WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 388: Episode 74: Great war of Angels and Demons (3)

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After briefly saying goodbye to my allies, I immediately sent a message to the underworld. A reply came back at once.

[The Constellation Father of the Rich Night has granted you access.]

[The Constellation Queen of the Darkest Spring has granted you access.]

[The nebula underworld has opened a portal to summon you.]

Tssssss!

Normally, it wasn't easy to leave a Scenario while one this large was underway. Yet the underworld had willingly paid an enormous amount of Plausibility for me.

I was grateful.

They called me their heir, but I hadn't even properly paid my respects since they helped me back then.

Come to think of it, I felt a little uneasy. What if they'd agreed so readily because they planned to chew me out for never visiting the underworld?

"Kim Dokja."

Startled by the sudden message, I looked into the air. It wasn't [Midday Tryst]. That meant there was only one person who could have sent it.

"What? I thought you'd be busy after becoming a branch manager. You still have time to worry about this?"

"I don't. I make time."

Bihyeong grumbled in midair with a roll of tobacco between his lips.

The brat must've been exhausted from work lately after becoming a branch manager.

Bihyeong looked down at me with a complicated expression, then let out a deep sigh. I felt the transmission and reception of nearby channels become temporarily blocked.

"What you're doing now is dangerous."

"When hasn't it been?"

"This is different from before. This time, the entire Star Stream is watching what you're doing."

"Feels like I've heard that over a hundred times already."

"At this rate, the karma from all the Plausibility you've accumulated will explode. You know what that means, right?"

I nodded. I knew all too well what terrible things happened when distorted Plausibility exploded. I had seen it clearly during the Demon King Selection.

Lately, I often felt as though I were standing on a Jenga tower with too many blocks missing.

"Be careful. You can't stay lucky forever. Even if you have the protection of a Great Dokkaebi or the Outer Gods..."

"Protection from who?"

"Never mind. I shouldn't have said that."

Bihyeong shook his head and lightly blew smoke into the air. The frozen channels began to unlock around the smoke.

"Have a safe trip. Don't die."

"Is that something you say to someone heading to the underworld?"

He didn't say it, but Bihyeong was probably blocking interference from the Administration Bureau. When we first met, he had been a low-grade dokkaebi. Now, I was receiving such great help from him. It really paid to live a long time.

[Spacetime transfer has begun.]

The sensory information before my eyes broke apart. When I opened them again, the blackened, dried land of the underworld greeted me.

It was the underworld. Normally, I would have had to cross the river with Charon, the ferryman, but that process was skipped this time.

After walking along the gravel bank of the dried river toward Hades's palace for some time, I stepped into the outer castle. Tens of thousands of gazes immediately fixed on me, as if they had been waiting.

An enormous number of souls, led by the Three Great Judges of the Underworld. Judging by the fierce currents in the air, their gazes weren't friendly.

[The Judges of the Underworld have noticed your presence!]

So, there was another reason they had called me here?

Slither.

The Three Great Judges of the Underworld glided toward me.

All three judges were fabled-grade Constellations.

I quickly gripped Unbreakable Faith at my waist.

No matter how much stronger I had become, facing them in the underworld would never be easy.

Then the eye level of the judge at the very front began to sink. The second judge did the same, followed by the third. The judges knelt before me.

...Huh?

Behind them, the underworld's army sank down like a single low wave sweeping forward. Looking closer, the turbulent heat in the air was a little different from what I had imagined. The Judges of the Underworld were wiping their eyes as they looked at me, as if they had been moved by something.

Rumble!

The entire underworld knelt before me and opened a path.

It was the road leading to the palace's inner hall.

Until now, only two Constellations had ever been allowed to walk this road.

[Welcome to the Kingdom of Night, Heir of the Underworld!]

Along with the judge's words, a system message appeared before me.

[You are currently the prince of the underworld.]

* * *

I felt uncomfortable the entire time I moved through the palace.

I had thought something like this might happen once I became the Heir of the Underworld, but experiencing such an outrageous rise in status still made my head feel fuzzy.

I had never received such lavish treatment in my life.

And what was with these gloomy, flowing robes?

[Um, Prince.]

"Yes."

[I apologize for last time.]

Come to think of it, this was the judge who had greeted me when I came to the underworld to retrieve Shin Yuseong's soul. The one who secretly granted my request after drinking Yamata no Orochi's Snake Liquor... What was his modifier again?

"It's fine. Everything worked out, so that's all that matters. I was grateful to you then."

The judge lowered his head apologetically, then opened the doors to the audience chamber wide.

[The King of the Underworld is waiting for you.]

I stepped through the doors with the judges, tense.

The judge's reassuring Status at my side left me feeling strange.

If I became the master of the underworld, I would be able to command all these Constellations.

[Hehe, I see. So that happened.]

Persephone's voice from the darkness broke me out of my thoughts. Seated upon her throne, she was speaking with someone sitting on her fingertip.

[Baat, baat. Abaat!]

[Hmm, that happened then too?]

[Baat, baat!]

A bouncing rice cake leaped about. It was obvious whose voice it was.

