HKWM | Chapter 2

It might sound like I’m full of myself, but for a moment, I thought the curtains were hiding not a window but a masterpiece painting. The lustrous black hair falling below my collarbones, the skin glowing pale against the abyss-dark hair, and even the blood-red eyes.

The image mirrored the Demon Lord I saw upon waking up. Yet, if it weren’t for the sinister blend of colors, this face could be mistaken for that of an archangel, not an archdemon.

“Is this really my face now? So this is how my good deeds are repaid….”

The irony wasn’t lost on me—just moments ago, I was renouncing my father for making me an archdemon based on what sin I’d committed. Yet, the satisfaction that surged through me upon seeing my reflection was irresistible.

Plus, with a tall frame and long limbs paired with broad shoulders, I suddenly wanted to summon a painter and have this image immortalized in a painting.

Here, where demons’ blood runs black and their magic glows dark red, anyone would see it as nothing short of a demonic portrait.

Ever since waking up here, it was as if an encyclopedia of the Demon Realm and demons had been implanted in my brain, quickly answering any questions I had. Probably memories from previous ‘Wraths.’

“A fantasy world set in the medieval times with the arrival of an advanced archdemon… What a mess.”

The view outside was equally chaotic. My castle stood isolated in a desolate wasteland, with hardly a blade of grass in sight and only a few twisted plants visible.

Kieeeek-

Why is that moving?

The strange noise it made as it snapped at the air was anything but normal. Well, what do you expect from a plant that feeds on magic? Suddenly overwhelmed by fatigue, I drew the curtains shut and lay back down.

Why was I born as Wrath and not Sloth? It was the first question I pondered since becoming a demon.

Was it because I was so outraged by dying from overwork? But if I’m supposed to be Wrath, shouldn’t I be so furious that I’d want to smash everything just by breathing, not idly rolling around in bed? Recalling my life as a human, I was never close to embodying rage.

As Lee Hyunjin, my life’s motto might as well have been ‘go with the flow,’ and even when I encountered absurdities, I’d just laugh it off, thinking, ‘what’s good is good.’

It wasn’t that I was naturally generous or gentle. I just hated hassles, and knew getting angry wouldn’t change anything. If laying down and screaming could solve problems, I would’ve done it long ago.

So, maybe Lee Hyunjin was a master of rationalization and acceptance… Had I been harboring some unknown resentment? Just as I was about to bury my face back into the pillow.

Kooogooong- Kwaaang-!

A massive vibration shook the ground near me.

“Ah! Damn, what now?!”

Startled, I sprang up, instinctively feeling the source of the tremor was at the front gate, even though no one had told me so. A massive amount of magic was clashing with mine, creating a tingling pressure on my skin.

I sighed and stepped outside, reaching the enormous gate that towered over me. It was then I realized I hadn’t even looked at this gate, let alone ventured outside since arriving here. My tendency not to venture out even on my days off hadn’t changed.

A casual wave of my hand, and the massive doors responded to my will, swinging open without me touching them. Yet, there was no sign of whoever had come to find me. Where are they…

“That’s odd?”

The voice, full of puzzlement, came from below the ground.

Below…?

Suddenly, a shape shot up from the shadows.

At first, it looked like a lump of clay crudely shaped by hand, but it soon formed into a human figure, with long, flowing hair and a face missing its eyes, nose, and mouth—utterly bizarre.

It reminded me of the egg ghosts from my childhood, and I quickly averted my gaze. Scary…

“Are you hurting somewhere?”

“…What?”

“You must be really hurting… You seemed so quiet.”

The concern in his voice was evident, even though this was our first meeting. Yet, I felt like I knew who it was.

“Lust, why are you here?”

It was Lust, one of the other Seven Deadly Sins. Apparently, when he’s not seducing anyone, he just looks like an egg ghost.

“Are you sure you’re not hurting?”

“…Can an archdemon even be sick?”

“I’ve never seen it happen, but you don’t look normal.”

“It seems like you’d be happier if I were.”

“I’ve never seen this door open normally.”

Did previous Wraths always break it down on their way out?

“I thought it was just for decoration since it was always broken.”

Was that for real…? As the current Wrath, I felt embarrassed by the crude actions of my predecessors.

“And I’ve never had more than a word with Wrath.”

