Welcome to the Netherworld!

[lazyvassals]

[It is difficult to define what a normal afternoon is by Netherworld standards. In the dark, torch-lit halls of the Overlord's Castle, penguin-suited prinnies totter about pretending to do work, while most other vassals make no effort at all to pretend. No fights have broken out yet, but it is questionable how long that will last with the Overlord being awake. It is just the sort of calm that comes before something unexpected happens, or someone makes it happen out of boredom.

And that is precisely when the first stranger comes through the swirling vortex of the Dimensional Gate.

It doesn't seem so unusual at first, because people use that gate on a daily basis. But more people start to show up, people who aren't demons. The Gatekeeper herself has no idea where they've come from, or how they've found their way to the Netherworld.

Unfortunately, neither do the unexpected guests.]

Comments

[makainoou]

Were you playing with magic or something? There shouldn't be any open portals to Earth.

[heartfulsong]

...No, I wasn't.

[Not that her magic can even do anything of the sort like open portals to Netherworlds.]

Thus leading us back to the guiding question of what's going on.

[makainoou]

[It is a good question. Why would anyone want to send a human to the Netherworld with no explanation? Even if she's lying, she'd make a poor assassin. ...though maybe not as bad as Flonne.]

My gatekeeper understands it the best. She'll have to figure out the problem.

You mentioned others. How many of you are there?

[heartfulsong]

I don't know, I didn't count.

[Nor did she really care. All she's concerned about is getting herself back home; the others can stay here for the rest of their lives in her eyes.]

All I know is that it's a large group, so I'm certain you'll be hearing a lot more complaints.

[makainoou]

Tch.

I should be the one complaining, getting saddled with a bunch of humans. You're useless enough already as prinnies.

[Ugh. What is he going to do with them? That demon kid from earlier was one thing, but if he turns human civilians out of the castle... They'd make easy targets.]

[heartfulsong]

...Prinnies?

[The unknown word is enough to break Utau's cold expression, if only for a bit. She raises an eyebrow slightly.]

What are they?

[makainoou]

Human souls stuffed inside bird costumes. You must've seen them on your way here.

[heartfulsong]

I have. But I didn't think that's what they were.

[makainoou]

Not what you imagined your death was going to look like?

[heartfulsong]

Not necessarily.

[makainoou]

Well, it's pretty likely. You may not find yourself in my Netherworld, but most humans have at least a few sins to work off.

[heartfulsong]

So, it's servitude in exchange for atonement.

[...Hm. Sounds similar to Easter in which she had to work there for her father's "sins".]

[makainoou]

Exactly.

[heartfulsong]

Hmm.

[That's really all she says. The thought is sickening to her, really, but it's something she's used to.]

In any case, I'll be taking my leave now. I've said all I had to.