Author Note: Thank you for all the reviews and thanks to HaveaLittleFeith for editing! Hope you all enjoy this chapter!
"I can't believe they have grown so much in just two days!" Raphtalia gasped as it seemed both Filo and Lial hadn't finished growing. "Are… you sure we'd gotten a Filolial?"
"No clue." I sighed as both Filo and Lial almost reached the roof of the stable. "I guess my growth boost must be the cause for them to grow more than a normal Filolial and dragon."
"Wait, have you… fed them yet?" Iruka-sensei asked and we realized Filo and Lial chewed on something.
"No. I haven't…" I felt the blood in my face drain as I looked at the Chimera meat… Or at least where it should have been. "All of it?" I felt ready to faint. "And here I thought their appetites had crested!"
"Well, guess that means we will be hunting extra hard to feed everyone." Matthew sighed as he petted Lial. "However, now that their level is 19, they should be able to help in a fight."
"Hey, look at that."
"Why are the knights here?"
"Huh?" We heard the villagers and we all walked out of the stable with Filo and Lial. We found the villagers all gathered and… Malty and Motoyasu right in the middle of the group.
"In light of his exploits during the last Wave, the Spear Hero, Sir Motoyasu, has been appointed as ruling lord of this region." Malty declared as Motoyasu smiled on top of the dragon he sat on. "In order to help with the rebuilding efforts, we decided to levy a toll. This toll will be 50 silvers to enter the village and 50 silvers to exit."
"A whole gold coin?!"
"That would ruin us!"
"We won't have anything left to buy food with."
"Do you dare defy your lord's orders?" Malty growled out at the complaints.
"Yep. You bet!" I shouted and everyone looked at me. I had both of my hands on my waist and a scowl on my face.
"The Shield Hero?" Malty snorted at the sight of me. "What are you still doing here? This is Sir Motoyasu's domain now. You have no right to question him." Malty then closed her eyes and waved her hand. "In fact, leave this instant you miserable criminal!"
"Criminal?"
"The Shield Hero a criminal?
So they decided to label me a criminal after the duel. Just how much does the royalty of this country hate demi-humans like myself?
I gritted my teeth before I held my nose up high. "Oh, don't worry. I'm glad to leave." All to get further away from Kaus' killer. "But you know, I don't think the villagers will be too happy about it." I glared at Motoyasu. "Motoyasu! You have any idea how much it cost to spend a night at the inn here?"
"Huh?" Motoyasu looked confused at my question. "Actually, I…"
I held up one finger. "It's a silver a night, food included. You are charging the amount of a 100 nights to a community that can survive on 20 coppers a day to just enter and exit the village. Are you wanting to curse this town? Do you realize that?" I grinned at the constipated expression on Motoyasu's face.
"Myne, don't you think we could-"
"Yeah! He's right!"
"You just can't show up and call yourself our lord."
"And it was the Shield Hero who defended this village when the Waves of Catastrophe hit." The villagers all voiced their opinions.
"Are you really going to complain about a royal decree." Malty motioned and the knights with Motoyasu and her pointed their spears at the villagers.
"I suggest you all knock it off!" I growled as I changed my shield and got my hands together… That is, till Shadows blurred to the feet of the princess.
Malty looked down with surprise over her face and even gasped at the Shadows kneeling before her.
"I trust you know who we represent, Princess Malty." Oh! The masked lady was with this group. I recognized her voice and the feeling of her chakra and mana.
"But why have you come here?" Malty asked and the masked lady held up a fancy scroll to the princess.
"For you," The masked lady held up the scroll and Malty took it.
"Who are they, Master Naruto?" Raphtalia asked with uneasiness.
"Shadows. Clearly from my mysterious benefactor." However, just who was my benefactor? Malty opened the scroll in a fury before the blood drained from her face. She glared at the scroll as her shoulders tensed up.
"How can this be?" Malty seethed before she turned her blind fury onto me. "Shield Hero," Malty barked out as she pointed at me. "Fight us for the right to rule this village!"
"Huh?" I gasped and everyone turned to me. "Wait, why do I have to fight?" Fear rose up in my gut.
