I do not own Rising of the Shield Hero
Once again, huge thanks for Comrade Broseph for help beta reading, help me make course adjustment to have this chapter come off much closer to my original creative intention, and putting in more details than my meager writing ability is allowed. Thank you so much for co-writing this chapter with me! Also thanks to Fluffball13 for reading my first draft to make sure I stay on the right direction.
"That looks very cute, Sir Hero!" Mein points her finger at the armor stand.
An ivory two piece armor with golden trim glitters under the morning sunlight. Elaborate decorations such as wings and flowers make the two piece look more like an artwork one would find in a Gallery, rather than on the field of battle.
"Do you think it will look good on me?" The incognito princess slides her arm around Naofumi's and leans close. She looks into his eyes and bats her eyelashes. A faint blush creeps up the face of the Shield Hero.
"Yeah, yeah... I think it will, Miss Mein." He stutters out, his voice breaking slightly mid sentence in the most adorable way. Mein tries her hardest to not smirk.
She recalls his look of utter dismay when none of the gathered adventurers wanted to party up with him. How it quickly changed into immense relief and gratitude when she left the Spear Hero's side to gather his hand in hers. The Shield Hero acting like a stable boy who never held the hand of a beautiful maiden in his life... For all she knows he never had. His reactions certainly seem to be very indicative of that.
This is too easy. She'll have him wrapped around her finger by the end of the day.
"It WILL look good on you, lass. It's designed to look good on girls. Ladies in court wear them while accompanying knights and lords on hunting trips, in order to catch the attention of suitors. No good in a real fight though, doesn't even cover your stomach." The smith behind the shop counter gives out a disapproving huff. He is a large middle aged bald man with a gruff beard. Having introduced himself to her and the Shield Hero by the name of Elhard when they entered, he is obviously the proprietor of the shop they are currently in, at least as according to the sign hanging outside.
Elhard the smith points his thumb towards a shelf. It is filled with dirt colored leather armors that still reek of the chemicals used in the tanning process. "Any piece of shit over there is better."
Well, all of the pieces on that shelf certainly smell like a shed full of filorial excrement. And the looks definitely match the stink. Just the thought of wearing something like THAT incenses her. To say that it'd be beneath her as the first princess is one hell of an understatement.
"I will look like a dirty commoner!" Mein blurts out the first thing on her mind, her disgust with the mere suggestion obvious from her tone. She blinks when Naofumi seems to suddenly tense up, as if he is about to jump out of her grasp. He raises his eyebrow and gives Mein a long stare just like the smith.
Wait a minute, I'm currently Mein the adventurer. I AM supposed to be a dirty commoner.
Oh...
DAMNATIONS!
Quickly, think of something to divert Shield Hero's attention. I can't blow my cover from the start!
This entire sham is solely her father's responsibility.
The initial idea behind her pretending to be a commoner was to make the Cardinal Heroes lower their guard around her. They'd be sure to get suspicious if the first princess of Melromarc was proclaimed to be one of the adventurers handpicked by the king to join them. At best it would give them the impression that her father is playing matchmaker and at worst once the Shield Hero is accused of rape they'd realise that this is all part of a setup by the royal family.
But if they didn't suspect any royal connection than the framing of the Shield Hero would be bound to go much smoother. By the time the weapon wielding Hero she picked to be her 'protector' found out who she was, she'd already have him eating straight out of her palm. The other companions that father assembled, the ones who actually knew her by face that is, all knew better than to reveal anything about her true identity before it was time. Lest they wished to bring down the wrath of the royal house upon themselves of course.
The incognito princess hides her face behind her hands. She looks down and shakes her head. "I'm sorry! I mean... I am the companion of THE Shield Hero. What girl wouldn't want to dress up special like a lady of the court to impress him? To bring shame upon one of the great Heroes by looking bad, while being bestowed the great honor of being in their party... I don't think I could bear it!"
The smith continues to give her that long stare. Tch, even if the nosy bastard sees through her he better be smart enough to keep his mouth shut!
The Shield Hero looks away on the other hand. He scratches his cheek with a finger and whispers in a quiet murmur. "I think Miss Mein will look good in anything."
Nailed it.
Chapter 3 Shield Hero and other heroes
The leather armor feels tight around her chest. Unlike the beautiful two-piece hunting armor, the leather armor recommended by the smith does not take her breasts into consideration. It makes every breath a struggle. Especially in the heat of the battle when she ducks and weaves between monsters.
"Give it a few days. It'll become loose and fit your form." The smith shook his head with derision when she complained about the tightness of the leather armor. He spoke down to her in a condescending manner, like a stern father to his misbehaving kid. "Better be safe than comfortable. You'll thank me when a monster tries to take a bite out of your tummy." The upstart dared to patronize the princess!
Well, at least it's good to know she's not going to be choked to death by her armor, before a monster from the wave has a chance to eat her. Sadly, positive thinking does little to provide her comfort right at the moment when she feels like passing out.
"Maybe we should take a break, Miss Mein. You look worn out." The Shield Hero is giving her a concerned look. He hands her a water bag.
