Chapter 41 Unexpected Gain

He wants to kill Hermes, right now.

The Goddess of the Underworld? How could she be the Goddess of the Underworld? Neither the Mother Goddess nor the old man are of that attribute, let alone the revered Earth Mother!

Hermes was completely bewildered and stood there for a long time, unable to come to her senses.

Apollo did not show any surprise at this, but simply nodded and said calmly, "Even so, it does not mean that Hermes will serve you."

Persephone remained silent, her gaze fixed on the still-shocked Hermes, her large, watery green eyes filled with an inexplicable mix of emotions.

"..." Hades pondered for a moment, then raised his right hand and stretched it forward. His large, well-defined hand was enveloped in a dark purple light. "Then let's leave it at that."

They have no right to resist the will of Hades.

Because behind Hades stand the three ancient gods of the underworld—the creator gods.

As a dark purple light enveloped Hermes, Apollo, and Persephone, the three gods vanished from the palace in an instant.

Then, two dark figures emerged from the stone statues on either side of Hades' throne, transforming into slender and dignified goddesses.

The Great Goddess of the Three Realms, draped in a black veil, radiated a pure moonlight. As she slowly raised her blood-red eyes to look at her dearest friend, countless stars shone around her beauty.

“Eris,” the goddess of the moon said indifferently, even her silver hair seemed to glow. “I’ve told you before, you can’t treat them however you please.”

Another, even taller goddess tilted her head and covered her mouth with a laugh. She had short, dark blue hair, and her slightly upturned eyes were a deep black.

“Oh, don’t do that, my dear friend.” The discordant Eris chuckled and sat sideways on the armrest of the throne. Her voice was sharp as a knife, but not harsh. “I was merely fulfilling His request and planting a small seed in their hearts.”

But on this already fruitful soil of the heart, evil flowers that need blood and desire to grow will one day sprout.

This has always been the favorite of the goddess of discord who is good at stirring up trouble.

Hades rose from his throne without batting an eye, thus avoiding the arrival of the two goddesses. No, they had been there all along.

The lazy Hades yawned and returned to the twisted, opened secret passage. Rather than dealing with troublesome matters, he would rather go back to his bedroom and get some sleep.

But he still said goodnight to them before leaving.

"Good night?" Eris chuckled strangely. "That's true, after all, there's only night here."

Her mother was Nyx and her father was Erebus, so she could only exist in the shadows.

Hecate frowned slightly, but still walked towards her close friend and embraced the goddess who often accompanied her. This was not surprising; their relationship had been friendly and intimate since the reign of Cnorrhus.

“Perhaps next time I should take you to see the outside world. You haven’t been out of the Underworld for a long time,” the Goddess of the Underworld gently comforted. “Enna is a good place. It’s full of vibrant flowers and plants, and no one will bother us.”

Eris squirmed in Hecate's arms, and though she was unhappy, she still hugged her back.

“Well, my dear friend.” Eris kissed Hecate’s earlobe and murmured softly, “That place is much better than boring Olympus.”

But thousands of years ago, she clearly met her in the palace on that sacred mountain.

—Hecate, the pitiful yet lovable girl rejected by her parents and the gods.

*****

Hermes, Apollo, and Persephone were teleported directly to the ground by Hades. Behind them was the mine, now restored to its original state, which also served as an entrance to the underworld.

When they reappeared on the earth, the world was no longer covered in snow. It had survived the harsh winter and was now bursting with new life with the return of the Seed Goddess. Everything turned green, a symbol of spring.

Demeter, the goddess of agriculture who had been waiting there for a long time, immediately came forward and embraced her beloved daughter.

Athena, Artemis, and the three goddesses of the seasons stood behind Demeter, all beaming with joy as they congratulated Hermes and Apollo on finally bringing Persephone back.

For some reason, everyone knew that the two of them had made a special trip to the underworld.

“Oh, my dearest child.” Demeter kissed her daughter’s forehead tenderly, holding her tightly as if she would never let go. “I’m so sorry for making you suffer. I should have protected you at all times and kept you from any harm.”

“It’s alright, Mother Goddess.” Persephone giggled in her mother’s arms, comforting her in return, “I’m fine, you don’t need to feel guilty. Besides, I’ve gained a lot from this trip.”

Upon hearing this, Demeter was taken aback, then suddenly realized what he meant.

“Persephone, you…” Demeter cupped her daughter’s face in her hands, and when she felt that familiar dark aura, her previously relieved expression turned pale.

Her companions behind her also realized what was happening.

“Hermes, Apollo,” Athena stepped forward, frowning as she looked at the two silent deities. “What exactly happened between you in the Underworld?”

Artemis also asked, "Why did Persephone become the goddess of the underworld?"

Upon hearing this, Apollo sighed and replied, "Hades married Persephone and fed her three pomegranate seeds, forcing her to spend three months of the year in the underworld."

In an instant, everyone looked surprised.

