Chapter 4: The First Minister - Pride

Meanwhile, the Seven Ministers of Sin arrived in Ange City.

From a distance, they watched the Golden Church.

People were praying.

Children were singing hymns.

The church bells rang across the city.

The ministers exchanged amused smiles.

"Is this the angel who defeated Lucifer's plans?" Vainglory asked.

"I expected someone more impressive," Greed replied.

Lust laughed softly.

"She looks innocent. This should be easy."

Their overconfidence blinded them.

They believed no one could resist the temptations they offered.

For centuries, they had corrupted kings, scholars, warriors, merchants, and even holy men.

Why would one angel be different?

Vainglory stepped forward first.

"I shall begin."

His golden crown appeared briefly before fading again.

"I will make her proud of herself."

"I will make her believe she is greater than everyone around her."

The others nodded.

"If Pride fails," said Greed, "I shall tempt her with influence and wealth."

"And if he fails?" asked Envy.

"Then it will be my turn."

One by one, they discussed their plans.

None of them intended to attack together.

Each wanted the honor of defeating Evelin personally.

Each believed they alone were powerful enough.

That arrogance itself became their weakness.

Far away, Evelin was helping the children prepare for evening worship.

She smiled as they practiced their hymns.

Unaware of the danger approaching, she continued her mission faithfully.

Yet in Heaven, the Seven Heavenly Ministers were already watching.

Humility watched Pride.

Charity watched Greed.

Chastity watched Lust.

Gratitude watched Envy.

Temperance watched Gluttony.

Patience watched Wrath.

Diligence watched Sloth.

The battle was no longer only between Evelin and Lucifer.

It had become a clash between Virtue and Sin.

As the sun began to set over Ange City, Vainglory adjusted his nobleman's coat and started walking toward the Golden Church.

A confident smile appeared on his face.

"One angel."

"One mission."

"One victory."

He laughed quietly.

"This will be easy."

But he had no idea that Evelin's greatest strength was not her power.

It was her faith.

And faith was something Pride had never truly understood.

Back in the shadows of Ange City, Vainglory smiled confidently.

At last, his turn had come.

Among the Seven Ministers of Sin, he considered himself the greatest.

After all, Pride was the first sin.

The root from which many other sins grew.

"Everyone knows how pride works, don't they?" he said with a smirk.

Pride is not merely confidence.

It is an unhealthy and exaggerated focus on oneself.

It causes a person to think too highly of their abilities, achievements, status, possessions, or importance.

It whispers dangerous thoughts into the heart.

"You are better than everyone else."

"You don't need help."

"You deserve more praise."

"You deserve special treatment."

Over time, pride slowly replaces gratitude with self-glory.

It blinds people to their weaknesses.

It makes them forget God.

Many wise teachers have called pride the "cancer of the soul," the beginning of sin, and the enemy of humility.

And humility was one of Heaven's greatest virtues.

Vainglory adjusted his golden crown.

His eyes shone with confidence.

"Evelin may be powerful."

"She may be faithful."

"But she is admired by the people."

"The church is growing because of her."

"The city praises her name."

A cruel smile appeared on his face.

"All I need to do is turn that praise into pride."

He laughed quietly.

"Once she begins believing she is responsible for everything..."

"Her fall will begin."

Far away, inside the Golden Church, Evelin was teaching children a new hymn.

She had no idea that the Minister of Pride was already preparing his first move.

And above the clouds, Humility watched silently.

The battle between Pride and Humility was about to begin.

...A/N: The information about pride in this chapter was inspired by Christian teachings and articles discussing the Seven Deadly Sins. Pride is often described as excessive self-focus and the opposite of humility. If you're interested in learning more, there are many articles and Bible studies available on the topic. 🥰❤️😅...

Pride's POV

Vainglory walked through the streets of Ange City with a smug smile on his face.

The evening sunlight reflected off his expensive clothes as he admired his own reflection in a shop window.

"Hah."

A laugh escaped his lips.

