After preparing himself, Raven stepped out of his room and embarked on his journey towards the main hall.

The early hour meant that the sanctuary was abuzz with activity as people bustled about, tending to their essential tasks.

He exchanged greetings with knights, offered nods to priests, and extended warm hellos to the nuns, weaving his way through the diligent individuals who filled the sanctuary.

Finally, Raven reached his coveted destination—the grand main hall.

Upon his arrival, Raven discovered that he was not the sole presence in the main hall. In addition to a handful of elders and prominent figures from the sanctuary, there stood the graceful Priestess Gaya and the resolute Head Knight, Ronald. They conversed in hushed tones, their heads close together.

Observing this gathering, Raven made his way towards them and initiated conversation.

In a matter of minutes, Elder Wandor made his entrance, accompanied by other respected elders and influential individuals of the sanctuary.

"A message has arrived from the main sanctuary," Wandor declared, capturing the attention of all those present.

"The sender," he continued, "is none other than Elder Khanel himself. He informs us that the revered beings have already begun their journey to the main sanctuary, and Elder Khanel is in their company."

"This signifies that we, too, must make our way there with all due haste," Wandor concluded with an air of urgency.

"When the sun reaches its zenith," he emphasized, "we shall commence our journey from this place to the main sanctuary."

Wandor scanned the room, ensuring that his message had been understood by all, before promptly departing with the other elders, their footsteps echoing the urgency of the situation.

The remaining individuals in the hall scattered, each embarking on preparations for their imminent departure.

Ronald, Gaya, and Raven also set about their tasks, readying themselves for the journey that awaited in the afternoon sun.

***

In a vast and opulent chamber, Leviathan lay ensconced in his colossal bed, deep in the embrace of slumber.

The chamber's door, imposing and tightly sealed, admitted only the faintest whisper of sound—the rhythmic, resonating breaths of Leviathan.

His bed dwarfed those of ordinary folk, a sprawling expanse with generous sides that provided ample room for Leviathan's substantial frame to stretch out.

He reveled in the comfort it offered as he surrendered to the realm of dreams.

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A few paces distant from Leviathan's chamber was the quarters inhabited by Incarus.

At this very moment, he rested upon his own bed, deep in contemplation about their predicament and the dilemmas that weighed heavily upon his thoughts.

His solitude was abruptly shattered by a forceful knock upon his door.

Incarus rose from his bed, directing his gaze towards the door.

"Come in," he granted permission, and with a soft click, the door yielded to the guest who entered.

"Have I interrupted your thoughts?" Tiamat inquired as she stepped into the room, gently closing the door behind her.

"If I were to say 'yes,' would you leave?" Incarus responded with a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Tiamat offered no direct reply, instead, she moved closer and took a seat on the edge of the bed, for the room held only the expansive bed itself, devoid of additional furnishings.

"I've come to discuss something," Tiamat stated, her gaze fixed on Incarus as she began to convey her purpose.

Incarus anticipated Tiamat's question even before she voiced it.

"Are you going to ask about Leviathan?" he interjected.

"Yes, that's right. It's about Leviathan. What do you plan to do with him? We can clearly see that he is not one of us," Tiamat expressed her concerns.

"What are you saying? He is one of us. Didn't you feel his sin?" Incarus countered as he stood and walked toward the grand window that framed a breathtaking view of the lush landscape beyond.

"So, you're going to accept him as one of us?" Tiamat inquired with a direct gaze fixed on Incarus.

"Yes, and it's simply because he is the same as us—one of the rulers of the Seven Deadly Sins," Incarus explained, his eyes still focused on the distant scenery.

"You know, Tiamat, during the battle with the surface dwellers in the other world, I witnessed all of you in pain and dying."

"Seeing someone so close to me perish is a pain I don't want to experience again," Incarus's body trembled slightly as he recalled those memories.

"At the same time, I realized how much we care for each other. It's not just me; you all care for each other too. It's because we are the Seven Deadly Sins."

"In the previous world, we had only six sins with us, but in this world, we have all seven. We are complete now. So, why don't you give him a chance to be one of us?" Incarus turned toward Tiamat, his gaze filled with concern.

Tiamat maintained her steady gaze on Incarus for several minutes, contemplating his words.

Eventually, she rose from the bed and made her way toward the door.

"Only one chance," she stated firmly, her hand resting on the doorknob. "If he does anything to arouse my suspicions, I won't hesitate to end him right then and there."

With those words, Tiamat left Incarus's room. He watched her until she disappeared from his view, and as she departed, the door automatically closed.

Incarus let out a sigh and turned his attention back to the window, where a vivid yellow cloud, reminiscent of a monstrous tide, dominated the landscape.

"Being the leader is hard," Incarus mused to himself, his eyes fixed on the unsettling sight beyond the window.

"Ah, crap, I forgot about the Preta," suddenly Incarus exclaimed, realizing that he had neglected to feed the hungry being.

With hurried steps, he left his room and descended to the lower floor.

There, he surveyed the area where the Preta's room was located. Closing his eyes, he connected with the familiar sensation, then opened his eyes and made his way to one of the doors, knocking on it.

"Preta, it's me, Incarus. I apologize for forgetting your meal. Let's go get you something to eat," he called out. With his knock, the door slowly swung open, revealing that it hadn't been locked to begin with.

Upon entering the room, Incarus was met with an unexpected sight.

In the center of the room, the Preta stood in front of his bed. His elongated belly resembled a monstrous mouth, filled with enormous, abnormal teeth. From this gaping belly-mouth, a powerful suction force emanated.

The bed in front of the Preta was being crushed into tiny pieces and pulled toward the belly-mouth.

"Oh, Incarus, no need to worry. I've taken care of my hunger," Preta assured him as Incarus observed the peculiar scene.