Seven Sins System Chapter 456. Why Should I Care About Her?
"Great choice! Our tomato juice is made from the freshest tomatoes. You're going to love it," the vendor said as she grabbed a large cup and started the process.
Unlike most juice stands, where everything was pre-made and sitting in pitchers, she actually picked tomatoes from a small container, inspecting each one before slicing them and feeding them into the juicer. The rich, red liquid poured out, thick and vibrant, just like she promised—fresh.
I stood there, waiting for her to finish, and couldn't help but glance around. My eyes instinctively sought out Puriel, expecting to find her pretending to look elsewhere but keeping me in her peripheral vision. To my surprise, she wasn't pretending at all. She was staring directly at me, her gaze unwavering.
But something was different. Her usual death stare or challenge-filled glare was absent. Instead, there was something else in her expression, something I couldn't quite place. It wasn't anger, nor was it contempt. There was a softness to her eyes, a hesitation that threw me off balance. I couldn't pin it down, and that unsettled me more than anything else.
I frowned, unable to decipher what she was feeling or thinking. Ignoring her seemed like the best option, so I turned my attention back to the vendor, who was now handing me the finished drink.
"Here you go, one jumbo tomato juice," she said with a smile, extending the cup toward me.
"Thanks," I replied, taking it from her. I tried to focus on the refreshing drink in my hand, but Puriel's expression kept nagging at the back of my mind. What was that look? Concern? Regret? It couldn't be... could it?
I closed my eyes for a brief moment, trying to push the thoughts away. 'This is poison. Poison,' I warned myself, echoing the mantra that had been running through my mind all day. Love, or whatever this was, was nothing more than a trap, a dangerous game that could only end in disaster for a devil.
The vendor continued talking. "You know, tomato juice is really underrated. It's packed with nutrients and has a really unique flavor. A lot of people don't appreciate it, but once they try it fresh, they're hooked."
I forced a smile, trying to engage in the small talk. "Yeah, it's definitely a favorite of mine. Hard to find a place that does it right, though."
"Well, we're glad to be in that place!" she said with enthusiasm. "I've always loved working with fresh ingredients. There's something so satisfying about making something from scratch, you know?"
I nodded, though my mind was still half-focused on Puriel. "I can imagine. It makes a big difference, especially with something like this."
The vendor beamed at the compliment. "Exactly! I hope you'll come back and try some of our other juices too. We've got a great selection, and we're always experimenting with new recipes."
"Maybe I will," I said, taking a sip of the juice. It was as good as promised—rich, tangy, and refreshing. It grounded me, if only for a moment.
I turned to leave and felt a strange pull in the pit of my stomach. It was like a magnet drawing me back to Puriel, to that inexplicable look in her eyes. Against my better judgment, I stole one last glance in her direction.
She was still there, still watching me. But instead of looking away when I caught her gaze, she held it. There was no challenge, no disdain—just a quiet intensity that unnerved me. What did she want? Why was she looking at me like that?
The urge to confront her, to demand answers, flared up inside me. But just as quickly, I pushed it down. This was a dangerous path, one that could lead to more pain and confusion. I couldn't afford to fall into that trap again.
Instead, I turned away, forcing myself to focus on my dinner—getting something to eat and retreating to my dorm.
Walking away from the juice booth, I headed toward the convenience store, choosing a sandwich and some chips was a welcome distraction, something tangible to focus on. But even as I went through the motions, my mind kept circling back to that look.
Was it possible that she was feeling the same conflict? That she, too, was grappling with emotions she didn't want to acknowledge? The thought was both comforting and terrifying. If Puriel, a goddess, could be struggling with these feelings, then what hope did I, a devil, have of keeping them at bay?
I knew I should be stronger than this, more in control. But the more I tried to push the thoughts away, the more they lingered.
After grabbing my sandwich and chips, I headed to the cashier, ready to complete my purchase and retreat to my dorm. But then, in the middle of the aisle, my steps faltered. A stray thought crept into my mind, one that I had been trying to suppress. 'She doesn't have any money, right?' The thought lingered, gnawing at me.
I remembered Puriel mentioning something about having ingredients to cook dinner for the rest of this month. I took another step toward the cashier, dismissing the thought. But then I stopped again. 'But the mortal realm's fresh ingredients don't last long,' I reminded myself. The reality of this realm's food, with its short shelf life and artificial preservatives, was a far cry from what I was used to. 'So she eats something like processed food?' The idea unsettled me. Even though I often ate processed food myself, I couldn't help but think about how awful it tasted compared to the real thing, at least for beings like us.
I shook my head, trying to push the thought away. 'Right, why should I care about her?' I complained to myself. This was ridiculous. Puriel was more than capable of taking care of herself. She didn't need my concern, especially not after everything that had transpired between us.
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