Chapter 73 - [Bonus ] The Insane Man

"Huh…?"

"We're… alive?"

The heads of Nebarius looked at each other with great difficulty. Living in the underworld for some time has made them aware that 'dying' in that realm would make them disappear from the face of reality.

Being conscious, obviously, he's not 'dead' yet. Once this realization sunk in, he looked around to find himself in a place he's seen before but had never been into.

It's the palace's Recovery Room.

Medications are unnecessary in the world of the dead. As long as they are dead, they are part of the realm. Only if the realm itself collapses do they 'die' entirely. And this realm is Hades himself. If he wills it, all will die.

He and the other masters have the capability to 'kill' in the realm of the dead. No matter how strong one is, they cannot kill what is already dead. Even if the dead are shredded to their very cells, they would only need more time to recover.

That's why Hades and his family hold the utmost authority in the UnderWorld. Nebarius, who is quite aware of this, found Joren to be ignorant and may anger any of their masters.

"Nebarius, you're strong. To wake up a few hours after being beaten by Lady Allecto, that's something to be proud of."

"Osmin…?" Nebarius recalls this old woman who has been the 'doctor' of the underworld for the longest time.

A certified witch, Osmin, the Cruel Caretaker.

"So… I'm alive?" proud smiles could be seen appear on his three beaks, "I knew time was about up when I lost consciousness…!" he momentarily forgot the pain he was enduring as a rush of adrenaline shot within his body, letting him clench his fist.

"You survived not because of your own strength," Osmin replied as she sat on top of the cabinet.

This made Nebarius laugh. But this laugh was not out of joy.

"I know, Lady Allecto has only been playing with me… if not for that, she could've killed me the first strike."

"You underestimate yourself too much. At least, you could handle a strike from Lady Allecto." Osmin said as she had personally seen Nebarius' strength when the war between humans and monsters occurred long ago.

"No, no… it is you who underestimate the Furies. They stand on the same plane as the Gods."

"Don't lecture me. I know all of it. However, I'll take your word. I'm cocooned here so I haven't experienced any of their powers. A shame I can no longer go outside and see my disciples…" Osmin sighed before going back to the topic, "I'm getting derailed but it's not just because of Lady Allecto's whims that you're alive right now."

"O-oh…?"

"It's because of the strange and… quite ominous undead, Joren Vierei."

"What!? How did that guy's name come here?" Nebarius frowned before Osmin told him what happened, making his eyes wide and jaw drop…

"He… he really did that? That's plain insanity..!"

"Insanity, indeed. He left the realm of stupidity. However, that's not the extent of his power." Osmin took her staff that has a small skull attached to the end of it and caressed the skull. This skull was terrifying as it has many teeth.

Nebarius saw the skull and remembered something bitter so he kept his mind out of it and asked, "What do you mean by that's not the extent of his power?"

"Oh, it's not now for sure, though, it's not far in the future as well. Let's just say he is Fated."

"Fated!? Like before Hercules became God?!" Nebarius almost stood from the bedding.

"Indeed" Osmin nodded.

"Does the Lord knows of this!?"

"Yes, it's already been more than a century since I've told him that he will be visited by another extraordinary being."

"Is… that why the Lord has been accepting of that lesser undead!?"

"Not really" Osmin shook her head.

"So, what is it, damn hag!?"

Bonk*

"I'm still young!" the staff stretched out to hit Nebarius on each of his heads, "Although not on the level of Cerberus, the Lord can be forgetful sometimes. Days ago, he came back here and remembered I have prophesized a century ago."

"... does that mean the Lord is in favor of that undead?"

"No, of course not. The Lord is just interested in what I said." Osmin weirdly smiled.

"What did you say?"

"I said that Joren Vierei will run amok once he enters the UnderWorld."

Nebarius was greatly confused as to how that weak lesser undead cause the littlest ruckus in the underworld, "But what about the thing about him getting married to the Furies?"

To this, Osmin laughed.

