"So everyone agrees with the plan?" Pride asks.
Lucien and Naomi would like to say no, but they would never let a random person that they just meet stand between their family's sake.
She doesn't say anything, but Lucien does. "Regardless of what we are going to do in the end, why bother with it while there are other, more urgent matters for us to deal with?"
"What's more important than getting the Phoenix's magic core and stabilizing the b.l.o.o.d.y Rose's side effects?" Wrath asks.
"How about not being devoured by a powerful ancient Leviathan?" Lucien sarcastically asks.
"Don't forget about that d.a.m.n Naga King!" Claire comments. "We can't let him destroy the Mermaids and this World."
Pride sighs. "These are more reasons for us to focus on getting the Phoenix's magic core and getting out of this world as soon as possible."
Naomi and Claire make sorry expressions. They don't want to agree with that, but both they and their Sins seem unwilling to oppose Pride in any way.
'She's right, our problems first and foremost.' Greed comments in Claire's mind.
Claire really wants to help Saria and the Mermaids, but helplessly, she just bows her head. However, she feels Lucien's hand touch her shoulder, bringing hope to her heart.
"We're not leaving this world until we've secured the safety of the Nagas and Mermaids. Also, we can handle the Leviathan as well." Lucien speaks with determination.
"And how are you going to deal with the powerful ancient creature?" Gluttony asks.
He quickly responds. "It's simple; the creature wants to comprehend the power Alyin used to kill her mother and take some revenge by torturing me... I can give her both without her needing to devour me. And I can give her something more, purpose on our side."
"Wait!" Wrath makes an expression of disbelief. "Don't tell me you want to seduce a f.u.c.king Leviathan???"
Before he can respond, Envy speaks first. "I thought we already agreed that Lucien's magic rod has no limitations."
"I don't see how having a creature that can easily devour Cosmic Realm people on our side could be bad." Sloth comments.
Greed can't help but support Lucien in such a crazy idea. And Pride doesn't doubt that he could really do that; after all, he wouldn't deserve her respect if he wasn't extraordinarily outstanding.
"Alright, alright..." Pride speaks. "Even if you manage to bring the Leviathan to our side, which certainly won't be easy or quick, you don't expect it to be that simple to get the trust of two entire races, do you?"
l.u.s.t steps forward, standing next to Lucien. "The Naga Queen is already his wife, making him the new Naga King. And we're working on the Mermaids case; I'd say it won't be long before the Mermaid Princess jumps into his arms."
The other Sims can't help but smile, and Pride has to admit that Lucien doesn't waste any time.
Claire shakes her head. "You may have seduced the Naga easily, but the Mermaids won't fall for you that simple; they can literally read your feelings."
He smiles. "It's precisely because they can understand my feelings that it's going to be much easier to prove to them that my intentions are good."
"Hmm..." Claire still doesn't know exactly how she feels about Saria; yet, she can't help but be jealous of both the Mermaid Princess and Lucien at the same time.
Pride understands Lucien's plans, but she still has a dubious expression on her face. "I don't know if they are worth our efforts right now, there's a lot at stake..."
"Come on, Pride!" l.u.s.t exclaims. "Bringing other races to our side is what we do best; it's always been that way, so why doesn't it look good now?"
"It's just that it's different now because-" She tries to answer.
But l.u.s.t interrupts her. "Is it different because aren't you bringing these races to our side?? So that's all about it, your insecure and egoist ego??!"
"INSECURE?!?!" Calling her insecure makes Pride furious in a way she hasn't been for hundreds of thousands of years.
She can't allow anyone to insult her like that, especially l.u.s.t, so Pride materializes her brilliant white sword and attacks without mercy.
*Whoosh*
Pride's speed is unbelievable, and her white light blinds everyone, well, almost everyone.
*CLANG*
The sound of clas.h.i.+ng metal echoes within that small barrier, and when the other Sins regain their vision, they get shocked to see l.u.s.t completely fine, standing beside Lucien as he holds her hand and holds the Golden Naginata in his other hand, blocking the white sword of Pride.
"NO WAY!!!" Gluttony is the first to exclaim in confusion. She can't believe one of them actually stood up against Pride, especially when it's l.u.s.t and her host.
"NO f.u.c.kING WAY!!" Greed is. .h.i.t the same way while her eyes are attracted to the golden naginata. "I doubted he actually had Aylin's soul weapon..."
Wrath's eyes glow red as she too is shocked by that. She always provoked her sisters to generate more demonic energy, but never Pride. She knew she couldn't cause such feelings in her Big Sis, but l.u.s.t and Lucien do that easily, and she can still benefit from that.
Envy can't contain her bright smile. "It looks like we're seeing Pride's downfall... and by the weapon of the only person she's ever admired in her life, so ironic..."
"Poetic, I would say." Sloth can't resist making a comment too.
Meanwhile, l.u.s.t proudly smiles as she feels like the most powerful woman in the universe alongside Lucien. Not even the magnificent Pride can touch her while she is with him, and she will never leave his side.
And Pride feels a mixture of feelings that are driving her crazy. She feels very angry at l.u.s.t for insulting her and hiding behind Lucien, but a part of her, despite refusing to accept it, is jealous.
Pride has always had to lead the Sins, not only because of her nature but also because her sisters and whole race rely on her leaders.h.i.+p. She is forced to carry the burden no one wants, the responsibility that brings more challenges than rewards.
And as much as she shares that responsibility with Eve, she knows their partners.h.i.+p isn't nearly as incredible as l.u.s.t and Lucien's. She knows that her sister has by her side not just a partner, but an incredible man who supports, protects, and loves her the whole time.
