Chapter 573

He had just given the concept of "Gluttony" to the human girl named Utsumi Erice at Novia's request.

Although in a sense one of the initial objectives of the infiltration was achieved, the whole process was filled with a sense of failure.

How did Azazel find out about this?

In a split second, countless thoughts flashed through the mind of Paradise Lost Satan as he tried to find a reason to gloss over the matter.

However,

Before he could speak, Azazel gently patted his shoulder.

"Don't be nervous," Azazel turned his head, his eyes beneath the goat helmet revealing no emotion. "I was just saying it offhand, based on Lucifero's habits. I wasn't guessing what you meant. Since he smelled 'deliciousness,' and 'Gluttony' is a Root of 'deliciousness,' I naturally made that connection. I wasn't guessing what you meant, much less testing your intentions."

He paused, his voice seeming to carry a hint of the shared struggles he had experienced in "Paradise Lost".

"We're comrades-in-arms, aren't we?"

Having said that, Azazel said no more, and his tall figure once again disappeared into the shadows of the hall, quietly departing.

Paradise Lost Satan stood frozen in place until Azazel's presence completely vanished from the space before he slowly let out a sigh of relief.

Azazel walked through the endless, seemingly limitless corridors of the Pandemonium.

The eerie blue flames burning on the corridor walls cast his shadow on the ground, making it appear to grow longer and shorter, like a ghost.

Azazel did indeed believe in Paradise Lost, Satan.

I believe in this dear friend who once fought alongside him, together launching the most resolute resistance against that Supreme Being and unquestionable being.

The two were comrades-in-arms, accomplices, and degenerate brothers.

But, my friend...

Azazel asked himself silently.

Why did you make that face?

It doesn't refer to the momentary panic and confusion when asking about "Gluttony."

Such an expression, though rare, is not entirely incomprehensible in the face of an unexpected and sudden situation.

Rather, it was the fleeting, inappropriate expression on your face the moment you stepped into the room, assuming no one was around, as you sat upon that lofty Throne.

It was an expression that mixed extreme awe, deep-seated hatred, unspeakable reverence, and a bottomless, almost destructive despair.

Azazel himself had shown that expression.

In the distant past, before the fall of the heavens.

Before he stood before the Holy Seat, he was still the glorious Angel, filled with Divinity sense of mission.

On that day when I was driven by God and willingly bore the blame, although I had prepared myself mentally, a desperate and contradictory expression still appeared on my face uncontrollably.

You...

Azazel's steps came to a quiet halt in the endless corridor.

Have you seen Him?

My friend.

Azazel finally stopped in front of another temple door.

That was a door that stood out starkly against the surrounding, somber, and magnificent Gothic-style buildings.

It is full of classical Rome style, gorgeous, complicated, and even ostentatious.

In front of the gate, seven Demon Beast He of various shapes and sizes were staring at each other listlessly.

"It's you again, Goat Helmet," Wrath Heira yawned lazily, her tone full of impatience. "She's resting. Unless it's something extremely important, don't bother her. You know her temper. I suggest you go back where you came from."

"Exactly," Jealousy Invidia chimed in, "All he does is lock himself in his room all day, who knows what he's up to, what a troublesome guy."

"She's been in a bad mood ever since she saw you last time. She even crushed her favorite golden goblet filled with fine wine. We don't want to be glared at by her again."

So said the Pride Hesuppelbia.

Azazel ignored their resentful complaints and simply glanced at them.

"I have urgent business," his voice remained as emotionless as ever, "I must see her."

"Tch, whatever." Gluttony Hegula muttered, but in a very low voice, "Anyway, it's not us who will be kicked out by her later, so you'd better watch yourself."

Although the Demon Beast He were still reluctant, they obediently made way for a path that could only accommodate one person at a time.

Azazel pushed open the heavy temple door, carved with reliefs of Cross and roses, and went inside.

The scene inside the door was like two different worlds compared to the gloomy corridor outside.

Luxurious.

The ultimate in luxury.

The brilliance of gold and jewels shines here, almost blindingly so.

The air was filled with a faint, sweet aroma, a blend of mellow Wine and rich Rose fragrance.

Draco, the Beast of Sodom, lay on his side on a soft couch covered with purple velvet, looking at him with a cold and scrutinizing gaze.

Before Draco could even speak...

Azazel spoke first.

"You are Satan 'made' from humankind, Draco."

So what?

Draco's voice carried a condescending Pride. She slowly sat up, her scarlet eyes narrowing slightly.

"Though I was once human, the attire I wear is indeed that of 'Satan,' just like yours. What? Do you have a problem with my origins, leader of the fallen Angel?"

Draco had already openly revealed her true name as Nero at the previous meeting, and naturally accepted the situation. Although it would have been easier to disguise herself by not revealing her true name, her pride as the Rome and Pope did not allow her to remain silent under those circumstances.

You misunderstand, I have no objection whatsoever.

Azazel shook his head, his gaze passing through the deep-set eye sockets of the goat helmet and landing on Draco's profile.

