The Lord of the Underworld leaned back on his throne, adjusting his posture with quiet authority, and said in a calm yet imposing tone, "Hah… another soul arrives. Let us see how this one fares."
Then his gaze shifted toward the figure beside him. "Record Keeper."
"Yes, my Lord," the Record Keeper replied respectfully.
"You have had enough leisure. Let us begin."
At that very moment, Arahan's foot crossed the threshold of the palace.
The entire hall trembled violently.
The pillars shook. The throne vibrated. Even the ground beneath them cracked slightly, as if something unseen had disturbed the very foundation of the Underworld.
The Lord of the Underworld frowned. "Record Keeper… what is happening?"
"I do not know, my Lord," the Record Keeper replied, his tone calm but his eyes slightly unsettled.
But just as suddenly as it began, everything went still.
The Record Keeper's expression darkened slightly, as if something was… wrong.
Arahan walked forward, his gaze sweeping across the grand hall before settling on the figure seated upon the throne.
"Wow," he said casually. "You look pretty impressive."
The Lord of the Underworld narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint trace of satisfaction appearing on his face.
But Arahan's next words shattered it instantly.
"Though… your stomach is sticking out quite a bit. For someone who rules the dead, maybe keep track of your diet too."
The faint satisfaction vanished. A cold expression replaced it.
"And where's the guy who keeps all the records? The accountant-type one?" Arahan asked, looking around.
The Record Keeper stepped forward calmly. "On your right."
Arahan turned and looked at him. "Ohh… so it's you. Nice to meet you."
"I am well," the Record Keeper replied. "How about you?"
Before Arahan could answer, the Lord of the Underworld spoke, his voice heavy and absolute.
"Record Keeper… present the record of this soul."
The moment those words were spoken, Arahan exploded.
"I didn't commit any sin! I didn't do fraud, no scams, nothing illegal! My marriage wasn't even done yet, and you people just took me like that!"
"Why did this happen to me?! Damn it! I hadn't even done anything with my future wife! I planned everything properly after marriage… after marriage!"
"And you dragged me here before that?!"
The Record Keeper coughed lightly, his expression turning slightly awkward.
Then, in a calm tone, he asked, "Human… what exactly did you plan to do after marriage?"
Arahan gave him a slow smirk 😏.
The Lord of the Underworld's expression darkened instantly. "Record Keeper! Stop behaving like an inexperienced clerk and focus on your duties!"
The Record Keeper gave a slight cough, then opened the massive ledger in his hands. The pages turned on their own, stopping precisely at the record bearing Arahan's name.
He read for a moment, then suddenly froze. His pupils shrank.
Quietly, he stepped closer to the throne and lowered his voice. "My Lord… there appears to be a minor error."
The Lord's gaze sharpened. "What error?"
The Record Keeper hesitated. "I… may have made a mistake. Due to a miscalculation… this human was summoned before his destined time."
The moment those words fell, the hall went silent.
The Lord of the Underworld's weapon slipped from his hand and struck the ground with a heavy clang, echoing through the palace before rolling to a stop near Arahan's feet.
"What… Did you just say?" His voice turned cold.
"How could you make such a mistake?" For the first time, a trace of unease appeared on his face.
A warning echoed in his mind, the decree of Zeus, "No soul shall be taken before its appointed time. Violate this law… and even the Underworld will face destruction."
The Lord looked toward Arahan, his gaze tightening. "Before he realizes… send him back immediately."
The Record Keeper's expression grew complicated. "It is too late, my Lord. His physical body can no longer sustain life."
The Lord's eyes narrowed. "Explain."
"The vehicle he collided with was leaking fuel," the Record Keeper said. "It ignited shortly after the crash. The flames consumed his body."
"What has been done… cannot be reversed."
For a moment, even the Lord of the Underworld fell silent.
Then the Record Keeper slowly closed the ledger and turned, as if preparing to leave.
"In that case, my Lord… I will leave the final decision to you. I had plans to take a short leave… the celestial attendants have been waiting for me."
Before he could take another step, a hand seized his collar.
The Lord's voice dropped, heavy and dangerous. "Where do you think you're going?"
Arahan, who had been focusing on them the entire time, heard the word 'plans', and narrowed his eyes. "Wait… what are you talking about? What 'plans'?"
The Record Keeper stiffened.
"Nothing important," he replied quickly, a trace of nervousness in his voice. "Just… a scheduled leave."
Arahan's gaze sharpened. "Sounded more like you were about to enjoy yourself."
The Record Keeper coughed lightly, avoiding eye contact.
Then, under Arahan's stare, he finally spoke, "Human… you were not meant to die."
"You were supposed to survive that accident. But due to an error… you were brought here ahead of your time."
