Naofumi stifled a yawn, trying his best to wake up. Not that it was easy considering it was seven in the morning and he'd only slept for a few hours. After everything that happened yesterday, sleep was the last thing on his mind. Legrand and Hrym made his thoughts run like a roller coaster.

Legrand was proof that no one could be easily trusted, especially if they were associated with the king and Malty.

Hrym… if they could find Gareth and avoid Hrym, that would be the best.

There was also the race back in Lute. Rowan had said he would use the huntsman spider he showed them yesterday and the idea of riding a hairy spider sent shivers all over his body.

'God, I hope nothing goes wrong,' he thought.

Rachel and Mina were finishing paying for their room and would grab some food from the dining area. Rowan had said he would arrive at the inn with his spider and a wagon. He explained last night when he visited that he talked with the mayor about Legrand and Gareth and the man offered him a wagon to travel in. It was generous of him, and Naofumi made a mental note to thank the mayor.

Behind him, the door to the inn opened.

"All ready!" Rachel exclaimed as she hefted her satchel. "We've got food, water for our canteens, and I even got to make some tonics and salves."

"Is Rowan almost here?" Mina looked around the village.

"He should be here soon," Naofumi answered.

"How are you feeling?" Rachel asked. "You think you're ready to beat Motoyasu?"

"It's not like I can let the village live under a tax they can't pay forever. It'll ruin their village to the point of desertion." He shook his head. Honestly, how could Malty do that to a village she knew was recovering from a wave attack?

A village he saved while the others fought a chimera.

'Fucking bitch.' Cursing her wouldn't solve any problems. But it felt damn good.

Maybe she's just born evil? That's what people say about serial killers. Psychopaths. Not even the bullies or jackasses from his time in high school were that bad. Then again, he'd stayed on the sidelines and never even gotten bullied. That's a perk of being a shut-in otaku. You'd fly by under the radar.

He wished that was his life now. Back home playing games and reading manga and light novels. Not the most ideal form of living, but it beats living in a fantasy world where literally everything could kill him.

"We'll figure something out." Mina patted him on the shoulder. "We're playing it by ear at this point. Let's try to be calm about this."

"You make it seem like this whole mess is something that can be easily fixed."

"It won't be easy, that much we all know. But your determination to win back the village shows that this is something you want to do, not because you have to." She said with finality.

Her words rang true. He wanted to save them. The villagers may not expect him to owe them anything as they believed saving their village was enough. This was something he would do for them. And maybe get something in return…

"Hey there!"

The three of them saw Rowan riding a covered wagon being pulled by the huntsman spider. It looked big enough when it was in regular size. Now it looked beyond big. How the villagers were comfortable living with giant spiders, Naofumi will never understand.

The wagon came to a stop in front of them and Rowan hopped down. "So, what do you think?" He asked with a smile on his face.

The wagon looked pristine, Naofumi noticed. The wood was dark and looked hard enough to withstand anything. Same with the wheels. The white canvas tent looked new without a smudge of dirt on it. And, to top it all off, it was big enough to store a lot of people and supplies.

And it was theirs!

"Damn," was all he said.

"It's impressive!" Rachel walked toward the wagon and looked at the inside. "Yep, we'll be rolling around like royalty here."

Mina reached and ran her fingers against the wood. "Looks sturdy," she points out. "I'm guessing the mayor wasted no expenses when he bought this?"

"He's very practical like that," Rowan said. "Anything that can be useful to everyone in Haven Clove, he'll get it for them. It helps that his brother is the mayor of the port town farther north. Anything he gets, he gives it to the mayor."

Impressive. One day, he'd like to travel to the port town. If they needed to, that is.

"So," he said. "You ready to go?"

"Yep!" Rowan replied. "I already said good-bye to my parents and I have everything I need packed." He emphasized this by hefting the bag slung over his shoulders.

"I also brought this." He reached to a leg strap on his right leg and pulled out the flintlock pistol Naofumi saw from a few days ago. "You never know when we might need bullets. And I can always buy ammo if we ever stop by Silvershore." He put the gun back to his strap.

So he was not only loaded with arrows, but he was also packing bullets.

Nice.

"OK then. If you guys are ready, let's head out."

The four of them climbed into the wagon and set aside their supplies near the end. Rowan went to the front of the wagon where he sat and adjusted the reigns.

Before he could ask his spider to move, a voice called out.

"Rowan!"

Naofumi popped his head out of the wagon and saw the mayor walking to them briskly with an older man following behind.

The older man looked like he was in his early sixties and was dressed in a white robe lined with gold. When they neared the wagon, Naofumi saw an insignia on the robe's left breast. A brown tree with orange leaves was at the center with four stars in different colors surrounding it. One purple, the other green, then orange, and a blue.

Strange.

Just from looking at the robe, he knew the man was some type of priest or bishop. He looked around and near the center of the village, he saw a church. The same insignia was painted on the front of the building above the wooden doors.

