[Third Person’s PoV]

Hades glanced at Nico, Bianca, and Lucian before saying, “Let’s go.”

However, Lucian remained where he was, his gaze locked onto a certain goddess.

“Lucian?” Hades called out.

Lucian didn’t respond immediately. Instead, Athena noticed his stare and arched an eyebrow. “What?” she asked.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?” Lucian asked, confused.

“About what exactly?” Athena responded, tilting her head slightly.

Lucian rolled his eyes. “It’s Annabeth’s birthday today. Don’t you want me to give her a message or something? She might not show it, but I know her well enough to say she’d appreciate it a lot.”

Unexpectedly, Athena chuckled. The reaction caught most of them off guard, including Lucian.

Shaking her head, Athena said, “Worry not, I have already sent her my regards. I appreciate you looking after her, even if I disapprove of you.”

Lucian scoffed. “Alright, that last part was unnecessary, Mother-in-law.” He gave her a slight bow, offering the bare minimum of respect. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Athena rolled her eyes at his remark, while Artemis’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Aphrodite, noticing the small frown forming on Artemis’s lips, inwardly cheered. ‘Ooooh~ The drama! She’s upset that Lucian called Athena ‘mother-in-law,’ but she doesn’t even know why it bothers her! Ugh, I live for these moments—they’re the best…’

Lucian, oblivious to any of this, finally turned and followed Hades and his two siblings.

As they exited the throne room and descended the steps, Hades turned to Nico and Bianca. “I have a present waiting for both of you downstairs.”

“You do?” Bianca asked in surprise.

“When you say downstairs, do you mean the Underworld downstairs or outside the building downstairs?” Nico asked skeptically.

“Outside the building downstairs,” Hades clarified.

“What about me? Did you get me a present?” Lucian teased.

Hades scoffed. “I didn’t even know you’d be here.” He then looked at Lucian more seriously. “You could invite Annabeth and your friends. We could throw her a birthday party in the Underworld.”

“You’d seriously do that?” Lucian asked, raising an eyebrow.

Hades shrugged. His expression softened as he gazed into the distance, lost in thought. “The Underworld… it gets lonely without Persephone. And all your mother talks about is you, so I wouldn’t mind the extra company. I’m sure she’d appreciate your visit. Not to mention, she’s also fond of those two girls of yours.”

Lucian sighed, staring at his father. “You are a grown man. Looking cute doesn’t suit you in the slightest.”

Bianca and Nico stifled their laughter, while Hades frowned. “What does that even mean?”

By then, they had reached the lobby of the Empire State Building and stepped outside, where a limousine awaited them.

However, the scene was somewhat unusual—their chauffeur was a full-fledged skeleton.

Hades turned to Nico and Bianca. “I know the two of you lack a proper mode of transport, so I’m gifting you the limo… along with the butler.”

“Awesome…” Nico muttered, his eyes sparkling in wonder. “A limo? We’ll be like VIPs.”

Hades and Lucian both sneered at the same time. “That’s because we are VIPs.”

They exchanged glances and smirked.

Lucian then sighed, his shoulders slumping. “As much as I’d love to join you guys and revel in luxury, I have a commitment to take care of. Enjoy it without me.”

“Aww, seriously?” Nico asked, disappointed. “It won’t be as fun without you.”

Lucian smiled, ruffling Nico’s hair. “Thanks for the compliment.”

Turning to Hades, he added, “I’ll come down with the others in a bit. Just need to set a few things up and finish some business.”

Hades nodded, dismissing him.

Lucian watched as the skeletal butler opened the limo door, allowing Bianca and Nico to climb in first.

Then, sinking into his shadows, Lucian vanished. His form melted into the darkness, weaving between the crowds as he slipped away.

…

Lucian arrived at a nearby park and stepped out of his shadow, clad in full armor, which he restored using his magic.

A soft mist began to spread throughout the park, gradually erasing the presence of people and children, leaving the area eerily silent. As Lucian glanced down, he noticed a single undisturbed path cutting through the mist. Without hesitation, he followed it.

After a few minutes of walking, he reached a large pond with a few benches positioned to overlook the serene waters. On one of those benches reclined a woman who could only be described as the most beautiful in the world—objectively speaking, of course.

