Myths Reawakened

Wayne was curious about Envy’s condition. He asked Stolas and Mattea why the demon lord had been cursing Wayne with every breath, as if Envy had been wronged.

As one of the Seven Demon Lords, whether Envy was out of his mind or not, he was a topic they should avoid even with a ten-foot pole. Laughing at him behind his back was one thing. Mocking him in person? Only the Lord of Pride could do that!

Stolas stood up wordlessly with a blank face. He had no stake in this game, so he would leave the Lord of Envy to his hysteria. Mattea also wanted to get up, but Wayne kept her on his lap.

This was the Spider Queen’s nest and territory, so she had personal stakes in the game. Scowling, she demanded to know why the Lord of Envy was tearing down her place.

Envy had no time for Mattea. Glaring at the dark-skinned baldy with crimson eyes, he said, “Stop pretending. I know it’s you. You forwent Heaven when its gate was open to you and barged into Hell instead when there wasn’t even an entrance. Where’s Hesione? Tell me now!”

“You’ve got the wrong person, Lord Envy. I’m Solsknar, not Wayne.” Wayne put on a hurt expression. “Stolas and Mattea can testify for me. I’m an Abyssal Python and have been in Hell for quite some time. I’m an immigrant who’s been doing his part.”

“Hahaha, still lying to my face? Look at who he is.” Envy pointed at the sky. A black and a red figure landed beside him. The three non-humans’ eyes were all red.

Enguema bared his fangs, while Solsknar held his fingers together like a blade. He snarled, “Get your hands off her, Wayne. Don’t do something this shameful with my face.”

“Who are you, and why are you using my appearance?” Wayne widened his eyes and kept Mattea trapped in his arms, refusing to let go.

“Haha, are you going to keep acting?” Solsknar’s crimson eyes gleamed. He unleashed black mist to project the emblem of an Abyssal Python. It was the species’ exclusive method of verification. As another inhabitant of the Abyss, Mattea realized immediately that she was sitting in the lap of an enemy.

“Be good. Do you think you can run away from me?” Wayne threatened, clutching Mattea’s neck. He looked around and realized that he could no longer keep acting.

He didn’t understand how Enguema had recruited the help of the Lord of Envy and Solsknar. If only one of them were present, he would’ve been able to keep acting, but any two of them together would expose him.

What went wrong?

Stolas returned to the Lord of Envy’s side with a dark look on his face. He had fancied himself an expert in intelligence work, yet he had allowed someone to cheat a great deal of information out of him. He felt the humiliation like a slap.

Thankfully, Mattea had fared even worse. Not only had she thrown herself at Wayne, thoroughly deceived, but she had now become his captive.

Stolas’s expression brightened when he saw the suppressed anger in her eyes. Her valiant effort made sure that Stolas wouldn’t be the biggest laughingstock in Hell. Moreover, no one could ever top the Lord of Clowns in that regard, not even Mattea.

“You don’t have to waste your breath on him, Brother,” Solsknar said furiously. “Let’s just take him out.”

Wayne had been impersonating him for two days. He most likely had done inappropriate things in those two days. Judging by Mattea’s posture, they had probably done the deed already.

How dare he! Solsknar had stayed single for the goddess all this time, but a bastard juggling two relationships had damaged his reputation.

“You’re right!” Envy agreed with a twisted grin, drawing a greatsword.

“Wait, I have a hostage. If you get any closer, I’d kill her.” Wayne stood up while lifting Mattea by the neck, immobilizing her with his vitality domain.

“Hahaha—” Envy doubled over, laughing so hard that his tears came out. “Where’s the hostage? I don’t see her. Do you see her, my dear brother?”

“Um...” Solsknar hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. “No.”

“Enguema, Stolas, do you see the hostage?” Envy looked at Wayne with mirth, mocking him for not understanding demons.

“Hostage?”

“If you’re talking about Mattea, I only see her corpse.”

Stolas and Enguema gave the correct answers, praising Mattea for her sacrifice. Hopefully, she would try to pin down Wayne so that Envy could kill both of them with one attack.

Mattea’s expression darkened. She wasn’t the least bit surprised by her ally’s betrayal. “Wayne, isn’t it?” she said calmly. “You don’t have a hostage, so let me go. I’ll fight them with you.”

Really? I don’t believe you!

Wayne would believe anyone but demons. Wrapping his hands with his vitality domain, he tightened his grip around Mattea’s neck, trapping her body and thoughts in his hold.

“I’m fine with being unarmed,” Wayne said coldly. “The Abyssal Spider Queen would make for a nice weapon. Come at me together. You will not even touch me without stepping on her body.”

She cursed out in fury. That wasn’t what Wayne had said when he was groping her heart.

None of them were humans, but it wouldn’t be inaccurate to call them all demons. In fact, Solsknar might just be the most morally upstanding one among them, and he alone was looking at Mattea sympathetically.

The encirclement shrank. Enguema and Stolas cut off Wayne’s escape route as Envy took the front with his sword, unleashing rising black mist from which black chains emerged. They cascaded and shot into the ground at his feet, forcefully reshaping Mattea’s territory.

