I sighed as I looked around at my bedroom that I had just renovated but still had no humanity. I brought back a few boxes of things from the old room in my mother's palace, but mostly books and trinkets. Even there, I never had much time – or interest – to accumulate decorative stuff. I just love books.

My entire collection—philosophy, history, fiction, and science—has left almost no trace on the bookcase installed for me. At least I have enough time to expand it now.

I put aside a freshly dressed photograph, taken before I left my mother's palace. In uniform were Danae and I, and my mother stood between us, her arms around our shoulders. I immediately decided to put it on my desk to help remind me of – at all times – who I really am.

I'm not sure being a Pluto lady will make me unrecognizable, but it doesn't hurt to take a precaution or two.

"Is that your mother?"

I was startled, almost fell out of bed, and hurriedly turned to see who it was.

Melinoe stood in the doorway, still barefoot, but now wearing only a short white silk robe. I'm sure that's all she wears, because it's just a little bit transparent. Her head was tilted to the side, and her black eyes shone with an eerie glow.

I held my breath, convinced my heart to stop, and nodded. "Yes, yes, and my sister Danae. Do you want to see it? I motioned for her to join me.

She glides gracefully across the floor – I use the word "gliding" very carefully because I'm not entirely sure her bare feet are actually touching the floor – and curls up on the bed next to me like a cat. She tucked her legs under her and took the picture from me to examine it.

While she did, I sorted out some of the other items I brought back. The dagger that Danae had used in his training was given to me when I began my own training; A picture of me and Michelle when we were sixteen with our arms around each other's shoulders, and we both laughed as I rubbed his hair with my fists; two toy pegasus, one yellow and one blue; Finally, there are some stuffed animals, including a worn-out stuffed griffin that has been my companion since I was five years old.

I hugged the griffin—its name, perhaps inevitablely, the griff—and smiled at myself.

"Have you raised him for a long time?" Melinoe asked, carefully setting the picture aside.

"From small to large."

"I've never had a lot of toys," she said calmly. "My father didn't think it was appropriate. Mother and grandmother secretly stuffed me into some small things, but ...... I think my father meant that when I grew up, I would take over the Avatar's place from my mother when I was old enough. She sighed softly. But live here, in the underworld...... It changed me. Let me...... Larger than life. ”

She looked up into my eyes, and this time I didn't allow myself to flinch from her strange blank gaze. "When I grew up and learned what I could do, my father's plan for me was over. I don't think he ever really forgave me. ”

"For what?" I asked, slightly closer to her.

"Mom is dead," she said simply. "Of course, it's not my fault. But if I wasn't who I am now, I would have replaced her decades ago, and she shouldn't have died, you see. ”

"But you might," I protested, my heart aching for her.

Melinoe nodded. "Yes, I probably have. But the Father loved the Mother more than all creation. Even me. ”

I think I can understand that, but it's still a scary thing for her, and I don't know how – or even if I can – help her. So I changed the course of the subject. "So, you haven't even eaten a stuffed animal?"

She shook her head. "No, I never have. Anyway, I'm here to tell you that I'll be staying in the other bedroom of the suite. Hope you don't mind your roommates. I'm quiet and I don't snore...... Also, it's easier to work together that way. ”

"I don't mind at all," I said. "After so many years of training with other demigods, I'm not used to having so much space for myself."

She giggled, and a rusty sound reminded me of the sound a handsaw made when played as an instrument. "I think I could sleep on you then, you won't notice."

"I'd make a very bumpy mattress," I shot back, feeling as if I had some kind of connection with her. From the way she looked at me – with an open, vulnerable expression – I suspect I might be one of the few people who treats her like a "normal" person, and not just a disturbing, weird muse. One could be ...... Friends of the people.

Impulsively, I pulled Griff in front of her. "Here it is. He's also quiet, but he doesn't eat much, and he's good at driving away nightmares. ”

She blinked a few times, hesitantly took the stuffed animal from my hand, and held him carefully. It's like she's afraid he'll break or disappear. "But...... I have nightmares......"

I laughed. "That's right. But I bet you have too. Hug him. He'll help. ”

She hugged him to her chest and gave me a shy smile, which was so normal and joyful that it was worth giving up my oldest stuffed animal friend to see. I think I saw a hint of purple iris appear in her eyes, just a thin ring of color in black. "Thank you, my lady."