"What I mean is," he said, emphasizing each word, "That you seem to be like me. I have had children with humans, and you... and some other being, seem to have had a similar experience, haven't you?"

Della's gaze sharpened slightly for a moment.

The sweet, cloying aroma in the air seemed to thin out and become tense.

It's not surprising that Azazel knew this; in fact, it's quite natural.

According to the Book of Enoch, Azazel first came to earth with a Divinity desire to correct all errors and distortions that were contrary to God's will.

However, out of fear that contact with these defiled humans would tarnish their Divinity radiance, they developed an "overly strong and eager-to-display divine light."

It was precisely this excessive, almost obsessive mentality that ultimately led to an irreparable mistake.

On Mount Hermon, he mated with a human woman, giving birth to Giants known as the Nephilim, who brought endless disasters to the land and to humankind.

"Why do you say that?"

Draco uttered four words coldly, neither confirming nor denying.

Azazel did not press Draco on this topic in response to Draco attitude, but instead changed the subject.

"I can sense that Shekinah is no longer the Queen of Heaven I met before I fell from heaven."

"However, since things have come to this, there's no point in saying these things now that you're here with us."

"What exactly are you trying to say...?"

Draco asked impatiently.

She didn't like this kind of roundabout conversation.

"Jealousy."

Azazel uttered those two words and took a step forward.

"She is no longer the glorious Queen of Heaven of pop."

"She is now one of the Original Sin, the original sin of 'Jealousy'."

Why was Azazel so certain that Shekinah was Jealousy?

Because,

The name "Azazel" appears four times in the Book of Levi Book in the Bible, each time associated with the Day of Atonement.

On that day, the High Priest shall take two male goat lambs from the congregation of Israel and draw lots for them.

The first divination slip reads, "To the Jehovah".

The other sign reads, "To Azazel".

The goat that "belongs to the Jehovah" will be offered as a sin offering, and its blood will cleanse the sanctuary of its defilement.

After that, the High Priest would place his hands on the head of the living goat that was "belonging to Azazel," and confess all the Sin and transgressions of the Israel.

Then, this goat, bearing the Evil of the entire nation, will be exiled to the uninhabited wilderness, taking away all the Sin committed by people in the past year in a tragic and symbolic way, and finally disappearing into the vast wilderness.

This is remarkably similar to the story in the New Covenant where Jesus Christ, as the "Lamb of God," bore the Sin of the world and was Cross.

However, Jesus accomplished far more than could have been accomplished with the blood of bulls and goats.

The Book of Enoch, Chapter 10, Verse 8, records the following:

The entire earth has been corrupted by the practices taught by Azazel; all Sin are attributed to him.

Therefore, in some legends, Azazel is the victim of all human evil, Demon King who fell because of "Jealousy".

This is likely why Azazel could make such a assertion.

I have to kill her.

Azazel looked up; the goat helmet was facing Draco.

"I must not allow someone like her to appear before God. She has already failed as the Queen of Queen of Heaven. For the sake of the One in Heaven, I must kill her as an atonement."

Compared to Satan, who is always full of rebellious spirit, and Paradise Lost Sangyangsha, who also had offspring with humans but seemed somewhat tired and helpless, Azazel felt remorse for his sins.

He witnessed his own son, Giants, joining humans in a frenzied slaughter of other creatures, their blood staining the entire earth crimson.

They also witnessed how, when humanity could no longer satisfy the Giants' appetites, the Giants turned their attacks on their former allies, attempting to devour humanity as well.

Illegal crimes are spreading rampantly throughout the world.

And so, the mighty Flood finally descended, washing away the entire world.

Azazel himself was killed by the Great God Raphael.

Raphael bound Azazel's hands and feet, casting him into endless darkness; deep within the Dudael desert, he opened a bottomless abyss, throwing him in, placing jagged, enormous rocks upon him, shrouding him in eternal darkness, condemning him to eternal damnation, and obscuring his face so he would never see the light again...

In a sense, this is not much different from voluntarily accepting punishment.

Incidentally, Metatron was the one who banished Azazel from Kingdom of Heaven in the Book of Enoch, Sangyangsha was also banished from Kingdom of Heaven by Metatron in legend.

"... ha?"

Draco seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, and a mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Kill her? With your abilities? You think you can handle that Ultimate Great Satan?"

"No."

"Then how dare you—"

"In the past, even knowing this, I probably would still have fought God with all my might and offered my life as an atonement to God, not Shekinah, but after knowing you, I changed my mind."

At this moment, Azazel's words took on a peculiar rhythm.

"Why? What crime is it that the weak cannot endure the suffering of the strong? What crime is it that a fragile soul cannot contain a terrible life? Do you really only come to find the chosen ones, only for the chosen ones? Only for a portion? You are not like that, you should not be like that, you are absolutely not like that, you are definitely not like that. You have always told us that we should admonish life."

That was a distant, almost forgotten past.

Azazel saw the crying child and heard his innocent voice pleading with him not to leave.

At that moment, Azazel ruthlessly shook off his hand.

Azazel still remembers the confusion he felt at the time.