Chapter 38 Journey to the Underworld (Part 5)

Here we go again, aren't we? You greedy little devil.

Hermes came before the blindfolded goddess who held scales and a sword, and she recognized her as Themis, the goddess of justice.

Themis married Zeus and established marriage laws that defined the concept of family and the obligations between men and women.

Moreover, she chose to help Zeus's brothers and sisters in their war against the Titans, which alone demonstrates her wisdom.

Hermes thought to herself, "She must have a very good relationship with Hera, the Queen of the Gods."

"Greetings, Your Excellency Themis," Hermes greeted, showing great respect to the Titan goddess.

Apollo, who followed behind, lowered his eyes slightly and respectfully addressed Themis.

"Greetings, Hermes, Apollo. I have been waiting for you for far too long."

Although the upper half of the goddess of justice's face was covered with a black cloth, they could feel a pair of calm and composed eyes watching them. These eyes were filled with both seriousness and kindness, which were characteristic of this goddess.

Hermes glanced sideways at Apollo, who was facing her expressionlessly. She had no idea that the goddess Themis also possessed the power of prophecy.

Perhaps Themis, like the Fates, participated in shaping the future? No, how could that be...?

Hermes secretly dismissed this bold guess.

However, why would Themis appear in the Garden of Truth? Was it to wait for me and Apollo?

Is she going to stop us?

“I already know the significance of your arrival in the Underworld, messengers of the Earth Mother. I greatly admire your wisdom and courage.” Themis never favors anyone; she is the guardian of justice and order. “Demeter also discovered that her daughter had been abducted to the palace of Hades.”

The goddess of justice recounted everything in detail.

"Before you went to the great island of Crete, Hermes, Demeter found me and begged me to seek justice for her and Persephone, but the emotionless Moirai told me that it was fate."

Hermes opened her eyes wide, feeling puzzled and confused.

So it turns out that Persephone's abduction by Hades was the will of the Three Fates? How heartbroken Demeter must be after losing her daughter! Not to mention Persephone, who was inexplicably forced to leave the earth and be with everyone...

But why did the goddess Gaia send her to the underworld to bring back that poor seed goddess? Was this also an arrangement of fate?

Most importantly, what is Hades' purpose in relentlessly taking Persephone back to the Underworld?

Why would Themis tell them these things now?

At this point, Apollo spoke up: "And what is your opinion on this, Your Excellency Themis?"

How would the goddess of justice, who upholds fairness and morality and is the embodiment of law and natural law, view such absurd and rude behavior?

Hermes raised her eyes again and looked directly at the goddess who had covered her eyes with a black cloth in order to treat all beings fairly.

“That’s not all,” she said firmly, for she had too many doubts in her heart. “I think there must be a reason why you’ve come here specifically to wait for us, Your Excellency Themis.”

Hermes and Apollo exchanged a glance, each catching a deeper meaning in the other's eyes.

Their partnership has become increasingly seamless.

Thanatos and Hypnos, the twins, did not truly hinder their progress toward their goal, but Themis might be another story.

After all, if this is truly the will of the Moirai, then all of this is not hard to imagine.

“You are very clever, daughter of Maia,” Themis said calmly. “I have not come to stop you; on the contrary, I will show you the right path.”

Hermes asked, "What does that mean?"

Apollo suddenly paused, his hazy, light blue eyes darkening.

He saw a new future.

But he didn't intend to tell anyone else, not even Hermes.

"Saving both Hades' and Demeter's demands should not be a problem for you, Hermes."

Themis raised her sword and plunged the sharp blade into the gray plain beneath her feet.

In an instant, as if the earth were shaking, two straight roads appeared behind the goddess of justice, each heading in a different direction. One was pure white, and the other was filthy black.

She once judged the sinful gods and giants in the Garden of Truth, and handed over these brothers and sisters who should have been close to her to several goddesses of vengeance, who then cast them into the abyss of Tartarus.

She and they were all ruthless yet righteous judges and punishers.