"What is it, sir?" Rowan asked the mayor.

"Just wanted to say farewell. I didn't get the chance last night so I might as well say it now." He said. "And I ran into Father Gunther. He wishes to say farewell, too."

Rowan looked to the Reverend. "You didn't have to do that, Father."

The older man waved a hand dismissively. "Nonsense. You know it's my job to bless anyone leaving on a journey. Consider it a thank you for bringing back so many elk last year. Fed my family for weeks!"

"S-sure." Rowan chuckled nervously. "Thank you."

"I guess this is good-bye then," the mayor said. "I hope you find Gareth and bring him back here. I wish you all safe passage."

"As do I," Gunther said. He closed a hand and covered it with the other, bringing them to his chest, his eyes closed and head leaning down in prayer. "May the Four Gods bless your journey with safety and prosperity. May the Four Gods offer their holy strength to see you all through your endeavors."

'Four Gods?' Naofumi remembered the Pope that was in the arena where he fought Motoyasu. He didn't see the tree insignia anywhere on the man's robe. 'That means there's more than one religion.'

Rowan said his thanks, snapped the reigns, and the spider pulled the wagon out of Haven Clove and a few minutes later, out of the woodlands.

The ride was surprisingly smooth all things considered. At the rate they're going based on the spider's speed, they'll reach Lute in two hours.

Two hours.

Hmmm…

At times like this, he wished he had his phone or Switch. Hell, even one of his manga or light novels to kill time.

What could he do to pass time?

Mina was reading a book while Rachel examined her vials. Rowan was sitting at the front guiding the spider to Lute.

They had something to do while he had nothing.

Then he remembered what Gunther had said.

"Hey."

The women stopped what they were doing and looked at him. Rowan looked over his shoulder.

"What exactly is the main religion here?"

Rachel's eyes widened with surprise. "Right. I was going to mention it to you but I forgot."

"Forgot what?"

"About why most people don't like you."

"Wasn't it because of the rumors."

"Not necessarily," Mina said. "Rather, even if that didn't happen, you will still have a stigma held against you for being the Shield Hero."

"But… I'm a hero. Why would they hate a hero? That doesn't make sense."

"That's how it's been since the Church of the Three Heroes was founded," Rowan said. "Actually, long before the Church was founded."

Church of the Three Heroes? Why just three and not four?

"That still doesn't answer my question."

Mina put away her book and faced Naofumi. "To answer that, the main religion of Melromarc is the Teachings of the Four Gods. A religion that has been around long before Melromarc was established as a country. It is said that four gods had blessed the continent and the population thrived with their blessing."

"It is also said that they were the ones who blessed the alchemist who created the Holy Weapons with their knowledge," Rachel said. "They're pretty influential in a lot of places. Faubley and Innis too. They even have their own knights."

"Back to your question," Mina said. "The reason why the Shield Hero is not liked is because of his affiliation with demi-humans. There has always been a power struggle between humans and demi-humans. It's been like that for hundreds of years. The Shield Hero, in particular, is more in favor of demi-humans and their plight. And of course, humans were not pleased with that and at some point, the Church came into existence, annexing you and worshiping the other Heroes."

Basically, racism. Naofumi inwardly groaned. Even a fantasy world like this has problems. Not that he's surprised considering some of the fantasy books he reads and games he's played deal with that issue. And he's at the center of it.

"So, what am I supposed to do then?" he asked, "How am I supposed to save this world if most people hate me?"

"Not everyone hates you," Rowan confirms. He sets down the reign and climbs in the wagon. "You're forgetting the Four Gods. That religion has been around much longer and there are more practitioners of that religion than the Church. Did you notice how no one in Haven Clove gave you the stink eye?"

Come to think of it, yeah, he was right. The villagers didn't seem to mind he was there, his shield out in the open for everyone to see.

"There are more people that worship the Four Gods than there are of the Church," Rachel adds. "The upside, we can go to lots of villages and cities that don't hate you. The downside, Castle Town is the prime hub of the Church. Remember when you fought Motoyasu and they announced the Pope?"

He thinks back to that day and the memory was starting to become more vivid, like if someone cleaned their glasses of dirt and grime.

"He's the figurehead, then?"

"Pretty much. Pope Balmus, if I recall."

Hearing about this was making more irritated by the minute. If Rachel is right, then there shouldn't be an issue if they go to places where the Four Gods have a stronger influence than the Church.

'There's still the issue of the Pope. If he keeps preaching nothing but hate toward demi-humans and me, it'll make things more difficult.'

"Um," Rowan interrupted his train of thought. "I don't know much about the Church. What I do know is that they worship a god. And they call you the Shield Demon. And followers of the Church wear a rosary around their necks. And umm… Oh! They have their own knights too, just like the knights of the Four Gods. Hang on."

He reached for his bag and pulled out a rolled-up paper, a vial of ink, and a quill. "Wish I bought a pen when I visited Silvershore," he mutters. He unrolls the paper, revealing a much more detailed map. Uncapping the ink vial, Rowan dipped the quill in and started circling parts of the map and putting x-marks on different areas.

