Chapter 9-Trauma

Naofumi, Takia and Raphtalia wended their way down the dusty road leading down into Lute village. There were towering pine trees on either side of the path and all three heroes toted bundled stacks of monster rabbit pelts and porcupine needles to vend. The tanuki girl was gleefully kicking her balloon ball ahead, and then racing up to kick it again like she was trying out for a soccer team. It was a positively adorable sight, Naofumi realized with decidedly mixed feelings considering she was legally considered his property. However, the brooding college student sighed in annoyance at something that he had dismissed for weeks; it was now becoming blatantly obvious that the girl had gotten at least a full head taller than when they had first met under that fetid striped slave tent. Just last night he had powered up his cell phone using Clint's magical recharger and thumbed through the pictures taken of his team a few days after Raphtalia's conscription, and then the most recent photo of them on the road at sunrise. There was no doubt she was notably taller in the days since she became his sword warrior. He glanced to his left and saw the gloomy mage look up at the sky dotted with clouds with a melancholic expression. Naofumi guessed the young man was brooding on his past and everyone he had lost. He decided to give his pessimistic companion something else to chew on as he spoke with notable frustration, "Takia. I…I need your help."

The Mage's dark eyes looked up in surprise, "Oh! Of course, Master Naofumi. How can be of service?"

Naofumi muttered in a soft grumble, "You're not my butler…sheesh." He brushed his short unruly locks in a gesture of exasperation, "Anyway, tell me if I'm going crazy, but is the pipsqueak getting bigger, or is she getting boots with thicker soles when my back is turned?"

He seriously doesn't know, Takia realized as his mouth fell slack in amazement. It was a true miracle that Master Iwatani had survived this long considering how precious little he knew about this world. That ignorance could all too easily cost lives. Takia managed a slight smile despite his deep concern, "The beast clan youth age differently than humans. If they grow up in peaceful times, then they reach maturity about the same rate as any human child. If they gain experience through fighting, their speed of maturation is directly linked to their experience gain."

The Shield Hero's green eyes widened in shock, "That can't be right. H-how fast?"

The raven-haired Mage sighed softly, as this was not going to be easy for his Master to process. "It can vary a lot. Their entire adolescence can be compressed into a few seasons if they rise in combat ranks quickly."

"Shit," Iwatani muttered in shock. "She's about ten or so now. Are you saying by the time when she's twelve, she'll look like she's eighteen?"

Takia's face fell even further, "Ummm…no she will not."

"Good, I'm not ready for her to grow up that fast!" He watched his young slave play with a concerned stare and exhaled in relief as the very the last thing he wanted to do was rob Raphtalia of what remained of her tattered childhood. Her trauma had obviously been horrendous enough piled atop his exploitation of her martial arts.

He's going to completely freak out Takia noted with grim certainty as he tried to break the news as gently as he could. "Well sir…the problem is you wield a Cardinal weapon. It forms the basis of your shield and its innumerable powers. You and your servants are symbiotically tethered; thus you grow in strength, ability and power as your retainers do. However, the door swings both ways. Your servants will benefit greatly from bathing in the energy of your Shield's magical core. So Raphtalia will probably hit her late teens physically in about two…erm…"

"Years," the now alarmed Shield Hero guessed, while dreading the answer. He saw Takia's already pale turn face a shade whiter, and he started to panic, "No. It can't be. Two months?"

"T-two weeks, sir."

Raphtalia's ears twitched and she dropped her ball in horrified shock as she heard her master scream out a nearly incoherent string of profanities.

…

In the pretty little forested village of Lute several hours later, within the wood timbered and white plastered inn just inside the wooden palisade fence, Naofumi settled the bill with the grandmotherly innkeeper for the room for the night. They had successfully sold off all the monster items, and a few of his home-brewed poultices for various ailments; now the Shield Hero's money pouch was a bit heavier than before. The kindly innkeeper had even given him a carefully wrapped book to deliver to a friend in the capital city. However, even the influx of coin was not enough to brighten the young man's mood. Ever since he discovered the horrible truth that he taken both Raphtalia's freedom and her childhood to further his own selfish goals, he was in a dazed funk. After eating a simple but nutritious stew that was a tasty mix of tubers, sauce and rabbit meat, Naofumi and Raphtalia mounted the stairs up to the small bedroom. The perpetual insomniac Takia had predictably wanted to stay up late and read in a chair by the fireplace to catch up on his magical research and economic theories.