"That would be nice. Thank you very much, Sir Hero." Mein the adventurer sits down on a large boulder, next to where she and the Shield Hero have just finished battling a seemingly endless horde of orange balloons. She takes the water bag from Naofumi and quickly takes a big mouthful. The liquid inside is warm and tastes of leather. She gulps it down anyway, some of it streaking down her face. Mein's etiquette teacher would undoubtedly be banging her head against a wall if she saw. Well, the old hag can go to hell for all that Malt... Mein cares! Being an adventurer is tiring beyond almost anything that she's so far experienced in her nineteen years of life.
After finishing off the last of the water, she sets the empty skin on the ground and reaches up to undo the straps of her helmet, desperate to feel some of the fresh summer breeze on her face.
Yes, Shield Hero also purchased a hood shaped leather helmet for her. How considerate of him!
It was another recommendation of the evil smith of course. Looking on the bright side, at least it's ridiculously easy to hide her face in the shadow of her hood if she simply tilts her head down a little. Now she knows why the spooks under father's employment like to wear hoods so much. Not so much for Mother's shadows. They are on a whole other level. Why wear a hood to hide your face when people don't even know you are watching them?
The leather helmet completely hides her silky auburn hair. Hair that she always took such pride in since she was a child, for making her stand out from everyone else. Like wearing a little halo of red flame on her head. Father loves it just as much, taking such joy from complimenting how good it looks and always trying to run his hands through it at any opportunity. When she was little he'd even go out of his way to do up her hair for her, chasing out all of her handmaids to do it personally.
Now however her beautiful mane of red is all matted and tangled. Mein wonders if the horrible man running the armor and weapons shop is intentionally giving her and the Shield Hero advice for fashion suicide, under the guise of tips for novice adventurers. Just the thought of the smug bastard makes her grind her teeth. He probably saw through her guise after all and took an opportunity to humiliate someone who is his better.
Her Shield bearing companion on the other hand doesn't seem to mind her currently undignified state of being. At least if his eyes roaming over her body - especially where her tunic is stuck to her skin with sweat - is any indication.
...Is the Three Hero Church absolutely sure their demon is supposed to be some clueless boy from another world, not the scarred bald man running a smithy?
Times like this make the incognito princess wonder what went wrong with her life. First her mother disinherits her because of her bratty little sister showing her up at every turn. Then when she rightfully complains she is threatened with being sold off as a bride to her immensely ancient and equally horrid uncle reigning as king in Foubley. So she gets herself involved in father's plot to reclaim her lost title of heiress to Melromarc. A plot which even without her involvement just might lead to the destruction of her entire kingdom and her being taken as someone's concubine if it goes wrong.
What's even WORSE is that the very next day and as a result of this plot, a common shopkeeper dared to look down on her and scold her like a naughty child. This great indignity immediately followed by hours of running around the plains outside the city of Melromarc Castle, hacking away at basic monsters like balloons, mushes and eggies, while sweating like a pig. And finally leading to her now attempting to seduce the individual who most of her countrymen consider to be the devil incarnate, but who acts more like a pure maiden from a fairytale.
It turns out that coming up with schemes is easy but actually putting them into motion is exhausting. Who would have thought?
"Sorry I can't do anything to help you in battle, Miss Mein. I can only defend." The Shield Hero speaks up after a while of them catching their breath. The young man looks down at the ground to avoid Mein's eyes like a boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He tentatively brushes his finger against his shield in small circles.
"You are too kind, Sir Hero. I'm sorry too for being inexperienced. I just started out as an adventurer and I was so ecstatic when I had the opportunity to join one of the Legendary Heroes in fighting back the Waves of Catastrophe... But sadly, due to me being new to adventuring, I'm just not as good as the others." Mein the fake adventurer squeezes a few drops of tears out of her eyes. If she can't remain dignified then at least she can play the pity card. The panicking look on the Shield Hero is almost too adorable.
"No, it's okay, Miss Mein. We'll both work harder, I guess. We don't want to be looked down on..." The voice of Naofumi grows distant. His turns his eyes away once again, but the blank stare tells Mein he is not seeing anything in front of him.
Is the Hero already getting homesick? There are records of summoned heroes growing melancholy and trying to recreate pieces of their home world in their twilight years. The tourist attractions of Cal Mira Island are good examples of that. But the Shield Hero growing homesick at the start might be a sign of a weak mind and faint a heart. Good for father's scheming perhaps. Not so good if she decides to put her own plan into motion.
Out of all four Legendary Heroes, the Shield Hero is in a unique position. He is beloved by the demi-humans, both those in Melromarc and abroad, making the Shield Hero's influence on the denizens of the world perhaps the single greatest among all Cardinal Heroes individually. In Melromarc however he is hated by those who hold power, both out of religious superstition and political convenience. Meaning that while still a figure bearing immense importance, the Shield Hero would not have any other ladies at court throwing themselves at him.
And having no other companions means the Shield Hero will rely on her support completely. It binds his fate tightly around hers, and she will have no fear of him leaving her for someone else.
Higher risk, but also higher reward if she wins her hand.