"Here, give me." Rachel reached for the quill after Rowan was done and repeated the same thing Rowan did.

"Let me add some." Mina did the same.

"OK," She turned the map so Naofumi could see it right-side up. "The circles are places where you can go to that worship the Four Gods. The ones we crossed out are where the Church has a strong influence."

There were more circles than X's. Looking more closely, Naofumi studied the map. To the east were more land, the sea and a large island that could almost be a continent. The north consisted of woodlands, highlands, and what appeared to be snow-capped mountains. To the west, there was a dark dotted line that Naofumi assumed was a border wall. Beyond the wall were grasslands and mountains. But what really caught his eye was the giant X over it.

"What's up with this?" He pointed to the X.

His group stilled at what he was pointing.

"Well…" Rowan fiddled with his fingers nervously. "That's Siltvelt, where most of the demi-humans live. They're not followers of the Church or of the Four Gods. Though it's not safe to go there."

"Why not?"

"It has to do with you as the Shield Hero," Mina answered. "There, they worship the Shield Hero like a god, the same way the Church worships the Bow, Sword, and Spear hero. Just like the Church, the people there, at least most of them, are zealots. And they aren't particularly kind to humans."

Naofumi looked back at the map, specifically at Siltvelt. To have an entire country worship him didn't sound as bad as he thought. Hell, it beats being seen as some type of demon in the eyes of the Church followers. If they were crazed zealots, why hasn't he been approached by one yet?

'If they know I'm here, where are they?' he thought. 'I've seen dozens of demi-humans since my arrival. Is it because…'

His party consists of nothing but humans.

'It's not like I choose them specifically because they're human.'

This was too much. He could worry about Siltvelt for another day. He rolled up the map and tucked it in his bag.

"Let's focus on the race," he said. He looked to Rowan. "How will it work riding your spider?"

Rowan cut his gaze to the huntsman spider pulling their wagon. "He's very fast regardless of his size. Any saddle could work even if he's not a horse. You'll be on the abdomen while the reigns will be tied to his sternum. So long as I tell him to win the race and follow your orders, it should be an easy win."

A sure-fire win. Naofumi felt a sense of relief knowing he'll save the people of Lute (once again). Once that was over…

There was a lot to explore. More places to visit, more people to encounter. Helping Mina and Rowan. A lot of possibilities.

"Good. For now, let's enjoy the ride until we get to Lute."

Mina pulled out a book from her bag and nestled into a corner of the wagon. Rachel began going through her satchel, mumbling about her stock. Rowan went back to the front to guide the spider.

Naofumi joined him, deciding he wanted to watch the scenery. The blue sky was dotted with fluffy clouds. Here or in Japan, the sky remained the same. He could almost forget that this sky would be torn asunder and monsters of all kinds would be summoned.

It was moments like this, where there was no immediate danger or sense of dread, he appreciated the most. The scent of grass, the wind blowing through his hair. He found himself smiling. So long as things go their way, the road ahead shouldn't be hard to get through.

"So… umm…" Rowan mumbled. "… how are you feeling?" He smiled but it looked forced.

"Good, I guess," Naofumi responded.

"Oh. That's good."

…

"Did you like Haven Clove?"

"It was a nice village."

"Oh…"

…

Naofumi went back to looking at the sky while Rowan was having an internal meltdown.

'Godsdamn it why is this so hard?!'

Talking to people should be easy. Gareth made it look easy! He sighed. He'll work on his people skills another day. Slumping in his seat, he flicked the reigns and the spider picked up speed.

Beside him, Naofumi leaned a bit back, breathing in the clear air and took the moment to relax.

(Meanwhile, in Lute Village)

Motoyasu groaned as he rubbed his tired eyes. The feathered mattress he'd been sleeping on did little to comfort him. He'd been trapped in his room at the inn for the last few days. The one time he did try to leave he was met with hateful glares from the villagers.

Malty had assured him that Naofumi wouldn't be able to procure an animal fast enough to outrun his pet tyrella. He'd ridden on it a few times and he had to keep a death grip on the reigns so he wouldn't fall.

He had a fast dragon, his party members were strong in terms of their stats, and he has Malty with him. A bona fide team. So why did nobody like him?

He sighed and got out of bed. The last few days have been nothing but staying in and having one of his girls bring him food and water. He never opened the window to his room for fear of someone throwing something heavy through it.

"What the hell is going on?" He muttered to himself. "This shouldn't be happening to me."

He thought about going to Malty's room and ask for advice but decided against it. She'd been in a bad mood these past days. She acted sweetly in front of him but would turn venomous to others. The last thing he'd want is to be on the venomous end of her mood.

Daringly, he partially opened the window's wooden panels. There weren't any clocks at the inn, so he had to estimate what time it is based on the sun's position. It was probably nine, give or take.

Closing the panels, he went to the dresser and began putting on his armor.