The tanuki girl finally mustered up her courage to address the dark cloud hovering over her beloved master's head only after they were in the diminutive bedroom, with moonlight softly illuminating the room in a soothing monochromatic glow. She steeled her never and stammered, "M-master? Did I o-offend you earlier?"

"What the hell?" The Shield Hero whirled around and stared at his follower with a haunted face twisted into an expression of deep guilt. "No you didn't. If anything, I…I failed you Raphtalia."

Her pale eyes grew wide as she sucked in her breath in stunned amazement. How in the name of the Shield Hero God had he failed her? Wouldn't the fact that she was a cowardly weakling mean the exact opposite? Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she started to sniffle, "I promise to make up any of my shortcomings Master. I have hurt you, and I want to make it right."

Naofumi slumped on the bed and let his head strike the wall with a dull thump as he felt hopelessly pinned between equally impossible choices. He softly murmured, "All I wanted was a follower who would never betray me the way Myne had. I knew when I bought your contract that having you as my slave meant that you could never shatter my trust or leave me. I've looked down on that Bitch First Princess and Trash King even though I am selfish bastard to use you without regard to what you want."

Now tears were freely dripping down Raphtalia's cheeks as she hoisted herself on the bed as well. She leaned into her idol and basked in his warmth even as her heart was cracking apart. "M-master. My family and friends worshiped the Shield Hero. My best friend R-rifana wanted to marry you once you returned to fight the Waves."

Naofumi stirred slightly from his bought of self pity and asked incredulously, "How old is your friend?"

"Three months my senior, Master."

He wiped at his own damp eyes and stared out of the windows at the bucolic village illuminated by torchlight …anything to avoid looking his follower in the eyes. He spoke softly, "So Rifana is a kid like you?"

"S-s-she was, yes. She was of the feline tribe." Just mentioning her name brought back an uncontrollable flood of emotions and memories ranging from the sublime to horrifying.

He could not fail to note that she spoke of her best friend despairingly in the past tense. His shoulders slumped as he sighed, "I'm sorry you had to lose her, Raphtalia. It's just that I can't have you age up overnight just because I need a Swordswoman retainer. I will not toss away your already half destroyed childhood for my own selfish ends. I will not allow it." He stood up and stared out of the window at the dark spindly wooden watchtower in the darkness, faintly outlined by the moonlight. He firmly made up his mind, "Once we're finished in Lute village, I am commanding you to serve Lady Seymour of Melromarc. Clint and Rosalia both told me that she loves beastkin like her own grandchildren and will spoil you rotten. You can finally be just a little girl again in a peaceful home." He clenched his fingers into a fist and spoke with resolve, "At least one person in this cursed world can be happy."

He heard Raphtalia whimper but he was surprised as her small hands balled up the fabric of his coat as she clung to his waist. She sobbed inconsolably and he felt his chest being compressed by an unavoidable pressure wave of guilt. After several minutes of inelegant blubbering he heard her say clearly, "N-no master. I won't leave your side. I can't."

He whirled around and his mouth contorted in pain as he saw bright spindly tendrils of violet hued magic emanate from her slave crest under her shirt. The girl fell to her knees in agony as this had been the very first time she had refused a direct order from Naofumi. His green eyes widened as he pleaded, "Please don't refuse my command. I want you to be happy and carefree, and live in peace for once. I will not sacrifice your childhood on the altar of my selfish desires and petty vendettas! I mustn't."

"M-master, I won't leave your service." She doubled over in pain, as the crest punished her for her disobedience with sharp shocks all through her small frame.

