BZZZT! BZZZT!

Naofumi spun as he heard the sound, a threat was nearby. He slammed his fist from where it came from, causing a surge of noise. The alarm clock sputtered

Wait, why was there an alarm clock?

He turned to the source of the noise and found red LED lights listing a time: 10:0X. The last LED was broken from a slam with his fist.

Naofumi did not understand what was going on, but he felt a surge of tension in the air. Where were the others? Where was he?

The unknown was dangerous - he needed to protect himself. He reached for his Shield, but found that his left hand was uncovered. Did someone do the utterly impossible and somehow steal it? How could someone steal it when it's been stuck on his body for months on end?

He tried to focus his eyes next, trying to find that icon to activate his HUD. To no avail. No stats, no data.

Panicking further at not having a way to defend himself, Naofumi tried to use some magic, see if he had that. "...Decipher the laws of nature and guard my target… First Guard!" he said, but no surge of magic came. He said the words, but nothing happened.

What happened? This had to be a trap or something. There was no way any of this made sense.

Naofumi took a deep breath and tried to scan his surroundings. He looked at the busted alarm clock, again. When did Melromarc gain digital alarm clocks? That'd require both LEDs, electricity, and some sort of time piece, as far as he knew.

He rubbed his eyes and noticed that he was surrounded in a well furnished room. High quality posters covered every angle, while entire stacks of paperbacks filled a large bookshelf. A desktop computer occupied a desk. It was his room. Why was he in his room?

Did… he defeat the Waves? Did the Waves even happen? Was there ever a Melromarc?

Naofumi crawled out of bed, his bed, for the first time in what felt like an eternity. Or maybe it was just a single night, like always? He recalled a world of magic and heroes, but also … game mechanics? Did I really dream all of that up? It'd explain why video game rules applied over physics.

He clutched his temples, a faint migraine in his skull. Did… anything he had gone through, mattered? Did it mean anything? Was all the suffering he endured just a fantasy he inflicted upon himself?

One thing was for certain, he wouldn't learn anything here.

Naofumi dressed up, getting out of his nightwear and donning something for the day.

Making his way to the kitchen, he noted there wasn't any breakfast set out for him or his brother. His parents must have rushed out to work or something, they left several yen bills on kitchen table for them to order something.

Speaking of which, Naofumi's brother lay on his bed, an entire collection of manga as well as some text books covering his body. His door was open. He's about Ren's age, now that I think about it.

But was "Ren" even someone who existed?

Instead of wondering about a world that only existed for a single night, Naofumi took out a frying pan and did his work. He didn't know why he decided to make breaded shrimp, fried rice, and a side of noodles with olives, but for some reason he was drawn to it.

"Oooh, what smells good?" a voice creaked out.

Naofumi smiled. "Good morning, Daisuke. You feeling good?" It honestly felt more like a dream saying that than the world that he may or may not have imagined.

"Great, really. That binge party was so worth it!" Daisuke Iwatani pulled off a dozen magazines and left them on his bed.

Naofumi cocked a glance. "Binge party?"

Daisuke laughed. "Don't you remember? My highschool application got accepted!" He raised a fist in the air. "We celebrated. A marathon of the Greatest Hits this Summer!"

Naofumi squinted. He did remember celebrating with his brother, but that was a while ago, even discounting the dreamworld he created for himself. Maybe he was just misremembering, again. Maybe it didn't matter. He prepared the table, setting two dishes out for himself and Daisuke.

Daisuke, seeing the meals, walked over to the table.

Naofumi took this opportunity to intercept him. He ensnared him in a hug, much to Daisuke's surprise. If this was a dream, why did his brother feel so real?

"Hey, Naofumi, this is… sudden. What's gotten into you?"

"I just want to show you how proud I am of you, and how much I do appreciate you." Naofumi said with tears dripping down his face. No matter what was real or not, he truly did wish to see his brother again. "Congratulations, by the way."

Daisuke smirked. He hugged his brother back, not nearly as heartfelt, but appreciated all the same. He then stepped over to the belated breakfast. "So, is this supposed to be my celebratory feast?"

Naofumi suppressed his tears and wiped off the remainder. He took his seat. "Something like that."

Daisuke shrugged. He took one of the shrimp and put it into his mouth. A single taste, his eyes widened and his mouth watered. He lost his composure and stuffed food into his mouth by the fistful. "Where did you learn to cook like this?" he said with his mouth full. "Did you take cooking as an elective?"

Naofumi shook his head. "I had practice."

Daisuke gobbled up his plate. "Practice? I know you worked at a restaurant, but I'm pretty sure you weren't a chef."

Naofumi paused. His brother had a point. Whatever skill he had with cooking, it was not of this earth. Which begged the question, did dream worlds teach nobodies how to cook as good as this? He laughed. His brother gave him enough to work with. "Don't worry about it too much. Just enjoy your meal, but not too much, okay? Don't think Mom and Dad would approve of also making you a glutton."

Daisuke didn't speak, his mouth crammed with even more food. He merely raised a thumbs up.

After the belated breakfast, Naofumi took a walk down the street to the public library, back to where this all started. Along the way, he took a moment to marvel at the lit neon signs and LED advertising displays that lined the road. The hustle and bustle of otherwise mundane traffic, too, had taken on a more supernatural quality. He had lived here practically his whole life and yet now he felt like an alien visiting another planet.

His brother's words resonated in his mind. There was no way a world that didn't exist could have taught him to cook delicious meals in even the most suboptimal of circumstances. He might not have had the scars or the muscles that came from his travels with his companions, but he knew how to make a mean stir fry with the things he could find in the bushes.

Therefore, maybe there was something real there after all. There was only one way to know for sure.

In a previous life, he went to the public library as a mere Otaku, a passionate sort who enjoyed the media around him to satiate his pleasures. Now, he was here only for answers.

Naofumi navigated his way to the bookshelf where this all started. He saw the familiar artwork of a light novel featuring a girl on its cover, the very same book he had looked at before finding the book that changed his fate. He looked up at the shelf above and found it empty.

Back home, Naofumi tried to organize his thoughts while he prepared lunch. He had a notepad out, just in case he needed to write something down.

The book wasn't there. Did that mean he was stuck here? Or was that just because it was magic? Or maybe it was because he was no longer wanted as one? Or maybe he was forced out?

He tried to reach into his memories, but everything past the… beach was a blur.

He flicked on the television screen and let the news play out. "This week, the Winter Animation Lineup is about to be announced," said a woman on the screen. "Legendary screenwriter Hideo Kojima is partnering with Toho Studios to produce a unique Kaiju Romance Spy Thriller. Set to release in four weeks."

Oh yeah, I remember that. The ads for this one were everywhere. Never got to see it before I vanished. He took out the skillet and set it alight. The smell of fried pork filled the room.

"Wow, that really smells good," he heard Daisuke shouting from his room.

"Just wait a moment," Naofumi barked.

"If that's supposed to motivate me, it's working!" Daisuke barked.

Naofumi thought. Daisuke could use my help. If I stay here, I wonder if it'd help motivate him more. I don't know what happened to him when I disappeared. It could have devastated him and I can't imagine Mom and Dad would be happy either.

"Watch and be amazed as skyscraper sized monsters tangle in the world of spycraft!" the tv blurted out, just as Naofumi completed the quick pork stir fry.

Maybe if I stayed behind, I could watch this movie with my brother. It's not his sort of thing, but I don't think it's anyone's sort of thing.

