Orpheus blinked bewilderedly at the sudden increase in the Queen of the Underworld’s voice. Utterly flustered, he questioned back.

“……Pardon?”

“Persephone, I mean. She’s truly a perfect woman.”

With hands behind her back, she smiled smugly with Hades’ face.

“She showed an astonishing level of adaptability when she came to the Underworld, and we’re also very close.”

“……Ah, um, that is-”

“And she’s very spirited, beautiful, and even benevolent. Since she arrived, the Underworld has become much brighter.”

Orpheus flinched in embarrassment, but Persephone instead stretched her legs out in front.

“The reason I’m not in my office and tending to the fields here is because she’s capable enough to be entrusted with the affairs of the Underworld.”

Persephone continued enthusiastically, gilding her own name.

Orpheus wondered what on earth the Queen of the Underworld was talking about, but she was already oblivious to how the other person felt.

Rather, she was thinking that Orpheus might spread rumors when he returned to the surface.

If her name became widely known, her divine power would grow, and news that the goddess of seeds had conquered the Underworld would spread far and wide.

‘If that happens, I could receive temples and offerings too…’

At that moment, an exclamation point popped up in Persephone’s mind. She unconsciously stroked her lower jaw.

‘Wait a minute. Come to think of it, this guy was a bard, wasn’t he?’

He’s an exceptional musician who can move all of nature just by singing.

Then what would be the best way for such a musician to spread rumors?

Persephone, in pursuit of honor, easily reached a conclusion.

That is…….

“While we’re at it, let’s make one.”

“Y-Yes?”

“A hymn for Persephone.”

A hymn.

* * *

Having made plans to create a hymn, Persephone continued to circle around Orpheus and began to press him.

“Raise the pitch there a bit more. It’s too gloomy.”

“Indeed, it was a bit boring for a song dedicated to the goddess of life.”

“And don’t just say holy, it would be good to add the word omnipotent to the lyrics too.”

“……Ah, yes.”

She squeezed Orpheus, who was writing the score on papyrus, as much as possible.

When Orpheus pondered how to handle Persephone’s name, she took out her nameplate and thrust it in front of his eyes, lest he make any mistake.

“The name is absolutely not Kore. It’s Per-se-pho-ne! Got it?”

“Ah, y-yes, I understand perfectly! You don’t need to shout like that!”

And the scolding from the outwardly fierce Queen of the Underworld, inwardly a goddess of life with eyes reddened at the thought of raising her fame, thoroughly trained Orpheus’ patience.

Orpheus swallowed his tears at Persephone’s picky interference.

‘Why are there so many demands…!’

Of course, he had endured times of hardship before to reclaim his wife, but now he was deeply understanding why architects so cursed kings who ordered “clean but luxurious”.

Thinking that the temperament of the gods seemed really nasty, Orpheus scrapped and rewrote the score and lyrics countless times.

Having completed the song with all his might, he handed the papyrus score to Persephone.

“Is, is this good enough?”

“……Hmm.”

“……”

Dry saliva gulped down his throat.

How long had it been since the conversation stopped and the Queen of the Underworld’s brow furrowed to the point of invisibility?

“Good.”

Persephone nodded.

Orpheus barely held back from clenching his fist and shouting ‘Yes!’

He was shedding tears of joy in his heart as he gathered the score and put it in his breast. It was then.

“Where are you going?”

“Y-Yes?”

Persephone wiggled her large hand at Orpheus, who was trying to leave quietly.

“Did you think you were done after just making a hymn for Persephone?”

“……Ah.”

Orpheus made a dumb sound.

Of course, it would be strange if there was one for Persephone, the goddess of seeds, but not for Hades, the King of the Underworld.

Although Persephone herself was not a high-ranking deity, Hades was one of the three major gods encompassing the Mediterranean.

However, Orpheus originally had no plans to write hymns or anything like that.

His head was already at its limit. He avoided Persephone’s gaze.

“Well, Lord Hades. Apollo, the god of music who is a deity like you, might be different, but a mortal like me uses my head for creation too.”

“Apollo would be similar to you. So what?”

“……”

“Is your head hurting so you can’t do it?”

Rather than that, it was maddening to have the Queen of the Underworld standing right beside him and interfering this way and that, but Orpheus wisely kept his mouth shut and just nodded.

“Hmm……”

Persephone swept her gaze over Orpheus’ shrinking shoulders once, then looked far away at the bronze gates of Tartarus and the main gate where the dead enter.

“I was going to have you make ones for Thanatos or Lady Nyx, or even Hermes, besides me, the Queen of the Underworld, but this won’t do.”

Persephone caught Orpheus, who was subtly averting his gaze, in her sight. She shrugged her shoulders as if there was no helping it.

“Just make a hymn for me for now. Don’t worry, I won’t interfere.”

“Pardon?”

“As for the rest of the hymns…… Right. You can write them when you get Eurydice back.”

Unlike when composing the Persephone hymn just now, her attitude was quite indifferent, but this wasn’t because Persephone was a selfish goddess who only cared about herself.

Rather, it was because she thought it would be better to compose and write lyrics reflecting each one’s tastes.

Orpheus’ expression brightened in an instant.

When Persephone frowned at his openly pleased appearance, he realized his mistake and hurriedly gathered up the papyrus.

“Orpheus.”

“……Yes.”

“Make sure you sing it when you go outside.”

“I understand.”

“……”

Despite his affirmative answer, Persephone’s gaze did not leave Orpheus’ side profile.