"Go straight to the land between Elysium and Tartarus, through Hermes, the kingdom where the dead work and live. You have created new rules and improved the laws of nature, so I am willing to accept the innocent Silver Humans." Themis explained calmly, imagining Hermes, who possessed the power of the earth, as the Earth Mother through her black blindfold. "At the end of this kingdom is the palace of Hades. Go there, but you must ensure that Persephone remains in the Underworld and is reunited with her mother in the mortal world."

Themis's attitude was to support Hermes and Apollo in completing this task, even with the limitations.

Hermes thanked the goddess whose scales would never yield to anyone, and as she passed her on the colorless and unmarked right path, she suddenly spoke.

"Does Hades know about this?" she asked, her back already turned to Themis. "Or does Gaia know about this?"

—Go to the dark and endless underworld deep underground and bring back Persephone, the daughter of Demeter.

—No matter what means are used, no matter what the final outcome is.

Hermes always remembered what Mother Earth had told her.

Apollo, who was traveling with Hermes, lowered his blue eyes and saw her slightly trembling eyelashes, which were thick and long, casting a light shadow on her clear green eyes.

The voice of the goddess of justice came from behind: "I cannot tell you more. But you are a wise and good child, Hermes."

So Hermes and Apollo set off for the land inhabited by the dead.

Under the cover of what seemed like an endless night, everything looked so gloomy and lonely, with only the torches placed at the crossroads serving as a rare source of light.

This kingdom ruled by Hades is no different from the human dwellings on Earth. The dead have their own jobs and homes here. They may be happy, sad, or worried, but at least they will not be severely judged and imprisoned in the terrifying abyss of Tartarus.

This place is inhabited not only by the dead, but also by the gods of the underworld.

Hermes had never heard Maya talk about the underworld before, and she didn't really know the gods of the underworld, but for some reason, when she saw those gods who exuded a dark aura, she could vaguely recognize them.

Philotes, who was philandering and promiscuous; Geras, who was old and frail; Apate, who was deceitful; Nemesis, who was destined for retribution; Moros, who was doomed (he and the three Moirai sisters were manipulators of fate); Cacia, who was wicked; Eurynomes, who was corrupt; and so on... They were all children of Nyx, the goddess of night.

Most of the gods of the underworld rarely set foot in Hades' palace; they seem quite content to coexist with the dead in this dark and vast kingdom.

As Hermes passed by some of these gods of the underworld, she could hear them whispering about her and Apollo.

"Look, they're from Olympus!"

"Looks like it's two main gods after all, haha, exactly the same setup as Cronus's!"

"Isn't that Apollo, the son of Leto, who killed Python? How interesting."

"How did a god from the mortal realm get into our place? Is he looking for Hades?"

"This girl feels so familiar to me..."

No, this doesn't count as whispering; they seemed quite bold and fearless.

But Hermes believed that these gods of the underworld meant her no harm, and that they hadn't even stopped her from going to Hades' palace, so she simply responded with a polite and cheerful smile.

Philotes, the friendly socialite, waved to her and exclaimed happily, "Hello, dear Hermes! Why don't you move from Mount Olympus to live in our Underworld?"

Hermes was about to reply when Apollo, who was accompanying her, spoke coldly.

“She has a palace in our land, and her mother also lives in Arcadia in the mortal realm.” The face of the God of Light was also as cold as ice.

Seeing this, Philotes shrugged and went back to play with his good friend.

"Even so, what if I really do end up having my own place in the Underworld someday, Brother Apollo?" Hermes said with a smile to Apollo, whose face remained cold and handsome. "Of course, that's just a joke~"

I hope it's just a joke.

Apollo silently watched the charming smile on the face of the god of deception.

After all, he didn't want her to live in this dark, eternal underground place for long.

"Speaking of which, once we get to Hades' palace, how am I supposed to persuade His Majesty Hades to release Persephone?" Hermes quickly changed the subject, wrinkling her nose in obvious distress. "Lady Themis wants me to have my cake and eat it too, satisfying Hades while also appeasing Demeter... This is really a headache!"