So, why did he go try to find that book? He had a life here.

A twinge of guilt seeped into Naofumi's heart. He had almost forgotten. Raphtalia, his most trusted companion. A demihuman girl who stood by him when literally the whole world turned against him. In a world he couldn't fight back, where cruel monsters wore human skin, she served as a reminder that not everyone was wicked deep down inside. Without her, he was nothing in that world.

She'd be in a world without him in it. Maybe, it'd be a better life for her, one where she would be able to choose whatever fate she wanted instead of having to be bound by his side? Raphtalia was strong, had plenty of friends and connections because of the work they did together, and most importantly, she could be really clever when she really wanted to be.

Filo would back her, too. He didn't know if Raphtalia could feed the big hungry bird, but other people seemed to keep filolials just fine. Erhart kept all three of them going ever since the beginning by keeping their equipment in tip top shape. Eclair would be there, providing her with some extra muscle, when she wasn't insisting on training at all times. And Rishia was still a friend, even if she had her own problems.

He closed his eyes, trying to envision the woman he knew. He could imagine Raphtalia with her reddish eyes that seemed to possess a joy, her brown hair let down long. With a sword in hand, she could slice a monster to bits before anyone would notice, as beautiful as she was dangerous.

Cooking oil splattered onto his arms, jolting him back to reality. Maybe I shouldn't be cooking while thinking this hard.

His eyes opened as a realization struck. But I'm in the past.

That Raphtalia… no longer existed. Raphtalia, right now would be level 1 as an abused child slave suffering from a fever. A child that suffered from nightmares and was at the mercy of whatever cruel sadist decided she was worthy of their attention. A child that there was a good chance she wouldn't have lasted the week if he hadn't bought her at the moment he did.

Naofumi could still see that child, the one that she was when he bought her, a weeping thing that was frightened at her own shadow, that followed orders with tears in her eyes and fear in her heart. She seemed so scared of him, back then.

Naofumi placed the stir fry on the kitchen table, his job done, but he no longer felt hungry. He then picked up his notebook and tried to imagine a timeline that assumed that when the Four Heroes were summoned, it wasn't him.

Assuming someone else would be summoned and have the same target painted on their back as I did, what were the chances that they would save Raphtalia? Would they think to buy a sickly raccoon girl? There was a chance they would not. And even if they did, would they have treated her well? What if they were just like that monster Rabier?

Filo would likely live out her whole life as an ordinary filolial. Rishia would still be saved by Itsuki, but would she be saved from him? Eclair would be saved by Mirellia, but that depended on her survival and the state of the Three Heroes Church. Melty would be at the mercy of Bitch.

And that's just the people who traveled with me. There's a whole village I swore to protect.

Too many people were counting on him to simply just…walk away. It would be one thing if he left them and they were capable of fending for themselves, it was another thing entirely to abandon them when he knew they'd be in danger.

If I really was two to three weeks before my Summoning, that meant I might have two to three weeks to prepare for my Summoning. Two to three weeks to not only get my affairs in order, but also to… bring some extra things along with me.

Naofumi didn't know if items from his world could be absorbed by the Legendary Shield, but maybe he could try. Barring that, maybe there were items he could sell that would be worth a fortune in Melromarc? Were there any recipes or ideas that he could fabricate over there? If his Earth clothes worked, surely he could bring a book. And the big one; could he bring electronics?

He frowned: now that he thought about it, neither Ren, Itsuki, nor Motoyasu talked one bit about cell phones they had on their person. Of course, maybe that was just because the three of them died before they were summoned.

Assuming this is an airport and I am limited to 15 to 20 kilograms…what was the most value, financial, practical, or recreational, that I could stuff in a backpack?

Naofumi didn't know many things, but he did think Raphtalia did deserve more toys to play with.

His allowance also wouldn't be enough.

He turned to his room full of various Otaku paraphernalia. He wasn't going to need most of it anymore, not where he was going. Manga and posters would be easy to sell, but the figurines took way too long in his experience. Some of the games he had were digital or MMOs, but the majority were physical copies; and if all else failed, he could pawn off his PC and consoles. Plus, a quick entry level job would give him quite a lot of money; he had some friends who could help him out there. "Hey, Daisuke! I'm thinking of selling off some of my collection to afford some new things. Anything you want to keep?"

Mom, Dad, Daisuke

If you're reading this. This is because I've decided I need to go somewhere else. Please don't try to find me. I don't intend to die, but where I am going, I don't expect you to follow me.

I am not running away from the house because of my schooling or because of my choice of recreational activity. Rather, I'm going because I've become someone people were counting on and I need to be able to fulfill that role.

Please understand.

Mom, Dad.

Don't blame Daisuke. He's trying hard as it is. But he needs more than just financial support if he wants to make it.

Daisuke.

If you think it's impossible, don't push yourself too hard, but don't go easy on yourself. In the meantime, I leave everything I have left to you. Also, be careful who you trust.

I don't know if I'll ever speak to any of you again, but I just want to say.

I love you all,

Iwatani Naofumi

Naofumi frowned as he looked at the email he was about to send. He had borrowed one of the public library computers and had it set to message his final goodbyes to his family an hour after he left. With a single press of a button, the notification in the mailbox stated it would be sent at the correct time.

The last time he did this, his disappearance was from out of nowhere. His family likely struggled because they didn't know what happened to him. This way at least, they would have an answer, even if that answer was "I wanted to disappear".

He closed the shut off computer's monitor and logged out. With the hefty backpack he had bought, he made his way down the bookshelf where his life changed.

On that fateful day, Naofumi Iwatani did not hesitate to pick up Records of the Four Holy Weapons and let the world do its worst to him, all for the sake of the people he cared about.

Bright light engulfed Naofumi, obscuring everything.

"Please, Holy Heroes! We beseech you to save our world from the Waves of Catastrophe!" shouted a bishop as the light died down.

Naofumi found the Legendary Shield on its right hand, its default Small Shield configuration. It was like he was being reunited with an old friend.

He was no longer in his hometown's public library, but instead in the middle of a throne room that he had plenty of memories of, mostly bad ones.

Naofumi turned and found his supposed "equals" right behind him.

"I refuse."

"Yeah, likewise."

"You can get us back to our world, right?"

Naofumi stared at them as they essentially made baseless demands without knowing the kind of situation they were in. Really, if they had all made their demands too steep, the knights and clerics could have easily killed them and they would have simply summoned another set of heroes, just like Fitora said she would. Naofumi simply stayed silent and let them proceed as normal, he didn't want to speak to a certain King.

"I am King Aultcray Melromarc XXXII," said the King of garbage. Legally, he wasn't Trash yet, though Naofumi was looking forward to that royal decree coming to fruition. "Heroes name yourselves!"

"Amaki Ren, sixteen years old, high schooler," said Ren.

"I'm Kitamura Motoyasu. Twenty-one and a college student."

"I suppose I'm up next. Kawasumi Itsuki, seventeen years old, and a high schooler."

"Ren, Motoyasu, Itsuki, is it?" Trash said, again ignoring Naofumi.

Naofumi stayed silent. He knew that the room was against him, but at his current level, he wasn't going to survive if he was being foolish. Besides, he wasn't here to make friends.

"King Aultcray," Itsuki spoke up. "But what about him? Isn't he one of us as well?"

The King levied a scowl to both Naofumi and Itsuki, much to the latter's surprise. "Ah, yes. Him."

