Seven Sins System Chapter 376. Strange Sounds

Seven Sins System Chapter 376. Strange Sounds

Closing my eyes, I tried to shut out the hunger pangs, to escape into the realm of sleep where cravings held no power. But even in the darkness behind my eyelids, the image persisted—a lavish feast spread out before me. In my mind's eye, I could almost taste the succulent meats and rich wines, could almost feel the warmth of the hearth and the soft cushions of my throne. But this was not my realm.

‘Damn,’ I thought to myself. ‘How long has it been since I ate that...’ I thought, trying to dredge up memories of the last time I sat down to a proper meal in my own palace. It felt like a lifetime ago, the details slipping through my fingers like grains of sand.

Was it five months? Six?

I couldn't help but feel a pang of longing for the lavish dinners and decadent banquets that were once a regular occurrence in my realm. Back then, even for me, indulging in fine dining was a rare treat amidst the chaos of my responsibilities. But now, trapped in this dismal cell, the memory of those feasts felt like a cruel joke.

It was frustrating, and more than a little sad, to think about how much I missed those moments of luxury. A devil who seemingly had everything, yet bound by duty and obligation to a life of endless toil.

But then, buried deep within the recesses of my mind, a nagging thought crept in—a reminder of why I kept myself so busy, why I threw myself into my work with such reckless abandon. It was a defense mechanism, a way to stave off the darkness that lurked within me, threatening to consume me whole.

In the silence of my cell, I could almost hear the echoes of my past, the whispered temptations and the savage desires that once drove me to madness. I shuddered at the memory, the taste of regret bitter on my tongue. No, I couldn't afford to let my guard down, couldn't risk succumbing to the darkness once more.

I let out a long, heavy breath as memories of my past deeds flooded my mind. The image of the late lord of sins' lifeless body being torn into by my tentacles’ mouths sent shivers down my spine. It was a gruesome sight—one that still haunted me. I could vividly recall the horror etched on my father's face as he witnessed my descent into madness.

‘Yeah, that's why Dad chose to make peace with the light realm,’ I thought to myself, ‘rather than risk me slipping back into that darkness.’

The thought weighed heavily on me, a constant reminder of the fragile balance I walked between sanity and insanity. I knew that if I allowed myself to sink too deep, there might be no coming back—a terrifying prospect that fueled my determination to keep the darkness at bay.

But in my quest to suppress the madness within me, I had become something else entirely. Cold. Egoistic. It was a label I had grown accustomed to, one that seemed to follow me wherever I went. And perhaps, in some ways, it was true. I could laugh without feeling genuine joy, could weave intricate lies without a trace of guilt.

Yet, it wasn't as if I had a choice in the matter. Suppressing the madness meant suppressing all the deep emotions that threatened to consume me. It was a necessary sacrifice—a small price to pay for maintaining my tenuous grasp on reality.

But even as I embraced my reputation as a heartless devil, I couldn't shake the nagging doubt that lingered in the depths of my mind.

The onslaught of emotions hit me like a freight train, each one crashing against the walls I had painstakingly built around myself. Sadness, fear, horror, pain—they clawed at the edges of my consciousness, threatening to drag me under. But I couldn't afford to let them consume me, couldn't risk losing control to the darkness that lurked within.

I forced myself to push the emotions aside, to bury them deep beneath the surface where they couldn't harm me. It was a delicate balancing act. As the lord of wrath, I was all too familiar with the destructive power of anger. But even as I wielded that power with ruthless precision, I knew that I had to keep it in check. I couldn't afford to let my anger consume me.

It was a frustrating paradox, to be the embodiment of rage and yet forced to suppress it to a mere whisper. But it was a necessary sacrifice, one that I made willingly in order to maintain control over my own mind.

‘Ha,’ I scoffed internally. ‘I should stop thinking like that. You are a devil, Azrael,’ I muttered to myself, the words a harsh reminder of the reality I faced. I hated it when my mind threw a party without my consent.

Slowly, I pried open my heavy eyelids, the darkness of the cell enveloping me once more. Hunger gnawed at my insides, a persistent reminder of my empty stomach. ‘Ugh,’ I grumbled to myself, frustration bubbling up within me. The thought of food danced tantalizingly at the edges of my mind, tempting me with its promises of satiation.

With a resigned sigh, I considered my options. Going out to find food was risky, especially since my wallet was stolen by those pesky mortals who had me locked up in this dismal cell. Stealing seemed like a viable solution, but I doubted Puriel would be keen on letting me out while she remained confined.

I glanced over at Puriel, noting the skeletal figure beside her with a mixture of curiosity and disgust. ‘Should I eat that?’ I mused, the absurdity of the situation was not lost on me. A prince of darkness reduced to contemplating dining on bones—it was a pitiful thought, one that left a bitter taste in my mouth.

But just as I resigned myself to the grim reality of my hunger, a strange sound reached my ears.

- Crutch---Crutches.