But this road is also much more difficult, since she will have to maneuver carefully around both her father and the Church of the Three Heroes. not to mention all that effort could be for nothing, as she simply might not have the time to have this boy, Naofumi, groomed into a useful pawn for herself. It may be more advantageous for her to play along with father's plan, at least for a little bit longer.
The two of them sit quietly facing each other, each lost in their own thought. The moment is interrupted by the loud screech of another common orange balloon.
Naofumi immediately jumps up and intercept the monster's path. The balloon launches itself towards the Shield Hero and bites into his arm. Mein stands up from her boulder, ready to cut the vile thing down before Naofumi holds his arm up. "Wait, Miss Mein. I want to test something."
"Alright, Sir Hero." Mein slowly turns her head to look at the face of the Shield Hero. He has a serious and determined look instead of that wide eyed out-of-his-depth expression she was starting to become familiar with.
"This is the control for [World Mechanic Test], test number one begins: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6..." After the Shield Hero draws in a deep breath he starts to repeatedly punch the side of the balloon with serious gusto while counting.
If Mein is being honest, the boy looks ridiculous and even slightly pathetic. It's almost like she's looking at a smith beating a hammer on an anvil. Even in her wildest dreams she never imagined someone fighting a balloon monster like this.
That evil bald man from the smithy IS the devil the Church keeps telling everyone about, isn't he? And now the Smith Demon put a curse on Shield Hero and turned him into the Shield Demon. Will the other Heroes fall to a similar fate? Imprisoned under the tyrannical will of the Brainwashing Blacksmith.
The Shield bearer is still punching away at the balloon trying to gnaw his arm off, counting each strike at a measured pace. The boy from another world doesn't seem to mind his lack of progress in defeating the pest. Mein slowly breathes out of her mouth while covering her face with her palm.
He finally pops the basic monster after fifty punches. He does this again four more times, before changing tactics. This time he punches the balloon at their slanted looking eyes. He seems to look... not happy, but content in a way. The look reminds Malty of the first time she managed to successfully cast the fireball spell after learning it from a crystal ball.
"Did you find what you were looking for, Sir Hero?" Mein eventually asks prods him out his stupor. She'll admit to being a little speechless herself after the display, something that doesn't happen very often. She's been using her charm to steal information, or get men to do what she wants for so long that it almost become second nature. But now she feels lost. How does she react to this young otherworlder when she can't even understand him?
"Kind of. This world works on the same mechanics as some video games from my world."
What for the love of the Four Legendary Heroes is a Vee-Dio?
The Shield Hero continues his explanation, even if Mein can't understand any of it. "I have to know if it runs on a percentage damage system like Dark Souls, or an absolute damage system like Dragon's Dogma. Not to mention if the monsters have weak points I can hit for critical mass damage. I may still be able to help in a fight if this world is more like Dark Souls. There are hardcore pros running Soul Level One challenge after all. But if it's more like Dragon's Dogma... I will always be useless in a fight."
The incognito princess can understand most of what the Shield Hero is saying as separate words. But when she tries to put everything together...
Once again, what in the Waves of Catastrophe is the Shield Hero talking about?
"It's not conclusive since I'm fighting basic mooks. But it seems like this world runs on an absolute damage system. And that orange balloon doesn't seem to have a 'weak point' that I can exploit. So, I don't think I'll be able to help Mein in a fight. I can only tank for you." The young man looks away from Mein once again. He scratches the back of his head with his left hand. Mein is already familiar enough with the Shield Hero that she knows the motion as being indicative of his discomfort at something.
"It's fine, Master Naofumi. You are the Shield Hero. You can't fight like the other three Heroes, but only you can protect others." Mein takes a few steps forward and closes her hands around the Shield Hero's free hand. She moves close and looks intently into eyes of this other worldly young man such that he can't look away. "I believe in you."
She may not understand the Shield Hero, but she knows he feels out of his depth. Despite that, he is obviously trying to figure out this new world, which makes as much sense to him as his words just now did to her. That IS something she looks for in a potential follower.
The Shield Hero blushes once again but keeps eye contact this time.
"Yeah, I will have to be your Cruss. I will be the 'Strongest Shield on Earth' for you."
Once again, what is he talking about?
Mein is staring at the Shield Hero, her gaze piercing but unable to hide her discomfort at what's happening. He is right next to her, her arm held tightly in his. She can see the faint bulge underneath the young man's cloak. The way it seems to move on its own as if driven by a bestial desire. He looks into her eyes and she feels them laughing silently at her discomfort. She wants to step away but he is holding her. The bulge seems to only grow as he shuffles closer in spite of her discomfort. He is smirking at her, as he opens up his cloak and reveals the monster that was hiding beneath the cloth.
"Sir Hero, are you sure you don't want to me to pop them?" She can't help but ask for the fifth time.
The young man from another world grins at her. He lets go of her hand that he'd been holding on their walk back to the city to reach under his coat. He holds up an orange balloon monster that is fruitlessly biting down on him with the stubbornness of a hungry newborn. One of the many that he has stuck to various parts of his body. The display makes the undercover princess cringe with phantom pain.