That was a mild surprise. Last time Naofumi lived through this, he had been trying to grab some attention, but instead Itsuki had given it to him. "My name is Iwatani Naofumi. I'm twenty and a university student."

King Trash grunted. "I supposed I owe you an explanation then." He then began a spiel about how Melromarc and the world needed the Cardinal Heroes to fight off the waves and protect it, leaving out the part that he had summoned them all when they were supposed to be given to the four greatest countries of the world.

"Of course, you will all be compensated for your efforts, once the waves are repelled," King Trash continued.

The other three began immediately asking questions about the rewards and what they'd receive.

Meanwhile, Naofumi was fairly aware of all of the clerics and acolytes gathering around him and pointing. Naofumi always felt it unfair that the other three could act like jerks while he's the one who was supposedly the evil one. Then again, he wasn't here for either the others or the preachers.

"Then if you have an agreement, please check your statuses!"

Having done so many times, Naofumi didn't hesitate to bring it up.

Naofumi Iwatani
Level 1 - Shield Hero

His HUD appeared before his eyes and his statistics seemed to be appropriate for his level 1 self. But there were several discrepancies. His Inventory was empty, that was expected. He knew the weapon enhancements of the other heroes, but for some reason they were crossed out and unavailable to him. He also started with a few beginner potion and accessory recipes and the spell First Guard.

The worst thing to find out is that his entire shield menu was cleared, all save two shields. One was the Small Shield he already had equipped. The other was the Shield of Rage I. Then again, he supposed it was only fair; a good chunk of the people who made his life a living hell were all within 30 feet of him.

"Then if we form a party… wait, oh, I guess we can't." Itsuki tried to say.

At the very least, they would soon get out of the throne room. Naofumi did not know long he could tolerate Trash looking at him the way he did.

A private chamber was set for the Four Cardinal Heroes, as it was when Naofumi had done this last time.

However, instead of examining the world they found themselves in, the other three were clearly eying Naofumi the thing he carried behind him. None of them had backpacks, so that was fair.

"So, you've been awfully quiet." Motoyasu whistled. "And you've got that awful scowl on your face."

I'll show you a scowl. Naofumi's frown deepened.

Motoyasu awkwardly bared his teeth in a faux smile. "Look, Naofumi. I don't know what has you so upset, but if it's anything I've done, I'm sorry."

Naofumi internally read out Motoyasu's list of crimes against him, ranging from trying to steal both Rapthalia and Filo, to nearly killing two separate villages, and most importantly of all, trusting Bitch. Then again, most of that was because of said Bitch; but his obsession with Filo was all his own fault.

"Yeah!" Itsuki agreed. "Why do you look so upset?" Said the guy who caused a civil war over taxation.

Naofumi took a deep inhale.

It was strange, having the two of them trying to get his approval instead of calling him a villain or cheater. Maybe he could tolerate them for the night. Of course, he wasn't going to trust them with everything.

Naofumi came up with a simple lie, redirecting the target of his hatred to people more deserving. "If you've paid attention to those rosaries those priests were wearing, you'd know they belong to the Three Heroes Church. Guess which of the 'Holy Heroes' do they worship?"

Ren said abruptly. "The Shielder class is weak. I am sorry for your misfortune."

The other two nodded as well.

Naofumi shook his head. "No, they don't care about that. In the book, it's because Siltvelt worships the Shield Hero predominantly and Melromarc sees Siltvelt as a mortal enemy."

Motoyasu leaned back in his chair. "Wow, I didn't know Emerald Online had supplementary lore like that."

Itsuki spoke up next. "Wait, you don't mean Dimension Wave, do you?"

"I'm serious!" said Motoyasu. "Emerald Online is pretty famous!"

"But Dimension Wave is a single-player console game! It doesn't have a multiplayer mode."

"Console game? I thought we were in Brave Star Online, which is a VRMMO," Ren said next.

And to throw a wrench into their discussion, Naofumi threw a few yen in. "Oh, you guys think this is a game? I thought I got sucked into a light novel at the public library."

"That makes no sense!" Itsuki said.

"If you're playing a single player console game, how are we here, Itsuki?" Motoyasu said next.

"I have an idea. Who's the Prime Minister?" Ren asked the question on everyone's mind.

The four Heroes all gave different answers to that question and the next five after that.

"So we all come from Alternate Japans?" Of course despite asking that, Naofumi already knew the answer. They did.

"Seems like it," Red said next. He then pointed to Naofumi's back. "But why do you have that? None of us brought anything else but clothes on our backs, but for some reason you have an entire backpack."

Naofumi took off the backpack he had been carrying with him since the Summons. The thing was bulky and was filled with various items. "I was planning on moving houses and I decided to look in my local library for a book that gave me some very fond memories before heading to my new home." Naofumi lied. It was technically the truth. He had to build up favors before he could rebuild Lulurona, with her at his side. "I… don't think it'll be available for a while."

Ren scowled. "It's possible that it is because I died."

"Seriously?"

"You, too?"

There were exchanges on how the other three heroes died. Motoyasu's story stood out the most, since his two lovers decided to go on a joint murder-suicide.

Ren nodded. "If that's the case, that… perfectly explains the situation. You were allowed to carry everything on your person because you didn't die."

Naofumi set down the pack. "Sure seems like it." He patted the bag. "You have an idea to get rid of it? I can't exactly carry this thing everywhere." Naofumi of course already knew he could put the thing into his Shield, but he didn't want to seem all knowing.

Motoyasu whistled, eying the pack. "Just put in your Shield, but before you do that, is there anything cool inside?"

Naofumi shook his head. "Nothing I want to share. Unless you want crayons and coloring books. I intended to give them to a cousin I wanted to meet." Half a lie, there were crayons and coloring books, as well as other toys; they just weren't meant for a cousin.

Motoyasu raised his hands in a defensive gesture; he clearly didn't want to play with children's toys, not when he was among the oldest in the room. "Oh, that's kind of sweet of you. You must like the kid. Wonder if I could meet the little guy when we're out of here."

Naofumi shrugged. He doubted Raphtalia would know who Motoyasu was other than as "Sir Spear Hero", but right now, Motoyasu was trying to be nice. Now if only he could make up for all of his future crimes. "Maybe." He lazily placed his backpack into his shield, storing it in his Inventory.

Itsuki then raised a hand. "Wait, so about Melromarc, isn't it kind of unfair that you're treated badly for religious reasons?"

Naofumi smirked. He supposed it was only fair that the "Justice" obsessed Itsuki wouldn't approve of discrimination. "Maybe. The feeling is mutual in Siltvelt from what I read. They worship the Shield Hero like some sort of God-King and despise the other three Heroes." He frowned. "Don't worry about it, I'm used to treatment like this." One might say, I have first hand experience.

"Still unfair," Itsuki replied.

"So, you read this all in a book?" Motoyasu said. "Any other tidbits? Any juicy spoilers?"

Naofumi waved his hands. "It was mostly surface level history stuff, but basically, Siltvelt and Melromarc are opposites in many ways. In Siltvelt, demihumans enslave humans, while here humans enslave demihumans. Demihumans being people with animal parts or humanoid animals, if you didn't know."

Both Itsuki and Motoyasu looked like their skin was about to crawl.

Naofumi continued. "Melromarc, if it's like in my book, has a Queen with a Prince Consort. So if that's true, King Aultcray is the secondary ruler. No idea where the Queen is though." Other than being in an extended diplomatic crisis because of her husband.

