Chapter 9: Caring for a Faithful Snake

Ten years later...

(Meliodas POV)

Today was the day that Melascula was supposed to hatch, and to be honest I was nervous as I don't have any experience taking care of anyone. All I did in my life so far was either train or kill, maybe this will be the key to not drown out my emotions. I get out of my bed which I added some more material made out of the skin of the Alpha I killed ten years prior as I stretch out my body before putting on my outfit. Heading out of my room as I head towards the kitchen as I cook. I don't know how my counterpart managed to make the food texture look great but the overall taste was terrible enough to make the next holder of Sunshine vomit light itself. I will admit, I was exactly like this at first, but with intense practice, all I can cook now are essentially at the basic level in terms of taste alone. At least it was progress, even if it is a slow one at that.

Finishing my breakfast, I head towards the room where I keep Melascula as she is due to hatch any minute now. Over the years since I promised her mother, I've also collected vast amounts of miasma for Melascula knowing that she slowly absorbed it as I then prepared bottles filled with the substance knowing that she'll need it. Oh wow, I already sound like a parent setting up for their first ever child. Ignoring my previous thoughts, I then approach her room as I open the door to check on her condition.

Her egg seems to twitch signifying that she's about to hatch as I watch this unfold with curiosity since I am basically witnessing the birth of one of the best waifus in history or at least from my previous life as I won't force her to love me in a romantic type of way unless she wants to. For now, I will raise her as if she was my own child and despite being 67 years old, I'm still not fully grown. From what I remember before arriving in this forest sixty years ago is that Demons generally become full grown adults by the time they reach the age of 100, and they stay that way for the next nine centuries.

(3rd Person POV)

Meliodas watches closely as the egg begins to crack little by little as it twitches violently as it quickly absorbs the miasma around it before suddenly....

*KRAKK!!!* The egg then cracks open immediately as a small half meter tall poisonous snake-like hatchling pops out of the eggshell as Meliodas watches this with rapid blinking eyes as he expected something else to happen.

The snake has red eyes and a line of purple dots along her body as she opens her eyes for the very first time as she takes in her new surroundings as she then sees Meliodas who in turn awkwardly waves at her as she looks at him with a blank expression.

She slowly slithers her way towards him while Meliodas watches wondering what she is about to do. Coming up to him, she slithers her way up on his body causing Meliodas to freeze up slightly as she begins to wrap herself around his neck. Now completely covering his neck, she uses her snake tongue to lick his face claiming him as part of her territory.

'Huh? Seems she's already attached to me, both figuratively and literally.' Thought Meliodas while trying to not disturb the sleeping Melascula whose wrapped around his neck like a scarf.

Meliodas who is not all bothered by this decides to head out of the room before grabbing Godsbane off a nearby rack and then heads out of his house hoping to find something to catch his interest.

The forest has been slightly peaceful ever since he killed the Alpha overlooking this entire piece of land as it has been boring but at least he can get some quiet around here now.

'Hmm.... Maybe I should see how everyone is doing back at Father's Kingdom.' Thought Meliodas as he ponders about what to do next while Melascula soothes her face against his cheek seemingly trying to comfort him.

"Every creature around here now seems to fear my presence. Is it because I'm considered the Alpha around here now? Was it really a big deal that I killed that arrogant beast ten years ago? If so, that actually explains the current dilemma I'm in. Cause every creature I came across would off themselves without hesitation and it surprised me the first time but I ignored it for a while due to gathering up their materials for future uses. Now I just feel bad to see such creatures who even didn't bother to process their inevitable death as they went out fighting despite all odds." Mutters Meliodas as Melascula seems to give him a weird look but disregards it she then yawns before going to sleep while around his neck.

Meliodas smiles at this for what seems to be the first time he's ever done so in a long time; while carefully putting Godsbane in it's scabbard as to not cut her by accident as he summons his wings and flies off into the air.

A few hours later....

While killing some animals along the way and putting their souls into Godsbane, Meliodas wonders if he should train himself in the art of dual-wielding in case if he were to either obtain or create Lostvayne. As he thinks on this, he feels his neck get tighter showing that Melascula is beginning to wake up as he uses one of his most useful abilities to summon a bottle filled with miasma as he then feeds it to her as she drinks it with what seems to be a simile on her face while closing her eyes showing that she's enjoying the taste of the miasma.

While flying through the skies, Meliodas for the first time since he came here in this forest around six decades ago begins to take in the view of the entire environment. Ranging from waterfalls, rivers, mountains, caves, and even some of the wildlife are seen interacting with one another as he then deactivates his demon mark while inhaling the air as he takes this all in.

While enjoying the sights, Melascula who finished drinking her miasma begins to ruffle her head against Meliodas as he looks down on her with soft simile as he quickly grabs the bottle before it could fall into the abyss.

"Sate Sate Sate Sate, you sure finished your drink quickly Melascula. In fact, it was a big bottle you just drank from and you finished it fast." Meliodas then begins to pat her head while giving her a closed eye simile as Melascula begins to rub her head into his hand finding the headpat very comfortable.

'I've decided, I am going to protect her with all my heart and I am going to raise her right to ensure that she doesn't become sadistic as she was in the manga. Maybe not completely though but enough not to fully change her completely once she gains her human form.' Thought Meliodas as he quickly activates his demon mark while turning around and propelling himself in the direction of his house.

A few hours later....

Arriving at his house, Meliodas enters into his home while Melascula who is seemingly stubborn refuses to leave his neck as he then sighs knowing that she is comfortable although a bit questionable but he doesn't go that far into detail assuming that she sees him as her father not noticing that she basically marked him as her future mate when she licked him meaning that despite being in a egg for a decade doesn't mean that she can't hear anything showing that she is much more smarter than she looks.