Chapter 6

Feeling the secret tension, she turned her head and gently placed her hand on his arm.

Hades’s arm flinched, then relaxed. Released from the strange tension, she let out a soft sigh.

“I’m sorry. I made you uncomfortable without meaning to.”

“It didn’t feel bad. Just…”

“I understand.”

Hiiing—

Necron let out a bored cry.

“Well, it seems we’ve seen enough of the River Styx. Shall we go somewhere else?”

“Yes, Lord Hades.”

When Hades pulled the reins, Necron started moving slowly. Even without instructions, Necron seemed to know the next destination and moved confidently.

Before long, their pace slowed, and a different river came into view, with a feeling unlike the previous chill.

“The river you saw earlier was the Styx, the fifth encountered in the Underworld. This one here is the fourth, called the River Lethe.”

“I knew there were five rivers, but I didn’t realize their atmospheres were so different.”

“Each river has its own distinct characteristics.”

“The River Lethe is the river of forgetfulness, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct. After purification in the third river, Phlegethon, some souls with strong regrets still can’t let go of their memories. For those souls, we make them drink from the fourth river. Then, all memories are forgotten.”

“Forgetting… The idea of losing something feels sad.”

“But if memories aren’t erased, some souls try to return to the surface. As the ruler here, their memories are a risk, so I can’t let them slip by.”

It was the first time Persephone heard Hades speak so gravely. When with her, he was always gentle and shy, but as the King of the Underworld, his principled side was clear.

“Now you sound like the Hades I’ve heard about.”

“I must have shown you a lot of my bad sides. Please forget them.”

“No. That’s part of you too—charming, kind, and wonderful!”

“What?”

“I said you’re wonderful, Lord Hades. So please show me every side of you.”

“…All right. I’ll always be honest and show you my true self.”

His dramatic attitude made her laugh. When she laughed, Hades laughed too, gazing at the River Lethe.

“When I come to Lethe, I feel I have so many memories to forget, but now I don’t think there’s anything left to forget here.”

“Did you have many memories you wanted to forget?”

“Since I hear the voices of souls all over the Underworld, I come here regularly.”

Looking back, Persephone saw a shadow pass over Hades’s face.

“It’s fine. It’s my duty, and only I can do it. I’m proud of that.”

Thinking of how he’d ruled this deep, sunless world all alone, she felt a pang in her heart. He said he was proud, but surely he’d felt lonely…

Unconsciously, she placed her hand on the back of his. It was nothing special, but she hoped her warmth could comfort him even a little. Hades took her hand into his and gently stroked it, as if to say she needn’t worry, as if to reassure her.

She’d meant to comfort him, but ended up feeling comforted herself.

“Now that you’ve seen most of the famous places in the Underworld, I’ll show you a secret spot next.”

“A secret spot?”

“Yes. You’ll probably be the first person to visit it.”

She was the first person to visit. She couldn’t even imagine what kind of place it was. And that he wanted to show her first… Something unknown swirled in her chest.

“This time, it’s a bit farther, so hold the reins tightly.”

Hiing!

With a loud cry, Necron dashed forward.

***

They rode along the River Styx for a long time, but the destination never appeared. Sitting atop the horse, Persephone began to wonder what kind of place could be so deep in the Underworld. At last, Necron stopped in front of a dark forest. The woods were so quiet, it was as if even the wind was holding its breath. Weeds and shrubs tangled together, showing clear signs that no one had ever touched this place.

“What’s here?”

At her question, Hades nodded silently and offered his hand. His gaze was calm, but there was a hint of subtle tension.

She hesitated, then carefully took his hand. The firmness and warmth of his touch somehow reassured her. Guided by him, she carefully parted the foliage and walked deeper into the forest.

After a while, Hades brushed aside some black grass blocking their way, and suddenly the view opened up to a breathtaking sight.

A field full of blue flowers. It was like a small sea of life, rare in the Underworld. Warm, shimmering light sparkled, completely out of place in the cold, dark woods.

“This is…”

“It’s a place I always wanted to show you if you ever came to the Underworld.”

His words made her hold her breath. From afar, gentle light rippled, and waves of flowers swayed. The quiet movement was like someone’s breath.

“The flowers are beautiful. I’ve never seen them before—what are they called?”

“Th-they’re called… Nemeryan.”