"Wow, that never happened in Emerald Online. There was no Queen there," Motoyasu replied. "Such a shame, too. She would have been hot, I bet."

"Wait, if you're going to be discriminated against while in Melromarc, aren't you worried about what'll happen when we're given our follower NPCs?" Itsuki brought up.

Naofumi really wished that these people would wake up to reality… even if reality did use game mechanics in place of physics. "NPC? Why do you think it's a game? Remember, I opened a book to get here." Not that I expect that to convince you.

"Just answer the question!" Itsuki deflected.

"There's probably demihumans around here that could help me. And if I can't do that, I heard there is a place to find good monsters." All under one roof in fact.

To his surprise, Ren spoke up next. "Beastmaster builds, especially if you managed to hatch any rare monsters from the egg lottery, were incredibly good early to mid game. Higher tier pets are also equal to good party members, especially the mounts with special attack options. I approve of your strategy, though it would be very difficult to have freshly hatched monsters ready for the first Wave without a proper power leveler. Your current class isn't efficient at that, so you'll still need a primary DPS source from somewhere else."

Naofumi blinked, never expecting Ren of all people to give him an outright compliment coupled with build advice. He also correctly recognized there was an egg lottery at all, assuming all else was the same under Beloukas's tent. Then again, unlike last time, he was not acting like a "noob" who had no idea what he was doing. Maybe he could give Ren a pointer or two for not heading into disaster in exchange. Especially since an entire village did not need to die of plague and poison. "Thanks, Ren. For that, mind if I give you some background lore that might be useful? It's only fair."

Ren shrugged indifferently.

"Try to burn, bury, or outright destroy corpses if you make any," Naofumi said, as he remembered the zombie dragon he fought that nearly killed Filo and damned his soul. "If this world's like my book, some powerful monsters turn into undead if left to rot."

Ren smirked at that. He seemed to think on that. "I'll put that to good use."

Maybe Ren's smarter than I thought. A wave of relief went through Naofumi. Was this really all he had to do to make these boneheads listen to him? Surely, they can't be this willing to accept him? How many times was I called a cheater for using my head? Is this what it's like for other people to drink alcohol?

He shook it off. Maybe it just came down to the fact that unlike last time, a certain princess hadn't poisoned any chance at mutual respect he had with the others.

Naofumi had wanted to forget about her, but with his mood the way it was now that the three listened to the words he had to say, he decided to get a little payback. You torpedoed my reputation, this is preemptive payback.

"Oh, one last thing," Naofumi took out a slip of paper. He wrote down a short message.

In case anyone else is eavesdropping: putting this here.

Princess Malty was billed as the "first boss human antag" of the first act book. Be careful when dealing with her.

Ren squinted. "Is that really necessary?"

"The princess? Really?" Motoyasu scowled at him.

Itsuki went to close his eyes. "Wait, that's major spoilers! Please, don't tell me you've ruined the plot!"

Naofumi scowled. He took the paper and put it into his shield for cleanup later. Nothing was unlocked. "Fine, be that way." Shows me what happens when I give them the benefit of the doubt.

Ren frowned. "It's time to head for bed."

Motoyasu yawned. "Yeah, he'is right, it is getting late."

Itsuki looked back at Naofumi, a strange look in his eyes.

Naofumi took his time to move, as he saw the other heroes leave. He felt a smirk creep upon him. If this is what getting listened to feels like, I have been missing out.

At the first sign of dawn, a crowd gathered in the throne room, waiting to see how the Four Cardinal Heroes would begin their journey. Onlookers from the humblest maids to the noble knights stood at the periphery, whilst the Heroes stood facing the throne. Opposite them were the scores of adventurers who were selected to participate.

Both Heroes and spectators gossiped about who would be joining who.

In a previous life, Naofumi would have wanted someone to come with him, someone to save him from the embarrassment of being alone. Instead, he was looking forward to going solo again; he also didn't know anyone here.

Naofumi felt an elbow from Motoyasu. Nothing painful against his defense, but annoying nonetheless.

"So, who do you think we'll get? I'm hoping for some ladies myself," Motoyasu gave him a smirk, showing where his priorities lay.

"Quiet down," Ren hissed.

King Aultcray, Lord of the Garbage Bin, rose, his voice commanding. "Now, our future champions! Time to begin your journey!"

Adventurers scattered, choosing heroes. Two assigned themselves to Itsuki, one less than before. Ren has six, likely gaining what Itsuki lost. Motoyasu obtained four. Motoyasu got what he wished for and had a party of 4 women. A wave of relief surged to Naofumi, he only had himself and that was the goal. All he had to do was wait for the King to dismiss him, and he would only need to speak to Trash just to get his coins from the Second Wave.

On the other hand, the murmurs were unbearable.

"No one picked him?"

"He said he'd recruit demihumans and animals. Scandalous!"

"Pst," Motoyasu whispered. "Seems you were right, some maid must have listened to us."

"What kind of Hero would rely on animals aside from a mount?"

"He even compared glorious Melromarc to rotten Siltvelt. Our actions are justified! Theirs are not!"

Itsuki whispered back, "The nerve of these people…"

"It does seem a bit unfair," Motoyasu agreed.

Itsuki stepped forward and knelt down. "King Aultcray, I must make a request."

The King narrowed his eyes to the young man.

"What are you doing?" Naofumi barked.

"Doing what's right," Itsuki whispered back. He turned to face King Trash again. "Sir, I think Naofumi needs a companion. He's not able to fight by himself! Are there any volunteers that could help him?"

Naofumi felt his face sink in. Now of all times, when he wanted his negative reputation among the nobility to work in his favor, Itsuki of all people was undermining him by trying to be helpful. Did I do something in a past life to deserve this?

"I'll volunteer!"

Naofumi's blood ran cold.

That. Bitch. Witch. Whore. Myne. Malty. She raised her hand with an expression of glee as she left Motoyasu's party. "I'll go with him!"

"Are you sure?" her father asked.

"Of course!"

Naofumi's teeth clenched. His fists balled. His heart pounded. Okay, he could do this. All he had to do was just not equip the Shield of Rage and commit suicide.

"I… I must object!" Naofumi shouted at the top of his lungs. Never again in a million years would he accept her, not even if she was chained to a rock and had twelve different slave crests.

Everyone, including Trash, Bitch, every single spectator, party member, or Hero, looked at Naofumi.

Naofumi felt like his teeth were going to fall off with how hard he was gritting them. He knelt down to conceal his rage. "I cannot protect the First Princess of Melromarc as I am now." Because I want to beat her senseless. "Please find someone else more capable and suited to the task." Because I hate her. "I simply cannot ensure her safety."

Both the king and his daughter looked at one another.

Trash was the first to recover. "You knew she was my daughter?"

"Her portrait is displayed prominently, King Aultcray. Some even have name plaques." Naofumi replied, taking several breaths to make a logical argument, one that was both clear and could be made by anyone with a pair of eyes. Granted, he didn't know if the Heroes were allowed anywhere near those paintings, but there were plenty of them. "Not many people have her exact same hair coloration. It's… fiery." Because she is a demon.

"What is he doing?"

"No one just… rejects a princess…"

"She does have unique hair. She should have dyed it."

Motoyasu stepped forward, a hand outstretched. "Myne, you're still welcome by my side."

