Nanatsu No Taizai : 'Our Cursed Destiny'

Chapter 24 "Fate"

Mama Hawk has retired into the ground as night fell upon Vaizel. The Boar's Hat was crowded with customers and the Sins was all working. Except for Merlin who remained inside one of the bedrooms continuing her experiments.

Meliodas served and refill the drinks nonstop and stopped by at a person drinking alone by the counter when it seemed he wasn't called by anyone in the busy bar.

"It tastes good isn't it?" He started as he jumped behind the counters to face the man and the bar. Ban was beside him cooking wearing only his red jeans and an apron.

The man nodded and threw glances towards the Sins. "What were the Seven Deadly Sins doing in a bar? Working, on top of all." He asked not making eye contact to the captain.

"Well, let's just say that we're on vacation and this is our way to keep company with time." He replied as he gulped down a shot of ale.

The man snickered and raise his glass, "And I would assume that you would join the festival?"

Meliodas smiled and raised his bottle of ale as well, "You knew us pretty well."

"Not quite. Just a couple of things that stands out from you guys." He drink down the last remaining of ale and Meliodas snatched his glass to refill them, "It's on the house. For this one though."

The man quietly thanked him as he reached for the glass to only gulped it all down in a shot again. Meliodas only watched him in silence.

The atmosphere around them was filled with questions but none of them break the silence.

Ban noticed it and quickly let out his signature laugh, "What's with you two? Talk man, this bar isn't going to be open all night." And with that, he continued cooking when Meliodas hit his stomach with his fist.

"Since when did you became the owner who decides when the bar is opening and closing?" He asked with a poker face as Ban regain his composure.

"Well what he said was true so I'll start asking." He continued. The man nodded in silence as he looked to the glass he was holding.

"You don't look like someone around here. Did you came to join the festival as well?" Meliodas settled down on an empty barrel that was going to be thrown out later. Might as well make it a chair while you're at it.

"It's because I'm not. I did came here to join the festival though. And not for the prize." He said calmly and gave Meliodas his empty glass to be refill.

"I found out someone that I was looking for was joining the festival as well. And I took the opportunity to join. I owe that person. Needed to say my thanks to her." He finishes just as Meliodas handed him the glass.

"Her?" Ban and Meliodas both asked. "Her." He nodded.

"And you guys? Don't tell me you guys are joining this just to kill time?" The man finally lifted his head and revealed his face, he looked like in his 20's and the face speaks that he's been in the forest almost all the time. Barely out to the town because of the scars and tanned skin.

"Exactly." They replied in unison and the man dropped his head as if he had already expected the answer.

"Do you guys even know what the prize is?" He asked again and knew the answer immediately from their expressions.

"The winner will receive 500 gold coins-"

Ban choked on nothing while Meliodas's jaw dropped and slams his hand on the counter with disbelieving eyes. Their actions make some of the Sins looked towards them.

"500 gold coins?!" Ban said loudly not believing how much the amount was and his eyes looked like they were going to pop out.

The man nodded as he smiles, 500 gold coins is a lot of amount of money to them. But before he could continue, Meliodas clapped his hand and looked at Ban seriously.

"We need to win that money! We could use it for a year and there would still be remaining."

Somehow, the bar fell into silent as if everyone heard their conversation. The customers threw them glances and Meliodas raised his hands up, "Alright! Who wants to refill their empty glasses?"

They cheered and raised their glasses as the other Sins started to work again.

Meliodas clapped his hand as if dusting off dirt, "There we go, back to normal."

The man fake cough, "I haven't finish what I was saying."

"There's more?" Both of them asked.

He nodded, "The winner will also receive a divine sword. One that could not be destroyed in any way."

This caught Meliodas attention since he uses swords. Ban on the other hand grew bored of the conversation and settled down drinking after no more orders are taken.

"A divine sword?" Meliodas asked, obviously into the topic.

"Yes. They called it the Sword of Bond. Pretty cliche name for a divine sword, don't you think?" He chuckled to himself.

"Where did they found the sword?"

The man raise his chins up and closes his eyes, thinking before something snapped in him. "Someone sold the sword at a pretty low price in the black market two weeks ago, if I'm not mistaken."

Hearing it, Meliodas put on a poker face, "That sword is worth a couple of silver coins?"

"Hah!" The man barked, "Don't think it that way. I'm sure that the sword is somehow useful in any way. Being called the Sword of Bond sounds powerful. Don't underestimate the power of bond." And with that, the man stood up from the stool and bid his goodbye.

"Nice talking to the two of you." He left silver coins on the counter to pay the bills and proceeded to exit the crowded bar.

Meliodas called him when he reached for the door knob. "What's your name?"

He opened the door and walked outside, "My name is Fate. And I'm sure we'll meet again one day." Just as he finished talking the door was shut closed.

Even though the room was crowded and it was noisy and lively, Ban and Meliodas heard him clearly. So as the other Sins. He gave his name to all of the Sins using telepathy. Including Merlin who was in her room doing experiments.

Fate left the Boar's Hat with a smile on his face. As if he was excited, he looked upwards to the star and sighed,

"We will surely meet again one day, Meliodas."