I Start with 13 Hidden Traits Chapter-432

**Chapter 432 – Greed and Pride**

—

King Friedrich.

There were countless epithets attached to him.

Conqueror, usurper of thrones, tyrant of the battlefield, fiend, master of slaughter, human museum, and more.

What they all had in common was that they were titles earned through killing.

“Human museum” was a nickname given because he dismembered people and displayed them like exhibits.

There were many other rumors as well—too cruel to even voice aloud.

A killing fiend who butchered people without changing his expression.

A man who maintained perfect composure at all times, leading to whispers that he wasn’t even human.

And yet now, a crack had formed in that unchanging face.

A complexion drained beyond pallor, utterly devoid of color.

It was a sight no one had ever seen on King Friedrich, a man who always radiated nothing but majesty.

“······ Why did he come back out?”

“His face is completely white.”

“It’s like he saw something he shouldn’t have…”

He had turned around and come back out the instant he entered.

The way he retreated was like an animal backing away after encountering its natural enemy.

But inside the workshop there was only an apprentice.

No matter how exceptional that boy might be, it was impossible for King Friedrich to recoil just from seeing an apprentice.

After all, who was King Friedrich?

Was he not the undisputed ruler of the Pangaenia Continent?

Of course, a figure of his stature coming all the way to a blacksmith village could only be for one reason—recruiting talent.

King Friedrich was famously earnest when it came to recruiting talent.

If someone caught his eye, he was known to seek them out personally, even through fire and flood.

No one had ever refused King Friedrich’s offer.

Because refusal meant death.

Naturally, he must have come to Mirage Village to recruit the blacksmith who had created a sword of 100% pure orichalcum.

So then—why was King Friedrich frozen stiff?

‘Why is that bastard here…!’

King Friedrich.

No—the Demon of Pride—couldn’t help but be terrified.

A demon who proudly occupied one of the seats of the Seven Deadly Sins, who in the distant past had ruled with fear alongside Destruction itself.

While playing the role of the king of the Iron Kingdom, he had been rapidly conquering the human world.

With no true gods left in Pangaenia, he had been certain there was no one who could stand in his way.

But recently, that certainty had begun to waver.

The world was changing at a frightening pace.

Gods were reviving, and beings bearing divinity were emerging.

Even so, none of those beings compared to the one inside.

‘Greed! It’s Greed, without a doubt!’

There was no way he could be mistaken.

Demons recognized demons.

And Pride, in particular, could distinguish all demons with absolute certainty.

Though the appearance was different, the being inside the forge was undoubtedly the Demon of Greed.

The only demon who constantly fought the gods of the Hundred Divine Hall and even clashed with Destruction itself.

An eccentric even among demons.

He had been believed to have perished and vanished after being killed by Destruction—had he reincarnated?

If so, when?

As one who had once stood on Destruction’s side, Pride wanted to avoid Greed at all costs.

Nothing good ever came from getting involved with that monster.

And that wasn’t all.

‘If my eyes didn’t deceive me…!’

The decisive reason King Friedrich’s face had gone so pale.

Greed was terrifying enough—but the other presence he wielded was the real problem.

If his eyes were not mistaken, there was something like a cloud of dust circling Greed as if guarding him.

Ordinary people wouldn’t be able to see it, but to a demon, it was unmistakably clear.

‘That has to be Destruction. Another Destruction, different from the one that appeared this time!’

Greed had sensed it too.

That Annihilation had appeared in the Labyrinth City.

And at the same time, that “other Destruction” had emerged and clashed with it!

When those two beings collided, the very fabric of the world trembled.

The shock alone had been enough to make the Demon of Pride’s head throb.

King Friedrich’s efforts to expand his forces and consolidate his power were all because of the emergence of such monsters.

And now, the “other Destruction” that must have collided with Annihilation was… together with Greed.

‘Greed. That mad bastard has finally obtained even the power of Destruction. I have to run.’

Just as Pride had recognized Greed, Greed would have recognized Pride.

Greed hadn’t only fought the gods of the Hundred Divine Hall and Destruction.

He had hunted down the demons who sided with Destruction like vermin.

The humiliation of that time, the fear of that time, still lingered within Pride.

Why that monster was in such a small blacksmith village was a mystery—but one thing was certain.

He had to escape.

“···We’re withdrawing.”

“W-withdrawing… you say?”

The knights were dumbfounded.

Not simply returning—but withdrawing.

A term used on the battlefield had just come from King Friedrich’s mouth.

What in the world had he seen inside?

Was there a demon in there or something?

But King Friedrich was a tyrant feared even by demons.

It was inconceivable that he could be startled by anything.

“Wait.”

It was then.

A man’s voice came from inside the forge.

The only man left inside was the one called the apprentice.

And yet—*wait*?

“Come back in while I’m still being polite.”

“Kgh—!”

“Ah…!”

In an instant, the blacksmiths were struck dumb.

The master’s face twisted as if he were about to cry.

Shing!

“I—I’ll cut off that insolent bastard’s head at once!”

“How dare a lowly wretch speak so brazenly!”

The tactless knights drew their swords.

Their problem was excessive loyalty.

If it involved King Friedrich, they would draw steel without a second thought.

