Chapter 389 (1): Twenty-year-old Engineer, Still Hale and Hearty
Derrida’s joke and intentional cowering barely restored Hestia’s reputation. She accepted the olive branch and stopped bickering with Wayne.
But while Wayne and his secretaries talked to Derrida, Hestia was muttering to herself under a tree, either praying or cursing at a certain someone. Judging by her trembling body, it was quite clear that she didn’t want to take the olive branch and had only done so for the greater good.
Every time she heard ‘Lust incarnate’ uttered behind her, she clenched her fist and took a shuddering breath, telling herself that she shouldn’t commit the sin of wrath from the Seven Deadly Sins.
This is fun! She’ll take quite some time to tame!
Wayne narrowed his eyes and smothered his amusement. “Derrida, we’ve met and fought. I believe that you and Lust incarnate are both reincarnated angels. Now, tell me why you sought me out in Ostarrichi.”
If they just wanted intelligence, he had told the Papal State everything through the Church of Nature. There was little point in asking the same questions again.
“The intel you provided was too vague. Lust incarnate and I are under the order to conduct a thorough investigation...”
Derrida explained their mission in detail, without reservation.
First, there were the vessels of the demon lords. Wayne mentioned that Ludwig, former pope of the Church of Nature, might be connected to the Lord of Wrath. The operative word here was ‘might’. They needed confirmation. It was common knowledge that demon lords’ vessels always came in bulk. If there was one for Wrath, there had to be more. That was why further investigation was imperative.
Second, Prussian leadership had gained the power of demons. Had the decision-makers been tempted by demons and become demons’ pawns?
Third, where would the Gate of Hell open? In Berlo, the capital of Prussia, or somewhere else?
Moreover...
Derrida went on and on about their mission. Wayne asked curiously, “You’re under his order? Does the Pope have the authority to command reincarnated angels?”
“I won’t say that he commands us,” Derrida explained. “The Pope is an eloquent man and is generous when he needs to be, giving us both respect and actual benefit. We’re in the same boat in fighting demons and Hell. Since this is the human world, there’s nothing wrong with doing what he says.”
Wayne nodded. Even a powerful dragon from the outside would have difficulty suppressing a local snake. Besides, the reincarnated angels had entered this world with a mission. After completing it, they would all return to Heaven. Since they never intended to stay in the human world, there was no reason to fight the Pope for power.
With them all in the same boat, the wise thing to do was to use each other for mutual benefit.
Not bad. Any faction was doing better than the Church of Nature.
“That’s hard work for you and Lust incarnate, coming all the way here for a mission. Tell me, how could I help you? As long as it’ll undermine the demons and it’s within my ability, I’ll provide you with anything other than actual support,” Wayne spoke generously.
“Stop acting, Wayne. I’m not Lust incarnate, so you don’t have to provoke me with lies.” Derrida smiled. “Look at your track record before saying that. Every time a demon appeared, you were always leading the charge. When the Pope’s delegation arrived, you were already on another demon.”
...Have you considered that it’s not by choice? I’m just a demon-nip for some reason.
Wayne suspected that it was all because of Hesione/Mona. Awash in the archangel’s holy water, he gained a passive buff that made him encounter demons wherever he went... Nah, that wasn’t right. Even before his first dip, he had already been running into demons at every turn, including the Blood Tyrant on Dragonheart Island and the Thousand-eyed Demon in Londan.
When Wayne didn’t say anything, Derrida’s smile deepened. “Lust incarnate and I visited Ostarrichi first because you were here, but our actual destination is Berlo.”
[Ding.]
[Reincarnated angel Derrida issues a team invitation. Do you accept?]
Of course I do!
“To be honest, I have no reason to turn you down when it’s related to demons,” Wayne said with a wry smile. “As I’ve said, however, a demon is hiding in Londan. It’s been a while since I left the city. I have to return as soon as possible. Why don’t you ask the Pope to deploy another reincarnated angel?”
Derrida smiled wordlessly. A man with an impressive track record like Wayne’s wouldn’t turn down the invitation. Though he said that, he was likely to have already agreed.
“Well, my sense of justice is too strong!” Wayne looked up in resignation. He had been a sworn enemy of gambling and drugs—and evil at large—since he was young. He couldn’t turn Derrida down. Despite knowing how dangerous this trip would be, he couldn’t come up with a proper excuse.
