Myths Reawakened

Banquet hall.

The large chandelier sparkled like stars. The walls were covered in portraits of the royal families through time. Under the illumination of the chandelier, they seemed like solemn guardians watching over the territory with their deep eyes.

The banquet hall featured mainly white and gold, with a thick red carpet lining the floor. The complex, intricate patterns of gold and silver threads represented the Windsor royal family’s nobility and glory.

Though it was a banquet hall, there was only a long conference table in the center of it, with no signs of a banquet taking place whatsoever.

A chair was placed on each side of the table. This wasn’t a banquet, but a negotiation. The two chairs were for the Windsor family and the Lando family, with all others bearing witness. The members of the Tulip Families occupied the room on two sides of the table, chattering among themselves.

“What’s going on? Does the Queen feel ready again?”

“The Queen is the one who initiated this. She wouldn’t have made such a significant move without confidence.”

“The Lando family isn’t to be trifled with. They have the support of several churches. The last time the Church of Heavenly Father sent an envoy, the envoy didn’t even spare the Queen a look, yet sucked up to Auston in every way short of having the Pope personally crown him.”

“That’s right. What could the Queen possibly be confident about? She only has a claim over Auston.”

“Well said.” x2

“Even so, the Queen couldn’t have summoned everyone to propose to Auston. She must have found herself a formidable support.”

“The churches are on the Lando family’s side. Who could the Queen seek support from? A demon lord from Hell?”

“Well said!” x2

“None of that matters. What matters is our attitude. She summoned us here for our allegiance. Which side are you taking tonight?”

“Is that even a question? The Tulip Families will always be loyal to the Crown!”

“Well said!” x2

Damn it, I’ve had enough of you!

Forest turned around furiously to see which bastard had been stealing his line. Who did he think he was to use the same line as the Lord of Pride? Have some self-awareness!

He met Bedfrith’s furious eyes.

“...” x2

Oh, it’s me. That’s fine, then... or not! Not even I can do this to myself!

Forest snapped at the thoughts hiding in Bedfrith’s body, forbidding himself from using his line. Bedfrith talked back, stating that once Pride’s thoughts were divided, the divided part would be an independent Pride. Pride never submitted to anyone.

Their staring contest was interrupted by a stir in the crowd. Queen Sophelia had arrived.

For the occasion, the Queen wore an evening gown that was mainly sapphire in color, with an airy hem that swayed with every step she took. She radiated the graceful charm of a mature woman.

Her beauty was undeniable. The elegant gown accentuated her class and nobility. With her unhurried gait, her aura and authority as a woman of power were beyond captivating.

Unfortunately, Sophelia wasn’t the star of the show. Her beauty only aroused envy for Auston in the snakes’ hearts. There were two men and one woman on Sophelia’s side, all of them the top one percent in terms of looks. They wore the white clergy uniform of the Church of Heavenly Father. The respectful way Sophelia had been treating them made her seem more like an attendant leading the way than the master of Buckingham Palace.

What happened later was even more surprising. The Queen stood behind the main seat rather than sitting down, while one of the men calmly took the seat as if it were natural. The snakes of the Tulip Families murmured among themselves, wondering who the man was.

Even when the Papal State was at the peak of its power, the Pope never made the sovereign of a nation stand in attendance like a servant. There would always be another chair to symbolize how the sovereignty originated from divinity.

“The outfit says Papal State.”

“Is the Papal State supporting the Queen now?”

“That doesn’t make sense. The Papal State is too far from Windsor to justify antagonizing the Lando family in support of the Windsor family...”

“Let’s wait and see first.”

“Well said!”

This time, Forest was the only one saying the line. As soon as Auriel sat down, Bedfrith had jogged up to him with obvious satisfaction and pride, advertising the fact that he had received the man’s recognition.

Forest gnashed his teeth together, but this wasn’t the right time to show his grievances. He could only slap his thigh to maintain his composure.

“Bedfrith, have the Lando family not arrived?” Auriel looked at the empty chair across the table with irritation. He had arrived ten minutes late on purpose so that he would be the last one to arrive, but Hesione was more arrogant than he was.

Actually, Hesione wasn’t one for posturing. Wayne must have led her astray with his pillow talks.

How absurd! How could a Śār of Heaven allow a human to fool her so thoroughly? Had Hesione built up so much pent-up desire while remaining pure in Heaven that she let loose in the human world? Had she always been an impure angel?

Auriel didn’t want to believe such an absurd theory, but the facts demanded him to accept reality. Otherwise, there would be no explaining what was going on!

“Sir Pedro, the Lando family has not arrived.” Bedfrith frowned, voicing his full devotion. “I’m not trying to fuel the fire, but they have crossed a line, and you’re being too kind to them.”

When Auriel didn’t say anything, Bedfrith continued to instigate a conflict, “Kindness isn’t a mistake. People should be kind. However, being kind doesn’t mean being weak. The Lando family sees your kindness as weakness, humiliating you to start trouble—and they’re doing it with so many witnesses. They do not see you as—”

“Enough.” Auriel glanced at him, speaking in a steely voice. “Just because I avoid trouble doesn’t mean I fear it. Stop talking like that.”

“You’re too kind-hearted.”

Bedfrith pounded on his chest like Auriel had suffered the greatest humiliation in life.

Behind the degenerate families was a man others had subconsciously ignored. He was incredibly handsome with long, blond hair that ran down his shoulders like a waterfall and deep blue eyes. With gentle features, he stood out with his temperament.

It was Archibald, or more precisely, Cherub Vilkul, who represented gentleness among the Seven Sacred Virtues.

