Myths Reawakened

Hestia looked at the three demons in surprise. ‘Lust incarnate’ was Wayne’s insult for her. Not many people knew it, so...

Was the demon Wayne in disguise?

Perhaps. But she couldn’t rule out another possibility: that Wayne had been captured and had defected to the demon side, giving up everything he knew about her.

Wayne broke into an enigmatic smile. He’d practically spelled it out for her. Surely she would recognize him now.

After a long pause, his smile stiffened. Hestia still hadn’t moved. “Lady,” he grumbled. “I’ve more or less handed you the answer on a silver platter. If you still can’t figure it out, I’m going to have to seriously reevaluate your IQ.”

“You’re really Wayne?!” Hestia asked, unconvinced.

“Who else could I be? Any other demon—I mean, a real demon—would be calling in the camera crew and lighting team given the way you’re baring your chest right now.” Wayne caught himself mid-sentence, realizing that he had gotten too in character.

“Boss, what would the camera crew and lighting team be doing?” Ottilia and Regina asked curiously.

“Filming a promotion video, obviously. It’d boost morale in Hell and trample Heaven’s dignity, killing two birds with one stone. Why wouldn’t they do it?” Wayne answered patiently.

“You’re wicked, Boss!”

“Do you like that?”

“I do.” Ottilia rubbed her face against his chest.

“Me too.” Regina followed suit.

“You’re adorable... Alright, stop that. Your horns are poking me in the chest. It stings.”

The three of them were being insufferable, yet Hestia, one of the parties involved, remained composed and watchful. She insisted that angels did not yield to demons.

She knew that Wayne could play a demon frighteningly well, but excuse her, playing a demon and being a demon were different. This demon didn’t seem to be acting at all, no matter how she looked at him.

The more likely explanation was that this wasn’t Wayne. A demon was using Wayne’s identity to extract information from her.

“Fine. I’ll stop playing.” Wayne pushed the two heads away from his chest and reverted to his own appearance. “Believe me now?”

“I won’t buy it until I see your stigma,” Hestia said calmly.

Dream on!

Wayne had no intention of revealing his stigma now. Instead, he pressed a finger to Hestia’s forehead. A thread of the holy intent of the Golden Law flowed into her, nourishing her withered thoughts and body. “I’ve drawn out the Seven Deadly Sins that were corrupting you. You’ll recover your power soon. Just do it slowly and don’t let anyone notice. I have an investigation to conduct.”

The holy intent poured into her like rain after a long drought. Hestia closed her eyes and savored it. When Wayne pulled his hand away, she opened her eyes, dissatisfied.

That’s it? That’s all you’ve got?

Wayne had said what needed to be said and had no interest in repeating himself. He waved away the chains of the Seven Deadly Sins that bound Hestia. She landed unsteadily on her feet, pressing a hand to her chest to repair her torn clothes.

For someone of her caliber to leave her clothes unmended meant only one thing: she had completely exhausted her thoughts in battle, leaving her without even the power to preserve her dignity.

“Lust incarnate, do you believe me now?” Wayne looked away regretfully. The white robe was quite big.

“Thirty percent.”

“Thirty percent... It’s as if I’m begging you to believe me.”

“I’m sorry, but demons are most skilled at deception. You play a demon so well that I can’t tell the difference...”

“Now it’s my fault for being too good at acting?”

“If you are Wayne, these two...” Hestia frowned at the two succubi. She found it difficult to match them to Ottilia and Regina. She had met the two secretaries and was absolutely certain that they didn’t belong in Hell.

Ottilia and Regina returned to their human forms and stood on either side of Wayne, stunning Hestia.

Not only did Wayne play a demon flawlessly, but his secretaries could also do the same. She watched it happen with her own eyes and still couldn’t believe it.

She couldn’t tell. She really couldn’t.

“How’s that? This is what a professional team looks like.” Wayne draped an arm on each secretary’s shoulder, raising an eyebrow. “Back at the chapel, I told you that they’d surprise you. Believe me now?”

Hestia shook her head. “It’s not a surprise, but a terrible shock.”

“Apologies for the shock.”

“How did you do it? I can sense that they aren’t demons and have nothing to do with succubi, yet...” Hestia didn’t know how to describe it. It felt like the two secretaries had somehow stolen the power of the Lord of Lust.

“Don’t try. We’re professionals. You wouldn’t understand even if I explained.” Wayne changed the subject. “You and Derrida are lucky. I received the assignment to break you in right after successfully going undercover. Prussia has many secrets. They’re confident that they can control angels.”

“Through the Seven Deadly Sins?”

“No, Prussia isn’t particularly fond of Hell’s power, nor Heaven’s.” Wayne shook his head. “Otherwise, you and Derrida wouldn’t have been handed to me, but an official at a higher rank.”

“Such arrogant mortals. They’re ignorant and know no respect.”

“Maybe don’t say that as a prisoner. You’re speaking so arrogantly that others would assume you were the winner!” Wayne rolled his eyes at her. “Respecting your enemy is respecting yourself. You could see nothing but Hell, and that’s a problem. Humans make for formidable enemies, too.”

Hestia nodded and didn’t argue this time. In her battle with the two demon lords, she had seen them hold back out of wariness of Prussia, unwilling to descend to the human world fully. The thought sent a shudder down her spine. If Wrath and Gluttony had descended with more of their thoughts, she and Derrida wouldn’t have fared well.

“Wayne, what kind of power is Prussia using to control angels?”

“I don’t know. I just went undercover and don’t yet have clearance for the information. That’s why I need your cooperation. Pretend you’re gravely wounded and unable to resist so that I can complete my mission and earn their trust, while I use the opportunity to see what they’re capable of.” Wayne narrowed his eyes. He had a rough guess, but without data, he couldn’t analyze it or visualize it.

