7 Deadly Sins

4. Lust

The Duke of Venomania, was a disgrace. He couldn't do anything right, he was a faliure in life itself.

And there was a girl. The one who called him names like 'pig and 'worthless'. But even so, he loved her. If he could just win her heart...

And on a day like any other, the Duke stormed to his basement, the only place where he truly felt at ease. And as usual, he started on his work again.

Glass bottles and flasks were scattered across the table, some with strange coloured liquids spilling from them. Notebooks filled with writing were scattered all about the floor, it's pages opened at random. Numerous books lay open near the old fireplace, where he once again sat and started to read.

"...And as the great beast stood before me, he reached out his blood-stained hands and offered me what I most desired. For just one thing." The Duke read carefully from a book with a hard, dark blue cover. He drew a long breath as he whispered the last two words of the paragraph.

"My soul."

That was right, the disgraced Duke was studying up on how to summon the devil himself.

When Akihiko saw it, he almost died of fright. When his trauma settled, he vomited from the gruesome sight. He did not expect this.

It had a body resembling tar, bubbling black. Faces looking swollen, their mouths wide open as they screamed silently with agony. It's head was so deformed, so distorted, that one could only faintly make out his eyes and mouth. It had no nose, for it didn't require oxygen. It wasn't human, after all. It's long, bony fingers twitched slightly as it waited for Akihiko to finish gagging.

"Are you finished, boy?" It said in a deep, demonic tone. Akihiko looked up at it and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. What was once disgust turned into fascination as the Duke almost couldn't believe his eyes.

"Are you really..."

"The devil? Yes, I am. Tell me now-" He pointed a finger straight at Akihiko's face, "-with what wish shall your soul be mine?"

Akihiko had thought about it. He had considered having money, power... But he realized he already had all that, he was the Duke of Venomania. So he thought about respect. But that didn't matter if he couldn't win... Her heart.

Gumina Glassred.

An aristocrat from the neighboring kingdom. Gumina was a childhood friend of his... Or rather, an associate. She hated his guts, but he loved her.

So Akihiko decided on a desire that would allow him to be with her.

"I want all women who look at me, to fall enchanted."

Obviously the Devil wasn't surprised. He must've made many contracts with wishes similar to his already.

"Are you sure you want to seal this contract? After the contract is made, when you die, you will serve me eternally."

But Akihiko's mind was concentrated on getting his hands on her.

"Yes, I'm sure."

The Devil smiled deviously, then scratched Akihiko's cheek with his sharp nail. A drop of blood escaped from the wound and pooled on the fingertip of the beast. The Devil opened his mouth and raised his hand to his mouth. He tipped his finger, and as the drop of blood dripped into the mouth of the devil, it turned bright purple and thus, the deal was done.

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The next morning he decided to go for a ride out in the village, to see if the Devil had carried out his side of the deal.