The Greece Antagonist

He couldn't tell how much time had passed when a faint sting at the back of his neck roused Luo En from his haze.

"Where is this?"

He shook his somewhat aching head, looking blankly at the somber and unadorned room before him.

"My chamber."

A deep voice came. Hades, who had been pruning a potted plant, set down his scissors and looked up at Luo En standing before him, a touch of admiration in his eyes.

"To think you were only unconscious for two hours, not bad."

Upon hearing this, Luo En instantly became alert, cursing inwardly.

He remembered now, he had been knocked out and captured by this old guy.

Still, it was fortunate that he had always learned from Thetis's experience, making it a habit to clothe himself in a dozen or so disguises.

Although the Divine Power of Hades had shattered most of them, he still retained several of the most crucial spells on his person, and the blessing he had once received from the Goddess of Memory and the Nine Muses also had the property to distort perception.

Therefore, he wasn't worried the Underworld King would be able to recognize him in a crowd later on.

"What are you doing? If you wanted to summon me, you could have simply said the word. How could I possibly refuse?"

Luo En rubbed the still-throbbing back of his neck as he got up from the ground. While he feigned weakness and displayed a look of grievance, he circuitously inquired about Hades's intentions for abducting him.

"Whatever your orders, just say the word. As long as it's within my power, I'll go through fire and water, without hesitation!"

Hades gave a nonchalant glance to the prisoner trying to ingratiate himself and cut straight to the chase.

"Simple, hand over my daughter."

Luo En's smile faded, his face a picture of helplessness.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible. I've promised Her Royal Highness the Queen of the Underworld to safely escort Princess Melinoe away."

"Away, to where? The world of humans?"

Hades retorted with a cold snort, then looked contemptuously at Luo En.

"The Netherworld is her home! I am her father, and it's not the place of strangers, especially an unknown living person, to meddle in my family affairs!"

Clearly, unlike Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, Hades, the father, did not trust this outsider, nor was he willing to hand over his daughter to him gratuitously.

"Your Majesty, let me reiterate once more, escorting Princess Melinoe out of the Netherworld was the Queen's decision. I mean no offence; I am merely fulfilling her kindness towards me to the best of my ability."

Luo En clarified his neutral stance while producing the dimmed Horn of Plenty, weaving a half-truthful, poignant tale.

"You must know the fate that befalls a living person who blunders into the Netherworld. Fortunately, I encountered Lady of the Netherworld. She not only showed me the way out but risked her Life Artifact to rid me of the death aura clinging to me."

"She actually went to that extent for you?"

Hades's frown deepened upon hearing this, suspicion flooding his mind as his gaze turned increasingly peculiar and ominous towards Luo En.

He had to admit, the young man had a handsome appearance that was very appealing to the opposite sex.

If that were the case, he couldn't possibly let him stay!

Luo En seemed oblivious to the murderous intent arising in the sovereign's eyes and was instead lost in some memories, his features tinged with a hint of bitter melancholy.

"Perhaps, it was because I called her 'mother'?"

The unexpected answer caused Hades to pause slightly.

Luo En quickly composed himself, hastily gathering up the "accidental" display of vulnerable emotion, and awkwardly explained.

"Not to hide the truth from you, I lost my mother when I was young. Upon learning that the Netherworld is the destination for all departed souls, I thought I might find her here someday and be reunited."

Hades, absorbed in the story, asked instinctively, "Did you find her?"

"She's gone…" Luo En said with a wry smile, his face showing even greater sorrow. Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire

Hades fell silent, his eyes gradually filling with pity as his alertness and hostility toward the person before him slowly shifted.

In the Netherworld, saying someone is "gone" means that person's spirit has entirely dissipated.

After all, not every soul is lucky enough to retain its form and memories from life, to enter the Netherworld for judgment and rebirth.

"Fortunately, Fate still looked kindly upon me."

Then Luo En smiled, breaking the chamber's somber atmosphere as he continued the recollection.

"In my desperation, I met the Lady of the Netherworld. Her silhouette resembled the mother from my memories, so on a whim, I called out, and she seemed pleased. Not only did she save me, but she also helped me escape from the Underworld."

After speaking, Luo En noticed Hades's still grim expression and, fearing disbelief, promptly raised his hand to swear an oath.

"I assure you, everything I've said is true. Should there be even a half-truth, let the Styx River bring its punishment upon me!"

The figure stood silently waiting, guarding the oath, and the Styx River did not indeed cause any strangeness to emerge on his person.

Seeing this, Hades's doubts dissipated.

Clearly, the young man was telling the truth.

Of course, it was all true.

However, these were only part of the truth…

Having once again pulled off a deception, Luo En chuckled quietly to himself, then looked solemnly at Hades, his expression filled with sincerity.

"Even though the Queen of the Underworld made no such claim, I have come to regard her as another mother in my heart! Of course, this is merely my view, with not the slightest intention of disrespecting you."

Amidst the silence, Hades nodded slightly, his expression rather complex.

He probably understood why his wife had shown such favor to the young lad before him.

