"With how much certainty can you make that statement with? How confident are you in your own eyes?"

Standing up quickly from his seat, Huberos walked over to the boy, standing before him with his hands folded behind his back.

The boy stood firm, taking a deep breath before responding.

"I am completely certain. Without a doubt..... they were the antiheroes. And without a doubt..... Envidia and Avarco were killed before my very eyes before I fled."

Huberos glared into the eyes of the boy, staring into him as if to test his resolve, yet the boy did not so much as waver.

He was that confident.

He had without question witnessed a scenario which could be seen as nothing else but the slaughter of the Host of Envy and the Host of Greed.

"I see. Return to your room to rest, and take the next few days off. You've done an acceptable job."

The boy nodded his head, quickly making his way out the door as the butler held it open for him, leaving the three alone in the room as the two left.

"Looks like..... I might have to do something."

Speaking slowly in a half asleep tone, the girl with pink scaled skin and lime green hair murmured these words- ones in which Huberos never thought he would hear in his lifetime.

"You are prepared to take action, Apathia?"

"Envidia and Avarco.... and Vex. They're all dead."

Lifting her head up slowly, the slightest expression of discontent could be seen on the girls face.

Her half closed eyes were lightly wettened, the liquid glimmering in the single candle which stuck out of the rubble that had crumbled beside the three.

"I will hold off..... the strongest one. That is all. Gormand, you figure out the rest."

"I got it. No need to tell me twice."

Huberos sat down slowly, looking down at the ground. He breathed in a long, winded sigh as he grabbed his own forehead, his expression wrinkled with irritation.

"I did not wish to defeat her in this manner. How will I establish my superiority over her... when she is dead?"

His words were but a whisper as he placed his chin on his hand, tapping it with his clawed fingernails in thought.

"First Vex.... and now the other two..... it truly is irritating beyond belief."

Closing his eyes in a display of suppressed anger, Huberos merely thought to himself in a silent room.

The other two had become quiet.

Despite his own denial of any emotions with the death of Vex, this death weighed on him heavily.

However, he was the Host of Pride.

The Host of Pride could not be seen lamenting the death of another, and certainly not the death of a comrade.

'If he died, it was because he was a fool.'

'It was because he held no concern for his own surroundings or status.'

'It was because he challenged someone beyond his own skill level.'

'It was because he was weak.'

'If I were the one who was in his situation, then I would have without doubt come out on top.'

'Because I am the greatest. His own greatness could never match mine, and his ability holds not a single candle to mine.'

These were the things that Huberos told himself over and over in order to distract himself from the cruel reality.

'He was not a friend of mine. He was merely a maggot who could never match up to me.'

Sitting in his own seat, these thoughts which Huberos had used to deceive himself built up within him.

And for the first time in a long time, he realized something.

He wasn't as heartless as he thought he was.

He wasn't as far away from the others as he thought he was.

He wasn't as isolated as he thought he was.

"The only person who could possibly aim to understand a Host of Sin.... is another Host of Sin. Were these not the words which were spoken when the Hosts of Sin first formed a contract with one another?"

"That is true.", Gormand responded, for once not focusing on the food as he folded his hands on the half destroyed table in front of him. "Because.... we are the only ones in the world who have been driven so far into despair, that our sin exceeds all others."

No gimmicks or lighthearted chatter could break this mood.

"Then.... we will gather together our armies tomorrow, no? Do either of you object?"

The two did not respond, silently agreeing to the proposal of Huberos.

With a nod, Huberos stood up and smiled with a slight amount of arrogance.

"Very well. With my mere presence our victory was more than guaranteed, but with this alliance an overwhelming victory is beyond assured."

"I'll gather up our warriors. Apathia, no need for you to do anything. I'll take that responsibility. You just do your job tomorrow and take the strongest opponent out of play."

"Of course.... I shouldn't need to do anything.... but that."

The two playfully bantered as usual, yet their tones were somber and the girls voice squeaked as if she were about to let out a cry.

"Why..... would I ever put forth effort for a couple of people that I saw a few times a year here and there? I'll just.... do that."

Despite her cold words, the girl was clearly hurt.

Unlike how she had entered the mansion, she was now wide awake.

"It's just.... that if they killed Envidia.... that they're probably pretty strong. So I.... I have to do something. Or we might all get killed."

"That's right.", Gormand responded. "Huberos? Is the food coming anytime soon?"

"It will be here momentarily. Please allow the chefs more time."

"I see."

Gormand now spoke with a forceful tone, ceasing his fun and games.

The three could not shake their emotions, yet did everything they could to hide them away, burying them into a corner of their hearts.

"What of Lustia?", Apathia asked.

"Lustia? She backed out the very moment I called that first conference. She will not take part, as her own peril was hundreds of years ago. She did not become a host of sin around the same time period as us, so she has seen many Hosts die.", Huberos responded.

"But.... don't you think we should ask?", she pressed.

"Are you willing to go yourself?"

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

As Huberos made this statement, the girl was quieted.

