The Greece Antagonist

"It's not now, but after I die!"

Seemingly frightened by the stare of the Lord of the Netherworld, Luo En quickly explained.

"We made a pact that after I die, my soul will belong to you. In this way, if Her Royal Highness the Princess encounters any danger while under my care, you will know immediately and rush to her aid, rescuing her from peril!"

Hearing Luo En's answer, the shock within Hades was immense.

To protect his daughter, the youth before him was willing to go to such lengths!

"Why?" asked the Underworld King from the darkness, moved and somewhat puzzled.

Luo En, having lost his previous confrontational demeanor, sincerely smiled.

"You are testing me, and I am testing you. You are willing to tolerate my offenses for your daughter and trust the judgment of the Lady of the Netherworld, entrusting Her Royal Highness the Princess to me, an outsider. Such magnanimity sufficiently proves your love for the princess, no less than that of the Lady of the Netherworld. Being a father, a husband, and the Underworld King who is restrained at every turn in the Netherworld, it's hard for you to easily express your feelings."

Hearing the heartfelt praise from Luo En, the usually gloomy and inexpressive Hades awkwardly turned his head away.

"You also wish to change, to ensure their mother and daughter are completely safe, otherwise, you wouldn't have risked entering the Elysian Fields."

Luo En spoke with deep emotion, his soft gaze meeting the Underworld King in the darkness, and he sighed deeply.

"These years must have been very tough for you…"

At the sigh behind him, Hades's shoulders trembled slightly, his arms clenched into fists, looking across with incredibly complex emotions.

Never had words resonated with him so strongly as they did today.

Indeed, it hadn't been easy.

All he wanted was a peaceful life for his family of three, but there were always those who would not permit it.

And because he had been unable to bring about any real change, neither his daughter nor his wife could understand the difficulties he faced.

"For this family, you have done all that you could, all that you should," Luo En solemnly said, looking into Hades's eyes.

"Likewise, I do not wish to fail your trust and that of the Lady of the Netherworld, nor let the princess suffer any harm."

"So, your making a pact with me and sacrificing your soul after death is for this reason?" Hades asked sternly, then didn't wait for Luo En to reply before he scoffed reproachfully.

"Nonsense! Is a soul so easily given away?"

Luo En shook his head, pondering deeply.

"In my heart, the Lady of the Netherworld is like a second mother to me, and Princess Melinoe is like my sister. And you…"

He paused, seemingly embarrassed to continue, then abruptly changed the tone, honestly saying,

"But words alone are superficial without tangible evidence. And since you couldn't completely solve those troubles, I don't know if I can live up to the trust you and the Lady of the Netherworld have in me. Therefore, I hope you will share this responsibility with me, to continue protecting them after my death." Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire

Seeing such consideration and concern for the family from across him, even to the extent of sacrificing his life and soul, Hades could no longer contain his emotions and muttered,

"You are a good child…"

"And I have selfish motives too. Even if my soul falls into your hands after I die, I believe you will not mistreat me."

Luo En somewhat awkwardly smiled, candidly exposing his ulterior motives.

"Naturally!"

Hades declared with a wave of his hand, reassuringly.

"Then please grant my request!"

Subsequently, at Luo En's persistent urging, the Underworld King had no choice but to nod in agreement, formally making a pact, and he marked Luo En's body with his divine seal.

Seeing the black skull-shaped Mark of the Dead gradually fading on the back of his hand, Luo En's anxious heart finally settled.

It was done!

Thus, the unique feature of the Wheel of Hecate on him would be neutralized, and even if he accidentally lost his life, it wouldn't be easy for Hecate to claim his soul anymore.

Luo En secretly reflected on this, his gaze flickering dimly.

Right, he had gone through this elaborate scheme, not simply to sell his soul but to pave the way for the Underworld King to save Melinoe.

More importantly, by leveraging Hades's Mark of the Dead and the Wheel of Hecate's bug, when Hecate finally strikes at him, it would be convenient to ambush her.

Certainly, when that creditor decides to collect, seeing that even Hades had arrived, the expression on his face would be priceless.

Moreover, various signs indicated that His Majesty the Underworld King was not really content to be under Hecate's command.

If he were to die while protecting Melinoe, and Hecate just happened to arrive at the scene, what would Hades think,

— Would the Goddess Mingyue move against his daughter again?

Then, even if it wouldn't erupt into an immediate fight, the guilt-ridden Hades would certainly do everything in his power to protect her spirit, even if it meant severing ties with Hecate.

It's uncertain, but after everything was said and done, he might even gain more sympathy from the Underworld King, the Queen of the Underworld, and that bothersome sister.

After all, he had come to join this family, not to destroy it.

Just as Luo En was amusingly muttering to himself, Hades solemnly reminded him, bringing a new surprise.

"With this Mark of the Dead, the guards of Netherworld will treat you as one of their own, and since it carries my scent, some unconscious spirits will obey your commands, allowing you to freely enter and exit Netherworld from now on."

Upon hearing this, Luo En was overjoyed.

"Thank you, Underworld King!"

However, upon hearing this, Hades frowned unhappily.

"What did you call me?"

"Underworld King..."

"Hmm? I've given you the privilege of commanding the Netherworld spirits, and you call me what?"

Hearing that hum through the nose and seeing a glimmer of expectation on Hades's face, Luo En instantly understood and bowed deeply.

"Foster father!"

"That's more like it."

Pleased with the response he had received, Hades nodded in satisfaction, a genuine smile appearing on his somber face.

"From now on, I entrust Melinoe to you."

"I promise to take good care of my sister!"

Luo En immediately seized the opportunity and then added softly.

"Once I get her settled, I'll tell our mother about her and you..."

"No need!"

Hades waved his hand, appearing indifferent.

However, Luo En smiled knowingly and reminded him in a meaningful tone.

"You'd better not refuse, from what I know, when two people share a secret, their relationship tends to become inseparable..."

Hearing this, Hades's eyes lit up, his heart surged with excitement.

"Really?"

"Not only..."

Luo En smiled slightly and continued to instruct.

"The matter of Melinoe can serve as a bond to mend your relationship with our mother, and it can also allow you both to contemplate changing the state of Netherworld, further deepening your bond."

Seeing Hades looking somewhat confused, a certain newly devoted son gleamed in his eyes, slowly speaking.

"Melinoe is only temporarily fostered in the Mortal World. As a daughter, she has no reason to be forever separated from her parents. If you and the Queen of the Netherworld collaborate and wait for the right opportunity to reclaim the power of the Netherworld, you can always bring Melinoe back to Netherworld to enjoy familial bliss."

Upon hearing this, Hades had a sudden epiphany, a spark of unprecedented fire ignited deep within his somber black eyes.

Indeed, for his daughter, for his wife, there were indeed some things worth fighting for!

Seeing that his "foster father" was fired up with fighting spirit, a certain "devoted son" likewise showed a pleased expression.

Dear mentor, and to the deadbeat dad on Mount Olympus, it seems you might have one more competitor.