Dungeon of Lust: Managing Otherworldly Beauties

Chapter 275: Provocation

Pride smiled as he leaned back on his throne.

"I’d been letting them live as training fodder for my forces, but they’d crossed the line, so they had to go."

Wrath’s maleficent glare stayed pinned on Pride.

"Now, usually we go in a circle at first. But let me ask this, Pride, do you know where Patience went?"

"Where are your manners, tin can. A ’please’ would have been nice."

Wrath sighed.

"I said, ’Let me ask this.’ That’s practically the same thing."

"Is that so?" Pride scratched his chin. "In that case... I have no idea where she went, but she is no longer on Triton."

"I see."

"No word of thanks for my magnanimous grace in sharing my knowledge?"

Wrath clicked his tongue.

"Acknowledgement of inferiority is repulsive. And those who revel in thanks are no better than the offenders who give it."

Pride chuckled, then clapped.

"Well said, Wrath! Finally, something we can agree on."

The red beams in Wrath’s eyes flared.

"You live off praise; you’re the worst offender."

Pride sighed and swiveled his head.

"Ah, and there you go, ruining the little chance we have at armistice. You should know, their words mean nothing; how could they? My stature and grace are not malleable; therefore, words reinforcing my status mean nothing."

Wrath’s head fell slightly. While his anger was obviously soaring to wild heights, Sloth was continuously using her authority to suppress it.

With Greed absent and Sloth exempt, Wrath looked over at Envy.

"I see. Let us move on. Envy."

However, the air grew chilly as Sloth’s lips drifted apart. A delicate finger stretched out from her hand, pointing.

"You stay."

Vale followed the finger’s direction.

She pointed to the seat next to him, Gluttony’s.

Wrath straightened his back and looked at the newest addition.

"Oh?"

His red eyes calmed a little.

Then, Wrath gave Gluttony the same warning he’d given Vale when he’d received that same order: she was going to receive an oracle, and was never to spill the contents.

Although...

’Why is he being so nice to Gluttony?!’

Unlike with Vale, Wrath hadn’t made overt threats upon her life nor spoke with a detached cadence.

’Is Wrath a feminist?’

While Wrath was giving his spiel, Sloth slumped over and fell asleep. The aura of impending, unavoidable existential dread she exuded fading. In its absence, Pride and Wrath’s presence grew. Unlike before, Vale could now somewhat withstand this level of pressure.

After a measured silence took hold of the Council, Envy began her turn.

"The Hero of Virtue posturing to attack me was indeed Humility. We never fought, but he seemed utterly pitiful and weak."

Pride laughed.

"How expected. To run away from me and hide on the other side of the world... Truly, there’s no one more humble than one destined to be my nemesis."

Envy flashed a sinister smile which fell upon Lust.

"I also have one more thing to add while it’s my turn. Another Hero of Virtue has been discovered. Kindness, my nemesis. And it was discovered by none other than Lust; however..."

Her green eyes flared with wicked guile.

"Lust has been oh so gracious to hide this information from us, having known it for quite some time. Not only that, one of his Champions is moving with Kindness as we speak."

’Oh, fuck.’

That didn’t sound good. Not at all.

’Greed! You asshole!’

Vale’s body went rigid.

He needed to explain himself, but his mind was also occupied with other thoughts.

What else had Greed revealed about Vale to Envy?!

Wrath’s armor began to creak as the shingled plates scraped against one another.

"You know, Lust. I had a lot of time to think since we last met. I’d reasoned you’d taken Pride’s side to defend yourself out of pathetic fear. With that line of thought, I was able to rein in my hatred for you and decided not to crush your skull. But, this?" Wrath’s eyes fell upon the dormant crystal. "This is unacceptable. It seems my warning was not heeded."

Wrath shot to his feet.

A torrent of red ink seeped from the cracks in his armor and slid across the onyx surface and congealed in his hand. The ball of red wobbled, then shifted into a blade taller than Wrath himself.

Pride grinned at the sight.

"Now, Wrath. Who do you think you are to look upon my friend like that?"

"I’m merely a man trying to survive in a hellish world."

Vale’s skin began to crawl as Wrath tilted the sword at Vale, then added:

"One chance. Explain yourself. Else you’ll be meeting me in the real world soon."

After a loud gulp, Vale showed his hands and said:

"I’d meant no harm by hiding it."

Wrath growled:

"Don’t you remember what I said? We need to work together. If Kindness were to find Envy, she’d be killed. You know that. So, then, what was your intent in withholding that information?"

Vale felt a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead. This situation was bad, pretty bad. Vale didn’t think Wrath would kill him, but whatever that armored man had in store for him, he didn’t want to learn.

’Shit... shit...’

He had to find a way to frame it...

’Ah!’

What other defense was better than the truth?!

Well, truth with some omission...

"I had a predicament, you see. I needed to use Kindness’ healing power to save one of my Champions. But the hero is currently quite weak. I was afraid that if I revealed her existence, that one of you would kill her before I could capture her."

Wrath’s glare tightened, the red flames nearly suffused together.

"So, why is she supposedly going around with one of your Champions?"

"That Champion is, uh, uncooperative. Actually... I had fought Kindness and realized I could never force her to use her power for my sake, so I decided to kill her. But, my Champion... he kind of saved Kindness from me and ran away. His exact motive? I have no clue."

Wrath sighed, then lowered his blade.

"Lust, you’re an absolute embarrassment. To lose to someone you’re not even weakened against and be betrayed by one of your Champions? Pitiful."

’Hey, I didn’t lose...’

Absorbing the red liquid back under his armor, he added on:

"Hide something like that again and you will be punished accordingly. Now, do learn to control your Champions in the future. What’s a Master who’s subject to their subjects? And, if Kindness ever goes anywhere near Envy, I do hope you’ll see to her defense."

"Of course."

’I have a contract to do so, after all.’

Though Vale’s blade, after being used to defend Envy, would most definitely swivel around.

Wrath sat back down.

"Also, congratulations on becoming Emergent."