Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Permission to Ask Permission to Ask Your Seniority?!!!
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"20th generation...?"
"Aji... Ki-yeol...!"
"...!"
The Cerberus that had been watching nervously.
Its butt slapped right against the ground.
For a human, it was like coming to attention.
"Sorry for not recognizing you, Senior! Meow-nyang...!"
"Meow-nyang."
Pomi accepted the half-hearted salute.
Despite being such a cute, affectionate sled dog constellation, she put on this stiff act in front of a junior.
Cerberus's three heads flailed about in panic.
The middle one finally mustered some courage.
"...Dog Officer Academy 20th generation Cerberus! May I humbly inquire if it's permissible to review the analysis of obtaining approval to request permission to ask about Senior's generation?!!?"
"These days' puppies are crazy, asking about seniority... Back in my day, we memorized all the seniors' faces... "
"S-Sorry!!!!"
Cerberus flattened itself on the ground.
Soon, it rolled over, exposing its belly in submission.
"Hey, Pomi. Didn't know you were such a scary constellation? Heh heh heh."
"I was the drill sergeant!"
But this Cerberus guy.
I hadn't noticed while it was standing, but its belly skin was stretched tight over protruding ribs.
Was Hell's finances in bad shape?
Pomi poked its belly.
"Name's Cer-Cer, right? We're heading through."
"20th generation Cerberus! Meow-nyang...!!"
"Meow-nyang."
In any case, we made it through Hell.
"Master. Did I do good?"
"You're as reliable as ever, huh?"
"Woof woof! Pet me more!"
"Eureut! I brought headpats!!"
*Pat pat pat-*
I scooped Pomi up in one arm and showered her with affection.
One thing suddenly piqued my curiosity: her tenure.
Was Pomi pretty senior among the constellations?
"Hey, Pomi. So what generation are you that has this mutt shaking like a leaf?"
"I'm 38th!"
"Hah...?"
Cerberus was 20th.
If Pomi was 38th... that made her way more junior, right?
"I was just bluffing!"
Her confession was so innocent it made me burst out laughing.
"Kuhahaha! Hey!! You little liar?!!"
"No! I hate lying usually, but threatening my master ticked me off!"
"Hey. You always eat everything in the fridge and play dumb."
"That wasn't me!"
"Then who was it?"
"Dunno?"
She answered with suspiciously shifty eyes.
Even if Pomi stole snacks and feigned innocence, I'd still find it adorable.
Where else could you find a dog this useful?
"Gundaru-kun! Looks like this is Hades' castle! The gate's open, but can we just waltz in...?"
It was a creepy castle.
The skeleton soldiers guarding the gate looked long powerless, with cobwebs strung between their eye sockets.
"For the castle of Hell's god, it's way too shabby, huh? Hey, kid. Aren't your constellation chummy with the gods here?"
"Even Lady Constellation doesn't visit Hell often!"
I had a rough idea of Hell's state from gameplay...
But who knows.
Maybe some settings changed?
We kept walking forward.
The castle interior was full of cobwebs too.
The only things moving were tiny bugs.
No real treasures, which made it feel even more desolate.
What was it...
This place felt exactly like an abandoned castle.
Look over there.
The castle wall's got a huge hole blasted in it?
Like it got hit by siege weapons.
"Master.... It's kinda chilly here... "
"A sled dog whining about the cold? Makes no sense. You're just scared, aren't you?"
"No? I'm not scared of anything?"
It was right then.
A massive shape passed through the breached wall.
*Whiiiiiing-!*
"Kyak...!!"
Pomi yelped and hid behind me.
Unexpectedly, Tomo-tan stepped up to block me.
"Gundaru-kun! It's that guy from before!"
"Hah? Bone dragon?"
A dragon covered in rotting flesh chunks.
It looked like the bone dragon Seol Ha-jeong had summoned.
It was flying straight at us.
Probably trying to enter the castle through the hole...
But wasn't it too big for that?
My question was answered by the bone dragon's magical transformation trick.
Right as it reached the hole, it shifted to human form.
The size difference was so drastic, it felt like a giant balloon popping right in front of my eyes.
"It's that man from before!"
The dragon-turned beauty... no, rotting beauty shouted.
Unfortunately, even polymorph couldn't escape her corpse state.
She extended a pale skeletal palm for a handshake.
"I'm Skullai van Bludos! Or just Skula!"
"Got it, rotten sow."
"Rotten sow is a bit harsh..."
In any case, I shook her hand.
This won't give me some disease just from touching it, right?
I wanna wash my hands...!
"You live here?"
"Yep. I'm Hades-sama's proxy, Hell's legion commander, castle administrator, high priestess... basically handling everything. Welcome to Hades-sama's castle!"
"Hah? Why are you hogging all the jobs? Greedy corpse."
"It's not that. Hades-sama's only remaining subordinate is me."
"Hah...?"
Something had definitely changed.
In my memory, Hades' castle was impoverished.
But not this bad.
The castle had some atmosphere, and plenty of minions.
When playing as Kang Ju-hyuk, the first meeting with Hades was in the dining hall.
I remembered slicing into a fatty steak.
"So where's Hades now?"
"Hades-sama is sleeping to cut castle operating costs. I'll take you."
As I moved to follow, Tomo-tan tugged my sleeve.
Tomo-tan's face was a bit stiff as she stepped forward.
"Tomo-tan question! Why is Skula helping us? Feels like a trap!"
Reasonable suspicion.
I'd gotten too lax...
Time to stay on guard.
