When I came to, the first thing I saw before my eyes was a cave immersed in pitch-black darkness.
But what was strange was that, even though it was a dark cave, everything looked bright and clear as if I were standing under broad daylight. That part alone was baffling.
“What… what’s going on? I clearly….”
My last memory was that I had been scuba diving in the Mediterranean off Italy, and then I lost consciousness in an accident.
While I was trying to pull myself together through the confusion, I heard someone approaching.
Step, step, step.
Since whoever was coming might possibly be the one who rescued me, I kept only my body tense and stared toward the direction of the sound.
The one who approached was a sturdy man with black hair and black eyes, carrying a slightly gloomy, somber air about him.
The black-haired man was not holding any weapon.
If so, then even if he was dangerous, I had learned martial arts for quite a long time—if he wasn’t a professional, I was confident I could run.
While I stared at him with tension, the man stopped a few steps away and spoke.
“You’re finally awake, brother. I thought perhaps you’d been killed by Father after coming in. You kept your eyes shut like a shy new bride and wouldn’t wake for so long.”
I couldn’t help but feel absurd at the black-haired man’s words.
What was he even saying?
Just a moment ago, I had been scuba diving in the sea. Suddenly he’s claiming I was eaten by my father?
“Ah… looks like you still haven’t grasped the situation. We were eaten by Father Kronos, and we live inside his stomach now.”
At the word “Kronos” from the black-haired man’s mouth, something flashed across my mind.
‘Greek and Roman mythology….’
“Hm… seems you have some idea as well, brother. Are you now recalling the memory of being swallowed? Well, our divine bloodlines are strong from birth, so I suppose it can’t be helped. Of course, I’ve only witnessed three besides you so far.”
* * *
I had assumed the man talking to me was someone older.
But as my eyes adjusted to the darkness and everything became bright to me, what I saw was the face of quite a young boy—almost a pretty boy.
And when I checked my own body, I, too, had the body of a boy.
“What’s your name?”
“Hm? My name? Well… no one has ever given me one. I don’t particularly have a name.”
I nodded at the black-haired boy’s answer.
“I see. And one more thing. Do you always talk like some old man?”
The black-haired boy flinched the moment I pointed out his way of speaking.
He must have known something was off.
And from my own memory, the children of Kronos and Rhea—first was Hestia, second Hera, third Demeter or maybe Hades, and the last was Poseidon. So this black-haired boy was almost certainly Hades.
Anyone could see that before I arrived here, he must have been the youngest or second youngest, and yet already….
And if Hades was in front of me, the other sisters—and perhaps brothers—must be somewhere too.
“Ahem. That’s because before you arrived, I was the only male among our siblings, so I had to display an air of dignity. After all, I must be the one to lead you.”
I snorted, now fully convinced that the black-haired boy, though nameless, was indeed Hades.
“Oh please. We can’t even leave Kronos’ stomach, so what dignity are you talking about? Before that, how about finding a way to get out of here first, my lord.”
I mocked him as if laughing at him.
I didn’t know the exact personality of Hades in mythology, but seeing that even a divine being, no matter how young, behaved just like modern humans was pretty funny.
Well—I did know that the gods of Greek mythology were basically the same as humans, but seeing a little brat showing off without understanding a thing was a hilarious sight.
Of course, judging by the situation, I was practically a newborn god myself, so a third party would probably think we were just little kids playing house.
Maybe because my mocking irritated him, the gloomy look in Hades’ black hair and black eyes deepened, and he began emitting a more somber aura.
But I couldn’t just lose to that, so I clenched my fist and glared back.
A volatile, tense moment.
“Ugh, one gloomy black-haired younger brother was already exhausting, and now I’ve got a blue-haired one acting up too. Men, honestly.”
A sharp, high voice came from behind, and both I and Hades had no choice but to let our tension dissipate.
When we turned toward the voice, behind the red-haired girl who had just spoken to us were two more girls standing at the entrance of the cave—one with pale, hay-colored hair, and the other with glossy brown hair.
“Oh sisters, you arrived safely.”
“You. Didn’t I tell you that if you don’t fix that damned way of talking, I’ll beat you senseless?”
“Well… but since our younger sibling arrived, I needed to show some dignity.”
“As if. You were just about to fight a moment ago.”
Among the three girls who entered, the red-haired girl in front crushed Hades verbally.
‘Hmm… that must be Hera. Even in the myths, she supposedly kept Zeus under her thumb.’
As I examined the red-haired girl, she narrowed her eyes at me as if my gaze annoyed her and walked forward.
She looked exactly like one of those delinquent girls from Japanese movies.
“Hey. Wipe that look off your face. I might just rearrange that blue-eyed face of yours.”
