DEMIGODS: The Empyrean's Sanctity

Chapter 29: The Kin of Lust

『AICELYN』

My eyes wandered while looking at the man in front, who was quietly enjoying his tea. Strange. Belphegor may be the Kin of Sloth, but he is not supposed to help his enemies no matter how lazy he is. This is an act that even Satan could never forget.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked. Dahan-dahan niyang inangat ang ulo niya’t tumingin sa mga mata ko. “You’re a Kin. You’re not supposed—”

“It is an act of kindness, your highness.”

“You’re a demon. Hindi ka mabait!”

Isang tipid na ngiti ang kumubra sa labi ni Belphegor saka n’ya dahan-dahan na pinatong sa lamesa ang tsaa, “I want her to have her life back.”

I was too dumbfounded to speak. I was already expecting those words, yet I still failed to respond to them. Maybe because… it is too unreal for me. After learning about the tragedy from the Sun Kingdom years ago, a demon falling in love feels off as if it was a grave mistake.

His crimson eyes stared at me for a while. Hindi ko alam kung anong dapat kong sabihin, hindi ako isang santo para sabihin na sundin niya ang puso niya o ano pa man. Ang tanga ko naman kung gano’n.

And… I don’t have a fucking idea if he was sincere or not. I don’t like mind games. Sana si Light ang nandito para masaya kami parehas.

“She just looks like her… just like Lilith—her face, her laugh, her smile… everything.” Belphegor smiled.

“You mean… you can’t just a dying woman because she looks like Satan’s queen?”

Malalim siyang bumuntong-hininga at umiling, “Sapphire Mendoza isn’t dead. She was just a wandering soul—a soul who unconsciously left her host. And it is one of the reasons why the Elysians rejected her and Psyche claimed her as the first Empyrean Soul.”

“She’s in a coma, huh?”

Tumango-tango siya’t mas lalong naging malalim ang tingin sa akin, “At ikaw lang ang makakapagbigay muli ng buhay niya na hiniram…”

“Because I have the forbidden key…” I bitterly smiled and brooded.

Alam kong isa ako sa dahilan kung bakit nangyari ang lahat ng ito. Alam ko kung bakit sa akin nila binigay ang Great Prophecy dahil hawak ko ang isa sa mga susi na puputol sa tagpi-tagpi na kasalanan ng mga Greeks.

Binigyan ako ng mga Elysians ng isang regalo. Isang regalo na hindi matutumbasan ng kahit ano. At iyon ay dahil hindi ako nahulog sa temptasyon ng mga Kins kahit na… isa ako sa vessel nila.

Pero… sa ngayon hindi ko alam kung dapat bang maging masaya ako sa regalo ng nga Elysians lalo na’t kahit anong piliin kong landas ay masasaktan pa rin ang mga taong mahalaga sa akin.

“I am the cursed child,” I mumbled. I closed my eyes and started running my thoughts about the real prophecy.

Phoenix is the King Vessel.

Xian is the Blessed One—the one gifted with the Blessed Eyes.

The contractors— it was never Celine. It was the Gods.

“Your Highness, your friends are on the move.” Binigyan ko siya ng isang nagtatakhang tingin. And before I could even speak, he suddenly snapped his fingers. A funny and uncomfortable feeling tingled in my body, a side effect of teleportation. “They are inside Asmodeus’ Castle.”

“Thank—”

“This will be my last act of kindness, Your Highness.”

The funny, uncomfortable feeling became a flare of agony and despair. My eyes purposedly closed, and the pain inflicted on my body was never bearable. It felt I was being pierced a thousand times. As the pain eased, I felt my knees weakening until I finally kneeled to the ground.

I heard an unpleasant rhythm of music; it was loud and ringing to my ears. Marahan kong minulat ang mga mata ko habang damang-dama ko pa rin ang sikip sa aking dibdib. Halos lumuwa ang mga mata ko at kung p’wede lang sana ay hinugasan ko na sila.

What a hideous sight.

Unfortunately, I was trapped inside a disgusting room. My eyes darkened as I decided to look down. Oh, boy, matagal ata bago mabura sa isip ko ang mga nakita ko. Gusto ko maiyak. Hayop ka, Belphegor.

The room was filled of statues, not a simple one… but something unbearable. Kailangan kong lumabas sa k’warto na ‘to kaso… kailangan ko makita ang mga kinginang display sa k’wartong ‘to bago ko mahanap ang pinto?

I sighed and looked around. There are a lot of statues of different women displaying different poses that depict and emphasize Asmodeus’s curse, Lust; some were covered with brassiere, most were entirely naked with dog collars around their necks. There were also paintings around, and they were not very pleasing. How could some display a portrait of a woman sucking a man’s finest jewel?

Ang sarap manakal ng demonyo…

“Ah!” Halos magsasayaw ako sa tuwa nang makita ko ang pinto palabas sa makasalan na silid—na sana ay hindi ko na lamang pala ginawa.

Amidst the deafening music, silence suddenly slapped through my system as I watched a terrifying live-action of the worst sin of all. This is nuts…

They were drinking, dancing and… banging each other.

Bakit kailangan ko pang makita ‘to? Mabilis akong tumalikod at hinarap ang pinto, kaso may galit talaga sa akin ang mundong ‘to dahil bigla na lamang nawala ang lagusan paalis sa impyernong ‘to. Parang mas trip ko makipaghabulan kay Satan kaysa panoorin ‘to.

I sighed and faced them once again. I guess I have no choice but to use force. It’s been a while since I used my blessing. I might as well take it seriously.

Under our feet, a large magic circle appeared, and because they were busy attending and entertaining themselves, they failed to notice the immediate drop in the temperature. Mountain of ice covered the entire room, coating every sinner around.

“Demigod.” I looked behind and saw an irritated woman. The hostess. She has her tattered wings on display while wearing a fucking bondage lingerie. “What the hell have you done to my castle?”

“Asmodeus.”

“How dare you display your blessing—wait! You can use your blessing!” Shock was written all over her face because it was really a peculiar sight. How can a mere demigod use a blessing in a continent ruled by the Kins? Asmodeus crossed her arms and looked at me menacingly. “But… I’m still disappointed. You can never hurt me.”

Hindi naman siya katulad ni Satan, so bakit?

I tried to imprison her in a glacier of ice, but it just passed through her. Asmodeus laughed hysterically. What on Styx is happening?

I tried and tried, but the result was still the same. My attacks were useless.

Inis kong kinagat ang labi ko’t tumakbo palayo sa kanya, ngunit bago ako tuluyan na makalayo ay naramdaman ko ang malamig niyang katawan sa likuran ko na nakayakap.

“My, my…” Asmodeus whispered. She slowly caressed my hair, stroking it with desire. “You do have lots of lust towards that man…”

“What are you…”

Asmodeus slowly leaned to my neck. Every breath she took were sending me shivers that I couldn’t move even a single muscle. As I remained standing, cold and sharp fangs started to bury deep into my skin.

“As long as you have lust within, you can never hurt me nor you friends, my dear Aicelyn.”

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