035 – The Wife Who Hasn't Gone Home to Her Parents #1
The love story of the 「CEO」 and his wife was quite famous even on the surface world.
While patrolling the cracked surface world amid Typhon’s rampage, the 「CEO」 happened to spot a girl and fell for her at first sight. So he just up and kidnapped her to the underworld, right?
—Heh heh heh, come here!
—Eek!
The girl was actually Kore, daughter of Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and seasons. Demeter dropped all her duties to search for her daughter, plunging the surface into a brutal winter that turned it into hell on earth.
‘I think the Crates family died in that winter too.’
In the end, the other gods had to step in to mediate. They agreed that the girl would spend nine months of the year on the surface with her mother Demeter and the remaining three months in the underworld.
—Why does my daughter have to stay underground for three whole months!
—Because Kore already ate three pomegranate seeds in the underworld, binding her to it.
And so, during those three months the girl spent underground, grief-stricken Demeter neglected her work, bringing a long winter where no crops would grow.
In other words—
If the girl—Soul Society’s lady Persephone—didn’t return to the surface, the surface world would face that endless winter.
“But my wife hasn’t gone back to her parents’ home for years now. Did she fight with her mother or something? I just can’t figure it out. Feels awkward to ask her directly.”
Could this be connected to the weird temperatures on Earth lately?
“But isn’t it good for you, Chairman, if your wife stays down here longer? You won’t have to part with your beloved wife.”
At my words, the 「CEO」 grew deadly serious. His sharply defined features cast shadows under his eyes just from frowning.
“You wouldn’t get it yet. But sometimes, love requires time apart. Men need their alone time now and then. Time to focus solely on themselves.”
It didn’t quite hit home, but I kinda got it. Like how married guys rejoice when their wives take the kids to her parents’?
“Also, lately my wife’s been filling the house with 「torture tools」… I’m worried the long years underground have messed with her head…”
“「Torture tools」?”
The Chairman cleared his throat with a gruff ahem.
“Jo Iseo, you owe me. You dared nullify Orpheus’s punishment that I personally enforced. And you were insolent during the deputy promotion exam. If you want forgiveness, do your job right.”
So the 「CEO」did hate me! That he even noticed and remembered a fly like me was an honor, maybe. I felt so wronged I could cry.
I shut my mouth, and the 「CEO」 added,
“Deputy Jo Iseo, if you succeed in the task I assign, you’ll get an answer straight from me to the question you’re most curious about. Even something about a certain ‘nymph’ wouldn’t be bad.”
Not bad at all, really? I had so many questions piling up—things too risky to ask outright.
“But fail, and you’ll take responsibility.”
“How should I take responsibility?”
“You’ll leave this glorious Soul Society. We can’t keep someone who delved deep into the 「CEO」 family’s secrets and failed. Reject now if you want.”
He extended his hand.
“It’s a massive risk, of course. No bigger gamble in this Soul Society. I won’t hold it against you if you don’t take it.”
“That job!!!”
I grabbed his palm.
“I want to do it!!!!”
“Deputy Jo Iseo, risking dismissal like this. You really love nymphs that much? That eager to hear nymph stories from me?”
“No, it’s just…”
Whoosh.
Then Melinoë phased through the wall back into the Chairman’s office, holding a drink made from ground pomegranate.
“What were you two talking about? I heard something about ‘nymphs’ just now?”
Of all timings? What should I say?
As I racked my brain, the Chairman boomed, filling the room.
“We were discussing responsibility for nullifying Orpheus’s punishment—the husband of that nymph. I designed that punishment myself.”
We’d been talking about his wife, though. He wanted to keep it secret from everyone, it seemed—even his daughter. Entrusting me with such a personal matter meant the great 「CEO」 acknowledged me, in a way.
My stomach twisted. ‘Getting tangled in all these Soul Society secrets will make escape impossible.’
Fortunately, failing this job meant a high chance of getting fired and shedding responsibility.
And success odds? Slim. Figuring out why Persephone hadn’t returned to the surface—and fixing it? Easy? Asking her directly would be simple, but could I meet the 「CEO」’s wife?
Melinoë hummed skeptically.
“Orpheus’s punishment? Deputy Jo Iseo can’t be blamed for voiding that half-baked rule. Orpheus demanded it himself anyway.”
What? Himself?
