54. Bear's Sin: Sloth

Meliodas expected King to be… How to say. Older? Maybe a bit more… Weight. After Lady Elizabeth's and Diane's confirmation, he was sure (but still doubtful) that the boy who looked around his age was really King, the Bear's Sin of Sloth. Ban's reaction only confused him, however.

"No… I'm really King, the Bear's Sin," King weakly said, his sacred treasure shifting into a green, fluffy pillow. "It has been some time, Captain."

Meliodas nodded slowly. "Uh, I guess…? Oh! Right, so like, would it be okay-"

"You're gathering the sins, right?" King smoothly cut in, Meliodas blinking in surprise. The fairy (king) looked away subtly, later clearing his throat. "Well, since the Holy Knights' and my… Goals, align to some degree, I heard about some things going around the kingdom."

(Ban snorted. "You just wanna keep track of Cap'n!")

Hawk poked Meliodas' leg. "He tried to kill Ban or something, remember?"

"Ah, right." It was not a very pleasant memory, to be exact. Seeing Ban's chest fixed itself back up was weird, so to say.

King nodded. "That, but…" Glancing at the empty space where the Necropolis used to be, he sighed. "Due to circumstances, I think I'll pause that goal for a bit."

Meliodas brightened up. "So that means-!"

"And that being said…" The fairy closed in, shadows across his face and eyes narrowed. "I understand about Ban, but how did you know about my sister, again?"

("She died over ten years ago, after all.")

("Eh? Oh... Well, I think I got lost once, a long time ago... But I don't really remember, actually.")

(Gazing away, Meliodas frowned. That's... Strange.)


Thank you for reading!

I'm glad that today isn't the first of April. I am very, very glad. That being said, HERE'S AN EXTRA-

ko.


(During that fateful day, the supreme goddess had told her that they were both cursed. Elizabeth with perpetual reincarnation and Meliodas, eternal life. But it wasn't Meliodas who woke up that day, it was Elizabeth.)

(For an instance, she was glad. She was glad that it wasn't Meliodas who was facing this predicament, that it wasn't him who was facing this pain. But that didn't mean Elizabeth could handle it without any problem. Everyday was like a slap to the face, a punch to the gut, a scar and cut and-)

(When Meliodas first found out, his memories returning and Elizabeth finally telling him the truth- there was a glimpse of horror. He realized what the goddess will have to face in his place.)

("Don't just live," he had said, eyes wide with his cheeks stained with tears. "Live and thrive.")

(And life became slightly more bearable. Just slightly.)

(Every reincarnation of Meliodas was overwhelmed with some type of emotion. When Elizabeth noticed this, a simple thought came across her mind.)

(Oh, she thought as Meliodas laughed, his laughter akin to gentle, silver bells. Oh, she thought when he cried, screaming and yelling at all the unjust in the world, it's everything that he's been suppressing. All those years.)

(Some were more angry, some smiled a lot. Others shed tears without restraint. They were all Meliodas. They were all...)

(But at the same time, no matter how kind or fierce or anything he was, every reincarnation of Meliodas was wronged in some sort of way. Once his demonic side was awakened, suddenly, all friends and family turned their backs on him. Fear became the most of him. He became scared of himself, and he broke with knives stabbing through his heart.)

(Live and thrive, live and thrive... She nearly tore herself apart, trying to keep her promise.)

("Thank you... You're alive." She nearly shattered, hearing those words as he faded away.)

(And then...)

"Cap'n! Let's play another game!" Childish laughter rang throughout the castle, the goddess took a look back.

She was glad, you know.

She was really glad.

"Thank you for being his friend."