"What?"
The next day, Zeus, in the God King's Hall on Olympus, looked at Hades in the sacred fire and asked in surprise,
"You want a vacation?"
"What's wrong? Can't I?"
Hades, in the sacred fire, retorted,
"Ever since you destroyed the humans of the Silver Age, we in the Underworld have been cleaning up your messes, while you and Poseidon often have free time to go around seducing and having children. What? The gods on Olympus can take vacations, but I, Hades, the King of the Underworld, don't deserve one?"
"Of course not."
Zeus thought to himself that he wished Hades would be out of the Underworld during this time, and he replied,
"Go on vacation if you want, but Persephone is unwell in body and mind and is not suitable to follow you around. She must remain in the Underworld."
"That's for sure. I've already discussed it with Demeter. Although Persephone has become Queen of the Underworld, she and I are not in a marital relationship. She doesn't interfere with my private life, and I won't interfere with hers. If she takes a liking to anyone in the future, she's free to pursue them."
Hades said,
"I've also made arrangements here in the Underworld. Just send Persephone over for recuperation."
"Alright, alright."
Zeus nodded repeatedly. After cutting off communication with Hades, he immediately ordered Hermes to send the dejected Persephone to the Underworld.
When the divine messenger arrived in the Underworld, crossing the River Acheron, he happened to meet Hades in the Fields of Truth, who was about to leave the Underworld to go on vacation.
When Hermes saw the King of the Underworld, he was not wearing his usual oppressive black robe, nor was he wearing the crown symbolizing his authority as King of the Underworld. He didn't even have his divine artifact, the bident, with him. However, by his side, there was a beautiful Nymphs in a plain white dress with long gray hair.
"Uncle."
Upon seeing Hades, Hermes greeted him and said,
"I have brought the Queen of the Underworld."
"Hmm."
Hades glanced at Persephone but did not linger long on the beautiful blonde goddess. He merely smiled at Persephone like an elder and then said,
"Persephone, come in. I have already had Hypnos and Thanatos prepare your palace. From now on, this is your home. If you get tired of staying here, you can also return to your mother's side. Just say the word, and Charon will ferry you across the river, and Cerberus will not stop you. Hmm, but considering your situation, you must still stay here for four months each year, understand?"
Under Hades' gentle voice, Persephone slowly let go of her fear and nodded slightly.
"Uncle."
Seeing Hades finish speaking and prepare to leave, holding the hand of the woman beside him, Hermes quickly called out to him and then probed on behalf of Zeus,
"If you leave, how will the Underworld operate? Will Persephone take over?"
"Alas, Persephone is here to recuperate. How can I make her work?"
Hades waved his hand magnanimously and said,
"Don't worry, I have many capable deities under my command. They will continue to work after I leave. Thanatos and Hypnos will be responsible for reaping the souls of the deceased, Charon will continue to ferry them, and the three judges sent by Zeus will continue the work of judging souls in my stead."
"But what if they become negligent?"
Hermes pressed on relentlessly,
"This is no small matter. If the balance of life and death is disturbed and the dead return to the human world, there will be major problems in the world."
So you know this is no small matter.
Hades secretly scoffed, but on the surface, he put on an elder's dignified demeanor, waved his hand at Hermes, and then said,
"Alright, alright. Since I'm leaving, I've certainly arranged for someone to supervise their work. Hermes, as a chief god of Olympus, don't concern yourself with things outside your jurisdiction. Look, the Lamphades have come to pick up Persephone. Let's go, don't disturb her rest."
With that, Hades reached out and pressed Hermes' shoulder, then pushed him towards the exit of the Underworld.
As mentioned before, Hermes was a lightweight compared to other chief gods; his total divine power couldn't even compare to Aphrodite, who was widely known as the "vase of the gods." This is also why he had to ask his old father Zeus for help if he wanted a night of passion with the Goddess of Beauty.
And Hades, the King of the Underworld, was someone even Zeus and Poseidon feared. Even other chief gods would be awed by the terrifying aura of death emanating from him, let alone Hermes.
When Hades' hand rested on his shoulder, Hermes felt as if he had been grabbed by the hair by Death himself. He felt as if Hades only needed to exert a little force, and he would be forever trapped in the Underworld.
His hands and feet turned cold, as if he had fallen into an ice cave. He dared not utter a single word of defiance to Hades. He was led by the King of the Underworld, walking directly over the waves of the River Acheron, out of the Hell Gate, and away from the Underworld.
"Alright, Hermes, go back to Olympus."
Standing at the Hell Gate, Hades smiled at Hermes and said,
"Tell Zeus that everything is well in the Underworld. Tell him there's no need to worry about these things."
Hermes turned his head, looking at his smiling uncle, and then at the terrifying beast crouching behind the Hell Gate. He swallowed, ultimately not daring to enter the Underworld again to probe, but instead transformed into a gust of wind and returned to the heavens.
...
Meanwhile, under the guidance of a group of Lamphades, Nymphss of the Underworld, Persephone, now nominally the Queen of the Underworld, was invited by them to the center of the Underworld.
From afar, the golden-haired goddess of seeds saw the immense black palace towering over the boundless barren lands of the Underworld, situated between Elysium and Tartarus. The grandeur of the entire palace was no less than that of the temples on Olympus. However, compared to Olympus, this black palace only filled Persephone with a sense of coldness and desolation.
She was led into this black palace by a group of Underworld Nymphs holding blue candle flames. Along the way, she encountered many skeletal soldiers clad in heavy armor, wielding great axes or sharp blades. These were Hades' ghostly army. After passing through layers of undecorated corridors within the black palace, Persephone finally arrived at the center of the Underworld's black palace, which had once been Hades' ruling hall.
"Please enter, esteemed Queen of the Underworld." As they arrived before the royal hall, an Underworld Nymph whispered to her, "The Regent of the Underworld, temporarily governing on behalf of His Majesty Hades, is waiting for you inside."
Two Lamphades blew a chilling wind, pushing open the doors of the royal hall for her. As Persephone entered the royal hall under their guidance, she saw the purple-haired goddess holding a bident, seated with crossed legs on Hades' black throne.
She had the figure of a young girl, wearing a long black dress and a black transparent veil over her face. Yet, this attire only added to her allure.
Looking at Persephone, Hecate, seated on Hades' throne, rose with a smile and softly said to her,
"Welcome to the Underworld, dear Queen of the Underworld Persephone. I am the Goddess of the Dark Moon Hecate, temporarily acting as Regent of the Underworld on behalf of Hades. Let us get along well from now on."