"Talia," I said. "Please call me Talia. Can I call you Mel? ”

A tear slipped down her cheek, and she nodded shyly. "I ...... I've never had a nickname ......"

I almost fell out of bed, but she jumped up and hugged me tightly, then disappeared out of the room, wiping her eyes as she went. I took care of her, hoping I didn't offend her and was sure I didn't offend her.

Contrary...... I'm sure I've just made a new friend.

The next morning proved how right I was. Dressed in a fresh black mini dress and leotard, and my new armor, I came out of the room...... Stopped, blinked in surprise.

Overnight, all floors except around the fire pit and the kitchen were covered with a soft, tightly woven carpet. It's almost the same color as the stone, but somehow makes the room feel warmer and more welcoming. The walls—where they are not obscured by bookcases—are covered with paintings; The idyllic scenery, the Olympus paintings in the distance, the abstract oriental designs, reminded me of some of the things from the anime series I loved, and so on.

Melinoeux was in the kitchen, again dressed in the same clothes as me, but with a gold belt, bracers, and necklace instead of armor. And, of course, when she moved from one burner to another, she was still barefoot, making breakfast. No matter what she was doing, it smelled good and my stomach was growling.

She saw me with a wide, toothy, Cheshire cat smile that I would have found unsettling the day before. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's usually reserved when she's about to slit someone's throat...... But the warmth behind it this morning is undeniable. "Good morning! I'm not sure what you like, so I made pancakes, waffles, bacon and sausages, as well as fresh fruit, juice and four different types of cereal......"

I smiled and sat down on the stool at the breakfast bar. "That's too much for two people!"

She shrugged. "I asked my father if he wanted to go with him, and he refused. We could eat leftovers whenever we wanted. She smiled again, this time with a more natural, charming shy smile I had seen the night before, and there must have been a thin purple iris in her shiny black eyes. I slept well and Griff was there for me the whole time. Thank you. He said a lot of very flattering things to you. ”

I'm not sure she's serious about that last point. "You're welcome. Did you make the carpets and paintings? I didn't realize there was a silent high-speed embellishment in your portfolio," I teased gently.

She giggled and nodded. "The home staff installed it overnight. I hope it's okay. I'm not sure what really works in the room, but I think it will make you feel more like home. ”

Housekeeping, right? I guess UnseenServants are more practical and useful than I expected. "It all looked great and really made the room feel more homely. Thank you. Is breakfast ready? ”

"Now!"

"Then let's eat. I think we have a lot of things to do today. Please give me pancakes and bacon. ”

"You know," she slid a plate in front of me and pointed an orange next to it as she spoke, "I'm not sure I'm going to like you." I thought you'd ...... "unequivocally behind."

"You think I can't see you," I said, using my insight to prove that everything is worth it. "I just want to meet the fairy Melinoère, the muse of nightmares and madness, and treat you accordingly."

She nodded.

I laughed. "Mom made sure I learned to look at people's hearts, not just their looks. Never judge a book by its cover, and never judge a person by their clothes,' she would say to me. ”

Mel giggled. It really doesn't sound like what she's used to doing. "Well, I'm glad she did."

I looked at the orange and made a joke. "Isn't it a pomegranate?"

She grimaced. "I don't like them. Also, Griff told me that oranges are your favorite. ”

"They are." I wonder how she found out. "And I don't think I blame you."

She snorted, but laughed anyway. "Those old stories...... Some of them are very wrong. ”

We finished eating, cleaned up the leftovers together, and loaded them into the fridge, which seemed to run on electricity but wasn't plugged in to anything. Then we walked down the hall to my ...... Our...... Office. It was about the same as when I left the day before, except that all the dust was gone, the lights were installed, and several filing cabinets had been delivered.

We stood together in the doorway, staring at the stacks of scrolls, envelopes, folders, and loose papers piled high on the table, all over the floor.

Mel sighed. "That's a lot of unfiled paperwork."

"How much needs direct attention? I guess a lot of them are too old and can only be archived? I asked, trying to suppress the desperation we felt staring at the pile.

"I'm not sure, really." She looked at me. "What do you want to do first?"

We collectively stared at the stakes in horror for a moment before I took a deep breath and spit it out. "Let's start with the age of figuring everything out. Anything older than a few years may not be so urgent anymore. Recent things are at the top of the queue, and we can keep an eye out for exceptions as we go. ”

"So we categorized everything by time it arrived," Mel concluded, "and we went from there." A brilliant plan. Let's go. ”

Four hours later, when we took a break for lunch, we barely had any noticeable dents left in the pile. My assessment was wrong...... It's not just a mess, it's a disaster zone.