“I’m afraid to ask what that word was.”

“Well, anyway. I was curious because the new Wrath has been holed up in his castle for over 120 years.”

Wait, I’ve been in the castle for over 120 years? Most of that time I was either sleeping or lying down, so I lost track of time. With no clear distinction between day and night and living a demon’s eternal life, who cares about time?

“But for demons, a few decades are just a blink of an eye. To think my brief stay in the castle would be so unusual that it would bring another archdemon to visit is truly lamentable. What on earth were the previous Wraths like?”

“Sorry to disappoint, but I plan to keep to myself in the future.”

“That actually makes me more curious. I’ll have to bet with Gluttony on how many years it’ll take before you step outside.”

“Aren’t you busy?”

“Are you too busy to leave the castle?”

The sharp wit I’d honed in corporate life fell flat. Demons, known for their eloquent temptation of humans, certainly had a way with words.

“So how many years are you betting?”

“Hmm…”

Despite lacking eyes, I felt his gaze scanning me from head to toe, sending a chill down my spine, prompting me to rub my arms uneasily.

I had never watched a horror movie on my own as a human, and if I ever did, I’d spend the whole time looking away during the scary scenes. It seemed being a demon hadn’t changed my timidity.

But pride kept me acting nonchalant, and Lust didn’t seem to notice anything amiss.

“I’ll bet on 200 years.”

I won’t step outside the castle for the next 200 years. Not that I was being petty about losing an argument, of course.

Feeling a sudden spike in mental exhaustion, I was about to send Lust away when a question popped into my mind.

A demon can live forever as long as their ‘core,’ often called the ‘heart,’ remains intact. They don’t die even if beheaded, making them strive to protect their core at all costs. But what really puzzled me was why the previous Wrath had died.

Unlike regular demons who are born normally, the few archdemons bearing one of only seven names are ‘chosen’ by the Demon Lord. I didn’t know how this ‘selection’ worked, but archdemons don’t age or die easily; a change in generation doesn’t happen unless the predecessor dies. So, my becoming Wrath meant the previous one had died.

“Do you know about the previous Wrath?”

“Yeah.”

“How strong was he?”

“Very strong.”

The power of archdemons is closely linked to the sin they embody. For me, that meant the stronger the world’s ‘Wrath,’ the stronger I became. I also grew stronger by consuming the souls of humans who’d fallen to wrath.

It was logical that among the Seven Deadly Sins, Wrath was always among the strongest due to its direct connection to forceful emotions.

“So why did he die? Did he get bored and kill himself?”

“That’s something Sloth might do.”

How casual… Disgusted, I listened as Lust nonchalantly added, “Pride killed him.”

“Why?”

“They didn’t get along.”

The tone was dismissive, but instinctively, I felt a surge of wariness. However, as I searched my memories, there was no recall of the previous Wrath being murdered by Pride. Both were always top contenders in power, and it made sense they didn’t get along, being so full of themselves…

“Why don’t I remember his death?”

“There are many memories you don’t have. Old or useless ones get trimmed away.”

“But why not such a vivid memory as death?”

“Think about it simply. Most archdemons, except Sloth, are replaced through murder by another archdemon. If those memories were transferred, so would the grudges, which would just be a hassle.”

Even if memories transferred, harboring a grudge over a murder you didn’t personally suffer seemed extreme. Demons really did have nasty dispositions.

“I guess I understand.”

“You’re quite unique.”

“Why?”

“It’s nothing.”

Continuing to face that empty white visage was creeping me out, so I turned my head slightly. Surely not all beings in the Demon Realm looked like this. I really can’t handle scary stuff.

“You can’t stay in the castle forever.”

“Why not?”

“You’ll get hungry soon.”

A faint contour appeared on his bland face, almost like a smile. Without further explanation, Lust sank into the ground.

“Do all demons just do whatever they want?”

Just watch, I’ll stay out of the castle for the next 200 years…! It was a petty demon’s revenge.

After Lust left, I busied myself with an air of nonchalance I never would have had in my past life, plucking gems from the chandelier, when suddenly, a sweet smell wafted by. At first, it seemed like a well-made dessert, but as the newly minted archdemon, I quickly realized it was not.

This was not a dessert. It was the scent of a sin-stained soul.