Last chapter was quite unlucky 13, wasn't it?

When Motoyasu woke up, he wanted to believe that he had just seen a horrible nightmare. But, no matter how hard he wished that to be the truth, he couldn't deny it.

Even though he had been vomiting, had a blinding headache, and could barely speak, he could remember being dragged before the King and being told of all of the horrible and disgusting things he had been accused of doing. He could remember how Myne had proclaimed herself the victim in front of the King and the other heroes, calling him a monster and abuser before facing him with a flash of deceitful fear. He saw the other Heroes, their minds already made up, looking at him like he was the lowest scum of the earth.

And most haunting of all, he remembered, before all of that, an unconscious Rino being taken by some men in dark robes.

"...Rino!" With a startled realization, Motoyasu opened his eyes, tried leaping out of bed and fell to the floor with a thud. He realized a bed sheet was wrapped around him. He untangled the cloth aside and pushed himself off the ground. He was in an unfamiliar bedroom with a closed window. There were few furnishings.

His head throbbed, but Motoyasu did not have time to waste. He pulled his spear from his back and…

Before he could start walking toward it, the door opened. A familiar girl approached him, her fox ears twitching. "Master Motoyasu?" Beryl spoke. "I… I heard a noise… are you alright?"

Motoyasu froze, not sure what to do beyond rising from the floor. Everyone else in the party drove a knife in his back when they testified against him. Where did that leave Beryl? She was not there, but did that mean she was trustworthy? …Was Rino?

All of the girls he had ever gotten close to had either figuratively or literally shoved a knife through his heart. Was he cursed to always suffer that fate? ….Or was it all really his fault?

Motoyasu's sight was filled with visions of the day he died when his two childhood friends repeatedly stabbed him in the chest blended with the voices of Malty and her conspirators shouting their false accusations.

"Master, please rest." Beryl said, shaking him from his thoughts.

Motoyasu stared at the young girl. What did Beryl want? What could she gain from keeping him here? Did Beryl take him here, wherever here was? "Beryl, how did I get here?"

"Sir Naofumi brought you here after he found you wandering through the streets." Beryl said plainly.

Motoyasu went on guard at the mention of the Shield Hero's name. Naofumi… terrified him. The way he looked at him, it was like he was prepared to destroy everything around at the slightest provocation. Why did the Shield Hero bring him here? Was he keeping him prisoner for the sake of some cruel torture? Did Myne put him up to it? "Where is he?"

"Next door," Beryl answered. "Do you want to meet him?"

"...Later," Motoyasu responded.

Beryl frowned. She stepped into the room and closed the door. "Master, what do you think of my dress? Does it please you?"

Motoyasu stared. Beryl was dressed in that maid dress that he had gotten for her around two weeks ago.

She twirled and did a curtsy, a smile over her face. Yet there was something…fake about her. Beryl had an angle, she wanted something from him. Was she really no different from those… those pigs?

Motoyasu remembered that in the settings for the slave crest there were options to ensure loyalty and honesty. As long as his knowledge of the world held true, he could sift through truth from lies. He went into his settings menu and made sure that her slave crest would shock Beryl if she lied to him. "... I don't know," he answered. "Do you like it?"

"I do- GAH!" Beryl winced as a visible shock went through her body. It was not particularly intense, but she fell onto her knees.

Motoyasu's eyes narrowed. He was being lied to, again! He held his Spear tightly. "Why did you lie to me!?"

Beryl looked up at him, fear in her eyes.

"Answer me!"

Beryl winced. "I…I wanted to please you."

Motoyasu's eyes narrowed. He already knew that. "Why?"

Beryl looked down. "You went through… something awful. Raphtalia told me about what happened and I thought… I could help. You like dressing me up… and I thought it would cheer you up."

Motoyasu stared. She had to be lying. But she wasn't being shocked.

Beryl started to cry. "I hate these dresses. They remind me too much about my stay in Flitbrand's… but I thought it would make you feel better." Her seal did not activate; she was honest.

Motoyasu fell onto the bed. He was such a screw up. The one person who thought to cheer him up and he brought her to tears. No wonder why he never saw Myne's jealousy until it was too late; he didn't actually understand anyone, he didn't know what they actually wanted. He could say he was sorry, but those words would be empty.

"Master?"

