Her throat burned with fiery intensity. A terrible thirst, akin to pain, scraped at Livia’s throat.

“Why is this happening so suddenly… huk.”

She tried taking deep breaths while lying on the floor, but the symptoms didn’t subside. No, rather, the intensity of the thirst grew stronger as time passed.

“Ugh, huh…”

It felt like a ball of fire lodged in her throat. The agony was so severe she thought she might die. As Livia struggled with the pain, she suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu. Yes, she had experienced this kind of pain before. At that time, it had been less painful because water was available, but she had definitely felt a maddening obsession with water.

‘When was that… It wasn’t that long ago.’

The memory of Demeter’s banquet flashed through Livia’s gasping mind.

Yes, that’s right. It was then.

It was the same thirst she had felt when she escaped to land after having a conflict with Triton about attending Demeter’s banquet.

‘Could it be, Triton… Is this your doing?’

Her heart grew cold.

Triton had bestowed the blessing of the sea upon Livia so she could live underwater. Though called a blessing, it was essentially him pushing his power into her.

It was a blessing, but at the same time, it was no different from engraving his mark on her body.

Livia was also aware of this fact and thought she couldn’t escape his eyes anywhere in the world. Especially if she were hiding somewhere in the sea, he would surely find her.

So she had to flee to a place where his power couldn’t reach and where his influence was minimal—and that place was here, the underworld.

‘…No. I need to run farther away.’

The fact that his power was pressing on her meant that his influence extended even to the underworld. Though her mind told her to escape from here, her body wouldn’t cooperate.

“Water… I need water.”

She wanted to drink water until her throat burst. It felt like she could gulp down water endlessly, until she was satisfied. No, drinking wasn’t enough. She wanted to soak her entire body. She wanted to immerse herself in water, in the sea. Despite not having gills, she couldn’t breathe well without water.

“Huk.”

Just as she was staggering, trying to get up by supporting herself on the floor, a huge shadow was cast over the dark cave. A heavy footstep sound—tap—was accompanied by heat. A tongue, burning hot, anxiously licked Livia’s forehead.

Hiiiiiing.

“…Mumu.”

In response to Livia’s call, the fully grown Cerberus answered with a loud bark, seemingly encouraging her. The terrifying beast’s sound echoed loudly throughout the narrow, dark cave.

“Shh… Shhh… Quiet… You can’t bark… ugh.”

Livia hurriedly tried to calm the dog. The house-sized dog with three heads didn’t know what to do at Livia’s small gesture and stamped its feet in place.

It didn’t bark anymore, but it eagerly licked Livia’s forehead and cheeks with its hot tongue as she dripped cold sweat trying to endure the pain. Not knowing that it was making her suffer more. Nevertheless, Mumu’s concern was welcome and appreciated, and Livia patted the dog’s half-burnt fur with trembling hands.

It was a loyal dog that followed Livia faithfully, both in life and death. It was Mumu who had brought Livia here, to the underworld.

Without the hellhound that could travel between the living world and the underworld with Persephone’s power, she wouldn’t have even been able to attempt an escape.

Of course, she could have received help more easily if she had called for Zagreus, but she didn’t try because it felt like deceiving Triton.

Knowing how Triton became fierce at the mere mention of Zagreus, wouldn’t it feel too much like betraying him to receive his help…?

‘Well, running away from him itself is a betrayal….’

The first few attempts failed, but Mumu and Livia eventually found a way. After inflicting wounds on herself and covering herself with Mumu’s scent, she entered the underworld carried in Cerberus’s teeth.

The entrance to the underworld, which had been repelling Livia until then, seemed to recognize her as Cerberus’s prey and accepted her without caution.

Having barely snuck into the underworld that way, she had been hiding in this narrow, small cave ever since. However, it was dangerous here, being close to the entrance of the underworld. She needed to go somewhere further and deeper.

‘I need to go….’

Livia raised her blurry eyes and looked at the cave entrance. At that moment, waves rippled before her eyes, and she saw a vision of fish floating in the sky. The sound of waves crashing echoed in her ears.

‘Oh no. This doesn’t look good.’

Livia firmly gripped her burning nape. The thirst now seemed to be burning her brain, beyond just her throat. The moment she thought about escaping this agony, her lower abdomen cramped and tightened painfully.

