Chapter 105 Reunion
Mammon left the banquet hall not long after it began. He had never liked such occasions, no matter how old he got.
Even a banquet he had personally arranged only caused him more heartache as he watched his wealth flow away like water.
But unexpectedly, someone else emerged from the festivities with him. Walking through the bustling human city, he caught a whiff of the rich fragrance of black datura flowers.
That scent was often associated with death and despair, but those corrupted by it easily associated it with absurd love.
Mammon wasn't entirely familiar with the scent, but it wasn't unfamiliar either.
"Maras?" He frowned, identifying the Nightwalker. As he uttered the name, a witch, almost blending into the night, gracefully emerged.
"It's Lilim," the witch said softly, her tone light and teasing as she corrected him.
Maras, a new generation of witches from Hell, is the daughter of the demon Breus. Because of her fanatical worship of Lilith, she gave herself a similar name.
Upon seeing it was indeed her, Mammon clicked his tongue, took out a peach he had just obtained from a human, and bit into it. The sweet taste instantly filled his mouth.
"What are you doing following me out?" he asked vaguely, a satisfied look on his face, and casually tossed one to Lilim as well.
"It's about that tower in the city," Lilim said. "Ah, thank you."
She took the peach and thanked him, not understanding Mammon's easily improved mood from eating something so cheap, so she didn't eat it immediately. Instead, she repeatedly stroked the peach's fuzz with her slender white fingers, as if caressing a lover.
They gazed together at the tower in the distance, almost touching the sky. Although the demons knew that the top of the tower was actually far from heaven, as long as humanity maintained this momentum, success was only a matter of time.
"I must say, the potential these people have displayed this time has exceeded our expectations," Mammon said sincerely, munching on a peach while watching the busy figures on the construction site.
"I rarely feel that throwing a party for them is worthwhile, so what do you think of this tower?"
"What do I think? Its existence keeps 'people' awake, making it impossible for me to find prey lately!"
Lilim possessed the ability to enter dreams, especially the dreams of young men. She would enter their dreams to make love, luring them into a sea of passion.
She was beautiful and amorous, and a disciple of the love demon Siddy. Those she set her sights on could never escape; they could only succumb to the devil's temptations, often willing to sacrifice their souls for her favor.
"So I've been feeling very empty lately," she complained.
Mammon nearly choked on his peach. Looking at this lecherous woman, he couldn't help but have impure thoughts, which showed he needed to keep his distance.
"Don't even think about hitting on me," Mammon said. He wasn't interested in Lilim, even though she shone like a black gem in the eyes of other monsters and her many lovers.
"What's the rush? Would I be interested in you?" The witch glanced at him with her deep purple eyes, then made no attempt to hide her contempt and disdain.
"Come on, I only like pure young men. Your virginity has probably already been given to some witch long ago."
Mammon was speechless. No matter what, Lilim had no right to be picky about him. This witch was the least qualified to say that. Despite her own wantonness, she had an extreme fondness for purity, even choosing untouched virgins in her dreams to steal their chastity. Lilim ignored Mammon's disdainful gaze and continued.
"I didn't follow you. I just got tired of those vulgar women at the banquet and wanted to get some fresh air. Who knew I'd run into you?" Lilim said, unable to resist complaining to Mammon. "Can you imagine! A whole hall full of humans, and not a single one of them is even worth eating! Next time you and His Majesty hold a banquet like this, could you perhaps do a little screening?"
They weren't choosing concubines, nor were they angels; talking about chastity was utterly absurd.
"I will pass on your opinion to His Majesty," Mammon said with a forced smile. "But there's something I've always wanted to say to you."
"What?"
"I think you and Asmodeus are a perfect match. Have you considered making him your partner? I could reluctantly act as a matchmaker."
These two, one a ladies' man, the other a libertine, both demonic geniuses and beauties, were practically a match made in heaven. After finishing the peach, Mammon casually tossed the pit into the mud, giving it a curse of abundant fruit, as a way of repaying it for satisfying his appetite.
"Asmodeus?" The extremely self-centered witch, oblivious to Mammon's sarcasm, couldn't help but scoff. "You must be kidding me."
"Only clean men are worthy of my bed," she said. "It's precisely because Hell is full of such wicked creatures that I look down on them all."
These words were harsh, sweeping generalizations against all male demons in Hell, making the listener extremely displeased. He was about to say something more when a commotion suddenly drew his attention.
"What's going on?"
Panic spread from afar, forming waves that rolled in, layer upon layer, almost instantly transforming the entire area, and this change spread outwards with irresistible force.