Before I could call out, Biyoo spotted me and cried happily.

[Abaat! Abaat!]

[Our little heir has arrived.]

I didn't know why Biyoo was here, but it wasn't a bad situation. Persephone looked incredibly happy thanks to Biyoo's little performance.

Hades's impassive gaze and Persephone's gentle gaze fell on me at the same time. A tingling sensation ran through me, and my whole body seemed to freeze. As expected, Mythical Constellations possessed the power to overwhelm every being with their gaze alone.

Remembering Hades fighting a fierce battle against Poseidon, I offered a simple half-bow.

"It's been a long time, Father of the Rich Night and Queen of the Darkest Spring."

[It has been a long time, my son. Have you been well?]

"Ah... yes, I have. And you, Your Majesty?"

[Hehe, we have been well too. Though we were a little hurt that our only child took so long to visit.]

The conversation felt like a family gathering. Since I had never experienced anything like this before, I had no idea how to keep it going.

Hades sat upon his broad throne, still looking down at me with unreadable eyes, while Persephone spoke to me with a bright smile.

[While you were gone, our little granddaughter kept us from getting lonely. A dokkaebi granddaughter at this stage of our lives. It really pays to live a long time.]

Persephone seemed to like Biyoo as she gently stroked the dokkaebi sitting on the back of her hand.

[You have a child, but no partner. When do you plan to bring home a spouse?]

"Ah, I need to think about that..."

I had immediately been asked one of the questions I hated hearing most at family gatherings.

Then the judges, who had remained silent until now, stepped forward.

[According to our investigation, there are several candidates.]

[Oh? Is that so?]

[These are the results of our investigation through Olympus's relationship-matching systems, Cupid, Shall I Shoot? and Help Duo Venus.]

[The judges have finally done proper work for once.]

Wait, why were judges investigating my private life?

Before I could stop them, a hologram appeared in the air.

[First, candidate number one.]

Video footage appeared.

"A reader has a reader's life, after all."

"A reader's life... Dokja-ssi, you really say such wonderful things."

Why did they have to bring up that particular embarrassing memory?

The judge continued in a composed voice.

[Candidate number one is a considerate woman. Not only can she embrace the Prince's unique sensibilities with tolerance as vast as the sea, she possesses both a gentle disposition and innate decisiveness. She has wisdom and beauty alike, making her someone who is, in truth, far too good for the Prince...]

The more I listened, the more my mind went blank.

[Next, candidate number two.]

A woman with sharp eyes, a striking tear mole, and a lemon candy in her mouth appeared next.

"Idiot."

"Why are you crying on such a good day? It's even snowing for once... I'll come up with a better modifier for you later."

The judge smiled warmly at the footage and continued.

[Candidate number two has a prickly personality and often has a sharp tongue, but she is a woman with a special connection to the Prince. She is the only person who can understand the Prince's gloomy hobby, and can even discuss that hobby with him. She is truly unique and special...]

Olympus's matching systems had completely lost their minds.

Just before candidate number three appeared, I gathered all my strength and shouted.

"No, wait! I haven't even thought about marriage yet!"

The judge lowered his head apologetically and stepped back.

[It seems the Prince is not yet ready. We will present the next candidate another time...]

[Hmm... Who would ever marry that stubborn prince?]

Persephone grumbled as though she really were my mother.

[Well, if it comes to that, you may bring the dokkaebi who gave birth to this child as your spouse. Hades and I are not bound by humans' trivial prejudices...]

Marry Bihyeong? I'd rather die.

[Hades and I would not mind in the slightest if you had sexual tastes such as One Who Knows His Own Ignorance or Philosopher of Ideals...]

[The Judges of the Underworld are watching your choice closely.]

[Some Constellations are interested in your tastes.]

[One Constellation who likes changing gender is listening attentively.]

I took a quiet breath, then spoke at once.

"Mother."

Persephone's eyes wavered at my words.

[Oh my, what did you just call me...?]

"I believe you know why I came here."

[...]

"I have a request."

Even though time flowed slowly in the underworld, I couldn't remain here for long. There was only one reason I had come here in the first place.

"Please lend me the army of the underworld."

At those words, Hades, who had remained silent until now, opened his mouth.

[Do you know what that means?]

His voice pressed down on the entire palace, as if the world itself had sunk into darkness.

There was only one being who could lead the underworld's army.

The King of the Underworld, the master of this realm.

"I do."

[Are you saying you will formally accept the position of heir?]

I nodded.

[If you become the King of the Underworld, you must rule this place after all Scenarios have ended. Do you understand what that means?]

"It means I cannot go aboveground without special Plausibility."

[You will willingly inherit the underworld and spend the rest of your life confined beneath the earth?]

"Yes."

At my ready reply, Hades slowly rose from his seat and looked down at me haughtily.

No matter how strong I had become, I couldn't stand against Hades. My heart felt as though it would burst from the tension, but since I had come this far, I had to see it through.

To win the Great war of Angels and Demons, I absolutely needed the underworld's power.

"I will become the formal Heir of the Underworld."

Footnotes:

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