"How absurd! That shameless bastard, I thought he would be different from Zeus and Poseidon—"

Demeter, deeply concerned for her daughter, was utterly shocked. She lost her composure, gritting her teeth in a fit of rage and panic, and wanted to reopen the path to the underworld to personally confront her brother Hades. However, she was stopped by her daughter, who had suffered greatly as a result.

“Don’t do this, Mother Goddess.” Persephone grasped her mother’s hand, looking at her with worry and concern. “This is partly my own will, and not entirely Hades’ responsibility.”

Demeter gasped sharply, embracing Persephone once more. Tears of tenderness and affection streamed from her turquoise eyes, staining her golden, wheat-like hair and the periwinkle crown atop her head.

"Oh, my poor daughter..."

The mother and daughter embraced and wept amidst the vibrant spring scenery, a sight that seemed both absurd and beautiful.

Hermes, who was still immersed in disbelief that she was actually a god of the underworld, looked up and saw this scene, and was immediately filled with mixed feelings.

Athena and Artemis, not wanting to disturb the mother and daughter with their tragic fates, brought the three Holly sisters to Hermes and Apollo, for there was something even more important to accomplish there.

“We have brought a notice from the Father God,” Athena said first, meeting Hermes’s emerald green eyes. “In recognition of your courage, wisdom, and perseverance on this journey, the Father God has decided to grant you a new divine status and a new position.”

“You will be pleased, Hermes.”

Hermes was taken aback. She hadn't expected that it would actually turn out that Zeus sent her to the Underworld, not Gaia—even though she had deliberately switched the instigators in front of Hades.

She saw Artemis nod, signaling the three Holly sisters to come forward, and summon the small, shimmering, white crystal-like object.

"What? This..."

Hermes was somewhat at a loss, but she honestly allowed them to approach her.

Spring and Order's Enomia, Summer and Justice's Dich, and Autumn and Peace's Erenne surround Hermes, raising high the divine status bestowed upon her by the King of Gods himself, and merging it into her healthy and beautiful body.

In an instant, Hermes felt waves of coldness invade her body, as if her heart had been frozen by frost and snow.

She couldn't help but groan, feeling the chill spreading throughout her body gradually melt away into her heart.

In that instant, she understood the significance of this new deity.

--winter.

—Winter, which plunges the earth into slumber and decay.

Hermes was having trouble controlling her newly acquired divine power. Even breathing was incredibly difficult. It felt as if there were sharp blades stabbing her throat and mouth. When she exhaled, her breath turned into icy mist and snowflakes.

"Mmm... Ah..."

Look, now she can't even finish a sentence, or even a short phrase.

Her whole body was shivering with cold, she was dizzy and swaying, and even the scepter fell to the ground because she couldn't hold it properly.

Apollo instinctively supported Hermes' swaying body. When he touched her body, which was as cold as a corpse, he quickly used his divine power to warm and heal her.

Even if it has an effect, it will be negligible.

"Don't worry, Apollo."

Artemis picked up the deep golden scepter, her gaze lingering on the two closely packed deities—after all, one of them was her twin brother.

“It is indeed difficult to forcefully integrate a deity that does not naturally belong to Hermes, but at least it did not reject her.”

Apollo remained silent, gently steadying Hermes' trembling body. They were very close, and he could hear her weak, helpless voice.

He rarely saw her so weak; in his mind, she had always been a healthy and vibrant goddess.

“Welcome to our ranks, Your Highness Hermes. The position of Winter Goddess was once held by the three of us, but now it belongs to you,” said the three Holly sisters, their smiles genuine and warm. “We already know the will of His Majesty Hades. When Erenne brings autumn away from the earth, you will escort Persephone to the underworld, where you will then bring down frost and snow, plunging all things into slumber.”

Athena nodded and solemnly added, "This is the conclusion reached after discussions between the Father and Her Majesty Themis. You are the most suitable to become the Goddess of Winter, Hermes."

Hermes remained silent. Hermes was in a state of utter chaos. She could sense that the divine essence of winter was not suited to her, yet it had forcibly merged into her body, causing her immense pain.

...

...and glory.

As if sensing Hermes's conflicting thoughts, Apollo lowered his eyes slightly and noticed that her originally clear emerald green eyes had become deep and cloudy.

"Would you like to come to my Delphi to recuperate for a while?" Apollo asked, his calm tone leaving others unable to discern his true intentions. "You still have my triangular cauldron and raven in your pouch. Take them to Delphi and return them to me."

He was trying to cover it up, absolutely. Hermes had this thought amidst the chaos.

At this moment, Demeter and Persephone also came over. It is unknown what they said to each other, but their expressions and moods returned to calm.

“I must also thank you, Hermes, for helping me bring my beloved daughter back and for promising to protect her.” Demeter reached out and stroked Hermes’s cheek, speaking gently and kindly. “If there is anything you need me to do in the future, just tell me, and everything will be as you wish.”