The Shield Hero doesn't seem to mind. "Oh, these little guys? Can barely feel them. They can stay."
"But still, isn't it a bit... uncomfortable?" Mein can't help but shudder at having the monster pest be dangled right in front of her. Leaning away from it she holds her fist close to her mouth, teeth gently gnawing at her finger in the familiar gesture she uses when discomfited. For all the the Shield Hero seems to be practically impervious to damage, something tells Mein a Balloon's bite will hurt her finger much more than her own teeth are doing right now.
"A little, they get in the way when I sit down." The Shield Hero looks away from Mein's eyes. A faint red tint decorates his cheek once again like the afterglow of sunlight above. It looks kind of cute on the young man. "They are handy to keep around. I can't fight myself, but I can throw them." The Shield Hero sticks the balloon back on himself and does the familiar gesture of scratching the back of his head with the freed up hand.
Yep, he's adorable. He has that aura around him of an innocent baby filorial. Which he somehow retains even when being gnawed at by several monsters. A secret skill available to the Shield Hero perhaps? Is this the true key to his power?
"You don't say, Sir Hero." Mein thinks back to their misadventure earlier in the afternoon. At one point in their 'farming' a few balloons attached themselves to the Shield Hero like now, while she herself was busy fighting with a mush. Distracted, she didn't notice a second much sneak up behind her back. The Shield Hero saw it and called out to her, but it was too late. She didn't have the time to dodge and he was too far away to block it. So on impulse the young man tossed one of the balloons at the sneaky mush which just leapt at her.
The balloon hit the mush mid flight and bit deep into it, knocked it off its trajectory. The distraction allowed her to turn around and kill them both with a single well placed low swipe.
She's brought out of her musing when her and the Hero reach the city gates. They are still held open as the sun hasn't yet set. She stops the Shield Hero from going through with a hand on his shoulder.
"Maybe I should pop them anyways? There won't be any enemies for us waiting in the city and even if you try to keep them hidden the monsters are bound to cause a panic if seen." Except there are in fact enemies waiting for him and he has more serious things to worry about than merely causing a panic, but those are details he doesn't need to know. Mostly she just wants the balloons gone because she can't concentrate on flirting with the young man when he is covered in monsters. Really ruins the mood.
"Right, I can't sleep with them all over." The Shield Hero looks thoughtful for a moment before picking off and extending one of the balloons out. Mein pops it with her sword, the rest of the toothy pests meeting a similar fate not long after. After she is done the Shield Hero looks melancholy for a moment.
"Shame we can't keep them like Pokemon." He remarks using another unfamiliar term.
Mein wisely decides to ignore the comment.
Follow the sound of boisterous crowd they soon reach the largest inn of the city. Most of the tables in the inn's restaurant seem to already be filled up and the other heroes are already there, enjoying food and drinks with their companions.
'Although, 'enjoying' may be a bit of a stretch for some of them. Mein narrows her eyes underneath her hood shaped leather helmet. There seems to be a rain cloud over the table of the Sword Hero. His companies all have their heads lowered to their food instead of chatting with each other. The Sword Hero himself notices their entrance. He gives a slight nod to them, which the Shield Hero returns.
The incognito Princess looks to the other heroes tables. Unlike the companions of the Sword Hero, those who went with the Bow Hero are speaking animatedly, showering the boy with praises for his strength. The Bow Hero has a faint smile on his face as he sits back comfortably in his seat.
The atmosphere of the Spear Hero's party on the other hand is a bit more... interesting. The pretty boy himself is standing with a foot on the table in a clearly less than sober state. He's waving his spear dramatically overhead while boasting about something that doesn't sound very coherent. His companions on the other hand... the blonde girl with a low cut dress and the magician girl are both wearing strained smiles on their faces. The dark haired girl in a blouse and with a sword doesn't even bother to hide her discontentment, simply aiming to mirror the inebriated state of her chosen Hero, by chugging beer one mouthful after another.
The Shield Hero looks a little lost at the chaotic mass of people before him, so she takes him by the hand and heads towards the bar stall, where they pay for two rooms and ask the bartender to send over a waitress with today's menu once they find some place to sit. Once that is done they head to where she saw one of the remaining empty tables. But before they can make their way through the throng of customers to their destination they are interrupted by a call from behind them.
"Oi! Iwatani!" The Spear Hero waves his arm at the them when he spots the Shield Hero's dark head of hear amid the crowd. "How's your day with Mein going?"
"It's fine. We killed some monsters on the plain. Miss Mein really helped me settle in." The Shield Hero gives a quick glance to her. The corners of the young man's mouth turn upward despite the tired look on his face.
"You take good care of her, you hear me? She left my party to join you. You can do that, even if you are just a Shielder, right?" The Spear Hero calls down to the Shield Hero while resting his weapon on a shoulder.
The Shield Hero's smile grows strained with this comment. Although he tries not to show it she notices it immediately.
Mein pulls the now visibly upset Shield Hero towards the table which they were heading to. That comment by the pretty boy hero seems to have really dug under his skin. A bit too much for such little snibe. Perhaps her companion has an inferiority complex that has its roots in whatever life the Shield Hero lived in his own world?
