章 295: Chapter 15. Problem Children
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In short, the "Seven Deadly Sins" knight squad found a new member—congratulations... or not!
As Cyd peeked from behind a pillar, he saw the furious warden complaining loudly to King Bartra. Behind him stood Ban, yawning as he leaned against the pillar, and Meliodas was slouched on the other side.
"This... seems troublesome. That warden is complaining nonstop."
"Well, it's only natural, Captain. After all, his workplace—the supposedly most secure prison in Liones—was destroyed," Ban snickered without holding back his sarcasm.
Cyd noticed a vein bulging on the warden's forehead. Clearly, the man was enraged.
"Can you two at least act a little more self-aware? One of you tore down a wall, and the other blew up the prison," Cyd muttered, knocking Meliodas on the head. "Why did you beat him up in the first place?"
"Because he had a look on his face that said, 'Please, just punch me and get me out of here,'" Meliodas responded innocently. Despite his childlike appearance, this same "kid" was the one who punched through the prison wall.
"Hey, Captain, just because I'm immortal doesn't mean I'm a masochist," Ban, the very person who was used as a projectile to break the wall, shrugged without a care.
"I just thought being executed outside was too troublesome, so I had the Captain handle it on the spot. Then, after a bit of teasing, he punched me. So, you see..." Ban threw his arm around Cyd's shoulders, leaning his full weight on him. "I'm the victim here, Vice-Captain. You've got to stand up for me."
"Putting aside the fact that you used me to smash through the prison, what's this about 'Vice-Captain'?"
"That was my suggestion," Meliodas raised his hand. "Even though you're our guardian, we still have our pride, so let's just call you the Vice-Captain."
"I think you just want an excuse to dump all the troublesome stuff on me," Cyd grumbled.
"Come on, don't think like that, Vice-Captain," Ban jostled him playfully. "It sounds more affectionate, and besides, we're a bunch of misfits. Having you as a Pure White Hero serves as a good bridge for us."
"Right, right, no ulterior motives at all," Meliodas grinned up at him, clinging to his leg with a pleading smile.
For some reason, Cyd felt like he was being pestered by both a large and small dog—and there was no shaking them off until he agreed.
"Fine, fine. But first..."
Before he could finish, Ban and Meliodas had already let go and dashed backward.
"We'll leave the angry warden to you, Vice-Captain!"
"Exactly, as the Captain of the "Seven Deadly Sins", I command you to make him forgive us!"
Cyd's eye twitched as he turned to face the furious warden, who was now standing right in front of him, his face twisted in rage due to their casual banter.
"You two brats!"
Later, Cyd spent the entire morning listening to the warden's complaints while Meliodas and Ban happily enjoyed drinks at a nearby tavern.
"Ugh... those guys."
After promising to get the warden's son an autograph, Cyd managed to calm things down. Dragging Meliodas and Ban by their feet, he finally hauled them back to the "Seven Deadly Sins" headquarters provided by Bartra. Now, at last, he could take a break.
Listening to their loud snores, Cyd shook his head helplessly.
"Everyone's got their own story, huh?"
Lighting the fireplace, he covered both Meliodas and Ban with a blanket before sitting on the couch, legs crossed, watching the flickering flames.
This kind of hectic life might become the norm from now on.
Problem children aren't too bad. Even particularly strong problem children are manageable. What's terrifying is being the guarantor of a group of particularly strong problem children.
Resigned, Cyd pulled the blanket over his head.
"Goodnight, goodnight."
"Something terrible has happened! Lord Cyd, Lord Meliodas, are you there?!"
Just as Cyd was starting to doze off, a frantic knocking at the door jolted him awake. He and Meliodas sprang to their feet simultaneously, while Ban, still half-asleep, sat up yawning. He blinked in confusion at the blanket covering him.
"That voice... Hendrickson?" Cyd opened the door, greeted by a face that screamed, "The sky is falling."
"What's going on?"
"Lord Zaratras has been gravely injured and sent back!"
Cyd's eyes sharpened, and behind him, Meliodas' expression became equally serious. Zaratras was undoubtedly a powerful Holy Knight, worthy of his title. For someone to have severely injured him, it could only be someone on par with Cyd or Meliodas—another "abnormal" being.
"Let's check on Zaratras' condition first. Hey! Ban, stop admiring that blanket—you're coming too."
"Huh? Oh, right." Ban hastily folded the blanket and placed it on the couch before adjusting his long coat and following Cyd and Meliodas.
He may not have realized it himself, but as he caught up with them, a genuine smile spread across his face.
Cyd had prepared himself to see a tragic sight. Healing magic was extremely rare, so Zaratras might never...
"Oh, ouch, ouch! It hurts so much—I'll never be able to be the Great Holy Knight again!"
Cyd stared blankly at the white-haired man, whose arm and head were wrapped in bandages, tears welling up in his eyes. It was hard to believe this was the mighty Great Holy Knight Zaratras, especially since he also happened to be a father and an older brother.
"I'm going back."
"Wait, no! Cyd, aren't you going to say something?" Zaratras immediately latched onto Cyd's belt with his uninjured hand, wailing dramatically. "I've suffered unimaginable trauma!"
"It's just a broken arm! Stop making such a big deal out of it!" Cyd grabbed his belt tightly, lest his pants get pulled down.
"My spirit was wounded! The guy poked me with just one finger! And that look in his eyes! Like he was saying, 'Ah, such a weak little creature...'"
"One finger? I'll beat you with one finger later, then."
Snap!
In the end, Cyd couldn't save his belt. After all, it was just an ordinary leather belt, not some kind of sacred artifact. At least he managed to keep his pants on.
Grimacing, he watched as Zaratras continued to whine and complain like a tattletale. But as his story unfolded, both Meliodas and Ban's expressions became increasingly serious.
"Looks like we've found the new member of the "Seven Deadly Sins"," Ban remarked.
"Yeah..." Meliodas stroked his chin, then patted Cyd on the back. "This one's all yours."
"Why is this super-dangerous guy being handed over to me?!" Cyd protested.
"Because you're stronger than the two of us," Meliodas and Ban smiled, flashing a thumbs-up.
"Good luck, Vice-Captain!"
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