CHAPTER 97: CHAPTER 97: SNATCHING WHAT ZEUS TOUCHED IS WAY MORE FUN

"That mark on your lips, was that from my little sister, Zeus?"

Hades licked her lips, a strange look flashing through her eyes.

"I didn’t recognize it at first, but just now, when you made your move, you let out a burst of sky authority. That’s what reminded me who that familiar feeling came from."

Mark on his lips?

Eros thought back. The only lips he’d kissed recently were Styx’s. And the mark she left had been absorbed into Oceanus’ ring-shaped river, forming a special tributary. Then again...

"Ah, yeah, it was Zeus."

Eros’s gaze drifted slightly. He had to cover for Hera on this one. That secret was only useful if he was the only one who knew it—once too many people found out, the leverage was gone.

Besides, what was Zeus thinking, leaving a mark on his mouth of all places? Did she think no one would notice? Good thing he could blame her for everything.

"Huh?"

Persephone, who had been quietly listening in the background, suddenly made a confused noise.

She hadn’t expected Eros to have any connection to her father deity.

Eros = lover of Father = same generation as Mother = her senior.

She’d wanted to get to know him, but now this whole situation felt like it was spiraling. Just imagining herself calling this handsome man "stepmom" made Persephone feel gloomy.

She was the goddess of budding life and spring. If she didn’t feel lustful, what was the point?

"Just a friend, really. Just a friend."

Eros gave a half-hearted explanation under the pressure of their stares. Sure, he’d nibbled once—but he was the one being nibbled. And the whole situation had been so explosive he couldn’t even recall what Zeus’s lips had felt like.

So, "a very close friend" seemed totally reasonable.

"Heh."

Hades chuckled silently. She clearly didn’t believe him.

Neither did Persephone, who was still tangled up in this increasingly messy family tree.

"Let’s drop it. Why are you even fighting with Demeter like this? Did she wrong you?"

Eros quickly tried to steer the conversation away from his relationship with Zeus. He couldn’t let Hades dodge the question again.

"Impossible. Mother’s always had a gentle temper. She wouldn’t do anything like that."

Hades hadn’t even replied before Persephone jumped in.

But Eros just recalled the Demeter he knew.

Sure, she’d seemed graceful and dignified at first, an agricultural goddess through and through. But after that day, with her endlessly grinding sickle and the way she tried to chop

Hades, come on, she was a total lunatic.

That’s a "good temper"?

Eros felt even Hera had better self-control. At least you could coax her when she was angry.

Even dogs passing by Demeter had to shiver and keep their legs closed, scared she’d castrate them with that damn blade.

Though to be fair, part of Eros’s fear probably came from how much psychological damage her weapon had done. He couldn’t help wondering: if Aphrodite ever saw Demeter waving around her own birthing blade, what would her face look like?

"She didn’t really wrong me," Hades finally said, her tone a little nostalgic. "She’s my elder sister, after all. What could she have done to me?"

"At most, she stole the sickle I had my eye on, beat me up a few times when we were kids, and constantly mocked me for being a loner nobody loved."

Eros fell silent.

It hadn’t sounded like much at first, but when she listed it out like that... yeah, Demeter had done a lot of damage. It might’ve all been little things, but the fact she remembered them so clearly meant she really had suffered.

"Is that what Mother’s really like?" Persephone hesitated. Hades’s version of Demeter seemed totally different from the loving figure she knew.

"So... is it because you love her?"

Eros glanced at Hades, then at Persephone. By all rights, Eros, son of Aphrodite, shouldn’t even exist yet. Could this really be love at first sight?

He knew himself and Zeus were more about lust than love. Sure, maybe feelings could develop later on, but in Zeus’s case, who knew?

But Hades clearly wasn’t the same. Even Poseidon wouldn’t go naming someone Sea Queen just because they looked good.

"Love, huh..."

Hades looked around and saw everyone waiting curiously.

"The real reason isn’t something I can’t say," she finally said, "but you might find me a little strange."

Even she didn’t fully understand her own heart sometimes.

"I think I was just... jealous of them. A little hatred mixed in with that jealousy."

Every time she thought about it, a surge of bitterness would rise inside her.

"We were all six sisters, born the same way, so why did the eldest get to abandon us and escape without guilt?"

"Why do Demeter and Hera get to live so happily, while I was sent to this desolate underworld, always alone?"

