Seven Sins System Chapter 378. Classic Trust Issue

Seven Sins System Chapter 378. Classic Trust Issue

Meanwhile, the other two tentacles morphed into replicas of myself and Puriel, their features eerily accurate down to the smallest detail. With a silent command, they settled onto the ground beside us.

The fourth tentacle—a slender appendage that transformed into a stealthy mosquito, its whirring wings barely audible as it slipped through the bars of our cell and into the room beyond. Further into the building, the mosquito's form began to shift and contort, morphing into a grotesque semblance of a severed hand with a gaping maw where its palm should have been. With a hungry snarl, it lunged towards the table where the goons had stashed my wallet, its jaws snapping shut around the leather before the startled thugs even had a chance to react.

With my stolen belongings securely in its grasp, it reverted to its mosquito form and made a beeline back to me, its mission accomplished with ruthless efficiency. It landed on my outstretched palm.

The tentacle landed gracefully, its sleek form morphing seamlessly into its original shape. With a satisfying crunch, it spewed my wallet in my palm, freeing it from the confines of the leather pouch. I grinned triumphantly, feeling a surge of satisfaction at the sight of my reclaimed belongings.

With a quick tug, I released the chain binding my hands, the metal links clattering to the ground with a satisfying clang. Freedom, or at least a semblance of it, was within reach.

Taking a step forward, I approached Puriel, stopping in front of her with a tentative smile. My hand extended towards her, a silent invitation to join me on this impromptu adventure.

"Shall we go now?" I asked, my voice laced with a hint of eagerness. But as I met her gaze, I could see the disbelief writ plain on her face—a furrowed brow and a skeptical expression that spoke volumes.

Her hesitation grated on my nerves, a prickling annoyance that threatened to boil over. Didn't she understand that I was trying to be nice?

"I'm just trying to be nice, you know," I explained, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "Since both of us are trapped here." The words came out sharper than I intended, tinged with a hint of irritation. I could understand her skepticism, her reluctance to trust my sudden change of heart. But that didn't make it any less frustrating.

‘I should act as annoying as usual. Being nice to her was a bad idea. I feel like a fool,’ I thought bitterly, mentally kicking myself for my momentary lapse in judgment. It was like I had forgotten who I was, like I had let my guard down for just a moment and allowed myself to be vulnerable.

But then, just when I had resigned myself to the inevitable backlash of my ill-advised kindness, Puriel surprised me. In one swift motion, she broke the chain that bound her hands, her movements fluid and effortless. Before I could react, she reached out and took my hand in hers, her touch tentative yet strangely comforting.

I blinked in surprise, caught off guard by her sudden change in demeanor.

Without a word, I pulled her towards me, offering her a silent invitation to stand beside me. For a few heartbeats, we stood facing each other, our hands still connected in a tentative embrace.

"I don't know what got into you, but you act strange," she stated bluntly, her gaze fixed on some distant point in the shadows.

A dry chuckle escaped my lips at her observation, a bitter reminder of the facade I had unwittingly cast aside. "Yeah, well, stranger things have happened," I replied, giving her a wry smile.

But then, to my surprise, her tone softened, her voice barely above a whisper. "Still, I feel grateful for that," she admitted, her words hanging in the air like a fragile promise.

"Oh..." I couldn't help but let out an unexpected sound of surprise, the word slipping past my lips before I could stop it. It caught me off guard, a spontaneous reaction to Puriel's unexpected gratitude. 'That is definitely unexpected,' I thought, inwardly chastising myself for my lack of control. If I let slip what I truly thought, it would only sour the fragile mood between us.

Quickly, I pivoted, turning my dry smile into a more cheerful one. “Let's say, I'm not in the mood to argue with you and a little hungry,” I stated, searching for an excuse to diffuse the tension and reassure her that I harbored no ill intentions.

Her gaze shifted to me, her expression guarded yet curious. This time, it was her turn to offer a dry smile in response to my words. “We'll see if what you say is the truth or a lie,” she remarked, gently extricating her hand from mine.

I felt a twinge of annoyance at her skepticism, a reminder of the delicate balance we walked between trust and distrust. But I couldn't blame her for her caution—not after everything we had been through.

I cringed internally at the skepticism in Puriel's gaze. 'Right, the devil always lies after all,' I grumbled to myself, feeling the weight of her mistrust like a heavy burden on my shoulders.

With a resigned sigh, I turned around and conjured a portal with a flick of my wrist, the swirling vortex of energy shimmering in the air before me. I gestured for Puriel to step through first, a silent invitation to join me on the other side.

But to my frustration, she remained rooted to the spot, her expression guarded and skeptical. It was as if she could see right through me as if she doubted every word that had passed my lips. Her gaze seemed to say “I don't believe you” or maybe “Is this your trap? Why did you ask me to get in first?”

‘Classic trust issue,’ I thought, rolling my eyes inwardly at the predictable skepticism radiating from Puriel. With a resigned sigh, I released a long exhale, feeling the tension between us simmering just below the surface.