“Welcome, Triton.”

When the goddess of spring smiled, a radiant air settled as if spring had suddenly approached even in the dark forest.

As befitting a goddess who presides over the birth of new life while existing between the world of the living and the dead, she was full of vitality.

Her beauty was such that even Death himself had fallen in love and kidnapped her to the underworld, yet Triton’s gaze as he looked at her remained utterly dry.

Though he didn’t know why she had called him out so secretly, Triton was displeased with the situation of being somewhat far from Livia.

While Persephone wasn’t the type to frivolously summon people, and he had come this far wanting to uncover her true intentions….

‘Why do I have such an uneasy and ominous feeling.’

He gazed at the quietly smiling goddess of spring and death through narrowed eyes.

Though those proper light green eyes skillfully concealed her greed, Triton had noticed that Persephone was hiding some scheme regarding Livia.

Why would the queen of the underworld target a mere human woman? For what reason would she aim at Livia of all people?

Triton spoke to Persephone with undisguised puzzlement.

“What reason do you have for calling me out here, even avoiding the eyes of other gods?”

At Triton’s words, Persephone turned completely to face him. Though the massive tree behind the goddess blocked the moonlight with its thick branches, the golden fields behind her shone as brightly as the moon.

Unable to bear the brief silence, Triton added irritably.

“If you’re not thinking of rolling around with me while avoiding Hades’ eyes, get to the point without wasting time….”

“I heard you were looking for Hecate.”

Triton stared at Persephone, stopping mid-sentence.

Hecate.

Though it was indeed why Triton had come here, he hadn’t expected Persephone to bring it up first.

As he stared at her through narrowed eyes, Persephone’s shadowed lips curved up.

“From what I see, since meeting her through Selene is impossible, I’m the only one you can ask, aren’t I?”

Hecate….

The goddess of magic and sorcery, guardian of death’s passage, and the very goddess whom Echidna fervently worshipped.

Echidna’s sorcery was based on Hecate’s power. Having learned Hecate’s magic from a very young age, Echidna had grown quite skilled at borrowing her power.

The fact that she eventually began wielding magic independently suggested Echidna had talent for sorcery.

That must be why she dared think of creating magic to bind Triton….

Though he didn’t know what twisted methods she had employed, Echidna had succeeded in growing her magical power to rival Hecate’s. That must be how she succeeded in placing a binding curse on Triton and Livia.

As a result, Triton faced a very troublesome situation, and to break it, he needed to find the very goddess who had influenced Echidna.

And it seemed the goddess before him had heard about this.

‘Though I tried to act secretly….’

Well, Persephone before him was another shadow of Hecate. So it wouldn’t make sense for her not to know that Triton was searching for Hecate.

There were three goddesses who shared shadows with Hecate, and Persephone was one of them.

And of the other two, one was unfortunately Selene who had come to bear a grudge against Triton, and the other was Artemis who was very close to Selene.

Triton had actually tried to closely approach Artemis to request her to summon Hecate. Since Hecate wouldn’t show herself except through these three goddesses’ shadows, either Selene, Artemis, or Persephone was absolutely necessary to see her.

However, Artemis had been stalling, avoiding giving an answer, perhaps conscious of her relationship with Selene or because she herself was unwilling.

While he had been deeply considering how to handle this, for Persephone to bring up Hecate first…. It was certainly surprising as he hadn’t expected it. Actually, since Persephone was the most difficult goddess to deal with among the three, he had been trying to squeeze something out of Artemis….

“Are you saying you’ll help me meet Hecate?”

“Well, for a very brief moment.”

Persephone nodded with an apparently benevolent smile.

Just as he was wondering what her true intentions were, the faint moonlight filtering through the tree shadows disappeared. As clouds suddenly gathered to cover the moon and cast shadows, Persephone’s darkly writhing face began to change.

“……”

To think she would arrange a meeting so immediately.

Triton stiffened his face, trying not to show his surprise, as he stared at the unfamiliar goddess who appeared from the faint smoke holding a torch.

The goddess slowly raised her head and stared at Triton.

Her face was too young to call elderly, yet too mature to call fresh. Though the goddess had plain features with dusky skin, her eyes were as black and deep as an abyss.

Those pitch-black eyes stared directly at Triton. Though her gaze was fierce as if piercing through him, Triton met her gaze without the slightest wavering.

Then, subtle changes appeared on the goddess’s face that had been as still as stagnant water. A voice mixed with both interest and pity flowed hazily through her tightly closed lips like fog.

“Echidna has caused quite troublesome matters.”

Triton twisted his lips into a smirk as he replied.

“So you knew as well.”

“Of course. How could I not know? Since she used my power…”

The goddess smiled politely, then in an instant wiped away all expression and murmured in a stern voice.

“However, I regret that I cannot grant what you wish for, god of the sea.”

***

‘I must hurry.’

As soon as Triton disappeared from sight, Livia quickly left her place. Since there were gazes following the back of her head, she deliberately asked nymphs about Demeter’s whereabouts, pretending to look for her.

“Actually, the goddess said she was waiting for you inside the temple.”

Just then, one of Demeter’s nymphs answered loudly enough for other gods to hear. Livia quickly ran to the place she had indicated.

She had calculated that since Zagreus was with Persephone, and Persephone didn’t leave Demeter’s side, she could naturally meet him if she found them. It wasn’t a bad idea, but there was one variable.

‘…Lady Demeter is waiting for me?’

She had only meant to pretend to look for Demeter, but now that the goddess was actually looking for her, she couldn’t just pretend anymore.

‘What should I do? If I meet her and the conversation drags on, and Triton returns in the meantime….’

Though she ran toward the depths of the temple with her back to the feast hall, her mind was full of thoughts about how to avoid Demeter. She needed to meet Zagreus who would be near her while avoiding her….

‘I should first look for Zagreus near where she is. If I pretend to be lost….’

The path grew darker as she went deeper into the temple. Though it was completely dark with none of the feast’s brilliant light reaching here, a light in the distance guided her.

Just as she was running frantically, thinking that must be the place, a long thick arm grabbed her from the darkness and pulled her into a completely different place.

“…!”

Her lips that were about to scream were covered by a large cold hand. She felt her struggling body being pulled tightly against someone from behind.

The chilling sense of danger snapped her to attention. Intoxicated by the dreamlike divine feast, she had forgotten just how cruel and unreasonable these beings could be.

Even now, the god of shepherds dancing and singing while teasing nymphs outside had tried to r*pe Livia when she was making a wish.

The half-human half-beast creatures that Dionysus brought along would casually try to harass nymphs working in other gods’ temples. They were beings who would do anything for pleasure and enjoyment.

Livia’s breathing grew rough. She tensed her body that had shrunk with fear and tension. She twisted her waist to loosen the man’s tight embrace, and through that gap, she struck his side with her elbow.

With a thud, the man faltered. Judging by the lack of groan, it seemed he had paused from surprise rather than pain.

Livia tried to draw the golden dagger from her wrist to swing at the man. Until she heard the man’s voice whispering in her ear.

“It’s me, Livia.”

…Zagreus?