Myths Reawakened

Bedfrith Bedford. The Bedford family was one of the fourteen Tulip Families, specializing in business and magic. In business, the Bedford family owned the largest shipyard in Londan, employing millions of workers. They would be one of the top three Tulip Families in terms of influence on the mundane side of the world.

In magic, the Bedford family had one legendary mage: Bedfrith Bedford, one of the higher-ups of the Ministry of Magic. He was a devoted royalist and an opportunist of few words, keeping a low profile while leaving stains on his track record nonstop. Thus, he had been quite trusted by Queen Sophelia.

To illustrate, the Bedford family had been so highly regarded and influential with their wealth in the literal sense and in connections that even the Lando family had to think twice before confronting them.

As much as they were dominant then, they were downtrodden now. On the night of betrayal, Bedfrith and Bourne, two high-ranking members of the Ministry of Magic, partook in the kidnapping of the Queen, committing a serious crime. Though they later explained that they had been enthralled by demons and had involuntarily made the move, they had done what they did, so they had to be punished for it.

Bourne’s research project was terminated. After begging at many doors, he latched onto the thigh of the newly appointed Vice Minister Wayne, finally receiving permission to join the new research team. Even then, he was only able to do that thanks to Planck.

The Bedford family suffered even more. Bedfrith had given away his silver coin and been demoted to a regular member of the Ministry of Magic. The Bedford shipyard was confiscated. Since the official process would take too long, the shipyard was entrusted to the Lando family for operation and accounting to prevent losses to the nation’s treasury.

Indeed, there was way too much administrative red tape in Windsor. Even now, the transferring process was still ongoing, leaving Auston and Wayne frustrated.

Bedfrith could do without his silver coin, but the Bedford family couldn’t lose their shipyard.

The extended family was so populated that the cost of maintaining their dignity as nobles alone amounted to an astronomical expenditure. When they were about to run out of savings, close to being unable to pay the servants, Bedfrith lowered his pride and asked for support.

Unfortunately, he found no support. A person of power was surrounded by good people, but as soon as they fell from grace, their connections would grow distant.

Bedfrith had no choice but to seek out Queen Sophelia to put in a good word for Auston. Work should go to those who specialize in doing said work, or effort might do more harm than good. Something others couldn’t do could be achieved by pillow talk from the Queen.

For some reason, all of the Londan nobility harbored a deep misunderstanding about Auston. Bedfrith wasn’t alone in thinking that.

However, the Queen knew the reality. Pillow talk? Twenty years ago, she could use Auston as a pillow, but now, she didn’t even know the color of Auston’s pillowcase.

Sophelia had never once corrected the misunderstandings. She was a beautiful, defeated queen with two children leading a difficult life. The color green was necessary for survival. Since Prince Douglas hadn’t commented on her relationship with Auston, she considered that silent permission and allowed the rumors to spread further.

A fake support was still a support as long as the opportunists were fooled.

When Bedfrith begged, Sophelia pointed the Bedford family to a way out. It would be impossible for them to take their shipyard back. Even if Auston said yes, Wayne wouldn’t.

The father and son were loyal subjects and true patriots. The Heavenly Father was witness to their devotion. They would never let national assets become privatized.

However, the Lando family had no share in the tobacco industry, so the Bedford family should course correct.

Windsor’s tobacco and lottery industries were monopolized by the Julian family. The family head, Forest, was either frolicking with his secretaries or saying, ‘Well said.’ He was a parrot among the snakes, so the Bedford family would be going for easy pickings by entering the tobacco industry.

Forest was a perfect target!

Afterwards, the most Bedfrith needed to do was to arrange an apology banquet. Bedfrith was a legendary mage, so it wasn’t like Forest could kill him.

Of course, the Lando family didn’t sell tobacco, but that didn’t mean they would turn away the shared revenue. The necessary respect should be paid. Only once Auston and Wayne received the money would the Bedford family grow further!