I shook my head at Hera’s attitude and asked her:
“Are you my sister?”
“I guess so. Not that I like it. You or that gloomy punk over there.”
As Hera leaned on one leg, speaking in a rough, swaggering tone, I extended my hand and asked:
“Nice to meet you. My name is Poseidon. And yours is?”
“Huh?”
“Your name. The word that identifies you.”
At my question, Hera’s swagger vanished, and the startled face of a young girl appeared.
Well, she’d just been born, had never seen her parents, never been given a name—of course the question would fluster her.
As for me, I’d named myself Poseidon the moment I heard Kronos’ name.
“You… why do you have a name!”
Hera yelled, trying to hide her embarrassment.
I responded kindly.
I wasn’t petty enough to bicker with a child, and honestly, seeing this delinquent girl flustered was kind of amusing.
“That’s because I named myself. Poseidon. It means the lord of the earth, and the lord of rivers and seas.”
Hearing that, Hera and the other siblings approached with great interest.
“What are seas and rivers?”
“What is earth?”
“Lord? What does that mean?”
Hestia, Demeter, and Hades listened to me with wide curiosity—this youngest sibling who seemed to know strange new things.
Until now, they had only guessed at the world from faint sounds echoing through Kronos’ stomach. Naturally, the words I used fascinated them.
Above all, they also wanted names of their own.
Even Hera, pretending to be aloof, clearly wanted one.
“Alright, one at a time. I’ll explain everything.”
“Then I’ll go first.”
Demeter, with her pale hay-colored hair, stepped forward first.
“So, what does ‘earth’ mean? It sounds really nice. And how did you choose your name? Did our mother give it to you before you came here?”
“First: ‘earth’ means the ground we’re stepping on. The outside world probably has ground like this too.”
“Second: the name just naturally floated into my mind. Something must have been implanted before Father swallowed me.”
“And third: that overlaps with your second question.”
Demeter let out a little “ohh” sound and nodded.
The one who implanted something into me was probably their mother.
If not, no one would dare go against their father—the king of the gods.
I didn’t know exactly what “king” meant here, but I did know he was a very high god. All the sounds we’d heard from outside told us everyone feared Father.
Until now, they had feared that their mother might have abandoned them too, but judging by my words, that didn’t seem to be the case.
Hestia, who had been listening quietly, and Hera—who tried to act aloof—both brightened a little.
“Then let me ask. What does ‘lord’ mean?”
Hades didn’t care about anything else I said.
He didn’t care whether our mother abandoned us or not.
But the words “lord of the sea and earth” stuck with him.
“It means it belongs to me. For example, imagine this cave fully belongs to you. Then wouldn’t I or our sisters need your permission to enter?”
Hades’ eyes sparkled.
Among the siblings, he had been the only boy until I arrived, so he had always thought of himself as the eldest.
He believed it was right for him to lead them—whether to live here or to escape.
“That is a wonderful word. ‘Lord’… hmm.”
“Is that greater than ‘king’?”
I half-heartedly nodded at Hades’ question.
While Hades pondered my words, Hera sidled up and asked:
“So that means we can have names too?”
“Of course you can.”
“Then what are our names?”
“Huh? Why are you asking me?”
“Because you’re the only one here who remembers a name.”
I felt troubled at Hera’s question.
I called myself Poseidon because I knew the myths—loosely—and I had always liked the god of the sea since I loved water.
That was all.
To be honest, judging from the situation, I was the youngest and likely Poseidon…
But if I turned out to be some irregular and the real Poseidon fell out later, I was prepared to insist that I had the name first.
‘Hmm… this is tricky. Am I allowed to name them?’
As I remained silent, Hera, annoyed, screamed sharply:
“What?! So you’re the only one with a name?! Our mother gave a name only to you?!”
Blocking my ears at her shouting, I sighed.
“Fine, fine. Calm down. I’ll try to remember.”
I decided.
Since it came to this, I’d name them all myself.
Well—if this world followed Greek mythology, then the names I remembered would be correct.
And even if not, I’d just pretend. Who would blame a newborn god?
‘Alright. They’re all young anyway. Even if something’s off, it’ll be fine.’
“Alright, I’ll say whatever comes to mind. Starting from the brown-haired sister: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades. That’s all I’ve got.”
“And don’t ask me about the meanings. I don’t know those.”
The siblings were very satisfied with the names I gave them.
Their names felt strangely familiar and comfortable, and they liked them immediately.
“I’m Hestia, then.”
“Hmm, I’m Demeter.”
“Well. Hera isn’t bad.”
“I, too, am satisfied. It is a name overflowing with wealth and dignity.”
“Good. If you’re all satisfied, that’s what matters.”