Asuka: Sword Hero's Dance Chapter 12: Bonding Experience Part 2
BW: Before getting onto Lute Village, I thought I'd expand on some things. So for starters, this chapter will detail a few things about Motoyasu's party. It's been a while since we focused on Motoyasu, so I thought we could explore the inner workings of Motoyasu's party, as well as look back into the past at several points.
(I don't own Senran Kagura or Shield Hero)
It was early morning as Motoyasu watched as his party enjoyed his homecoming. He cooked it all at the inn they were staying at, like he did any other time. It made him happy knowing they loved it. They really should sit back and relax. All is for the happiness of cute girls. Although, there was one girl he couldn't help thinking about.
"Asuka-chan…"
It had been a few days since the duel and he hadn't seen her since. He began to wonder if she was doing okay without him. Was she recovering after her lose and the trauma of nearly being enslaved? He hoped he could make it up to her somehow.
How to go about it was the problem. None of charm or his deeds seemed to impress her. The drug made her more and more aggressive. Or was it the brainwashing? He really didn't know anymore.
Evelyn wasn't very patient with him at the Adventurer's Guild hall either, and everyone else in the guild and around town seemed to hate him for some reason. He thought he was popular, the most popular Hero in Melromarc, but after duel, they didn't hide any of the contempt on their faces. It should have been the same as back home, where everyone, especially the cute girls, looked up to him and came to him for help when ever they needed it.
"Okay… the whole enslavement thing wasn't my finest moment…" Motoyasu thought. He truly had no idea where his head was at when that whole thing took place. The most important thing was getting to see Asuka again and apologize for letting things get out of hand after he won.
But, what would make her happy and forgive him?
"Uh… girls…" Motoyasu meekly called to his all female party.
"Yes, Motoyasu-sama?" Myne asked. She really hoped she'd get go to bed early and not have to eat anymore of this otherworldly dirt. Of course, she needed to play innocent and keep pretending to like this disgusting feast to keep the Spear Hero happy.
"I… really want make it to Asuka-chan for what happened after the duel…"
"UGH!" all of them collectively groaned, to Motoyasu's confusion.
"Huh?"
"Y-Yeah, it really is too bad about the Sword Hero, isn't it ladies?!" Elena blurted. Some of the party members sported some remorseful expression over how the Sword Hero was treated after Motoyasu 'won', but not everyone agreed to show sympathy.
"If you ask me, she got what she deserved for rejecting Motoyasu-sama repeatedly! Right, Myne?" Lesty said to Myne. Lesty was basically the number-two cheerleader of the party, due to being the closet to the Vile Princess. Having similar personalities might've had something to do with it. Also, they went to the same school.
"Indeed! So stop fussing over the Sword Bimbo, Motoyasu-sama! She clearly doesn't return your affection, and quite honestly, it shouldn't be worth any effort to please her." said Myne.
"Didn't you say she was being drugged before?" thought Elena.
"Don't say that! Asuka-chan's a sweet girl, which is why I can't leave her alone! I know deep down she likes me! I just have to keep at it until I've reached her." Motoyasu said confidently.
"Sure, keep telling yourself that." shrugged Elena. Being around this idiot Spear Hero was starting to wear on her patience, but she knew better than to let it show. From her annoyance at not being allowed to fight, even if she preferred not getting her hands or clothes dirty, to making her eat these awful, albeit still edible meals, and obsessively chatting about the Sword Hero, Elena really want to tell him to shut up.
"So, the first thing I need to do is to find a gift she'll really like, but I really don't know what she likes! I know Myne likes expensive clothes and jewelry, Lesty-chan likes fur coats, and Elena-chan likes rare items! Oh and…"
"It's amazing how he can memorize our tastes but can't focus on training for levels." Elena sighed. Admittedly, she said she liked rare items so she could sell them later as part of her family's business. If only she was in charge of the party's finances, otherwise, they wouldn't be wasting so much money. But no. Myne was in charge of everything, from finances, which she clearly doesn't know how to keep track off on account of her ridiculous spending habits, to choosing the quests, nearly all of which were easy and paid a lot for said spending habits. Any who opposed her decisions would be picked on, chased out, or much worse, sold off to slavery, much like Rino and many others who didn't agree with the group dynamic, something Elena wanted to avoid at any cost. All while Motoyasu was oblivious to everything but his own fun.
Opposite to him was the Sword Hero, who looked like she was taking things seriously when she rejected her party for believing in rumors about the Cardinal Heroes, and tried to defend the Shield Hero's innocence during that excessive trial.
Not only that, but the aforementioned Hero showed surprising combat skills in that sham of a duel with Motoyasu. It pretty much confirmed that the rumors surrounding her fighting capability were true.
Perhaps it would have been more beneficial to join with her than to stick around with the Spear Hero, due to her competence and less oblivious nature. For Elena, she just wanted an easy time earning money while adventuring and living in comfort, so she decided to join up with Motoyasu, seeing as he had the strongest weapon and could make money easily. That and she actually did like him and didn't mind his interest in other women, since it was normal for men to seek pleasure.
She eventually came to regret such a decision after getting to know him and Princess Malty. His dimwittedness aside, his cheerfulness and loyalty were endearing, but his impulsive and irrational behavior was his least attractive traits.
And then there was that duel. Like many others in Melromarc, her opinion of the Spear Hero, First Princess, and King Aultcray soured considerably after Motoyasu blew off the Sword Hero's top with that Scorpion Stinger Spear to get a cheap win, and the latter two interfering to help him get that win, and the aftermath was just awful. Myne simply went too far, kicking the poor girl while she was down by groping her in front of the public audience. And the King was stupid enough to try to have Sword Hero enslaved. Even Elena knew the potential disaster that this incident could cause if it gets out. War with all of the other nations? No thanks.
"Why is Princess Malty still in this party after that fiasco? Is the Spear Hero that dense to her true personality, or did he just not care as long as he can enjoy long nights of sex with her?"
At least the sexual relations were just with the Princess and not anyone else. Of the girls in the party, Motoyasu only had sex with Myne so far. The others were probably just status symbols for him, which was fine in Elena's book for the most part. And one mustn't forget the poor Sword Hero, who was also a target of his lust as well. Considering how impossibly big her bust was for her age, it was understandable for some men to want to jump her bones, despite said age. Of course, Motoyasu was showing it in the worst ways possible and it was a complete turn off.
"He should really just give up. It's quite obvious she doesn't like him. No matter how hard he tries, she won't show the slightest bit of interest."
"Ahh… I can't decide! If only I knew more about her!" Motoyasu groaned after straining what little gray matter he could to think of a good gift.