“What exactly is your mission?”

“Prussia wants to pit demons and angels against each other for their mutual destruction. Before gaining full control over you and Derrida, my mission is to make you both obedient. How I go about it is up to me.”

Wayne clicked his tongue at her. “If I cause any offence during the mission, please bear with me. It’s all for the peace of the world. I assure you that my conscience is suffering greatly!”

That wasn’t very convincing. Hestia frowned deeply and ignored his sarcasm.

“Answer me, Hestia. Are you doing it or not?” Wayne grinned. “I’ll also take a no. It just means that you lack the willingness to sacrifice yourself, and that you’re not loyal enough to Hea—”

“Shut up. I’m thinking.”

“...” x3

No way, you’re actually considering it? x3

Wayne exchanged a glance with Ottilia and Regina. They knew too little about angels and had been applying human standards to an angel’s honor and sense of shame. That was a mistake!

After a long moment, Hestia took a deep breath and looked at Wayne gravely. “I’ve made up my mind.”

“W-well? What’s the verdict?”

Wayne gulped quietly. If Hestia insisted, he would have no choice but to take one for the team for her honor and glory... He felt like he was making a sacrifice!

“I’ve thought about it,” Hestia said with disdain. “I’d rather not.”

“...” x3

Wayne rolled his eyes. Then she should just say no. Why would she waste everyone’s time and get him worked up?

Ottilia and Regina were annoyed, too. Hestia’s look of disdain felt like an insult to their boss, and by extension, them.

“Boss, she’s a captive. Why are you negotiating with her? For the sake of world peace, she has to comply whether she likes it or not.”

“Exactly. I’ll hold her down for you.”

“That’s... inappropriate, isn’t it?”

“What’s inappropriate about it? The safety of the Chosen Land is at stake. Her opinion doesn’t matter.”

“Heaven will reward her!”

“Still... it’s not right, is it?”

The three of them huddled together and whispered about how to best humiliate Hestia. She shook her head, exasperated. How childish.

“I’m a reincarnated angel,” she said. “I represent Heaven’s honor. There are things I cannot do, even for the greater good.”

“Fair enough. I’ll think of something else.”

“I’m not done yet. As long as you don’t go too far, I can pretend to submit.”

“Seriously?”

Wayne gave her a strange look. From what he’d seen, Hestia was the type who wouldn’t tolerate the smallest offense. When they first met, she had chased him down and even used her Eye of Judgment just because he was too good at playing a demon. People like her had exceptionally high moral standards—for both others and themselves.

He didn’t believe that Hestia could set aside her pride to convincingly play a defeated, captured reincarnated angel who had surrendered to a demon to save her comrades from torment, with a complicated, conflicted attitude. It wasn’t because of a lack of acting ability, but because of the type of character she had.

Noting Wayne’s disbelief, Hestia scoffed. “Don’t underestimate me. A little humiliation is nothing I can’t handle.”

Wayne pulled his two secretaries close, nuzzling them and kissing Ottilia on the face. “Even this?”

(눈_눈)

It... should be fine, Hestia thought.

Wayne tilted Ottilia’s chin and captured her lips, giving her a lingering kiss. “And this?”

Probably... doable.

Wayne put an arm around Regina’s waist and leaned down...

“Boss, enough already. Shouldn’t you be doing this and asking her questions?” Regina said, her face flushed. She had both her hands pressed against Wayne’s chest.

Wayne nodded, looking over at Hestia with a look of admiration. “Impressive. Even my secretary couldn’t take it, but you’ll manage? I have to reevaluate your loyalty to Heaven.”

Hestia smiled stiffly. “It’s no problem at all. You may proceed with the humiliation. I can take it.”

“Even in front of a crowd?” Wayne was thoroughly amused, but he hid it under a poker face. “Let me be clear. The humiliation isn’t for my enjoyment, but to convince the enemies. There could be hundreds of spectators.”

Hestia wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face. She took several breaths before nodding firmly. “No problem!”

“Alright. Let’s rehearse then.”

Wayne flicked his wrist, and a black chain woven out of the Seven Deadly Sins unfurled, wrapping around Hestia’s pale neck. One end remained in his grasp, while the other end turned into a shackle and locked her neck.

“Now we’re getting the right look for a captive. The outfit is too conservative, though. The earlier look would fit better.”

“Bastard!” Hestia raged, snapping the chains with her bare hands and throwing the shackle to the ground. She glared at him with blazing red eyes. “Don’t push it. You aren’t humiliating me, but Heaven!”

“I knew you couldn’t do it, but you insisted.” Wayne huffed, dismissing the chains. “You have too much baggage. You don’t have what it takes to be an actress. Audition’s over. Don’t come knocking on the director’s door tonight. I have to go over the script with my secretaries, so I don’t have time to add scenes for you.”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Just lie down.” Wayne pointed behind her. “Just like Derrida, pretend to be unconscious because of your grave injury. Remember to suppress your power so that no one could tell, or I’ll be in great trouble.”

“That’s it?”

“What else do you expect?”

“I want to contribute rather than lying here like a dead weight.”

“Lady, you can’t act!”

Wayne shrugged. There was nothing he could do. It was commendable that she didn’t want to slack off, and every capitalist appreciated a hardworking employee. However, if she refused to get her hands dirty yet wanted to be picky...

Sorry, there’s no place for you on our professional team.

“Your secretaries—um, Regina isn’t a good actress, either,” Hestia argued.

She had noticed that between the two secretaries, Ottilia was clearly close to Wayne, but Regina was the type to neither initiate nor refuse, and she would push back if things got too intimate.

Hestia believed she could play that role.

Give me another chance, Director. I want to be a good actress!