"But sir, if you refuse this challenge, the village will fall into the Spear Hero's hands." The governor said. Damn! Don't make me feel guilty! I don't want to lose anyone else to Motoyasu! "Though it deeply pains me to admit it, not even I as the lord can accept any further taxation."
"But why do I have to fight?" I glanced at Motoyasu. "I refuse to have another fight with any of the Heroes."
"Then the duel will be a race between the Spear Hero's dragon and-" Malty gasped as she looked at Filo and Lial. "A-A Knight's Dragon?! How the hell do you have a Knight's Dragon?" Malty fumed as Lial hid behind me with being pointed at.
"I won a lottery." I petted Lial as Filo glared at Malty and the dragons. "If it's a race…" I looked at Filo. She seemed flared up and wanting to get at the dragons. I thought I had nipped that problem in the bud...
"Please! Shield Hero, we'll give you a reward if you win!" Damn, even after all the rebuilding they have ahead of them, they are still offering a reward? If they are this desperate… Then Malty and Motoyasu would be...
"Okay… Seems I have no choice, but to accept." With the fury in Malty's eyes… I can't leave her here to do what she wants. Not after her father's and her actions led to Kaus' death in the first place.
"That message sure bent her out of shape," Matthew said.
"Why is she taking it out on you?" Iruka-sensei asked as I turned to Filo and Lial.
"No clue," But it does make me worry about not knowing the why. "Filo. Lial. Which one of you want to race?"
"Gah!" Both chirped out and then looked at each other. They both stared and chirped at each other as if they were bickering.
"Hah!" My eyebrow twitched as Motoyasu got off his dragon and walked over to us. "A pink dragon? And a bird? That is so lame." Both Filo and Lial's eyes twitched. "How can you possibly keep up with my dragon with those girly creatures." Motoyasu smiled and instantly regretted it. Filo reeled back and kicked him right in the crotch. He was sent flying into a pile of hay.
"Sir Motoyasu!" Malty screamed, "Healing magic! Hurry!"
"Right away!"
"That's… gonna… leave a… bruise."
"You cheater!" Malty pointed at me.
"It's his fault forgetting for getting too close," I snickered and found Filo snickering with me. "Guess you deserve the race, Filo."
"Gagh!" Lial looked at me teary eyed.
"I don't think they will allow me to use clones to ride you both." I petted Lial.
"Clones?" Malty asked before she smirks. "Of course and we ban you from using the Knight's Dragon as it can fly!"
"Hold it right there, Malty." The masked lady got between us. "We will allow the Shield Hero to ride both beasts. The Tyrera the Spear Hero specializes being on land."
"But that's just pushing the favor to the Shield Hero!" Malty hissed out.
"You may enter the race as well if you want to even it up." The masked lady said.
"If I join, the Shield Hero can't use a clone!" Malty grinned and pointed at Matthew. "He has to use that slave!"
"Malty, you have to give-"
"Let's start the duel!"
"Sorry, Matthew," I sighed as I got both Filo and Lial ready to ride. "I didn't mean to drag you into this."
"It is not a problem, Master." Matthew petted Lial." I guess I'm riding the dragon?"
"Yeah. You'll have an easier grip with Lial than Filo." I shuddered at a memory of the day before when I almost fell off Filo. "Lial, take good care of Matthew."
"Gah!" Lial chirped as we got into a line with the Spear Hero and Malty.
"The race will be three laps around the outskirts of the village." The governor got before us. "Whoever reaches this gate first will be declared the winner."
"I'm sure Sir Motoyasu and I will win." Malty chimed as she gripped her reigns.
"Master Naruto, good luck!" Raphtalia cheered from the sidelines. "Matthew and you can do it!"
"On your marks," The governor held up both of his hands. "Go!" He shouted as he brought both hands down and our monsters bolted into a dash.
To my surprise, Filo took the lead with ease, Lial wasn't far behind I turned back to see Motoyasu and Malty trailing behind.
"Go Filo! Let's win this!"
"Gah!" I grinned before felt something. I looked to the ground and catch sight of a hole appearing in the ground. "Filo, look out!" I pulled Filo reigns and it dodged the hole at the cost of speed.
"Gagh!"
"Matthew!" Lial and Matthew fell to the ground after hitting the hole.
