"... It's time to go home..." He walked closer the door to the villa. The door to his home gave out an inviting vibe just ready to welcome him anytime. And he could hear the faint voices calling for him.

"Alexios... Come home..." He reached out his hand for the door and grabbed the door handle. And as he opened the door, a bright calming light illuminated through the door as it embraced his welcome...

Marius slowly opened his eyes and saw the wooden ceiling of the room he's in. As he tried to sit he felt a sharp pain on his abdomen. He opened the bed sheet that covered him and saw bandages wrapped around his abdomen.

Now he remembered, he was stabbed by Glass during the last fight. Last he remembered was being thrown away then something soft caught him.

He looked around and realized he's in a small room with only a bed and a small drawer beside it with a glass of water and an unlit lantern. And on the other side was a window to the outdoors with the sun shined through.

The door opened and the familiar voice surprised him.

"Mask guy!" Filo jumped on Marius and hugged him.

"Filo." Naofumi entered the room without his gear, "Feeling okay?"

"How long was I out?" said Marius.

"Almost a day now, actually. We just came back from the capital cause I was summoned by that king."

"Oh..."

"Anyway, you shouldn't be going after her alone like that. You know you can't stand a chance against her."

"My apologies. It is a bad habit."

Filo looked up with her teary eyes, "Please don't do that again. I almost lost you."

"She's right, you know." said Naofumi, "Anyways, tomorrow we're heading to Shieldfreedeen. I suggest you take a break for today. You deserve it."

"Master! Can I stay with him for a whole day! Can I?"

"Fine. Just don't bother him too much."

"Yay!"

"No wait-" Naofumi left the room and closed the door before Marius could finished. He looked at Filo and she smiled at him after she whipped her tears.

"Gods, give me patience."

Marius stared outside the window the entire time while Filo hasn't bothered Marius and just sat beside him.

"Mask Guy. What does that mean?" Filo said as she pointed at Marius tattoo on his left shoulder, "What does SPQR mean?"

"Senatus populus que romanus. It means 'The Senate and People of Rome'." said Marius.

"Senatus populus que romanus?"

"Impressive." said Marius, impressed by Filo's perfect pronunciation of the latin language.

"The Senate and People... Of Rome... Was that your home?"

"No. Just the old name of the empire. Old as the civilization itself but the word still sticks, I guess."

"Do you miss home?"

"... No... There's nothing left for me there..."

"Do you have a family?"

"... Let's change the subject."

"Do you have a mate?"

"No. Next subject."

The next morning, Marius's wound was partially healed but it still pains him on every move. But he ignored the pain like he was trained too and looked around, noticed he was the only one in the room and there was no sign of the filolial.

On the corner of the the bed was his tunic, cleaned and folded, and stitches from the stab area.

He looked beside him and saw a plate of delicious meal and a glass of water. And near it was a potion with a note.

Something for the pain.

Marius grabbed his breakfast and began eating his meal. It was a meat stew with vegetables on the side, should be enough for him.

While he eats, his thought about the last battle. His last opponent, Glass, was unlike any other foe he encountered. He faced many challenging adversaries before, but never the one who can withstand his jab. Even the most strongest of raiders and shugokies would be affected by his fist.

Perhaps, Glass would not be his next opponent until he and his party member become even stronger, which is the point of why they travel to various places and battle many monsters to level up. Or in Marius's case, to honed his skills in combat.

Marius exited the house he was in while he recovered and realized he was still in the village where the last wave was. The villagers were busy repairing the damage from the battle and amongs them was the two children Marius saved, who were following a man and a woman. Marius felt relieved after knowing he saved a family from sorrow.

" Hey, you're done? We need to keep going."

Marius looked around for the source of the voice and saw Naofumi standing beside the wagon. Beside him was Filo who waved at him excitedly.

"Good morning, Mask Guy!" said Filo.

"How are you now?" said Naofumi

"Not dead, thank the gods." said Marius as he walked closer.

"Good. That potion should keep the pain at bay."

"Thank you."