"Why not just test the waters and see what gifts makes her happy up close and personal?" Elena asked. In hindsight, this was a terrible idea, given how obvious the Sword Hero would react at this point. But, who knows? It might actually teach Motoyasu a much needed lesson.
"Huh… yeah, you're right, Elena-chan! I just need to see what she likes best in person!" Motoyasu grinned, brimming with his trademark over-confidence, "Alright! I'm gonna finish this job fast and use the money to buy Asuka-chan all kinds of gifts! Of course, I know you'll help me out, right girls?"
"Y-Yes, of course, Motoyasu-sama!" Myne answered with forced cheer.
"I'm on board too!" Lesty said, equally forcing the cheer.
"Awesome! I knew I could trust you! Let's work hard today, ladies!"
"YEAH!" the girls sounded off, and then shot annoyed glares at Elena for suggesting the idea. They all likely drew the same conclusion that this endeavor would end horribly in his favor, but knew that rejecting it would be pointless since the Spear Hero was so single mindedly focused on getting the Sword Hero's affection. Once he set his mind to something, even as something like this that was doomed to failure, there was no stopping him.
"Sorry… not really, though." Elena thought, "Of course, I think the one who really deserves an apology is the Sword Hero…"
[-Meanwhile: Campsite-]
"Achoo!" Asuka sneezed after feeling an uncomfortable chill.
Morning finally came upon the campsite where the Sword and Shield Heroes slept, and the first one up was Asuka, followed by the rest.
She wasn't sure where the sneeze came from. Maybe someone was talking ill of her, or perhaps it was a bad omen. Either way, now wasn't the time to worry about it.
It was time for…
"Okay guys, who's up for morning sparing?!" Asuka cheered excitedly.
"Huh?" Naofumi stared. Rino, Conan, and Raphtalia also give the Sword Hero confused looks.
"Morning sparing! You know, where you fight in a mock battle for training purposes!"
"I know what sparing is. But, why so early in the morning?" Naofumi asked, rubbing his neck a little, "And what about breakfast."
"To loosen up for the day, obviously." Asuka answered, "Plus, it'll help us gain strength. And it's better to work up an appetite then train with a full stomach."
"When you say gain strength, do you mean in leveling up?" asked Rino.
"Not necessarily. I mean, I guess they're important, but levels don't really mean anything." Asuka replied to Rino. Heroes not being able to level up when in close proximity to each other notwithstanding, of course. But, nothing said the Cardinal Heroes couldn't work around that by memorizing combat techniques and putting them into practice later, or even training together.
"I see your point. You mopped the floor with Motoyasu, who kept using his flashy skills instead of really thinking, so it obviously boils down to how smart you have to be during combat situations." said Naofumi.
"Exactly. There's no telling what could happen in a fight, especially when the Second Wave hits, so we need to be extra prepared. Even if we don't level up, I think its important plan ahead for anything. That's why I think we should have some combat training in our corner."
"Even if you say that, even learning some cool ninja tricks won't mean anything for me if I can't physically attack anyone." said Naofumi, holding up his shield, "Because of my shield, if I hit anything, it just makes a loud clanging noise."
"They weren't kidding about your shield being a liability, huh?" Asuka said.
"Hey!"
"Sorry! I was just kidding!" Asuka waved, "Anyway, I'm sure you know that fighting isn't just about punching and kicking. Fighting basically means you're defending yourself or others, so a strong defense is most fundamental, especially in your case, Naofumi-kun. So, how about I teach you a few defensive techniques that'll help you in a fight? That is, if you want to learn."
"Coming from you, I think that's a good idea." Naofumi smiled. Truth be told, being taught how to fight by someone younger was off putting, and it stung the adult's pride in him, but seeing as she was the most skilled of the bunch thanks to being an actual ninja, it was a small sacrifice in his book.
"Great!" Asuka said excitedly. She never imagined she'd get to teach others the same way her teacher Kiriya did. Well, obviously she won't be as strict as him, but she was going to try her best at this, as it was their one hope of survival, as far as she could tell.
"As for Conan-kun and Raphtalia-chan…" Asuka looked to the two nervous Demi-human children. She knew Demi-humans could become adventurers and fighters, but she had to be sure that the children had some fighting experience if they were going to start training. First off was Conan.
"Conan-kun, you've been living in the wild for some time, haven't you?"
"Yeah… about two years after coming to this country…" Conan said.
"I see. And you must've have developed some survival skills during that time, right?"
"Yeah. I learned how to hunt and how to distinguish different herbs and fruits. I also have good hearing and a good sense of smell, which helps me sense danger."
"Interesting. That's probably why you're so good at hiding, right? Like when the knights caught you the day we met?"
Conan simply nodded.
"But, you probably had to fight wild animals and monsters too, right?"
"I had some training combat before living in the wild, so I was able to survive. Plus, the monsters were weaker than most…"
"That's good to hear. We have good start on you. Next is Raphtalia-chan." Asuka turned to the shier of the two Demi-humans, "I'm guessing you didn't have much combat experience before being taken in as a slave, did you?"
"N-No. I never fought monsters before. The village I grew up in was peaceful, before the First Wave." Raphtalia answered, "But, when I played with my friends though, I was the fastest!" the Raccoon/Tanuki girl sounded as though she was bragging.
Naofumi could attest to her speed, remembering how fast she was when she killed the two headed black dog.
"Neat! And you only started learning how to fight after Naofumi-kun took you in?"
"Yes. T-The most I can do is stab things, though."
"Just stabbing things isn't enough, I'm afraid. You'll need to learn how to avoid attacks from any direction, especially when you're working with a partner who can't attack. It's your job to protect Naofumi-kun while he does the same for you."
"Protect Naofumi-sama…" Raphtalia looked at Naofumi, who wasn't sure how to respond.
"So, now that we have a rundown of your skill sets, I'd say some basic physical and combat training should suffice for the two of you." said a confident Asuka, "This is going to be tough for you guys, but the Waves are going to be tougher if what King Trash said is true."
"Pft! I still can't believe you're calling him Trash! It does suit him, though." Naofumi chuckled.
"A-Anyway…" Asuka coughed, "We want to be prepared for the next Wave, and those beyond, so I want to know if you two are on board." Asuka said to Raphtalia and Conan.
"I-I'll do it! I'm gonna be Naofumi-sama's sword, so I can protect him!" declared Raphtalia. Her tail wagged again excitedly.
Asuka was impressed with Raphtalia's change in attitude. She didn't know her for very long, but it was easy to grasp that she was the timid type. After their close encounter with death, it seemed that Raphtalia had changed for the better.
