Chapter 132
At that moment, in the Underworld.
Shaka, the Mid-Level Administrator, had come to Hades's office.
He quietly tilted his teacup before speaking.
"I never expected you to help Lee Suhyeok."
"To think the King of the Underworld would willingly accept such a loss for someone else's sake."
"You really do live long enough to see everything."
At Shaka's usual mocking tone, cold killing intent leaked from Hades.
"A mere Mid-Level Administrator worries quite a lot."
"Who I choose to help is none of your concern."
"If you hadn't come here claiming to deliver the System's message, I would've erased you already."
RUMBLE.
Cracks spread across Shaka's teacup like a spiderweb beneath the crushing killing intent.
Seeing that, Shaka casually placed the cup back on the table as though nothing had happened.
"Well, I don't particularly care."
"All I want is my position."
"As long as he doesn't stray from the path, I have no intention of interfering."
Silence settled for a while.
Eventually, Hades withdrew his killing intent and asked in a low voice,
"So."
"What message does the System have for me?"
"Nothing particularly important."
"It said it would prefer if something like this did not happen again."
"Lee Suhyeok needs to become stronger on his own for now."
"So you're telling me not to provide unnecessary help."
Hades's eyes narrowed.
"How arrogant."
"That didn't sound like the System speaking just now."
Shaka smiled smoothly.
"Hahaha."
"How could I possibly think that?"
"You misunderstand."
Hades pointed toward Shaka's eyes.
"That look."
"You're nothing more than a substitute for that cat, yet you carry yourself as though you've become something important."
"Do you truly believe you are?"
"You may see it that way."
"But before long, that position will belong to me."
"Even if it's only nominal for now..."
"He will choose me in the end."
Hades stared at him.
"You truly believe he'll choose your side?"
"Yes."
"He will."
Shaka's narrow eyes curved.
"Humans are Icaruses who will do anything to uncover the truth."
"He'll struggle desperately to learn it as well."
"And eventually..."
"He'll have no choice but to borrow my hand."
His gaze shifted toward the screen floating in the air.
Lee Suhyeok appeared on it.
"More importantly..."
"Humans are terribly incomplete creatures."
"When they're driven by something like revenge, they'll wager things that make no sense."
"Even if what they're wagering is worth more than their own life."
The implication was obvious.
He was talking about Lee Seha.
Shaka smiled.
"I should thank you as well."
"Things became much easier because Lord Hades handed over Mr. Lee Seha's soul."
Hades's face twisted.
As if it had never been something he'd done willingly.
"You forcibly took it from me."
"Don't speak as though I gave it to you."
"Enough."
"If you've delivered the message, leave."
"If you come here again..."
"I'll erase you whether you're an Administrator or not."
"Hahaha."
"Yes."
"I was planning to leave anyway."
Shaka rose.
Then paused before walking away.
"Ah."
"And before long..."
"Lee Suhyeok will meet ‘him’ again."
"By then, his body should finally be complete enough to withstand that person."
Shaka glanced back.
"Please choose carefully."
"If you wait until that moment to decide..."
"It will already be too late."
Then he disappeared.
Silence returned to the office.
A woman approached from behind and wrapped her arms around Hades.
His wife.
Persephone.
"...He was right about one thing."
"This time was truly dangerous."
"You lost a considerable amount of Rank when Lee Seha's soul was taken from you."
She rested her head against Hades's shoulder and bit her lip.
"If they had decided to make an enemy of you...."
"My husband..."
"Why did you help Lee Suhyeok?"
Hades remained silent for a while.
Then he rose and walked toward the window overlooking the Underworld.
The glass revealed countless hells below.
Humans screamed in agony within each one.
Unable to die.
Forced to continue living through punishment.
These were humans who had committed unimaginable sins.
Those who had brutally murdered and toyed with their own kind.
This was the Underworld.
Hades stared down at them and repeated Shaka's words.
"...As he said."
"Humans are incomplete beings."
"Lee Suhyeok is no different."
"No matter how close to perfect he may appear..."
"He still wavers."
"He still needs somewhere to lean."
The deaths of countless companions had placed the burden and responsibility of regression upon him.
In truth...
It had become a form of coercion.
A belief that because Suhyeok alone survived through regression...
He had no choice but to atone for everyone else's deaths.
Hades gave a faint smile.
On the screen, Suhyeok looked extremely busy dealing with affairs inside the castle.
"That's why I became curious."
"What happens when he finally frees himself from that atonement?"
"How will he change this place then?"
Hades looked away.
"That's all."
Three days passed.
Waven Castle was bustling with soldiers hauling materials and workers repairing the walls.
"Hey!"
"No, that goes over there!"
"Haa, how many times do I have to tell you how this works?!"
At the center of it all was Melk, the dwarf overseeing the construction.
He was known as the greatest master craftsman in the Empire.
And when it came to this kind of work...
He was unquestionably competent.
"What?"
"Grand Duke, you're here?"
"I'm busy, so unless it's urgent, come back la..."
"Hey!"
"Handle that carefully!"
"Do all you northerners have hands this clumsy?!"
"Move! I'll do it myself!"
Melk rolled up his sleeves and rushed toward the men repairing the wall.
His booming voice could be heard even from far away.
Suhyeok smiled faintly and continued walking.
The Points were worth it.
He even reminds me a little of Dolkin.
The repairs were progressing more smoothly than expected.
Completely restoring the fortress was impossible.
But it had already become sturdier than before.
The same was true for the weapons.
"As expected of dwarven blacksmiths."
"I've never used a blade this sharp before."
"Hahaha!"
"You little brat."
"Give me proper materials and I could forge something like this with my eyes closed!"
"Then fix mine too!"
"The edge got completely ruined in the last battle."
"I almost died because of it."
"Kuhahaha!"
"Fine."
"Hand it over."
"I'll take a look."
Once the dwarven blacksmiths arrived, the workshop quickly became crowded.
Soldiers lined up outside.
Even the blacksmiths who had originally lived in Waven Castle became competitive and started working harder.