"Anyways, take this." Naofumi handed Marius a sword very familiar to the centurion. Marius pulled the sword from its scabbard and it was very similar to the gladius he used to wield.

"Thank you. You are being too generous."

"Hey, I'm doing this so you have use to me. For now, how about you relax until your wounds are fully heal."

"Very well."

"Come on, master! Let's go!" said Filo, eager for another trip.

"Well, we better get going. Your armor is in the wagon. I've already fixed it and added a little something extra for your armor stats. But for now, don't wear it until your wounds are healed, understand?" said Naofumi.

"Very well." Marius walked towards the wagon and as he tried to entered the wagon a hand extended infront of him.

"Need help?" said Raphtalia.

"I can do this." Marius entered the wagon as Raphtalia sat at the driver's seat. He looked at the collection of supplies and saw his armor, already repaired and cleaned, with an orange gem embedded on its chest.

As Filo was fastened into wagon, Marius lay down on the passenger's seat to let his wounds heal.

The Shield Hero and his party member rested beside the road after a long journey as the day reached closer to dusk.

Filo blew the heat from her cup of hot drink then tried sipping the liquid but the hot beveraged caused the young girl to recoilded and she stuck out her tongue to help ease the pain.

"Hod..." said Filo.

"Don't be too eager next time..." said Marius who sat infront of her with the small table between them.

"Mask guy. Can you blow it for me?"

"Fine." Marius grabbed Filo's drink and started blowing out the hot steam.

"Is it done yet?"

"Be patience... There. It should be cool enough." Marius gave the drink to Filo.

"Thank you!" Filo started sipping her drink without any difficulty.

Marius only groaned and started sipping his drink. But he too recoiled from the hot beverage instead.

"Skata!" Marius swore under his breath.

"Want me to blow it for you, Mask Guy?"

"No..."

As Marius blew his drink and Filo pouted, Raphtalia and Naofumi had been watching the two.

"Master. Have you realized that Filo's getting really clingy with Marius?" said Raphtalia.

"Yeah, it seems like it." said Naofumi.

"Found you!"

All four heard the familiar voice coming towards them. They turned to where the voice was coming from and saw a carriage driven by the local knight while been escorted by a band of knights on horseback. Marius instinctly got up and clutched his sheated gladius for combat but a sharp pain from his wound stopped him.

Melty got out of the carriage after it stopped then walked towards the Shield Hero, as Naofumi got up from his chair and started walking towards the princess, followed by the rest.

"Sir Shield Hero,", said Melty, "I'd like you to return to the capital and meet with the King Aultcray once more."

"I refuse." said Naofumi.

"I want you to apologize for your conduct and reconcile."

"I refuse!"

"We need your help to stop the Waves." Melty slowly losing her patience. "Also, you would be lost without the king's financial support."

"Support? I'm the one graciously working with you lot until the Waves are gone."

"Naofumi-sama..." said Raphtalia.

"She's royalty, too."

"Why... Why do both you and my father have to be like this?!" Melty's outburst shocked the whole group, except for Marius. "A hero and the king can't be fighting among themselves! Absolutely not!"

"Mel-chan?" said Filo

"Don't you agree, Filo-chan?"

"Er..."

"You agree too, don't you, Raphtalia-san?!"

"W-Well, I am Naofumi-sama's sword." said Raphtalia.

"How about you, Marius?! Do you agree with me?"

Marius responded with only a light grunt.

"See? They're agreeing with me!"

"Uh, they're not." said Naofumi.

"Look, just apologize to father! Otherwise, mother will yell at him!"

As Melty ranted on, Marius saw one of the knight ran towards Melty. As the knight got closer and closer, the knight drew his sword and was prepared to strike the Princess.

Marius drew out his sword and blocked the incoming attack then kicked the knight away. This move caused a pain on his abdomen but Marius endured the pain and kept his guard up.

"Curse you! How dare you take Princess Melty hostage!" said the knight. "Fellow knights! Justice is on our side! Destroy the Devil of the Shield!"

The knights charge at the group, while Raphtalia and Filo stood infront to defend their master and the princess. Marius then joined in despite not wearing any armor and having an unhealed wound.