"I-I'll just do my part as a member of the party." said Conan, who was a little less confident then Raphtalia. Asuka thought he could still use some work in opening up.
"Alright. Next is Rino-chan." Asuka turned to the blonde swordswoman, "My Status Magic told me you were level 17, so I guess you're pretty decent fighter, right?"
"Yeah. Not to brag, but I am pretty good with a sword. But, compared to you, who's really good with a sword, I'm highly certain I'm out of my depth."
"Don't worry. With a little Shinobi training, you can be even better than you are now!" Asuka encouraged.
"You think so? Well, if I want to more competent in this party, I better give it all I got!"
This was a good start in Asuka's book. Everyone was motivated to train in the purely physical sense.
Asuka learned some time ago that even physical training the body could have broad effects on stat growth. The only drawback was Asuka and Naofumi not being able to level up because of their respective weapons working against each other, but it didn't matter. They could still gain intellectual strength from helping each other.
If only Itsuki and Motoyasu understood that. Then again, after what had happened with Motoyasu so far, such as blindly going along with the false accusations placed on Naofumi, and almost allowing Myne to enslave Asuka, chances of working together with him would be slime to impossible. There was no telling with Itsuki either, if the belief that this was a game was still present, along with his arrogance getting in the way.
Therefore, it was best to relay on her own strength, and the strength of trusted others to carry them through the Waves of Catastrophe.
Thus, it was time to begin training in advance.
First was a sparring match with Naofumi.
Due to him being severely under leveled, Asuka had to hold back against him, opting to use the Orange Sword due how defense oriented it was, and it was blunt as opposed to sharp like a regular sword. At the very least, unlike a certain Spear Hero, the Shield Hero knew who he was up against, and defended himself as best he could.
This was proven by how blocked several oncoming blows from the much faster Asuka. He couldn't defend against all of them, so dodging out of the way was the split second decision. Even then, he got a few scratches and bruises, and in the end, he pretty much lost the sparring match.
Following this, Asuka gave to praise Naofumi.
"Good try. You held up pretty well, all things considered." said Asuka.
"I still lost though… ugh…" grunted Naofumi, who was aching all over. Raphtalia was tending him with the medicine they bought from an apothecary in Castle-Town. "I now know why Motoyasu got his ass handed to him. You are unrealistically strong and fast. I couldn't keep up at all."
"Well, let's chalk that up to inexperience and not levels." said Asuka with an apologetic smile, "Still, you kept up a fairly good defense. But, you're still leaving yourself wide up in some areas. You really don't want anyone to hit your vitals, do you?"
"No. That won't do at all." Naofumi answered, standing up and readying his shield again, "That's why I'm up for another round, so I can learn to avoid those."
"N-Naofumi-sama!" Raphtalia cried, not wanting her master to hurt himself.
"Are you sure? You're already beat up." Rino said.
"I've got a slight idea as to how she moves now. Hopefully, I'll do better now, so don't hold back."
"Okay, if you say so." said Asuka as she got into battle position, "This time, try to pay attention to my movements, see where the weapon is about to strike, and block accordingly."
"Got it! I'm ready!"
The second sparring match began soon after.
Naofumi fared slightly better the second time around, thanks to having a better feel for Asuka's attack patterns, but he still lost in the end. He was roughed a bit more, but he didn't exactly regret it, since he lasted a little longer.
"Are you okay?" a concerned Asuka asked Naofumi, who was lying on the ground.
"Y-Yeah… I know I said you didn't need to hold back, but… ugh!" Naofumi could actually tell that Asuka was still holding back, but at least not like before. After all, if he couldn't move after taking a beating, then the training for today was practically meaningless.
"How about you take a break? I'll start teaching Conan-kun and Raphtalia-chan on how to uses swords properly in the meantime."
"Sounds good." Naofumi nodded. This gave the older Hero a chance to think about what he learned from the sparring matches.
For Conan and Raphtalia, it was a little more interesting.
Asuka started with basic ways to hold the sword and the correct ways to swing their weapons. They picked it up rather quickly. Raphtalia was a little slow due to still having some timidity, but gentle nudging from Asuka managed stow her fears and doubts.
Now came for a lighter sparring match, with Asuka defending while the children attacked. It didn't take much effort on Asuka's part to block and parry the attacks from the children.
While Raphtalia attacked more aggressively, Conan seemed to be on the reserved side, waiting for his chance to strike after the Raccoon/Tanuki girl.
Perhaps this was an affect from living off the land for the past two years. With a little refining, those instincts could become very handy in battle.
After a little while, the kids' training was over, since they got tired rather quickly.
According to Naofumi, Raphtalia got a decent boost in her agility and strength stats. The same went for Conan.
Lastly was Rino.
Both women opposite of each other.
"Ready, Rino-chan?"
"Yeah! Come at me with everything you've got!"
Asuka and Rino's match was quite the spectacle to say the least.
Out her opponents so far, Rino seemed to be the only one who could keep pace with Asuka. Rino was graceful in her swordplay, and it showed as she swung her blade and countered most of Asuka's attacks. The exchange of blow continued for a few minutes.
In the midst of the sparring match, Asuka thought how much of a waste it was for Motoyasu to not have Rino participate in battles, especially when she was this good. Given what she had heard about him, and seeing his fighting style first hand, it became undeniably clear that his thought process and battle strategy was woefully unrealistic. Him handling all the fights while his party members cheer him on from the side and not bothering to training with them was going to hurt the Spear Hero's party later down the line, no matter how impressive his levels or skills, or even his party's support were. Naturally, Myne and the others taking advantage of him without his even realizing didn't help either.
Asuka's belief that teamwork was the key to winning any battle for a party, and all the better if the party new each other's strengths and weaknesses and had complete faith in each other. The Spear Hero's party had no functionality as a party.
The sparring match eventually came to an end once Rino began to feel winded. While she could keep up somewhat, her stamina wasn't up to snuff in comparison to the Sword Hero.
"O-Okay… I think… need a break…!"
"Are you okay, Rino-chan?"
"Yeah… I have to say, you really are something, Asuka. I see what Naofumi-san meant when he said you were unrealistically strong and fast."
"Hehe…" Asuka meekly chuckled, "I think that'll be enough for today."
"Great! 'Cause I'm sweaty and I'm getting hungry!" Rino whined.
"There's a river nearby. It's clean and there aren't many monsters around." said Conan. He had checked around before, and thanks to his sense of smell and hearing, there were definitely no monsters around.
"Nice going, Conan-kun!" Asuka praised, "We can wash up before eating breakfast!"
"Sounds good. I could use a rinse, so I can wash the sweat off." said Rino.
