Prince of Pride (Evillious Chronicle × Trash of the Count's Family fanfic)

Chapter 3: Man-Eating Tree and Vessels

Chapter 3: Man-Eating Tree and Vessels

In the western part of the slums of the Rain City of Henituse Territory, is where the man-eating eating tree is located. According to Zieka, the head of the literature appreciation club, the man-eating tree is found at the top of the hill within the slums.

" Mister Zieka's information is the truth... "

Allen whispered to himself while gazing at the man-eating tree. The tree is coloured black. All around the tree is an absence of life. Dead grasses, unhealthy soil, and the rotting fences that sort of bar anyone from approaching the man-eating tree.

According to the story told to Allen, some people hanged themselves in this tree. Those people's corpses then became rotten overnight having the remaining life on their bodies sucked away from them.

Taking out a pocket mirror under his robes, Allen opened them. Once again, he was greeted by the Demon of Pride sealed in the pocket mirror.

Upon witnessing Allen's current disguise, the demoness of pride purses her lips.

[ Your hair, your eyes, they look so unpleasant. ]

Black hair and golden eyes– the colour was so far away from Allen's natural golden blond hair and beautiful sky-blue eyes. With his current disguise, some people who were aware of his current identity in this world wouldn't recognize him if he was within some distance from them.

Gazing at the Demoness who looked disgusted at his disguise, Allen wanly smiled.

" It was required for me to wear a disguise so that I wouldn't gain any attention. "

[ How ironic, with the story you told on that shop earlier, it was far from being anonymous.  ]

Chuckling a little, Allen replied to the demon of pride who was mocking him.

" It was necessary so that I would gain useful information. Lady Marie, this is the rumoured man-eating tree. Is it connected to the Demon of Gluttony? "

Allen made the pocket mirror face the man-eating tree. Facing the man-eating tree, the Demon of Pride was silent for a few seconds before answering.

[ Hmmm... How strange. There is a lingering spirit in the tree. I can feel this spirit sucking out the life of everyone around the area. I can feel a power lurking in the lingering spirit but it isn't what we are looking for. This hasn't anything to do with the Demon of Gluttony but something else. ]

Allen sighed when he heard the Pride Demon. Keeping a little semblance of hope, he asked.

" Perhaps... Is the tree related to the other demon of sins? "

[ None of us can manifest on a tree except Gluttony and Wrath... Lust is a flower, Pride is the stone, Sloth is the wind, Envy is a spring, Greed is the soil, Wrath is a forest and Gluttony is a seed. The power I feel within this tree isn't of sin but of this world. The spirit is a lingering spirit but not a demon myself.  ]

When he heard the demon, Allen was disappointed.

" It's a pity... "

Allen muttered staring at the tree.

It was another fruitless endeavour. It was pure luck for Allen when he acquired 1/4 parts of the Pride. Since acquiring the pocket mirror and his arrival in this world, Allen has travelled to different territories of the Roan Kingdom searching for the vessel of sins.

The Orsena Territory, Gyerre Territory, Tolz Territory, Chetter Territory, Wheelsman Territory, and Ailan Territory. It was the places that Allen travelled to while he was incognito.

" The power from the lingering spirit is probably the native abilities of this world called 'ancient powers. ' "

Towards these Ancient Powers, Allen doesn't hold any interest in acquiring those things. He was here in this world to collect the Sin Vessels and the 4 objects of the end.

For Allen to acquire the 4 objects of the end, he needed to acquire all of the sin vessels first.

The remaining territory that Allen hasn't visited in the Roan Kingdom was the Stan Territory and Ubarr Territory.

Pondering, he asked Pride a question.

" Lady Marie, you said that Wrath is a Forest. Do you think that Wrath would be found in the Forest of Darkness? "

[ Tch, You are infuriating me for using my great self as a detector for the other demons... ]

The demon grumbled. Pouting, Marie the demon of pride replied.

[ Like I have said before, how would we know if we don't go there? That's why you have been all around this Roan Kingdom. It was required for me to be within proximity to the demons or any traces of them to notice their presence. ]

" In the future, we shall go to the Forest of Darkness Lady Marie. For now, going to that place which is known as one of the forbidden 5 regions of this world is too dangerous for us Lady Marie. "

[ Hmph! It's a pity that you are weak even with my contract. I am the most powerful of the sins. It was unfortunate it is separated into 4 parts and I am incompatible with you Allen. You aren't capable of using my 1/4 power at full capacity. ]

Hearing the demon of pride complaining about him, Allen wasn't affected by the Pride's demeaning words.

With a contract established between the demon and himself, Allen could use the power of pride in the pocket mirror.

Unfortunately using the pride's power has drawbacks. With the gradual use of pride's power, the users would inevitably change their personalities over time becoming excessively confident in their abilities and seeing themselves as the greatest person that exists. Egocentric and Narcissistic– They would become the manifestation of Pride.

Allen has a natural ability of some resistance towards Sin Vessels because of his unique status, but he doesn't hold the intention of using Pride's power and the other Sin vessels' power that he would acquire in the future. They would only remain as a last option that shouldn't occur.

The drawbacks of the sin vessels are dangerous. Envisioning someone using the Gluttony Sin Vessel, Allen was uncomfortable.

Thinking of it made him want to throw up.

Allen was hopeful that the vessels wouldn't be at the hands of the people.

It was unfortunate that...

Allen gaze's turned towards a certain direction of the Rain City. The direction where the castle of Count Henituse is located.

On their arrival in the city, the Pride Demon detected the 2nd part of her vessel being located inside the castle of Count Henituse.

' Worst situation possible. The other part of Lady Marie forming a contract with someone. From the stories and rumours that I have heard, Count Deruth Henituse has a low probability of entering the contract with Lady Marie's other parts. He was rumoured to be a kind and benevolent person. For the Count's new wife, I am uncertain. There is the possibility of the servants being the ones under contract. Lastly.. there was the rumoured trash son of the Count.'

Allen needed to meet them so he could be certain of the situation. If he doesn't meet any of them, Allen has no choice but to infiltrate the castle, know the situation and steal the 2/4 parts of the Pride Vessel.