"This," I said, holding up the scroll I had just unfolded, "from Pompeii. Obviously, they need a fire elemental to take care of. It settled on Mount Vesuvius and caused problems. ”

Mel sat on her heels and shook her head. "It was shortly after my mother died. No one investigated at the time. ”

We all fell silent, leaving the man deep in thought. Before we get to work on the paperwork, I really don't know how important Hades' Avatar position really is. When I think about the thousands of people who died in the Pompeii eruption, I finally began to understand. At least, I think I did.

"It's fun," I finally said, wanting to break the dark emotions that have befallen us.

"What's that?"

"You don't look that old."

Mel blinked in surprise, then began to giggle. This time it sounds more natural than before...... A less crazy serial killer, an even more harmless stalker. "Why thank you," she said with a giggle. "I think this is the first compliment on me in a long time. I don't really feel old...... Most of the time, I still feel like a teenager. It's fun to be immortal like this. ”

"You do look like a teenager." I stood up, stretched, arched my back, and listened to its crackling. I've been sitting for too long. "Lunch?"

"Sandwiches?"

I nodded. "Sounds good."

"What do you like?" She also stood up and stretched.

"Ham and Swiss food, and some lettuce and mayonnaise if we have them."

She smiled slowly, and the day before would ask me to make sure I didn't have a knife on hand. Now it just looks naughty to me. It's interesting to see how much of a difference it will make one day. "No problem. I'll be right back. ”

She took a step forward, seemed to become a blur, and then disappeared with a soft "thud" as the air poured into the place she had just occupied.

With a sigh, I turned around and went back to my desk...... I was surprised to find a man standing next to me. He was taller than me, but not as tall as Hades, and wore a black robe with a heavy hood. His face was pale and haggard, with dark eyes and thick eyebrows, and he was on a pitch-black wooden staff. He reminded me deeply of Christopher Lee, and I knew him immediately.

Charon transported the souls of the dead to the rivers Styx and Archeron.

He bowed politely. "I'm sorry to surprise you, Lady Pluto," he said in a rich, pleasant baritone. He even sounds like Christopher Lee.

"It's okay," I said, bowing in return. "What honor is it for you to visit me?"

"When I heard that you had taken over your office," I could hear him using the word "office" as a proper noun, and his voice was well trained, "I thought perhaps you would be willing to let me bend your ears and take a plead for me." ”

"I'm always willing to listen," I said diplomatically. "If there's anything that needs his attention, I will."

Charon nodded in understanding. "You're wonderful, Ms. Pluto. It's a trifle, really, but very close to my heart. You see, I miss receiving coins from the souls of the dead as a reward. ”

I changed the mental gear. "Excuse me?"

"Coin, Lady Pluto," he said mildly, just a little shy, probably realizing that the comment caught me off guard. "As you know, the traditional practice is to pay for a person's crossing of the Styx and Archeron with coins. However, these days, people are accustomed to using paper money and ...... credit to trade. He said his last words with such disgust that his disdain was almost tangible. Frankly, the payment problem is not as surprisingly uninteresting as modern money. ”

I wouldn't be surprised if a light bulb actually appeared above my head. "You're a numismatician!"

He bowed slightly. "Definitely. Collecting all the different coins that the souls of the dead brought me was one of my greatest pleasures. He sighed wistfully. All the different values, the materials, the things that are cast. In addition to its obvious importance, this is what makes me so interested in my work. ”

"Now they're bringing credit cards and banknotes," I said.

"Something that has no intrinsic value and interest to me," he nodded in agreement.

"I believe I understand the problem," I said. "Job satisfaction is very important. I'm not sure what I can do, but I'll think about it and get Hades' attention. ”

Charon bowed deeply. "That's all I ask of you, Ms. Pluto. I thank you. ”

"Would you consider accepting stamps?" I asked curiously. "I've heard they can be very unusual. Or maybe some other kind of collectible? ”

"I think about it from time to time, but I'm worried that it will set a bad precedent," Charon said thoughtfully. "I remember a ticket a few years ago when he gave me a Star Trek commemorative disk...... I remember he had just been run over by a bus at a science fiction convention. I felt sorry for him, it was more like Star Trek, so I took it...... But it has no intrinsic value in itself, and frankly, I don't know what to do with it. It's sitting under a potted plant right now, and it's depreciating as we speak. ”

I resisted the urge to laugh and managed to respond with the corresponding gravity. "Yes, I know how complicated things can get if you start accepting other things."