Before his awakening, Archibald was an amicable man with a warm smile that felt like a spring breeze. After awakening, Vilkul was a touch more mature and reliable while being the same pleasant man. His existence alone inspired trust.

Compared to Purity, who had become filthy, Temperance, who had allowed his reincarnation to lose himself in desires, Generosity, who refused to give away authority and had instead gifted a demon lord a stigma, Vilkul, who represented gentleness...

He had been furious lately!

Among the reincarnated angels, Vilkul had been the last to awaken. He lost his composure as soon as he opened his eyes. The reason was simple: he had a naked clergywoman in his embrace, and his instrument of crime was in her grasp.

Titus, the clergywoman, was a servant whom the Pope had assigned to Archibald, serving him as his secretary, assistant, bodyguard, and driver after signing a master-servant contract with him.

Archibald hadn’t turned the Pope down. Seeing Titus as a challenge, he believed that he would be able to resist her beauty.

The gentleman hadn’t stayed a gentleman for long, however. Titus, so lost in the incredible beauty of the reincarnated angel, had been offering herself up freely and finally gotten what she wanted.

Archibald failed the challenge. He had taken good care of Titus and brought her everywhere thirty-six hours a day. Theirs was a reciprocal relationship.

As soon as Vilkul awakened, he stiffened. Looking at Titus’s slightly bulging belly, he glared fiercely and slapped...

He slapped himself!

He was a kind angel, so he didn’t blame Titus. He continued to treat her kindly, only showing his killing intent to the Pope.

The other reincarnated angels didn’t know about Titus’s pregnancy. For one, the bread was freshly put in the oven, so it wasn’t obvious. For another, Archibald had been hiding the fact, telling Titus not to tell anyone.

The meek, understanding clergywoman kept the secret well.

The Pope’s plan succeeded. Among the seven reincarnated angels, one had produced an offspring—though the Pope hadn’t found out yet.

Well, Vilkul didn’t think the Pope had.

The day Vilkul awakened, he had felt such a rage that he wanted to strangle the Pope and then himself. The honest angel of gentleness had been played by both the Pope and Archibald.

The Pope’s plot was simple. He ‘accidentally’ dropped a note for Archibald that detailed the pros and cons of his situation. If Archibald didn’t want to disappear after the angel awakened, he had to make the leap of faith.

Archibald didn’t know his name in Heaven, but looking at the awakened angels—Śār and Seraph Auriel, as well as Throne Olga, Frey, and Fred, all upper-tier angels—he guessed that he was also an angel with significant status in Heaven.

He would at least be a Throne!

Angels cared about their reputation, or they at least wouldn’t be completely shameless. That was the problem with heroic characters. They were always under constraints, and they always had to do what they didn’t want to do.

Archibald succeeded in impregnating Titus through relentless effort. Based on the past successes recorded by the Papal State, he believed that his angel side wouldn’t do anything to harm Titus after awakening.

The child has your blood, and the clergywoman is the child’s mother. As an angel, how could you kill them for your reputation? That’s not Heaven’s way!

Vilkul browsed the human’s memories. In Archibald’s plan, the honest angel had to keep Archibald’s memories intact if he didn’t want to raise another’s child, and he would have to allow Archibald to take over the body every once in a while.

When facing Titus and the child, at least, Archibald would have to take over to avoid social suicide since Vilkul couldn’t lower his pride.

Even if Vilkul got angry and erased his existence in retaliation, Archibald would have created a life with Titus. His life would’ve meant something, and he would’ve avenged the angel for erasing him.

So you killed me. So what? I left you with a child!

Archibald was too decisive, and the Papal State’s success stories too enlightening. The note he picked up had also appeared at the right time. Facing the pregnant Titus, Vilkul couldn’t do anything but rage.

In the end, Archibald was able to continue his existence, becoming a half-awakened angel just like Kael.

Titus’s belly grew larger by the day. Not wanting to stay in the Papal State for long, Vilkul, seeing his old friend Gerar awakening, followed Śār Auriel’s summons to Londan.

According to Gerar, the demon lord of Pride had been hiding in Londan. Auriel must have summoned them to banish the demon back to Hell. However, it turned out that Auriel only had Hesione in mind. He insisted on helping the Windsor family return to power to prove his brotherhood with Mikhael.

Vilkul had a lot of pent-up anger. When Auriel refused to listen to reason, he marched out with Gerar in the heat of the moment. Auriel couldn’t be relied on. They had to seek out the Anointed One.

Gerar insisted that he knew where Hesione was, so he guided Kael to seek out Wayne for Hesione’s support. Together, they would prove to Auriel that the Lord of Pride was in Londan.

However, Gerar went radio silent after his departure.

When Vilkul sought him out, Kael was piloting a tank. Vilkul was so furious that he almost turned into Wrath. He slapped Kael into going offline so that Gerar would take over.

Vilkul demanded an answer angrily. Why didn’t Gerar follow their plan? Gerar sighed in resignation, but he wouldn’t explain why. He couldn’t. He told Vilkul to see for himself.

That was how Vilkul ended up in the banquet hall of Buckingham Palace. He would like to see what had happened to Hesione for Gerar to react that way.

Before Hesione showed up, though, he saw Auriel and his posturing first.

He became even more furious!

***

Half an hour later, footsteps came from the corridor outside the banquet hall. Bedfrith went to check and rushed back into the banquet hall with joy.

“Sir Pedro, the Lando family has arrived.”

“...”

Auriel opened his eyes, his dissatisfaction with Hesione reaching a peak. With so many people bearing witness, she had made him wait for half an hour. She was forty minutes late for their agreed time.

Amid the stirring crowd, Wayne entered the venue with an arm around Filomina’s waist, followed by Hesione and Hestia.