⊱J'ai enfreint les règles⊰

I broke the rules

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"Diligence."

I smiled. "Yes?"

"You really need to use your power wisely," Humility said as she sat down beside me in my garden. "The luckier someone gets, the unluckier others get. You know that, right?"

I plucked a daisy and put it in her hair over her ear. "Of course."

"But you favor a few who seemingly work hard. That last girl? She suddenly stopped working or trying anything after winning the lottery, didn't she?"

I sighed. "I just gave a little reward. But I can't help it if she's inherently like that. I can only do so much..."

She plucked a daisy, prompting a yelp from me, and placed it in my hair. "Red or maroon hair doesn't suit you."

I huffed in disappointment. "Are you just here to diss me?"

"Maybe..." she drawled, earning a glare from me. "Who is your latest favorite?"

I grimaced. "Favorite is a weird word. I don't-"

"Interest, then. Is it that young man working day and night in the office?"

I hummed. "I have high expectations that I can turn this one around."

It was no secret that I was using my powers on him because I adored the passion he carried in his heart. Still, I thought he was content doing the work was doing. I watched him spend his whole days, weeks, months grinding and working. Among his colleagues, he was smiling and laughing.

At his home, he was quiet and still. He had no expressions. Like a robot. A doll. Hollow. Empty.

Whenever I saw him like that, I turned it into an excuse and believed that using my power would salvage the situation.

"You can't do that, Diligence."

Once he pulled himself together, I promised that I would not do it again. But his piano was forgotten and abandoned, and every time he expressed his interest in music, others would turn him down.

"It's impossible to make money with music."

"You will live on pennies for years. Who would want to live like that?"

"I don't think you'll make it."

"Do you still believe chasing your childhood dreams will make them come true?"

"Everyone does what they hate for money and use money to do what they love."

"Think about it. Work extremely hard and not get anything? Or work minimum and get comfortable life."

I would catch Sloth whispering into his ear sometimes and would chase him away. Until one day, I lost him to Sloth.

"My life is meaningless."

"I don't want to do anything anymore. I'm tired."

Fires flared up in his apartment as soon as I appeared to see him and the hopeless man covered his face with his hands. I helplessly watched the flames burn and spread, lighting up the room. I could not feel emotions and I could not feel fear, but I felt everything all at once at that moment.

Throughout the years, I had grown to love him.

Losing him now would have meant losing him to hell. Time was ticking and I was on edge.

As the fire caught onto his clothes, I lost my mind. With one move, I lunged forward and grabbed him before teleporting.

I had saved him.

I had broken the rules.

Angels had appeared around me and announced my crimes before taking me away. I was to be punished.

"Then how am I here as a human?" I concluded.

The three Heavenly Virtues looked at each other and Jaesung whispered, "I don't know but it's a miracle."

"After you saved him, he took his own life successfully and became the Sin of Sloth," Humility said, making my chest squeeze in pain. "I suspect that affected you."

I shook my head. "Still doesn't nullify what I committed... I don't understand..."

"Maybe this is a chance," the woman, Temperance said with a hopeful tone. "A chance to get on the right path?"

"Or a punishment before the real thing," Jaesung mumbled, widening their eyes.

I sighed to dispel the nerves. I would be lying if I said that did not sound terrifying. "All this won't solve anything... Still, it strangely puts my mind at ease that I know now."

Humility nodded. "It is best if we don't interact with each other often."

I chuckled at his bluntness. "Agreed. You can't intervene in my life because I'm a human."

"Oh shoot, I forgot about that part," Jaesung blurted, making me laugh.

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Here ya go 🫶

Your theories were right 🙌
Now how will Sloth take this?