“Hmm, so who are you?”

Persephone, who had tactfully changed her tone to a polite one, asked the boar− no, the handsome man.

However, he did not answer and instead covered his mouth with his hand, slowly collapsing to the ground.

“Ah, ah…”

“Um, where does it hurt?”

“Ugh…”

…No, is he crazy?

‘I’m the one who’s in pain right now.’

After using up all her divine power to the limit while saving Silphion earlier, her body felt a bit stiff.

It wasn’t to the point of catching a cold though, so she just kept working.

‘It’s troublesome if someone suddenly lies down and cries at someone else’s workplace.’

Persephone scanned the handsome man with dissatisfied eyes. She put her arm under his armpit like pulling out a carrot and yanked him up.

Persephone first set the handsome man upright, then patted the dirt off his clothes.

“Well, I don’t know who you are, but I’m not dead. I just have to stay in the underworld for 6 months.”

“…What?”

“Thank you for your concern, but could you please leave now? Despite how he looks, Thanatos is not a bad person.”

Persephone pointed at Thanatos with her finger.

“That, that person, huff, why is he so fast…! Have you actually been here before?”

【……】

Hydra, who had followed them, panted heavily trying to catch her breath. Thanatos, who had her lean against a tree, approached Persephone with a deep frown.

Thanatos brushed back his silver hair somewhat irritably.

Alternating his gaze between the handsome man and Persephone, he let out a scoffing laugh. He pointed a finger at Iasion.

【What are you doing, not greeting your daughter.】

…What did he say?

* * *

Hades’ office.

‘He’s not coming again.’

Hades, who had been watching the sand falling in the hourglass, swallowed a sigh.

It wasn’t that his subordinates were neglecting their duties. There was still some time left in the hourglass.

But he wondered why. Thinking that Hydra, Thanatos, and Sisyphus and the others were by Persephone’s side made him feel a bit lonely.

…No, honestly, it seemed he was just sulky that he couldn’t join them.

‘Was I this narrow-minded? When there’s barely enough to take good care of the underworld for Persephone’s sake.’

Around the time the king of the underworld was having a major concern due to his own unconscientiousness and insincerity, the messenger god who had led the dead to the underworld poked his head in from the window.

“…Sigh.”

The king, who had turned around thinking it might be Persephone, let out a faint sigh.

The hurt Hermes scoffed with a “huh”.

“What, now you’re sighing because I came?”

“The window is Persephone’s exclusive passageway.”

“Says who!”

“I, the divine king of the underworld.”

“Then I have nothing to say.”

Hermes, who readily acknowledged the power difference, stood on the window frame.

“Anyway, as usual, I guided all the dead humans, and well… nothing special in the underworld?”

“Nothing else.”

“That’s a relief.”

Hermes smiled brightly and knelt on one knee. Then he suddenly held out a silk scroll.

“Can you give me some vacation?”

“…All of a sudden?”

At the very top of the silk scroll was written [Vacation Request].

“You’re the only god who guides the dead though.”

“Eh, but there are other gods who can replace me. They’re just slower than me. Just give me a reasonable amount.”

Hades stared at Hermes, who was rubbing his hands together like a fly while his eyes sparkled.

‘…Isn’t this too out of the blue?’

But it was certainly true that Hermes worked like an ox before planting season.

When he asked Zeus who among the passing oxen seemed to work the hardest, he had pointed to his assistant Hermes and answered “You.”

“Vacation, vacation−♪”

“…”

“Give me a vacation!”

“…Alright!”

In the end, Hades stamped the seal on the silk scroll to drive away the urging Hermes.

He thought he should at least do this much for the person who had gone through a lot for him in many ways.

As Hermes, whose business was finished, ran away in a hurry, Hades lightly waved his hand while thinking.

‘Strange.’

No matter how much vacation that guy gets, there’s no way he wouldn’t chatter and leave so quickly.

…Could it be, did he cause some trouble?

* * *

Persephone heard the whole story from Thanatos and Hydra.

In other words, this handsome man was her father, commonly known as the god of agriculture, the god of fields and sowing, and he was caught while wandering outside to be brought directly to her to teach her how to properly cultivate Silphion.

Oh, this sudden development was strange, but…

【In other words, it means that no one can solve your problem unless they are a god, specifically a god of life who governs abundance.】

“Couldn’t I have just told you about the strange things with Silphion, and you could have asked any life god on my behalf and come back with a solution?”