Finally the distraught young man relented, "Okay, okay! You can stay!" Much to his relief as soon as he countermanded his order, the crest went dark again. Cold sweat dripped down his back as he realized with clenched teeth that he never wanted to see Raphtalia being tortured ever again; especially by his hand. He slumped to his knees and stroked her soft hair with a badly shaking hand. "I'm sorry that I hurt you."

The tanuki child groaned softly and then looked up into her master's pained face with sorrowful pink eyes; in response to his despair she reached out and ran her palm over his tear-streaked cheek. "Master…please don't ever ask me to leave you again. I would not be able to bear another loss."

He fought in vain to keep the tears at bay, but his slave's innocent concern for his well being moved him deeply. He waved the cute girl to sit with him under the window as he took out a small brush and ran it through her unruly locks. They were both silent for several minutes, but finally as he finished, he had to ask why she was so stubborn about this matter. "Raphtalia, I know you have to serve me as I purchased your contract."

She nodded as she leaned back into his side, and yawned. "I want to serve you Sir Shield Hero. The second you took me out of that horrible tent, I would have gone with you anywhere. I never needed the crest to serve as your sword."

His hand clenched tightly over the wooden brush handle, causing it to crack, as he fumed helplessly, "But I own you as a slave!"

She realized that being around her kind master made her life worth living, as she stared the obvious, "I know, sir."

"I only used you as a tool to get my revenge," he complained bitterly.

She looked up at him with luminous pink eyes and firmly shook her head, "I don't mind."

He still tried in vain to argue against Raphtalia's pure-hearted resolve, "If you fight with me, you'll be a young adult by the time the Second Wave hits. You will forever lose your precious days of being a child."

She closed her eyes and wrapped part of Naofumi's cloak around her body like a blanket and asserted, "I don't care, Master. How can I let those horrid monsters that took my parents away rampage again if I sit the battles out?" She sighed in contentment as his lap was exceedingly comfortable. Drowsiness quickly overtook her mind, "If I get big, then I can make a difference and save this world. You need a…a sword, Master. You…"

Naofumi rubbed his aching temples in absolute frustration as Raphtalia softly snored as she seemed untroubled to be his compulsory servant. Either way his actions were unforgivable. If she stayed then he was callously using this precious child to further his own agenda; if he sent her to safety, then he would shatter her heart. He looked up at the ceiling and muttered, "Crap. I'm dammed either way."

…

The next morning as they entered the timber-lined slanted passageway with torches into the monster-infested mining pit, the Mage Takia was intrigued to see that there was a change in the air between his two dependable allies. He suspected that they had had a heart to heart discussion the previous evening that had drawn them closer with the invisible bonds of platonic love. He also noted that Master Iwatani was rapidly advancing in skills as he now had over two dozen shield types at his command. Just this morning, he had further unlocked his skill tree to include a Rope Shield that could be handy for climbing; in addition the luminescent floating Air Strike Shield could block foe attacks at five paces. Takia was now back up to level 13 for the third time around. His Earth magic included an upgraded vibration sensing passive skill called Resonance, and his projectile launching spell Flechette was now high enough to shoot a dozen razor edged rocks at his foes with every burst. He was mildly pleased that his skill set was rapidly starting to be of use to Master Naofumi. He had enjoyed a rare burst of fortune to have that fateful run in down in the dank Melromarc dungeons.

All three walked into a wide open cavern illuminated by luminescent fungi growing on the walls. A waterfall from overhead cascaded down from high above their heads into the clear pool a hundred feet down. The former natural stone bridge that had once connected the mining cart railline from one side of the room to the other had suffered a mysterious collapse in the recent past; the rails ended abruptly at the break, twisted like pretzels into deformed stubs.

Naofumi used his console magic to locate jagged cerulean gemstones embedded in the rocks. He couched down with his pickax and asked Takia, "Anything out of the ordinary?"

Takia focused his will and his perception of physical vibrations transmitted through the rocks activated, causing a slow drain of his SP pool. After walking around the shelf atop the steep slope dotted with rounded stalagmites, he reported his findings, "The waterfall is causing interference to our southeast. Nothing else is moving within twenty paces. There are fainter readings at a hundred to two hundred paces out. Possibly monsters or natural cave denizens. Raphtalia and I will keep a lookout, Sir Naofumi."