Bedfrith had seen the merit in that and left in gratitude. Now, three months later, he sought out Queen Sophelia once more.

Sophelia walked out of the dining room elegantly, running into Bedfrith in the palace corridor. She didn’t know that her friendly advice had not only failed to point Bedfrith to an easy target, but had actually put Bedfrith in the Lord of Pride’s embrace. According to Heaven and the Sacred Tome, Pride was the greatest evil in the world and the boss of all bosses.

With Pride assuming control over him, Bedfrith stared at the Queen’s pale—sapphire pendant before looking away, observing the restaurant’s closed door curiously.

Which old friend was it? If not an old friend, who else? Auston or Wayne?

Lord Pride, let it be Wayne. It would be beyond entertaining for the father and son to share the same ditch.

“Bedfrith, what are you looking at?” Sophelia said with disapproval. Bedfrith was looking at her with lecherous eyes, as if she had tally marks covering her body. The snakes had forgotten their loyalty and grown increasingly disrespectful to her.

“Apologies for the offense, Your Majesty. It seems that you have a guest.”

So what? You think it’s in your place to ask about it?

Sophelia glared at Bedfrith, holding herself with the dignity of a queen. “Why are you here?” she said in an increasingly cold tone. “If it’s about your foray into the tobacco industry, it’s still thirty percent for you, non-negotiable. Seventy percent will go to Auston. I’m taking it for your own good.”

Son of a beach, you’re the one who’s been stealing business from me!

Bedfrith’s eyes widened. What typical snake behavior. It was so very Windsor that he wasn’t surprised at all.

“How dare you glare at me?!” Sophelia huffed. “Rather than worrying about your profit margin, you should be coming up with ways to compete with Forest. You’ve only just entered the tobacco market. You must lower the price to win more market share. Once he’s out, the Bedford family will decide the price of cigarettes. You’ll get thirty times the profit even though you’re only getting thirty percent.”

That’s monopoly! That’s destructive to the market!

You’re making cigarettes unaffordable to regular people!

Bedfrith was so angry that he almost dropped his disguise. He could tolerate the theft of his business, but not a price hike. He, a demon lord, had worked hard for years to lower the price of tobacco to shorten the average lifespan of humans by ten years, making it affordable for even regular port workers. It hadn’t been easy!

Sophelia and Bedfrith, however, would drive up the price of tobacco together, one giving the suggestion and the other listening to it. It was a desecration of the free market, a blatant disregard of the law and regulations of the human world, and an injustice to the general public. It would warrant a one-way trip to Hell!

“Bedfrith, I’ve made my case. What else do you need?” Sophelia dismissed him.

“Your Majesty, I’d like to have a meal inside,” Bedfrith said flippantly. “It’s noon. I’m here already. You don’t expect me to walk out with nothing but frustration filling my stomach, do you?”

“I have an important guest. You shouldn’t—” Sophelia was about to reject him, but suddenly nodded and said, “So you have new information about the Lando family. Of course. Follow me in.”

The door to the restaurant opened. Sophelia entered with Bedfrith in tow, ordering an attendant to move another chair beside her seat.

Auriel turned around and saw a dumb-looking man accompanying the Queen. He didn’t understand why she would allow a random person to intrude upon their important conversation.

“Sir Auriel, this is Bedfrith Bedford, head of the Bedford family of the Tulip Families,” Sophelia explained. “Because of their loyalty, their family business was taken by the Lando family, putting them in a difficult place. Bedfrith holds quite a lot of important information...”

Bedfrith lowered his head to conceal the shock in his eyes. It was Auriel!

Two of the seven reincarnated angels were Śārim, and there was also Cherub Gerar, representing temperance. Three out of the Seven Sacred Virtues had been confirmed. The other four were yet to be confirmed...

They were definitely after him! Damn it, he had been made!

But where did Heaven get their information from? How could they have set all this in motion thirty years ago? It couldn’t be. How did they get wind of this?