The idea of having someone who completely loves both her strengths and weaknesses makes Pride, for the first time, want to switch places with someone; in this case, that person is naturally l.u.s.t.
Yet, the glow in Lucien's eyes as he looks into Pride's eyes makes her feel like she has his respect. In fact, she is sure of that because of her nature.
And in return for the respect that he still has for her, and just that, Pride steps back, shocking the other Sins even more.
Lucien is also surprised, not by Pride's att.i.tude but rather by how he feels about her. He understands all her actions and att.i.tudes perfectly; he accepts her that way without wanting to change anything about her, and he also desires her far more than he would like to admit.
"Okay..." She comments in a calm tone as she contains her feelings. "If that's what you want to do, I won't stop you."
He nods. "Thank you."
And that way, simple like that, the situation gets under control. Greed and Gluttony can't believe how Pride went from fury to calm because of Lucien's few two words.
But as the mood still seems tense, Eve steps forward. "I think we're in agreement, so we better finish this discussion now..."
"Wait." But Donna steps forward, too, and looks at Eve with a concerned expression. "We have to talk about that..."
"That?" Eve isn't sure what that's about.
"The b.l.o.o.d.y Rose side effects..." Donna comments in an apprehensive tone. "We had to keep Sophia and Amelia apart most of the time because they don't stop fighting, and... and I'm also having a hard time controlling my feelings... I feel angry all the time, and I just want to smash everything."
Eve sighs and touches Donna's shoulder. "I understand; we're on edge. But we have to hold on… we've gone through a lot so far because we're together, and we can face anything if we keep this up."
All the siblings feel like they are getting crazy, but Sophia and Amelia look at each other before rus.h.i.+ng into Lucien's arms and hugging him at tightly. When receiving his pleasant energy, they feel that they can control their feelings better; that is the power of l.u.s.t's energy, improve any other energy.
Lucien's other sisters can't help but be jealous of Sophia and Amelia, which helps Envy to become stronger.
Eve looks at Claire and Naomi. "What about you? How are you handling this?"
Naomi sighs. "I'm going crazy for real… only when I'm eating something good, my body is in peace."
"I know something delicious that you can drink as much as you like, and it will make you feel better than ever..." l.u.s.t comments in a teasing tone.
"I know what she means, hehehe..." Gluttony giggles while gazing at Lucien.
Naomi doesn't have to think too hard to understand what they're talking about, and that makes her blush as old memories come to her mind.
Such memories come to Eve's mind as well, and she quickly tries to think of other things as she looks at Claire. "What about you, Claire?"
"The same goes for me." She quickly responds. "I feel less and less in control of my own emotions, and only when I'm absorbing treasures do I feel good."
"It doesn't have to be that way." l.u.s.t comments while looking at Lucien's sisters and the Sins. "No one needs to suffer like this when Lucien can help you stabilize these chaotic energies... as a bonus, you will become the most powerful women in the universe."
All the Sins want both power and feeling good, and Lucien can give that to them. Yet, each of them has a very different way of acting, and due to their natures, accepting to be in the same situation as Envy and Sloth is not so simple.
If they could switch places with l.u.s.t, they would do it without a second thought, but accepting to be just another one of his wives is different.
In the case of Lucien's sisters, feelings are much more complex. Sophia remains the same as she was five years ago, but Amelia has had to accept significant changes until she admits that it is in his arms she wants to be the whole time.
l.u.s.t sees the hesitation in everyone's eyes and gets really upset. "Come on!! Have you not heard anything I said about the soul power and the gates within Lucien's soul?? Does only me, Envy, and Sloth see how our potential can infinitely expand if we stay together, really together?!"
The girls and Sins look at each other as they wonder about that. They really want that power as much as they want to get all the affection and pleasure Lucien can give them, but at the same time, accepting that it's not so easy.
Before l.u.s.t can say anything else, Lucien steps beside her and hugs her waist. "We can't force anyone to accept our help. They already know what we can do for them, so let them think about it alone."
"But-" l.u.s.t starts talking but then stops using her voice and speaks in his mind. 'We agree that you would do anything to get their affection...'
'And that's still the plan.' He answers. 'But they won't give in this way... that goes for both my sisters and yours, they won't accept my help in front of Pride and Eve so easily.'
l.u.s.t understands what Lucien means. Clearly, his sisters and the Sins want to accept his help, but Pride and Eve maintain a proud att.i.tude, influencing them to be proud as well.
He continues. 'Give them time to understand everything that's going on, and I'll talk to them alone when we get the chance. I'm sure my progress with Donna hasn't been lost, and it won't be hard to get Claire and Naomi's acceptance either.'
It's evident that Claire and Naomi are willing to accept Lucien's help and even upgrade their relations.h.i.+p like Sophia and Amelia did. He's always been the only important man in their lives, and that won't change.
Donna was also accepting that it's best for everyone before they have to part because of the Leviathan. Thus, Eve seems the only one too proud to accept seeing her little brother any other way.
Yet, all feelings are more complicated for Lucien and his sisters due to them not only being influenced by the Sins themselves but also the legendary b.l.o.o.d.y Rose.
Even though accepting his love is obviously incredibly beneficial for everyone, that's not so simple. So he smiles at them and just tries to be kind. "We're together, so you don't need to think twice about asking my help if it looks like things are going to get out of hand."
Knowing that they can count on Lucien to help them not go crazy makes all of his sisters more relieved. Sophia and Amelia no longer had such concerns, while Donna also experimented how good his 'help' is.
Now it's Naomi and Claire's turn to figure out how that is. And not even Pride and Eve can keep away from him.
"Mm." His six sisters nod and smile at him while the Sins also have expectant expressions on their faces.