The Golden Arrow of Eros
"Huh?"
It was only then that Persephone seemed to notice the golden arrow embedded in her chest. She pulled it free. The moment the goddess’s fingers touched it, the arrow—its purpose fulfilled—dissolved into the air and vanished without a trace.
"This is… Eros’s golden arrow?"
The God of Love, Eros, took the form of a child armed with bow and arrows. He carried two kinds: golden arrows of love and lead arrows of hatred. Those struck by the golden shaft would fall madly in love with the first person they saw. The lead arrows inspired equally insane hatred. Because the arrow belonged to love, it moved with stealth and impossible speed. Persephone, exhausted from the long battle, never stood a chance.
"It… really hit me with the golden one?"
"Haa…"
She had looked straight at me the instant the arrow struck. That meant I had just become the object of my niece’s absolute affection.
What in the world am I supposed to do about this?
I stared bleakly in the direction the arrow had come from. Persephone tilted her head.
"But I feel perfectly normal. Maybe he missed? Hehe."
"…If that arrow hits you, even Zeus would fall in love."
The goddess smiling at me with that bright little laugh was probably drowning in emotions she couldn’t yet name, no matter how much she pretended otherwise. I had watched the arrow strike her; there was no point in feigning ignorance. The question was how to clean up the mess. Her father was Zeus, King of the Gods. Her mother was Demeter, Goddess of the Earth. One wrong step and we would have a war on our hands.
"Still… I really do feel fine. Anyway, are you heading back to the Underworld now?"
"I plan to tidy the area first, then return."
The battle with the Gigantes had reduced the surroundings to ruin. The earth was torn and overturned as if Zeus’s lightning or Poseidon’s trident had scourged it. Countless fissures split the ground. The summit of Mount Etna, where Typhon lay sealed, had been blasted away by the shockwave of my attack. The once-beautiful forests, meadows, and streams lay shattered and ugly. Most of the nymphs had either died or fled; none remained in sight. As I surveyed the devastation—enough to make the nature god Pan faint—my niece reached out.
A warm, gentle wave of divine power flowed from her.
"Uncle Hades! Let me help. I’m the Goddess of Spring and Seeds, so I can do this."
Swaaaaa— A green ripple spread from Persephone’s palm, gently stroking the broken land. Grass sprouted beside fallen trees. Color returned to the barren plain.
Of course. The Goddess of Spring would handle restoration far better than the Lord of the Underworld. It would have been easier with Pan or Demeter present, but…
"How’s that? I did well, right? I only ever used it while playing with the nymphs, but it works even better for—"
"…Yes. Well done."
My niece, chattering away and looking up at me with sparkling eyes that begged for praise, was unbearably cute. Even among the peerless beauties of Olympus she stood out. Golden eyes and hair that mirrored her father Zeus. A figure with every curve exactly where it should be. Any lecherous god would have thrown his arms wide in triumph if such a goddess fell for him.
"What are you thinking about, standing there so quietly? Tell me too!"
But she’s my niece…
"Phew… All finished. Everything’s cleaned up."
While I scoured the area for any lingering traces of the Gigantes, Persephone had restored the devastated landscape to a reasonable state.
"You worked hard."
"Hehe… Now you really are going back to the Underworld, right? I want to come too!"
I froze at the words that left the smiling goddess’s lips. She looked as bright and open as a flower in full bloom.
Yes. This was precisely the problem.
Anyone struck by Eros’s golden arrow fell into absolute, irresistible love. Not even Zeus, Poseidon, or I could defy that power. I had seen its effects many times among the shades who arrived in the Underworld—mortals who had been hit by those arrows in life. If both parties confirmed their feelings and accepted each other, the story ended happily. But if one side rejected the emotion, or differences in status made it impossible… some took up weapons and slaughtered anyone who stood between them and their beloved. Others wept until they committed suicide, or clutched their bursting hearts, cursing the gods as they went mad.
The phrase blinded by love existed for exactly this.
If I rejected my niece outright, the consequences were easy to imagine.