'This blows,' he thought while adjusting his arm guards. 'I can't read for shit of the language, I have to rely on Malty for understanding the world, the people hate me here, and I still haven't met enough pretty women!'

This was supposed to be a fun game with action, adventure, and pretty women galore! He had finally gotten his dream of having a harem last week.

'If this is what it means to become Lord, then I don't want to be one.' He'd much rather be doing, well, anything. Fighting monsters, leveling up more, unlocking new classes, find more women. There's so much more to do! Not stay here like a hermit in a village where everyone hates him.

He's a hero. People should like him.

He stilled as he was putting on one of his shin guards. '… why don't they like me?"

They liked Naofumi, that's for sure. Voices would carry through the window praising Naofumi for helping them when the wave hit. Or how he'll save the village from, "the princess' unfair tax."

That was something else he noticed. Malty was not viewed positively. Her adventure name may be Myne, but practically everyone refers to her using her real name. Just the mere mention of her name made the villagers either scrunch up their face in disgust or muttering hateful remarks.

'She's the princess. Aren't they supposed to like her?'

He sighed again. This was not what he signed up for. Politics is – and never will be – his strong suit.

Why was he even here to begin with? This was Malty's idea, not his. When she brought up taxation, it didn't sound so bad at first. That is until he heard the protests.

"RAH!"

The cry startled him. It wasn't a cry of anguish or fear. It sounded almost playful.

Curious, he opened the panels and saw two boys running around. One had his hands in the air, his fingers stretched out to look like claws while the other one held a wooden board with a green circle painted in the middle.

He felt a pang of anger and resentment. Anger at Naofumi and resentment for his popularity.

'Why do they like him?' After what he did to Malty, why? And… why don't they like me?'

This sucked.

Suddenly, footsteps pounded outside.

"I think that's him!" Someone shouted.

"Really? He's returned!"

"Our hero!"

Motoyasu didn't have to guess who they were referring to.

He bolted out of his room just as Malty left hers.

She scowled. "I didn't expect him to return soon."

"What kind of animal did he get?" Motoyasu asked.

Malty barked a short laugh. "Nothing as fast as yours. Come on, let's see what that bastard has."

Outside, the villagers had gathered near the village entrance. There were so many he couldn't see over most of their heads. He spotted a crate and stood on it. He shielded his eyes from the sun and looked at the dirt path.

A wagon was coming. The closer it got, the more he could discern the people riding it.

There, in all his glory was Naofumi. Rachel and Mina could be seen inside the wagon. Next to Naofumi was some guy in a red tunic and brown vest.

And what was pulling the wagon was…

'A giant spider?!"

As the wagon passed through the entrance, the villagers took a collective gasp of shock and moved back. Naofumi couldn't blame them. A giant spider wasn't exactly welcoming.

Rowan pulled the reigns and the spider stopped. Naofumi jumped off and scanned the crowd for Motoyasu and Malty.

"Motoyasu!" Naofumi called out. "I'm here! Let's get this race over with!"

The crowd moved apart as the two in question came barging through.

"What is the meaning of this?" Malty pointed at the spider. "Why is there a giant spider here?"

"The requirements asked for an animal to race in." Naofumi patted the spider's abdomen. "And I have one."

"Where did you even get one?!"

"Him." Naofumi pointed to Rowan.

Rowan, who was removing the reigns from the spider, stilled as all eyes were now on him.

"Uh-umm…" He cleared his throat. "H-hi. I'm Rowan. I'm a beastmaster and th-this is my spider." He shrank back with so many people looking at him.

"Rules are rules," Mina said. "We have an animal to participate in the race. So, you better bring it and play fair, princess."

"Oh, we will," Malty growled. "You think you can win with that tarantula?"

"Actually," Rowan stepped forward. "This is a huntsman spider. Tarantulas are a special type of spider. There are many differences between the two. For example, spiders use their silk to make webs to capture any prey. Tarantulas, on the other hand, use their silk to make nests that look like hammocks. They do that to rest. Also-"

He stopped his rambling when he realized everyone was staring at him in confusion.

"…sorry." He bowed his head timidly. "Continue."

Naofumi took the silence to speak first before Malty. "We can argue all we want or we can start preparing. Which is it, princess?"

Malty didn't ignore the venom in the last word. "Act confident all you want. We have the advantage whereas you just have a spider." The huffed and turned. "Let's go, Sir Motoyasu."

Motoyasu looks like he wanted to say more but instead followed her.

"Who pissed in her cup of tea this morning?" Rachel asked.

"Doesn't take a rocket scientist to know why she's pissed," Naofumi replied.

"Rocket?"

"Forget it. Let's get this over with."

The race, as it turns out, will take place outside of Lute. They were to go 3 laps around the village and the first one to cross the finish line on the third lap wins.

Easy enough. Naofumi spent hours playing Mario Kart. Except for this time, he'll be controlling a spider, not a kart. Though it's not like he's ever ridden a kart before in his life, let alone a spider.