【Even sick humans go directly to the doctor, would it be any different for plants? It would have been meaningless without seeing it with your own eyes.】

Hearing it, Thanatos’ explanation made sense so she couldn’t say anything.

Persephone was a goddess of life.

Without someone who had a similar nature of divine power to her, and even more farming experience, it would be impossible to save the dying Silphion.

When searching for such life gods, the only one they could request was Iasion.

Demeter was one of the 12 major gods that the likes of Thanatos or Hydra could not bring.

Persephone, who roughly understood, openly scrutinized Iasion, who had been silent until now. She elongated her nasal sound like a snake and stretched out her neck.

“Hmm…”

The more her eyes narrowed, the more Iasion’s head gradually lowered.

Wiping his eyes, pretending not to have cried, he coughed and looked here and there, then furtively turned his gaze and met hers, flinching his shoulders blankly.

The emanating harmlessness aroused curiosity instead of the usual wariness that came with meeting a stranger.

His outstanding appearance also played a part.

“Are you really my father?”

“…Yes.”

The color of his eyes was different from hers, but the color of his hair was similar. Although lighter than hers, the color pink was the same anyway.

He really seemed to be her biological father.

“Alright, I understand for now. Could you wait a moment?”

Persephone, who gave Iasion a slight smile, quietly approached Thanatos and whispered.

“Shouldn’t we report to Hades first before the request or anything?”

【Why?】

“What do you mean why? Another being from the living world has come to the underworld, he’ll be taken aback.”

【…Since when did you value procedure and order so much?】

“For the sake of Hades’ heart and lungs.”

【……】

“No, in the first place, you’re ‘death’ itself, but is it okay for you to casually make requests to a being from the living world?”

Thanatos mumbled, playing dumb.

【Is she taking after him?】

“Huh? After who?”

【No, it’s nothing.】

Around the time Persephone’s eyes turned triangular like a snake’s head, Thanatos put his hood back on that had fallen off while flying here.

【Hoo, yes. You’re right. It should be that way… But I don’t think we should report it now.】

“Why, are you afraid of getting scolded?”

To Persephone’s question, Hydra, who was leaning against a tree, added.

“Well, strictly speaking, this was originally Lord Hermes’ order. I think it would be good to report together with him.”

“Lord Hermes ordered it?”

“Ah, he said he would let us know the plan, so he asked if we could make a request to the god of agriculture.”

Iasion opened his mouth wide.

“No wonder he suddenly spoke to me…!”

“Lord Hermes did?”

“Yes! Now that I think about it, it all makes sense!”

He turned his head coquettishly toward his daughter and tapped his chest as if he was wronged.

“Listen, I was really dumbfounded! When I went to the hill called Minoan, there were daffodils blooming out of season, so I tried to pick them, and…!”

“And?”

“Suddenly the ground split open, you know? So I fell into a crevice of a cliff, and…!”

“Fell and?”

“And then…!”

At that moment, Iasion, who had been very resentful, made a deflated sound, “Ah.”

Persephone, who had been observing Iasion, laughed absurdly with a “hehe”.

It was kind of fun to watch him complain while full of emotions. His expressions changed from moment to moment.

Only then realizing that he had acted too friendly, Iasion awkwardly turned his head.

‘He has a slightly cute personality.’

Except for being shy, it was a familiar sight from somewhere, and it didn’t take long for her to realize that it was very similar to Persephone’s own personality.

Persephone pondered for a while, looking at her father whose cheeks were gradually turning red.

In the past, when she made excuses in front of Hades, she wasn’t curious about her father.

She thought it wasn’t something for her to be curious about. She could live well enough without a father.

‘But now that I’ve met him, he seems quite nice?’

If he hadn’t been concerned about her, he wouldn’t have cried openly in front of her−he probably thought she was dead−and parents who worry about their children are usually proper people.

Rising curiosity and careful observation pushed away the doubts.

He definitely wouldn’t be a bad person.

Alright, let’s stay together for a bit!

“Then with me−”

Just as Persephone reached that comfortable conclusion and was about to grab Iasion’s hand with a smile, it happened.

“…Persephone?”

A trembling voice lower than Iasion’s rang out.

“…”

Everyone’s gaze shifted to Hades, who had arrived at Persephone’s domain.

Iasion and Persephone’s eyes widened, while Hydra and Thanatos’ expressions were filled with terror beyond shock.