"Now is my chance!" Motoyasu shouted as Myne and he passed us up as I went back and helped Matthew up.
"What chance? They are cheating!"
"Master, forget about me," Matthew groaned.
"As if!" I helped him back up onto Lial. Filo and Lial launched right back into the race. Motoyasu took the first lap, but not without Filo nipping at his dragon's tail.
"Oh, no you don't." Myne chanted and turned to me. "Faust Wind Blow!" She fired an orb of wind at me. If I dodged… It would hit Matthew.
"Filo!" I raised my Light Metal Shield and took the attack. Filo cried out and pushed through it without losing speed.
"What the?" Malty gasped in shock and then turned to the front with a bitter look.
Oh no… Another feeling. Where was it- "As if!" I rode to the far lane and saw a glow of light where Filo and I were before.
"He dodged the curse?!" Malty screamed came from behind me as Filo and I burst into the lead to take the second lap.
"Filo! Lial! You got this!" Raphtalia shouted… Wait? Where's Iruka-sensei? "You only got one last lap to go!"
"That foul beast!" Malty roared out her chant. "I, the next queen, am the source of all power. May the entire universe hear my words and heed them! Burn my enemy, Faust Fireball!"
Dammit! She aimed the fireball right at Matthew! My hands flashed through hand seals.
"Substitution Jutsu!" I switched places with Matthew but had no time to raise my shield. I got a face full of fire and screamed out in pain.
"Got him!" Malty cheered before the smoke cleared and I glared at her… My sight was blurry and it hurt so much, but I could sense where she was at and heard her horror-filled gasped with seeing the fury on my burned face as steam came off the skin.
"Thanks, Old Self," I whispered with the pain easing and Lial realized I was on it. "Lial, let's go!"
"Gaagh!" Lial chirped and sped up. I felt magic again, but it was aimed at Motoyasu? I vaguely saw his dragon and he glowed, making them move faster.
"Dammit! Support magic!" Matthew growled as he was being pushed to the outside by Motoyasu. I felt magic again and saw another hole pop up next to the one before due to the magic left there… And Matthew was heading straight for the holes.
"No, you don't!" I held out my hand. "Air Strike Shield!" I summoned a shield over one of the holes and Filo ran right across it and used the hill in the curve to turn without losing speed. It was neck to neck between Matthew and Motoyasu from what I could sense.
"Alright! Jump, Lial!" I shouted and Lial leaped into the air and soared over the holes before continuing its gallop. Filo and Matthew finally broke to the lead and took the finish line by a body length.
Motoyasu came in second with me third. Malty came up last and fuming.
"I… won?" Matthew asked as I rode up to him.
"Yeah."
"Master! Your face!"
"Whoa! Road burn!" Motoyasu flinched as I took out some healing medicine and smothered my face once I got off of Lial. Damn, that fire spell actually took a dent into my health points even with the Magic Defense Up(small). "Wait, you're healing fast?!"
"Shut it, Motoyasu." I snarled through the pain. Though, I probably freaked him out with sending a scowl in his direction.
"Brilliantly done," The governor said in a cheerful tone. "Because of your companion and you, we can rest easy and focus on rebuilding the village." Hm? I heard gasps from the governor and villagers.
"You want to thank someone, thank Filo and Matthew." I patted on Filo with my eyes still closed as the medicine did its job. Wait… I patted the bird and realized there was a wall of fluffy feathers instead of a neck or head.
"Huh?" I opened my eyes and blinked a few times to clear the blurriness that was Filo. I looked up to find the bird was now huge. Its neck had shrunken into its body, making it look like an owl.
"Master!" I turned to Matthew and found Lial had undergone a similar transformation. Its upper arms were smaller than its back legs. The dragon was more… pudgy than what the other dragons looked like.
"What in the," I looked back and forth between Filo and Lial. "Just what did Beloukas give me?!"
"You cheated!" My shock was broken by Malty. "You didn't tell your Filolial and Knight's Dragon was really something else entirely!" Malty put her hands on her hips and glared at me.
"But they only transformed after the race was over." The governor explained as he went towards Malty.
"If anyone cheated, it was you guys." I crossed my arms at an attempt to control myself. "What about the holes in the road?"
