”

Persephius gave that characteristic smile of his, tinged with charm. It was the privilege of someone who knew they were lovable, pretty, and deserving of goodwill and affection. 

His clear blue eyes curved into half-moons while his platinum-like eyelashes fluttered like butterflies. His distinct eyebrows and straight nose were unmistakably masculine, no longer able to pass for a maiden’s, and his brightly smiling mouth looked like a spring with white pebbles. 

Anyone thirsty would want to press their lips to it.

He went further and draped the dark green silk over my shoulders. He looked so excited that gold dust might fall from the corners of his mouth. He must think I’m his doll! 

I waved my hand dismissively.

“Stop this childish play. I’m satisfied with my current attire.”

“Wearing the same color every day gets boring! Of course, black suits you incredibly well, but occasionally changing the color of your himation would be refreshing. The color you wear can have a surprisingly big impact. Trust me. I wore stupid pink my entire life.”

Persephius quickly fastened a brooch so I couldn’t drop the green silk. It was a silver ornament with a large obsidian in the center. His hands moved so quickly! 

I had overlooked the fact that he grew up among nymphs, raised as a daughter. He must have learned to weave flower garlands, weave cloth, embroider, braid hair, decorate, and neatly arrange hair in golden nets. 

Completely different from me, who was devoured by my father as soon as I was born and then hastily grew up for battle.

“Pink everywhere! Even when I hated it, it was always somewhere. So I never felt good, not once! But when you stole me away to the underworld—the cursed pink disappeared from my life forever. Since then, I’ve been too happy for words.”

He spoke cheerfully. Happy? 

I unconsciously licked my dry lips.

Believe it or not, this dark green silk was the most stimulating color ever draped on me, and the obsidian brooch was the most elaborate decoration ever placed on me. 

Whether from awkwardness or something else, my body stiffened, completely paralyzed. Persephius didn’t miss the opportunity and brought all sorts of things to me. 

A necklace strung with emeralds, a wide silver bracelet embossed with feather patterns, and rings stacked several at a time. Then he moved behind me and played with my hair for quite a while. I seemed to have forgotten how to move.

“Your hair would look good braided up.”

His voice came from behind my ear. His hot breath raised goosebumps.

“No, not just good. It would be incredibly beautiful. Unbelievably so. Hmm, I’m not sure if it should be shown to others. But I could tolerate it once, at our wedding.”

Here we go again!

The strange chain binding me vanished instantly. I coldly detached myself from him. My hair, freed from his grasp, cascaded down my back.

“Still going on about that. You should have given up by now. Didn’t I tell you there’s nothing more foolish than throwing yourself into a battle with no chance of winning?”

I began removing all the ornaments he had placed on me. From my fingers, wrists, earlobes, hair, waist, and even the peacock-bright green silk, I took them all off and threw them aside.

“Since you’ve entered Plutus’s storehouse, look properly. Look at swords, spears, chariots, and harnesses. If you choose a sword, I’ll give you armor to match, and if you want a chariot, I’ll provide suitable horses.”

“And you want me to take it and leave, right?”

Something was strange. Persephius’s response showed no sign of being offended. Rather, he seemed cheerful, eagerly willing to play along. I turned around to look at him.

“What are you plotting? This is suspicious.”

“I’m not plotting anything. Now you accuse me of being suspicious just for smiling! Aren’t you too conscious of me?”

“Don’t think you can deceive my eyes.”

Persephius was still smiling broadly. Something was different from usual. Typically, when I scolded him, he would either get angry or become even more persistent, but now he was showing a completely different reaction. 

His face, still bearing traces of youth, was overflowing with composure like a river. Only his playful blue eyes remained stubbornly fixed on me, clearly holding a secret he was desperate to reveal.

“Speak. What are you hiding?”

“It might be troublesome for you, are you sure?”

“What on earth could possibly trouble the god of death?”

I snorted.

“What, are you going to protest that I took your virginity? That seems like old news.”

“Not at all. This is something bigger and more official. Let’s call it destiny.”

Persephius spoke almost in a whisper. His voice, which had been as bright and cheerful as the sun over a plain, suddenly lowered, truly seeming about to reveal a secret. 

I nearly fell for it. I didn’t move an eyebrow. Nevertheless, Persephius continued undeterred.

“Do you know why I was raised as a daughter?”

“Well…”

I didn’t know that. I had little interest in earthly matters, especially the private lives of my siblings. But there was no need to say that out loud. I kept my mouth shut.

Persephius narrowed his eyes, having clearly anticipated my reaction.

“When I was born, the Moirai came.”

“The Moirai?”