'Life really is strange," he thought.

He and Motoyasu were on the sidelines preparing their rides. Motoyasu was petting the dragon's head, speaking softly to it.

Naofumi stole a glance at the dragon. Just from seeing its taut legs, he knew he was dealing with some tough competition. Despite the dragon's advantage, the huntsman did have eight legs. The more legs, the more speed, right? He knew nothing about spiders other than they're creepy.

That was before. Now, as he looked back at the huntsman, it was less creepy. But creepy nonetheless.

"So," Rowan fastened the saddle on the spider's abdomen. "Everything should be ready. I told him to follow your orders so you'll have no trouble asking him to go fast or slow. He's good at turning corners and jumping even if he's not a jumping spider. You're in good hands."

"You really think so?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I wouldn't recommend riding a spider if I knew it wasn't going to win the race. You'll be fine."

Naofumi knelt down in front of the spider. It's eight eyes might as well be black holes. There was no iris or anything really. All he could see was his reflection from the sunlight. If he was going to ride him, he needed to get friendly with it.

Slowly, Naofumi reached out and patted the spider's head.

'Yep. Hairy. Very hairy.' This was way different from a dog or a cat. The huntsman didn't so much as move as he continued patting it.

It felt oddly comforting, petting it. He would've preferred fur or even feathers. But this was nice once he got used to it.

"Is that really what you're riding?"

Naofumi stopped his petting as Motoyasu approached them.

"What do you want?" Naofumi asked bitterly.

"I had to come see it with my own eyes. You really think this hairy freak could beat my dragon?" He laughed. "Come on! You're just going to make a fool of yourself with this thing. Just give up and-"

THWAK!

One of the spider's legs flicked up quickly, hitting Motoyasu in his family jewels.

"What the!" Naofumi practically jumped out of his skin. It happened so quickly!

"AAAHHHH!" Motoyasu screamed but something Naofumi noticed was Motoyasu's face was… pleased.

'Don't tell me he's…' he didn't dare finish his thought.

Motoyasu landed in a pile of hay, clutching his jewels tightly.

"Sir Motoyasu!" Malty ran up to him. "Someone get a healer quick!"

Not far from them, Rachel and Mina watched the scene unfold before them.

"That was…" Mina couldn't finish her sentence.

"Yeah," Rachel said.

"You saw his face. You don't suppose he's… one of those types?"

"If he is, remind me to kick him anywhere else besides his crotch."

"Noted."

Naofumi continued watching in stunned silence. There's no way the spider did that on its own volition.

Then…

He turned to Rowan who was whistling, bobbing back and forth on his heels.

"Did you tell your spider to hit him in his dick?"

Rowan smiled playfully. "Maybe."

It's official. Rowan is now his most favorite person on earth.

Seeing Motoyasu in pain, still clutching his balls, Naofumi let out a loud laugh.

A true laugh. He was laughing to the point where his eyes began to tear up.

The sound of a horn blew. It was time for the race to begin.

Naofumi went to the spider's side. The spider lowered itself until Naofumi was able to climb on it and sit on the saddle.

"Woah!" He reached for the reigns as the spider made his way to the starting line.

The crowd of villagers had gathered on the sidelines watching in anticipation. Rachel, Mina, and Rowan stood in a less crowded place and watched.

"Here's hoping Motoyasu loses." Rachel reached into her satchel, pulled out a flask and drank from it.

"Here here," Mina said.

"Naofumi will win," Rowan said with determination. "I believe in them."

"Hmm…" Mina crossed her arms and looked to where Malty was. The princess was talking to Motoyasu as he climbed on his tyrella, probably giving him praise and encouraging him. Mina didn't miss the smirk that played on the princess' face.

"We'd best keep an eye out on Malty. Something tells me she'll do whatever it takes to win this race."

Naofumi and Motoyasu were at the starting line. The Lord came to stand between the two riders.

"Ready…"

A silence hung in the air, the villagers holding their breaths in anticipation.

"GO!"

The huntsman shot forward, causing Naofumi to hold on tighter to the reigns.

'Jesus this thing is fast!'

When Rowan said it was fast, he failed to mention it was like riding in a car going 50 miles per hour. On top of that, he still had trouble adjusting himself on the saddle. The corner was coming up ahead and he knew he had to command the spider.

"Go steady!"

The spider slowed slightly but still maintained its speed, passing the corner in fluid motion. The crowd cheered loudly before they disappeared from view.

Daring to look over his shoulder, Naofumi smiled in glee as Motoyasu was way behind. He could just make out the glare on Motoyasu's face. Naofumi laughed and looked back forward.

"Keep it up!" He shouted.

The spider then advanced in speed. When the next corner came, they repeated the same step going to the corner. They sped past the starting line and the crowd cheered even louder than before.

"You got this Naofumi!" Rowan yelled.

"Kick his ass!" Rachel hollered.

For her part, Mina clapped and whistled.

