Chapter 24. Ah~ Youth!
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Everyone except Merlin and Gowther were partying wildly, clinging to barrels of alcohol. The party was held at night because if happened during the day, Escanor would evaporate the alcohol.
Though it was a celebration, only members of the [Seven Deadly Sins] were present. Other knights and civilians instinctively felt a sense of rejection towards them. Fortunately, most of them either had thick skin or simply didn't care, and there were very few humans among them.
Ban was probably the happiest one. After being a lone thief for so long, suddenly having seven companions made him feel more fulfilled than ever.
Of course, that wasn't why he was hanging off Cyd's neck, reeking of alcohol.
"Hahaha, Vice-Captain, have a drink! Two guys are already killing the vibe, don't be a buzzkill too!" Ban said as he continued gulping down alcohol.
"I still have to make sure I plant the drunks in the ground later, so I need to stay sober. Those were Zaratras's parting orders." Cyd responded. Right now, the only people who didn't give the [Seven Deadly Sins] strange looks were Zaratras and Bartra, but unfortunately, both of them were tied up with official duties.
To prevent the city from being destroyed by this rowdy bunch, Cyd remained on high alert. Who knows, Ban might be trying to get him drunk to turn him into one of their wild party squad members.
"Since we're all comrades now, how about we introduce our magic?" Meliodas raised his hand, suggesting the idea.
Magic is often seen as a trump card and not something you'd reveal easily. However, the people here had thick skin and didn't see magic as something particularly secretive.
"My magic is [Full Counter]. I can reflect magical attacks back at the caster, though I can't counter physical attacks."
Thud!
Meliodas ended up face-first in the dirt, courtesy of Ban, who was now in full party mode.
"Oh, so it really can't counter physical attacks! The Captain is honest, huh?" Ban laughed, looking at his smoking fist.
Although this could be seen as an attack with killing intent, Ban really just wanted to test it out—even if he did use his full strength.
"Hey!" Meliodas pushed himself off the ground with his hands. Though his childish face was dirty, there wasn't a scratch on him, and he even smiled, saying, "See? It can't reflect physical attacks."
Cyd stood silently by, watching. So far, there was no need to step in.
"Alright, it's my turn. My magic is [Snatch]. I can basically steal anything." Ban grinned as he used his magic to snatch the cup of alcohol Meliodas had just picked up, downing it in one gulp. He exhaled, smelling of booze. "Also, I'm immortal."
Cyd glanced at King. Sure enough, as soon as King, the Fairy King, heard the word "immortal," his eyes narrowed suspiciously. However, he stayed calm, probably figuring Ban's immortality might be linked to his magic.
Whoosh!
Ban was suddenly split in two, and of course, the one responsible was Meliodas. Despite his earlier cheerful demeanor, he apparently held grudges.
"Oh, so you really are immortal," Meliodas observed, stroking his chin as Ban put himself back together. "You'll be our tank from now on, Ban."
"What?! Shouldn't the tank be Diane? She's the biggest one—ugh!"
Ban didn't even get to finish his sentence before a massive fist hammered him into the ground.
"Idiot! You can't call a girl big!" Diane, with tears welling in her eyes, looked heartbreakingly pitiful, but her fists pummeling Ban like dough were terrifying to everyone except one person.
"Ah, angry Diane is cute too," King, blushing, watched Diane turn Ban into meat paste. Apparently, he'd forgotten all about his suspicion regarding Ban's immortality.
Cyd checked the ground beneath his feet, noting that the situation was still under control—no innocent bystanders were getting caught in the chaos.
"Diane's magic is [Creation], a common but powerful magic among giants," Meliodas explained, taking over the introduction while Ban lay dead on the ground.
"So, we've got someone who can reshape the environment."
In other words, she'll be the one to fill in the holes you guys are making.
"Gowther's magic is [Invasion], which I'm sure you already know." Considering Gowther's habits, whenever someone greeted him, he'd probably read their mind first.
"Vice-Captain, I can sense your bias against me. I do not abuse my magic—I simply read what others are about to say and speak for them," Gowther said in a slightly modified voice, sounding like he was protesting. Judging by the dirtied state of his armor, though, he had also probably seen things he shouldn't have.
"Vice-Captain, Captain, listen to me!" Diane suddenly seemed to remember something and abandoned her assault on Ban. She slammed her hand on the ground and tearfully complained, "Gowther peeked at my measurements!"
"Hah! Gowther, you finally did something befitting your sin!" Ban, covered in blood, crawled out of the pit—completely naked.
"Gowther, how could you?! I challenge you to a duel!" King, clearly drunk, pointed at Gowther with both nostrils flaring and smoke coming out of them. His spear, brimming with life energy, aimed directly at Gowther.
"Oh, this emotion… Could it be that King actually likes…" Gowther mused.
"Wah!" King's voice suddenly turned sharp as he transformed his spear into a green teddy bear, covering Gowther's helmet.
Though no one understood why King did such a pointless thing, Gowther was sharp enough to play along and fell silent. He raised his finger, clearly preparing to read King's mind again.
Swoosh!
A transparent arrow flew towards King. Having experienced Gowther's magic before, King dodged with agility that would be impossible for someone as chubby as him.
Of course, from Cyd's point of view, it looked like a fat bear struggling to arch its back, making its big belly stick out while its face turned a strange shade of red.
Gowther's magic arrow still hit him, though. It had been aimed at his neck but ended up hitting his oversized belly.
"Hahahaha! What is this? Are you really a fairy?" Ban burst out laughing, spitting all over King's face. King's expression was now impossible to read—whether from shame or just the strain of his odd pose.
"Hmph! I am the Fairy King. I won't stoop to your level," King said loftily as he floated into the air, turning his back on Ban. His voice might have been full of pride, but it was much quieter now. Clearly, he wasn't so sure of himself.
With the teddy bear still clamped on his head, Gowther stayed silent, but everyone could tell he understood the situation perfectly.
In other words, King couldn't say it himself, so Gowther would have to do it for him. Since they were all comrades, he didn't need to hold back.
"Actually, King likes—"
"Waaah!" King whipped around and, with a swipe of his hand, had the giant teddy bear perform a flawless suplex on Gowther, slamming him into the pit Diane had just made while pummeling Ban.
"Uh… King, what do you like?" Diane asked innocently as she bent down towards King, hoping to bond with her teammates by getting to know their interests.
"N-Nothing, Diane! I like flowers." King, still blushing, awkwardly scratched his head as he finished burying Gowther in the dirt. "What about you, Diane?"
"I like the Captain."
Thunk!
Cyd and Meliodas both swore they could hear the sound of King's fragile heart shattering.
"Ah~ Youth."
The two of them, like old men reflecting on their years, clinked their cups together.