People screamed helplessly at the unknown upheaval, but Mammon and Lilim found the center of the chaos.
It was the Tower of Babel. They jumped onto the tower and looked down from above.
"Human language has changed," Lilim said.
Humanity was abandoning the tower and scattering in all directions. Mammon watched helplessly as their recent plans inexplicably stalled, his face grim.
"I see," he said, but the question remained, "who did it?"
Cracks began to appear in the Tower of Babel as the craftsmen fled, and the rumors of "divine punishment" spreading among the crowd made it the target of their attacks and condemnations.
Radicals surrounded it, hurling fire and stones at it in pleading for divine forgiveness. Soon, it collapsed in the chaos.
It had risen so high, built so quickly, and turned to ruins in an instant. Losing their foothold, two demons plummeted from the sky.
Mammon glanced casually and saw a striking blond head.
Haniya removed her mask, her radiant smile reflected in the downcast demons' eyes.
'An angel?' he knew.
Hell quickly discovered the Tower of Babel's collapse and reported the failed plan to the Demon King, who was still in the Restaurant of No Return.
But upon hearing this bad news, Lucifer showed no surprise.
"Is that so?" he uttered only a few words, his voice barely audible, and then fell silent. His entire body seemed to sink into darkness, but those who knew him well noticed his aura intensify—as if this was what he had planned, the ending he had longed for.
But why would Lucifer expect the Tower of Babel to collapse?
The demons were puzzled, yet dared not presume to know Satan's thoughts. After Beelzebub's banquet, he returned to Hell to continue his official duties. Asmodeus, the only confidante of Pride, had to continue asking on his behalf.
"Have you found out who did it?"
But all the demons present exchanged bewildered glances. After the human banquet ended, they continued with their own second banquet.
It would be strange if they could find any clues while eating, drinking, and having fun.
"I know who did it," Mammon strode in from outside, Lilim following behind him thoughtfully.
"It was an angel!" he exclaimed. Asmodeus wasn't surprised by the answer; besides the angels of Heaven, no one else in Hell would disagree with them. However, before he could speak, Lucifer, who had been silent, decisively retorted.
"Impossible," Satan said, leaning forward slightly. The light from the crystal chandelier fell on him, revealing his expression, which sent a chill down their spines.
Hatred and repressed pain, joy and even more painful anticipation—ice and fire coexisted in Lucifer's eyes, as if two opposing souls were tearing at his strong body.
But despite his contradictory and extreme demeanor, his words remained calm and rational.
"No angel can change the entire world in an instant."
That couldn't be an angel, he thought to himself.
However, Mammon was certain. Even though it was just a glance, he would never forget that face, even in death.
He stared at Lucifer's face, confirming again, "It's the angel Hania," Meow Meow said.
"I saw it with my own eyes, Lilim was with me too."
"Are you sure it's the angel Hania?" Lucifer's aura suddenly turned cold.
He had long heard of Hania's name.
Rumor had it that Jehovah secretly created an angel.
Originally, even if he created ten thousand more angels, Lucifer felt it had nothing to do with him, but rumors circulated that the angel looked exactly like him.
Is it a substitute? Or something else?
'Protected like a precious jewel, never letting him step out of Heaven.'
Why so cautious?
What are you feeling guilty about?
Knowing it was meaningless, he couldn't suppress the surge of disgust and murderous intent within him.
Murderous intent towards the rumors, disgust towards himself.
He was furious that his soul was still bound to the Nine Heavens, yet even so, he couldn't control his attention from focusing on it. From that moment on, he never left the Great Cathedral again.
Lucifer had considered confining him to the cathedral forever, but even when things went as he wished, he was not satisfied.
He attributed this complex and contradictory emotion to the existence of the Messiah.
Adam was unworthy to stand against him; only Jehovah was qualified to rival him.
He wanted to force the Creator out of the nine heavens, and if his favorite humans could not achieve this, he would use his favorite angels instead.
"Where is that angel now?" He stared intently at Mammon, his red eyes gleaming with a deep darkness.
"I only caught a glimpse before coming to report to you."
Lucifer's coldness deepened, but Mammon, unfazed by his anger, calmly produced a silver-white silk ribbon.
"But don't worry, I have a way to find him," Mammon said with a smile, clutching the magical bandage that writhed violently as it sensed the power of primal light.
He still has accounts to settle with and that angel; he won't lose him so easily.
You provided the author, Twilight, with a tale of the arduous journey of creating a world within the [Hebrew Mythology].