Time in the Underworld passed quietly by Catia's side.
Thanks to Hecate's sharp companionship and Perses's clumsy yet determined protection, she (he) was able to explore the Underworld more freely and began to turn her attention to the wider world.
However, a feeling lingered in Hades's mind—that things were too smooth.
From the moment he miraculously escaped from Cronus's belly, this 'smoothness' had haunted him.
Gaia's protection was perfect, Metis's wisdom and covenant seemed tailor-made for him, Nyx's favor and support exceeded expectations, and even Mnemosyne's warning was like timely rain... Every crisis turned danger into safety, and every scheme seemed guided by an invisible hand, paving the way for him.
All of this was reasonably and logically explicable, but when connected, it created an overly reasonable, almost ideal picture, as if his life was a carefully scripted oracle, not a reality full of chance and struggle.
This 'smoothness' reached a breathtaking peak during their first expedition to the surface.
They passed through ancient tunnels connecting the Underworld to the earth and entered a forgotten, desolate valley filled with ancient resentment and blood.
This was once a relic of a divine war, where the blood of Uranus had defiled the land, and even the sun seemed unwilling to shine upon it.
It was in this desperate land that they encountered them—the Three Goddesses of Vengeance—the Erinyes.
The three goddesses—Alecto (Unceasing), Megaera (Jealous), and Tisiphone (Avenging)—were in a more miserable state than legends suggest.
They did not appear as majestic avengers, but as three shadows, exhausted by pain and resentment, nearly dissipated, bound to the deepest rock walls of the valley by countless chains of baleful light, compressed by ancient curses.
The chains continuously absorbed their pain and instilled in them even more resentment, forming an endless cycle of torture.
They let out silent howls, their twisted figures flickering between reality and illusion, as if they could completely dissipate in the next second.
Any sensible god would have chosen to take a detour to avoid this obvious center of great trouble.
However, when Catia's (Hades's) gaze fell upon them, a thought clearly and 'naturally' arose in his mind—they were useful.
The power of vengeance, if incorporated into the order of the Underworld, would become the sharpest 'execution blade' of the judgment court and the most direct and ruthless embodiment of the law of 'karma', which could greatly strengthen the authority and deterrence of the Underworld.
But then, an even stronger chill swept over Hades's will.
This 'useful' thought arose so smoothly and logically, as if it were not the result of his own deliberation, but quietly 'implanted' into his mind by some invisible idea.
What further alarmed his heart, almost piercing Catia's disguise, was that the process of their subjugation was incredibly smooth, like a drama rehearsed countless times.
He didn't even need to use much of the true power belonging to Hades.
Just Catia—the young goddess with the divinities of [Purity] and [Dark Moon]—stepped forward by 'instinct', extended her small hand, and tried to touch the cursed chains.
The three goddesses of vengeance were freed from their bonds and collapsed to the ground, gasping heavily.
They looked at Catia's eyes, not vigilantly, not scrutinizingly, but with an almost blind, redeeming gratitude and reverence.
"It is you... who saved us..." Alecto struggled to speak, her voice hoarse and intermittent, but with undeniable piety. "Allow us to follow you forever with the blade of vengeance, Your Highness, Noble Princess! Your will is the criterion for our actions!"
There were no negotiations, no hesitations, no investigations into Catia's identity and purpose.
They offered their allegiance so easily and completely, as if they had been waiting too long for this moment.
Catia (Hades) was calm on the surface, but huge waves rolled inside.
"How did they know she was the princess of the Underworld?"
As a newly born young goddess, Catia's existence should be little known.
When Metis 'expelled' her from the chamber, she did not loudly proclaim her identity.
Hecate and Perses, as companions, never officially introduced her as 'princess' to the Erinyes.
So how did Alecto, a goddess of vengeance imprisoned far from the divine realm and tormented by an ancient curse to the point of delirium, accurately cry out "Her Highness the Noble Princess" the moment she was released from trouble?
This was no coincidence! It was even less likely that they 'perceived' it with their residual divine power!
The breath and identity of a newborn god should be vague and must be investigated by the outside world before being widely recorded and recognized by the laws of the world!
The only explanation: they 'knew' she would come! They 'know' who she is! They even 'know' that they are destined to be loyal to her!
The chill caused by this realization was far more piercing than all the previous accumulation of 'smoothness'.