This was going a lot easier than he thought. Not only is he ahead, but he's also getting used to the saddle and the spider's speed. This beats riding a horse or even a fast luxury car!

'Never did I ever think a spider would be better than a horse or a car.'

Unbeknownst to him, a royal knight was hidden in the little grove close to the village. When the Shield Hero came into view, he readied his hands and whispered a spell.

"As source of thy power, I order thee. Decipher the laws of nature and slow my target. Speed Down!"

A purplish aura surrounded Naofumi and the spider.

"Huh?"

The spider slowed, giving Motoyasu the chance to thunder forward.

"Take that, Naofumi!" He called over his shoulder, smiling smugly.

It didn't take Naofumi less than a second to know what happened.

'That bitch is cheating!'

Back at the starting line, Rowan felt a shiver in his core. He let out a small gasp.

"What's wrong?" Rachel asked.

Rowan didn't answer. Instead, he concentrated on the huntsman. When his mind joined the spider's, he could feel the faint residue of magic.

"They used magic to slow Naofumi down!" he exclaimed.

"What?" Rachel glared at Malty. The princess was smirking, not even noticing the hot glare from Rachel. "That little cunt."

"What should we do?" Mina glanced at Rowan. "Should we intervene?"

"No," Rowan shook his head. "If we try to do something, they'll accuse us of cheating."

"There must be some way to stop her?"

"Hmmm…" 'Think,' Rowan thought to himself. His spell pool consisted of wind magic and two buff spells. Nothing to stop whoever used magic on Naofumi.

Someone was hiding somewhere. The village had groves surrounding the perimeter. It's the perfect hiding place.

It was also the perfect home for spiders.

He closed his eyes and reached out to the spiders in the groves. His mind connected with hundreds of them. He had to be quick to look through their eyes to see where the person was hiding.

Finally, he spotted someone. It was a knight, shielded by trees and shrubs.

"Found them."

In that small grove, he connected with ten spiders. One of which was a tarantula. A big one at that.

'Stop the man from casting another spell.' When he was done giving the order, he concentrated back to the huntsman. 'Go faster.'

The spider complied, surging forward. Naofumi held tight to the reigns while squeezing the spider's abdomen with his legs.

"Move!" The spider moved faster, gaining enough speed to catch up to Motoyasu.

When they were side by side, Naofumi cast a smug glance at Motoyasu and flicked the reigns, going past the Spear Hero.

"Damn!" Motoyasu kicked the Tyrella's leg. "Faster."

They were nearing the corner again where the knight was hiding. He positioned himself ready and began whispering his spell.

"Decipher the laws of nature and hasten my-"

The knight stopped when he felt something crawling on his leg. He quickly looked down and saw a tarantula making its way up along with several other spiders.

"AHHH!"

Naofumi snapped his head to the grove. 'Did I hear someone scream?'

He ignored whatever he heard and focused back on the race. This was the last lap. Whatever spell was placed on the spider it had disappeared and was moving faster than before.

"Come on! You got this!"

"Hurry!" Motoyasu yelled. The Tyrella was just creeping up on them from behind. Then they were neck to neck.

"Don't think you can beat me, Naofumi," Motoyasu mocked. "There's no way they'll accept someone like you as their savior."

Savior. Such a powerful word. Truthfully, he didn't care what the people of Lute saw him as. He definitely wasn't a savior of any kind.

"I'm not a savior," he said. "But that doesn't mean I'll let that bitch ruin a village!"

They were nearing the last corner. The villagers were chanting and cheering for Naofumi. Maybe Motoyasu was right. They did see him as their savior. This is the second time he'll save them from ruin.

Savior or not, he meant what he said to Motoyasu. His words, the cheers from the villagers, the faith his party members had for him, they all ignited a fire in him. He's going to win this. For all of them.

"For Lute!"

His words pushed the spider forward, way past Motoyasu.

'Come on come on!'

He was almost there. Just a little more…

The second one of the spider's legs went past the finish line, he knew it was over.

He won.

Cheers erupted from the villagers.

Naofumi coaxed the spider to the sidelines and once he got down, he was swarmed by the villagers.

"Thank you, Hero!"

"Bless you!"

"Hero! Hero!"

"You saved us!"

He didn't know how to respond. Now he understood how Rowan felt when trying to find the right words. Not that he could even say anything with so many people speaking over him.

The crowd dispersed as his team came up to him.

"I knew you could do it!" Rachel pulled him into a tight hug.

"Um…" His cheeks blushed being this close to a woman. He knew Rachel was playing around but damn did he really have to learn some self-control of women were going to hug him.

"Good job, the two of you!" Rowan declared.

"Congratulations!" Mina pulled him away from Rachel's grasp and hugged him.

This time he was sure his entire face was red. Whereas Rachel had a bodice and shawl covering her, Mina only had her top, leaving most of her upper body bare. And he could feel every inch of it.

He smiled to himself. 'Thank you, God.'

