'I am okay now. I love you,' my Northerner told via link.
I nodded and turned to Zanele, "Please share your other findings," I requested.
"Yes. Sins of Greed were simpler. They often grew up in poverty and developed imnse competency as a result. But they also all end up being narcissistic and delusional. Their greatest fear is losing all that they have gained. And their {Fates} always reflect this way of thinking."
While not as straightforward, the analysis of Greed also matched Lilly. My Princess grew up poor and watched her mother, Gladys Adams, waste away. Lilly valued status, achievents, and success due to her mother's pitiful end.
Wanting to be the best at everything, she stressed herself out and worked incredibly hard. Only to lose it all when she was revealed as Formless because of {Store}. Yet Lilly didn't give up and clawed her way back up to where she was today.
I reached out to check on Lilly instinctively; she smiled at my touch and responded.
"You are such a worrywart. I am fine, Dearest. Zanele is correct; that was my greatest fear. It was why I hid my true nature after I got disowned. But that was in the past. Now I have you. And because I have you, I need not anything else."
"Wow! Two for two. Do next! Zanardi's slut called Envy!" Jo chirped.
Though she smiled, my Italian lover had death resonance leaking from her body. It was subtle. But, like Liv and Lilly, it could be daunting to hear that your struggles were fated.
The other girls knew my intention and let go. I approached Jo and pulled her into my embrace. Jo tried to push away at first. She seed intent on putting up a strong front, but I gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.
"I know you're strong, Jo. I just want to hug you right now."
Only then did she stop resisting. When Zanele saw her settled in, she began to share her analysis of Jo's Sin.
"The lives the Sins of Envy lead are similar to Greed's. But there is a stark difference. The Sins of Greed grew up with nothing. The Sins of Envy are, for a portion of their lives, happy. But that happiness is stolen away in the worst way imaginable. This breaks them.
"They end up envious of those who do not experience such misfortunes. They are the most unhinged of the Sins, often psychotic, bitter, and often carrying imnse hatred. Their {Fates} are usually directed at being able to relive their happiest days."
The words we all heard made shudder. Jo was happy at one point. Though she lacked her parents' warmth, she worked to et their high expectations. She had her nana, Margaret, and Jas. But the forr was taken from her early on; she hated her parents and Europe for that alone.
"Ah! So close! You're wrong! I am incredibly happy right now! My parents never cared for , but I had Jas, so I didn't need them. She was my sister as well as my mother! I haven't 'lost' anything! Ha!"
The mont Jo said those words, Jas and I instinctively stared at each other. I even closed my link to Jo abruptly in fear of my thoughts leaking out. Jo showed no doubt in her words. But she was wrong. There was soone. Soone she loved with all her heart. Soone she lost.
Soone she forgot.
"I hate Clive Zanardi. He forced my parents to leave their lovers to give birth to . Both of them hated for it. I also lost my mother figure, Margaret, because he wanted to make a stronger descendant. He made my life miserable. When they saw I was Formless, he abandoned like trash."
'Do not be sad, Darling. I did it wholeheartedly. Be it mories, my health, even my life. I am willing to give it all for you. You give happiness, a family, and a place to call ho. I need nothing else. I am sure my Nana can understand.'
'Yes! I will tell you all the tis she scolded and told stories! We can even video it! That way I have sothing to watch after I forget about her!'
Understanding what had happened, I embraced Jo tighter. Among those present, Robyn, Jas, Bella, Liv, and Aki all made heartbroken expressions. Only one Reaper seed confused. The only other Specter apart from Jo was Lilly. But she stayed silent.
"Eh? Darling? Why? Even Jas? Why is everyone acting like this?"
Feeling it was better to not say anything, I gave everyone but Jo and Lilly an order using my links and Exa.
'Until we find a solution, Margaret, Jo's Nana and Gladys Adams, Lilly's mother, are taboo topics. Exa, share it to the rest of our people. I will murder anyone who violates this. And tell Zanele to drop the matter and move on to her other findings.'
'Yes!' x5
[I understand, my lord. I have already explained to Zanele. She says she will do as you command. I will make an announcent to the rest of Hell's Eden.]
Jo turned to a Specter barely a week ago. And in the ti that passed, the mories she cherished of the one who raised her vanished from her mind. And it was because she chose to follow . Bit by bit, the cost of my decisions began to show itself.
'But I cannot stop.'
Eventually, the other Sirens and I will all beco Specters. And when we do, we will forget the dead. Thus, from that point on, each ti we lose soone, we won't even be able to mourn them.
And I was under no illusion that I would never lose anyone. Roach showed that there would be {Entropies} that could get through {Rewind}. I am sure there would be {Fate} versions of those as well. I had no intention of being taken off guard ever again.
Not when the lives of my harem and so many others are on my shoulders. So, although this Successor business seems complicated, I had to learn it. For I am sure they would also be people who would shape my future, as much as the Revenants and the undead.
"Uhm, Darling? Are you okay? You seem sad…"
The adorable woman in my arms asked with quivering eyes. Considering what she had to give up, I grew guilty that she could only have a piece of my heart. I gave my Italian shooting star a passionate kiss. She accepted energetically.
"Darling?"
"It's nothing, Jo. I just wanted to say I love you."
"Un! I love, love, love you, Darling!" She cheered with a smile.
I let her go and gave Zanele my blessing to continue.
"Before I proceed, I also want to note that there is an order to the Sins. One of the patterns I noticed is that the Sins of Pride are always the first won a Successor ets. It would then be Greed, Wrath, Envy, Sloth, Lust, and finally Gluttony."
"But that's wrong," Bella retorted.
"Huh? What do you an, Lady Bella?"
"I was the first one he t. And I am Sloth. We t Envy and Lust after, then we rescued Pride, Wrath, and Gluttony. And then Greed whored herself for him afterward."
"Ignoring the sloth's useless attempts at humor, if you consider my debrief as a eting, I would be first. Right, Dearest?"
Before I could answer Lilly, Jas, and Aki, both spoke out.
"You are both mistaken; Husband and I t even when he was human. So, Lust ca first."
"Does that even count? If Shujin was human, he couldn't have been a Successor? By that point."
'Sigh. I wish I could just shoot sothing.'
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