Hades looked away, a little embarrassed.

“Nemeryan? That’s a unique name. Does it have a meaning?”

“It means ‘to give breath.’ It’s a flower that blooms when your breath spreads in the Underworld… so I named it that.”

Her eyes widened. The meaning was beautiful, but the fact that he named it himself surprised her even more.

“Did you… make these flowers yourself?”

His cheeks noticeably reddened. Trying to act composed, he made her smile.

“Ahem! I wanted to show you the Underworld, but this land can’t nurture life… I didn’t want to show you only barren, desolate places, so I made and cultivated this spot myself.”

His gaze wandered slowly beyond the flower field. Among the blue flowers, gentle orange ones bloomed here and there. The way the flowers surrounded a single blossom at the center looked as if they were protecting someone.

Staring quietly at the scene, Persephone thought the orange glow reminded her of Hades himself—a warm, solitary presence in a cold world.

“Really… This is the most beautiful place I’ve seen in the Underworld.”

At her words, Hades’s lips slowly curled upward. A bright smile lit up his face, and Persephone couldn’t look away from his eyes. In this moment, something warm bloomed in her heart.

Before he could grow more embarrassed, she picked a flower and approached him, gently tucking it behind his ear.

“The flower suits your smile well, Lord Hades…”

He was speechless, just gazing at her. Persephone met his eyes directly.

And then…

Smooch—

She kissed his cheek.

In a fleeting moment, even Persephone herself was surprised, her breath caught. Hades, flustered, held his cheek and stared at her, while she, just as startled, stepped back and averted her eyes.

“Uh… That is……”

She couldn’t speak. She had acted impulsively, but… strangely, she didn’t regret it. It was simply because Hades was so beautiful. So gentle. At that moment, he seemed dazzling.

But after receiving the kiss, Hades showed no reaction. He just held his cheek, his face red, as if frozen in place, showing no other response.

‘Could it be… he didn’t like my kiss?’

It was an unpleasant assumption, but she had to check. Did he really like her?

“Lord Hades, isn’t there anything you want to do for me?”

“H-huh?”

“I kissed you, so don’t you have anything for me in return?”

“Ah… May I… do that too?”

“Then, are you not going to?”

That seemed to be the trigger. Hades hurried over and stood before her. Then, he slowly lowered his head and pressed his lips firmly to her cheek.

Smooch—

Having kissed her, his face looked as dazed as if he’d been kissed himself. Truly… even now, he was so adorable and lovable.

“Your cheeks are so lovely, too—hmph!”

Unable to hold back, Persephone leaned in for another kiss. She pressed forward so eagerly that their teeth bumped, but what mattered was that she wanted to feel closer to Hades.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and boldly captured his lips. Hades, startled by her actions, tried to gently calm her, but it was no use.

‘So sweet. I want more!’

She parted his lips with her tongue, invading and tangling with abandon. Her mind grew blank; all that existed was the sensation of kissing Hades, being close to him.

“Chup, chuup.”

“Mi—Miss Kore, w-wait!”

Hades barely managed to pull away, speaking as he did. Persephone felt a pang of disappointment.

“I want more, Hades……”

Why couldn’t she have more? It felt so good. He said he liked her, so why wouldn’t he join her?

A flood of thoughts and growing sadness welled up inside her.

“Do you not like me? Why are you pushing me away?”

“No, that’s not it. Since it’s your first time, I want us to take it slow. I don’t want it to be a choice made out of a moment’s desire. It’s not that I dislike you. If we rush, you… might regret it later.”

She understood his words, but her feelings didn’t seem like a fleeting impulse…

“And… although I like you coming to me first, I also want to show my feelings to you myself…”

Smooch—

“So please give me a chance, Kore. A chance to show you my heart.”

As Hades gently kissed her, Persephone slowly closed her eyes. Her heart pounded as if it would burst, and the wait was so intense she could barely keep still. His warm breath caressed her cheek.

His lips softly brushed her cheek, then slowly moved toward her lips. Chup, chuup. Again and again, his lips pressed gently, and finally, his hot, moist tongue slipped out and licked her lips. She gladly accepted the warmth and sweetness that parted her lips and entered.

A hot wave rose from deep within her heart. The warmth that bloomed in her chest spread throughout her body. Without words, they shared each other’s warmth.