Bedfrith—or Lord of Pride—acquired a piece of crucial information as soon as he sat down. When he thought about how his happy days in the human world would soon end, and he would be banished back to Hell to lead a dull life, he felt his heart fill with bitterness.

What was he going to do?

“So you came here as a representative of the dissenters among the Tulip Families.” Auriel nodded. “Tell me. What intel can you offer?”

The Śār didn’t take legendary mages in the human world seriously, and he had no interest in the opportunistic families. As an angel, however, he had to always claim the moral high ground, making sure everything he said and did was in line with an angel’s righteous image.

If the Tulip Families banded together under the banner of removing the current King in support of the Queen’s return to power, Hesione would lose her moral high ground, and her reputation in the human world would suffer a serious blow.

It would be a hit on her person and psyche. He had no reason not to do it.

Auriel, with his newfound confidence, treated Bedfrith with more goodwill.

What? Dissenters among the Tulip Families? Bedfrith wondered. Aren’t you after me?

He sensed potential entertainment—a scheme, he meant. It wasn’t a scheme against him, but one born out of the conflict between two reincarnated angels.

There was no bad blood between Auriel and the Lando family, but Auriel insisted that there was because the Lando family had replaced the Windsor family, thus humiliating the descendants of Saint George.

Saint George was Mikhael, who was close to Auriel. Auriel was supporting Saint George’s bloodline to prove their close friendship.

It wouldn’t be a valid justification given angels’ usual indifference to their descendants, but it would make sense considering Hesione was with the Lando family. The conflict between the Landos and the Windsors became the conflict between Hesione and Mikhael. Now everything made sense.

So that’s what’s going on!

Ecstatic, Bedfrith said with renewed spirit, “Sir Auriel, I do have quite a lot of blackmail materials on the Lando family. For example, Auston—”

“I’m not interested in Auston. Tell me about Wayne Lando.”

“Wayne Lando is an imposter. He isn’t a member of the Lando family, but Auston’s son-in-law.”

“No, Wayne is a Lando,” Sophelia insisted. “He looks just like Auston. I won’t misjudge that.”

Fine, whatever you like! Bedfrith shrugged, quickly adjusting his story with gleeful excitement. “Wayne Lando sleeps with his own younger sister. He’s a man whose morals are completely bankrupt, with a messy private life. People like him are born to go to Hell. I’ve always suspected him of having demonic blood in his veins.”

“Impossible!” Auriel immediately shot back.

Hesione had lost her purity to Wayne. It was a foregone conclusion that would not change. For Heaven’s honor, however, Wayne couldn’t have demonic blood in him—even if he were a demon!

“Sir Auriel, I’m only making an analogy. I’m not saying that he—”

“Then don’t make an analogy!” Auriel said forcefully, shooting Bedfrith a derisive glance. “Who do you think you are, calling me directly by name? Call me Sir Pedro.”

“...”

The Lord of Pride found the Śār too prideful! If he closed his eyes, he would think he was talking to Mikhael!

Since it was a good thing, he didn’t talk back.

Since coming to the mortal realm, the Lord of Pride had allowed the colorful human world to corrupt him. Other demon lords had been focused on growing their business, while he had been enjoying the sweet fruit of the capitalistic world, filling his free time with entertainment.

Now, an entertaining show was about to begin. He wanted to know how Auriel would react when he saw Hesione with her purity gone, so he was doing his best to trigger a fight between them. There had to be a large audience, but not too large. He wanted this show to be sustainable. He couldn’t allow the news to reach Hell because of his mistakes.

Lord of Envy, especially, couldn’t be allowed to find out. His frustration was another one of Pride’s sources of fun!

Clearly, though Pride of the human world and Pride of Hell were one entity, they did not contact each other frequently. They exchanged information too slowly to keep up with the latest version of the story. Pride thus didn’t know how terribly frustrated he had been lately.

The reason could be pride, or it could be... that both the Prides of the human world and of Hell wanted to enjoy their fun in secret.

So you’re me. So what? Not even I should get to share my fun!