Looking satisfied, the Shield Hero started to hack the valuable gemstone out of its rocky prison as he muttered, "Fine, fine." After a dozen strikes, the treasure fell free. He plucked it up and smirked slightly. "Okay, that wasn't too hard. Onto the next prize."

Takia's black eyes widened in alarm, "Master! Two heavy vibrations to our north; closing fast."

"Wonderful," Naofumi grumbled as he powered up his defense and commanded, "Failure Shield!" A flash of green light replaced his pentagonal default shield to the large round cutout made with rusted corrugated steel. His eyes narrowed as he saw two demonic two-headed canine beasts emerge from the mine shaft at the far end of the ledge they were standing on. Their eyes possessed a soulless crimson glow in the dark cavern as they snarled at the Shield Hero with foaming mouths filled with pointed teeth. "C'mon you bastards," he roared as he flew into action.

Raphtalia's eyes went wide with terror as the sight of the horrid monsters that had mauled her parents to death. She froze up in utter panic.

The closer, black-furred, Cerberus-like dog monster leapt at Naofumi, and as he raised his shield to defend his body, the central gemstone flashed with a field of misfortune, causing the dog's jump to arc to the left too far and tumble headlong into the conical stalagmites far below. The rapid succession of the sickening sounds of flesh and bone encountering unforgiving rock informed the Shield Hero that he was down to one opponent. A few seconds later the status screen briefly lit up on the left side of his vision with the amber block text: EXP +340. He switched back to his Default shield as Takia's stone shard attack struck the beast in the chest and face.

With its left head blinded, the demon dog's other head firmly bit down on Naofumi's shoulder.

"Ahhh, shit! That hurts," Naofumi screamed.

Takia cursed as he had to downgrade his spell to only one missile as Iwatani's body was blocking his target. He shot rock after rock into the monster's head, but the wild thrashing between the combatants meant that several of his attacks hit his Master instead. He called out pleadingly, "Sir, disengage please!"

"You try disengaging you asshole," Naofumi grimaced as he was pinned by the bloodthirsty creature, and further injured by friendly fire. He bashed the dog monster's head with his angular shield, but it had no offensive power other than from the force of striking a foe with a ordinary steel plate.

Raphtalia gaped in terror as she saw her peerless Master get salvaged by a kindred species to the beast that had devastated her hometown and left her as an orphan. Ordinarily she would have turned tail and ran for her life, but all her training and encouragement from big sis Usagi, Takia, the other Cardinal Heroes, and most importantly the sight of her imperiled master goaded her into action. She unsheathed her dagger, let out a primal scream, and leapt nimbly into the air and impaled the beast through its skull and out the bottom of its jaw. The creature roared and fell bleeding out at Naofumi's feet.

The young man gasped in pain as he slumped to the ground as stared at the expiring beast right in front of him. He clutched his bleeding shoulder and winced as he yanked out several rock shards from Takia's Earth magic attack from his back. All three warriors saw the experience gain flash in their fields of vision as the defeat of the second beast boosted each of them a level higher.

"Master Naofumi," Raphtalia blubbered as the inconsolable girl dove into her master's arms. "Don't die….don't leave me."

"Ow. Don't cremate my body just yet," the Japanese hero snarked as he held the sobbing girl with his good arm. "I'll live, you know."

"Let me be your sword, Master. Please," she pleaded piteously.

The Shield Hero sighed and suddenly his eyebrows shot up in surprise as he realized that she had called him Naofumi instead of an honorific or title. She had called him by his name. He reached over and gently caressed her unruly but soft locks with an exasperated half-smile, "Dummy. Of course you will be my sword. In return I will be your shield."

"T-thanks Master Naofumi." She clung to him more tightly as he made a motion to get up. She begged as she cried, "Just a bit longer please."