He extracted himself from the dancer and saw Malty and Motoyasu coming toward them.

"You!" Malty spat.

"What's wrong, princess?" Naofumi jested. "Is someone upset their little trick didn't work?"

"What trick?" She countered.

"Don't play dumb with me. Someone used a spell on me during the race. I know you had something to do with it."

"Me?" She smiled playfully, ignoring the accusation. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she said innocently.

"It's true," Rowan said. "I felt a spell placed upon my spider. There's no hiding from it."

"Prove it then," Malty provoked. "As far as I can tell, you've got no proof."

A series out shouts startled them all.

"GET THEM OFF GET THEM OFF! HELP!"

A knight came bursting through the grove. He threw himself to the ground and started rolling frantically. "AAHHH!"

Something fell off of the man and Naofumi looked closer at it, he knew why the man was acting like that. The thing stood, revealing to be a tarantula of some kind.

"There's your proof," Rowan stated. He knelt down and cupped the tarantula in his hand.

"Alright," he called out. "You can leave him."

More spiders crawled off from the man and made their way back to the grove. The knight bolted up and ran back to his fellow knights.

"I… that's…" Malty stammered.

"Tough luck," Naofumi quipped. "You knew Motoyasu wouldn't win so you used magic."

Motoyasu's face morphed into a pained expression. "Wait? Really, Myne?" He addressed the princess using her adventure name.

Malty opened her mouth but then closed it. There was no escaping from this.

"They're right."

The voice came from behind Naofumi. They all turned and saw the same shadow lady.

"You guys appear whenever, huh?" Naofumi pointed out.

The shadow ignored his comment. "Before you rebuke their claims by accusing them of cheating, The Shield Hero only has support and healing magic. His apothecary friend has fire, healing, and status magic while the dancer has ice and illusion magic. As for the hunter, he can wield wind magic."

'Did she know that before or after we met her?' Naofumi thought. During their fight with Legrand, Mina never used her illusion magic except for the time they fought that chimera. 'Then before.' He didn't like the fact they were being spied on.

"This will not go unnoticed by your mother and father," the shadow continued. "Word will be sent to each of them of your unjust taxation on Lute Village."

This made Malty flare up in anger. Naofumi thought she was going to yell at her. To his surprise, she turned her back to the shadow. "Very well. We'll leave."

At her words, the knights gathered their supplies and began heading out while Naofumi watched.

"You got lucky." Motoyasu came up beside him. He sneered down at him. "Don't think you've won this round. Next time I'll-"

"How are those jewels of yours?" Naofumi joked.

His team burst into laughter.

"You…" Motoyasu blushed crimson. "I'll get you next time!"

He left with the knights, limping as he covered his crotch.

"Well, that takes care of that," Rachel said. "Now what?"

Now what indeed. This whole debacle wasted any precious time they had. They could always go back to Castle Town. With a new party member, they would need new supplies.

"Sir Hero."

The village Lord and few villagers came up to them.

"I can't thank you enough again for saving our village. I know this has been a burden on you. We apologize for any inconvenience this caused you."

Naofumi's automatic response was to just wave it off like it was nothing. Only this time, he didn't feel any kind of contempt for the village. He did this because he wanted to. A goal from his heart.

"It's nothing."

The Lord looked surprised by his response. "Thank you. I'm sorry but I must go now and assist the villagers. Our town is still recovering from the wave attack."

He trotted off to assist some villagers.

Naofumi looked around properly since his last visit a few days ago. Most of the houses and buildings were stone but some were missing chunks. The wooden ones were a completely different story. Many were burned down or completely destroyed.

It'll take them a long time for the repairs to be completed.

Unless…

He looked back at his party.

"Listen, I know this isn't any of our business, but-"

"Say no more," Mina interrupted. "You want to help out. I don't mind."

"Hell yeah," Rachel said. "With four extra hands, we can double their work."

Naofumi turned his gaze to Rowan.

"I trust that Gareth can take care of himself," the hunter said. "Knowing him, he's probably at some alehouse somewhere. I don't mind the wait." He smiled reassuringly.

That was easier than he thought.

The people of Lute already look up to him as some savior. If he helped, then he'll have an entire village backing him up like in Westbrook.

Then it's settled.

He called out to the Lord.

"Let us help!"

(Forest of Sanctum)

The dragon gazed down below at the conundrum of trees and briars. This place is strange yet it somehow fits the environment. Perfectly fitting for the dragon he was looking for.

The sky had turned a foreboding gray. He could smell the rain from miles away. The smell mixed with the scent of blood. His blood.

As if his body was responding to his thoughts, his right hind leg flared in pain. The sudden discomfort nearly made him plummet to the ground but he gained his momentum.

'Where is he?' he thought angrily. He never understood why the dragon chose this place to live among the mountains or caves spread throughout the land. The answer was because he could. The trees were dense enough that even the most skilled hunter could get lost. The dragon couldn't help but admire how carefully thought out his brethren's hiding place was.