Just as they sit down a commoner dressed in slightly more presentable clothes enters into the restaurant from the bar area. Perhaps he is the owner of the establishment? He climbs up onto a stool and interrupts everyone with an announcement spoken in a loud and boisterous voice.
"Alright, we have all four Heroes here at Melromarc, we will pull through this yet! Tonight, first mug of beer on the house, everyone! Let's give a cheer for the heroes!" The gathered crowd of adventurers gladly obliges him and erupts into a loud cacophony of noise at this announcement, happy at being given freebies whatever the occasion.
"LONG LIVE THE LEGENDARY HEROES! AND CHEERS TO YOU TOO, INNKEEPER!" Several voices pick up the cheer.
The Sword Hero looks away from the crowd. The Bow Hero's smile grows into a full smirk. The Spear Hero laughs and shouts at the top of his lung together with the crowd. The Shield Hero right in front of her just looks vaguely uncomfortable at the noise.
"The crowd adores their heroes, Sir Hero." Mein says once the noise settled down enough that her words could even be heard. She takes the menu out from the hand of a waitress that approached them and orders two expansive meals. Once the waitress retreats with the order she turns back to the Shield Hero. "I'm very lucky to be your companion."
"No. I'm the lucky one. It can't be easy, leaving Kitamura to join me. Me being a shielder with no weapon." The young man scratches his cheek with a finger. He doesn't seem dare to meet Mein's eyes. The Shield Hero quickly picks up his mug of beer when the waitress brings them the food and drinks. He holds the beer between his face and Mein's like it's his legendary weapon. "The innkeeper is very smart."
He's obviously trying to change the subject. It's a very successful tactic, as Mein is both surprised and intrigued by the statement. "How so? He just gave away at least a full barrel of his beer."
"He's using that barrel of beer as bait for bigger fish. People drinking don't stop at one mug. By giving the first one free he enticed everyone into drinking more beer. Even those who didn't plan to." The Shield Hero gives a small sip of his alcohol before continues. "And when people drink, they get loud. They'll Make others walking around curious to learn what's happening here."
"And when they learned this inn is giving free beer, they will be enticed to eat and drink here! Especially with the Legendary Heroes having a party!" Mein's brain turns like a wheel at the Shield Hero's suggestion. She's surprised by the sudden reveal of an observant side to whom she previously dubbed as an innocent boy.
The Shield Hero gives a nod. "Yes. He'll also gain good will from everyone. Turning some of them into repeat loyal customers."
The Shield Hero puts down his mug of beer. He closes both of his palms together in front of his chest. It reminds Mein the prayer from the church's most faithful. "Thanks for the food."
It seems to be some kind of prayer, or ceremony for the otherworlder. The incognito princess decide to ignore it like The Shield Hero's other quirkiness. She closes her hands in front of her chest, shuts her eyes and mutters a silent prayer. Once their respective ceremonies completed the two of them dig into their food in silence.
Father will spring his trap on the Shield Hero tomorrow. If she follows along the script, he will be left with no allies and no money. Father's follow up plan will ensure that he'll disappear never to be heard of again shortly after.
The incognito princess sends a spork full of baked potato into her mouth. She doesn't know the Shield Hero for too long. And for the time she has he acted strange and displayed a myriad of quirky behaviour.
Yet, despite that he's already shown a lots of qualities that would make him useful to her if she were to keep him around. Considering the steps he takes to understand how their world works, he is analytical if not a full intellectual. The Shield Hero is also resourceful and crafty, shown by how he managed to use a balloon to help her out in a pitch. Best of all, he clearly has a good head for business.
Will those qualities be enough? Either way, the Shield Hero is no doubt heading down a path of hardship even if he doesn't yet know it, or have any control over it.
"Miss Mein?" At the sudden voice Mein looks up with a jitter. She realizes The Shield Hero has already finished his meal. "Are you okay? You didn't eat much."
"Ah, sorry to make you worry, Sir Hero." Mein puts the spork down on the table. She closes her hands around her face. "I guess I'm still feeling a little... jumpy? Today I became the companion of a Legendary Hero... it's like living in a romance novel. It's a dream come true for a girl like myself."
"I see... same for me. Summoned to a world of sword and magic... it's like living in a Light Novel." The Shield Hero scratches his head again. The young man's faint smile slowly vanishes from his face, his finger brushes against his shield. "Well, not so much sword as shield for me. I... I'm going to sleep now. I'm not too good with people, like this."
The Shield Hero nudges his head towards the rest of crowd. The adventurers and the heroes' party laughing and drinking together.
"I see. I'll stay for a bit longer. Finish my meal. And maybe get to know the other heroes a little." Mein gives a sidelong glance at The Shield Hero's face. She can't see any sign of discontentment from the young man.
"That's good. We need to get along. But I'm not... good with people. Not face to face." The young man from another world seems to lose himself in his thoughts. His eyes grow distant again and he rubs his chin in an absent minded manner. He stays that way for a minute before standing up from his chair. "I'm going to my room now. Good night, Miss Mein. And thank you for believing in me."