I was stunned. Orpheus’s punishment—memory loss, forgetting his lover—was self-imposed?
“Melinoë, we agreed to keep that quiet.”
“It’s fine. Deputy Jo Iseo probably knew already.”
…I didn’t.
The 「CEO」 cleared his throat loudly.
“Now get out. And Deputy Jo Iseo—keep being insolent from now on.”
Fwoosh! His gaze blazed like hellfire.
Suddenly, my body felt pierced by something, and astonishing text appeared when I looked down.
One Watched by the CEO
Penalty Execution and Deputy Jo Iseo
Like the ‘divine effects’ I’d seen on Admetus or Prince Zagreus.
They said leaving HQ required a possessions check. Couldn’t have anyone stealing valuables.
Mine was extra thorough—even pocket lint.
One Watched by the CEO
Penalty Execution and Deputy Jo Iseo
Probably because of these weird titles. Melinoë giggled as they made me remove my shoes.
“Zagreus once bolted to the surface with a 「dud thunderbolt」. That’s why checks got so strict.”
“Escaping a place this secure? Prince is impressive.”
Half admiration, half sarcasm.
Melinoë slowly shook her head.
“Zagreus never ran away or escaped. At least on paper. So don’t spread rumors, Jo Iseo—especially not in front of Zagreus.”
I trudged out of HQ. Tension drained from my body like a snapped marionette, leaving me limp as a boneless squid.
‘Survived meeting the 「CEO」. A miracle.’
Now what? My work was basically done for the day.
“Take this souvenir. HQ staff get pomegranate wine squeezed by Mother herself every holiday. You’ve earned it, Jo Iseo.”
She handed me a bottle.
It sparked questions.
“Your mother ate three pomegranate seeds down here, binding her to Soul Society, right? What about this wine?”
“What about it?”
“If I drink it, will I get bound too?”
“Like the onboarding papers you signed, nothing binds you. Food rules vanished after Business Renewal.”
As I recalled. I’d seen the clause: ‘Consuming any food won’t bind you to Soul Society.’ That’s why I could gorge without issue, unlike Persephone.
So why couldn’t I leave? ‘Gotta get fired.’
What about Persephone? Why hadn’t she gone up in years?
“Did your mother really go back for nine months like the story?”
“—Oh, that.”
Fwoosh. Melinoë’s red eyes flickered like a bonfire fed dry winter logs.
I wondered at the emotions in them, and she explained.
“As a kid, I couldn’t understand why I had to be apart from Mother so long. Even as a perfect goddess by birth, it hurt.”
No kid likes parting from parents. I was devastated when Dad died.
“Now I’m a proper society member. Months apart don’t faze me. But… lately, Mother hasn’t gone up either…”
Melinoë seemed to notice it then too. Why, though?
I was curious, but—none of my business.
Why? I planned to slack on the 「CEO」’s job. He’d fire me then.
I slacked off completely.
“Why’s Deputy Jo Iseo hardly working since promotion?”
“Don’t you see the title? It’s a special task from the 「CEO」.”
“Oh, right!”
Idiots! Just goofing off!
But pure idling was tough—boring.
Then I spotted a post.
Plant Gallery meetup? Perfect timing—I hadn’t gone in days.
“Chief, I’ll do some fieldwork tomorrow.”
Might as well skive off properly! Using fieldwork as excuse!
The man slipped home under cover of darkness. The entryway and living room were crammed with proliferating 「torture tools」, leaving barely room to step. In the kitchen, a full spread awaited.
“Why so late?”
“……!”
He whipped around, startled. His wife held a 「torture tool」.
“Made cactus kimchi—you said it was tasty. Cactus kkakdugi and pickled cactus too. Try some.”
“…I ate out.”
“Hee hee, too bad. Waited to eat together.”
She smiled sweetly. But shadows seemed to pool under her eyes, filling him with dread.
Slurp.
She packed the lavish banchan into containers, stacking them in her bag like prepping for a long trip.
“What’s that for? Visiting your parents?”
He asked hopefully. She giggled.
“No, sharing at tomorrow’s meetup. Don’t worry—I left enough for your breakfast before work.”
Piles of kimchi tubs. Seeing them, nausea rose.
—What the Happy World.
Each day felt like his lifespan shrinking. He couldn’t eat 「torture tool」 kimchi forever.
‘Deputy Jo Iseo! Complete your task no matter what!’