"I-I'd like to go, too!" squeaked Raphtalia.
"In that case, you girls can go first. I'll watch over camp." said Naofumi.
"Alright. Rino-chan, Raphtalia-chan, ready?" Asuka asked to the two other girls who nodded positively. She turned to Conan a moment later, "Conan-kun, come with us."
"Huh?" Conan gasped, blushing deeply, "W-Why?"
"You found the river, so you should show us the way." Asuka said.
"O-Oh… right." Conan breathed a sigh of relief that she wasn't suggesting something else inappropriate.
A couple of minutes later, Conan lead the three ladies to the river. As he said, it was clean, and the surrounding area seemed safe. Perfect for a quick bath.
"Okay, this is it. I'll just head back to the campsite-HUH?!" Conan's face turned beat red when he turned around to see Asuka already stripping her clothes off, to the shock of even Rino and Raphtalia.
"Ah, don't look this way, okay Conan-kun." Asuka said, halfway naked.
"W-Why did…" Conan stammered, unsure of how to process what was happening.
"You might want to go now, Conan." Rino urged, hoping to preserve the boy's innocence. He quickly complied and ran back to the campsite, utterly embarrassed. The eldest of the girls turned the Sword Hero with a stern look on her face, "Asuka… stripping right in front of a boy who hasn't hit puberty was probably not a smart idea. You might've just scarred him for life."
"Eh? Why?" Asuka asked innocently.
"How I wish I could see the world through those innocent eyes." thought Rino.
A few minutes later, the girls were bathing in the river cleaning.
"Phew! This feels nice and cool." Asuka sighed as she washed herself.
"Yeah, all that training made it worth it." said Rino, while she stretched her arms. It had been a while since she had a workout like that.
"We're going to be doing a lot more of that from now on, so be prepared." Asuka said.
"Right. Your party, your rules, which I can definitely get behind." Rino replied. This was what she was looking for when she wanted to join a Cardinal Hero's party. Questing, traveling, serious training, and a good bonding experience. She found none of that with Motoyasu's party.
In fact, she couldn't help thinking of how clueless she was when she first met the spear wielding buffoon.
[-Flashback: A couple days before meeting Asuka-]
"Hey there!" a handsome stranger called to Rino. He approached her in a casual manner, wearing a charming smile. "You're free, aren't you? Wanna go on a date with me?"
"Huh? Me? I don't know…" Rino was a little surprised to be hit on so brazenly. She had been asked out before by other men, but more subtly. This young handsome stranger was different. He was very direct. One thing that caught her attention was the huge spear he was carrying.
She heard the Four Cardinal Heroes were summoned to Melromarc. Could this man be one of them? There was only one way to find out for sure.
"T-That spear! Are you the Spear Hero?" Rino asked excitedly.
"That's right! Spear Hero, Motoyasu, at your service!" Motoyasu declared, striking a cool pose with his spear.
"Oh wow! So cool!" Rino cheered with sparkles in her eyes. She never thought one of the Cardinal Heroes would approach her like this. He was even flirting with her too. This had to be the best day of her life.
"You're cute! Wanna join my party?"
"Y-Yes, I'd love to! I've always wanted to be in a Cardinal Hero's party! My name's Rino and it's such a pleasure to meet you, Spear Hero-sama!"
"Likewise, Rino-chan! And just call me Motoyasu from now on." Motoyasu grinned.
"Yay!" Rino squealed happily as her dream came true. Seconds later, she shoved aside by another girl, this one sporting red hair and she was very beautiful.
"Motoyasu-sama, the Guild has another request." she said, ignoring Rino.
"U-Um…"
"What do you want?" the redhead spat, "Motoyasu-sama is busy, and doesn't have time to waste on a peasant like you!"
"Calm down, Myne. She's a new member of our party, so you and the others have to play nice." Motoyasu said as he helped her up.
"Again? Motoyasu-sama, you're incorrigible!" complained another girl. She was wearing a fur coat.
"How many is that now?" muttered a third, this one wearing a blue outfit, and seemed reasonably smart.
"I-Is this the Spear Hero's party…?" Rino wondered to herself. She was surprised to see how unpleasant most of them were. Even more so by the fact that it was all female, with no men in sight.
"Girls, girls! Be nice!" Motoyasu lightly scolded. He turned to the nervous Rino with an encouraging smile, "Don't be shy, Rino-chan. Everyone here is nice, right girls?"
"Yes, Motoyasu-sama!" Myne and the other girls said in unison in a cheerful manner. This did nothing to ease Rino's growing discomfort.
"M-My name is Rino. It's nice to meet everyone…" Rino wasn't sure how to take this. She heard that Spear Hero only invited women to his party, but she thought it was just weird rumors. It would appear that wasn't the case here.
"Motoyasu-sama's journey is going to be long and arduous. Are you sure you can keep up?" asked the girl in blue.
"Y-Yes, I'll do my best!" Rino said with determined.
"Awesome, but you don't need to strain yourself. Cute girls like you don't like fighting and getting dirty."
"Wha…?" Rino thought Motoyasu was probably joking about girls not liking getting dirty. Sure, she didn't like dirt as much as the next girl, but she felt a little annoyed by such a comment. She was a small time adventurer, so camping out in the dirt if necessary wasn't a big deal to her.
"So, Myne, what's our next quest?" Motoyasu quickly asked Myne, who was happy to answer his questions.
"Of course, Motoyasu-sama! Remember that monster I've researching? I've finally find it on the guild's request board!" Myne smiled. She had a pleasant smile on her face, but her eyes narrowed at Rino, which caused the blond to flinch. Motoyasu didn't seem to notice.
Rino thought the redheaded woman looked familiar, but wasn't sure where to place her.
"Wait, you know that one with the paralyzing effect? I thought we talked about this Myne. I don't wanna hurt Asuka-chan with it!"
"It's a necessary precaution! I have every confidence in your skills and prowess in battle, but if that Sword Hero is even the tiniest bit faster in the duel…"
"Duel…?" Rino mumbled. "Wait, does she mean that duel between the Spear and Sword Heroes? The one concerning the Shield Hero?"
She heard about the trial for the Shield Hero and how he betrayed and attempted to abuse his comrades, but she never took it at face value, and didn't really know what it was about. From what she understood, the Cardinal Heroes weren't getting along very well. But, they were just starting with their adventures and were supposed to work together, so why would they bicker at a time like this when the next Wave was approaching?
"Look, I appreciate the effort you put into finding that monster so I can potentially get that skill, but…"
"Motoyasu-sama, have you forgotten that the Sword Hero was drugged by that dastardly Shield Hero? You have to win in order to free her from the effects making her loyal to him!"
