Saint 》Seven Deadly Sins

Can't Fool Your Heart

Meliodas and Rei finally caught up with Mead at the village. Everyone in the village was trying their best to pull the sword out, wrapping a rope around the hilt and pulling on it. Rei's eyes glared at the two guards who were sitting down drinking ale while laughing at the struggle.

"What a bunch of morons," one of the guards said as Rei and Meliodas walked by them. Meliodas grabbed the two tankards from their hands and handed one to Rei. The guards looked confused before looking at the duo.

"Anyone who doesn't appreciate good quality booze doesn't deserve to drink it," Meliodas said.

Rei tsked before throwing the tankard behind her. The ale flew out and spilled all over the guards.

"Hey, watch where your -" the other guard said but was cut off when the rope snapped.

The people who were pulling on the rope fell back with a hard thud, creating this huge dust cloud.

"What a waste," Meliodas directed that to Rei. "If you weren't going to drink it then you could have given it back." Rei's expression didn't falter one bit before finding Mead on the ground. She moved past Meliodas and helped pick the kid off the floor while he chugged the tankard. "That hit that spot!" He grinned at his friend. "Ready for a new sword?"

"As if I want that disgusting thing," Rei responded.

Meliodas shrugged. "Suit yourself." He made his way over to the sword. "Sorry, guys, I don't have any money for that drink." He grabbed the sword. "How about this?" With little to no effort, Meliodas pulled the sword out. The villagers watched in amazement as Meliodas held the sword up high. He soon tossed the sword to Rei. "Here, catch."

Mead's eyes widen in fear. That thing's about to cut us!

He felt his body being jerked up. Rei quickly moved Mead to the other side of her arm so she can catch the sword by the hilt. Rei glared at Meliodas for throwing a sword while she was still carrying Mead.

"Oops, my bad," he apologized. "But you're good with swords. You sure you don't want it?"

"I'd rather drink than carry this thing," Rei sneered. She had a deadly glare on her face, making the guards jump when she directed it towards them. "But that doesn't mean I could slice a few heads off first."

"Impossible!" the guard gasped as he tried to avoid Rei's stare. "Only a Holy Knight could pull that sword out! So how did he do that?"

The ground started to shake.

"What's that sound?" the other guard wondered.

Rei gently put Mead down before grabbing Meliodas by the back of his shirt and pulled him away from the guards. Right as she caught him, water shot out of the well the guards were sitting on. The villagers cheered as their water slowly started to return back. Rei walked over to the guards and leered down at them. They jumped and grabbed onto each other as the girl held the sword up high. Rei dropped the sword in front of them.

"Run," she sneered but it also held a little threat.

If you ever return to this village I will cut you up while you're sleeping, is what she wanted to say.

The guards quickly stood up and grabbed the sword, one managing to soil himself in the process, before they ran.

Rei let out an oomph when she felt Mead wrap his arms around her waist. "Wow, that was amazing." He held his arms tight around Rei but looked at Meliodas. "Hey, mister, are you really -"

Meliodas cut him off with a grin. "Yup. I am the proprietor of a fine drinking establishment. It's true."

"That's not what I meant."

Rei sighed before gently patting Mead's head. "Isn't there something you need to be doing?" she asked.

Mead looked at her confusingly before looking at the villagers.

"Look, Mead, what we were wrong," the village chief said. "Can you ever forgive us for treating you that way?"

"But what right do I have to forgive you? It's not like I'm part of the village..." Mead began.

"Go on," Meliodas encouraged the boy.

"Hey, what do you mean, go on? After all...I don't really belong here."

"Mead," another villager began chanting his name. Then another did the same thing. Then another and another, soon enough the whole village was chanting.

Rei glanced down as Mead hid his face behind her cloak. He looked up at her, tears coming out of his eyes. Rei gave him a small encouraging smile before she removed her hand from his head. Not a moment too soon, Mead ran over to the village chief and tackled him in a hug.

"You can lie to yourself all you want, but there's no way you'll be able to fool your own heart," Meliodas said.

He glanced at Rei before walking over and giving her a small side hug as she watched the exchange. Rei wrapped her arm around Meliodas and returned the gesture. She might not like talking about herself a lot but Meliodas knew she misses her old man. They might not have been related by blood but she still thinks of him like a father. Meliodas remembers the day they visited the guy's grave, the day Rei left with him. That's probably the only time he's seen her breakdown in front of him. Since then, Rei hasn't shed a single tear.

Elizabeth noticed their small moment and smiled.