This was no longer an invisible promoter paving the way, but a scriptwriter reading lines she was supposed to know to an actor who hadn't yet received the script!
Hecate stepped aside, ignoring this extremely awkward moment.
Perses was not good with words and stood still guarding Catia.
She (he) accepted their allegiance because they were 'useful', but at this moment, the meaning of this 'usefulness' was completely different.
They were no longer just a supplement to power, but living proof that the 'script' and 'reincarnation' he feared might be true.
In the depths of Hades, Catia dismissed Hecate and Perses and sat alone by a pool of light reflecting the moonlight.
The three goddesses of vengeance were temporarily settled, and their overly smooth oath of allegiance was like a ringing alarm bell, vibrating in her (his) mind.
The question "how did they... know"
was like a pebble thrown into stagnant water, but the ripples continued to expand, ultimately shaking the foundation of Hades's cognition.
Instead of treating it as an isolated anomaly, he re-contextualized it within the entire 'smoothness' and 'coincidence' of his long life.
From the perfect opportunity to escape in Cronus's belly, to Gaia's almost unreserved protection and disguise;
From the fated encounters and alliances with Metis, to Nyx's overly cheerful and far-sighted support;
and then Mnemosyne's timely and precise warning...
Scene after scene, like countless seemingly independent streams, ultimately converged in one direction—pushing him, Hades, along almost the optimal path, to become the King of Hades who now sits in the Underworld and possesses great power.
He had previously blamed this on Nyx's planning or the manipulation of fate.
But this inexplicable detail in the matter of the Erinyes—the revelation of his hidden identity (Catia)—served as a key, opening the door to even more incredible possibilities.
What would it take to arrange 'opportunities' so precisely, as if predicting his needs and choices at every stage?
What existence could have 'placed' information about him in the minds of ancient prisoners before he had publicly revealed his identity as 'Catia'?
A name, a name stemming from the possibility of future offspring, one he and Metis had briefly discussed, like a candle lit by itself in the darkness, arose in the center of his consciousness—
Poros.
The god of opportunity, the opener of paths, and the embodiment of resourcefulness.
The appearance of this concept was not unfounded.
Hades recalled further details: those seemingly dangerous desperate situations always opened a glimmer of incredible 'vitality' at the last moment; those hard-to-win allies always appeared before him through some kind of 'accident' at critical moments; even when he comprehended new powers and created artifacts, he had a kind of natural 'inspiration'.
All of this vaguely corresponded to the authoritative characteristics of 'opportunity' and 'path'.
But Poros... he had not yet been born!
Unless...
A startling hypothesis exploded in his heart, like thunder piercing through the fog:
Poros, his existence predated his birth...
In Greek mythology, this is not impossible: the power of Eros (the fundamental driving force of world formation) predated his birth.
Suppose that Poros did exist before birth, but he could not intervene directly, only guide and arrange, so that 'opportunity' was presented in the most perfect and unnatural way.
And what happened with the Erinyes was a signal, carefully engineered by Poros, a warning beacon constructed with supreme 'coincidence' that could not be ignored!
Poros was not helping him 'cheat', but using this extreme method to reveal a terrible truth to him:
his life's path was meticulously staged by some force, and the 'smoothness' itself was the greatest unnaturalness!
That "Your Highness, Princess" was Poros shouting to him at the top of his lungs: "Father, see all this clearly! This is illogical! This is wrong!"
Why? Why did Poros do this?
Hades's heart clenched. The only explanation he could think of was that Poros saw a more desperate future than the 'reincarnation' he now suspected.
An end that even Nyx's plan could not restore, and even he, the King of Hades, was powerless to change.
Therefore, this unborn son had to take a risk and intervene in advance in this paradoxical form, trying to turn the wheel of fate destined for the cliff.
An indescribable feeling surged in Hades's heart—not just fear, but a pulsating mixture of shock, compassion, and heavy responsibility.
Shock at this unimaginable truth; compassion for Poros's lonely and difficult situation; and a weight heavier than a plea for help from the future, one he had to answer.
He, Hades, the Lord of the Underworld, had never felt so clearly as now that he was fighting not only for himself, not only for the Underworld. On his thread of fate, there was also a child, not yet born, who had done his utmost to save him.
And for the first step, he needed more power and understanding of the foundations of this world.
He remembered Oceanus, the ocean god who had seen through his disguise when they first met; perhaps he knew something...