Lucien knows that he cannot boost thousands of Mermaids and Nagas in time for them to reach the Mermaid Kingdom's capital before too many Mermaids die.
It makes him feel like he's failed as their future king.
But then Lust says she has a plan, and he knows she wouldn't make jokes at such a time, so he gets really excited to know what it's about.
"Come on, my love; don't keep us waiting."
The beautiful sin of pleasure only ever has one kind of plan, so that couldn't be any different now.
"You can't boost all of them in time alone, so you have to use the powers of the other sins to create a sinful aura that can reach thousands of them at once."
Lucien remembers how powerful the aura he could create with Envy and Sophia was, but they aren't there; it's actually just Greed and Pride now.
He doesn't want to say that out loud, so he uses mind communication to talk to Lust.
'Greed and Claire seem willing to do this, but do you think we can reach a level of sync so quickly?'
'Why are you ignoring Pride and Eve?' Lust asks.
'Because they won't do it, obviously.' Lucien responds.
'I'm not sure; just look at their expressions now.' Lust remarks.
Lucien looks at his big sis and Pride and is surprised to notice that they are both awkwardly silent as they look at him with thoughtful and even slightly blushed expressions.
'Damn! Do they really want this???' He can't believe his holy sacred Big Sis could have any naughty feelings, especially towards her little brother.
'Of course, they do.' Lust responds in his mind.
'How is this possible? They always seemed so...'
'Arrogant, distant, and cold?'
'Yep.'
'Their power has the most potential among the other sins, but that same power limits them like chains holding their wings.' Lust explains.
'And how do we destroy the chains?' He asks.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})'Hell would kill half of the Demon race to find out the answer to that.' Lust comments.
'So?' He usually knows what to do to get any woman's affection, but Eve and Pride are exceptions.
'You'll have to find a way, and quickly.' She says.
The last thing Lucien wants is to force Eve to cooperate with him, while he also wouldn't want to make Pride hate him.
However, selfish desires seem so silly when the lives of so many innocent Mermaids hang in the balance.
With no better alternative, Lucien looks at Eve and Pride with a determined expression. "You know what we need to do."
Eve remains silent, but Pride quickly demonstrates her arrogance. "We're not going to do that."
Lucien has to act as arrogant as the proud sin. "I was talking to my sister."
"Oh?" Pride shakes her head in disapproval.
Eve remains silent because, despite wanting to help Lucien, she fears that their relationship will be destroyed if they cross the sibling line.
"You know we have to do this, sister." He speaks in an affectionate tone.
"..."
"These Mermaids need our help..."
"Luci..."
"I know you're not a selfish bitch like Pride."
"HEY!!" Pride's eyes flash white as Lucien's insult hurts the core of her soul.
He has to contain all the respect he feels for Pride to break the chains that hold her down. "What's the matter? I thought you didn't have an aversion to the truth."
"YOU LITTLE BRAT!!!" The light in Pride's eyes gets even brighter while she's getting angrier.
"You selfish bitch!!" Lucien feels bad about having to insult Pride, but he doesn't see any other way.
*Whoosh* *Whoosh*
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})She dashes towards him, and he does the same, both at incredibly fast speeds.
They face each other with only a meter separating their bodies. Pride has to float a little in the air to keep her face at the same height as Lucien's.
"What is your problem?" She asks, upset.
"What is your problem??" He returns the same question before quickly continuing.
"Why don't you admit that you can help those Mermaids, but you're not doing it because you're so selfish." He asks.
"I leave such disgusting feelings to Greed and Envy." She arrogantly responds.
"Lie!" He boldly declares.
Pride gets furious. That's not just about someone contradicting her, but mostly about it being the second person she admires the most ever.
Eve and the other girls feel things are getting out of hand and try to interfere, but Pride creates a barrier around them with her powerful energy.
"Take back your words!" She speaks to Lucien in an upset tone.
"Then prove me wrong and that you're not a selfish liar." He says.
Pride can't contain her fury and tries to slap Lucien in the face.
*Whoosh* *BAM*
But he's just as fast and strong as she is, blocking her arm.
"I have nothing to prove to you!" She exclaims.
"Because you can not." He comments as he pushes her arm away.
*Whoosh*
Pride spins her body and tries to hit Lucien with her other arm, but he dodges that attack.
"You're asking for it!" She speaks while trying to attack him with several quick blows.
But Lucien dodges them all with his incredible speed.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})"Why can't you admit you're so selfish?" He asks.
