Chapter 23: Supreme Beauty
The demon was captured without any surprise.
Before sending him to keep Golasia company, Lucifer personally interrogated him.
The ornate jeweled decorations inside the tent were removed, replaced by tapestries that formed a rectangle around the perimeter, like being inside an open box.
No one could maintain an optimistic and positive attitude for long in such a confined environment.
Lucifer's figure swayed in the dim light. He wore elegant and clean everyday clothes, his long golden hair more dazzling than his ornaments.
Bryce knew he couldn't escape his fate, so he didn't struggle. Instead, after relaxing, he sighed at his good fortune.
"To have the honor of seeing the most beautiful Seraphim of the three realms, my life has not been in vain."
Lucifer's fingers tapped lightly on the armrest of the chair, his face revealing neither anger nor displeasure at the demon's lewd words.
After a long pause, he slowly spoke, "You seem to know Asmodeus quite well."
"You say you can make Asmodeus have me, but I'm right here in front of you. How can you make me 'love' him?"
He described it with a nonchalant air, as if the 'I' he was referring to wasn't himself. Asmodeus broke out in a cold sweat, finding his prince several times more terrifying than usual.
Lucifer stared intently at Bress's every move, his behavior confirming his discovery.
"Illusion?"
"No, your expression doesn't say that."
"Deception?"
"That's not right either. You're very confident, clearly extremely proud, and disdainful of false lies."
He didn't need the demon's answer; he arrived at an answer and then refuted it without hesitation.
"I'm certain that no demon's seduction can sway me." He tapped the armrest of his chair repeatedly, his hand propping up his forehead, a somewhat languid posture, half his face hidden in the dim light of the main seat. Only those eyes, gazing at him, were bright enough to pierce through everything.
Looking at him, the demon's heart pounded involuntarily, as if the crisp sound of the pounding originated from within his own soul.
"So, you wanted to impersonate me, or rather, create another version of me, to deceive Asmodeus."
Brius was stunned. He wanted to ask Lucifer how he had guessed, but Lucifer ordered his men, "He must have accomplices nearby waiting for him. Go and capture him."
A short while later, Siddy, who hadn't escaped far, was also captured. He sat on the ground, disheveled and utterly wretched.
"You cowardly wretch!" He glared resentfully at Brie, who sat perfectly fine on the torture chair, convinced that his friend had betrayed him to save himself.
"Don't look at me like that, my dear friend, I haven't said anything yet!"
Brius was utterly wronged. Although he didn't believe he could keep his mouth shut under torture, he was convinced that he hadn't revealed anything until now!
Angels could be terrifyingly intelligent! He was shocked, but the unaware Siddy refused to believe him and refused to speak to him.
Siddy had been to Heaven and attended the Creation Ceremony, so Lucifer recognized him easily.
"I see. I knew you would pull a new stunt after the Mechanical Legion's defeat."
"Just as I expected, this time you've set your sights on Asmodeus." He recalled Siddy's abilities, which had easily exposed the demons' plot.
Upon learning from Lucifer that he was the primary target, Asmodeus couldn't help but loudly protest.
"No way! This is too insidious!" He was indignant, feeling utterly wronged.
"You still have the nerve to say that? You should really reflect on why, among all the angels, the demon chose you alone." Lucifer glared at him.
"Your reputation is so bad it's even spread to Hell! What am I supposed to say about you!"
…
Asmodeus was speechless, and could only vent his frustration on the nitpicking demon.
"You've gone too far! You actually lied to me, talking about the best beauty, about kindred spirits. I was such a fool to almost believe you!"
"No, Your Excellency! I really do like you!" Bress tried to defend himself.
"I hope you won't be prejudiced against us demons from now on."
"You truly are the moonlight angel of many lesser demons. If you reject them from now on, they will be heartbroken," he said sincerely to Asmodeus.
For demons, such a good angel is truly rare!
Lucifer, after hearing the demon's words, had veins throbbing on his forehead as he watched the blue-haired angel try to escape, sensing the danger.
"...Asmodeus, you stop right there!"
The angel, facing his rage, trembled and stopped.
"Solitary confinement!" he roared.
"No! Your Highness, I was wrong!!!" Asmodeus cried desperately, trying to plead, but Lucifer was no longer willing to listen.
"Given that the demons you harbored are not dangerous, you will not be charged with treason for now, but your commander status is revoked. Go to Mars immediately for solitary confinement to reflect on your actions. No reward will be given for your service; any wrongdoing will be dealt with later."
"It's all your fault!" Asmodeus glared hatefully at the demons on the ground.
"Go now! Do I need Raphael to escort you up?" Lucifer said coldly.
Asmodeus flew up to Heaven, weeping, and went to his solitary confinement. Lucifer ordered the Seraphim Raziel to take Asmodeus's place and guard the gate.
"Guard this place diligently. When everything is over, I will report to my god and promote you to the rank of Second-Rank Cherubim."