"Holes? Don't be ridiculous." Malty put her hand on her chin with a laugh. "If anything, you used magic in this duel, so you cheated."
"The Shield Hero is correct." The masked lady and her group appeared before Malty. "We have detected traces of magic on the course. Including your own attacks."
"It was," Malty pointed at me. "It was him! It was obvious that criminal and his demi-human used illegal magic."
"Untrue." The masked lady said before Iruka-sensei appeared before both Malty and her. He dropped two knights that were tied up to the ground.
"These two cast… magic." Iruka-sensei said as the masked lady nodded to him.
"Good work, my comrade." The masked lady turned to Malty. "The Shield Hero's affinities are support and healing. His slaves have completely different types to the magic we found." The masked lady stood up. "Thus it is clear the Spear Hero's party had cheated."
"Tch!" Malty clicked her tongue and gritted her teeth. "Well, we will leave it this time, but we will win next time." Malty huffed as she turned away.
Isn't she… acting like a typical villain from some kid's manga? I fought hard not to laugh at the funny attempt at proving her authority.
"Remember, I let your comrade win." I turned to Motoyasu, "If not for him, I would have won. It won't happen the next time." He then turned furious, "And next time you won't have that fat tub of-"
"Hey now, how's the crotch?" I glanced down with an evil grin.
"Eeer." Motoyasu growled but took a step back from me. "Well, you-I will get you yet!" Motoyasu turned and left with a limp.
"Did you really have to remind him of such pain?" Raphtalia crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.
"Do remember… Kaus is…" I bit my lip as fury burned in my chest while looking at the receding back of Motoyasu. "If he can't be punished properly… I'll punish him my own ways." I let a grin form on my face.
I still needed the Spear Hero to save the world. That didn't mean I couldn't make his life a living hell after what his actions did to Kaus.
"Even if it is giving the guy a low blow?" Raphtalia groaned as she smacked her forehead.
"Something is better than nothing," I said as I closed my eyes. Not that there wasn't a way to bring Kaus back… Not permanently as I remember a jutsu from the scroll hidden on my back. I wonder if I can make it work without a sacrifice… Even if it didn't last long, I could share one last meal with Kaus as I promised him a special meal.
"Sir Hero," We turned to the governor. "Again, the whole village thanks you very much. We don't know how to express our gratitude for everything you have done for us."
"It's no problem," I held out my hand. "And the reward?"
"Sir Hero, we're going around the village collecting money, right now. Please wait a few more days to-"
"I don't want money." The governor looked at me in shock. "You all still have to rebuild your town and will need all the funds you've got to do it." That and if that Malty had her way, she probably spread rumors that I took all the villagers' money. Best not give the Bitch Princess fodder.
"But, Sir Hero, how can we properly repay you?" The governor asked and I felt a pat onto my head.
"Gweh!" I looked up and found Filo pointing at something.
"A… carriage?" I asked and the governor gasped in shock. "Can we get two carriages as our reward?"
"Absolutely!" The governor perked up. Before we knew it, we had two covered carriages and two happy monsters pulling them.
"Gweh gweh gweh!" Filo sang as I held onto reins. The Filolial was very happy to be pulling a carriage. Iruka-sensei was in the carriage behind me with Lial pulling it and the dragon sang along with Filo.
"Sorry, Master Naruto, could we stop for a little bit. Just for a second." I glanced back and saw Raphtalia's face turning green. Matthew rubbed her back, but it wasn't working.
"Heel, Filo," I pulled back on the reins and slowed Filo down. Raphtalia leaped out of the wagon and ran to the bushes.
"Oh, boy, guess we are staying here tonight." I sighed as I heard the poor girl throw up. We built a campfire and I made a soup from herbs for Raphtalia.
"I'm sorry about this." Matthew helped Raphtalia lay down. "I didn't mean to make you all work when I rested all day."
"Hey, it's alright." I cooled the soup and fed her some of it. "We are going to be traveling by carriage. You need to find a way over your motion sickness."
"I'll try," I fed her some of the soup before sealing it away.
"Your face is a little red. You have a fever?" I put my hand on her forehead.
"N-No." She turned on the sleeping mat. "Filo and Lial look real happy pulling carts."