"Because it has nothing to do with the Mermaids!" She explains. "I wanted to help them because of you."
"Then why can't you just do it?"
"You know why!!"
"It's because you're afraid of me!"
"WHAT?!?!"
Lucien manages to make Pride even more furious; her whole body starts to glow with that intense white light.
She summons her white scythe, causing a powerful aura to spread for miles.
He summons his golden naginata as his katana is still not powerful enough to face the most powerful Sin's weapon.
"Let's get this over with!" He speaks while getting into a combat stance.
Pride does the same as she prepares to attack. "Take back your words already!"
"No."
*Whoosh* *BAM* *CLANG!!!*
They attack each other, and the blade of the naginata clashes against the blade of the white scythe, creating waves of power that can be felt by Mermaids and Naga from miles away.
Lucien and Pride keep exchanging swift and powerful blows, and both can't help but feel excited to the point that smiles appear on their faces without them noticing.
"You think you're so awesome that all women should kneel at your feet and suck your cock!" She says.
"And you're too stubborn to admit you want to suck it!" He responds.
"YOU!!!" Pride won't admit that, but she can't deny it, either.
"Why does it have to be this way? Why can't we just do what we want?" He asks as he continues fighting Pride.
"We can't always do what we want; that's how the universe works, stupid boy!"
"You're wrong; as long as we have the power to do it, we can do anything."
"Perhaps this is how it is for you, but I am bound by powers far older than my existence..."
Lucien can sense a touch of sadness in Pride's arrogant tone. It's like she's begging him to release her from those chains.
He can't find the desire to hurt her anywhere in his body and soul, so he has to use all his will to increase the strength and speed of his attacks.
Pride is very motivated to fight, but she feels that her scythe is slowly losing to Lucien's naginata.
That is the weapon of the woman she most admired in the hands of the man she most admires.
*CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG*
Lucien slams his naginata against Pride's scythe faster and harder, making her step back.
"If you can't get rid of those chains yourself, I'll help you with it!"
"So do it already!!!" She uses all her will to scream that.
Lucien uses all the demonic energies in his body to make a powerful attack, which breaks Pride's white scythe in half.
As the scythe turns into white energy that disappears into thin air, he uses the shaft of the naginata to push Pride to the floor.
He makes the naginata disappear and mounts over Pride's body and presses her arms to the ground, using his demonic energy to contain hers and prevent her from just dematerializing her body.
Pride gets embarrassed and makes the white light over her body even more intense, so Lucien doesn't see her face blush.
But he uses his demonic energy to see through her white light, looking straight into her eyes.
"Why do you resist it so much?" He asks.
"You know why!" She yells.
"Then say it loud!"
"No!"
Lucien keeps Pride's arms against the ground as he slowly brings their faces closer.
"Say it, Pride."
"I can't!!"
"It's okay; only I can hear it."
"But..."
"Say it already!!"
"It's because I want you!!!" As soon as she says those words out loud, Pride feels like a mountain is getting off her.
"I want you so much that this desire is consuming me!!" She keeps putting out every feeling that presses her heart. "I want you more than anything I've ever wanted..."
Lucien smiles as he brings their faces even closer, making their noses touch. "You are such a good woman, Pride..."
"I don't want to be another good woman for you… I want to be the best, always the best." She speaks honestly.
"I know..." He smiles.
"You don't understand... I want you to be my only King, but I also want to be your only Queen." She explains.
"Of course." He smiles as he continues teasing her nose.
"I want to rule this universe by your side... make all creatures kneel before us." The white light in Pride's eyes grows even brighter as she imagines that future with Lucien.
Lucien never had any desire to rule; he just wants to protect his loved ones. But if he gets on top of the universe alongside Pride, no one could touch his loved ones. "That doesn't sound like a bad plan, Pride."
She smiles. "Isn't it?"
He starts rubbing his lips onto hers, making her body crave his kiss so badly.
"Yes, it's..." He smiles lovingly. "But when that time comes, there will be many other thrones in the room with us."
As much as Pride wants to be Lucien's only Queen, she knows that taking away his lovers would be the same as breaking his soul into a thousand pieces, and that way, she could never have him in one piece.
"I guess I'll have to learn to accept it... But I'm going to be your main Queen!" She could not accept such a future any other way.
"Good luck saying it to Lust." He chuckles.
Before Pride can say anything else, Lucien seals her lips with a passionate kiss.
He loves all his wives, but having the sin of pride in his arms, making her enjoy his kiss that way, already makes him feel like the King of the whole universe.