"That was just a farce! Are you blind, why would the Lord let the Furies be married to a lesser undead when he himself can't touch them!?"

"Hey, Osmin!" Nebarius glared at the witch, "Watch how you word out your thoughts. You're making it seem like the Lord has some thoughts towards the Furies! He's like a father to them!"

"Oh, you are so blind, Nebarius! How do you use those three pairs of eyes of yours!?" Osmin continuously hit the underworld commander, making him pop a lot of nerves in irritation, "Just like his little brother, the God of Gods, the Lord is a lustful being. All men are! They want to be the best, eat the most delicious food, and own the most beautiful women! As long as one has power, they would want the most for themselves!"

"Are you not afraid that the Lord will hear this!? We haven't seen in a long time, now that you've turned into a hag, your mind has turned senile as well!"

"If that's your attitude, I feel like not talking now! This is the only time that I could share this with someone and now this someone is being such an ass!"

"Language!"

After some arguing, the two settled down and went back to the topic.

"If what you say is true, then the Lord should've already taken the Furies into his wives a long time ago." Nebarius is the underworld general. After some little time had passed, he had gradually regained his strength.

"It's because he can't, my dear Nebarius. Can't you remember who are the Furies mother?"

"... the Primordial Goddess of Night, Nyx?"

"Zeus is scared of Nyx and even Poseidon and Hades as well. Nyx hates men after meeting up with toxic men such as Tartarus, Eros, and even Uranus."

'They're all siblings…' Nebarius thought but didn't say it out loud, 'Also, isn't Uranus wedded to Gaia?'

"No matter what world, it's ruled by men. That's why Nyx have no choice but to choose the 'lesser' evil, Hades and entrusted him with her daughters." Osmin's voice got rougher them more they talk, "... to summarize it, Nyx does not want any of her daughters to be touched by any men, even Hades does not dare."

Nebarius gulped.

"So then, what happens if a man touched any of the Furies?"

"Nyx will sense their purity disappearing and will come to persecute both man and woman for going against her words."

Nebarius went pale from listening to Osmin's explanation. These are the primordial beings they are talking about, they are in the realm of legends.

"So… then, the Lord is just playing with the lesser undead. But what is the Lord's plan with that man?"

"So ungrateful, Nebarius, how can you call your savior, lesser undead and that man?" Osmin sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"Are your ears also deaf? Didn't I tell you earlier about the reasons you're alive right now? One is due to Lady Allecto's whims and the second is Joren Vierei."

Nebarius got a little distracted earlier so he forgot about it.

"The actions Joren did which I told you earlier was to stall time and save you. Do you get it now? Did you hit you're head? I thought you already understood this from the beginning already!"

"No, no!" Nebarius shook his heads, "What? Why would he do that!? Does he not sense that I hate his guts!? How could he go that far for me!?"

"I thought we were on the same page…" Osmin slowly shook her head, "That's why I told you that he left the realm of stupidity. Only an insane man would go that far for someone he's not even acquainted with!"

"Ah… him talking to Lady Allecto like that sound pretty insane to me already…"

Nebarius' felt his world go upside down. He felt tremendous guilt that heaves his chest.

"That's all I want to say… Nebarius. You can go now."

Osmin, still sitting atop the cabinet, used the skull of her stick to open the door of the Recovery Room.

"What… what am I going to do with this knowledge?"

"I don't know. I just wanted to chat." Osmin raised the edge of her lips, "It's been so long since we've last met."

"Tsk! You could've started by asking how I am." Nebarius shivered, "I feel like I shouldn't have learned any of this."

"Krahahaha! Partly, I don't want to be the only one to bear this weight. You could either thank me or blame me." Osmin picked her nose before shouting, "Now get out of here before I tell you about the UnderWorld's destruction and who's responsible for it!"

"Don't tell me! What if the Lord begin suspecting me!?"

Nebarius then ran out in panic before the Recovery Room's door shut closed for it to open again in the future again.