The Shield Hero quietly and unceremoniously disappears into the revelling crowd. Mein blinks her eyes at his back, thinking on all she managed to learn about him today. This Naofumi... he's not what she expected of a Legendary Hero. Shouldn't they all act more... arrogant? Self-assured?
No point in worrying over his behavior. The minute hand is slowly but surely ticking down to the hour of judgment. She has a lot of work left to do if she's to make a sound decision. Probably the most important decision of her life so far.
The incognito princess stands up from her chair and moves through the crowd herself. She ignores the dancing and drinking Spear Hero and sits across from one of his companion. The dark haired girl is still chugging beer like it's water, completely ignoring how red her face already is.
"Drinking beer by yourself is bad for your health." Mein decides to start the conversation in an inoquous manner. This girl, having been handpicked by her father to be a companion, is bound to tell an inquiring princess all that she wants to know about her Hero of choice.
The woman blinks at Mein. She cocks her head sideways, trying to get a better look at her through her alcohol induced haze.
"Whoo the 'ell aree you?" She slurs.
Mein feels her eye twitch. There is acting inconspicuous with an undercover princess and then there is just being plain rude. Was this brat so drunk that she couldn't recognise her face?
...Wait, she is still wearing the damned hood isn't she?
Annoyed, she pulls the damned thing off her head and looks the drunk sword bearing girl in the face again.
The young woman bobs her head sideways. Then her eyes widen suddenly.
"Sir Crepe, newlies knighteded of hers majesty's army." The young woman slurs out as she leaps up from her seat. Her fist slams into her right chest. The knight is either one in a million human who is born with heart in the right side, or it's another indication of her having tipped back one too many this evening.
"Howewers may I sherve your high-" Malty quickly plases her palm over the stupid drunkard's mouth and pulls her back down into her seat.
"Yes, it's me, Mein the adventurer. Glad that you remember we met before while adventuring together." She hisses.
The dumb chit sits back into her chair and begins to pontificating in a rigid sing-song voice. "So, Mein the adventurer that I met on an adventure, what can I do you for? As a knight of the realm, it's my sworn duty to help you in anyway~!"
Mein represses a strong urge to slap the woman's face. The incognito princess whips her head quickly to look at the other heroes. She desperately hopes none of them overheard this commotion. Wouldn't do for them to know there is a princess lurking among their companions. Not yet.
Looking towards Sword Hero's table shows that after a few mugs of beer his party members seem to have relaxed a little. They are currently chatting and laughing with the other patrons of the restaurant. But not their Hero of choice. Said young man has both of his arms crossed in front of his chest. His eyes tightly shut, mouth opens and closes like he is whispering something. The boy hero gives out a 'don't come near me' aura, that manages to succeed in making most people give him a wide berth. The princess can't help but think that he looks more like a criminal rather than a Hero.
Of course, such an aura also gives him an eminence in shadow like vibe. Some brave females go to him to attempt a conversation. However their smiles wilt within minutes and they quickly leave his table afterwards.
The Bow Hero's table is as jovial as ever. The Hero himself seems to be perfectly at ease. He is having a casual conversation with his party members and the occasional odd patron that decides to go strike a conversation with a celebrity. He appears to be much more pleasant company to gather around than The Sword Hero.
As for the one whose companion she was just manhandling, the Spear Hero?
The pretty boy is chugging down a mug full of beer in one go to the resounding cheer of the people around him. He falls head over heel right after like a felled tree. His two other companions manage to peel the young man up from the wooden floor and start carrying him out of the restaurant up to one of the rooms above. Those gathered in the spectating crowd begin to exchange copper, and occasional silver coins.
The Spear Hero appears to have become the victim of a drinking challenge and a betting pool. He is also soundly indisposed for the night.
What a golden opportunity to learn more about The Spear Hero!
"Why drink by yourself, Sir Crepe. Surely, this is a happy occasion. All of the Legendary Heroes grace Melromarc with their presence and we have the honor of being their first companions." Mein rest her elbows on the table, her chin rest on her criss-crossed fingers.
"I thought the same thing when I became Sir Motoyasu's companion, but he..." The newly knighted young woman raises her beer mug to her mouth. When no alcohol graces her lips she turns the wooden thing upside down, to only have a single drop fall out onto the table. Sir crepe pulls out her pants pocket, nothing comes out except a piece of lint. "Huh, no beersh. And I'm out of coinsh."
"Wench!" Mein turns back and waves at a waitress. The young server gives her a dirty look, but walks to their table obediently. Mein throws some of the coins Naofumi gave her earlier. "Two mugs of your best beer. One for me, and one for my buddy. Keep the change."
"Thank you, your hi-hic! Mein!" Sir Crepe giggles at the mug of beer the waitress all but slams down on their table. She quickly picks one up and sucks in a mouthful. "Sir Motoyasu doesn't let us fight! Shomething about a hero hash to protect the maidenses! I am a knight of her majeshty's army, not a porshelain doll you keep in a glassh shelf to look pretty, dangs it!.. Maybe I should get myself posted into one of those remote villagesh. I can help more during the waves, or fight banditsh..."
