Myths Reawakened

“Holy—”

“Demon! A great demon has descended to the human world!”

Forest screamed. Then, from the first row, he turned and dove into the crowd, putting his colleagues in front of him as fast as he could. The other vermin scrambled back in fright, either vaulting the window or rushing through the door to flee from the banquet hall, yelping in shock.

Queen Sophelia was also scared witless. She didn’t have time to wonder how Bedfrith could be the Lord of Pride. She turned and... found cover behind the three reincarnated angels.

A demon lord could easily destroy all lives, and no amount of running would bring her far enough. The spot behind the reincarnated angels was the safest.

When the vermin were gone, Vilkul remained. He slowly walked up to Bedfrith with his golden eyes locked on him. At the same time, Hesione and Auriel each took one corner of the triangle, trapping Bedfrith in their center. The three of the Seven Sacred Virtues formed an encirclement.

With Filomina still in his arms, Wayne watched everything play out from a close distance, his fingertips stroking her waist and hips. He wondered if he should create his vitality field to provide the four inhuman beings a battlefield.

Buckingham Palace was a jewel on the crown and one of the Lando family’s most valuable assets. If it collapsed, how much exploitation would it take to make up for the loss? This was wartime. If the Landos made life more difficult, wouldn’t the vicious population rebel?

However, his vitality field wouldn’t help. No vitality field could take the abuse of the Seven Sacred Virtues and Pride. It would fall apart as soon as the battle broke out.

Pride wasn’t like the other demons. He had Heaven vouching for his entrance rather than breaking out of the prison himself.

Wayne frowned deeply, confused about one thing. If Pride had always been Bedfrith, how could he possibly lower his pride and endure Frank’s manipulation and the Lando family’s forceful claim of his shipyard? Or was Pride after the Anointed One, and since the Anointed One was in Londan, he managed to endure the humiliation to ensure that Hell could face off Heaven?

“That would be strange, too...” Wayne murmured to himself. “Then there’s no reason for him to lose his composure now after everything he’d endured.”

“Stop touching me. They’re going to start fighting.” Filomina shoved Wayne, her beautiful eyes glinting. “So Secretary Mona is Śār Hesione. Unbelievable. You’ve tainted Purity?"

Tainted? It’s a reciprocal relationship!

She doesn’t seem willing, but she’s very proactive.

“Yeah.” Wayne raised an eyebrow. “Ain’t I amazing? I’ve been using the techniques I’ve practiced on the Śār to serve you. You don’t feel shortchanged anymore, do you?”

Bah, how shameless!

Filomina rolled her eyes at him. The scumbag was quite proud of himself.

Blind woman, the one you’re sitting on is the Śār! Hestia lowered her head, looking at Filomina rather than Wayne. She gave the beautiful lady a sympathetic glance. Not only was she blind, but she was also lacking in intelligence. Serve her right to be toyed with by the Śār.

But why are you so good at this, Śār?

Hestia’s chest hurt. She told herself to disregard the truths and put aside her grievances. She went up to Wayne with her head lowered and said, “Śār, the secretary won’t be the Lord of Pride’s match. Aren’t you going to do something?”

Wayne was about to turn around when Filomina grabbed his chin. Behind him, Hestia posed such a great obstacle that if he looked, he wouldn’t be able to turn back.

He shrugged. “I’ve left Hesione with a great amount of divine power. She’s more like the Śār than I am now, so she’s powerful enough. See, the Lord of Pride will mistake her as me.”

Hestia nodded. Auriel, Envy, and Gerar had all made the mistake, so Pride would most likely come to the same wrong conclusion. Those supposedly powerful beings were nothing compared to the Śār she admired.

Filomina looked at Hestia in disbelief. If this was how angels were, they weren’t terribly smart. Just like how Filomina used to be, she believed everything the scumbag said and threw herself at him.

“Kekekeke—”

Bedfrith transformed, unfurling three pairs of wings while raising his hand to brandish the stigma on the back of it. With Mikhael’s blood, he unleashed Auriel’s Holy Light.

It was the masterwork that Forest had created overnight. He knew he couldn’t hide the power of two Śārim. So attached to the colorful human world, he invested a great amount of thoughts to resolve the crisis.

He would sacrifice himself in exchange for his free, carefree life.

Of course, he had copied the stigma. It was proof of Auriel’s sin, so he had to keep it. He couldn’t allow the evil angels to destroy the evidence by destroying the body.

Flutter!

A flash of golden light shot into the banquet hall. The last of the Seven Sacred Virtues and reincarnated angels, Gerar, arrived. There was a strange smell on him that was difficult to put into words, a smell that Auriel didn’t know, but Hesione and Vilkul were both familiar with.

Blitzkrieg had reached Londan, it seemed.

“Pride, you—” Gerar didn’t know what had happened since he had just come. He looked at the Lord of Pride and the heavenly power he showed in shock. “How? Where did you get the power? The reincarnation altar should’ve made you a human.”

“It’s all thanks to Auriel. My old friend approves of my excellent morals and personally granted me his stigma. He promised to lead me to Heaven.”