"Record Keeper!" the Lord snapped, but it was already too late.The truth had been revealed.
Arahan's expression slowly changed. He was shocked first, then disbelief appeared on his face, and finally anger exploded.
The Lord of the Underworld's expression darkened. "Everyone… leave."
At his command, the hall emptied instantly. The Reapers and attendants vanished into the shadows.
"You think sending them away will hide your mistake?" Arahan shouted.
He bent down and picked up the fallen weapon beside him, a heavy, dark staff pulsing with cold energy.
"Now I'll deal with both of you! I'll drag you through your own flames! I'll fry both of you in oil! I'll cut you into pieces and make Indian biryani out of you! I'll host a buffet dinner for the entire underworld! And show you what real hell looks like!"
The Lord's gaze shifted sharply toward the Record Keeper.
"Of all beings… I had to be paired with someone like you to make such an error."
Arahan's anger only grew.
"If something like this happened on Earth, it would be breaking news everywhere!"
"'Underworld Administration Corruption Scandal!'"
"Every network would run it nonstop!"
"Social media would explode, news feeds, videos, everything!"
"Tell me… is your Underworld ready for that kind of exposure?"
At that very moment, a voice echoed through the hall.
"Ah… how lively." A new figure appeared, stepping out of thin air.
It was Hermes, his expression amused, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
The Lord of the Underworld's gaze turned cold. "Hermes… all entrances are sealed. How did you enter?"
Hermes smiled lightly. "There is always another path. I sensed something unusual… so I came to take a look."
"A messenger, huh?" Arahan snapped. "Good. Then listen carefully, these two have ruined my life!"
"Human, calm yourself," Hades said in a low voice.
"How can he calm down?" Hermes said, and he turned towards Arahan.
"Human, the reporting business in the heavens has been slow lately. There hasn't been any interesting news for two years. If I get your story, I will broadcast your injustice across all of Heaven. Zeus, Hera, and the other gods of Olympus will bring you justice."
Hades' expression darkened further. "Hermes."
"Yes?" Hermes tilted his head.
"Leave."
Hermes only smiled. "That depends."
Before the situation could escalate further, Hades raised his hand. Two Reapers appeared instantly.
"Escort him out of this domain. And throw him a few worlds away," The Reapers moved without hesitation.
Hermes did not resist, but his smile widened. "This is rather forceful, don't you think?" he said calmly as they seized him.
As he was dragged away, his voice echoed back through the hall, "You can send me away… but information has a way of traveling."
"No matter where I go… this story will spread. And when it does…"
His laughter lingered faintly in the air. "Let us see how the Underworld explains itself."
Arahan pointed accusingly at the Lord of the Underworld. "See? He was about to broadcast my story, and you were already trying to suppress it!"
"He may have left quietly… but I'm not going to accept this so easily!"
The Lord of the Underworld finally raised his hand.
"Human… we will make arrangements for you. Until then, you will be treated as an honored guest in this palace."
Arahan stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "Fine."
Soon, he was seated comfortably on a luxurious reclining couch inside a grand chamber. Soft golden light filled the room.
Elegant celestial attendants moved gracefully around him. The atmosphere was calm, almost dreamlike.
The Record Keeper stood nearby, holding a large golden tray filled with various fruits.
One attendant gently offered Arahan slices of fruit.
Two others stood on either side, slowly fanning him with ornate fans.
And the Lord of the Underworld himself stood nearby, pouring a dark, rich drink into Arahan's cup.
The Record Keeper let out a quiet sigh.
"My Lord… with these hands, I have seen you defeat powerful beings and command the depths of the Underworld. But today… I am witnessing you personally serving a human."
Meanwhile, Arahan leaned back, completely at ease. He had never experienced anything like this in his life.
What he had never even imagined on Earth… It is now happening here.
The attendants moved gracefully, some offering comfort, others easing his fatigue with gentle care, and giving his massages.
As the night deepened, Arahan pulled one of the divine attendants closer and adjusted her gently onto his lap.
Outside the chamber, the Lord of the Underworld and the Record Keeper sat together with a massive ancient ledger, flipping through countless pages. Searching for a solution.
"Are you a virgin?" Arahan asked one of the celestial maidens seated in his lap.
"We all are," she replied softly.
Hearing that, Arahan gave her a playful pat and said, "Good. Then tonight, let us leave our virginity behind."
Soon, soft laughter and playful sounds echoed through the chamber, followed by the moaning of Celestial Maidens.
After all, before his death, Arahan had remained a virgin, and in his final moments, that regret had weighed heavily on him.
Now, who could be more fitting than celestial maidens to share such an experience.
As the night passed, the Celestial Maidens' moaning continued, till every one fell asleep.