(Greek Mythology) The Abyss of the Underworld
Chapter Sixteen
Dense, almost black, dark green vines meandered and intertwined, some extending from the trellis to the pavilion, then cascading down to form curtains. Flowers, scattered among the leaves, emitted a faint, eerie glow, illuminating the surroundings. Translucent, silvery-white petals stretched freely, while the clustered stamens, also translucent, were a vibrant, intense red, like crystal carvings. This extreme color created a uniquely dark, eerie, and decadent beauty, like the finest adornment.
Looking from the direction not obscured by the vines, one could see a plain filled with flowers of various colors. A long river flowed slowly, winding through the plain and into the dark forest, its destination unknown. The river, though pristine, had no bottom; only a vast, empty emptiness could be seen. The flowers on the riverbank also emitted a faint, eerie glow, reflecting a pale purplish-blue hue onto the river.
This was the Abyss of the Underworld.
Even the most beautiful sea of spider lilies can become monotonous after a while. Occasionally, when the mood struck, Tartarus would add his own favorite touches, and over time, the scene had become what it was today.
The few remaining gods of Hell were gathered together, a rare sight indeed. The food on the table was unlike anything ever seen in this world, prepared by Tartarus himself to fulfill his promise.
Hemera, happily devouring the food before her, felt her divine life was complete. Although she had long suspected that given Her Majesty's perfectionism and obsessive-compulsive tendencies, someone who claimed to be a good cook wouldn't be bad, she hadn't expected it to be this good—a truly unexpected delight.
Across from her, Erebus looked like he'd been struck by lightning, staring at the delicious food as if a human had seen a ghost, silently fretting with frustration. Why did he even eat this stuff? If he hadn't eaten it, he wouldn't have been so curious about who made it, and he wouldn't have gotten the horrifying answer that it was his older brother.
So, when did you, older brother, discover your culinary skills? How come he didn't know?
Look at the effortless elegance emanating from his every move, the magnificent aura that seemed to float around him like a walking backdrop, and then think of his older brother's usual aloof and detached demeanor—Erebus felt a sharp pain in his stomach.
This older brother was completely incompatible with the kitchen! From his style to his character, everything was off!
Scanning his surroundings, seeing his wife blindly bowing in surprise, his son remaining calm throughout, and… well, his daughter was the most cheerful one, Erebus felt his stomach ache even more.
Don't you all find this horrifying? Shouldn't anyone with a normal mindset be as surprised and incredulous as him? Why is he the abnormal one here?
Tartarus, who had been silently observing the gods' expressions, was somewhat disappointed. He had expected to see more expressions of disbelief, but Erebus was already a good enough stunt.
Perhaps he could wait until there were more Hellish gods before trying again. Taking a sip of tea, Tartarus seriously considered the feasibility of this plan. (Your Majesty, your motives are a little impure.)
A cough was heard, and the gods all turned to look, staring with bewildered expressions at Hemera, who had accidentally choked.
Helplessly patting his daughter's back and handing her a glass of water, Nyx wanted to tell Hemera that no one would take it from her.
Choking from eating too fast is simply too embarrassing, even if there are no outsiders present. —by Nyx
"Nyx, regarding Hemera's etiquette..." The words trailed off, but the meaning couldn't be clearer.
Hemera knew things were going to get badly from those words. She wanted to speak but couldn't, and in her anxiety, she coughed even more violently, silently praying that her mother wouldn't listen.
Unfortunately, Nyx was destined not to let his daughter have her way.
The moment Tartarus finished speaking, she understood and immediately promised, "I will teach her properly."
Tartarus seemed quite pleased. His eyelashes were slightly lowered, his slender, long fingers resting on the cup, each one like jade, almost transparently white, making the originally exquisite jade cup appear rough. His elegant and indifferent demeanor made it impossible to imagine that he had just tricked his niece with just a few words.
Hearing her mother's words, Hemera finally understood her father's feelings. What the hell was wrong with my manners? Accidentally choking has nothing to do with manners! If you want to play a trick on someone, at least come up with a plausible excuse! And Mother, you actually believed it? How can you trick your own daughter like that? (Choosing accidentally has nothing to do with etiquette, but it does have to do with how you ate today—by Tartarus)
—You can't handle a mother/wife who's a brother-complex!
—It's so frustrating that a hundred of my words are less effective than one of hers. Can't this ever get better?
—This feeling of being frustrating is so damn satisfying.
Since the mother goddess is unreliable, Hemera could only turn to the father god for help, only to receive a dismissive look. Clearly, he's unreliable too.
If he still didn't understand the cunning and manipulative nature beneath his brother's aloof and detached exterior, then he'd wasted all these years. This blatant attempt to torment someone would only lead to instant suffering if he got involved. He wasn't about to invite trouble. —by Erebus
So he ignored his daughter's pleading gaze without any qualms. He couldn't control her even if he wanted to.
Ether, observing from the sidelines, maintained a high-quality silence, striving to minimize her presence and successfully making her sister ignore her.
"Hemera, if outsiders see your manners, you will utterly disgrace Hell," Tartarus added leisurely, seeing Hemera's resentful expression. Although a god of light, as the daughter of Erebus and Nyx, it wasn't an exaggeration to say she had disgraced Hell. (He wouldn't admit it was because he wasn't happy about not achieving his goal and wanted to make others unhappy too.)
These words further solidified Nyx's determination to properly educate his daughter, foreshadowing Hemera's impending torment.
Hearing her future schedule decided by those two gods in a few words, without any consultation, Hemera felt like crying. Having just escaped physical torment, she was now facing double the oppression, both physically and mentally. "Your Majesty, you are truly taking revenge!" Deeply traumatized, Hemera quickly devoured the food on her plate and dragged her brother Ether to explore the Abyss.
—Never again will she be with those awful adults. —By the emotionally and physically wounded Hemera
Ether almost never refuses his sister's requests, and the two siblings walked away side by side, their harmonious atmosphere creating a beautiful scene.
However, this is assuming we ignore the food Hemera took home.
So, it seems food truly is love, right, Hemera?