"Of course I haven't! And I also plan to make Naofumi pay for what he did to you and Asuka-chan!"
"That's the spirit, my brave Hero! Do whatever it takes to protect me and the girls! And yes, even the Sword Hero." Myne muttered the last bit.
"Okay, if you insist on it, I'll fight that monster and get its skill! But, I'll only use it as a last resort." Motoyasu nodded.
"Motoyasu-sama, you're the best!" Myne hugged the Spear Hero eagerly upon hearing this. The all female party members besides Rino crowd around him.
"Good luck, Motoyasu-sama! We're rooting for you, no matter what!" said Lesty.
"Don't hold back on her, give it you all!" Elena cheered, albeit somewhat half-heartedly.
Meanwhile, Rino stood silently as she watched Motoyasu interact with his party. She wasn't sure how to take this. Were parties always this lively? No, this was unnaturally lively, and it was baffling to say the least. She began to wonder what she got herself into.
[-Flashback End-]
Rino sighed at her past stupidity. If only she knew what she was getting into with that moron and his flighty, bitchy party.
"U-Um, Raphtalia-chan?" Asuka's nervous voice broke Rino out of her thoughts.
She spotted Raphtalia gazing in wonder at Asuka who was covering herself, specifically her chest. The young girl looked amazed at their size.
"Oh yeah… she was looking at Asuka that way when we bathed at Lord Vento's mansion. Not that I blame her."
"What's wrong with me…?" Raphtalia pouted as she began comparing her underdeveloped chest to the Sword Hero's robust endowments. She was amazed the first time, but now she began to feel envy of Asuka being so well developed.
"H-Having breasts like mine isn't always great!" Asuka said, "They may not look it, but they're really heavy and they get a lot of unwanted attention…"
"But, I'd like have boobs, too." Raphtalia whined.
"Well… you're still a small child, so that's only natural. But, when you grow up more, you'll get bigger! You might be as big as me!" Asuka exclaimed, with only slight regret at encourage Raphtalia's aspirations in the back of her mind.
"Really?!" Raphtalia's eyes sparkled with hope.
"Dang it! I can't say no to those eyes!" Asuka thought.
"Hahaha!" Rino laughed out loud.
"Rino-chan, what's so funny?" asked as confused Asuka.
"Nothing! I was just thinking how nice this is, compared to Motoyasu's party!"
"Oh yeah… so you really didn't get along with them, did you?"
"Well… at least some of them were kind of okay. But, the vast majority of unpleasantness outweighed any of that." Rino explained, "On our first quest together, I thought I'd get a chance to prove myself useful for the team, but…"
[-Flashback: Giant Scorpion King Quest-]
"Hah!" Motoyasu yelled as he alone struck the Giant Scorpion King.
This monster was located in a swamp near the mountains.
The quest Myne had gotten for Motoyasu early had requested the extermination of the Giant Scorpion King plaguing this swamp. Once its home, which was in a cave, was found by the party, the Spear Hero lured it out and began fighting the monster alone.
"Yay! Go, Motoyasu-sama!" Myne cheered while she and the girls stood on a huge fallen tree to avoid getting wet and dirty and away from danger, cheering for their Hero as he fought alone, while Rino was completely dumbfounded.
She was about to step in and help him fight if he found himself in trouble, but he refused, telling her to stay back and let him handle it, saying 'cute girls aren't suited to bloody battles, so you don't need to fight. Just leave all the fighting to me and cheer me on'.
"What is happening?" she wondered.
"You can do it, Motoyasu-sama!" cheered on Lesty, next to Myne.
"You look so cool, Motoyasu-sama!" Elena cried.
"Aren't we supposed to fight as a unit?"
It went on like this the whole time.
"Ragh!" Motoyasu struck again, striking gallant poses as he did so.
"Is he… showing off… while we just stand here cheering for him?" Rino looked between her new cheerful party members and her leader, still utterly confused. "Um, shouldn't we help him?"
"We are helping him!" Myne snapped at Rino, "Giving him moral support while he fights is our duty as his party. That's how we do things in the Spear Hero's party."
"B-But, we're just standing here! What are we going to do if Motoyasu gets hurt?"
"That's 'Motoyasu-sama' to you!" Lesty yelled, "As long as you're in this party, you will treat him with the respect he deserves!"
"Exactly. I suggest you get used to it." Myne frowned.
"U-Um, okay…" feeling intimidated, Rino turned to Motoyasu's direction and began cheering too, "G-Go, Motoyasu-sama, you can do it…!"
"I can't hear you! You have to be louder!" Lesty screeched.
"Go, Motoyasu-sama! You can do you!" Rino cheered loudly. This felt really embarrassing, not just as a swordswoman being kept out of a fight, and as a woman in generally.
"Motoyasu-sama, I'm gonna give you a boost in speed, okay!" the young Green Mage of the group said, waving her staff and casting the Speed Up spell on him, giving him a boost in movement speed.
"So using magic to boost his stats is okay, but not actual fighting?"
"Thanks!" Motoyasu said, thus he began to strike with more speed and precision against the Giant Scorpion King, making it grow more frustrated and angry. It fought back more viciously, while Motoyasu dodged and counterattacked. It even tried to use its paralyzing stinger, but that was also avoided.
"Ladies, I'm tired, aren't you? Let's have a snack!" Myne decided without hesitation.
"What?!"
"Yes!"
"Motoyasu-sama, is that okay with you?"
"Yeah, sure thing! I'm gonna wrap this up real quick, so enjoy yourselves! It shouldn't take long" Motoyasu said with a wink.
"Thank you!" Myne said with a playful wink back.
"So cute!" Motoyasu grinned, "Okay! This is for you, girls! Haa!"
The fight between the Spear Hero and the Giant Scorpion King waged on while the former's party had a picnic.
Only Rino found this situation to be extremely bizarre.
Eventually, Motoyasu killed the monster with an Air Strike Javelin, finishing the fight.
"Girls, I won!"
"I knew you could do it, Motoyasu-sama! Well done!" Myne said, clinging to the Spear Hero's arm, rubbing her chest against him all the while, much to his pleasure.
Rino stared dumbfounded. How long did this take him? Like an hour? They could have finished this fight in less time if they didn't just cheer him on and eat snacks while he showed off. Yet, they did it like this? Why was it like this? How are they like this? She just couldn't comprehend it.
"Like said Myne and Lesty said, this is our way." said Elena, who stood next to her, "Don't waste time trying to understand it. Just get used to it."
Rino couldn't really formulate a response to that. She thought Elena was smarter than she looked, so she found it even more difficult to swallow that she would degrade herself like this.
