I've Possessed Persephone (9 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 8
“It seems you’re quite clever… Do you know that Lady Demeter and Lord Hades possess powers that intersect with one another?”
At that moment alone, Persephone, who had assumed the role of her mother’s attendant, raised her index finger,
as if about to instruct a younger deity.
“Oh, yes. I know at least that much.”
“Then recite why that is so.”
“…Because death is a prerequisite for life to bloom, I’ve heard their powers are deeply interconnected—a kind of cyclical relationship, you might say.”
Persephone nodded and quickly added,
“Yes, that’s right. Even I, as Lady Demeter’s attendant, am subject to some degree to that principle of circulation.”
“In that case…?”
“It means I’ve also become a manager of the Underworld—one of its security officers, overseeing gates and boundaries such as this.”
The guard sighed and bowed his waist.
“…I apologize, Lady Hecate. Being a low-ranking guard, I hadn’t realized it before.”
Persephone looked down at the top of the guard’s head and let out a victorious smile.
Hecate was not only Demeter’s attendant but also the goddess of magic who had aided in raising Persephone.
She governed crossroads and thresholds created by mortals.
Although Persephone hadn’t yet heard that Hecate now managed the gates of the Underworld as well, the name “Hecate, Goddess of Crossings” evidently carried enough renown to make this minor deity bow his head.
Persephone fluttered her hand dismissively.
“Oh, no—it was unexpected even for me to enter this far. I originally only meant to patrol the boundary between the world of the living and the dead, but I sensed a strange magical presence here, so… somehow I ended up this deep inside.”
“A magical presence? Could Lady Hecate sense it as well?”
The guard asked earnestly, taking Persephone’s half-fabricated excuse at face value.
‘…I don’t actually know anything about magic or spells.’
Persephone shot the guard a sidelong glance.
Instantly, as if his earlier sharpness had all been an act, the guard shook his head with an innocent expression.
“Oh, I don’t mean to question Lady Hecate’s duties! I’m certain Lord Hades was wise to station you here, and equally wise was your decision to come. After all, isn’t this place itself a kind of ‘threshold’ as well?”
“…Then why ask?”
“The stones of the Underworld used to build these walls normally drain one’s strength. I wondered whether you might have detected the magic contained within them.”
After glancing at the wall, the guard suddenly turned toward Persephone.
“And there’s one more thing I’d like to ask… Why were you clinging to the wall just now?”
Out of reflex, Persephone blurted out an excuse.
“I thought maybe I could pluck just one stone for use as a magical ingredient.”
“…”
“…”
The guard, startled by her audacity, let out a low groan.
“I… see.”
He seemed utterly bewildered—this was the first deity he’d ever encountered who’d brazenly tamper with Underworld property.
‘Sorry, Hecate.’
Persephone imagined stuffing her fist into her mouth and shed a quiet teardrop of guilt.
Just then, the guard, who had been staring at the wall, pointed toward the gate.
“Are you perhaps planning to leave?”
Persephone’s eyes lit up immediately.
“I’ll escort you all the way to the boundary under Lady Hecate’s jurisdiction.”
As the soldier scratched the back of his head, an indescribable spark of life flickered in Persephone’s irises.
She had been about to nod her head vigorously like a spinning waterwheel, but instead she stiffened her neck and silently gave a few short up-and-down nods.
Passing through the gate directly ahead, they were met by yet another gate.
For some reason, the soldiers’ gazes seemed to be converging on them.
Persephone subtly scanned the area and extended her hand toward the guard beside her.
“If you happen to have an extra piece of cloth, could you spare one? I’m more used to moving around with a veil.”
“Oh, yes. I’ll give you a spare cloak.”
Persephone draped a dark cloak over her head. The guard, impressed, stepped closer to her.
“With that cloak on, you truly look like the goddess of magic.”
“Do I?”
“By the way, how did you manage to get this far inside? This is within the inner wall—I was outside earlier and didn’t see you there.”
Why was this soldier so full of questions?
Still, he didn’t seem like a bad sort, so Persephone decided to answer with another question.
She shrugged her shoulders.
“Don’t you guards ever rotate shifts? Lord Hades seems far stricter than I imagined—not even granting your subordinates breaks.”
“That’s absolutely not true!”
The guard quickly waved his hands in denial.
Startled by his sudden outburst, Persephone’s eyes widened like a rabbit’s.
The guard, surprised that he’d shouted so loudly, took a small step backward.
“I—I’m sorry! But Lord Hades treats us very well indeed.”
“…So it seems.”
“It’s true! We get proper shift rotations, bonuses depending on our duties, and sometimes even ambrosia or nectar. He even patrols around personally from time to time.”
The guard continued rapidly.
Persephone’s fingers twitched faintly.
