Chapter 491 (2): The Tenth Floor, Life and Knowledge

Hesione frowned in consideration, conflicted. Then Wayne continued, “Sincerity corresponds to Deceit, and Courage corresponds to Fear. The hymn of humanity is the hymn of courage, and the greatness of humanity is the greatness of courage. Courage should be one of the Seven Sacred Virtues.”

Hesione hadn’t been listening to the rest of his words, still agonizing over her options. With a blush, she said, “Could I have both? What do you think about a sincere purity?”

I think that’s allowing harem to interfere with politics!

“That’s doable, but first, you need absolute power.” Wayne held her and pointed at the Sacred Tome of Golden Law in the sky. “If you can learn all the knowledge in that, not only can you be a sincere purity, but you can also be gentle, tolerant, sincere, and diligent purity.”

Startled, Hesione shook her head. “That knowledge is Father’s inheritance for you. I have no right to learn it. It’ll be an offense to your authority and a desecration of God.”

Silly, it should be yours.

“No, you must learn it.” Wayne stared at Hesione, trying to manipulate her. “Mikhael is too powerful. After acquiring the key to the tenth level, he’s sneakily learned a great amount of knowledge. He’s stronger than all other angels. His arrogance will one day compel him to make a move.”

“As the Anointed One, I cannot lower myself to his level and fight him every time. A viceroy must take a stand and defeat him.”

“Hesione, I want you to be the one to take a stand, guarding the divine throne with your sword!”

Hesione immediately wavered. She nodded solemnly to accept the divine calling. The Anointed One had a good eye for angels. Aside from her, all other angels were vermin who couldn’t shoulder that responsibility.

With a pushing motion, Wayne sent Hesione to the Sacred Tome of Golden Law. She put her hands on its cover with the reverence of a pilgrim. Her aura grew ever stronger as the golden light streamed into her body.

In three seconds, she had to pull her hands back, reaching her limit and unable to go further.

“Why did you stop?” Wayne went up to her and placed his hands on her back, diagnosing her with his thoughts.

Unlike him, Hesione couldn’t feast without reservation since she didn’t have the Book of Greed. With her limited capacity, her thoughts would be influenced if she took in too much knowledge. Then the consequences would be obvious. Just think of the arrogant ‘Mikhael’.

“This doesn’t make sense...” Wayne murmured. Hesione had to be Heaven’s successor if she could trigger the divine throne. It wouldn’t make sense for the successor to not be able to use the inheritance she had rightfully acquired.

After some consideration, Wayne realized the problem, his brows jumping up. While Hesione was the successor, she had entered the tenth level of Heaven through happenstance. She hadn’t fulfilled all the requirements of a successor.

It was the Seven Deadly Sins! She lacked the Seven Deadly Sins!

“Relax your thoughts, Hesione. Don’t resist the knowledge I’m giving you...” Wayne murmured, sending the information of the Seven Deadly Sins to her through his hands. Then...

He was repelled.

Hesione blinked. She didn’t want to resist, and she did believe wholeheartedly that Wayne wouldn’t hurt her. However, her body resisted the Seven Deadly Sins unconsciously, and she couldn’t control that.

What to do? x2

Wayne rubbed his temple. It was necessary for Hesione to acquire the complete Sacred Tome of Golden Law. On one hand, the inheritance would go to the right person, and on the other hand, with the prophesied doomsday on the horizon, it would be better to have more god-level power on their side.

Wayne had corrupted Heaven, but he wasn’t its master. He was only an invader who had occupied the land. He couldn’t replicate what gods could do in their Divine Realms, only exerting limited influence.

He had not ignited divine fire and become a god.

As Ines had said, Wayne had too big an appetite. Not even the power of Heaven and Hell combined was enough for him. More unlucky souls had to be pushed into the burning pit that was Wayne.

Noting the concerned look on his face, Hesione said, “Great Anointed One, why don’t we give up? I’m powerful enough now. Once I fully master this power, I’ll be able to enter the second phase of learning. There’s no hurry.”