Naofumi tried to make a smile so people wouldn't catch onto the sheer hatred he had for that woman, but he was sure he looked awkward while doing it. If he could, he would come up with a justification to have Myne locked up in a tall tower instead of being free to spread misery out onto the world, but the world was never fair.

Bitch, to her credit, seemed to keep composure. She looked at Naofumi with disgust before raising her head and strutting back to Motoyasu's side. "Thank you, Sir Motoyasu."

King Trash froze, seemingly unable to comprehend what he had just witnessed.

"I don't understand you at all," Itsuki whispered.

"I was about to say the same thing," Naofumi murmured. He hoped that the entire display would be worth it; that there would be no consequences greater than having that Witch near him. Maybe if he's unlucky, the Three Heroes Church would catch on that he knew too much, but he would never trust her again, even if it was just for pretend. Maybe claiming weakness here would be an advantage with them.

Trash coughed, finally snapping himself out. "I suppose that the Shield Hero wishes to find his own party rather than have it given to him." He cocked his head, aiming his gaze towards men carrying bags of money. "Every month, each Hero will be given the funds they require. These are your initial funds. They contain 600 silver each. Please accept them."

The men stepped forward and handed out pouches laden with silver to each Hero.

"Use this money to procure what you need," King Aultcray swiped his hand. "Go forth on your journey!"

The Heroes all walked out the front door.

Noafumi hoped there would be no negative repercussions for this, but now he was starting to be worried about Itsuki constantly standing up for him. Itsuki… could have a massive target on his back if he didn't keep his mouth shut.

Motoyasu hovered over to Naofumi's side, leaving Bitch to speak to the other girls. "I know what you're thinking, 'I must be crazy, right?'"

Naofumi scowled. "Something like that."

"Geez, whatever I did to you, I'm sorry, okay." Motoyasu apologized for things that he hadn't done yet. "What if I could redeem her?" He gave an awkward smile. "She might end up like Fleonne-Chan from Makai-Land; all I need is enough Love!"

Naofumi considered that. Last time, Motoyasu trusted Bitch with every little thing and backed her no matter what evil she did, because of her honeyed words. Now? Motoyasu still wanted her around, but maybe he'd wise up? Oh, who am I kidding? It's Motoyasu! She could betray him and he'd still come crawling back. "Don't know if that'd work. Are you sure?"

"Very!" Motoyasu seemed giddy.

"It's not like I could stop you."

Motoyasu winked at him. "I knew you'd understand." He then darted off, motioning his entire harem to follow.

Naofumi didn't, but he didn't care. This was all busy work to him. If he was deluded about the reality of this world, he'd have compared that entire slog to a series of unskippable cutscenes. Now, he could finally get down to why he was even here in the first place.

"Open up will you!" Naofumi shouted at the top of his lungs. He was covered in sweat from frantic running, his clothes soaked. For the past twenty minutes, he had rushed all the way from the castle to meet with the dealer.

No response. The guards outside the tent stood as stoic as statues, their feet firm and their hands behind their backs. Veils covered their heads, but none of them had tails, so it was a safe bet to assume they were human. Uniformly strong and bare chested, Naofumi had assumed that they came from far off Zeltoble since they looked out of place compared to the medieval European of Melromarc.

Naofumi scowled. He had to see her, see her now. "What's the hold up?"

"VIP customer," one of the guards finally said.

Whoever this VIP customer was, I wish I could slam my shield into them; not to actually hurt them, but to make me feel better! There's a girl there that needs my help. Even if she doesn't remember me, Raphtalia deserves better than this! Gritting his teeth Naofumi swore. There was only one way in. He pulled his shield from his back and then slammed his fist into it. "See this? I'm the Shield Hero. I don't care who your VIP is, but I probably outrank them!"

The two guards turned to each other, as if wordlessly communicating. One of them poked his head inside the tent and shouted. "Boss! Someone's here to see you. Says he's the Shield Hero."

"...Bring him in!" he could hear the slave trader shout.

Naofumi sighed with relief. His journey would be worth it. He could finally do what he came to this world to do.

Cages lined the walls of the tent, each full of all manner of beast and mongrel, the public face of the business. Deeper in were the demihuman cages, far in the back.

But the cage he was looking for was separate from the others, with Beloukas, the slave merchant, standing right outside with that jovial persona.

Inside were three slaves, all of them quite small.

Naofumi singled one of them out, a small girl was covered in sheet rags, her cheek smeared by a whip. She was here, damaged, alone, afraid. "Raph… Raphtalia…" he said with exasperation as he ran to meet her.

Raphtalia's eyes turned towards him. "Master…Na," she sounded weak, but clearly pushed herself to declare an all too familiar phrase, "Master Naofumi!".

Naofumi paused. Did she just call me her 'Master'? Did she really know who I was? "Hey, I'm… not your master yet. It's… really you. You remember me?"

"You're… early, I think," a smile formed on her lips. She seemed so weak.

Eyes widened in surprise; Naofumi knew then and there he wasn't alone. Raphtalia, his Raphtlia, was there, right in front of him! He dashed over and pulled the coin purse he received from the King. "I couldn't bear the thought of leaving you here. I got my silver from the King, so I'll buy your freedom. You won't have to wait for me to get desperate. I'm here for you already!" His eyes turned towards the two other people in the cage, only one of them was familiar. "Keel, is that you?"

The dog boy rose from where he sat. "Wait, you're the Shield Hero and you already know my name?"

Naofumi blinked. Why is Keel here? Shouldn't he be in Lord Rabier's estate? Did he get traded then? But then who was this other girl?

Raphtalia held Keel's hand. "He's here to save us, along with Rifana. I told you."

Keel frowned but then let out a chuckle. "I should have believed in you more Raphtalia."

Naofumi's gaze lowered and turned towards the sleeping girl in the cage. He never met Rifana and only had a few scant descriptions about her. Was it weird that he met a kid as a skeleton first before seeing her in the flesh? "Is that who I think it is?"

Raphtalia nodded, there was a gleam in her eye, a sort of pride. "I saw a chance to save my friends and I took it."

Naofumi lifted the coin purse in his hand. Thankfully, he wasn't buying gear for a specific Bitch, nor was he planning on having to buy that stupid chainmail for Motoyasu. He had plenty of silver to spare, though his ambitions were greater than the miserly sort he had been when Raphtalia was growing up. "I think I can afford it, it'll be tough but I think I can take care of you all."

Beloukas appeared right before Naofumi, a fat sack of coins in his gloved hands. He then passed it on to Raphtalia. "Here, young miss. As part of our arrangement, I've already deduced your processing fees. You're free to go, though I still recommend acquiring slave-seals for your protection." He then opened the cage door before disappearing elsewhere in the tent.

Naofumi suddenly realized who the VIP the slave trader was seeing. Maybe don't mention that I inadvertently wanted to bash her head in. "Raphtalia, what did you do?"

Raphtalia let out a giggle, she clearly took full advantage of her situation. "I followed your example and sold some things. We can talk about it later."

Naofumi felt a surge of pride in his trusted friend. She could take care of herself. She could be sent back in time as a child slave and somehow come on top. He brought his hand over Raphtalia's head and gently patted her on the head, she deserved it. "Alright, I trust you."

Raphtalia's childish face swelled cutely.

"Is that the Shield Hero?" a voice said weakly. Rifana arose and stumbled to meet Naofumi.

Raphtalia gave him a pleading look.

