Eros walked toward the fallen Hades.
She was buried deep within the ruins of the Palace of the Underworld , once a towering structure that linked the deepest earth to the surface. Now, after the battle between Eros and Hades, it had crumbled into rubble.
A structure built with painstaking effort and countless tormented souls had been so easily destroyed.
Even with Eros's ability to reconstruct matter, or Hades's divine authority over the underworld, neither could rebuild it easily.
The rare materials used were not just ordinary components and couldn't be restored with a simple "reset" like in a video game.
Of course, if Eros possessed the authority over time, this wouldn't be an issue.
But unfortunately, he didn't. So the Palace of Hades, newly constructed for less than a day, now had to be rebuilt.
Returning to Hades's side , with Hecate and Nyx already gone , the authority of the underworld had reverted back to her, and her injuries no longer mattered.
Still, even healed, she lay among the ruins, unmoving, dazedly staring at the sky of the Underworld.
Only when Eros appeared in her view did her eyes regain focus.
"Still lying there? Don't think you can get out of our agreed reward by playing dead."
Eros sat beside her, his tone light, laced with anticipation.
"No, I... I was just wondering... after all this chaos, does it really mean anything?"
In her pitch-black eyes, a faint confusion flickered.
After an emotional outburst, people don't always feel satisfaction , sometimes, only emptiness follows.
"What's the point of thinking about that now? It's all done."
Eros replied nonchalantly, throwing Hades off.
"Wait, Eros, aren't you angry? Because of me, both the Earth and Underworld are in chaos. Weren't you just yelling at us?"
Looks like, unlike Demeter, Hades had actually taken Eros's words to heart , she had just been too emotionally charged to care at the time.
"Oh, that? That was just an excuse I made up on the spot."
He admitted calmly, looking completely unconcerned.
"Sure, some of it was true, but not enough to get really angry."
"Mostly, I just needed a reason to act. Otherwise, how could I say in front of all those people that I was going to beat you up and bring you back to warm my bed?"
That made Hades laugh. Her previous melancholy lifted quite a bit.
"So I should thank you for saving my face?"
"Come on, what's with the formalities? With our relationship, who needs thanks for something like that?"
Eros wasn't in a hurry and just chatted with Hades casually.
"But are you really planning to lie there forever? At least sit up, will you?"
Because she was lying down , and due to her black gown being mostly torn during the battle , her "slimes," no longer constrained, had naturally spread out under gravity. Their softness was self-evident.
Eros took in the view quietly , but what he really looked forward to was seeing how they'd sway and reshape when she sat up, like water droplets hanging in the air.
That half-revealed, half-hidden allure , now that's real atmosphere.
Violently pushing someone down right after winning and tearing everything apart to claim them… that's what brutish orcs or goblins in eroge do.
At least for now, Eros didn't enjoy that kind of thing.
Even with Hera, he had patiently guided her before slowly taking her into a whole new world.
Upon hearing Eros's suggestion, Hades naturally pushed herself up.
Her "fruit" shifted and drooped as she sat, visible through a gap , their outline unmistakable.
And then…
(Eros looked away silently. So Hades was the... bouncier kind? Not the small-and-firm type, huh.)
Hades sensed his gaze and with a flick of her hand, mended the rips in her dress.
A rare blush crept across her face , though what Eros noticed more was the faint stiffness beneath her repaired clothing.
(Spicy! So this is the power of the "black widow" archetype?)
Eros was itching to move, and Hades even felt a flicker of hesitation under his gaze.
Oddly enough, during their thrilling battle earlier, she hadn't felt his gaze scorching or invasive , quite the opposite. It had brought excitement and pleasure.
But now, his gaze felt... embarrassingly intense.
More than ever before, it flustered her.
Was it because she'd already agreed to give him a reward?
Caught in emotional turmoil, Hades murmured:
"Don't rush. At least chat with me a little first... Let me mentally prepare myself?"
As soon as she said it, she regretted it.