"They sure do." I smiled as both the bird and dragon chirped with joy.
I pulled out a thin plate of metal from my pocket and looked at it. "A traveling merchant, huh?" I remembered back to the governor's words as he handed me the pass. It was supposed to exempt the holder from tolls across the country. "To think a missing-nin would run a traveling business and fighting monsters. Still... Not too bad. We could probably earn back the money for the debt payoff easily as merchants."
"I'll do my best, too." I smiled at Raphtalia.
"Go ahead and get some sleep. I'll be the first watch."
"Okay."
"Wake us up if you need us." Iruka-sensei and Matthew laid down their sleeping mats as well.
"Huh?" I blinked as Filo nuzzled up to me on one side and Lial took the other side. They both fell asleep next to me. "Jeez, Filo, your feathers are stuffy as hell. You realize that?"
"Meanie." I heard a voice as darkness engulfed me during the night.
"Master Naruto!" I heard Raphtalia's cry. "Master Naruto!" I opened my eyes and found it was daylight. Raphtalia, Matthew, and Iruka-sensei looked at me with shock and confusion.
"Whoa, I'm sorry." I yawned and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. "I fell asleep on the job." I sat up some and placed my hand on… Something soft like hair? I moved my other hand, yet felt the soft hair there as well.
"What the?" I looked down and found two blonde haired girls sleeping, one on each side and using my legs as pillows.
"What the?!" I leaped up and backpedaled across a stump and right back on my rear end.
"Master Naruto, those girls are…" Raphtalia forced a smile. The two girls yawned and sat up. They looked to be ten-year-old twins with matching blue eyes… They both turned to me and smiled. As they did, one unfurled a pair of white feathered wings while the other had a pair of pastel pink bat-like wings.
"Master! Hey!" The white-winged one cheered. "Good morning!"
"Good… morning!" The pink winged one yawned as she stretched. "Master…" I stood there in shock.
Just… Just where did these two girls come from?!
"Who the heck are they?" Raphtalia screamed out and pointed at me. Oh, boy. I recognized the expression of fury on her face.
"How would I know?" I shouted back. I was just as perplexed as everyone else… And why was Raphtalia was mad? What did I do?
"Can I have something to eat?" The white-winged one chimed out as she smiled.
"Food, please." The pink winged one said as she hugged the white-winged one's arm.
"Uncle! Uncle! Uncle!" I screamed as I slammed my fist on the weapon shop door.
"What is going on?" Uncle opened the door and glared at us. "The shop's already closed… Huh?" Uncle's eyes landed on the two girls wrapped in blankets.
"Master, who is this man?" One girl pointed at Uncle.
"Who?" The other mimicked.
"Be quiet! And don't point at others!" I roared in frustration. "I'm sorry to interrupt you at night, but this is urgent."
"And how is that?" Uncle sighed at me. "Are you here to brag about buying new slaves?"
"No, I'm not!" I huffed out.
"Hm?" Both girls perked up. "It smells of food!"
"Oh, I was fixing a late dinner." Uncle turned and pointed at a long sandwich that had been cut in half. "You two want a bite?"
"Really?"
"Yay!"
"Wait!" I shouted, but it was too late. The two girls each grabbed half of the sandwich.
"What's wrong? How big of a bite can those two take?" Uncle laughed, but it didn't last long when both girls popped in a puff of smoke and shredded cloth.
"Thanks for the food!" FIlo and Lial chimed out and both swallowed their halves of the sandwich in one big bite. "Hm… The taste wasn't very good." Filo sighed out.
"Not tasty," Lial added.
"Hey! You ate all of the Boss's food!" Raphtalia scolded the Filolial and dragon.
"Sorry. I'll make up for this later." I took in a deep breath. I had to calm down... Oh, screw it. "First of all, Firo! Lial! Turn back to human form now!"
"I'm full, so I'll do it later." Filo let out a burp.
"Later, later," Lial hummed.
Dammit. I have no choice. I was really trying not to do this.
I opened up my status and went to the monster crests. "I've had enough! Change this instant! It's an order!"
Complex shapes appeared on Filo and Lial's chest and sparked.
"Ouch! Ouch!" Both screamed out before smoke engulfed and they turned back into little girls wearing shredded cloth.