"Lucifer worries too much."

He adjusted his collar proudly.

"That little angel may have ruined some of our lord's plans, but she has never faced me."

His golden eyes gleamed with arrogance.

"I am Pride."

"The first and greatest of the Seven."

He looked toward the Golden Church in the distance.

People were gathering for worship.

Children were singing.

Evelin was helping the townsfolk.

Vainglory laughed.

"How adorable."

"My comrades are wasting their time."

"Greed, Lust, Envy..."

He waved his hand dismissively.

"They won't be needed."

"I alone can defeat her."

His pride grew with every thought.

"After all, who understands the weakness of the heart better than me?"

He smirked.

"Every hero enjoys praise."

"Every leader enjoys admiration."

"Every saint enjoys being respected."

He stopped and stared at the church.

"All I need to do is turn admiration into arrogance."

"Compliments into vanity."

"Success into self-glory."

His smile widened.

"And once she begins believing she is responsible for all of this..."

He pointed toward the church.

"...her faith will begin to crack."

Above the clouds, Humility silently watched him.

Unlike Pride, Humility spoke no boastful words.

Instead, she simply observed.

For she knew something Pride had forgotten long ago.

The proud often defeat themselves long before anyone else defeats them.

Yet Vainglory continued walking confidently toward the Golden Church.

Certain of victory.

Certain of his greatness.

Certain that he could never fail.

And that certainty was exactly what made him dangerous.

Now pride going to win this battle it thinks since it named as pride 😉.

Pride – Vainglory

Pride sat upon his throne with a confident smile.

His long hair shimmered like a mixture of fire and blood, glowing crimson beneath the fading light.

His pale skin gave him an almost noble appearance, while his sharp features and pointed nose made him look both handsome and intimidating.

Towering above most people, his presence alone demanded attention.

Behind him rested enormous wings of red and black, folded like a king's royal cloak.

His eyes burned with arrogance and certainty.

He carried himself like a great scholar who believed he possessed all knowledge and wisdom.

Yet his greatest weakness was hidden within that belief.

Pride thought he knew everything.

Pride thought he could never be wrong.

Pride thought he needed no help.

And because of that, he failed to see his own ignorance.

Vainglory adjusted his golden crown and gazed toward the Golden Church.

A smirk crossed his face.

"I am Pride."

"The first of the Seven."

"The sin that gave birth to countless others."

"No angel can defeat me."

His red-and-black wings spread slightly behind him.

Soon, he would learn that humility was stronger than arrogance.

A/N: This is my fictional interpretation of Pride for the story. I have never met Pride personally—and I certainly have no plans to visit Hell for research! 😅😉 If anyone somehow manages to photograph the Seven Deadly Sins, let me know... but please be careful! 🤪

Pride's inner monologue

Vainglory or Pride looked around the small house with obvious disgust.

"What kind of place is this?"

His face twisted in annoyance.

"So small. So ordinary."

He crossed his arms and scoffed.

"Didn't they know I was coming?"

His crimson eyes scanned the simple furniture.

"This is exactly why I hate places like this."

He let out an irritated sigh.

"If their God is truly powerful, why doesn't He give them grand mansions, endless wealth, and perfect lives?"

A smug smile appeared on his face.

"On our side, people can have whatever they desire."

"Power."

"Wealth."

"Fame."

"Luxury."

"Everything."

He glanced at the townspeople walking through the streets.

"These humans are fools."

"They settle for so little."

"They call humility a virtue when it is merely weakness."

"They praise simplicity because they cannot obtain greatness."

Vainglory laughed quietly.

"Tsk... tsk..."

"No wonder they are so easy to manipulate."

Then he looked toward the Golden Church.

"And that angel..."

"She teaches them to be content with what they have."

His smile became colder.

"How disappointing."

"But don't worry, Evelin."

"Soon I will show them something far more appealing than humility."

"And when they begin craving admiration and glory..."

"They will come to me willingly."

At last, Vainglory arrived at Father Matthew's house.