He continued soaring through the sky all while looking for bright colors in the trees.

The land was beginning to rise until it became flat again. The gray clouds made it difficult to spot the bright colors. In pure sunlight, they were like a beacon of colors.

He kept searching and searching.

Then, he sees something. Something… orange. Then blue, then yellow, and purple.

That's it!

He descended until he reached a clearing. He made sure to focus his weight on his left hind leg. When his right leg touched the ground, he hissed in pain.

Those damned humans! If it wasn't for their gathering numbers, he could've easily slain them. Humans, demi-humans, beastmen, they were all the same in the eyes of the dragons. Easy prey. Creatures who relied too much on quick, irrational thoughts. Irrational thoughts that led to war and death. He was surprised the waves hadn't wiped them out already. Leave it to the creatures to band together and fight off the endless stream of monstrosities.

Better to leave them to their own devices. Unless they get involved with dragons. He learned that the hard way.

"Where are you?" He called out.

The wind blowing through the trees was his only answer.

"I need your assistance."

Again, the wind answered.

"Why have you come?" A deep, commanding voice echoed throughout the woods.

"Humans have taken my scales. I need you to patch the wound or it'll get worse. You know what will happen if I perish."

"Hmm… That would be quite troubling to the creatures. How many times have I told you to go somewhere far away from the creatures?"

"And how many times do I have to tell you that is impossible?"

"Ah, yes. The girl." His brethren hummed. "To think a dragon such as yourself is capable of caring for someone. You are the embodiment of poison. I'm surprised you haven't killed her yet."

"I am careful with her."

"Careful enough to leave her behind?"

"Don't get snippy with me!" The dragon growled. "She knows how to take care of herself."

"Then we'd best heal your wound now so you may get back to her."

A sudden gust of wind blew, shaking the tree branches.

Above, a figure came down until it was above the clearing.

Even with no sunlight, the dragon was bright with his multitude of colorful scales. The creatures had a name for this dragon. The Peacock Dragon. It was fitting. Dragons do not have names. Most go by without names while others chose their own.

The Peacock was the former. Which is what the dragon referred to him as. Peacock.

"Let me see your wound," Peacock asked.

Slowly, the dragon moved until his leg was in full view.

"And you said it was humans that caused this?"

"Yes. They had Bellatrix with them."

"And they attacked you because…"

"How should I know? Creatures do stupid things all the time."

"You do have a point. Very well."

Peacock reached with his hind leg to his neck and began scratching furiously. Scales cascaded down onto the wound like snow. Peacock stopped his scratching and the dragon noticed how the scales grew back quickly as if they were never gone, to begin with.

"You know what to do."

The dragon leaned his head to the would and licked it. The scales became syrupy against his tongue and slathered it as much as he could. The pain slowly faded away and the scales he was missing grew back. There was no wound.

"Thank you," the dragon said.

"Think nothing of it," Peacock said. "Do be more mindful of where you stay. I'd hate to have creatures come here for my scales because of something you did."

The dragon huffed and was about to fly when Peacock spoke.

"Before you leave, there is something I have to ask."

"What is it?"

"It's about the humans taking your scales. I'm worried about what they will do with them."

The thought of why they attacked him was strange. The legend of the Peacock Dragon was well known among the creatures. Should there be a plague threatening the land, brave travelers would venture into the Forest of Sanctum and ask the Peacock Dragon for his magical scales. Scales that are known to cure any sickness known to creature kind. Before, he'd given the creatures his scales without question. But when their greed took over and they started appearing in the woods even if there was no sickness. That was when the Peacock Dragon would then challenge the adventures to a fight for his scales.

So why did the humans attack him? He was no Peacock Dragon. Quite the opposite.

He could only guess why they would steal scales from him.

And it seemed Peacock thought of the same thing.

"I will not say this again," Peacock said. "Go somewhere desolate. Somewhere that is far, far, far away from any creature. If you are worried about your daughter, then maybe it's time for you to consider leaving her in the hands of caring, capable creatures. You are putting her life at risk should the humans come back and get more of your scales. Your entire existence is a plague upon this land. It's time to start considering what is best for the creatures and your daughter."

He hated how blunt, yet truthful Peacock's words were. He is a threat to everyone. Even his daughter. When the humans had attacked him and taken his scales, she was away at the village gathering food for herself. When she came back and saw what had happened, he ordered her to hide in a barn until he returned.

Just thinking of what the humans might do with his scales is frightening. Creatures, though careless as they may be, are smart too. And their intelligence could rival that of a dragon's wrath, if not worse.

"Very well."

He didn't wait for Peacock to say anything as he sprang into the air.

"Do be careful, Gaelion." Was all Peacock said as he flew away.

Gaelion made his way out of Forest of Sanctum and flew in the direction of the village. He would talk to Wyndia about this. She needed to be safe and sound. Nowhere near him.

Whatever the humans were doing with his scales, he could only hope one of the Heroes would do something about it.