Raphtalia fended off the knights one by one with her swordsmen skills, while Filo decimated the knights as if they were just toys being thrown around. Marius fought the knights head on, knocking them out and even incapacitated some with a slashed to the arms or legs.

Behind them, some of the knights got through the defences and attacked Naofumi while he defended the princess.

After minutes of fighting, the captain of the knight called for retreat, and all the knight ran away in fear. The ones that meet the unfortunate fate of fighting Marius walked away with bleeding limbs and were forced to carry their downed comrades.

As all of the knights ran far away as possible, one of the knight with a stabbed leg tried to crawled his way out. Marius grabbed the knight, turned him around on his back and was prepared to sink his gladius through the knight's armor.

"Marius! Stop!"

His master commanded. Marius stopped before he can strike. He grabbed the knight instead then threw it to the ground in front of Naofumi.

"Why did you try to kill the second princess in front of us?" said Naofumi.

"I have nothing to say to the devil!" said the knight.

Marius stomped the knight's bleeding wound, "Answer or I'll make it worse for you!"

On the ground, Naofumi spotted a small object dropped by knight.

"That's a rosary from the Three Heroes Church." said Raphtalia.

"The Three Heroes Church?" said Naofumi.

"Melromarc's state religion, which worships the Sword, Spear, and Bow Heroes."

"That reminds me... I saw it at the church in the capital, too. The three heroes other than the Shield, huh?"

"You'll learn just how grave the sin of disturbing our country's order is!" the knight said to Naofumi, then Marius kicked the knight's face, knocking him out.

"What do we do with him?" said Marius.

"Just leave him." said Naofumi.

Marius walked away from the knight while holding his wound as blood started to poured into his tunic.

"Mask guy!" Filo shouted.

"Just a flesh wound..." said Marius.

"You better get inside the wagon and rest. Raphtalia. Help him." said Naofumi.

"Right." said Raphtalia.

"No... I can do this..."

"Stop being stubborn and let me help you."

"... Fine."

Raphtalia helped Marius walked to the wagon and climbed inside, while Naofumi walked towards the second Princess.

"You're okay?" said Naofumi.

"I-I can't believe they were trying to kill me?" said Melty, "I... I want my bodyguard..."

"Come with us. They'll be coming for more."

Filo helped Melty up on her feet and helped her walked to the wagon.

In a room lit only by a candle, a man of japanese origin in his traditional robe knelt in front of an altar displaying an armor. And right in front of him was a long blade, the katana.

As he was meditating and humming a mantra, Princess Malty entered the room along with two knights.

"Nice place you got here." said Malty, "But it's a little too... Poor for my taste, don't you think?"

The man ignored the princess's presence, continued concentrating.

"I heard you were one of the strongest warriors my mother, the queen, as ever hired. And she appointed you as the bodyguard for my little sister, Princess Melty, am I correct?"

The man opened his eyes, "And what was your purposed for this intrusion?"

"May I remind you that you belong to my family. Which means, you belong to me as well."

"My loyalty is only for the queen and the second princess. Not you, nor your father."

The princess grew agitated but kept her composure, "Very well then. How this?"

Princess Malty ordered one of the knight to bring a glass orb to the kneeling man. The orb glew and it projected a moving image of the knight's attack on the Shield Hero.

The Shield Hero and his party member all have sinister look on their faces, and it looked like they're murdering the knights mercilessly.

But the man focus only on the Shield Hero holding Melty hostage, who looked helpless under the Devil of The Shield's grasp.

"It seems that the Devil of The Shield as your precious princess hostage." said Malty.

"Leave..." said the man.

"What did you say?"

"Leave. I must prepare for my duty."

"Fine. But make it quick. Or who knows what violation the devil might have done on poor Melty."

As the princess and her knights left the room, the man picked up his katana and sheathed it before standing up and began wearing his armor.

He gathered a number of kunai then stored it on his bandolier. He took his sheathed katana then secured it on his belt. He then tied his hair in a topknot before putting on his face mask and his helmet, revealing only his eyes.

"I'm coming for you, devil!"