No, this is urgent.

“Just call me Anointed One. You’re being a stranger with the way you’re addressing me when we are so close.”

Wayne shook his head, forcing Hesione to address him differently. Then he brought her to the Tree of Life and picked the biggest Fruit of Life, measuring around two to three stories tall. He had Hesione swallow it.

(눈_눈)

Hesione glared at the massive fruit.

“This will melt at the moment of contact, so just touch it,” Wayne explained. “I’m not telling you to literally swallow it...”

Hesione curiously reached out. The moment her fingertip came into contact with the massive fruit, it gradually melted into large swathes of distorted white matter, wrapping around her hands and swarming into her body rapidly.

Her mass did not change, and her body remained the same after consuming the fruit. She turned to Wayne in question. It felt like... she wasn’t the one who had eaten it.

Wayne’s lips curled into a cryptic smile. He pressed a hand to her chest and pushed lightly.

Her body swayed for a moment before regaining balance. Then an identical body toppled backward, unclothed. She had the same appearance and the same figure as Hesione. They resembled each other more than twins did.

The Fruit of Life was in itself life. Consuming it wouldn’t change Hesione. However, her duality made the fruit valuable.

Of course, the fruit had many uses, more than the creation of life.

Hesione saw a streak of black shadow. When she turned around, Wayne had already caught her ‘other self’.

(눈‸눈)

“Mona...” Wayne stroked the familiar face. Secretary Mona opened her eyes at the call, breaking into a sweet smile and reaching for the hand on her cheek, interlacing their fingers. They held each other’s gaze, their faces pushing closer.

Wet kissing noises filled the silence.

(는‸는)

Is this how you honor your promise to Father? Hesione groused. Is this how you make use of the Tree of Life?

Right in front of me!

Bah, shameless!

Hesione crossed her arms and scoffed, turning away from the display of affection. When the sweet reassurances she expected didn’t come, she huffed again.

“Mona, I’ve missed you so much. Although I see you every day, the independent you have been gone for a long time...”

Wayne murmured adoringly. Dazed, Mona found herself lost in his eyes.

“Come here, Hesione. You need to be part of this.”

“...” x2

(는‸는)x2

Soon after, Mona created a white robe for herself that resembled the robe Hesione was wearing, only the details were different. What truly set her apart was her glasses. Knowing Wayne’s preferences, she had given herself a pair of red-rimmed glasses.

Wayne gave her a thumbs-up. Looking to his left at Mona and then to his right at Hesione, he said solemnly, “Based on appearance alone, I cannot differentiate between you, but science is about evidence. The worst thing a scientist can do is to jump to conclusions. We have to learn the truth through experiments, no cutting corners allowed.”

Mona covered up her laugh. He was the same as usual. Patting Hesione on the shoulder, she was just about to say something when she stilled in surprise, letting out a soft gasp just like Hesione.

Hesione turned around and pressed her hands against Mona’s. Her perspective shifted as she took over the other body.

In addition to swapping bodies, they could also merge together.

Stepping back, Hesione refused to touch Mona again. Mona cocked her head and broke into a smile. “Boss, the new body is still pure. Hesione wants to give it to you.”

“Oh, really?” Wayne exclaimed in pleasant surprise.

Hesione shook her head, blushing. “Don’t speak nonsense. I mean the Anointed One no offense. I’m just, just...”

Unable to come up with a good excuse, she pointed at Mona and said, “I’m just worried that you’ll taint the Anointed One. Unlike me, you are not loyal to the Anointed One!”

“Ah, I’ve misunderstood you.” Mona adjusted her glasses. “Let’s swap back, then. I promise that I won’t—”

“Your promise means nothing!” Hesione interrupted righteously. “I do not trust your integrity. End of story.”

“Stop it, Mona,” Wayne said, giving her a double thumbs-up. “We should believe Hesione. I trust her.”

