I Will Eventually Embark On The Path Of No Return Called A Hero

[Arc5] - 38. None of Them are Obedient Children

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"The Captain and Vice-Captain, those two guys... however much blood I spill, they'll have to drink that much wine to make up for it."

Honestly, confessing to King? Impossible. Failing to protect Elaine was no different from killing her himself. Ban didn't want to resort to something as cheap as saying, "It's all because you left the Fairy King's Forest" while King was angry.

"I'm not some top student like the Vice-Captain. I can only rely on my undying body to bear it. That's the only punishment that an immortal like me can get."

After entering the tree root, which looked small from the outside but felt like a different dimension inside, Ban didn't find the rotund man he was expecting but instead saw a young boy with brown hair. Maybe it was just his imagination, but Ban felt the boy resembled Elaine a bit.

King was visibly nervous. Since he felt his usual appearance wasn't dignified or formal enough, he had chosen a form he considered more suitable. However, the trial given by the Druid, which demanded intricate magical control, distracted him so much he couldn't maintain his transformation and reverted to his original look.

And of all people, he got caught by Ban, the guy who loved to tease him the most! What would happen to him now?

King instinctively hugged himself, shivering, but then he heard Ban's disgruntled complaint.

"Seriously, got lost and ended up in someone else's trial? So there are others here too? Weren't the Druids supposed to prevent people from entering easily?"

King let out a sigh of relief. He almost forgot Ban was a bit of a fool. This guy couldn't even remember his comrades' magical powers and weapons, so how could he recognize him?

Taking this opportunity, he decided to ask something that had been bothering him for a long time.

In the Seven Deadly Sins, two people had immortality. The Vice-Captain, Cyd, claimed his immortality came from a divine blessing. Although Cyd never clarified what gods granted it, considering he possessed twelve other types of magic, there was little reason to doubt him.

Then, where did Ban's immortality come from?

"Um..."

Before King could finish, the surroundings shifted. Ban, having seen Meliodas' trial before, recognized it as a Druid spell that conjured a vision drawn from their deepest fears.

What appeared before Ban and King was a burning forest, dead fairies, and a young, expressionless white-haired man cradling the deceased saint.

The youth standing amidst the flames gazed indifferently at everything around him, as if the forest's destruction meant nothing to him.

"This is... the Fairy King's Forest. How could this be?" King's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at the forest being destroyed, his voice trembling as he took slow steps toward the girl in the young man's arms.

"Elaine?"

The Fairy King, King, had abandoned the forest and his duties for "a certain reason" and left the Fairy King's Forest. This was his "sloth," and he paid the price for it.

"Ah… ah… what is this? Let go of Elaine!"

King knew it was an illusion, but he couldn't control himself and rushed toward the man holding his sister. When he saw the man's face up close, a chill ran through him.

He turned rigidly, recalling that the Druids' spell converted parts of their memories into illusions around them. In his memories, the Fairy King's Forest should have still been lush, and his sister should have been dutifully guarding the Fountain of Youth.

He should have realized it sooner. If Cyd's immortality was a type of magical ability, how could Ban have the same? He hadn't wanted to think about it because he truly regarded Ban and the other Seven Deadly Sins as friends.

The Sin of Greed, Ban—what exactly had he taken to commit such a grave sin?

"Was it you? Did you kill my sister to gain immortality?" King clenched his fists, glaring at Ban, who wore his usual carefree smile.

"So what? Want to kill me for revenge? Think you can? I'm Immortal Ban, after all."

Sorry, Captain and Vice-Captain. This is just the kind of disobedient guy I am.

"Think that being immortal means I can't deal with you?" King raised his hand, and the Spirit Spear chosen by the Sacred Tree morphed.

"Spirit Spear Chastiefol, Form Three: Fossilization. If you turn to stone, immortality means nothing."

King's face streamed with tears, like a helpless child, but the burst of magic from him turned him into a beast consumed by the pain of loss. This beast had bared its fangs and claws.

Ban tilted his head, seemingly too lazy even to speak, his indifferent attitude further fraying King's nerves. The transformed Spirit Spear shot toward Ban.

Ban calmly watched the Spirit Spear approaching; he showed no intention to dodge.

Ha, surely the Vice-Captain would come in, just like the Captain did that one time, right?

But even as the spear pierced Ban's chest and petrification spread from it, Cyd didn't appear. Like he'd said, this was not something others could interfere with.

Ah, Vice-Captain, you're biased.

Ban looked down at the spear piercing his chest and clicked his tongue as his body began to turn to stone around the spear. Strong magic or not, it was meaningless here. Even immortality only let him survive, nothing more.

Just as Ban thought he'd meet his end, the petrification stopped, leaving him stone-bound everywhere except his head.

"Eh~ You into this kind of thing? Didn't you hear my regrets and wails?" Ban grinned, his casual attitude darkening King's face.

"I'm not into that kind of twisted play. No matter how much you beg or repent, I won't forgive you. Though… I don't really have the right to, either." King unclenched his fists, blood dripping from his fingers.

"It was my abandonment of the kingdom that led to the forest's destruction and Elaine's death. This scene is from your memory, so tell me the truth about everything. If you destroyed the forest and took others' lives for immortality, the Captain and Vice-Captain would never accept you."

"Tch." Ban averted his gaze. King's despondent look left him uncomfortable—this wasn't what he had expected.

"You were purposely provoking me just now, weren't you? Though I suppose your attitude was the same as usual." King sat on his Spirit Spear, which had transformed into a cushion shape, gazing at Ban with a calm yet unyielding look. "Seems like the Vice-Captain knows the truth, and more than even the Captain does, which is why he gave me a chance over the years to understand what kind of person you are."

"Though I see you as someone interested only in what he wants, who doesn't care what happens to others, the Sin of Greed, I'll give you a chance to explain because of the Captain and Vice-Captain."

"You should know by now I won't just honestly answer, right?"

"Yes, that's why I'll keep beating you until you're willing to be honest." King snapped his fingers, and Ban's petrified parts began to shed like old skin.

"Come on." King gestured at Ban in a taunting manner.

"Tch, don't go crying, alright!"

"That's more like it, Ban. I'm far stronger than you."