"Uwaaaaa! It hurts!" Filo cried with Lial.
"So what's the story here?" Uncle sighed as Filo and Lial recovered from their crests. Both pouted and gave me watery eyes. I glared the two girls down.
"The slave merchant said Filolials have a King or Queen leading each flock. That's what he told us anyway." Raphtalia said with a sigh. "Aren't you being too tough on them?"
"No. They need to listen." I huffed out. Though, don't guilt trip me. I already feel horrible having to use the crests on two little girls. At least with Raphtalia, I only needed to use it once. These two were a whole different story!
"I thought that was only a myth," Uncle said in awe.
"Those Kings and Queens are highly skilled in transforming and they blend into the flocks by disguising themselves as normal Filolials." Matthew sighed.
"And they can transform themselves into humans, too," Uncle said in shock. "That's nuts… Wait, what about that dragon?" Uncle pointed at Lial.
"Dragons are mysterious creatures, so not much is known. But that… man believes that maybe dragons, too, have Queens and Kings like Filolials," Matthew shuttered. "That or dragons have the ability to transform, but never do unless they want to."
"Worse, normal monster crest doesn't work on either of them," I gritted my teeth in frustration. "I had to get a stronger crest on both of them to keep them in line! I hadn't budgeted it for that!"
"Boo!" Filo cried out, "You won't sleep with Filo and Lial in these humans forms, Master!"
"What the?" My eyebrows twitched at the pouting girls. It was bad enough these two could transform. Both of them seemed to be in a bit of a rebellious phase to where neither would listen to me if I didn't have the high-level crests put on them. "If I hadn't haggled and got both of their crests for 600 silvers, we would have ended up in more debt!" I groaned.
The masked lady appeared and offered to pay for the crests, but I quickly blackmailed - I think that is the right term - Beloukas about spreading bad rumors that he misrepresenting his products considering Filo and Lial were not the normal Filolial and Knight's Dragon he said they were. He gladly changed his tune and gave us a two for one deal along with a small discount… That left us with only around 100 silvers.
All the way back to square one and just when we were so close to having the money to pay back my benefactor! Just thinking of it fouled my mood.
"Things got crazy trying to give them that crest. " Raphtalia sighed, "Both of them resisted with all their might and almost broke the crests."
"That's at… level 19." Iruka-sensei pinched the bridge of his nose. "Who knows how… strong they will… be at 70 or something."
"So, you didn't just come here during my off hours to show me this Filolial Queen and Dragon Queen?" Uncle asked.
"We came to buy some clothes," I answered.
"Clothing?" Uncle raised an eyebrow.
"If they keep on shredding their clothes, we are going to go broke," I said as I picked up the pieces of cloth on the floor. "I never known transformations here affected clothes.
"Please tell us there is some kind of outfit made for transforming species," Matthew said with a frown.
"Nah. Those are special order items." Uncle said as he shrugged. "I ain't got any of those. Try seeing a dressmaker." Uncle snapped his fingers. "But, you can't have those two walking around in public looking like that," Uncle reached under the counter and pulled out two simple dresses. "Another customer left these… And I best write down the directions to a dressmaker I know."
"Thanks, Uncle," I sighed and we left once things were in order… Including giving Uncle some of our leftover food to repay him for his dinner.
Once morning came, we hit the dressmaker bright and early.
"Oh my god! They are so cute!" The dressmaker squealed with looking over both Filo and Lial. "Aren't they the cutest little angel and devil! Wait for a second, they have wings on their backs so maybe they really are a little angel and devil!" Raphtalia laughed sheepishly at the dressmaker's energy.
"Master, am I really cute?" Filo asked as she spun around to look at me. She wore a pink dress that was a little big on her.
"Lial cute?" Lial wore a similar dress, but it was a pastel blue. "Filo and Lial wanna know."
"Ah…" I mean, they did look like cute little girls… But, they were just born days ago and look like ten-year-olds. "Maybe?" Does it make me like those creepy old dudes that like children, but with me being twelve?
"Father, you shouldn't talk like that." The dressmaker scolded me.
"F-Father?" Raphtalia recoiled.
"You need to answer more clearly! Compliments are important to little girls. Helping them become even cuter when they are older." The dressmaker chimed.
