"Seven deadly sins?"
"THAT'S IT!!!"
Kushida suddenly suggested using that name, and Renaldi's eyes lit up with excitement.
From the sound of it, I both understood and didn't... I asked Haru about the seven deadly sins, but it was Renaldi who answered instead.
"Huh? You don't know that cool name? Let me explain."
According to Renaldi's explanation, the seven deadly sins were a concept from a certain religion in their previous world. The seven deadly sins were said to be the main vices, regarded as the root of all other sins.
The seven sins were lust, gluttony, greed, wrath, sloth, envy, and pride.
Renaldi said that nowadays, the concept of the seven deadly sins was more often used as the name of a group in fictional stories.
"But, if we use that term, won't we look evil?"
Renaldi shook his head, clicking his tongue a few times before explaining.
"Tch... tch... tch... That's what you'd think if you didn't know the trend. Nowadays, the name 'seven deadly sins' doesn't always mean something evil. It can mean the opposite of those sins, or something else entirely."
"If it's about opposing them, wouldn't it be better to use something like the seven virtues?"
Renaldi came closer, placed his hand on my shoulder, and asked me.
"Do any of us look like people who embody virtues?"
After Renaldi said that, I glanced at Agatha, who was munching away at food, with several dirty plates already piled up in front of her. I quickly averted my gaze from her and looked at Haru, who was staring at me with a strange look. Feeling her gaze, I hurriedly turned my face away. Somehow, I felt like I was in danger.
I really couldn't say we gave off any sense of virtue.
"Y-you're right..."
Fujita, who had been silent all this time, asked Princess Adelia.
"Before that, Adelia-sama, have you ever heard of the seven deadly sins? Has that name ever been used, or is there anything prohibiting things like the seven sins? I just want to make sure. It would look foolish if we didn't know whether that name already exists in this world. In some cases, it might cause us trouble."
Fujita was right. If that name had already been used, it could cause misunderstandings. It might even be something forbidden in this world.
Bombarded with a sudden series of questions, Adelia pondered for a moment, as if trying to recall.
"Hmmm... I've never heard of the seven deadly sins. It was never mentioned in my studies either. I think the concept of the seven deadly sins doesn't exist in our world."
Fujita nodded at Princess Adelia's answer. He looked at us and then said,
"Even if that name doesn't exist in this world, we're not the only ones from another world. Others might use it. Well, I hope they don't. If they do..."
Fujita didn't finish his sentence, but simply gave us a challenging look. Seeing him like that, we understood. Except for Princess Adelia, who was still confused, somehow we shared a mutual understanding. We smiled and continued Fujita's unfinished words.
""We'll just have to prove it. That we're the best!!!""
"Pftt... Hahaha."
After saying that, we looked at each other and laughed, while Princess Adelia grew even more confused.
"Eh? What? What is it?"
After laughing for a while, Renaldi continued our discussion.
"Does anyone still object to Kushida-san's suggestion?"
"..."
"Alright, since no one does, then we agree to use that name. Next, we have to decide on each sin we'll take."
Renaldi looked around at all of us and asked.
"What matters most is the resemblance between yourselves and the sin. If it doesn't fit, we can discuss it. Does anyone want to volunteer first?"
"Me, me first!"
Kushida raised her hand and quickly volunteered herself.
"I want to take Greed! I think that one suits me the best."
Greed, huh... No matter how I looked at it, it didn't seem to suit her. Renaldi questioned what I was also doubting.
"Suit you? Sorry, Kushida-san, but from any angle, we don't see greed fitting you."
At that moment, Kushida pulled out a sack of coins from her storage ring.
Wait, isn't that the money given by the King? Whenever we went out to the city, we were given several gold, silver, and copper coins to use for shopping.
No matter how you looked at it, the coin sack in front of Kushida was clearly the one given by the King. Had she never used it? Then why did she still keep asking for more whenever we went to the city? Look! Even Adelia was shocked to see it!
"Um, Miss Kushida?... Th-these coins..."
"Hm? What is it, Adelia-chan?"
"N-nothing, it's nothing haha..."
Princess Adelia seemed like she wanted to ask about the coins, but seeing Kushida's gaze, she gave up while sweating nervously.
"..."
"F-fine then. Kushida-san, if you think it suits you, the title of Greed is yours!..."
"Fufufu..."
With a chuckle, Kushida, who had claimed the title of Greed, put her coin sack back into storage.
"Does anyone else want to volunteer?"
"..."
"Seems not. Then, first of all, the sin of Gluttony will go to Agatha."
"Okay, that one's mine."
With her love of food, no one thought of anyone else but Agatha to take Gluttony, and she herself realized that.
"Next, the sin of Lust..."
As soon as Renaldi mentioned Lust, we all turned to Haru. Realizing that she was being stared at, Haru asked innocently, as if she knew nothing.
"Eh? Why are you all looking at me?"
"Okay, Shirakawa will take Lust."
"Why?!"
Ignoring Haru's protest, Renaldi went on to assign the remaining sins, and after some discussion, we finally settled it.
Kushida Mio as "Greed," Shirakawa Haru as "Lust," Agatha as "Gluttony," Fujita Kaito as "Wrath," Renaldi as "Envy," Adelia Bel Forgh as "Sloth," and finally, I received "Pride." Well... I think that one really does fit me.
After that, Renaldi led the conversation in high spirits.
"Alright, now that we've decided, let's raise a toast to the founding of our group, the Seven Deadly Sins. Let's make sure our name spreads across the world. CHEERS!"
"CHEERS!"
We toasted with the tea in our hands.
**********
Somewhere on the border of the Empire.
A man emerged from the bushes. His appearance was utterly disheveled. His black hair was dirty, his body covered in small wounds, and his clothes filthy and tattered. He was the very picture of a vagabond.
With his narrow eyes, the man began to curse.
"Damn it, I finally escaped... Brothers, just you wait! I, Li Chen, will avenge you all. I will annihilate them. I will dig up the graves of their ancestors and bury them again along with their descendants..."
Remembering his experiences with the brothers he had just come to know filled him with rage.
"But before that, I need power. I heard in that direction lies the Dwarven Kingdom."
Barefoot, the man walked toward the land of the dwarves, carrying his resolve for revenge.