Naofumi wagered she wanted her friends to come along with them. A part of him really wished he didn't have to rely on child warriors. In fact a part of him wished he could let Raphtalia live out her childhood days without needing to worry sword fighting and the Waves of Catastrophe, but suboptimal conditions mean suboptimal decisions. Besides, Raphtalia would not accept that arrangement, if it meant being weak again. Might as well put on a show.

"I sure am. And I am in need of your help." Naofumi raised his hands, showing the Holy Shield he carried. "I am the Shield Hero. This shield makes it hard for me to attack. I can guard and protect others, but I cannot defeat foes by myself. Will you fight by my side?"

Rifana cried. The weasel girl seemed so happy, for some reason. "Yes… I will!"

Keel pounded his chest. "Same here!"

Raphtalia blushed back, a deep smile on her lips. "I will be your sword, Master Naofumi."

And you'll follow me where I'll go. Naofumi completed it in his mind. She said that as an adult, one of the first things she did when he finally understood demihumans didn't quite follow human rules. She sounded so cute saying her promise now, a reminder that despite things changing, some things will remain the same.

"Sir Hero," Beloukas brought his hat to his chest and did a short bow. Gesturing to more... reputable sections of the tent, he held a wooden case that contained slave inking tools on his other hand. A stool was nearby, it was time. "If you don't mind?"

Naofumi grumbled. He wanted to spend more time with Raphtalia, but they could speak later. "You guys up for this?" He didn't see a problem with putting slave crests on willing people - he just reasoned them to be just a fancy magical tattoo, one which gave his companions increased strength, but so many others have abused… Admittedly, he may have also thought of it as an insurance policy, that no one would ever betray him, again.

"Yes!" Raphtalia burst out of the cage and eagerly sat on the stool.

Naofumi just shook his head. It was always something she insisted on, perhaps because he had essentially raised her. If it made her feel better.

Beloukas practically giggled. "My, you two must have been really close for her to act like that. I confess I have only had the pleasure of putting slave crests on willing subjects twice; both of them, one to the other."

Raphtalia groaned. "Get on with it!"

"Very well, young lady," Beloukas said as he poured ink into a saucer.

Naofumi remembered this. He placed his hand over the saucer and cut a small incision over one of his fingers. Blood dripped downward, mixing with the ink.

The remover was applied, burning the previous contract away and making room for the next one. Beloukas wasted no time and inscribed the seal onto Raphtalia's chest.

Naofumi could hear the other kids behind him, questioning whether or not to get a slave crest themselves.

"Wait, she was serious!?" Keel whispered.

"Yeah, I'll probably do it if she's that trusting," Rifana declared. "What about you 'man of the sea'? I thought you said you would do it, too."

"Not like that, and… I just wanted to make Raph feel better! I just thought she was dreaming again!"

Naofumi easily put two and two together. With how both Raphtalia's friends were speaking about this, it was probably Raphtalia that told them that he would be visiting and there was a chance that they would be his slaves. Further, it'd explain why Beloukas the slave trader would be paying a slave in silver. Knowledge from the future is more valuable than gold. "I'm assuming they know," he said to Raphtalia.

"Yes, though not the full details." Raphtalia replied with her eyes closed. The slave seal sizzled her chest and throat. She didn't flinch or struggle.

Beloukas smirked at him. "Yes, she has told me of your arrival and of a certain 'Replica'. Though, if you would like to provide consultation yourself, Sir Shield Hero, you are welcome to do so."

Naofumi mulled it over. Beloukas was simply a business associate, one who had very little care of morals and cared only for obtaining coin. He trusted him simply because their relationship was contractual and the slaver had the necessary contacts to meet his needs. However, Naofumi was meeting this Beloukas for the first time; he still didn't know how accurate his information was, though Raphtalia certainly utilized hers.

Speaking of, Raphtalia. Raphtalia promptly got off the stool, the slave crest finished on her chest.

Rifana went to a stool, with a bright and expectant smile as she looked at Naofumi. "You are fond of Raph, aren't you?" The remover was applied once again.

"I am," he said truthfully. In a way, when he saved Raphtalia from this place, she also saved him.

Rifana smiled, even as the crest was poured onto her chest though she grimaced slightly.

Naofumi pondered. If he was going to start with three party members this time around, what was one more? Could he get Filo back? Even if just Filo as she originally started? Then again, unlike everyone else, Filo might not exist; she wasn't born yet. "When do you get your monster eggs? I want something from the egg lottery, something specific."

Beloukas shrugged. "Hm, do you want me to give you specific eggs? I could do that, quite easily."

Naofumi blinked. "So you have a way of sorting which eggs hatch into what creature?"

"Yes. Monster eggs take variable amounts of time to develop depending on the species. At the lowest end, the filolials take 35 days without any enhancements. Other animals take significantly longer."

"So you have to know which eggs are going to hatch and when so you can dispose of the new monster in the relevant fashion. I assume there's ways to prevent outsiders from cheating and knowing which monster eggs are what. You also probably do it in batches too to simplify bookkeeping."

"Precisely. I can see you understand my business. You're very familiar with me, aren't you?" Beloukas eagerly smiled. He stepped away from Rifana, the seal on her also done. The girl skipped off the stool. "I can give you a dragon or other creature egg, though at a significant upcharge."

Naofumi frowned. "I actually want a filolial egg, so, do you know when you're going to be changing out the filolials?"

"24 days from now," Beloukas announced proudly. "I take it that you have something in particular in mind, if you want a filolial."

"Very, very particular," Naofumi said.

Beloukas adjusted his spectacles. "A companion that might not be born yet? I see you don't want just any monster, you want your monster. Oddly, I can empathize with that."

"NOO!" Keel shouted.

One of the masked guards dragged Keel and forced him onto the stool.

"Come on, don't be a big baby!" shouted Rifana. "I did it, Raph did it!"

"... I don't know if this is a good idea," Raphtalia said.

Keel tried to fight back, but it was him versus a giant with maybe 60 levels over him.

Naofumi rubbed his temples. Why is this so familiar? Sometimes becoming a slave owner was more frustrating than it was worth. Especially since the prospective slave did not want to have the contract. On the other hand, life was not fair; being a slave at least temporarily would at least make the dog boy stronger.

Speaking of…

Naofumi threw down 20 silvers to gain by far the most efficient stat boost he could ever obtain. "Mind if I take the rest of that bottle?"

Beloukas smirked. "Oh, of course. Would you like change with that?"

"Keep the change. It's your service fee," Naofumi said lazily. He took the bottle of slave crest ink and threw the whole thing into his shield.

Slave User Shield Unlocked

[Locked] Equip Bonus: slave maturation adjustment (small)

Slave User Shield II Unlocked

[Locked] Equip Bonus: slave status adjustment (small)

The bodyguard fastened Keel down, the dog boy clearly not wanting to be there.

Keel snarled, his arms crossed. He turned towards Naofumi with a pleading expression. "Why would the Legendary and Awesome Shield Hero do something as awful as this as having slaves?"

"You didn't even believe the Shield Hero existed!" Rifana called out.

"You're not helping!" Keel gave a faux smile. "I just… don't want to be a slave. I've had enough of that!"

Naofumi raised his shield. The kid clearly didn't want to do it, but the fact of the matter was, being a slave did make him stronger. And Keel looked awfully weak and in need of strength. Naofumi wouldn't abuse him, but other people have and left a mark. He didn't mind applying the crest on the willing, but Keel wasn't that. "Okay."