Wait… Is that why Raphtalia was so rough around the edges? Shit! It's my fault she doesn't match her physical cuteness! I should have complimented her more!
"Then are you Filo and Lial's father or something else?" Filo asked and Lial nodded with the question as she held onto Filo's arm.
"Ah… Help?" I looked at Matthew and Iruka-sensei.
"You did hatch them." Matthew chuckled at my discomfort.
"Take responsibility." Iruka-sensei… He gave me an evil smirk. "They are… your children."
"… Thanks," I groaned. "I am… your father. Adopted father." I quickly added. I do not want to even think of these two monsters girls getting the wrong idea that I was their biological father…. Even if we looked identical in hair and eye color… Did they use me as the reference for their transformations? "That or whatever you want." A dad at twelve years old. I'm not ready for this responsibility. I haven't hit pu-Oh, yeah, I shot past that stage and look like an adult. Man, has this level up growth ever screwed up with my sense of age!
"I see. What about Raphtalia?" Filo asked with a cocked head.
"What is Raphtalia?" Lial pouted with confusion.
"What do you mean?" I blinked and looked to the two monster girls.
"What is Raphtalia to you?" Filo rephrased the question and hugged Lial. "Is she like Lial, my sister?"
"That's…" My face heated up. What was my relationship to Raphtalia? I mean, I never really got along with the girls at the academy to know what differences were the relationships with boys? I tried being sweet and such like the manga says to Sakura-chan and that didn't end well.
What was love, anyway? I thought I loved Sakura-chan, I always crushed on her… But that seemed to have died away when my hopes came crashing down. And I can tell Raphtalia has some weird… reactions to me that I just don't get. I never have seen the other girls act like that towards me. Some of it was similar to how the girls acted to Sasuke and some other boys, but it is not clear like those girls.
But did I feel similar to Raphtalia? I mean… I don't know… I'm so confused.
"Well?" Raphtalia smiled at me.
"She's… like family to me. Like a sister?"
"I am not!" I flinched at Raphtalia's protest. Damn. Did I say the wrong thing? I really don't get these conflicting emotions at all.
"Anyways, that doesn't matter," I hoped Raphtalia forgives me for saying the wrong thing. Was I mistaken about how close we were? "We are just looking for clothes that don't rip to shreds when you two transform and go back to normal." And I wondered if I might need some. I noticed I gained a little height since after the Wave and it scared me. I was almost the same height as Iruka-sensei.
"Oooh!" The dressmaker gasped. "So that's what you are looking for? Did you bring any magic thread?"
"Magic thread?" I asked with wide eyes.
"Of course. Transforming clothes always use threads made from the user's own mana."
"So that means transforming clothes are always custom made?" Raphtalia asked in awe.
"Of course. If you can give me the magic thread, I promise to make the cutest outfits you'll ever see in your entire life!" The dressmaker declared with passion and excitement.
Wow… Uncle sure knows the weird ones… I think I'll call her Sister since she is this willing to help us.
"Magic threads?" I whispered out and had an idea.
"Magic thread, huh?" Auntie smiled at us when we asked her about it. "You certainly can spin them here, but," Aunt looked towards a spinning wheel on the counter behind her. A frown on her lips. "Unfortunately, right now isn't a good time. I'm afraid the magic gemstone in my spinning wheel broke."
"Is it expensive?" I gulped. Could I afford the cost to supply another one?
"It is." Aunt sighed out, "But the bigger problem is that it is hard to find."
"Is there anything we can do about it?" Raphtalia asked.
"I'll talk to some people and see if I can procure a new gemstone as soon as possible." Aunt smiled at us. "It might take a bit longer, but I'll try my best."
"Hey!" We looked down to see Filo and Lial entranced by Aunt's crystal ball, "Whoa! What does this thing do?"
"What's it do?"
"This crystal ball measures one's magical affinities." Aunt held out her hands over the crystal ball. "Why don't we measure your affinity?"
"Really?" Both girls asked.
"Let's see. The little angel has Wind affinity and the little dragon girl has Fire and Wind affinities."
"Lial not like Filo?" Lial asked with teary eyes.