The reason was that one word, "mother."

If it hadn't been for that accident during the Titan battle, the child named Zagreus probably would have grown up to look just like he does now.

One was a child who had lost his mother, and the other, a mother who had lost her child.

A twist of fate brought them together, linking them to one another.

Thoughts connected and the sequence of events became clear, Hades sighed deeply and looked at Luo En with a touch of softness in his eyes, and he actually took the rare initiative to offer a word of comfort.

"It's no bother, this is your good fortune…"

"Yeah, I think so too."

Luo En nodded and then spoke sincerely.

"That's why, after I healed, I went to the Netherworld to quietly check on Lady of the Netherworld. I just didn't expect that she would encounter trouble she couldn't resolve, and moreover, that there would actually come a time when I could be of help."

Hearing that hint of cheerfulness in his voice, Hades couldn't help but frown and snort coldly.

"There's no need! I will deal with my daughter's issues myself! Hand her over to me and leave; I will not pursue the matter of you intruding into the Netherworld!"

"You can resolve it? I doubt that."

Luo En shook his head, looking meaningfully at the Underworld King and spoke softly.

"If you truly could be the support for both mother and daughter, why would Lady of the Netherworld entrust Her Royal Highness the Princess to me, a stranger she has only met twice?"

Upon hearing this, Hades's face darkened, and he became furiously enraged.

"Impudent!"

"I'm just stating the facts!"

Luo En stood firm, confronting the surging divine might around him, looking directly at the furious Lord of the Netherworld and spoke without politeness.

"I have already heard about the general situation from Lady of the Netherworld.

What then if you keep Princess Melinoe in the Netherworld, by your side? Could you, refuse when Goddess Hecate comes to reign over her disciple and the Lesser Deities? Or could you block the prying eyes of the King of Olympus and The Three Fates?

And you know the true nature of the Netherworld as well, it's nothing more than a prison, a site where countless Old Gods are incarcerated. Should any catastrophe occur, the first to suffer would be the Netherworld itself! Even if you intervened, I doubt you could easily settle it. Can you protect her momentarily, can you protect her for a lifetime?

Moreover, as a father, do you really have the heart to let your own daughter live in a prison all her life, shrouded in the shadows of secrecy, no different from the prisoners of Tartarus?"

Each penetrating question made Hades erupt like thunder, glaring furiously at the insolent mortal before him.

"Enough! It's not your place to lecture me!"

"I wouldn't dare to instruct you, I'm merely considering what's best for Lady of the Netherworld."

Luo En calmly spoke, though his words were tinged with sarcasm.

Stung by this provocation, Hades became uncontrollably angry.

"Shut up, where is my daughter? Hand her over!"

Luo En stood tall, speaking righteously, "I must refuse! I am entrusted by Lady of the Netherworld to take Her Royal Highness the Princess out of the Netherworld, and without the command of that lady, no one will be allowed to keep Her Royal Highness, unless they step over my dead body first!"

"You're courting death!"

Hades's face turned ashen, unable to contain his anger any longer, his fist wrapped in the aura of death, swung forward with the force of a thunderbolt.

Luo En stood his ground, calmly closing his eyes, unflinching.

However, the life-destroying aura of death stopped abruptly before even reaching his face.

Luo En slowly opened his eyes, looking towards the fist that had yet to fall, and asked with a light smile.

"You don't make a move?"

"That's enough, you've passed."

Hades gave the other a deep look and withdrawing the punch, he snorted.

His daughter Melinoe was in the other's hands, her hiding place still unknown; his wife, too, held this youngster in great trust, treating him almost as if he were her own son.

Even if it satisfied a momentary impulse, he couldn't truly disregard everything and smash this youngster to death with a punch.

Everything thus far, although it contained an element of opportunism, was mostly a test to see if this youngster was truly trustworthy, whether he would betray Melinoe at a critical moment and choose to save his own skin.

And the result was, under constant pressure, the youngster ultimately held fast to his principles and his promise to Persephone.

Nevertheless, the whole process still left Hades somewhat disgruntled.

Though the points raised by the other side indeed struck a nerve, he admitted he was indeed powerless to solve them.

But knowing was one thing, brazenly criticizing him for it was another—far too dismissive of his stature as the Underworld King.

If it hadn't been for his wife and daughter's sake, he would have long since flattened the upstart with a slap.

"Get lost, don't let me see you again!"

Hades waved his hand, issuing a dismissal, his gloomy face full of disdain for the presumptuous youth.

However, Luo En acted as if he hadn't noticed the Underworld King's disdainful expression and spoke with a smile.

"Before I go, I'd like to propose a deal with you."

"Not interested! Leave now, or I'll throw you out myself!"

The already irate Underworld King impatiently waved off the suggestion.

Facing Hades' harsh attitude, Luo En's face yet bore a brighter smile as he spoke at ease.

"What if I propose to offer my spirit for your sacrifices?"

In an instant, Hades who was walking back towards the inner chambers of the palace, halted in his steps, turning around in astonishment to face the audacious youngster.