Her pink hair cascaded down her back, spilling past her waist, and she was dressed in a flowing pink toga. She lounged sideways on the bench with effortless grace, radiating an aura of pure allure.

As Lucian approached, he noticed something unsettling—her appearance kept shifting, morphing into different women from his life. First, his mother. Then Annabeth. Then Thalia. Even Hecate. And for the briefest of moments… Artemis.

Lucian’s expression darkened. “I’d appreciate it if you stopped doing that.” His voice was cold.

Aphrodite chuckled, a teasing glint in her eyes. “I’ll try, but you have such a big heart, little brother. How does it manage to hold so much love and care for the women around you?”

“It holds just as much hatred for my enemies,” Lucian replied indifferently.

Aphrodite giggled behind her hand. “Ah, that is true. Those who experience the greatest love can also experience the deepest hatred.” She tilted her head. “But first things first, little brother—why the armor?”

“First, stop calling me that. We’re not close. Second, to protect my chastity.” Lucian sneered.

Aphrodite rolled her eyes and sighed. “As much as you try to paint me as a villain, I’m not a monster. I would never go after someone underage.” She smirked. “Maybe in a few years, when you’re a proper adult, we can revisit the discussion.” She winked playfully.

She then waved dismissively. “You can relax. I’m not here to attack you. And even if I were, your armor wouldn’t do much against a goddess.”

Lucian eyed her for a few seconds before shrugging and dismissing his armor. Running a hand through his hair, he exhaled heavily. “Alright, what do you want, Aphrodite?”

“To satisfy my curiosity, of course~” she said with a wide grin.

Lucian gave her a blank stare. “No, I won’t go out with you. I hope that satisfies your curiosity.” Without another word, he turned on his heel and started walking away.

Yet, after only a few steps, he found himself back where he started—standing in front of Aphrodite as she lounged on the bench, watching him with an amused expression.

She arched an eyebrow. “You sure have a high opinion of yourself, don’t you? That’s not what I wanted to know.”

Her eyes glowed softly, and in the next instant, Lucian found himself within her grasp, her fingers gently tilting his chin upward so their eyes met.

“Besides,” she whispered in a sultry tone, “if I truly wanted to have you, you wouldn’t stand a chance, little brother~”

A faint heat crept into Lucian’s cheeks. But before Aphrodite could savor her victory, her amusement turned to surprise.

A scythe was suddenly wrapped around her neck.

Lucian’s face was still close to hers, their foreheads nearly touching. His crimson eyes burned with something twisted—something unstable. A grin spread across his lips, exposing his sharp canines.

“Go ahead,” he murmured, his voice laced with dark amusement. “Twist my emotions. Make me fall so deeply in love with you that I can’t live without you. Because that might be your only salvation.”

He leaned in even closer, his breath ghosting over her skin. “Come on. Act first—or I will~”

His voice carried an unnatural allure, laced with a charm that even a goddess would recognize.

“Wouldn’t it be thrilling?” he mused, his tone almost affectionate. “A battle of will and emotion. Let’s see—will your power be strong enough to make me love you? Or will my desire to see your ichor stain my blade win instead?”

Lucian grasped her wrist and placed her hand over his heart.

“Love and insanity aren’t so different, you know,” he whispered, his scythe pressing ever so slightly against her neck. “In fact… they might just be the same thing. So go on. Test it.”

For a long moment, Aphrodite simply stared at him. Then, with a sigh, she waved a hand, and in the blink of an eye, Lucian was standing a safe distance away, his scythe no longer wrapped around her throat.

Lucian frowned, disappointment flashing in his eyes. “Coward,” he scoffed. “And here I was curious to see if you could actually do it.”

Aphrodite merely chuckled as she sat up, resting her elbow on the bench and propping her chin on her palm. Tilting her head, she smirked.

“I see… part of my question has been answered.” Her pink eyes gleamed. “You don’t just dislike me, little brother. No, no, no. You despise me.” Her voice was laced with satisfaction. “And that level of hatred can only come from something personal.”

Her smile widened. “Now I’m dying to know—what did I do to make you hate me so much?”

Lucian’s crimson eyes glowed as his lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile.

“You’re dying to know?” he repeated.

Aphrodite nodded, clearly expecting an answer.

Lucian’s grin widened.

“Then die ignorant.”

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