“Don’t worry, Wayne. It won’t take long,” Derrida said. “Our main goal is to investigate. If we were here to start a fight, the Papal State would’ve sent more than Lust incarnate and me.”
“What’s your secondary goal?”
“If we run into a demon lord’s vessel, we kill them. If we encounter risks of the Gate of Hell opening, we eliminate them. To sum up, we must kill what could lead to a coming catastrophe in its infancy.”
“So you’re starting a fight...”
Wayne huffed. He admitted that the Papal State had made the right arrangements. The cautious strategy was in line with Wayne’s.
The world was at war, and people were already under much suffering. Hell couldn’t be allowed to further escalate the crisis.
Most wars broke out for resource-related reasons. The Chosen Land was only so big, with an excess of resources in some parts and a shortage of resources in other parts. The disparity was commonplace, so every once in a while, wars would be waged to sign a new treaty and re-establish a new order.
That Wayne couldn’t change. What he could do was to stop the churches from fueling the fire, such as the Church of Nature. Another thing he could do was to stop the Gate of Hell from opening.
“I’ll join you and head to Berlo.” He frowned. If they encountered the mustached leader, should he kill him, or should he kill him?
Under the tree, Hestia nodded in approval. Though Wayne was annoying and got on her nerves, his hostility toward demons was undeniable. He was a qualified, competent reincarnated angel.
“Wonderful,” Derrida said brightly. “With you joining us, we’ll surely—”
“Alright, enough. I still want to go back home and get married after this, so don’t jinx me,” Wayne interrupted, preventing Derrida from raising a death flag. “Do you have a plan for the investigation? Or has the Papal State planted informants in Prussia?”
“The Church of Heavenly Father’s informants cover the entire Chosen Land, including Prussia. The Papal State has provided us with important leads. We only have to confirm them,” Derrida spoke with intentional ease.
“If it were that easy, the regular disciples would’ve gotten it done. Why would the reincarnated angels take on the mission? The deployment of high-ranking fighters means a difficult fight.”
“We’re just being cautious.”
“Disingenuous.” Wayne rubbed his temple, mentally preparing to walk into a difficult fight. “When are we setting out? I have other things to take care of. If you don’t mind, please give me a few more days.”
“That won’t be a pro—” Derrida paused, turning to Hestia. “What do you think, Lust incarnate?”
Lust incarnate didn’t say anything, so the two men assumed that she agreed.
“Wait!”
Before Wayne could leave with his secretaries, Hestia suddenly called out to him and came up with a frown. “There’s something I need to know. Demon, would you open your mouth to let me see your tongue?”
(⁄⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄⁄)
“Bastard, what’s that face for?”
“I should be the one to question you,” Wayne said. “How could I show a part as private as my tongue to everyone who asks?”
“Cut the nonsense. I want to study your stigma to see who you were in Heaven.”
“Maybe next time. Certainly.”
He waved her away and left with his secretaries, not giving her any chance to glimpse the truth. His stigma had been personally stamped on him by Hesione. As long as he insisted that he was Hesione in Heaven, everyone would have to take his word for it.
It was a symbol of status!
The status came with the disadvantage of drawing demons’ attention, however. Wayne didn’t want to expose himself and attract trouble. The cost and effect should be considered even when posturing, and this wasn’t a cost-effective matter to boast about.
As Wayne strode away, Hestia cursed at the bastard under her breath.
Derrida frowned. “Is his identity in Heaven important, Hestia? You seem hung up on it.”
“Why, are you not going to keep calling me Lust incarnate?”
“Um, I only called you that for Wayne,” Derrida said seriously. “We’re asking him to join the investigation, so I played along. I actually respect you greatly.”
Hestia shook her head. She didn’t dwell on whether he was telling the truth. Being called ‘Lust incarnate’ by him and being called that by Wayne were completely different to Hestia, since Wayne had invented the nickname.
She took a deep breath. “Don’t let it reach the Papal State. I think I’ve figured out who he is.”
“Who?”
“Can’t tell you.”
“...”
The black-hearted mediator grumbled silently. He wished he could drag Wayne back to insult Hestia a little more.
Comments