Bedfrith laughed with unbridled joy—no, he was no longer Bedfrith, but the Lord of Pride. Queen Sophelia had a terrible eye for investment. Forest wasn’t easy picking, but the primary villain of Hell. Anyone who went after him would be picking the wrong fight.

Believing the Queen, Bedfrith had stolen Forest’s business and was prepared to monopolize the tobacco market. His sins were so great that not only would he be rejected by Heaven, but not even Hell would open its gates to him.

He was deader than dead!

“Nonsense. I never promised to take you to Heaven.” The crime was too serious for Auriel to admit to. He turned to his three fellow angels with wide eyes. “It’s slander! He’s slandering me! He’s a demon lord from Hell, so none of his words could be trusted!”

“...” x3

But I heard you, Hesione thought.

You praised Pride many times, Vilkul thought. You promised to take him to Heaven several times.

Gerar agreed. Whether he’s slandering you or not, isn’t the thing on his hand your stigma?

Remembering how she had approved of Pride and gotten fooled as well, Hesione felt deeply ashamed. Vilkul was so angry that his stomach hurt. Neither admitted their mistakes; instead, they put all the blame on Auriel.

“You don’t have to explain, Auriel,” Hesione led the false testimony. “I’ve seen what happened. You’re innocent. The demon lord has used a despicable trick to steal your divine power against your will.”

All things aside, Auriel had covered for her, so she had to pay him back.

Auriel nodded and gave Heionse a grateful look. He knew it. He knew that Hesione would lend him a hand in exchange.

He had granted one of the Seven Deadly Sins his stigma, praised the demon lord’s character, and promised to take the demon lord to Heaven. Each of the affronts was a serious failing of his duty and a betrayal of Heaven. With all three crimes, not even Mikhael could save him.

With Hesione setting the stage, the rest followed suit.

“Śār Auriel, your identity decides that you will fall for the demon lord’s trickery,” Vilkul said faintly. “You need not rage or panic. I’ve seen with my own eyes that everything can be attributed to the demon lord’s conspiracy.”

“Vilkul, you truly are the representation of kindness. You speak as softly and reasonably as ever.” Auriel nodded. The Seven Sacred Virtues should help each other.

I’m so mad that my lungs feel like they’re burning. Kind my ass!

The honest angel had suffered the Pope’s scheme, his own plotting, and now the incompetence of his allies. He had so much pent-up rage that the moment he heard ‘kindness’, he felt like losing his temper.

So he was supposed to be kind. So what? Did he deserve to be bullied?

Finally, it was time for Gerar to take a stance. He only nodded gently, showing his willingness to trust Auriel.

Auriel’s back straightened.

“Tsk, tsk. So these are the Seven Sacred Virtues. How nice. You uphold justice and abide by the law, never spouting a word of lie. It’s Hell’s honor that you’re in Heaven.” Pride wasn’t in a hurry to launch an attack. He named the transgressions one by one. “Generosity gave a demon his stigma, information, and access to Heaven, Purity is lost in carnal desires, and Temperance shows no restraints. The Seven Sacred Virtues should be the Four Sacred Virtues...”

“Actually, with Humility being more prideful than I am, there are only three real virtues left among the seven virtues in Heaven...”

With every sentence the Lord of Pride said, the angel he named took a step back. He turned to Vilkul last with a gleeful smile. “How about you, my old friend? What mistake have you made? Are you enraged now?”

Vilkul huffed. “I don’t know what rage is. It’s the sin that the Lord of Wrath embodies.”

“Would that be viable?” Pride laughed. “You’ll have a hard time blending in with the other Virtues with your holier-than-thou attitude.”

Although the only witnesses were Wayne, the Queen, and three Thrones, it didn’t matter. Happiness wasn’t about instant gratification. The truth would be known to the world one day.

“You sinful demon, you dare keep twisting the truth?!” Auriel snapped, urging everyone to attack together. There was no place for chivalry when facing the Seven Deadly Sins, and the Seven Sacred Virtues didn’t apply in this case.

“Patience. The four of us are too strong. If we fight, we’ll only destroy Londan,” Pride said leisurely. “Unlike you, I care about the peace and stability of the human world. This cannot be our battlefield. Why don’t we talk elsewhere?”

“Are you going to run?”

“Since when have I, Pride, run away from a fight?”

“...”

Right. If Pride ran, he wouldn’t be Pride! x4

Pride conjured a portal with a wave. “Come. Let’s talk on the sea. You’ve kept me waiting for too long.”

When his four old friends said nothing, Pride shrugged and said, “Though I’m a demon, I never lie to my old friends, do I?”

The four angels blushed, hearing that like a personal attack.

Auriel changed the subject with a frown. “Before that, Pride, tell us why you’re in the human world.”

“You know that I know the reason you’re here,” Pride said in an assured tone. “Do you need me to spell things out?”

“How did you learn the prophecy about the Anointed One?” Auriel bit out. There was indeed a traitor in Heaven. They even leaked such an important piece of information to Pride.

The Anointed One!!!

Pride hid his shock. Who was the Anointed One? What was the Anointed One? The Heavenly Father’s child?

You’re truly generous, Auriel!

“Kekekeke—”

“That’s right. I’ve descended for the Anointed One. He will be coming to Hell with me!”