"So, now that it's dead, are you going to absorb its parts in your Spear?" asked Myne.
"Yeah. I'll get right on it." Motoyasu answered as he began collecting material from the felled beast, "You're really insistent on this."
"Of course! We don't want that Sword Bimbo to win, do we?"
"Hey now, didn't I tell you to stop calling her that. Asuka-chan isn't a bad girl."
"I beg to differ. The way she snapped at you, me, Papa, and Itsuki-sama like that after the trial makes me furious! You even vowed to protect her, and you did so during the trial, but she slapped you across the face and berate you for it! How ungrateful can that brat be?!"
"She was drugged by Naofumi! You said so yourself." Motoyasu reminded.
"O-Oh, right…"
"U-Um, Myne-san…" Rino politely called to the apparent leader of the cheerleaders, who turned to the new member irritably, "A-Aren't the Four Cardinal Heroes supposed to be working together? Why are Motoyasu-sama and the Sword Hero fighting a Sacred Duel? And what's this about the latter being drugged?"
"The Shield Hero slipped the Sword Hero a drug that makes her subconsciously loyal to him, that's why she stood up for him during the trial. The only way to cure its effect is to beat them out of her. So, Motoyasu-sama has to fight her and win the duel."
"That's sounds absolutely ridiculous." Rino said out loud.
"Excuse me?!" Myne glared.
"I-I'm sorry!" Rino whimpered, "A-And this trial about the Shield Hero…? What was that about exactly?"
"You seriously don't know?!" Myne barked, marching over and getting up into Rino's face.
"I-I don't keep up with current events all that often!"
"The Shield Hero assaulted me!"
"What?!"
"Easy, Myne. Let me explain." said Motoyasu, having finished collecting materials from the Giant Scorpion King. "On the third day after we were summoned here, we held a trial because Naofumi, the Shield Hero, tried to rape Myne."
"N-No way…" Rino uttered in shock. Didn't that mean that Myne was really Princess Malty? She heard that she was traveling with the Spear Hero. But, why would the Shield Hero even try to do that to a Princess?
"Yes way. During the trial, Myne said it herself, but Asuka-chan didn't believe it and she tried to prove his innocence. But, it turned out he was going to rape Asuka-chan too, so Itsuki and I defended her. After that, Naofumi stormed out, and even said hurtful things to her and Myne. The whole reason Asuka-chan tried to help him was because he drugged her into liking him so he could take advantage of her. It's absolutely unforgivable, to treat such a nice girl like that!"
"A-And even after you defended her, she got angry because of the drug?" Rino asked, very skeptical of the drug angle. She was a nice and calm person herself, but if Rino was in that situation, she would have gotten angry too. No drug could influence that.
"It was heartbreaking. No cute girl like her should ever be sad or angry! She needs to be happy all the time!" Motoyasu declared, "I swear, Naofumi won't get away with what he did to Asuka-chan! After the duel, I'll make him regret everything!"
"T-That's…"
"Now do you understand?" Myne asked, "The Shield Hero is guilty of attempting to sexually assault me, and drugging the Sword Hero for the same purpose. That's all there is to it. Motoyasu-sama is fighting for that girl's sake, so it's your job to cheer him on."
Rino wasn't so sure. There was so much of that story that didn't make sense. But, she probably shouldn't question any further.
"O-Okay… I understand…" Rino nodded, "But, one last thing. The whole reason we came here was for the duel, right?"
"Right. Myne said that this monster had a paralyzing ability that could be useful for my Spear." Motoyasu explained, changing its form into that of the Scorpion Stinger Spear, "I can now paralyze anything I hit with this spear!"
"Or anyone! I concede that she might be faster than she looks, but with this spear, you should able to defeat the Sword Hero in the duel with one hit now!"
"I said I'd use it as a last resort, but I don't think I'll even need it, anyway. Asuka-chan couldn't possibly be training all that hard. It just wouldn't suit a cutie like her." Motoyasu said.
"I thought the Sword Hero was supposedly really skilled, because of the things I've heard about her." said Rino. During the times she visited the Adventurer's Guild, she heard stories and gossip about the Sword Hero's diligence and fighting prowess.
"Don't tell me you believe the rumors about that little bimbo? Or do you doubt Motoyasu-sama's ability to fight?" Lesty asked menacingly. She and several other girls glare at her.
"N-No! I didn't say that, but…"
"Alright. That's enough of the hazing. Rino-chan's got a right to her opinion." Motoyasu scolded, "There's nothing to worry about. I'll win the duel no sweat, and I'll save Asuka-chan from Naofumi's influence. After that, she'll see Naofumi for the swine he is and realize just how much I care for her." he said with complete confidence.
"He cares for her… that feels off-putting."
[-Flashback End-]
"So, that's where the Scorpion Stinger Spear came from…" Asuka muttered in disdain after hearing how Rino joined up with Motoyasu's party and how he got that disgusting spear in the same day. "And he really thought I'd fall for him after what he did?!"
"I know, right? I am so sorry about all of that. If I had known he'd use it like that, I would have tried to stop him from taking that quest." Rino sighed in regret. In the present, Rino realized that "off-putting" was an understatement. She now understood that Motoyasu's entire motivation for trying to get Asuka to like him for his own self-satisfaction, and it was as revolting as it sounded. He just couldn't stand the idea that a girl couldn't like him, so he was rejecting reality and forcing the belief that Asuka would come to see things his way. Each failure processed to worsen his delusion, and his relationship with Asuka became more and more negative. His reputation going down the drain because of it was a bonus.
"Don't apologize. I don't think it would've mattered either way. Myne-san and the others were just too domineering for you to handle at the time. Whether you were there or not, they'd still probably go and make Motoyasu-kun fight that monster to get the paralyzing skill." Asuka said.
"I don't like that man or that red haired lady…" Raphtalia muttered, thinking about how awful that Spear person and red haired lady was to Asuka. She really didn't understand everything, but she knew those two were about as nasty as one of her previous owners, one she hoped she'd never have to see again.
Rino couldn't agree more with the Raccoon/Tanuki girl on Motoyasu and Myne. It would be a miracle if Motoyasu would ever be able to repair the damage he caused, but at this rate, it didn't seem possible. Especially with that Witch of a Princess hanging around him. Most likely, she and his party were going to continue influencing his bad behavior. If that was the case, then seeing them completely fall from grace would be ever so cathartic. But, none more so than a sword through the stomach for that Witch.
"Rino-chan?" Asuka called out in worry to her party member.
"Oh, never mind me! I think we should get going." Rino said, not wanting Asuka to worry.