Keel blinked "Wait, just like that?" He almost sounded like he couldn't believe it.

Naofumi shrugged. "Still need to apply the remover, but if you really don't want to be my slave, so be it."

Keel looked up. Beloukas applied the ink remover, destroying the old contract with a sizzle. "Wait, so what about the girls?"

The guard just backed away, no longer needed.

"By having a connection to me, you gain more strength as you level. Having a slave crest will strengthen you over time," Naofumi said. "The girls accept the trade off. If you change your mind, we can come back here."

Keel frowned. He adjusted his shirt to cover the singes on his chest. "Alright. Thanks." He got up. "You're pretty cool, huh?"

"Of course, he is!" Rifana declared. "I've been telling you for years."

Raphtalia gave a sideways glance to Naofumi, her face reddish. "Rifana, not now!"

Naofumi allowed himself a small smile. Things were going well, maybe a little too well. But he allowed himself a small measure of satisfaction. The next step then would be to let them get presentable. Maybe get something to eat along the way.

Baths? Check. Clothes? Check. Weapons? Check. Armor? On order. Snackfoods? Double check.

Naofumi went through his mental list one more time, making sure that the kids were ready to be out in public. They were given simple clothes, mostly something that would last them through the month while they rapidly grew: large dresses for the girls, while slacks and pants for Keel. He opted for something that was slightly oversized, something that would better fit an adolescent but wouldn't be impossible for a child to wear.

Naofumi himself went with a padded tunic, something practical and cheap.

Erhart thankfully gave the four of them some leeway in his personal quarters, since he rightly assumed demihumans kids were not exactly welcome in public baths and many inns didn't allow for it on short notice. He didn't even do it because Naofumi was wrongly convicted of a crime and felt pity for him; Erhart allowed it because the kids needed somewhere safe to clean up… It also might have helped Naofumi paid extra to commission some extra gear before they left for Lute village.

Raphtalia led the way forward, eager as ever. "It's this way," It still felt strange to think of Raphtalia as a kid after having gotten used to her being an adult for the past few months and her often complaining about being compared to a child. Then again, Naofumi completely zoned out on Raphtalia's growth to the point it took him a near mental breakdown to realize she had grown at all.

Keel followed directly afterwards, running after her while scaring down some fish on sticks, street food that he practically begged for since he missed the taste of fish. "Hey, wait up, Raph!"

"Don't eat and run! You'll spoil your appetite and we're about to get proper food." Naofumi barked. "Also, Rifana can't keep up with you." He pointed back to the girl behind him who could barely keep up.

"It's fine, Sir Naofumi!" Rifana, the weasel demihuman, said between pained breaths. Compared to the other two who had only had occasional coughing fits after taking some medicine, Rifana still suffered the most from her illness. Her fever broke, but her coughing made it difficult to breathe. One thing was for sure, she would be taking it easy if possible.

Raphtalia finally stopped at a particular building, practically bouncing as she stood in front of it.

Naofumi gave the half-tanuki a look. Of course she would bring them all here, this place had an important meaning to both of them. He walked up to Raphtalia and expressed what he wanted to order. "So, the cheapest thing on the menu for me, and I guess a kid's meal for you and your friends?"

Raphtalia spun around, red. "I'm not a-" the complaint died in her throat when she realized that she grown up anymore.

Naofumi looked down. "Yes, you are. Just enjoy it. We both know what you'd like to have."

Raphtalia pouted, though she did crack a small smile.

Keel's tongue hung open. "Is that shrimp? I see shrimp! And trout!"

Naofumi decided to step inside before a certain dog demihuman decided to make an impatient mistake. Rifana thankfully was no hassle. Odd, was there always a sign that said, "No Demihumans Allowed!" or was that just something I ignored because I couldn't read at the time?

The restaurant was packed full of other people, but some seats were available by the back of the building. The party of four seated themselves there.

Some people turned sideways glances, no doubt wondering what to do with the newcomers. Gradually, they dismissed the demihuman kids as being too unimportant, probably filing them under as "child slaves with their master".

A serving lady eventually came and Naofumi placed the exact order that he gave to Raphtalia. "It'll be about 10 to 20 minutes before our order's ready. You should relax a bit," he told them.

Raphtalia looked like she wanted to say something to him, she took several nervous glances around her. She clearly did not like the attention.

"Take the coloring books out. I brought them for a reason," Naofumi suggested. Had there always been glances like this and he was blind to notice?

Rifana spoke up, grabbing Raphtalia's attention. "Raph, try this one. This lady looks just like Sadeena!"

Raphtalia's eyes widened as she looked upon the page depicting a seemingly normal woman dressed in a swimsuit. "Does she? She doesn't look like that."

Rifana smirked. "Oh, that's right, she showed me one time. This is what she looks like sometimes because she could shapeshift."

"Sadeena could shapeshift? Wow." Raphtalia took out several crayons: blue, white, black, and gray.

For a moment, she engrossed herself into trying to recreate a woman Naofumi had never met, though he had heard about her on occasion. The other two even jumped in to give pointers - Keel particularly tried his best to make the woman's hair look like a fishtail.

"I wonder where she is," Rifana spoke. "Do your dreams say anything, Raphtalia?"

"No, we didn't meet her, though she'd have been good to have," she said back. "Remember when you got lost at sea, Keel?"

"...No…" Keel made an obvious lie. "I would never do something that embarrassing!"

The trio drifted into topic after topic, recollections of childhood misadventures and games they played. Gossip and laughter mingled with artistic discussion.

Naofumi let himself get swept away as he observed. Rifana was like a sister to Raphtalia, in many ways her equal; when she was gone, Raphtalia grieved and couldn't find anyone to replace her: not Filo, not Melty, not Eclair, not even him. For Keel, though he was saved from Rabier, the difference in both age and responsibilities estranged the two of them; they were still friends, but did not have the time to spend on each other. Now, Raphtalia had both of them, even if for just a small time; she deserved moments like this.

"You gave them your coloring books, Naofumi?"

Unfortunately, not all good things last. Naofumi tried his best to not scowl at the newcomers for interrupting his good mood. "Ren, what brings you here?"

"Food, of course. Hunger is a facet of this world." Ren said plainly. "And as much as it is time efficient as it is to just consume trail rations and remain in the hunting grounds, simsense makes the sensation of eating dried meat its own penalty. That and the rest of my party demanded a fresh meal."

Naofumi clenched his fist, pissed off that Ren was still trying to say that he was in a VR game. He buried his frustration by focusing on the "party" topic. "Right. Don't you have 7 people and the party limit is 6?"

Ren nodded as he took a seat nearby. "I unlocked something called 'Formations'. Allows me to have a larger party during Waves with an EXP penalty." He waved over to his followers to take the nearby tables. One of them, a man in full-plate and with a curled mustache, placed an order.

"Sounds useful," Naofumi didn't know many of the people Ren had under his command, other than by reputation; mostly as a result of he and the other Heroes being at odds. "You going to use it?"

"Not sure yet," said Ren. "I do not like the idea of leading others…It would slow me down."

Naofumi grunted at the excuse. If memory serves, it was more Ren didn't know how to lead others and Naofumi had no idea how to approach that. "Just have a second in command if you don't want the hassle."

"Good idea," Ren turned back to his party. "Mald, you're the second strongest here. You're being promoted as my second in command."

Mald, the man in heavy armor, pounded his chest. "I won't fail you, Sir Ren!"