“The arrow is making you see me that way, but those feelings are false. I cannot take you to the Underworld…”
“Y-Yes…? Hic… Hnng… Waaaaah!”
“Even if you cry, I cannot—”
“If I die I can go to the Underworld! Even if I have to die…”
Exactly. A goddess’s suicide attempt would follow immediately. And if that goddess were Persephone—daughter of Zeus and Demeter, the Goddess of Spring and Seeds—standing at the gates of the Underworld declaring she would kill herself…
The world would descend into chaos. Spring itself would vanish. Crops would fail. Demeter would rage, withering the earth until countless mortals starved and flooded my realm. Zeus would demand an explanation. Protests, accusations, and disaster would rain down on the Underworld from every side.
All of it could happen if I did not bring the beautiful niece currently smiling at me without a care into the Underworld.
"Uncle Hades? So can I come too? Hehe… I’ve always wondered what the Underworld looks like."
She was laughing happily while gazing at my face, but if I pushed her too hard the entire world might fall into disorder.
"Even so, staring at me so intently is a little embarrassing… Heehee."
Good gods. I would rather fight Cronus again than deal with this.
For now I would take her with me and soothe her gently later. Other regions might have suffered Gigantes attacks while I was occupied here, so I needed to return to the Underworld and investigate. Besides, Olympus would soon send a messenger about the incident. I could explain everything to Demeter in person then.
"…All right. A tour should be harmless enough. Follow me."
"Wow! Thank you, Uncle!"
Persephone spread her arms and hugged me tightly. Should I return the embrace? If I didn’t she might cry and ask whether I hated her…
I felt the soft fullness against my chest and caught the fresh scent of spring.
"Ehehe…"
My mind felt ready to snap. Was this really happening? I was taking my niece—who had just been struck by Eros’s golden arrow—back to the Underworld with me.
"That’s enough clinging. Get on the chariot…"
"Hee… Your chest is so broad… Can’t we stay like this?"
"…It will be uncomfortable. Sit beside me."
"Okay!"
I set the cheerfully smiling Persephone on the chariot and headed for the entrance to the Underworld.
"Wow! These horses are adorable!"
The ghost horses snorted in confusion as she stroked their manes. A goddess radiating the opposite energy of death had suddenly begun petting them from behind; of course they were startled.
Somehow I managed to reach the Underworld with her. Persephone looked around the dark realm with open curiosity, showing no fear at all.
"Wow, there’s a cute puppy here too?"
"That is Cerberus, Typhon’s offspring. I brought him here and made him the guardian beast of the Underworld."
The three-headed hound growled in confusion, then whined as the unfamiliar goddess lavished him with affection. Overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of love, Cerberus’s fierce eyes darted between us, trying to gauge our relationship. In the end he rolled over, belly exposed.
Pant, pant!
"Uncle Hades! Look! He’s so soft. Hihi!"
Soft? That monster could probably tear apart a couple of Gigantes without breaking a sweat.
"I have urgent work to attend to, so stay in this room for now. If you need anything, tell the attendants."
"Yes! …Ohh, you can do this too?"
I left her with the servants and went to handle the mountain of delayed paperwork and the latest reports from my realm. I would also need to discuss the Gigantes with the other gods.
"Lord Hades! You’ve arrived at the perfect moment. There are matters that require your direct approval—"
"Morpheus. Is this another issue concerning the dead?"
"Ah, if you would look at these documents…"
"This matter will require consultation with the other gods as well…"
I exchanged a few words with Morpheus, signed the necessary papers, and sent him off to deliver dreams to mortals. Only then did I head back to the room where I had left Persephone.
Crunch. Munch.
There I found my adorable niece happily eating pomegranate seeds from a small bowl.
Who had left pomegranates in this room? Had this been a resting chamber used by other gods?
Wait… According to the laws of the Underworld, anyone who eats food from this realm…
"Ehehe… Uncle Hades! You should try some too! The fruit is so fresh even down here, isn’t it?"
I stared at the red pomegranate juice staining her lips and pressed a hand to my forehead.
…Damn it all.