Persephone replied, "Thank you, dear Hermes. I will find rare and exotic flowers and herbs for you and personally present them to your palace in Olympus."

As beings of the same nature, they brought Hermes comfort and strength. At this moment, she finally broke free from her pain and forced a smile to face all the gods who cared about her.

“Okay, everyone.” Hermes smiled, her eyes crinkling, still the same cheerful and warm girl. “My journey to the Underworld has given me many insights, and I think they will definitely be of great help to me in the future.”

This extremely troublesome matter was thus brought to an end.

In the end, Hermes did indeed follow Apollo to Delphi and returned the triangular cauldron and the raven that she had previously stolen to him.

When the crow flew out of the wooden cage, it tried to peck at her head, but its owner glanced at it, so it could only tuck its wings in and stop the attack in time.

It perched on his shoulder, glaring at the hateful goddess with a vengeance.

How could Your Highness Apollo side with her!

This is outrageous! It's absolutely outrageous!

The consequence was that he flicked its head with his finger.

"Don't be rude," its owner admonished it.

The crow was so aggrieved it was almost in tears.

Why would His Highness Apollo value the treacherous and cunning Hermes so much? It's so illogical!

And he didn't even care about the thing she'd messed with the whole way, I'm so sad, sob sob...

But Apollo did not comfort the raven; instead, he silently watched over Hermes, who was curled up asleep in the triangular cauldron. He poured his divine power into it to ensure her recovery.

"Your Highness," Priestess Pytia said anxiously from behind him, "Is the goddess Hermes... really alright?"

Pytia was already aware that Hermes had acquired a new divine status, but she was also quite clear that this was not only beneficial to the latter.

Unlike the spring, summer and autumn seasons, the divine nature of winter is particularly difficult to control. If it is not properly integrated and handled, it is very likely to lead to self-destruction and ruin.

Therefore, after Cronus's reign ended, Zeus divided the human world into four seasons. Eunomia, Dike, and Erenne each controlled the first three seasons, while winter had to be controlled by them jointly.

That was also with the tacit approval of Gaia, the goddess of the earth.

“It’s alright,” Apollo said calmly, his gaze still fixed on Hermes in the triangular cauldron. “I will keep an eye on her.”

He was in charge of light and prophecy, and therefore he paid special attention to her from the very beginning.

Perhaps, it will last forever.

...

...

...

When Hermes awoke and leaped out of the cauldron, she found herself surrounded by an empty and quiet place, while it was already late at night outside the Temple of Light.

She felt as if she had completely adapted to the new divinity, because her body no longer felt pain, and her breath no longer froze.

Too many things have happened recently, and they've been too chaotic, leaving her with extremely mixed feelings.

"Phew~"

Hermes raised the scepter, attempting to infuse it with the power of the Winter God within her, and swung the scepter to unleash its power.

As the winged tip of the scepter pointed at the temple wall, the ice and snow that shot out from it froze the ever-burning red flames, plunging the entire hall into darkness in an instant.

Great, she succeeded again!

Hermes curled her lips into a pleased smile.

Although she couldn't be sure whether Gaia and Zeus had actually reached some kind of agreement that led to her unexpected outcome, she was confident enough to bet that her suspicions were indeed correct.

From the moment she stepped into the underworld, she began to doubt Gaia, the Earth Mother. Even though this thought was overshadowed by her inner respect for her, she now had to take it seriously.

—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.

Gaia, the Earth Mother, controls this vast and boundless land. She regards Hermes as her messenger, just like Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades.

Her patient guidance and bestowal of favors were purposeful, not simply acts of pampering and protection.

Hermes believed that there must be some earth-shattering secret hidden in the dark.

Because they are all taking advantage of her.

Even her good partner, her brother Apollo.

Thinking of this, Hermes' eyes darkened, and she puffed out her cheeks, trying to suppress the sudden surge of grievance and dissatisfaction in her heart.

This led her to fly to Apollo's bedroom, where she whispered a curse at him as he slept peacefully on his golden bed: "You will be lonely forever, you bastard Apollo!"

Then she looked around.

That's great, that noisy crow isn't here!

Apollo's bedroom was spacious and simple, and at a glance, it seemed that there were no precious treasures at all, which was quite inconsistent with his identity as the famous god of light and the hero who had defeated many monsters.

A little disappointed...

Hermes pouted, pointed at Apollo lying on the bed in a white robe for a while, and then suddenly had a brilliant idea.

She squinted and stared at him with ill intent for a long time.

"Oh, sorry, dear Apollo." Hermes flashed a bright smile, reaching out her hands to the still-sleeping Apollo. "After all, my profession is that of a thief~"

...

The next day, Apollo woke up feeling chilly all over.

He slowly lowered his eyes, looked at his empty body, and then his gaze lingered for a moment on the empty clothes rack.

"..."

He wants to kill Hermes, right now.