"Hm… I guess." Asuka mumbled, before turning to Raphtalia, "Ready to get dressed, Raphtalia-chan?"
"Y-Yes- Kya!" Raphtalia tripped as she was moving. Luckily for her, Asuka caught her before she could fall into the water, albeit her face caught between her soft breasts.
"That was close! Are you okay?" asked Asuka.
"Y-Yes!" squeaked a dizzy looking Raphtalia. her face turned beat red from embarrassment.
"Are you sure? You're not getting sick are you?"
"I-I'm fine!" Raphtalia answered awkwardly before fainting.
"Raphtalia-chan?!"
"Does she have a special knack for embarrassing kids?" Rino wondered as she looked on in bewilderment.
In any case, Asuka was the exact opposite of Motoyasu in terms of Heroism. She was strong, compassionate, and smart, while he was weak, had questionable compassion at best, and was a complete idiot. Neither she, and though she hadn't known him for long, nor the Shield Hero deserve the treatment they had received thus far in her eyes.
For better or worse, it would seem the people of Melromarc were changing their view of the Sword Hero after what happened. Strangely, there hasn't been much talk of Naofumi following the duel. At least nothing negative like what had been circulating around him. Perhaps opinions of the Shield Hero would change over time.
Later on, after finishing freshening up and getting dressed again, the girls rejoin the two boys at the campsite for breakfast, once again cooked by Asuka.
"I'm not sure why, but food seems to taste better after all that training." said Rino.
"I told you it was better to work up an appetite. Good advice from Kiriya-sensei, I say!" Asuka said.
"Kiriya-sensei… you mean your Ninja teacher, right?"
"Yeah! He was always stern, but he cared about us a lot." Asuka said, "Some of the things we did today were inspired by his teaching. I hope I did a job imitating it."
"I doubt you'll ever be super strict like him, but I did learn how to avoid taking hits more effectively. I think you're on the right track." Naofumi replied with a positive tone.
"Thanks, Naofumi-kun." Asuka said in relief.
Following this, it was time for both parties to go their separate ways.
"Thanks for the food. Though, I couldn't taste it, I guess it was good if Raphtalia enjoyed it." said Naofumi, patting his slave on the head, which made her happy, if the cute tail wagging was of any indication.
"It was no trouble at all. I hope to see you soon, Naofumi-kun." Asuka smiled.
"Yeah. Good luck on your mercenary work, Asuka." Naofumi bid.
"Goodbye, Asuka-san!" Raphtalia said cheerfully. The two ventured off following this exchange. Asuka knew they would be fine, thanks to the training she gave them.
"Okay, let's go to Lute Village!" Asuka said to her two party members.
"Yeah! I'm all set!" Rino replied.
Conan gave a curt nod of compliance.
On their way to Lute Village, Rino was last in her own thought once more.
She felt much happier than when she was with Motoyasu's party.
[-Flashback: A couple days after the Scorpion King Quest-]
One night at a luxurious inn, the Spear Hero's party was celebrating yet another successful quest with a feast cooked by Motoyasu himself. On the surface, reactions appear to be happy, but on the inside, no one was enjoying the Spear Hero's cooking, least of all, Rino.
"It really makes me happy knowing you girls are enjoying my cooking." Motoyasu said, completely oblivious to his party's well disguised misery. "Rino-chan, how is it?" he asked the newest member of his party.
"I-It's delicious, Motoyasu-sama!" Rino answered half-heartedly, "I guess cooking is not Motoyasu-sama's forte." she thought.
"I knew it! I'm the best chef around!" Motoyasu chirped, "If only Asuka-chan was with us. I'm sure she'd enjoy it, too." he sighed.
"Again…" Myne muttered.
"M-Motoyasu-sama, you really like the Sword Hero, don't you?" Rino asked.
"Of course! What's not to like about her? She's cute, kind hearted, and-"
"And yet, she doesn't seem to like you from what I've heard." Rino stated.
"Uhh… we're going through some rough breaks. I mean, it isn't even my fault! Naofumi's the one who drugged her!"
"Again… blaming the Shield Hero on this stupid drug. Just how much does he resent the Shield Hero for getting the Sword Hero's attention?"
"Rest assured, though, I am going to save her! Even if I have to win the duel to get her to come to her senses, I will protect Asuka-chan!" Motoyasu declared with a heroic pose.
"I'm so over the posing…"
"She has a huge rack! That's why you like her so much, isn't it Motoyasu-sama?" Lesty asked, more irritably than the others.
"H-Hey now, let's not throw stuff like that around!" Motoyasu rebuffed, "I mean, yeah, Asuka-chan has a really great figure and all…"
"Oh, are you saying you're unsatisfied with my body, Motoyasu-sama? After all the times we made love?" Myne asked, darkly eyeing the Spear Hero.
"O-Of course not! You didn't need to mention that, Myne!" Motoyasu exclaimed, "And everyone has great figures, I promise!"
"Why is he trying to appease us by comparing our body?" Rino asked to herself. She couldn't help sensing that Motoyasu was leering at them as he said it.
"But, I'm sure you have thought of getting intimate with that Sword Bimbo, right?" Myne glared, "After you win the Sacred Duel, and free her from the Shield Hero's drug, she'll throw herself at you, squealing 'I love you, Motoyasu-kun', and then the night of passion comes. Did I miss anything?"
"Ahh…" Motoyasu found he couldn't deny it.
"Damn that Sword Bimbo! Having Motoyasu-sama wrapped around her finger when he has us! Isn't that unforgivable?!" Lesty bellowed.
"Totally! It's not fair!" Elena whined.
"I know I should act like I'm envious, but after hearing this, I feel more pity for the Sword Hero…"
"She's just a little tramp with no intelligence! Compared to us, who give our all to support Motoyasu-sama, all she's doing is seducing him and playing coy!" Lesty screeched.
"That's enough!" Motoyasu yelled, "Asuka-chan is a nice girl, and insulting her while she isn't even here is wrong!"
"He's standing up for her? Maybe I was imagining how off-putting feeling before."
"Besides, it's that drug that's making her difficult! If it hadn't been for Naofumi drugging Asuka-chan so he could take advantage of her, things wouldn't be so complicated with her!"
"Or maybe not…" Rino thought, "Um, hey…"
All eyes went to Rino as soon as she opened her mouth.
"Sorry, but the more I hear about this drug… the more I'm starting to think of how unbelievable it is."
"Unbelievable? But, Myne told me that Asuka-chan was drugged by Naofumi. She'd never lie to me!" Motoyasu said.
"But, Myne-san's word shouldn't be the deciding proof. Did she even tell you when and how the Shield Hero gave that drug to the Sword Hero?" Rino asked.