“Huk!”

Her lower abdomen had been aching strangely often lately, but today the intensity was unusual. With the burning thirst and the pain in her lower abdomen combined, she felt like she was truly going to lose her mind.

“Why, ah… why on earth…”

The moment she clutched her stomach with her ice-cold hands, Livia’s eyes flew open.

Her trembling gaze moved downward. Her belly, which should have been flat or even concave, was now slightly rounded. It wasn’t noticeable enough to draw attention, but it was a thickness she had never felt before in her life.

Since hiding in the underworld, she hadn’t had the leisure to examine her body while hiding in the dark cave, so she hadn’t noticed.

“My belly, my belly… Why is it like this?”

Cold sweat, different from before, trickled down. The moment her cold fingertips touched her aching lower abdomen, despair filled Livia’s face.

There was ‘something’ inside. Some being was taking root and sprouting inside her belly. The sensation of that being was clearly felt in the palm of her hand. It wasn’t a shape or form, but some cool, clear “energy.”

“…This can’t be happening.”

As Livia shook her head in denial, countless moments of intimacy with Triton flashed before her eyes.

During all those times, how abundantly had Triton’s s*men poured into Livia’s inner walls. Every time, Triton filled Livia’s insides to the point where her womb couldn’t consume it all.

‘But he… said he could control pregnancy?’

Once, Triton had said that to Livia when she was anxious about the possibility of pregnancy. That he could control the release of real s*men.

“If family is the most important thing to you….”

“Become family with me, Livia.”

Triton’s voice whispering in her ear struck like lightning.

Could it be… that was the meaning of those words?

At that time, she was too immersed in pleasure to think deeply about what he said. Livia thought that the family Triton spoke of meant just becoming a couple. She took his words at face value when he called her his wife and referred to himself as her husband.

However, if Triton had been thinking of a larger unit of family when he said that….

Livia covered her mouth with her pale hand. She firmly covered her mouth, which was about to let out a despairing groan, with her trembling hand.

Something unbelievable had happened. ‘This’ was outside of Livia’s plan.

‘What, what should I do? What on earth should I do about this?’

Her mind went blank at the bleak future. Like a fool, no thoughts came to her as she remained dazed, and at that moment, the energy in her belly gave another thump, seemingly announcing its presence.

“Huk!”

Startled, she hunched over and hugged her lower abdomen. As Livia opened and closed her lips to breathe, she suddenly realized that the pain and thirst that had been tormenting her had disappeared from the moment she felt the energy in her belly.

“……”

She stared at her lower abdomen where ‘it’ could be felt, with a confused face. Her trembling eyes denied reality, but the reason for the disappearance of the thirst, which had been no different from pain, seemed to be due to that.

Hiiiiiiing.

Mumu, who had been pacing around Livia, suddenly thrust its face forward as Livia stood up, and looked at her. Three pairs of eyes filled with similar concern stared at her intently, then carefully licked her tear-stained cheeks.

“…I’m fine.”

Grrrr.

“I’m fine, Mumu. Really. I’m okay now.”

Livia smiled bitterly and hugged Mumu tightly. She buried her face in the dog’s neck, which smelled of fire, and as she was quietly regulating her breathing, she suddenly raised her head.

“More importantly, did you find a place for us to move to? I feel so sorry. I keep making you do all the work.”

Woof woof!

When Livia apologized, all three muzzles barked softly at the same time, suggesting it was okay.

“Mumu, you must be the kindest hellhound in the world.”

Mumu wagged its huge tail back and forth, then lowered its body in front of Livia, offering its back.

Knowing now that this was a signal for her to climb onto his back, Livia mounted without a word.

The dog, large enough to easily carry Livia on its back, emerged from the narrow cave. Livia, afraid of being spotted by others, clung tightly to Mumu’s back and hid her body in the fluffy fur.

The running speed was so fast that the sound of wind harshly brushed past her ears. Livia closed her eyes tightly and tried not to think about the presence in her belly. Right now… just thinking about escaping this place was overwhelming enough.

There would be plenty of time to worry later; she could agonize after hiding somewhere safe.

After running for a while, Mumu gradually slowed down.

Thinking they had arrived, Livia raised her head, only to find an unexpected scene unfolding before her eyes.