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Literature / Heart of Greed

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Heart of Greed is a short story by VineLightnote  that is part of the The Kindness of Devils series. It can be found here.

When Jared Germain is caught cheating, he is taken in for an interview with the casino's most unusual owner and offered a choice that could change his life forever, while learning a great deal about the nature of greed itself.

Tropes:

  • Auntie Pennybags: Mammon dumps in billions to Hardestadt's accounts every month, not wanting him to think 'Auntie Mammon's getting stingy on him.'
  • Benevolent Boss: Surprisingly, once you sign on Mammon is pretty great to work for, honoring her bargains and treating her minions like a big family.
  • Berserk Button: Slight, but Mammon does not like hearing 'God' or prayers and reacts harshly to it, even if you're only thinking it. Also don't steal from her.
  • Deal with the Devil: Germain makes one with Mammon for a better job and more money. He gets a sigil on his chest, as a reminder not to mess up.
  • Did I Say That Out Loud: Germain mentally says "oh god" and Mammon tells him to stop it. Germain scolds himself for speaking out loud, then realizes he may not have.
  • Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Mammon may be the Sin of Greed and a Devil who killed many, many people before The Fall, but she loves Lucifer and her family, and utterly adores Hardestadt, her 'darling little Daemon.'
  • Greed:
    • Germain lives to make money, and cheats casinos to make more. He admits to Mammon he only wants it to get nice things, which impresses her greatly.
    • Mammon of course. She refers to her Sin as the oldest and most powerful Sin of all (all the Sins do this to be fair,) and is never satisfied with what she has, always wanting her, be it wealth, followers, or Lucifer himself.
  • I Have a Family: Germain mentally inverts this, when he notes he has no wife or kids, and has parents and sibling live far away.
  • Man of Wealth and Taste: Woman in this case, but Mammon is ravishingly gorgeous, dresses with impeccable elegance and style, and everything about her home and possessions just screams wealth and taste.
  • Secret Test of Character: Mammon's terrifying Germain is about seeing if he has what it takes to join her little family of worshipers. He does.

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