"Then that is that. We will gather our armies and head for their Capital tomorrow morning. And we will show to the antiheroes that their era has not yet, and never will come."

Stepping up, Huberos headed towards the door.

"Something has come up. The food will be arriving momentarily, so eat to your hearts content, you blubberhouse. If you request more just notify the butler and he will have word sent immediately. Ah, and make sure to bring payment to me for the repairs."

Huberos left the room to the surprise of the butler who awaited outside the room as he slammed the door shut.

The butler soon entered the room, quickly scanning the area as he folded his hands in proper manner.

"Is something wrong, guests? Did.... something happen?"

Speaking carefully so as to not anger the two, the butler slowly spoke, yet he was met with the glare of the blue dragonic demon who sat before him.

With deadly tone, the man spoke.

"Thank you for preparing the meal and for everything you've done here, but I've lost my appetite."

Grabbing hold of the pink dragonic demon next to him, lifting her up onto his shoulders like a wooden beam, his wings began to flap as he floated upwards.

"I'll return another time for some good cooking. But for tonight, I think I've had enough."

----

Pacing back and forth within his bedroom, the indigo demon with swirled hair grabbed his forehead with such pressure that his own claws pierced his skin, causing blood to seep from the locations of impact.

His steps were quick and heavy, and he turned around almost every second, taking just a couple quick steps before heading in the opposite direction.

'For what reason am I so irritated? For what reason? For him? For the annoying child who called me by such a ridiculous nickname, planting his grimy feet on my own table as he blatantly ignored those around him? For her, the woman who tried to outdo me in everything and used her petty ability for the sole purpose of being ahead of me? For that greed filled man who wished for nothing more than financial gain, lusting after money like it was his very lifeline!?'

Murmuring to himself, Huberos could not help but choke up on his own words, disgusted at their very nature.

'Me? The Host of Pride? The one who has taken a spot above all others? How could I..... have such concerns?'

Holding his hand to his heart, a pained expression came across the face of the demon.

'Why? Why must this happen to me? Why can I not simply brush it off like the thousands of others I killed with my own two hands? Why can I not view them the same way as those..... as those..... as those....'

Smashing his fist to the marble wall, Huberos began to pant in anger as cracks propagated from the spot of impact.

'And now I have just damaged my own property, which was a completely pointless action. Pointless! Pointless! For no reason did I perform that action just now! And now I have something which I must fix out of my own pocket, and in my own bedroom at that! Pathetic! Pathetic!!!!'

Grabbing his own hair in his irritation, drips of blood drew lines down the forehead of the demon as he continued to pace furiously.

"I must calm down. I must think. That is right. They meant nothing to me. They were lesser than me. Lesser!!! I could so easily look down upon them. Their rude tones, their impudence towards me... HAHAHA! Good riddance to them, I say! GOOD! RIDDANCE!!! I'm glad they're dead!!! Glad glad glad!!! I'm so happy that they're dead that I could go and throw a party!!! As a matter of fact, isn't this what I wanted!? YES! This is exactly what I wanted!!! That cheating good for nothing woman who took the number 1 spot among the Hosts is now gone, and my own ranking has increased due to that!!! I should be celebrating, for I am one place closer to being recognized at my true value!"

Walking out the door, Huberos grinned with a hint of madness, thrusting himself into the hallways.

"HAHAHAH!!! That is ri-"

"You don't really believe any of that."

Raising his hands into the air as he shouted in his insanity, Huberos was stopped in his tracks by the voice of a woman.

Turning behind him, he saw a woman sitting on the balcony above the main hall, resting as if she was in her very home.

This woman with leaves as hair and a dress made from the petals of flower had light green skin made from cellulose, and her facial features glistened in the low lighting of the dark mansion in such a way that Huberos couldn't help but think that she was.... cute.

"Wha.... who..... who do you think you are to say something like that. You are nothing more than a-"

"I am right. It does not matter who makes the statement, for making a statement is not arrogance.... so long as it is true."

Noticing his situation, Huberos came to his senses, looking around himself to ensure that nobody else was viewing this out of place phenomena.

Fixing his hair and wiping the blood from his face with his handkerchief, he took a deep breath before approaching the woman.

"Come sit at my bedside. This is not a request. This is an order."

Huberos turned back, walking into his own room with his hands folded behind his back, a serious expression on his face as if nothing had happened.

The woman turned around as she leaned on the handrail, lightly carrying herself to follow him.

'It's just as I thought.'

----

Laying in his bed with his hands folded, Huberos awaited the woman who entered the room.

"Stand before me. I will now question you. And shut the door."

Glancing at the woman with thinned eyes, Huberos had come to his senses.

He lost himself in madness.

Madness which was spurred on at his own grief, which he refused to recognize.

Grief for those who had passed, and grief at the utter loneliness he felt right now.

The woman shut the door, not scared in the least despite this overwhelming scenario.

The very demon who had invaded her village, shown off his power to all in order to display just how powerless the plant kin were before him, and forced them into this new land was now before her in a bedroom.