The small home stood peacefully beside the Golden Church.

Warm light shone through the windows.

Inside, he could hear laughter, prayer, and singing.

His expression immediately darkened.

"What a miserable little place."

He folded his arms.

"Surely they could have found somewhere more suitable."

He looked at the humble house with disgust.

"If their God is so powerful, why doesn't He give them a grand mansion?"

"What kind of welcome is this for someone as important as me?"

Shaking his head, he walked toward the front door.

"Never mind."

"I'll go inside and begin my work."

A smug smile appeared on his face.

The moment his hand touched the gate—

CRACK!

A flash of brilliant golden light erupted around him.

"AAGH!"

A powerful force shot through his body.

Vainglory was thrown backward through the air.

He crashed into the ground several feet away.

Smoke rose from his hand.

For a moment, his disguise flickered.

The outline of his dark wings appeared before vanishing again.

"What the—?!"

He quickly stood up.

Shock filled his face.

Demons were resistant to many earthly dangers.

Fire.

Cold.

Disease.

None of them bothered him.

Yet this was different.

Very different.

Slowly, he looked toward the house.

The golden light surrounding it faded from sight.

"Divine protection..."

His eyes narrowed.

"The prayers."

"The worship."

"The faith of the people."

He realized what had happened.

The house had been blessed by God's presence.

The constant prayers, hymns, and acts of faith had created a holy barrier.

And that barrier had recognized him immediately.

"Tch."

Vainglory brushed dust from his clothes.

"So that's how it is."

He stared at the house with irritation.

"I can't enter."

His pride refused to accept the humiliation.

No human had defeated him.

No angel had even appeared.

Yet he had been thrown away by a simple house.

The thought infuriated him.

For a moment, his eyes glowed red.

Then a sly smile appeared.

"Very well."

He turned away.

"If I cannot go inside..."

"I shall wait."

Sooner or later, Evelin would leave the house.

Sooner or later, someone would become vulnerable.

And when that happened—

Vainglory's smile widened.

"The game can finally begin."

Hidden in the shadows, the Minister of Pride patiently watched the house, waiting for his opportunity.

Evelin's POV

The evening was peaceful.

Inside Father Matthew's house, everyone gathered together for prayer.

Father Matthew.

The orphan children.

The kind couple.

And me.

We knelt before God and prayed for a long time.

The room felt warm and filled with peace.

As I prayed, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit surrounding us.

Then a quiet warning entered my heart.

Not a voice I heard with my ears.

But a message I understood clearly.

"Be careful."

My eyes slowly opened.

"Do not let these good people wander outside alone

Immediately, I became alert.

Something was wrong.

I could feel it.

A dangerous presence lingered somewhere nearby.

Not close enough to enter.

But close enough to watch.

I lowered my head and continued praying.

"A devil..."

My hands tightened.

"So, one of Lucifer's servants has arrived."

Anger flashed through me for a moment.

How dare they come here?

How dare they target innocent people who were only trying to follow God?

I looked around the room.

The children were smiling peacefully.

Father Matthew was praying quietly.

The family that had welcomed me into their home sat together in faith.

They had done nothing wrong.

And I would not allow anyone to harm them.

I stood and walked toward the window.

Outside, the night seemed calm.

But I knew appearances could be deceiving.

Somewhere in the darkness, an enemy was waiting.

Watching.

Planning.

I closed my eyes briefly.

"Lord, give me wisdom."

"Help me protect these people."

"And help me recognize the enemy before it is too late."

Outside the house, hidden beyond the holy barrier, Vainglory smiled confidently.

Neither of them knew that their first confrontation was drawing closer.

The battle between Pride and Humility had begun.

I took a deep breath and looked toward the heavens.

"My Lord, You warned me to be careful."

"Then I will obey."

I placed my hand over my heart and prayed silently.

"Please guide me."

"Please protect these people."

"And please help me win this battle."

A feeling of peace entered my heart.

