The sun started to set as the Markets buzzed with Maple and Rishia making their way through, the former leading the latter by the hand. Behind both of them was a small monstrosity about the size of a cat keeping up with its Master's pace.

"Yata, we got ourselves some health potions and some rope." Maple said as she went down her mental list, "Now we need… Books! Books for Rishia!"

"Y-yes! I-I am going to be a Sorcerer a-after all!" The girl replied after a moment as Maple announced their objective

However that objective changed when Maple turned the corner and spotted a pair of armored men talking to a merchant. They seemed to be gesturing to something in their hand, talking to the fellow.

It was then that Maple recognized the faces of the soldiers, and decided to confront.

"Um, uh, Captain, right?" Maple asked hesitantly as she scratched her cheek.

The talker of the gentleman turned around away from the merchant. Maple could not identify that they seemed to have her picture in her hand?

"Captain Alexandros, citizen. Though my title is now Advisor per the King's decision." He answered with a sense of command in his voice. It was then Alexandros recognized who he was talking to, "Oh, Shield hero! You are surprisingly hard to find these days."

"Oh, sorry for that." Maple exclaimed with a small flush, "You're looking for me?"

"The King wishes to see you about the coming Wave." The Knight Captain Advisor said as his fellow flanked him, "Come."

Maple looked over towards Rishia, who was still trying to wrap her mind around the confusion of titles. It meant little to Maple, though, on who exactly this man is since the end point was still the same.

"Right now?" Maple asked the fellow.

"Yes, come. We should not keep him waiting." The Advisor Captain exclaimed as they started making their way back to the castle.

The route the soldier took back to the castle was one Maple did not recognize before. This was the same case as the people themselves that lived there. Many of whom they passed looked at them with suspicion and whispers, some of which Maple could make out with her well tuned hearing:

"That the Shield hero?"

"Did she do something illegal? Damned Devil."

"I wonder why the King needs her?"

"Maybe he has another trial for her."

Few were heartwarming, and Maple of course knew this would be the case. That did not mean they were all said in anger, only the degrading and reasonable ones stuck out the easiest.

The guards did not bother saying anything, nor were they going to stop and allow the people to gawk. No, they were on a mission, and the Advisor Captain Knight was going to get his ward to the king. No matter what it would take.

Eventually, the group were able to breach the gates, arriving at the very castle that Castle Town was named after. After a steep climb Maple, Rishia, and Syrup were in front of the great wooden doors. Some knights lining the entrance open the castle to the waiting crowd.

Before them was once more the great hall. Unlike the previous times Maple has been here, nobody was inside the room. That is, with the exception of the King sitting upon his throne with a sword in his lap.

"My liege, I hereby present to you the Shield Hero!" Announced the Advisor Captain Announcer Knight as he quickly ran up the staircase and next to the King himself.

"Uh, hello." Maple said with a soft wave, walking her way towards the front of the staircase, "It's good to see you again, King."

"I don't really know if I can say the same to you or not." The Liege and Judge of Maple answered while he stroked his beard, "I have determined what your next Trial shall be."

There was a pause there, and honestly Maple did not really know why he paused. Maybe it was because he wanted to make it more dramatic. Or, he was probably really bored being here alone for a little while and wanted to make thing more entertaining. Not knowing how to break the silence, Maple decided the best thing to do now would be to copy Risha and kneel in front of him, "Uh, um, what is my next trial, uh, King... Aultcray!"

There was a small slip of annoyance about his face, however it settled down after a beat of the heart, "My men grow anxious and desire to serve my realm, to the point that even the Royal Guards wish to participate. Thus your next trial shall be leading my men into battle against the Wave, fending it back with my men's steel behind you."

"Sure!" Maple answered almost jumping with relief, "When do we want to get started?"

"As soon as possible, I ask you to send me another… invite, so that I can start arranging the forces." Aultcray said as he turned to the Advisor Soldier to his right, "Alexandros, I will teach you how to make people join this system and give you the task of finding who is willing to join. This is voluntary, as I will not force my men to fight alongside the Shield Hero."

"I understand, sir." The Knight answered back with what Maple observed was a wide smile.

"Uh, sorry King Aultcray." Maple spoke as she sheepishly looked up at the fellow, "But does that mean you will be fighting along too?"

What little chatter that was occuring in the halls stopped as Maple spoke those words. Expectantly the Knights looked towards their Liege, as if they were wanting to ask the same exact thing themselves. However the expression on the King was something more odd.

It was a relentless amount of changes. The man looked towards his advisor for assistance, then forward into the blankness of space. The man was weighing his options, as if they were going to determine everything from here on out. He then looked at the sword on his lap, and was about to say something but seemed to stop. Maple noticed his site was towards one of his hands.

And upon that hand sat a small golden ring.

"To answer your question, no. You see, Shield Hero, I have made an agreement with my wife that I am to give no preferential treatment to any of the heroes. I know for certain that if I was to be by your side, I would break that promise to her." The King answered while turning towards his Advisor, "Alexandros, I know you are my personal guard but I also know you have both experience with the waves and a good head on your shoulders. Thus I give you the title of Commander of this coming battle."

"My Liege!" The man turned in almost an awe-dazed state, "You are simply asking too much of me, is that not because I stand next to you?"

"That is the reason why, Commander." The King pointed out with a deadpan stare, "After the waves are done we will discuss your position in my court as well as communicating with the other generals about restructuring."

"I understand, sir!" The man said while giving a mock salute.

"Then we will-?" The King was about to say something, but Maple watched as someone walking at a fairly reasonable speed came up from a door in the back of the room.