Skula giggled and pointed at me.
"Kim Taeyang's totally my type."
I recalled when Seol Ha-jeong summoned Skula.
This one had definitely tried to seduce me.
"This body of mine is pretty rotten and decayed everywhere else, but down there, it's still good!"
"... "
Down there... yeah, that hole.
Didn't wanna know that...
Even as Kim Taeyang, I don't wanna bang a corpse!
"I won't force it! But after you die, just once!"
"Hey...! This body's immortal!! I ain't dying!!!"
Another reason not to die.
I don't wanna get poked by a rotten beauty...!
We followed Skula to what looked like a study.
The study was a mess too.
Hardly any bookshelves, and books piled on the floor like an earthquake site.
Most were torn or falling apart from age.
"Help clear these. Gotta move them to meet Hades-sama."
"Secret passage or something?"
"Something like that."
I started clearing the book piles with the group.
Cautiously, in case of ambushes.
Still, Hades.
Was he such a coward he'd hole up in a secret room?
Dumb and lethargic, sure, but not a scaredy-cat...
"Eureut."
The moment I lifted a huge book.
A bluish human face appeared underneath.
My heart probably stopped beating for two seconds.
"... "
What the hell...?
A corpse...?
You scared the shit outta me!!!!!!
"Hah? Why's there a corpse in the book pile?"
"Not a corpse. That's Hades-sama."
"???"
The bluish face really opened its eyes.
And even sat up abruptly.
Blue hair, blue skin, and a voluptuous figure cinched by a corset.
"Ah, so dizzy..."
With dark circles under her eyes, complaining of anemia.
Definitely the Hades I knew.
"Must be 'cause I haven't eaten... Got any food, travelers?"
Hades begging food from total strangers.
I handed over a chocolate bar I'd packed.
"Ooooh...! Are you the merciful hero of Ares?"
"Hah? Why's the war god Ares merciful?"
"He sends young spirits to the afterlife for free, doesn't he?"
"... "
*Munch munch.*
Hades crammed the chocolate into her mouth like someone might snatch it.
"Anyway, why're you sleeping in a dump like this? Idiot?"
"Are you the idiot? Hell's cold."
"Cold? Light a fire. Or get under the blankets. Disqualified as lord of Hell."
"No firewood. No blankets. Charon took them all... Curling up in these old books is the best I can do."
"Gasp! Hades-sama's so incompetent and pitiful...!"
Hell’s lord Hades.
Usually introduced as a charismatic villain despite the shady vibe...
In , her situation was pretty pathetic.
"Your insight is commendable. I am disqualified as a lord. Soon Charon will be Hell's new ruler. Then I'll have nowhere to go, wandering the river with the dead."
She spoke of her fate so calmly, like it was someone else's story.
"Hades...! How'd you fall this far...?!"
The quiet-until-now ballpoint pen, Hecate, flew in.
Hades looked mildly surprised.
"Hecate? You've returned. No wonder living humans are here."
"Where're the subordinates? The fancy chandeliers and feasts?!"
"Ah... Charon took them. He threw coins around and stole all my minions. Managed Hell in my stead, took management fees, and when I ran out, sold off the castle goods."
So, to sum up:
Charon struck it rich with his ferry rental biz,
and this lethargic idiot Hades got robbed of minions, furniture, food, even lovers by rich Charon.
"This castle soon too... Well, nice meeting you, traveler. Castle's empty, but look around. I'm cold and sleepy, so..."
I yanked her out as she tried crawling back into the books.
Her hair had a convenient coiled handle.
"Hey hey!!! Why so spineless and nonchalant?!!! Your future's in peril!!!! At least fight back!!!!"
Hades didn't answer.
Instead, she groped my hand.
What.
You a perv too?
"...Mortal. Your hand's so rough. Full of calluses."
"Hah? What's that nonsense?"
"Know how hearts grow calluses too? Mine's hardened like your hand. I just want Hell's peace. If hardening my heart brings peace to the dead... so be it."
Listening Skula and Hecate admired her.
"Truly Hell's lord!"
"Hades! Unchanged, a true constellation!"
"That's a real lord's grace, huh. Heh."
They're joking, right.
Better to quietly fail than fight and spill blood?
Ugh! Choking here...!
Hades being pathetic didn't directly affect me.
But I needed her name.
To sabotage Charon's biz, I needed loads of 'Bones'—aka cash.
My only Hell contact, Hecate, left ages ago and has zilch.
Only way: Hades' help.
She's a scruffy mutt too, but a named god.
Could leverage her name for a loan.
"Hey, you spineless bookworm sow!!!! Quit the depressing crap and perk up!!! Huh?!!!!"
"Peace... I just want peace..."
"I'll make the peace you want!!!"
"...?"
'If you want peace, prepare for war...!'
Not time to sleep in book piles.
Time to prep for the coming war.
What to call it...
Hell's Boat War?
"I've got a super tempting business plan!!!!!"
"Business plan...?"
"Beats Charon's lame ferry rental!!!! Guaranteed success!!! Safe and profitable?!!!"
*Perk-*
At my con-man pitch, Hades finally showed interest.
Such a sucker character, perfect for fleecing.
"Fine, let's hear it. Not expecting much..."
Feigning boredom.
But I could already see it.
'Taeyang-nim's plan is too grand and amazing-!'
Her saying that.
Come to think of it...
Not playing as Kang Ju-hyuk now, so maybe I can hook Hades too...?
Charon and Hades...! Two birds with one stone...!!