"Oh fine," he wearily replied before swigging a healing philter and handing Raphtalia her dagger back. His gemstone absorbed the body of the deceased canine monster, unlocking a new Shield skill. He sighed, "When you're ready, we can gather some more gemstones and I can absorb the other canine corpse into my shield core. Anyway, great job Raphtalia and Takia."

A completely unexpected voice boomed from just above the crest of the waterfall, paired with sarcastic clapping, "Yeah! Great job everyone!"

Naofumi's face drained of color as he looked up and saw that horrid redheaded piece of crap that he despised above all other of the residents of the racist Kingdom of Melromarc. He didn't even need to ask why she was here. She was here to kill them.

Perched on the high ledge at the lip of the waterfall near the cavern ceiling, First Princess Malty S. Melromarc beamed down at the Shield Hero with green eyes filled with venom. She was proudly attired in her silver armored adventurer outfit that she had extorted out of Iwatani. Her faithful maid Kutnetsov stood silently behind her. For his abject humiliation of her honor, the bastard Shield Hero and his followers would have to suffer the cruelest of fates. What would it be? Death from a rocksklide, a fall into an abyss, or drowning? The possibilities were so delicious. She gleefully held up a glowing aggregate of gemstones that pulsed with infernal fire energy. She gleefully jeered, "Bye-bye Shield Hero and peons. Miss ya'!" Then she let the bomb drop down to the entrance tunnel with a look of evil glee plastered across her face.

"Jump," Naofumi roared as he and his companions dove into the pool just as a titanic explosion caved in the entrance and caused the ceiling to collapse on top of them. The three heroes barely managed to swim into a drowned mine shaft as tons of rock fell from the ceiling and blocked the only way out. As the water swallowed them up, his glowing green shield core suddenly illuminated a vertical airshaft. He urged his followers to go up the narrow rectangular void and breach the surface as the icy water was displaced upwards by the rock continuing to fall into the main cavern. They all took grateful gasps of air just before their heads banged into a grate blocking their escape.

"No way," Naofumi exclaimed in horror just before the swirling water shot above their heads past the iron bars. He could easily stick his arms past the criss-crossing opening, but they were all cut off from the air only about five feet above the grate.

Takia despaired as he realized that he couldn't incant Flechette as his voice was garbled by being underneath the icy cold water.

Raphtalia watched hopelessly as her Master valiantly bashed his shield against the bars, switched to the Rope Shield and tried to yank out the obstacle. However the barrier was too strongly embedded to be budged. She gave a prayer for Rifana, her parents, her friends and especially Master Naofumi as she hoped that they would all meet in the afterlife.

You bitch, Naofumi raged as he started to drown. You Bitch Princess….I'll kill you no matter what it takes! He roared in rage as his mind started to fog over. Suddenly his core switched from green to red and pulsed as a warning flashed in his status screen that read, Warning, Wrath Shield Tree unlocked. His eyes flashed red as red tendrils of light covered his cheeks and forehead. His shield acquired the same glowing lines and vaporized both the water above them as well as the rusted iron grate by absorption.

Raphtalia gasped in air and after coughing out the water, she turned to a demonic looking Iwatani. She cried out, "Master! Calm down! You saved us."

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you….you bitch! I'll murder you," Naofumi ranted as the toxic magical energy poisoned his body.

"Master Naofumi," she screamed as she clung to him.

"Ra…Raphtalia?" He looked around in confusion as her voice cut through his fog of rage like a soothing salve on an overheated burn. "What happened?" The red glowing lights faded out as his face returned to an irate but sane expression.

"Master Naofumi, I'm glad you're okay. You saved us all," the badly shivering girl gushed.

"Um, okay." He still had no clue how he went from drowning in a barred airshaft to being able to freely ascend. His mind was completely blank from the moment from when the water entered his lungs. He coughed as he used the Rope shield to secure a tow and winched the three of them out into the upper mine shaft and hopefully a way back out the sunlight. He gently held his arm around his shivering follower and silently vowed to kill the First Princess someday. What she had done to him was monstrous; what she had done to Raphtalia and Takia was eternally unforgivable.