She should've negotiated more about what this "reward" entailed. But by saying that, it sounded like she'd already accepted it.
Too late now , Eros immediately straightened his back, serious expression on his face.
"Sure, let's talk. Whatever you want to talk about."
He looked ready to stay and chat for hours if needed.
Hades was at a loss for words. Her mind raced, trying to find a topic to stall.
Anything to buy time , she really needed to brace herself.
(Damn it, this guy's charisma is toxic. Those words earlier... I swear I didn't mean to say them!)
"Uh... let's talk about me and my sisters. Why did things turn out like this between us?"
She settled on this question at last.
She wanted to hear Eros's take , was it her fault? Or Demeter's?
"You guys? Nothing much to say, honestly. It's just that... over time, feelings fade."
Eros sounded unimpressed, not particularly interested in the topic.
"You're gods. Now that Zeus is King of the Gods, you're immortal. Naturally, you start to take emotions for granted."
"Because life is so long, and you'll always have more chances to meet again, separation isn't painful."
"And since you don't die, no danger really feels like a real threat."
"So over time, your emotions fade. Besides, it's also trust , they believe you're strong enough to manage on your own."
This cliché family drama , as an outsider, Eros saw it very clearly.
It's not that Demeter didn't care about Hades , it's just that she had already seen her as a grown, responsible deity.
Someone who no longer needed coddling or worry.
So Demeter redirected her maternal instincts toward Persephone.
And not just Persephone , in myth, Demeter once cared deeply for a human child she met while searching for her daughter.
Though not the eldest among Rhea's six daughters, Demeter had inherited Rhea's role as a mother goddess.
To the already-grown-up Hades, Demeter naturally withheld further mothering.
Of course, that only explains Demeter. The rest? A mess , slackers, love fools, cryptic types, and one pervert you don't even want to mention.
Eros's words helped Hades begin to see clearly.
She recalled that back before Zeus became king, entering Tartarus had been a terrifying prospect.
Now, after just a spat with Demeter, they were ready to send each other into Tartarus for "cooling off."
"So this is one of the downsides of immortality… Those who don't cherish life don't deserve it."
Eros quoted a famous line.
"So you're saying, if I were human, I wouldn't have this problem?"
"Wrong! If you were human, your problems would be worse."
"A single farewell between humans might be goodbye forever."
"But that's why they treasure emotions even more."
Moved, Hades inched closer.
"Do you treasure emotions too, Eros?"
"Would you stay here with me, forever?"
"If you want, I'd do anything for you."
Eros looked at her, amused.
"Come on... don't say scary things like that. We can sleep together, fall in love , but don't go saying stuff like 'stay with me forever.'"
"You're my defeated opponent now , basically mine. Why would you need to offer anything in return for what I ask?"
He joked to downplay her question.
But Hades wouldn't let him dodge , her eyes pressed him to answer seriously.
"Humans do value feelings, yes. But that doesn't mean they stop moving forward for them."
"Love is the way home, but it's also what pushes us to keep walking."
Eros tapped his chest.
"If I stay in one place forever, never seeking new love or new joy, I'll lose love, lose passion , and then I'll die."
"That fire, that desire , didn't you just experience it yourself?"
I'm not unwilling , but if I stay beside you, I'll wither away.
Those words , classic playboy lines.
But luckily, his audience was Hades , who didn't know how to see through such lines, and instead took them to heart.
"I see... No wonder I ultimately couldn't defeat you."
Hades had never planned to win , it had always been just an emotional release.
She had no vision of the future. Eros, on the other hand, fought with dreams in his heart.
So naturally, he surpassed her.
Still, her expression dimmed.
Keeping him , or keeping Persephone , would drain them of their color.
But letting go… she feared that love would fade with distance.
"Alright, no need to look so down."
Eros smiled.
"Just because I can't stay by your side all the time, doesn't mean I can't visit often."
Already played the "taming the strong" card with Hera. Time for something fresh this round.
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