Apollo pondered for a moment and replied, "Indeed, once the gods of the mortal realm enter the underworld, they cannot turn back."

Hermes: "..."

What?! She thought Apollo would come up with some brilliant idea, but instead he's adding insult to injury here!

Wait, wait—

Hermes' eyes widened: "I almost forgot! If that's the case, then the two of us won't be able to get out of the Underworld?!"

“Perfect.” Apollo smiled faintly, “Didn’t you want to live in the Underworld?”

Hermes: "...I already said it was a joke!"

Does he really enjoy making sarcastic remarks? How annoying!

However, Hermes could no longer act out of spite and abandon him to fly alone to a strange place, as she did before. After all, this was the unknown and dangerous underworld, and she still needed a reliable god of light.

Although for some reason the gods of the underworld were all very friendly, they were nothing like Cerberus, the gatekeeper of hell whom they had defeated...

"Forget about that for now. We're already in here, so we'll find a way out, right? The great goddess Gaia will protect us!" Hermes regained her confident demeanor. "Brother Apollo, you know so much. Do you know whether things from the underworld can be brought to the mortal realm, just as things from the mortal realm can be brought to the underworld?"

To ensure the mission was completed perfectly, her little brain started working again.

Apollo stared intently at the enormous palace that was becoming clearer and clearer ahead, and said, "No, this is a rule personally set by Hades."

But Hermes smiled broadly, her eyes crinkling.

"I see. Well, the rules can change, right?" Hermes jumped a few steps forward, already having come up with a new solution. "Now it's my turn to give you a choice, dear Apollo."

She stopped and stood in front of Apollo, prompting him to stop as well.

"Do you believe me, Apollo?"

She turned around and gazed at him, her face still smiling, making her look especially endearing.

This time, Hermes did not call Apollo her brother.

Apollo thought for a moment and replied, "I believe you, Hermes."

Even though this cunning little devil didn't explicitly tell us what to believe in her.

But he still followed his heart and fulfilled her request, which was childish but really cute.

Therefore, he smiled even more happily when he saw her.

“Right?” Hermes said. “I told you, the rules can change!”

And so, they finally arrived at the enormous palace.

The palace is surrounded by a circular network of intersecting rivers that separate it from the realm of the dead; these rivers are branches of the five River Styx. The surrounding area is filled with slender, upright poplar trees, whose leaves fall from time to time, yet their branches remain lush and verdant.

The Hades Palace is built in a very strange style, with sharp watchtowers and main towers that are square and interconnected but crooked and twisted. Its main color scheme is the same dark black and gray as the Netherworld, and the castle walls are also interspersed with beautiful purple patterns, similar to the gates of the Underworld.

Hermes and Apollo, heavy with worry, crossed the stone bridge over the river, finally able to meet Hades, the god of the underworld.

"I'm a little nervous." Hermes couldn't help but clutch Apollo's robes tighter. "What if I start rambling or can't say anything at all?"

Apollo let her do as she pleased, saying calmly, "You're just talking nonsense right now."

Because the god of deception and theft is skilled in sweet talk and adept at deceiving others.

Hermes felt comforted, so she lowered her hand, pounded her chest, and took a deep breath.

"Fine! If His Majesty Hades doesn't return the Goddess of the Seed, I'll steal his palace!"

Apollo: "..."

Here we go again, aren't we? You greedy little devil.

But Apollo said, "That's too risky. Let's steal his invisibility helmet instead."

When the Olympians were fighting the Titans, the Cyclopes, who were released from the abyss of Tartarus by Zeus, helped them by creating lightning for Zeus, a trident for Poseidon, and an invisibility helmet for Hades.

It was an important treasure of Hades, and Hades had never taken it out of his room since the end of the war.

Hermes' eyes lit up after hearing Apollo's words, and she blushed.

"Yay!"

—Of course, it's because of excitement!

[Author's Note]

Apollo: I need to drag someone down with me. / So stop eyeing my stuff, Hermes.