Under Hesione’s exasperated gaze, the pleased man and the quietly chuckling woman leaned into each other, getting into another mouth-to-mouth argument. If left unchecked, it would escalate into a body-on-body conflict.

“Anointed One!” Hesione interrupted. “You said you would bestow me with knowledge. That’s important business. The bit—secretary can wait.”

You truly are Hestia’s superior. You judge yourself the same way! x2

Wayne looked at Hesione with crinkling eyes. She averted his gaze, feeling exposed and a little anxious. She worried that with Mona gone, Wayne would lose his feelings for her.

“Right. We need to get down to business. Once we’re done with business, it’ll be time to get down on each other.”

The new body was empty with no knowledge. After Hesione took over it, it became a newly born angel. Wayne injected it with the cantos of Deceit and had Hesione and Mona merge. Once they unmerged, and Hesione became a separate entity again, she had both the Seven Deadly Sins and the Seven Sacred Virtues in her body.

Then...

It still didn’t work!

Hesione could now learn more of the Golden Law, but the limit of her study would depend on the amount of Seven Deadly Sins in her body. The more of the Seven Deadly Sins she possessed, the more Golden Law she could take in. In some way, it was to strike a balance between virtues and sins.

Watching Hesione and Mona get stronger, Wayne narrowed his eyes. The great demon god in Hell would have only the sins, while the successor of Heaven would have both the sins and the virtues. Elohim hadn’t been completely fair. Between the strongest angel and the most favored angel, he had chosen the latter.

“Why? Because a daughter is her father’s comfort, while the son is just an annoying debtor?”

Wayne cracked up. “The Seven Deadly Sins I have aren’t enough. I need to head to Hell.”

***

Heaven of Crystals, the Ninth Heaven.

Temple Garden.

What had been ruined two days ago had been restored anew, recovering the divine glory. The Sacred Virtues appeared and took their seats, seeing an Anointed One brimming with vitality and a viceroy filled with vitality.

“Hmph!”

Mikhael huffed. It had been two days since he last saw the Anointed One. He knew this would happen.

Heaven was doomed!

Hesione tried her best to keep a poker face and an upright posture. When Milia messaged her teasingly, she silenced and ignored her friend.

‘Have you succeeded in continuing the bloodline?’ Did you hear yourself? You show no respect for the Anointed One!

Wayne sat down on the divine throne. Once six of the Seven Sacred Virtues were seated, he asked, “We’re short one Sacred Virtue. I told you to prepare a list earlier. Have you done it?”

The Seven Sacred Virtues would be the front of Heaven. If possible, Wayne would like to avoid nepotism.

For example, he believed Hestia would be a good candidate. The loyal Throne never hesitated to insult her superiors. With a Fruit of Life, she could gain the life essence of a Seraph, and then a Fruit of Knowledge would give her the power of one. Then she would be able to replace Lahr.

Pontiff Reza, too, was a vermin meant for greatness. The old boy knew the way to the Anointed One’s heart.

Even though Wayne had the candidates in mind, he hadn’t shared it, allowing the Sacred Virtues to put it to a vote. This wasn’t Wayne’s Heaven. He wouldn’t... he probably wouldn’t mess around.

“Great Anointed One, I recommend Throne Frey from Hesione’s legion as the new Sacred Virtue!”

“???”

Wayne turned to Auriel in surprise, taking in his straightened posture.

Has the sun risen from the west today? Strange. Since when are you so considerate?

Bah! What nonsense are you spouting?!

Wayne almost forgot what he had set out to do because of Auriel. What is this? Are you just getting the conversation started, or are you sucking up to the Anointed One? If it’s the latter, you’ve thought wrong. Heaven is Heaven, and I’m not that kind of leader.

“Great Anointed One, I recommend Throne Frey as well!”

“As do I.”

Gerar and Vilkul stood up then, making the recommendations for completely practical reasons. They definitely weren’t trying to flatter Viceroy Hesione and cater to the Anointed One.