The female knight downs the rest of her beer in one go. Her face immediately goes down to kiss the table with a loud thud.
So the Spear Hero is quite 'chivalrous'. It's a good quality to have... for a stepping stone. He obviously lacks tact if he gets one of his companion this frustrated with him after a single day. Not to mention his earlier action paints him as a foolish man who lacks awareness and restrain. He'd easily be lead around the nose by her... and by anyone else really. She can't really trust someone like that to not do something stupid on their own. She'd have to micromanage all of his actions.
The Spear Hero is a definite pass.
The undercover princess turns back to look at the two remaining heroes. Perhaps one of them will prove a better alternative? It shouldn't be that hard to top The Spear Hero after his display of tomfoolery.
Mein goes to The Sword Hero's table first. Less company means less annoying flies she needs to shoo away to have the hero's full attention. She ignores the weird look The Sword Hero's companions give her, pulls a chair and sits down near the table. The undercover princess puts on her best smile. "Good evening to you, Sir Sword Hero."
The young boy from another world opens his eyes. He looks at Mein with disdain without saying anything for a while. "You are... Iwatani's companion?"
"Yes, Master Sword Hero. I am the companion of Naofumi Iwatani, the Hero of the Shield. Master Iwatani felt tired after the long day he's had, so I come to greet you in his stead."
"I see... Good evening." The Sword Hero gives a nod without saying anything else. He looks down for a moment before locking eyes with Mein once again. "What level are you?"
How... uncouth. Didn't his companion tell him anything? Asking someone's level is as rude as asking the age of a lady in waiting.
Mein knows her level is extremely low for someone of her age, but that is because she never had a reason to go around chasing after monsters like a commoner. Why bother when she had knights to do that for her? As the first princess of Melromarc she has more important matters to attend to and more resources to dispense than mere fighting prowess. Connections and wealth are capable of just as much if not of more than mere combat ability.
Granted, her wealth is mooched off her father... but only some... or most of it... but that's not important! It only shows how resourceful she is!
She also can't use her connection while undercover. But it's not like she's going to act as a dirty commoner forever! She can toss away this dirty hide on her body and become the First Princess right after this night! If one of the weapon wielding Heroes shows themself to be worthy her support that is.
"...Three?" The smile of the incognito princess begins to grow strained. She manages to spit out her answer through gritted teeth.
"You and Iwatani will be useless next Wave." The boy closes his eyes and shakes his head. Mein's smile wilts on her face. Like the smile of every other girl's that talked with The Sword Hero before her. "Iwatani can't fight, your level is too low. Don't get in our way. It's bad if you hurt yourselves."
"I see... thank you very much for your... concern. Sir Sword Hero." The undercover princess manages to somehow keep a polite smile while she slink away from the arrogant jerk. She seems to hear the faint muttering of 'another one' from The Sword Hero's companions.
Mein's expectations aren't high after her rather... impressive encounter with the previous two heroes. But there is still one last option to consider before she seals her fate. Although at this stage,she doesn't know what she is expecting. The initial look of things seems promising, since a small crowd is gathering around The Bow Hero, but the same could have been said for The Spear Hero.
Please, let this one be the average run of the mill clueless young man from another world. We may be doomed if this one is another exotic case.
The fake adventurer moves towards the table for The Bow Hero's party and the people around them. She suddenly falls over with a loud yelp. Did she trip over a chair leg?
Mein looks up to see a young woman looking down at her, disgust clearly visible on her face. "Look where you are going, you clumsy oaf." Yet another companion who doesn't recognise her as the princess because of her attire.
Malty S Melromarc swears that one day she'll personally crucify that Blacksmith Demon. Or maybe reward him. The new getup helping her stay disguised after all.
Not to mention after their short conversation it becomes very easy to tell which young woman with a blade on her thigh is a genuine adventurer and which one is a lady from a noble house posing as an adventurer.
She recognises her face from earlier today, when the companions were all choosing their Hero, but aside from that she isn't familiar with this clumsy sow. The slut that tripped her is wearing finely crafted armor that shows off her every curve, revealing expensive clothing and silky skin. Her weapon is also a finely ornamented rapier instead of something more sturdy. Definitely a lady of the court, but not the top of the nobility. Maybe the daughter of a Count or Viscount?
Whatever, remembering her face will be enough to enact vengeance at a later date.
"You are Iwatani's companion, no?" A male voice draws Mein's attention away from her future revenge plot. She sees the Bow Hero kneeling before her, offering a hand to help her up. "My name is Kawasumi Itsuki. I am the Hero of the Bow. Allow me to help you up, milady."
"You shouldn't concern yourself over someone like me, Sir Kawasumi. That was clumsy of me." Mein isn't proud to admit her blush isn't entirely fake. She allows the Bow Hero to close his hand around hers. It seems like there is at least one decent Hero aside from that of the Shield.
"My companions told me it's basic courtesy to help a young lady in trouble." The Bow Hero gives a faint smile as he leads Mein into a seat across him. "How are you and Iwatani this fine evening?"
