Myths Reawakened

Do you have a death wish?

Wayne looked at Bedfrith with annoyance. He had never noticed that the legendary mage had an obsession with truth. He wondered how much Auriel had promised him for Bedfrith to be this loyal. Was he really selling his entire family out for a stigma and a promise to go to Heaven? What, was the stigma on his hand derisively licked into his skin like the stigma on Wayne’s tongue?

“Wayne, you can’t be Śār Hesione. Everyone here knows about the angel’s tales. Look at your messy private life. You don’t even spare your younger sister. What do you have to do with purity?”

Bedfrith continued his monologue. “I get it now. You’ve impersonated the Śār and used your filth to taint the name of purity. You must be a demon!”

Please stop. Please stop already! x2

Hesione and Hestia felt their hearts burn. One of them was on the verge of tears, while the other couldn’t shed the tears that were prickling her eyes. Neither could say anything.

Bedfrith rushed up to Auriel with widened eyes. “Sir Auriel, a demon is impersonating the Śār. Please make things right again.”

He squinted his eyes suggestively, telling Auriel that he would see the truth about Wayne by opening his eyes. Then he could point fingers at Hesione from the moral high ground. Despite what accidents might occur, Auriel already had this in the bag.

Ignoring him, Auriel said calmly, “He is Hesione. I can recognize him even if he turns into ashes. He’s a Śār of Heaven just like me, and no demon is impersonating him. Don’t ever say that again.”

Seriously? Just open your eyes and look!

Looking won’t impregnate you! x2

When Auriel refused to play along and bring about the climax of the show, Forest urged Bedfrith to keep pushing, tormented by his anxiety.

Hurry up? All you say is hurry up. Do you think I’m not in a hurry? You think you’re the only one in a hurry?

Vexed, Bedfrith took a deep breath and said, “Sir Auriel, I know Wayne’s life like my own. He has numerous girlfriends, lovers, and secretaries. Everyone in this room knows that he starts an orgy every few days. He cannot be Śār Hesione. Why don’t you...”

“Take another look. This concerns Heaven’s honor and dignity. It’ll be bad if rumors start.”

It’s exactly because of Heaven’s honor and dignity that I cannot take a clear look! Auriel groused. Aren’t you a snake? Why do you insist on getting to the bottom of this? Don’t you know the most basic workplace politics?

Auriel knew Bedfrith was helpfully handing him the banner of justice, but it was a banner Auriel could not carry. It was a slippery slope he couldn’t even touch.

“What’s going on, Auriel? Where did you find that pet of yours? He’s got the same intelligence and eye for people as you do—the lack thereof, I mean!” Wayne laughed, tightening his arm around Filomina’s waist to drop a kiss on her lips. “I am Hesione, representing purity. Who’s for it? Who’s against it?”

Filomina hit him coquettishly. He kissed her when there were so many people watching. How was she going to face them in the future?

In the crowd, Vilkul shuddered with fury. He understood why Auriel would spout such blatant lies. Were he in Auriel’s place, he wouldn’t dare speak the truth, either. However, Hesione had gone too far. She had chosen corruption and allowed Wayne to slander the Seven Sacred Virtues, trampling on Purity with so many bearing witness.

She had fallen, yet she had another to impersonate her and smear the name of purity. It was an offense on top of another offense. One plus one was more than two!

The honest angel had had enough. Furious, he... did nothing.

Although the current ‘Hesione’ was filthy, the truth would only double Hesione’s filth. It was better not to make a move. Besides, Auriel hadn’t said anything, had he? When even a Śār and Seraph was playing dumb, a mere Cherub like him should recognize his place and continue to play dumb.

Still...

I’m furious! x3

Vilkul was seething, but someone was seething even harder.

Forest and Bedfrith were almost getting a stroke from their rage, building up so much pent-up frustration without enjoying any fun.

The Lord of Pride wasn’t a fool. The fact that Auriel refused to even take a look when Bedfrith had practically shoved the truth down his throat clearly meant that he was playing ignorant, not wanting to accuse Hesione here and now.

You hypocritical angels. An unidentified crime isn’t a crime, is that it? You’re covering for your own, aren’t you?

Today, he, the Lord of Pride, would speak the truth on behalf of the Heavenly Father. Everyone should open their eyes and see for themselves who Hesione was.

Lord of Pride was no longer on his own. He had the will of the Heavenly Father supporting him.

“Wayne, look at your lecherous smile,” Bedfrith snapped, raising his voice. “You willingly lose yourself in carnal desires. How could you be Śār Hesione?”

“Why? Do you disapprove?” Wayne asked gleefully, an eyebrow raised. This lapdog had lost his commonsense in the heat of the moment. Why would he press on after his master had told him to stop? Did he really believe justice and fairness to be the rules of the world? Bah, the world ran on compromises.

He didn’t even understand that, yet he dreamed of going to Heaven? Not even the demons would open the gateway to Hell for him!

Auriel frowned deeply. Eyes closed, he said, “You’ve spoken too much, Bester. I told you it’s enough.”

Bester was Auriel’s name for Bedfrith. As Bedfrith Bedford was a mouthful that the Śār was too lazy to memorize, he, with his tendency to look down on others, gave Bedfrith a random name that rolled off his tongue more easily.