If he were to violate her here and now, she would be powerless to deny him such a right.

"How much did you hear?"

"I heard enough to understand."

Despite the scenario, the young woman was not phased in the least.

She responded to his question with a prompt and truthful yet elusive and slightly rebellious answer.

"Then.... I will assume you heard all of it."

"You're powerful. You're confident. You have pride in yourself. But I can tell from the minute details."

The woman frowned slightly, giving the demon eyes of deep concern.

"You are lying to yourself."

"I did not ask you such a thing. Will you keep quiet? I am the one questioning you here."

The room was so dark that the only light was the violet orb which the girl gripped in her hand, which reflected on the two as they faced one another.

"Then, what do you want to know?"

"Do you not understand that I have the power to kill you here and now? All it would take is a single slice of my claw, not even- and your head would be on the ground."

"I understand that."

"Then why do you speak to me as if we are equals?"

"Why do you treat me as if I am an equal?"

The woman replied with haste, leaving Huberos speechless for a moment.

"Have you become arrogant because I treated you well as my subordinate? No, perhaps that is not the correct word."

Standing up from his bed, Huberos made his way over to the woman, beaming down on her.

"You are my slave. You live in my house, under my rules. Perhaps I did not make that clear just earlier."

"A slave is supposed to serve their master, are they not? Then, I will do what I believe to be best for you."

The woman spoke words of absurdity, causing Huberos to widen his eyes as he was filled with a series of emotions he had never previously encountered.

"I must.... calm myself. Never before have I allowed myself to fall into such vulnerability.... never before have I allowed for emotions to rule me.... yet.... yet....."

"Yet you are surrounded by too much chaos to maintain a straight face?"

"Yes.... perhaps....."

Holding his head in anguish, Huberos sat onto his bed once more.

"No! I..... you are truly manipulative, aren't you? Getting me to agree with your statements."

"And for someone who represents pride, I would say that you are not manipulative enough."

"I am plenty manipulative, thank you very much."

"Is that so? Because you haven't convinced me."

The woman sat down next to Huberos, fluttering her legs back and forth with a strange innocence.

"Why would I need to convince you? And for what reason do you think it was acceptable to take a seat next to me?"

"If it were truly unacceptable would you not have already taken my head?"

"Your arrogance..... is extremely high."

"I am not being arrogant. In order to be arrogant towards someone, you have to look down on them. You have to consider yourself greater than them. I..... think no such thing. It is merely.... that I feel that you won't do anything in retribution, even if I do this."

Placing his hand to his chin in thought, Huberos began to think to himself.

"Who are you?"

"I am just a regular girl."

"Who ARE you?"

"I am just a regular girl, from a small village that no longer has any inhabitants. Who are you?"

"I am....."

Huberos hesitated to respond.

"A prideful, arrogant demon who will one day hold the world and all it's people within the palm of my hands. They will bow before me, and recognize my greatness as the Host of the deadliest of all sins."

"You just admitted that to me, a slave who has no place. Is it really ok to reveal something like that?"

Huberos was shocked at the blatant attacks which this woman used on him.

He could not read her.

He could not predict her.

He could not understand her.

Yet he felt like he was continuously playing into every card which she dealt.

"Did you..... were you sent here by someone? Did I make a mistake in targeting the village of plantmen? Are you..... a servant of the antiheroes, sent to wreck my mind before I fight them?"

As Huberos asked this statement, the girl gave him an absurd look, as if he truly had gone mad.

"I've never even met the antiheroes. I thought they were just legends until I heard the recent rumors. I'm.... just like you I guess?"

"In what way are we the same? Such a dull comparison."

"We both were sitting idle before our lives were stirred by an outside influence, after which we sprung into action- not of our own wills, but of necessity."

Huberos began to twitch as the woman pinpointed his exact scenario, and compared it with her own.

"You understand well how to read and irritate people. Did you learn it somewhere?"

"Where on earth would they teach such a thing?"

At her obvious yet cheeky remark, Huberos could not help but to let out a light chuckle.

"Heh."

"You miss them, right?"

"I hold no such sentiments."

"You want to get revenge for them?"

"Absolutely not."

"I'll act as your general or whatever. I'll stand by your side. Just tell me what I need to do."

At this point, the hands of Huberos were trembling to the point where he could barely even move himself.

He was beyond mere shock.

"I..... am counting on you."

Placing his hand to his face, he pulled it down, changing his expression from one of uncertainty to an arrogant grin in an instant.

"Shall we defeat these fools together?"

Looking onto the face of the girl, the demon watched as she smiled kindly.

Closing her eyes, he could hear her light breathing as she nodded, the rustling leaves on her head resounding in his pointed ears.

"Mhm."

"Excellent. Then.... will you stay and talk?"

Looking at her, Huberos denied every aspect of his own emotions.

He stopped his own grief, halted his own madness, and smiled.

She was beautiful.

"I am your slave. If that is what you wish of me, do I have any right to say no?"