"No! Better! You got two while I only have one!" Filo pouted before she smiled. "Filo can handle the wind while Lial handles the flames!"
"Okay… But Lial wants to learn Wind with Filo," Lial shrunk into herself.
"We can learn together!"
"That means we got to teach them the language." I felt a little green. I was still getting the language down myself. Now I had to teach my two new daughters how to read and write?
"Oh well… Guess we are stuck without outfits for Filo and Lial for a while." Matthew nervously looked at me. "Should we see if we can find a cheap seller for spare dresses?"
"Yeah," I pinched the bridge of my nose. I needed to make medicine and get our merchant business going. If we don't start earning money, we would be broke in no time.
"The Shield Hero!" The clothes seller glared at me. "I will not sell to a felon!"
"Get out of here, scum!"
"Eek! We're closed!"
"The hell?" I raised an eyebrow as everyone we tried to buy clothes from rejected us, either from hatred or outright fear. "It's worse than when they thought I was a demi-human."
"News from the castle?" Raphtalia pointed at a bulletin board where a very official looking poster on it. We got closer and my blood boiled as I read it.
It was a public service announcement from the royal court. To summarized the document, it said the Shield Hero was a murderer and dangerous. I was a felon convicted by the courts. There was more, but I couldn't read it with how furious I was.
"What in… Why is the king doing this?" Matthew asked with a pale face. "Don't he realized what this-"
"He does," I said. King Melromarc was like the Old Man: passive-aggressive masterminds. They could pull the strings and easily make a person fall to ruin by the person's own devices. "I bet he had these spread across the kingdom." I took out my knife and carefully cut down the poster. I rolled it up and stashed it into my hip pouch.
"Master Naruto?" Raphtalia asked as I walked away from the board. "W-What are we going to do? You aren't a murderer!"
"Yeah. There is something we can do." Matthew added, "There's no way this is legal."
"It's legal," I said as we reached Uncle's shop. I don't know the legality of the criminal system, but I do know the rules of false information. Damn, even I used Konoha's public bulletin boards for pranks against some of the shops that wouldn't serve me. As well as I have seen some quite hilarious, well-executed pranks that the upper ninja ranks have done with the boards, too. This was the one game even civilians could pull off and often did if I remember a little of Iruka-sensei's misdirection class.
Add in King Melromarc specially chose to use a public service announcement made it all the harder to prove it was false even with proof. Who in their right mind would go against an official warning from the higher-ups of a country against someone they don't know?
"Welcome!" Uncle said as we entered. However, his face twisted to shock at seeing me. I wonder why? "Little Shield, you alright?"
"Yes." I sighed as I walked up to Uncle. "I need to buy some overstock clothes you have in."
"Why don't you just go to a-" Uncle went wide-eyed as I looked at him. "Kid… Just what happened?"
"I just need spare clothes for Filo and Lial." We fell into King Melromarc's trap and paying the price. If I let my emotions control me, then that man will win.
I won't take the bait a second time.
"O-Okay. I guess I can let go of a few shirts for a few coppers."
"Thanks." I gave him the coins and he handed me a sack full of clothes. I looked at the sack for a moment and then put it down.
"Hey, is there something-"
"Transformation Jutsu!" I engulfed myself with smoke and looked at Uncle right at eye level.
"What? You turned into me?" Uncle gasped at me as I scowled at Tate-chan on my arm.
"Sorry. Just had to test something," I said in Uncle's voice as I moved Tate-chan from my arm to my hip. If I moved it to my back… No, it would look odd. If only- "That's it!" I quickly had Tate-chan change into the Rope Shield.
"What the? How did your shield do that?" Uncle asked as I popped back to myself.
"It's the Legendary Shield."
"It can do that?" Uncle said with awe. "Well, I'll be. If you keep it like that, no one will know you are a hero."
"That's the point," I smirked and picked up the bag. "Hey, Uncle, be careful. I am not favored by the king."
"Gotcha. Be safe."
"We are heading back to Lute Village." Al of the group looked at me in shock. "We will start our merchant business there."
"What?" Iruka-sensei said, "They can't buy… anything!"
"Yeah! Why-"
"Who said I was selling?" Everyone looked at me with confusion. "I'm buying," I said with a grin on my face.