‘A low-ranking soldier defending him this passionately?’
This response surprised her greatly—she’d already known the myth of Persephone and Hades, after all.
A slight lump formed in her throat. Just as she was about to swallow it down, the guard posed another question.
“Might it be… that Lady Hecate hasn’t received any sort of reward or compensation from Lord Hades?”
“We’re equal collaborators—there’s no compensation involved. I hold no ill will, but since I’ve only recently begun staying at this boundary, I certainly haven’t developed any sudden fondness either.”
“I see….”
His earlier sharp expression had vanished completely, replaced now by clear disappointment.
Just as Persephone was about to click her tongue in irritation,
the guard lifted his head and smiled.
“But I’m sure Lady Hecate will come to like him eventually.”
Persephone blinked.
“…Maybe.”
Her voice dropped low.
…Could Hades actually be a decent ruler after all?
* * *
“Ah, once we pass through just this one, we’ll be right at the boundary with the world of the living.”
The guard who had led Persephone through the layers of walls pointed ahead.
Persephone gripped the front edge of her cloak tightly.
‘Yes, once I pass through there, everything will be fine.’
She’d heard that Cerberus, the gatekeeper and watchdog, guarded the boundary between the living and the dead—but she’d already devised a solution for that.
So if she could just slip away smoothly now, Hades wouldn’t catch her….
“Thanks for escort—”
Just as Persephone began waving goodbye to the guard,
“Hey, everyone! Urgent notice!”
Another soldier—presumably the guard’s comrade—waved a piece of paper.
“Has anyone seen a woman with pink hair and green eyes?”
Persephone’s ears perked up.
A nearby guard walked toward the loudly shouting soldier.
“What’s this? Why the sudden search for a woman?”
“Lord Thanatos sent a messenger bird saying he’s looking for her. There was a note tied to one of its legs.”
Her gaze shot toward the man holding the messenger bird.
When he waved the unfolded note, several soldiers gathered around it. Fortunately, the guard beside her didn’t seem to have heard.
“Did a spirit escape or something?”
“I’m not sure exactly, but…”
The man who’d brought the bird rubbed his neck.
“He says she’s Lord Hades’ bride.”
A cold shiver ran down Persephone’s spine.
Thanatos was death incarnate.
Whenever Demeter’s human laborers died of old age, he—alongside the messenger god—would always visit their farm or cottage as a senior deity.
Though she’d never spoken face-to-face with him (Demeter had always ushered her indoors), she’d secretly watched their conversations from behind her mother a few times.
When she was young and naive, she’d only thought his dark wings of death resembled those of a crow….
‘Oh wow, this is really bad.’
Now that she was grown, she wanted nothing more than to collapse on the spot and wail.
Thanatos, known for his bronze heart, never let go of what he seized and never made exceptions.
If such a god had already issued an official summons throughout the Underworld to capture her, she needed to flee immediately.
‘And wait—what? “Bride of the Underworld King”?’
Had they all gone mad? Making her a married woman!
“I’m leaving now. Don’t follow me.”
“Lady Hecate?”
Persephone replied swiftly and took off running without even looking back.
The guard reached out toward her, but she ran so fast she looked like a wolf chasing its prey.
“She’s just gone…”
He clicked his tongue, then turned toward his comrade holding the messenger bird and grabbed his shoulder.
“Who exactly is this ‘bride’? Is Lord Hades finally getting married?”
“Seems so. They say she’s Lady Demeter’s daughter. Her name… wait, ‘Kore’? Her name means ‘maiden’? Is that a nickname? I’ve never heard of her.”
“Me neither. Stop staring at that and read the rest quickly.”
“It just describes her appearance—pink hair and green eyes.”
The guard’s eyebrows twitched.
The moment his comrade mentioned ‘Kore’s’ appearance, the image of ‘Hecate’ before she’d donned the cloak flashed through his mind.
‘Huh?’
His wavering gaze shot toward where Persephone had been standing.
‘Didn’t Lady Hecate have pink hair and green eyes?’
Just as confusion filled his eyes,
“It also says she has fair skin, wears white clothes, and is slender.”
“…”
“Has anyone seen her?”
The guard’s mouth fell open. He shouted abruptly,
“That sounds just like Lady Hecate!”
“What? Where is she? She was with you just moments ago!”
The guard clamped his mouth shut like a duck’s beak. Cold sweat began to bead in his palms.
“We let her slip away…!”
He tugged at his hair and let out a sigh, muttering to himself.
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
Oh my God, poor, pitiful Hades! I hope he finds happiness with Persephone.
Oh, poor Hades! He’s so sweet. Why doesn’t anyone like him? I hope Persephone likes Hades and brings spring into his world.
Poor Hades, how can a little child be hungry? How sweet, how his expression changes upon hearing Persephone speak.