The Seven Deadly Sins

Four eyes met. In a flash of lightning, Black suddenly recalled some of the game’s settings.

Noa, in pursuit of some goal, had taken the ancient potion “Seven Deadly Sins,” which allowed her strength to rapidly increase, breaking through to the Emperor-Tier Sage.

The price was that her body would increasingly regress to a child-like state, becoming smaller and smaller, now resembling a thirteen-year-old girl.

The other cost was that the user had to endure the intermittent onset of the “Seven Deadly Sins”: Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and Lust.

At this moment, it was probably the onset of Lust.

Black was about to say something, but suddenly his vision went black. He collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

****

When he woke up, Black found himself sitting in a chair.

In front of him was an ancient tea table. The person sitting opposite him was Noa.

She was calmly preparing tea, her movements fluid and graceful.

She wore a dark robe, her posture was elegant, and her aura was ethereal, showing no sign of anything unusual.

Seeing Black wake up, she gently pushed a cup of tea towards him, her voice calm and level.

“Awake?”

“I… fell asleep?”

Black raised his hand and rubbed his throbbing temples. The memories in his mind were obscured by a thick fog.

He only remembered knocking on the door, hearing a strange sound, pushing the door open, and standing in the outer room waiting.

And then? What happened next?

His memory broke off there, leaving only a headache.

‘Could it be because I was up too late last night and didn’t rest well?’ But he still felt that something was not quite right.

He looked at Noa, trying to find a clue on her face, but her expression was as still as an ancient well.

Black said awkwardly.

“I apologize, Lady Noa. Please forgive me. I’ve been a little overworked lately.”

“It’s fine.”

Noa said faintly. She picked up the teacup in front of her and took a small sip.

However, Black keenly noticed that Noa’s fair, delicate earlobes were flushed with an unusual redness, forming a subtle contrast with her composed expression.

But he didn’t dwell on it. He had more important things to do today.

“Is there something you’ve come to see me about this time?”

Noa put down her teacup and looked at Black.

She remembered that she had personally given Black permission to come directly to her if he had need.

Since he had come, it must be something important.

When the matter of business was brought up, Black’s spirits lifted, and he quickly pushed aside the confusion.

He solemnly took the Memory Stone from his storage ring and handed it to Noa.

“A Memory Stone?”

A trace of surprise flashed in Noa’s eyes.

Even with her knowledge and status, this level of alchemical rarity was extremely rare.

She hadn’t expected Black to have such a thing in his possession.

“Lady,”

Black said gravely.

“This Memory Stone contains an important recording. Once you watch it, you will understand everything, and you will know what I have come here to request.”

Seeing him speak so solemnly, Noa nodded and reached out to pick up the cold black stone.

Her finger flashed with light, and she poured a sliver of magical power into it.

“Voom.”

Light flowed across the surface of the Memory Stone, and a clear light screen unfolded in the air between the two of them.

The scene from the secluded area a decade ago, the figures of Randolph and Alvin, the vast and strange magic array, the mountain of magic crystals, the suspended black dragon pearl, and finally, the crying baby being placed in the eye of the array…

Noa watched without blinking. The composure in the depths of her eyes was broken, time and time again.

Astonishment, understanding, coldness, and anger—complex emotions alternated on her face.

Even she had not anticipated that Randolph would be so deranged as to collude with the Dragon King’s soul.

And commit such an inhumane forbidden act on an innocent infant.

The image ended, and the light screen dissipated.

Noa slowly closed her eyes, remaining silent for a few seconds.

When she opened them again, only cold determination remained.

“So that’s it…”

She murmured to herself, her voice carrying a trace of heaviness.

“This puts many things in perspective.”

“Randolph, you truly have embarked on this path of delusion.”

‘A path of no return…’

‘And that child carries the soul of the Dragon King of Madness?’

She looked up at Black, a smile appearing on her face.

“Black, you have rendered a great service this time. Thank you for your trouble.”

“This matter will be handled by me next. I will meet with Her Majesty the Empress, present the evidence, and have Randolph and Alvin arrested immediately.”

“They will surely pay the price they deserve for everything they have done.”

She did not ask how he had obtained the Memory Stone.

Black was puzzled. He had already prepared an elaborate backstory.

However, since the other party didn’t ask, he naturally wouldn’t volunteer the information.

Now, a great weight had lifted from his heart. Black nodded solemnly.

With this promise from Noa, the matter was settled.

But, a look of hesitation appeared on his face. He carefully considered how to phrase his next question.

Noa looked at him and saw through his concern.

She spoke directly.

“You want to say that you hope the matter concerning the Saintess will not be made public, is that right?”

Black was stunned. He hadn’t expected her to guess his thoughts.

“Once this matter is made public, the Saintess will be seen as a ‘Dragon Girl’ and will inevitably face retribution.”

“You want to protect her. From beginning to end, you don’t want her to know this cruel truth.”

Noa’s tone was calm, laying bare Black’s deepest desire.

Having his mind completely read, Black was truly shocked by Noa’s keenness.

But he did not deny it. He simply nodded, his eyes filled with earnestness.

Noa took another sip of tea and said slowly.

“Don’t worry. This matter is far-reaching, involving the Church’s reputation and the stability of the empire. A public trial would cause unnecessary turmoil.”

“I will advise Her Majesty to handle it secretly with swift and decisive means. We only need to announce their other crimes that are substantial enough.”

“As for Saintess Kristine…” She paused, her tone softening considerably.

“She is an innocent victim from beginning to end. This matter has nothing to do with her.”

Hearing this, Black finally breathed a sigh of relief, his tense nerves relaxing.

He stood up and gave Noa a deep bow, thanking her sincerely.

“Thank you for your understanding, Lady.”

“It’s nothing. Just doing my duty.”

Noa nodded slightly.

“If there’s nothing else, you may go and attend to your business.”

Black thanked her again, then respectfully withdrew from the room, gently closing the door behind him.

It wasn’t until his footsteps disappeared at the end of the corridor.

When only she remained in the room, Noa’s ramrod-straight spine finally relaxed.

The moment she relaxed, certain senses that had been deliberately ignored immediately became vivid.

The sense of shame from below clearly reminded her of everything that had happened not long ago.

The fabric rubbing against her skin brought an indescribably strange sensation.

The mask of calm composure on her face shattered instantly.

It was replaced by a stiff and undisguised blush.

“Damn… Seven Deadly Sins…”

She gritted her teeth and cursed in a low voice, her tone full of annoyance.

The side effects brought by this potion made her feel wretched every time.

And this time, she had even been seen at her most embarrassing moment by the young man.

Fortunately, she reacted quickly enough, decisively stunning him before he could register the scene.

She used special means to blur that memory.

Otherwise, she truly didn’t know how she would face him.

But, stunning him was one thing, and blurring his memory was another. Some things that happened had happened.

The feeling of being seen completely, the residual restlessness in her body, made it difficult for her to calm down.

After several deep breaths, she barely managed to suppress the remaining influence of “Lust.”

Noa’s gaze fell on the pitch-black Memory Stone on the tea table.

Her eyes returned to their cold state.

She stood up, straightened her robe, and held the Memory Stone in her palm.

She looked out through the tall window of the headquarters towards the distant Servia Royal Palace.

‘It seems I have to go and see His Majesty the Empress again.’