He was a meek looking fellow, though he was also wearing the robes of a priest. Maple felt her blood run cold as she looked upon the man, his disdain clear within his eyes as he looked upon Maple.

"My Liege, apologies for not being here." The fellow said as he came up the platform. He looked to be trying to weasel his way next to the throne, however, the Advisor Commander who was already there was blocking his way. From her position at the bottom of the platform, Maple could not see what look exactly was the Priest throwing towards the soldier.

"You're in the way, Captain." The Priest said. He made a waving hand gesture as if to part a crowd.

"I am not, as I am the King's advisor." The Advisor Commander Captain Knight Alexandros said with almost a sneer.

Before anything else could be said, Maple watched the King raise his hand, "Lawrence, I have not seen you for the full morning and almost the entire Afternoon. Where were you?"

The fellow quickly moved around the Knight, making his way before the King with a wicked grin, "I was meeting with Pope Bicas, as I have told you."

"You did not tell me anything about this meeting, Lawrence." The King almost seethed as he pointed to the fellow, "This is also not the first time you have used such an excuse."

"But they are true, the Pope can attest to that!"

Maple heard the crash reverberate around the room as the King slammed his hand against the chair, "I CAN CARE LESS THAT YOU HAVE PROOF, YOU IDIOT!"

The other guard, who had helped bring Maple here moved quickly, placing his hands upon her shoulders and tugging her towards the main door. It did not take a genius to know Maple was intruding, and honestly she did not want to be here any longer than she was.

"IT'S BECAUSE I FIRED YOU, YOU IDIOT!" Were the last words Maple heard before the throne room's doors closed.

"My apologies for what you had to hear." The Knight said as he took a position in front of the door, "It seems the King is looking to restructure some things and he will need some time to sort it out."

"Y-yeah." Maple answered back with a small chuckle, "I guess we should get going."

"Yes, you should." The Knight gave Maple a salute, "I hope to see you on the Battlefield, Hero."

"Yes! I hope to see you there too!" Maple called out. Her hand automatically clasped together while her cheeks started to grow a slight red in joy.

Maybe it was because of the time she spent with them, but a few of the soldiers seemed to have started warming up to Maple. Though in the end the reason did not matter why they were friendly with her. She was happy to still be making a few extra friends!

"So, we should head back to the Blacksmiths, right?" Rishia asked as she was still cowering from the sudden yelling fest in the throne room.

"Yup, though we need to get the books, right?"

"My magic books!" Rishia called out as they started to walk down the path to the town proper.

Their plans were stopped again as they were climbing down the hill the Castle stood upon. Maple saw someone who almost caused her heart to drop. Fiery red hair and emerald eyes, smiling in a manner that Maple remembers from the second day she was here.

"Maple, is that you?" the Hero next to the girl exclaimed with a smile, "I take it you're here to see the King?"

"Y-yes." Maple answered while trying her best to keep a steady smile, "He's given me my next trial."

"Fufu, such is the task you must do for all the sins that you have commited." Malty, the bright red haired girl said with a devilish smile.

"Isn't that a little harsh?" The Spear asked as he turned towards his Champion with a raised brow.

"It's not, because she molested me, you idiot!" The Princess told him, looking like she was about to slap him upside the head.

"Oh yeah, I forgot." He said as his eyes glazed over in a slightly dimmed light as he was looking towards Maple, "She is a bad girl."

Maple could not help but feel a shiver go up her back at those words. That grin of his only grew as they glanced towards Rishia. He suddenly walked between the two girls and up to Risha.

"Hello there Miss." He said while taking her free hand and giving it a kiss, "May I ask what your name is?"

"R-Rishia Ivyred." The girl answered him with a little shakiness in her voice, "I-I take it you are one of the Ca..cardinal Heroes?"

"Indeed I am!" The odd young adult quickly made a little distance as he placed a foot on a step and gave a valiant display, "I am the Spear Hero, Motoyasu! It is a pleasure to meet you, Rishia."

"Eh… eh Fuee!" Maple watched as Rishia quickly went red to the face and started to stumble back for a few steps. Luckily Maple was there to catch her before she fell over from the sheer confusion of the situation.

The Spear Hero simply gave a charming smile as he saw this all unfold before him, "Well then we should get going, eh Malty?" The fellow laughed as he started to move along, "And Maple, when you finish your Trials maybe we can get together sometime and talk strategy. Maybe bring your friend too."

Maple did not respond to the man, simply watching as Malty gave him a stink eye and the two started walking away. The two were then the target of the glare from Malty. This one though, made the one she was giving the Spear Hero a playful stare. Maple could feel her Alert skill almost going off from just that look alone.

"Wh-who was that?" Rishia said as she was hugging Maple's shoulder.

"I… don't know."

The two decided to return to the Smith's shop with a slight chill following them. Maple did send her invite to the King, and within a day she did not know what to think of it.

A thousand soldiers were now in her party, all wanting to help Maple fight the Waves.

OMAKE

What is Syrup to do?

They have been in this place full of people for a long time and the itch was getting to them. Their master went out to the town with the other one. They were stuck with the gruff man and he was busy in the back.

The itchy was getting worse. Syrup wanted to run to the forest to get some relief but their master said to wait here.

The pain was starting to get unbearable and it was not getting relieved anytime

Suddenly, the pain was relieved. A sign from something.

One of the Syrup heads looked towards the relief spot and froze in its tracks. One of the rabbits from the forest was in the shop. Though the horn of the rabbit was placed upon the shell where the pain was before and began scratching again. The relief was unworlds to Syrup.