Her gentle demeanor began to crack. Her sharp black nails etched deep grooves into the smooth tabletop.

"Oh, and Zeus too, my dearest little sister. Ever since she became King of the Gods, I can’t read her at all."

"What is she thinking? What does she want? I don’t know anything anymore!"

Unspoken jealousy and smoldering rage burned inside her.

She didn’t even understand why she felt this way. It wasn’t like anyone forced her, she’d chosen not to run like Hestia.

But even so, the decision had twisted something in her heart.

And just as her emotions were spiraling out of control—

"What about Poseidon?" Eros asked suddenly.

Hades blinked, stunned.

"What about her?"

Eros spread his hands. "You named four of the five sisters, but not her. Aren’t you mad at Poseidon?"

"That sea-brain?" Hades gave a deadpan look. "I’ve got nothing to say about her."

Even her anger hit a snag at that point.

"I see."

Eros folded his arms. Yeah, Poseidon was definitely the odd one out.

Still, something about Hades’s story didn’t sit right with him. He carefully replayed what she’d said in his mind and started piecing things together... though he wasn’t quite sure yet.

"So you took Persephone... to vent your emotions? To make Demeter suffer the way you did?"

If she had to stay in the underworld out of duty, then dragging Demeter’s daughter here made it fair?

"Something like that."

Hades composed herself again, regaining that soft-spoken grace.

"Well, that’s just..." Eros didn’t even know how to finish the sentence. Choosing a Queen of the Underworld had nothing to do with Persephone herself. Poor girl had just gotten caught in the crossfire.

He glanced at her, she was biting her finger, clearly thinking the same thing.

"I’ve told you my story, so now, Eros, what do you think?"

Even though this was only their second meeting, their conversation flowed like they were old friends. Chalk it up to Hades’s personality or Eros’s habit of flirting with every beautiful woman he met.

"What do I think?"

"Don’t you remember what you said? You wanted to see what kind of goddess the Queen of the Underworld was."

"Well, now you’ve seen me. You understand me. So, what’s your impression?"

Hades propped her chin on one hand, smiling slyly at Eros like she was waiting for a grade.

"Oh, and by the way, you also said you’d praise my looks. We’ve got plenty of time now. Go ahead and shower me with compliments."

"And if I do a good job, is there a reward?"

Eros raised an eyebrow.

"That depends on how good your compliments are. If I’m satisfied, maybe I’ll reward you."

Hades crossed her long legs and gave him a teasing smirk.

Their playful banter made both Persephone and Minta feel like third wheels. How were they still so comfortable with each other?

"Oh, and one more thing—letting you go won’t be part of the reward."

A dangerous glint flickered in Hades’s eyes.

"I want to steal someone Zeus

has set her sights on. I want to see if she’ll panic, or if she’ll come down here herself to snatch you back."

So that’s it. Being "Zeus-certified" was basically a trophy now?

But Zeus hadn’t even gotten a proper taste yet! Even if you suck on him now, you’re not getting her flavor.

Eros rolled his eyes and completely lost interest in continuing this ridiculous topic.

Hades stood and smiled. "I’ve got other matters to handle. You two can stay here for now. Once Hades Palace is fully rebuilt, we’ll move you there."

"Don’t even think about escaping. In the underworld, I know everything."

"Like right now, your mother and that sleepy little god are trying to gather backup to rescue you. I already know all about it."

Poseidon, are you watching? This is how you run a domain.

The Sea King didn’t even know what was going on in her own oceans. What a disgrace.

Well... Eros was just saying that for show.

Hades had complete dominion over the underworld only because Nyx chose not to intervene. Poseidon still had to deal with Oceanus, so of course things weren’t the same.

Hades left for real this time. She did have plenty to take care of. She hadn’t placed heavy restrictions on Eros and Persephone either, because her confidence was absolute.

But honestly, Eros had never intended to leave in the first place.

If he really wanted out, he could just call on Nyx and get sent directly to the border of the underworld.

As for why he didn’t.

He turned to look at Persephone.

Now that Demeter was out of the picture and his worries about Hades were gone, wasn’t this the perfect time to make a move on the innocent Queen of the Underworld?

Poor Hades... when you think about the three great queens of Heaven, Sea, and Underworld, only the underworld queen hadn’t been taken by Zeus yet.

That’s rough.

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