He nodded. "Qual." There was a soft thump behind me, and he laughed. "Hello, Melinoë. It's great to see you smiling again. ”

"Hello, Charon!" Mel said loudly behind me. "I have a friend!"

Charon gave me a slightly surprised look followed by a warm smile. "I see. Congratulations, dear. ”

"Thank you!" Mel replied.

He bowed to me again. "I know you have a lot on your plate, Lady Pluto. I'm not going to take up your time anymore on your little issues. ”

"It's not a small matter at all," I said firmly. "As I said, job satisfaction is very important."

"I'm glad you understand. I think you'll do well in your new role. He bowed again. Have a nice afternoon, ladies. He took a step back, and the vague and thudding sound that Mel had gone with it disappeared was gone.

"Can anyone intervene at any time?" I asked Mel.

She shook her head as she walked up to me. "Only the existence that belongs to Hades' men. Where did you end up when you went to visit Athena? ”

"Visitor foyer......" I nodded, understood. It's neat. ”

"Yes," she agreed, and picked up a bag from Subway. "Lunch!"

I looked at the bag, first startled, then amused. "Did you go to Subway for lunch?"

"Of course!" She carefully cleared the space on the table and began to unpack the food and drinks. "I mean, no matter how hard we try to make it work, JimmyJohn just can't deliver here. While I may be a fair person at breakfast, it tends to get quite weird when I eat sandwiches. I make them. ”

Somehow, it's a good fit. I'm not quite sure why. It just did.

After lunch, we went back to sorting out and cleaning up the papers. Many of them, like those of Pompeii, are of great historical significance to the right people. For example, unfortunately, like me. Several times throughout the afternoon, I was distracted by finding a document written by a celebrity, or about a historical event that the Avatar would see.

For example: I spent almost 10 minutes asking Mel about a set of papers in very old Gaelic forms that appeared to have been written by Merlin herself.

"Is this really his handwriting?" I asked, feeling a little dazed. I always knew he was a real person, but I actually had what he held in my hands......

"Oh yes," Mel said, from where she started sorting things into filing cabinets, using some criteria that I didn't recognize. I think it may have something to do with the age, composition, and color of the paper. "I've never had anything to do with him personally, but I know my father does, and I'm sure he consulted with your mother once or twice."

"Amazing..."

Another example: in the middle of the afternoon, Mel handed me a folder labeled "Bacchus".

"I think you'd like to see that for yourself," she said. "This is a pending case and it is still relatively new."

"Bacchus?" I asked, holding the papers. "Like the incarnation of Dionysus?" I open the file with my jaw open. "John Belusi?"

"Oh yes. He's a famous comedian, isn't he? ”

I nodded. "I think he died in 1982. Died from an overdose of poison, or something like that. ”

"Overdose? Bacchus? Mel gave me an amused look. That seems unlikely, doesn't it? ”

I smiled unconsciously as I flipped through the papers. "I think so. It's weird, though. There is a coroner's testimonial, but it says that his soul was never collected. Here is a piece of paper listing some of the work he did for Dionysus, but the most recent date is August 2002. ”

"Pretty agile for a dead man," Mel chuckled. "I bet Dionysus had to complete a difficult task and Bacchus had to disappear from sight. Letting him 'die' from an overdose is just someone's strange sense of humor. ”

"Probably his own. Sounds a bit like him. I looked at the file with a frown. According to this, he was last seen in Colombia in 2002. I closed the file and placed it on one of the two piles on the table that were slowly getting bigger. I'd better talk to Dionysus. If his soul needs to be collected, that's my job, right? ”

"That's right."

That's it. By the time we had rested for dinner, we had barely finished a quarter of a large pile of old papers. At the very least, we managed to make the rest look more organized.

Or maybe it's already organized. Mel seems to know where everything is located in the stacks of papers and filing cabinets. I had a feeling that I would rely heavily on her to keep me organized.

Later that night, when I went to bed, I was exhausted, and I had decided that I would prefer field work to office work, except for taking off my armor and miniskirt.