Sin of the Saint

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: THE DILIGENT SAINT DILIGENTIA VS. OTIUM THE SIN OF SLOTH

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SCENES OF VIOLENCE**

Liv swallowed nervously as she stood in front of Ms. Chiaki's office. She'd done all she could to remain calm after she heard her name over the intercom system...and how Ms. Chiaki had requested to see her in her office "immediately." Despite her efforts, her underarms and forehead bore an appropriate amount of nervous sweat.

Her quivering hand raised to knock on the wood, but before it could make contact, she heard the stern woman's voice say, "Come in, Miss Yves."

Liv cringed and clenched her jaw. That can't be good...she sounds...upset.

She opened the door hesitantly and beheld Ms. Chiaki, seemingly harboring a hurricane of anger, sitting at her desk. Liv blinked nervously. "You...called me down here?"

"Sit."

Oh boy...

Liv took a seat across from Ms. Chiaki, whose lips were tightly pursed, as if she were holding back a verbal slap. The creases this created on her face looked similar to cracked porcelain, but soon disappeared like a snapping elastic band as her face finally relaxed.

"Do you have something to say?" she asked expectantly.

Liv swallowed. She knew what this had to be about, "I...I'm very sorry..."

"For?"

"My loss..."

"He barely touched you," she spat quietly as the hurricane of anger rose to the surface, "and you folded like a wet towel!"

Liv bit her lip until she nearly drew blood and didn't meet Ms. Chiaki's eyes—she couldn't.

"I want you to listen to me very carefully right now, since it seems that you're having a difficult time following simple instructions and heeding warnings," Ms. Chiaki said sternly.

"Yes ma'am."

"Watch the next bout closely. Very closely. I believe everybody, Saints and Sins alike, can learn something from it. And in your case especially, I think you may even view it as a redeeming opportunity after your disappointing performance."

Liv nodded and swallowed hard. Her pounding heart calmed at Ms. Chiaki's certain tone.

"Wait...how do you know?" Liv asked.

"Know what exactly?"

"You sound like this next bout will have a favorable outcome for us...how do you know?"

Ms. Chiaki raised an eyebrow, as if the answer was obvious.

"I know you're the Cardinal Virtue of Foresight. I get that...but I thought that your vision isn't always...clear..." Liv quieted at the last part of her statement, afraid to offend an already pretty angry Ms. Chiaki.

"This particular set of opponents have historically had identical outcomes each time they've come into battle with one another. I'm certain because, yes, I've seen it, but I was only able to see it because of the certainty this Saint carries. Not only will it be entertaining—" she chuckled at that, "—it will be educational."

Liv's eyebrows raised. "So...we're going to win this one, then?"

"Without a shred of a doubt," Ms. Chiaki answered. She swiveled in her chair and straightened up a stack of papers, shifting her focus to her daily job. "Though I had more of a verbal punishment for you, I believe that this next bout will prove penitent enough for you. You may go."