"I am well, Sir Kawasumi. Sir Iwatani has retired to his room after a rather trying day. But I'm glad I could have a chance to bid you fair evening before I retire for the night myself." Mein takes off her leather helmet, letting her auburn waves cascade down naturally over her shoulders. The incognito princess enjoys the look of shock and fear from the young lady from her periphery vision. The fool no doubt recognized her true identity. "I see the evening is treating you well, Sir Kawasumi."
"Yes, I admit it was quite the shock to be summoned to another world against my will, and I may have acted impudent at first. Luckily my companions helped me settle in rather well." The Bow Hero nods to his party with a smile.
"You are too kind, Sir Itsuki." His companions begin to praise the young boy. "But we are only doing our job. Your arrows run fast and true on the battlefield, Sir Itsuki. With Cardinal Hero like you, we will surely save our world!"
Interesting, very interesting. Looks like The Bow Hero's party trust him very much already and he's been able to quickly assimilate himself into our society. Yes, he may be a possible alternate to the Shield Hero.
Mein gives a quick glance around her. Particularly the flock of young women gathered around the young Hero of the Bow.
Yes, there will be a lots of competition. But as long as I can have a head start over my younger sister I have nothing to worry about. None of them can compete against a princess of the Royal house.
"Sir Itsuki, I can see that you are very close with your party. How I wish I could say the same for Sir Iwatani, but he seems a little distant... I can't help but feel I'm having a hard time getting through to him." The incognito princess shakes her head and looks down, making an effort to avoid the Bow Hero's eyes.
"Yes, I imagine it's him being the shielder. It must be stressful as the only hero who can't fight." Itsuki runs his hand through the bow string like he's playing a kithara. "Shame, really. Being summoned to a fantasy world must have seemed like a dream come true... But to only later find out you are useless. I'm sure glad the shielder isn't me. I can follow my dream here."
A fantasy world? What is the Bow Hero trying to imply? That he fantasised about a world such as this? Does that mean that Sir Itsuki wanted to be a Hero even before being summoned? That must be what he meant by dream.
"A hero like Sir Itsuki must have an equally magnificent dream. I wish I could have the honor of learning it. Maybe I could even assist in some way." Mein closes her hands in front of her as if in prayer. She gives a look of longing to The Bow Hero. He takes it with a content smile.
"I wish to become...an Ally of Justice." A manic light seems to suddenly ignite within the Bow Hero's eyes.
...What?
"Someone who can truly SAVE people... No matter what it takes, no matter what I have to do I wish to save people! To have their lives in hands and pull them out of the fire! Like I myself was once saved by a man that would become my role model... the man who showed what JUSTICE truly was! So that perhaps even I can finally understand what it's like, so that I can finally experience that smile!" He was shouting now, voice fervent like he was some sort of fanatical preacher.
"But I failed! I could not live up the HERO who saved me! I could not follow in his footsteps! I lacked the power to be a HERO! I lacked the power to bring JUSTICE into the world! Never having saved someone I was always the one who needed to be saved! I was always someone who never lived and existed only to make others feel like they lived!
"Do you understand Mein!? Saving people, that is truly LIVING for me! There is nothing else out there that would give me reason to breathe, to continue existing... Something that I lost in my broken old world, where saving anyone was beyond my reach... But here, in this perfect fantasy I can finally be alive! I feel my purpose like never before! I finally feel COMPLETE!" His words are almost viscerally spraying passion, as well as saliva, into Malty's face. His fingers painfully digging into her.
"This world of Heroes... it exists for me. It was made for me. It's perfect." The maniac seems to finally stop his spiel, going into a daze, his eyes practically glazing over.
After several painful minutes where silence reigns he seems to finally come to his senses. His eyes refocus and he seems to actually notice that he is still holding someone. He looks at said individual and smiles again, a little less manic than previously, but it's still beyond disturbing after his verbal tirade.
"Are you okay, Miss Mein? Your face look a little... funny."
Mein is standing still as a statue, her face caught in an expression somewhere between enlightenment and mind numbing terror. She tries to speak and after a while of her mouth uselessly flapping open and closed with nary a sound coming out she finally manages to regain her voice.
"Sorry, my face is tired." Mein tries her best to command her facial muscles to behave normally. "It's late, Sir Bow Hero. Maybe I should retire like Master Iwatani." She stutters out.
She slowly edges away from this... this... lunatic. The Bow Demon's other companions are fortunately providing a good distraction for her retreat, by showering praises upon him for being so honorable and righteous.
The demon seems apathetic however, his eyes feel like they are boring deep into her skull as he watches her shuffle away from him. She almost trips again.
"Yes, that is probably smart. Tomorrow will be another busy day preparing for the next Wave. Goodnight to you, Miss Mein."
"G-g-good night, Sir Bow Hero." The undercover princess gives one last strained smile before she turns away and accelerates her pace from the table. Time to ru- make her tactical retreat! And she is definitely not shaking! It's just the cold breeze coming through the inn's door!
Wrapping a blanket around her entire body and crying herself to sleep is starting to look more and more appealing by the second...