"Huh?"
"Actually, where does someone find a drug that makes you subconsciously loyal to one specific person, especially on such short notice? I'm a small time adventurer, but even I would question if a drug like that existed. And yet, you didn't. Why is that?"
"I-I…"
"You!" Myne snapped before Motoyasu could say anything, "Are you doubting my word?! Are you calling me a liar?! ME?! The one who was assaulted by the Shield Hero?!"
"I-I don't know everything surrounding the trial, but I can't help but question if everything is as you say is the truth! Are you absolutely sure Motoyasu-sama winning the duel will fix everything?" Rino asked, trying to sound firm.
"Motoyasu-sama will win! I'll make sure of it!" Myne growled as she slammed her hands on the table.
"Uh, girls, calm down! You're disturbing the other guests." Motoyasu motioned to the other guests and waiters looking back at the Spear Hero's party.
Realizing the noise she made, Myne calmed herself and continued, "Ever since you joined us, you insist on questioning everything we do. Do you even want to be a part of this party?"
"Believe me, I'm doing everything I can to fit in, but this… this isn't what I was hoping for when I joined." Rino replied.
"I see. That's a shame." Myne said. She stood from her seat and stormed off.
"M-Myne, wait!" Motoyasu called out, but he was ignored.
"I-I'm sorry. I think I might have upset her…"
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure Myne will cool down after getting some fresh air." Motoyasu smiled, "And if you have trouble fitting in, just talk to me! I'm a great listener, so I'll do everything I can to help."
"T-Thank you, Motoyasu-sama." Rino thanked, albeit hesitantly.
Later that night, Rino was having a difficult time getting to sleep. Either if it was from the needlessly gaudy room design making her uncomfortable, or reeling from the experience being in Motoyasu's party for this long was unknown. Perhaps, it was a combination of the aforementioned.
It was same thing following that Giant Scorpion King quest. Motoyasu took on a quest, he fought alone, and the girls cheer him on or snack on something, rinse and repeat. Whenever they were on an adventure and they had to stop at a place to rest, it was always at a fancy and expensive inn, and the girls wind up spending ludicrous amounts of money for rooms and other expenses. Rino still couldn't get used to this dynamic, and found herself questioning everything they did.
Almost none of the girls were friendly to her either, which didn't help. At least Elena was somewhat cordial. She might have been the only one with redeemable intellect among the party.
But, Myne was relentless in picking on her. As a result, Rino came to dislike her very quickly. But, she dared not make it known in front of the other party member, let alone Motoyasu. Considering Myne was really the infamous Princess Malty, there was no telling what could happen to her.
KNOCK, KNOCK!
The knocking on Rino's door drew her attention. Getting up from her bed, she walked over to the door and opened it and to her surprise, it was Myne on the other side.
"Myne-san?" Rino gasped. She hadn't expected to see Myne so soon after she stormed out.
"Get dressed and come with me." the redhead ordered.
"W-Why?"
"Just do it and hurry up!"
"O-Okay…" Rino did what was ordered of her as quickly as humanly possible.
Without waking anyone else up, the two women exited the inn and walked into a dark alleyway. Rino couldn't help but worry as I'm hadn't said another word after leaving the inn.
"Um, where are we going?" Rino asked.
"You'll see soon enough." Myne answered, looking back at the blonde swordswoman with a devilish grin. One that made Rino more nervous than before.
Eventually, two men and a carriage came into view in the middle of the road.
To Rino's confusion, Myne was the first to approach them. The men looked like bandits.
"Here's the woman I promised you."
"Eh?"
"Ohh, you weren't kidding when you said she was a looker!"
"Yeah. Can't wait sample the goods!"
The two men, undoubtedly bandits, surround Rino, eyeing her like predators.
"M-Myne-san, what is this…?" a terrified Rino asked.
"Isn't it obvious? You're about to become a slave." Myne answered, with no sign of remorse and showing every bit of her sadistic glee, "I would have sold you to the local brothel like anyone else who questioned Motoyasu-sama, but this dinky village is nowhere near it, so I took the quickest option. The bandits here have been raiding this village since the First Wave, and they could use some company. You were worthy only a few coins, but I'd say it'll help our cause nicely. Fitting for your final contribution."
"B-But, why?!"
"Because you're not fit to be Motoyasu-sama party. I'll be sure to tell him you simply felt out of place among our ranks." the vile Princess answered as she began walking away, "And I'm sure those men will treat you far better than we did. Farewell."
"Please wait!" Rino cried before being grabbed from behind by the larger of the men. He pulled her into the carriage. While she was struggling, she spotted Myne meeting up with Motoyasu, who had probably gone out looking for them. She had hoped that he would notice her in trouble would save her. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, as he and Myne walked away like nothing happened. All her hope was crushed under the weight of immense despair at that moment. It sunk in that joining the Spear Hero's party was the worst decision of her life, as it led to her becoming a slave.
[-Flashback End-]
Rino felt sick just thinking about that night. Her hatred for the evil Princess and idiotic Spear Hero was born that day, and it continued to fester after everything they did. She swore that she would never forgive them. Not for selling her into near slavery, and especially not for the things they did to Asuka.
"Rino-chan, what's wrong?" Asuka asked, breaking the blonde out of her thought.
"Huh?" Rino saw the look of concern on Asuka's face. Conan seemed curious but remained silent.
Rino put on a brave smile, for her party leader, "It's nothing. I'm just thinking of some stupid stuff."
"Hmm… if you say so. But, if you have any problems, I want you to talk to me, okay? I'll do everything I can to help." Asuka smiled.
"Yeah. Thanks, Asuka." Rino said with a grateful smile. They had every reason to be angry and hateful toward the ones responsible for her suffering, but Asuka remained empathic and cheerful despite everything. It really helped Rino feel at ease, something Motoyasu never managed to accomplish.
"In a twisted way, I guess I should be grateful that it happened. Not only have I seen Motoyasu's true colors as an absolutely irredeemable idiot, and that Witch of a Princess being undeniably evil, it led to me meeting a true Hero in Asuka. This is a debt I could probably never repay, but you can bet I'll always be there to fight for her."
BW: So, Rino was the focus of much of this chapter, as well as Motoyasu. In the Shield Hero light novels, not much detail was given in the Motoyasu side story. Like, literally, it was so short and it only focused on Motoyasu's thoughts. So, I needed to take that story and weaved it into something cohesive, and here we are.
By the way, why back in chapter 06, where Conan first appeared, I altered his hair and eye upon realizing that he and Welt, the orange haired guy from Ren's original party were similar. I did this to avoid confusion later.