Wayne keenly sensed the space freezing up, cutting off his thoughts from the outside world.

“Tell me, where is Hesione?”

“The four Śārim are kept outside Hell’s border. Just send someone, and you’ll see the legions ready for deployment. They could rush into Hell and make demons’ blood flow like rivers at any moment.” Wayne’s voice hardened. “I’ll be honest with you. I’m a spy sent by the legions to scout out Hell.”

“Nonsense!” Envy countered unhesitatingly. He didn’t care about the legions of angels, but only the degenerate couple. “Tell them that you’ve corrupted Purity of the Seven Sacred Virtues, that you’ve slept with Śār Hesione.”

“Yeah, I did, many times.”

“You heard that? He admitted it. Hesione’s no longer pure. I haven’t lied.” Envy perked up like a drowning fish seeing the land. He turned to Solsknar and the others with a look that said he had proven his innocence.

It wasn’t insufficient since it had no effect whatsoever. Everyone Envy turned to averted their eyes.

Stop getting hung up on your damn heavenly joke. He’s playing with you! x4

“Be serious, Wayne,” Envy snarled. “Say it again. Have you slept with her or not?”

“I’ll say it ten thousand times since justice lies in the human heart, and truth does not lie. The facts are in plain sight for all to see.” Wayne shrugged, provoking Envy until he was on the verge of losing it. Then Wayne said quickly, “You may not believe it, but the Lord of Pride knows about Śār Hesione, too. Some time ago, the reincarnated angels banished him to Hell from Londan.”

“What?!” Envy paused, coming to a realization quickly. “Are you trying to pit us against each other?”

“Don’t be silly,” Wayne huffed. “Who in Hell doesn’t know about your relationship with Pride? Would I need to pit you against each other?”

Right! Envy nodded instinctively. That much was true.

“I admit that I’ve bedded Hesione. The Śār of Purity has long been claimed. Not only have you found out, but the Lord of Pride has, too...” Wayne smiled like a demon and continued in a whisper, “Do you know why he refused to speak the truth and instead let you suffer?”

“He envies me!”

(눈_눈)x5

Whether Pride envied Envy or not, Envy truly embodied pride.

When Envy puffed out his chest like he had just stated the obvious truth, even Wayne was speechless for a moment. He said stiffly, “Yes, Pride envies you. You figured out the truth first, so he envied your achievement. Worried that your accolade will exceed his in Hell, he not only didn’t clear your name despite knowing the truth, but he also mocked you and suppressed you whenever he had the chance.”

“Pride! You bastard!!” Envy’s crimson eyes gleamed. Then he suddenly changed his attitude and stared coldly at Wayne. “Nicely said. You will repeat that at the next demon lord meeting. Are you going to surrender voluntarily, or should I make you?”

The demon lord is too clear-headed. Even when he’s absolutely furious, he still has a good head on his shoulders.

Wayne had no choice but to go all in. “Envy, is there a difference between surrendering voluntarily and having you make me surrender?”

“Of course!” Envy said seriously. “You’ve corrupted Purity, which makes you a hero in Hell. You’ve done what even the Seven Demon Lords couldn’t do. Personally, I have a lot of respect for you. As long as you surrender on your own, I’ll show you respect and even gather succubi to service you.”

Hiss.

Wayne inhaled deeply and said, “Respect? If I weren’t a righteous man who never chases skirts and never submits to demons, I would’ve agreed.”

(는_는)x5

What? Was the one groping Mattea’s chest not you, but Solsknar?

“A pathological liar and a deceitful man. I say you’re the demon here.” Envy smiled. “I approve. The more despicable you are, the filthier Hesione would be. Remember to act more servilely at the demon lord meeting. That way, the joke from Heaven—”

“The submissive way won’t work,” Wayne said helpfully. “They won’t believe that I’ve claimed Hesione then.”

Envy nodded. “You’re right. You must go hard enough to match Hesione.”

“Stop, Brother,” Solsknar said. He couldn’t take it anymore. “He’s buying time.”

“Huh? Brother?!” Wayne’s eyes widened. “Solsknar, since when have you become Envy’s lackey? Oh, I get it now. You’re not loyal. You’ve betrayed the Goddess of Darkness!”

“Nonsense. You are the traitor, Death Knight!” Solsknar glared daggers at him. “I’ll report to the goddess about you serving Death. Just wait. Darkness will excommunicate you, and there will be no place in the world for you. Moreover...”

“Use your own face! Stop doing these things with my appearance!”

“Go ahead,” Wayne said. “The goddess ordered me to infiltrate the Underworld.”

After the blatant lie, he added a true statement: “Tell the goddess Wayne said that she was very pliable that night, and I had a good time.”

“Bastard, I’m gonna kill you!”

Solsknar raged. He refused to connect such a filthy description with the pure goddess he so admired. Drawing a ray of black light to forge into a scimitar, he charged at Wayne.

“That’s the truth. Tell the goddess for me!”

Wayne’s eyes lit up. He was struggling to find a way to get back to the human world. Perhaps Solsknar could help him.

Putting aside their twisted relationship, Ines had made a heavy investment in Wayne. She would most definitely get him out of here.