“……Why are you looking at me like that?”

When Orpheus reluctantly turned his head, she lowered her gaze to the nameplate in her hand.

“There’s one more thing I want to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“Love is not worthless to me either.”

Persephone spoke to Orpheus as if driving in a nail.

There was only one reason for saying this explicitly. She hoped he wouldn’t misunderstand about the Underworld or its King.

Wasn’t it just a few months ago that Persephone detested the Underworld and its gods?

It was fortunate that Hades, the richest among the Olympian gods, showed his true nature and launched a gift offensive. Otherwise, who knows how far the misunderstanding would have spread.

She chuckled as she recalled the past that now seemed so distant.

Perhaps if one were to look into her eyes now, they would see quite a wistful light.

“Rather, it could be said to be the most precious thing in the world.”

“……”

“Do you understand?”

Orpheus’ eyes swelled with surprise.

Looking alternately at his necklace with his wife’s name and the nameplate held by the Queen of the Underworld, he slowly nodded.

Thinking that perhaps the reason that nameplate belonged to the Queen of the Underworld was because, like Orpheus himself, she too wished to love someone precious forever.

* * *

Not long after, Hades and the other Underworld gods found Eurydice’s spirit.

Unlike others whose physical bodies had already weathered away, Hades discovered that her spirit was in a special situation, and issued a royal decree to Orpheus.

[I hereby command Orpheus, son of Oeagrus and Calliope, to revive your wife, Eurydice.]

When he was able to bring Eurydice back to life, Orpheus was overjoyed.

He said he would make hymns for the Underworld gods as a token of gratitude, and even came to visit in person to express his thanks to the King of the Underworld.

“How should I make the hymns for you?”

Persephone, seated in the audience chamber chair, scanned Orpheus’ face, which had already become bright and shining.

Once again, she glanced at Hades hiding behind a pillar.

He kept peering around, as if curious about what Persephone had done in the meantime to make Greece’s greatest bard act like this.

When Orpheus picked up papyrus and a reed pen, Hades quickly grabbed a piece of paper too.

[Overall calm and peaceful, but the climax should be majestic]

……Judging by his flushed cheeks, he seemed pleased to be properly worshipped.

Thinking his uncharacteristically honest reaction was rather cute, Persephone compiled Hades’ opinion and passed it on to Orpheus.

Unlike before when he couldn’t get Eurydice back, he enthusiastically set to work.

After admiring his passionate attitude for a moment, Persephone cautiously broached the subject.

“……Can you really go?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m asking if you can make it to the surface with your wife.”

“……”

Orpheus’ reed pen came to an abrupt halt.

After moving his lips a few times, he smiled innocently.

“Of course. I just have to not look back, right?”

“……”

“It should be much easier than coming to the Underworld, so I’m just grateful you’ve given me this chance.”

Persephone rested her chin on her hand and furrowed her brows.

That’s right. Hades wasn’t just going to bring Eurydice back to life.

In the original myth, Hades sets the condition that he will revive Eurydice if Orpheus doesn’t look back until he completely returns to the surface.

To bring his wife back to life, Orpheus had to climb an uphill path shrouded in thick fog, but worried that his wife might be struggling, he inadvertently turns to look back.

Even in this world where the original myth had been thrown to the dogs, those conditions and circumstances remained unchanged, so Persephone was worriedly watching the gleeful Orpheus.

She narrowed her eyes at that flower field head… no, that optimist who was oblivious to what would happen in the future.

‘Ah geez, this won’t do.’

Her nature was far more optimistic than Orpheus, who was more excited than usual at the thought of getting his wife back, but knowing the original myth, she couldn’t just do nothing.

Persephone sighed and advised Orpheus.

“I dare warn you, no matter what concerns you have, do not look back.”

“Pardon?”

“No matter what happens, do not turn your head.”

Orpheus blinked as if to say, ‘Why are you telling me this again when I already know?’ Persephone sighed.

“……Your future of wailing in grief after losing your wife again is clear. So even if you’re worried about your wife, absolutely do not look back.”

“……”

Orpheus lowered his gaze at Persephone’s serious tone.

Only then did he seem to remember that Eurydice wasn’t completely alive yet.

Persephone snorted and scratched her head irritably.

“Can’t we just attach a pair of blinders on either side of his temples?”

“Excuse me? I’m not a horse or a camel.”

“Or it would be fine to put Eurydice in front. Since you just have to not look back.”

“……Are you a genius?”

Persephone grinned and seriously considered putting Eurydice in front of Orpheus, but caught sight of Hades frantically waving a papyrus at the edge of her vision.

[★Cannot put Eurydice in front!]

She mouthed ‘Why not?’

[For Eurydice, who is neither living nor dead, to completely leave the Underworld] [Orpheus must act as a guide in front] [The prohibition on looking back is also due to this role]

Persephone clicked her tongue in disappointment.

“……Of course, due to circumstances, we can’t send Eurydice in front.”

“Ah……”

Orpheus drooped his head with a visibly dejected expression.

Persephone glanced at the restless Hades as if to ask if there was any other way.

But even he, the King of the Underworld, turned away his eyes as if he had no other words to offer.

While pondering if there was any way to handle this definitively…

“Unlike other spirits, Eurydice……”

The words Hades had spoken a few days ago when they met Eurydice’s spirit flashed through her mind.

……If so, this method might be possible.

“If you’re really that worried……”

Persephone opened her lips.