Normally, Friedrich enjoyed that about them—but now was different.

Crack!

“Y-Your Majesty?!”

“Put away your swords. Now.”

He said it while crushing the leading knight’s blade with his bare hand.

There was nothing to gain from provoking Greed.

Pride let out a quiet sigh inwardly.

Then he slowly looked up at the sky.

…He’d rather fight the gods.

When a demon looked to the heavens, the gods could sense it.

But nothing changed.

Feeling that this fate was unavoidable, Pride bitterly walked back into the workshop.

*

*

 

A chill settled over the village.

King Friedrich reentered the workshop, then came back out again in less than a minute, and soon returned to his kingdom with a bitter expression.

But they had all seen it.

They had all heard it.

They had witnessed King Friedrich being commanded at will.

They had seen him walk back into the workshop at the sound of that voice!

“P-Please forgive our previous discourtesy!”

The master hastily changed his manner of speech.

He had thought the boy extraordinary from the start, but he had never imagined someone who could command King Friedrich.

The other blacksmiths hurriedly bowed as well.

“We don’t know what great being you are, but if we have committed any offense, please…”

“There is nothing of the sort.”

The apprentice—

No, the great being—spoke.

“···It seems it’s time for me to leave.”

Leave?

Did that mean leaving the workshop?

“You’ve worked hard. And from here on, the workshop will be safe.”

“Hah…!”

Only then did relief finally reach the master’s eyes.

Someone who could command King Friedrich at will.

If he said it was safe, then it truly would be.

The master asked cautiously.

“May I ask what great being you are…?”

“An apprentice blacksmith of the Mirage Workshop. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Then he added one more line.

“Take care, Master. Thank you for everything.”

That was the moment.

Whoosh!

…As if it were a lie, he vanished.

“W-Where did he go?”

“Teleportation? Or something?”

“Did I just imagine all that…?”

The blacksmiths panicked.

It felt like they’d seen a ghost.

At the same time, a chill crept into their chests.

‘D-did he hear me badmouthing him behind his back?’

‘I called him a mere apprentice every day…’

‘D-did we make him do too many chores?’

Were they going to die without anyone ever knowing?

The blacksmiths held their breath.

This was why you should never judge and insult someone based on appearances alone.

“A noble benefactor visited us…”

The master muttered.

It truly felt like a dream.

A lofty and noble being had stopped by for but a moment.

The master recalled whether he had properly passed on his skills to that benefactor.

He bowed once more toward the place where the man had stood, then entered the workshop.

And then—

“H-huuurk…!!”

He screamed at the sight inside.

Because one side of the workshop was piled high with ultra-metal orichalcum.

*

*

 

Crunch!

Pride ground his teeth.

To think he had been ordered around like a trained dog—go here, go there.

Inside the workshop, Greed hadn’t spoken at length.

—I desire peace.

Just a single sentence.

Nothing more.

There was no need to ask what kind of peace he meant.

‘He’s telling me to stop expanding my territory.’

It was a warning to the Conqueror King, Friedrich, to cease his conquests.

Or perhaps it was the peace of Mirage Village.

Either way, that one sentence bound King Friedrich hand and foot.

He couldn’t move an inch.

He had personally felt the terrifying difference in their standing.

Greed.

That thing was a monster.

It had been a monster in the past, and it was no different now.

…What was certain was that he had caught Greed’s eye.

Greed had seen him.

Had realized that the Demon of Pride was masquerading as King Friedrich.

This was the worst possible outcome.

He might have to abandon his role as king and hide—or stop his wars and live uneasily on a bed of thorns.

Either way, it wasn’t pleasant.

‘Should I inform the other demons?’

He might need to convene a demon council.

To tell them Greed had appeared. That he was wielding the power of Destruction.

That demons needed to unite!

But—

—I desire peace.

“Damn it…”

Those words kept echoing in his ears.

Like a brand seared into him, they refused to fade.

Would it change anything if he gathered the remaining Seven Deadly Sins?

Even back when they had stood on Destruction’s side, they hadn’t been able to oppose him.

Even in the age when despair filled the world and the demons’ power reached the heavens, they couldn’t do a thing against that one monster.

Compared to that golden age, they were still only in a stage of recovery now.

So what could demons accomplish by gathering together?

‘In the first place, what was Greed doing there?’

He couldn’t understand why a being of that caliber would be in such a small village.

Making orichalcum swords—what for?

‘He said apprentice. He was learning.’

Ah.

It felt like his head had been struck by a hammer.

Greed had been learning blacksmithing.

The 100% pure orichalcum sword was merely a byproduct of that process.

And he had released it onto the market without a shred of attachment.

As if it didn’t satisfy him at all.

When that realization hit him, Pride snapped fully awake.

“What in the world… are you trying to make?”

*

*

Travel was always enjoyable.

Leaving Mirage Village, I felt refreshed instead.

These days, every day felt fulfilling.

‘This is Pangaenia!’

Enjoying things as they are.

This world was still overflowing with things for me to achieve.

Though I seemed to be wandering aimlessly, I wasn’t without a destination.

‘Let’s go to the Kingdom of Cernil.’

One of the Seven Great Mysteries.

To obtain the class I desired and complete the hidden quest, I quickened my steps.