Seven Sins System Chapter 386. Dramatic Show I

Seven Sins System Chapter 386. Dramatic Show I

The sound of footsteps echoed through the empty hallway, reverberating off the cold, lifeless walls with an eerie intensity. Each footfall seemed to pound against the silence, growing louder and more distinct with every passing moment. In the quiet confines of the cell, the sound was impossible to ignore, filling the air with a sense of anticipation and dread.

We knew what was coming – the daily ritual of sustenance, delivered by our unseen captors with the precision of clockwork. It was a grim reminder of our captivity, a small reprieve in an otherwise bleak existence.

The sound of the footsteps seemed to intensify as they approached, the rhythm steady and relentless. With each passing second, the anticipation built, like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. And then, finally, the footsteps came to a stop outside our cell, the sound abruptly cutting off like a knife through butter.

We held our breath, waiting for the inevitable sound of the latch being unlocked and the door swinging open. And then, just as expected, it came – the metallic click of the lock disengaging, followed by the creak of hinges as the door was pushed open. In the dim light of the hallway, we could make out the silhouette of our captor, their form obscured by shadows.

With a sense of resignation, we watched as they deposited our meager meal – a cup of water and a stale piece of bread – through the small opening at the bottom of the door. It was a pitiful offering, barely enough to sustain us for another day.

Puriel and I exchanged a knowing glance. It was time to put our plan into action. With a sense of determination, we prepared to execute our carefully devised scheme.

She began to crawl toward me, her movements deliberate and exaggerated. I lay on the floor, feigning weakness, waiting for her to approach. When she reached my side, she spoke in a low voice, tinged with desperation.

"Allen, please hang on," she said, her words barely audible but perfectly calculated to reach the ears of our captor. It was a performance, designed to elicit sympathy and concern, to make it seem as though we were both on the brink of collapse.

I played my part as well, grimacing in pain and clutching at my chest as if struggling to breathe. It was crucial that we appeared convincingly weak and suffering, that we gave the impression of desperate individuals in need of urgent medical attention.

“I don't think... I can last much longer, Aria...” I uttered in a voice laced with feigned weakness, punctuating my words with a deliberate cough for added effect. It was all part of our plan to make our captor believe that I was on the verge of succumbing to some dire affliction.

“My Mana has run out and I can't cure the Lord of Wrath's curse on my body,” I continued, my voice trembling with apparent despair. I made sure to inject a sense of desperation into my tone, hoping to elicit sympathy and urgency from our captor. It was a risky move, but we were running out of options, and I was willing to try anything to escape our predicament.

Puriel shot me a sharp glance, her brows furrowed in frustration. “What do you mean by a curse? You didn't mention this before,” she hissed at me in a hushed tone, her irritation evident in her voice.

“Just play along,” I whispered back urgently, meeting her gaze with a pleading look. “It's all part of the plan. We need to make them believe that I'm in serious danger,” I explained, hoping she would understand the necessity of our ruse.

Reluctantly, Puriel nodded, though her annoyance was still palpable. “Fine, but you owe me an explanation later,” she muttered under her breath, her tone a mixture of resignation and irritation.

She was silent for a moment, her brow furrowed in thought as she considered my words. Then, with a sudden shift in demeanor, she began to speak, her voice tinged with feigned sorrow.

“Oh, yeah. That curse. I remember that,” she said, her tone dripping with mock sympathy. “The lord of wrath is so evil, how could he put a curse on you?” she continued, her voice trembling as if on the verge of tears. It was all part of our plan, but I couldn't help but admire her acting skills, even in the midst of our dire situation.

“You shouldn't have asked a devil for power in the first place,” she scolded, her voice adopting a lecturing tone. “You know all too well that devils always demand a high price for every request. You were too greedy,” she admonished, her words laced with a hint of reproach. It was almost comical how she took the opportunity to scold me even in our current predicament.

I met her gaze with a flat stare, struggling to maintain my façade of weakness.  “I know,” I replied, my voice still weak and strained. “But what choice did I have? I was in a desperate situation, and I needed all the leverage I could get to summon a goddess. It was a gamble, and it backfired,” I explained, my tone filled with resignation.

Puriel just opened her mouth to reply to me, but I spoke again. “He has given me a power that I have dreamed of, Aria,” I reiterated, my voice filled with a mixture of longing and agony. “I won't blame him, it's just that the curse torments me,” I whined, emphasizing the pain I was supposedly enduring.

Puriel's reaction was immediate. “What kind of statement is that?” she retorted, her voice barely above a whisper, yet filled with frustration. “You don't blame him but are in pain because of the curse. That sounds stupid. They will find out that you are just pretending,” she admonished, her words laden with concern.

Despite her doubts, I remained steadfast in my performance. “I'm sure they will believe me,” I replied confidently, my voice unwavering. “I'm in pain, remember? And I'm also hungry and thirsty. What I know is mortals usually have hallucinations in this state,” I whispered, trying to reassure her and myself. After all, desperate times called for desperate measures, and if feigning hallucinations would buy us some time or garner sympathy from our captors, then it was a risk worth taking.