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Raziel bowed to see the Archangel off.
Lucifer quickly escorted the demon to the main camp. He ordered two Power Archangels to take the bound Siddi away and imprison him in a makeshift prison built specifically for demons, leaving Bress unmentioned.
Bress, who had been summoned for a private meeting, was both nervous and unable to hide his excitement. He secretly observed the Archangel's tent, his heart pounding.
However, after bringing him in, the Archangel ignored him, focusing solely on reviewing documents.
Could it be that he wanted to finish his official business first and then...? Hehehe, anyway, he's not bad-looking, so neither side would lose out...
"Stop with your filthy thoughts, or I'll smash your skull open," Lucifer warned, his head buried in documents, without looking up.
After finishing his chores for the day, he looked at the demon he'd been ignoring for ages; the demon had already fallen asleep from boredom.
Lucifer conjured a small white light at his fingertips, then used pure light power to awaken the slumped demon.
"Aaaaaah! It's burning me!!"
"Brius," Lucifer said after he'd finished jumping up and down, "Your demon portraits are too abstract; I hadn't thought of them before."
"I've heard you can summon a corresponding summoned being based on the summoner's thoughts, is that right?"
Brius's mind went blank; looking at the Archangel so close, he didn't react, only nodding subconsciously.
"A very convenient way to find one," Lucifer nodded in satisfaction. "Find one for me."
He paused, then confirmed with Bries.
"You really can find anyone? No matter where they are, you can make them appear here instantly?"
Brius understood Lucifer's purpose in leaving. He was curious who Lucifer could be thinking of, and even more surprised that the other could have times when he couldn't find the person he wanted to find. He spoke smugly.
"This is a power bestowed upon me by my god. Throughout the three realms, as long as he exists, he must answer my prayers! Even gods cannot refuse my requests!"
"You've made such a request to my god?"
Feeling Lucifer's deathly gaze, Brice quickly raised his hands in surrender.
"It was just a metaphor! A metaphor! How dare I disturb the gods!" Brice wisely refrained from letting the proud seraph say more, and proactively said, "You only need to describe the other person's image and characteristics in your mind, the more detailed the better, and leave the rest to me."
Lucifer nodded, but as time passed, no third figure appeared in the tent besides the two of them.
"No! This shouldn't be happening… I've never failed before! Really!" Cold sweat began to bead on Bress's forehead. He looked up as if suddenly remembering something.
"Right! You must not have thought it through carefully enough. Try to recall the details of the other person, like the individual strands of hair."
"Sometimes even subtle differences in the parting of hair can affect the effectiveness of an ability."
"And the clothes, what accessories he wore, especially the beads, the number of beads!" He spoke softer and softer as Lucifer handed him a portrait.
Judging from the realism of the drawing, he could no longer doubt the Archangel's memory.
But he had no time to doubt it.
He held the portrait tremblingly, lost in thought.
"Your Highness! May we come in?"
Outside the tent, Gabriel requested an audience. Lucifer, recognizing other Archangels accompanying him, assumed they had urgent business. He put away the hastily drawn portrait of Yahweh and let them in.
A group of seraphim filed in, all curiously scrutinizing the pale-faced demon.
"The Archangels said you kept a demon for separate interrogation; we thought it was a lie," Gabriel chuckled, then pointed at Bress and asked.
"What abilities does he possess that warrants such special treatment from Your Highness?"
"Nothing much. Looks like I was too gullible," Lucifer shook his head.
"Wait! Your Highness Lucifer! Give me another chance!"
Bris excitedly grabbed the hem of Lucifer's robe, practically kneeling before him.
"Please show me that portrait again! I promise! No, I must bring 'him' out!"
"What is he saying?" Several seraphim looked at the shouting demon with disgust.
"You can make Yahweh appear without the portrait, can't you? If you can't, go and keep your friends company now," Lucifer said, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes as he looked at the demon, who had gone mad upon seeing Yahweh's appearance. After Lucifer uttered a single sentence, the demon closed his eyes and began chanting.
"This is...?"
The seraphim watched them speak in riddles, about to ask more, when suddenly a dazzling light descended upon the center of the vast tent.
A figure, beyond their imagination, bathed in light, vaguely appeared.
"By my God, no one can refuse my power!" Bryce gazed at the beautiful, extraordinary figure with overwhelming joy.
The demon, unable to overcome the barrier, and destined never to see Yahweh's true face, crossed the obstacle beneath Lucifer's portrait, becoming the first of his creations to truly see God's face.
Truly the most beautiful in all three realms!
He collapsed to the ground, a blissful expression on his face, as the angels dragged him away.
God had blessed Bryce with a special power; even he himself could not refuse a believer's heartfelt request to see him.
Yahweh, who had previously vanished, reappeared, his expression heavy with morning grumpiness. He coldly surveyed the audacious creations before him.
You provide the author Danmu's [Hebrew Mythology] with the arduous story of a world's creation.