No matter how difficult the mission became, I knew I was not alone.

After making sure everyone inside the house was safe, I stepped outside.

The evening air was cool.

The streets were quiet.

For a moment, everything seemed normal.

Then I felt it.

A dark presence.

My body immediately tensed.

It was nearby.

Very nearby.

I slowly turned toward the end of the street.

There, standing beneath the fading light, was a stranger.

At first glance, he looked like an ordinary man.

Well dressed.

Calm.

Respectable.

Yet something was terribly wrong.

Beneath his pleasant appearance lurked a terrible malice.

His smile never reached his eyes.

The darkness around his soul was overwhelming.

Suddenly, a wave of pressure crashed against me.

My breath caught in my throat.

The power hidden within him was immense.

For a brief moment, it felt as if invisible claws had torn through the air.

I staggered backward.

The force nearly wounded me.

Not physically.

But spiritually.

It was a power filled with arrogance, self-glory, and contempt.

A power that looked down on everyone else.

The stranger smiled.

And in that instant, I understood.

"One of Lucifer's ministers..."

My eyes narrowed.

The man bowed politely.

Yet his eyes gleamed with pride.

The battle had begun.

And neither of us intended to retreat.

The pressure from the Minister of Pride continued to grow.

The darkness around him twisted through the air like a storm.

I clenched my fists.

As an angel, I possessed many gifts.

But my greatest strength was not my sword.

It was not my wings.

It was not even my angelic power.

It was prayer.

Prayer had carried me through every trial.

Prayer connected me to God's strength.

Yet I could not allow this battle to endanger the innocent people nearby.

I glanced toward Father Matthew's house.

The children were still inside.

The family was still praying.

If this battle continued here, they could get hurt.

"No."

I shook my head.

"I won't allow that."

Golden light gathered around my hands.

I focused on teleporting both of us far away from the town.

A place where no innocent person would be caught in the conflict.

The light grew brighter.

I concentrated harder.

One minute passed.

Then two.

Then five.

"Haaah..."

I staggered slightly.

Sweat formed on my forehead.

Something was wrong.

The teleportation wasn't working.

No matter how much power I used, something kept resisting me.

It felt as if invisible chains had wrapped around the area.

I looked up.

The Minister of Pride was smiling.

A confident, irritating smile.

"Trying to run away?" he asked mockingly.

My eyes narrowed.

"No."

I understood immediately.

This wasn't ordinary resistance.

His prideful power was interfering with mine.

He wanted the battle to happen on his terms.

"Haaah..."

I took another breath.

For the first time since stepping outside, uncertainty entered my mind.

What should I do now?

Then I remembered something Father Matthew once said.

"When your own strength is not enough, trust God and take the next step."

The fear inside me faded.

I straightened my posture.

My grip tightened.

Perhaps I couldn't teleport.

Perhaps I couldn't avoid the confrontation.

But I could still stand firm.

And as long as I stood with God, I would not face this battle alone.

Across the street, Pride's smile widened.

He believed he had already gained the advantage.

But neither of us knew how this battle would truly end.

Hi guys! ☺️

I hope everyone is healthy and happy. ❤️

If you're feeling hopeless or lonely, try reading some books like Meditations by Marcus Aurelius or The Prophet by Khalil Gibran. They really helped me and changed my perspective on many things.

If you don't feel like reading, you can listen to podcasts or audiobooks on Spotify. 🎧

For those who enjoy the Bible, I recommend reading Ecclesiastes or exploring the Wisdom Literature books. They contain many beautiful lessons about life.

I also found an amazing app called Bible Project that helps me understand the Bible better. 📖✨

Sorry, guys! I know this chapter was a little short, and some parts are my own interpretation and guesses, so please don't be too hard on me. 😅

Also, sorry for any grammatical mistakes. English is my second language, and I'm still learning. 🥺🙏

Thank you so much for reading and supporting my story. It means a lot to me. ❤️

See you in the next chapter!

Bye, everyone! 😘🥰😎

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