Naofumi was pretty sure he was supposed to be on Itsuki's party, yet for some reason he joined Ren. Or was he just misremembering?

Ren then went to turn around. "Thank you, Naofumi for the advice. I wish you luck on finding party members."

Naofumi responded, "Oh, no, I've already decided on my party for until the next Wave."

"What?" Ren did an about face. "I… I don't understand why you have child NPCs as your party members. I understand that they evolve by around level 20 or so, but why three of them?"

And just when I thought Ren could actually make a difference. Naofumi hardened his heart. "They're not NPCs. Stop-" He desperately wanted to tell him that it was not a game, but that was not going to convince the Hero of the Sword. "They have been through alot. Their hometown was destroyed and they have only each other left."

Ren brushed off the complaint. "They can handle themselves. It isn't as though they are in any real danger unless story flags would harm them. Further, it is obvious from the look of it that they're all malnourished and bruised. You will only hinder yourself by taking care of them."

Naofumi steamed. The children were no longer coloring using his gifts, instead Rifana and Keel both looked down at themselves with shame. Raphtalia, the most mature of them, tried to silently console them whilst silently pleading with Naofumi. How could he be so heartless? "Ren, you're making them uncomfortable," he gave a warning. Only one shield gave him the means to enforce it, one he hoped never to use again.

"Why do you care about them?" Ren's scowl deepened. "They aren't… children."

"You see their injuries, their sicknesses, the way they look at you and you think they aren't children?" Naofumi replied, his stare intense. How could he be so blind, so oblivious to the truth right in front of him? Ren caused so much trouble by not taking this world seriously.

Ren shifted in his seat uncomfortably, his eyes looking away from the kids. "Stop looking at me like that. Is there some benefit then? Is one of them secretly royalty? Is that why you care?" He tried to dodge.

"No, don't be ridiculous." Naofumi crossed his arms. He saw some of the party members stir, almost to surround their leader. "I care because they're kids."

"Enough." Ren took several deep breaths, regaining his composure. "A sad backstory and well defined damage indication systems are often used to elicit sympathy… Though you feel very strongly about this. I suppose you wouldn't be used to such concepts. Good VR is indistinguishable from reality, to the uninitiated."

Naofumi stared. No wonder Ren never wisened up; he came from a world where VR technology was truly that advanced, that there was no sense that he could have that could reveal to him that the world was truly real or not. With his HUD, the world was practically a video game from his world. Suddenly, Naofumi felt ashamed for thinking Ren was merely foolish; Ren had an actual excuse.

Ren stared at him. "Are you okay, Iwatani?"

The sound of stomachs growling changed the mood of the conversation. The kids all looked very ashamed.

Naofumi took a deep breath. "Ren, I'm taking care of these kids. Don't question my motives."

"But why you?"

"Because it's safer around me than elsewhere. Don't you know about what it's like for orphan demihumans in this country?"

"Why do you say that?"

And as if right on cue, the Sword Hero's party received a dozen various plates full of delicious food.

Naofumi pointed to it. "Well for one, despite coming here much earlier, and having both less and simpler dishes, you got your food before we did."

Mald, the armored knight, gave Naofumi a scowl. "Sir Ren, may I remind you that the sign on the establishment prohibited demihumans inside?"

"... I didn't read it," Ren admitted. "But Naofumi has a point." He waved over a server and suddenly, the order Naofumi put was finally delivered to their intended recipients.

The kids all happily dug in. Keel and Rifana both ate like the messy and starved kids they were, though Raphtalia did retain the table manners she developed when growing up the first time around, elbows off the table and all.

Naofumi nodded approvingly, glad that the children could finally have some proper food. "Thank you, Ren." Those were words that he never thought he'd have to say.

Ren took a deep breath. "Don't worry about it, just eat." He then turned his back and started to work on a soup.

"Master Naofumi," Raphtalia spoke, now that Ren had turned his back.

Naofumi moved over. "Something you need?"

Raphtalia gave a knowing smirk. "Oh, just something we did. We want to show it to you."

"Oh?"

Raphtalia took one of the coloring books and pointed to a partially colored image. "It's you, Master."

Naofumi slowly nodded his head. He saw the image of a man with canine ears who was in a fighting pose. The kids colored his cloak green and gave him black hair. They desperately tried to get rid of the ears and tail along with trying to make the sword into a shield. It was not a masterpiece, but it didn't have to be. "You guys did this?"

Rifana covered her mouth, but nodded her head.

Keel gave a "thumbs up" while he was munching through his food.

"You guys have real talent," Naofumi said. "If you really want to, you can foster it."

The look on their faces was hard to read, but Naofumi was sure they liked to hear that. He gave back the coloring book.

Raphtalia looked flustered. "Master Naofumi, we did destroy some of your crayons."

"How?"

"We may have fought over them…" Rifana said.

"Your fault," Keel blamed.

Naofumi brushed it off. "That's fine. It happens. I do have spares, I'll give them to you later, but be more careful. I'll see if I can make colored chalk or something to replace them, but no guarantees." An idea formed in his head, he had almost forgotten one of the things he wanted to try out. "Mind if I have the ruined pieces?"

The children handed the shredded remains of the red, green, blue, and black crayons.

Naofumi tossed them into his Shield, absorbing them.

Coloring Shield Unlocked
[Locked] Equip Bonus: Crafting Material Efficiency (minor)
Special Equip Effect: Color Change (weak). Free Drawing

Naofumi squinted his eyes when he saw his shield turn into essentially a big box of crayons. It didn't seem like he could open it, so he experimentally tapped on a piece of paper with his shield and imagined drawing a line. Lines of resin appeared near where the shield was. With some experimentation, the colors changed as he willed it: red, yellow, blue, black. Their orientation and direction did as well. No immediate combat application yet, but maybe it'd save money down the road.

The kids all beamed with starry eyes.

"Don't worry," Naofumi wagged his finger. "I've just got some grown up work to do. We've got a full day ahead of us, so enjoy yourselves while we're here."

The kids seemed to accept that and went back to drawing and eating.

Naofumi took a bite of his food, a nagging feeling in the pit of his gut.

A thought crept in the back of his mind. If he had time traveled and Raphtalia had also time traveled, is there a possibility that someone else also followed them back?

He knew better than to think that the world gave them both second chances for no reason. The world was a cruel place and freebies were merely a marketing tool. There had to have been a catch somewhere.

Naofumi took out his journal, a spreadsheet of all of the individuals he needed to meet on its front pages. He turned to a new page and wrote using his new shield to get practice with it.

The Butterfly Effect is a time travel concept. The idea being that a future individual's alterations to events in the past, no matter how small, would eventually lead to greater and greater changes down the line.

Naofumi looked at Rifana as she and Raphtalia were arguing over the color of a cat-eared girl's dress. He had to wonder; what would be the price for saving the weasel girl's life? Or releasing Keel so early?

Raphtalia and I both went back in time. Our initial arrival was more or less the same, but the way we have acted and negotiated ourselves has already changed history. We still don't know exactly how, but it will. And we still don't know if other people will show up as well.

Naofumi then thought about Bitch, and how in a different world, she would destroy the heart of a man who trusted her too easily in the next few hours. Without her here, what did that mean? Would he still be accused of rape? Or because he turned down Malty very publicly in front of the Royal Court, he would instead be beset by a completely different set of dangers?

Would you rather: the Devil You Know versus the Devil You Don't?