29.The Divine Applause: My Seven Wonders

Ah, Pride, step forward first.

Of course, you would—how could I expect less?

Look at you, standing so tall,

head lifted high like a king among fools.

You've done well, haven't you?

You've taught them to see the world

through their own reflection,

to love themselves more than anything else.

You've made them gods in their own eyes,

and for that, I applaud you.

Each towering monument of ego,

each castle built on self-love—

magnificent! Let it stand tall,

until the day it crumbles under its own weight.

Envy, come next, my quiet shadow.

You've played your part perfectly, haven't you?

Look how they covet what they don't have,

how their hearts burn

for the success of others.

You've sown your seeds well,

turning blessings into burdens,

making joy feel like an insult.

They look at their neighbors,

and feel the sting of not enough.

How you've turned contentment into dust—

I must say, I'm impressed.

Their eyes always seeking,

never finding,

their hearts restless,

always wanting. Bravo, Envy.

Ah, Wrath, my fiery one.

I see the flames in your eyes,

and I must say,

you've done wonders with the world.

Look at the rage you've ignited—

brother against brother,

nation against nation.

They destroy in your name,

tearing each other apart

as if vengeance were salvation.

You've made them believe

that strength lies in anger,

that fury is the path to victory.

And the fires rage on, don't they?

You, Wrath, have given them something to burn for—

how could I not be pleased?

Sloth, my gentle dreamer,

how easy you've made it for them.

Why fight? Why strive?

When it's so much simpler to wait,

to sit, to watch the world go by.

You've lulled them into comfort,

into the sweet embrace of nothingness.

Why change the world

when the world can change without you?

You've taught them well,

to fear effort, to dread the climb.

They've abandoned ambition

in favor of endless sleep.

You've made them forget

that time runs out.

Well done, Sloth—your work is slow,

but oh, how thorough.

Greed, my shining star!

Look at the wealth you've gathered,

the treasures you've inspired them to hoard.

How beautifully they chase what glitters,

never knowing that what they seek

slips through their fingers.

You've turned them into collectors of things,

hunters of gold, seekers of more.

And no matter how much they have,

it's never enough, is it?

Their hearts are heavy with desire,

but oh, the beauty of that hunger—

it never fades.

You've done splendidly, Greed.

They'll never stop wanting.

Gluttony, my constant consumer,

how full you've made them.

They feast, they devour,

yet they never feel satisfied.

Look at how they indulge,

how they fill every moment

with more, more, more.

You've made them believe

that pleasure lies in excess,

that fulfillment comes with the next bite,

the next drink, the next taste.

They gorge themselves on the world,

and still, they starve inside.

What an art you've mastered—

the art of emptiness disguised as fullness.

Gluttony, you've perfected it.

Ah, Lust, my beautiful distraction.

How you've wrapped them

in your arms, in your desire.

You've made them think

that love is something to chase,

something to conquer,

something to use.

Look at how they burn for each other,

how they lose themselves

in fleeting moments,

forgetting that what they seek

cannot be found in touch alone.

You've turned longing into a sport,

made hearts into trophies.

Well done, Lust—

you've made love feel small.

And now, my Seven,

look at the world you've shaped.

How could I not be pleased?

You've taken my creation,

and twisted it so beautifully.

You've turned joy into sorrow,

peace into chaos,

hope into hunger.

You've made them believe

that they are free,

when they are bound by the chains

you forged.

Oh, how well you've done,

how perfectly you've played your parts.

Look at the world now—

a masterpiece of sin,

a symphony of desire and destruction.

And here I stand, watching,

as you lead them further away.

But I am pleased, truly.

You've done just as I imagined.

You've made them yours.

Let them wander in the darkness,

chasing the illusions you've created,

until the day they realize

what they've lost.

But by then,

it will be too late.

Go on, my Seven—

continue your work.

I will watch,

and I will smile.

You've done well.