“I’m doing this for you, Sir Auriel. You have justice and fairness on your side. You must not allow a cunning snake like him to fool you.” Bedfrith’s face flushed like he had suffered great injustice, and he had. He had waited thirty hours for this moment, yet this was what he got?

If there was no fun to be had, he would force the fun if he had to.

“Bester, I see your determination to go to Heaven,” Auriel said calmly. “You have a heart of justice and abide by your belief in fairness. I believe you’ll realize your dream and enter Heaven. Do you understand?”

“I understand,” Bedfrith declared. “Heaven is just and fair, and Holy Light is pure and flawless, allowing no impurity or lies. I’ll defend Heaven’s honor with my life.”

You don’t understand at all!

Under Auriel’s incredulous gaze, Bedfrith raised his hand, the stigma on his hand projecting the symbol of Auriel’s legion. It was a golden cross consisting of a sacred lance with wings. While reciting the scriptures of the Sacred Tome, Bedfrith stared at Wayne with unyielding determination. Golden light bloomed in his eyes as he straightened his back proudly, with such an air of holiness that it looked like he was upholding justice.

Don’t be silly. Only the Seven Deadly Sins and the Seven Sacred Virtues can see the truth. You can’t see anything with that stigma on your hand.

Hesione, Auriel, and Vilkul shook their heads.

“Fine. I’ll show you who the real Śār is.”

Wayne opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue, showing the cross stigma at the tip. Hesione had personally created it with careful licks. Bedfrith couldn’t have seen through it.

He had gained the ticket to Heaven, but he wasn’t even an angel.

“I see it! You’re not Śār Hesione!”

Bedfrith’s forehead became covered in sweat. As holy intent surged, his face paled, but then suddenly, he brightened. He pointed at Hesione over Wayne’s shoulder. “Your secretary, the clergywoman of Saint Paul Cathedral, is the real Śār Hesione!”

“...” xN

Everyone was shocked. The vermin of the Tulip Families showed visible disbelief—or it would be more accurate to say that they refused to believe it. If Wayne’s secretary was the Śār... How could he sleep with all the pretty girls? After sleeping with girls in the human world, he was sleeping with girls in Heaven, bagging even a Śār? How did that make sense?

Unlike them, Hesione, Auriel, and Vilkul were panicking, caught off guard. Hesione, especially, had lost her composure. She had gotten the Seven Sacred Virtues on her side. Together, they accused the Seven Deadly Sins of lying. When she was this close to the finish line, however, a random man saw the truth.

Was it a coincidence?

Hesione hurriedly messaged Wayne to stop sitting around. He had to take responsibility.

“What are you doing, Auriel?” Wayne had considered the matter further. This couldn’t be a coincidence. Bedfrith couldn’t see the truth, so clearly, Auriel was the one who had made the order in secret.

Face grave, he said in a hardened tone, “I am Hesione. You know that, so stop your follower from running his mouth. He can’t go to Heaven if he lies!”

Recovering from his shock, Auriel had no choice but to say solemnly, “Bedfrith, what nonsense are you spouting? That secretary is nothing but a simple clergywoman. Wayne is Hesione. If you insist on slandering the Śār and twisting the truths, you’ll never go to Heaven.”

Bedfrith looked at Auriel with disbelief. “Sir Auriel, look at my eyes of justice,” he said in a trembling voice. “Tell me, who is Śār Hesione?”

“...” x3

Though Bedfrith was human, and not a particularly tall human, at that moment, he seemed to the Seven Sacred Virtues like a giant carrying a holy aura and the banner of justice on his back, so radiant that they couldn’t look at him.

“Say something, Sir Auriel!”

“Say-say what? Wayne’s Hesione. You’re lying. You have no right to go to Heaven.” Auriel’s eyes glinted fiercely. He was ready to take back the stigma he had bestowed. Someone who didn’t understand politics and didn’t follow his superior’s orders had no place in Heaven.

“You’re the one who’s lying, Auriel. Hesione, too. You both lied. I’m the real justice. Heaven... doesn’t deserve me!” Bedfrith declared powerfully.

Well said!

Forest said to himself, moved. Pride was such an embodiment of justice and passion. He should go to Heaven.

If he weren’t so attached to the sweet nectar of capitalism, he would be voicing his support for Bedfrith.

Hesione felt ashamed, and Vilkul couldn’t live with his inaction. The two Virtues approved of Bedfrith silently. The legendary mage had the integrity to warrant passage to Heaven.

They, on the other hand, had been lying while using the greater good as an excuse.

Auriel’s hand trembled. He wondered if he should take the stigma now before giving it back to Bedfrith when there was no one around. Then he would have protected Heaven’s glory and taught Bedfrith a lesson on workplace politics.

However, he realized something was wrong. It seemed that he couldn’t take the stigma back.

What’s going on?

His eyes glinted with shock as he looked at Bedfrith. “What-what... are you?”

“Kekeke—”

The pallor of exhaustion evaporated from Bedfrith’s face. His back no longer hurt, and his legs stopped shaking. “Old friend,” he said with a smile. “Don’t you remember me? I’m someone you deem worthy of going to Heaven!”

“Pride...” Auriel’s pupils contracted. He shot to his feet and snarled, “Bastard, why are you here?”