Motoyasu stared at the girl. He really only had one overriding thought. "...Beryl, do you know where Rino is?"

The fox girl rubbed her eyes. "I don't know. Sir Naofumi went to see if she was sold, but the slave trader said he wouldn't know on such short notice."

"We don't know where she is."

Motoyasu paled as he turned to the source of the voice.

Naofumi walked into the room with a cold expression on his face. Raphtalia walked into the room with him and closed the door. His other slaves were not present.

The Spear Hero eyed the Shield Hero with caution, his hands tensing to bring his Spear to bear if needed. He didn't understand Naofumi's motivations, all he knew was that there was something menacing about him last night.

Naofumi continued to speak. "If we're lucky, the slave merchant's connections will find out where she is. She's human, so if she's sold as a slave, it wouldn't be in this country."

Motoyasu narrowed his eyes. Did Naofumi want to enslave her? Or was this something like how he apparently wanted to recruit one of Itsuki's party members. "...Why are you interested in her?"

"I'm not," Naofumi answered. "But Beryl was worried for her since she wasn't at the trial last night. And I figure that meant she was the only one who wasn't part of Princess Bitch's ploy."

Motoyasu's posture eased. It was obvious who Naofumi was talking about and he approved of the rename. "She always acted…." He wanted to say she always acted jealous, but that wasn't really the case, was it? She must have been acting to manipulate him from the start. He couldn't trust his own judgment.

Naofumi shook his head. "Motoyasu, remember that I told you about Malty? About how she's supposed to be an antagonist?"

Motoyasu nodded solemnly, thinking back to the day where Naofumi publicly humiliated himself in an effort to ensure the Princess was nowhere near him. "You knew the whole time… and you told me. And I… ignored you," his voice felt rough. All because he wanted to see if he could change a girl, because he wanted to trust someone who seemed so nice.

Naofumi sighed. "What's done is done."

Motoyasu looked the Shield Hero in the eyes. The Shield Hero's gaze did not bear that intense hatred that he saw last night. "You… were so angry last night."

Naofumi nodded. "I wasn't angry at you, Motoyasu. I hate everything that's been done to you, because I know what it's like to be accused of rape and having people curse your name."

Motoyasu nodded, recalling the private conversation he had with the Shield Hero over Beryl. "You didn't defend me."

Naofumi shook his head. "I'm the Shield Devil. I don't know what would have happened if I did, only that it would have made things worse." He gave an uneasy glance to his shield. "In fact, I was trying very hard not to let my anger do the talking."

Motoyasu accepted this. After all, Naofumi sounded logical; Melromarc's nobility hated him. Plus, if he had listened to the Shield Hero's advice from the beginning, maybe Rino wouldn't be in whatever Hell she was in right now.

Naofumi then continued speaking. "Now, King Trash is about to give out reward money for successfully pushing back the Wave. I don't think he's going to want to see you or give you any money."

Motoyasu snarled. "Good, I don't want to see the King of Garbage either. I don't care about the money, I just never want to see him or his rotten family again!"

"The Queen and the younger princess are actually sensible," Naofumi explained. "Whenever they get back from Faubrey, they'll do nearly anything to make up for what happened to you. Don't push them out of hand, until you meet them, trust me. There's bigger enemies to face."

Motoyasu ground his teeth, not believing it. But Naofumi gave him his trust when it was hard for him to do; the same had to be given back. The Spear Hero took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll play along."

"Good." Naofumi changed his shield into a book. "I'm going to pick up the reward money I'm owed from the King and Itsuki. I'll leave Keel and Rifana with you to keep an eye on stuff. Do not let anyone see you. After that, we'll need to get you new equipment… and a new party."

The Spear Hero frowned. He was not eager to fight the Waves, not under Melromarc's banner. He just wanted to leave, to log out, but Naofumi had pointed it out to Ren repeatedly; that was not an option, because this wasn't a game. He turned a glance towards Beryl; he needed to make up for hurting her. "... Can they be Filolials?"

Naofumi nodded. "... I think that can be arranged."

Motoyasu carefully eyed the pile of crepes before him, a part of him wondering if there was something inside of them other than fruity jam. What if he had been misled and there was more poison in them? Or worse, more alcohol…

Beryl, however, had no such fears. She dug into the breakfast pastries with an eager smile. "Wow, these are great! I didn't know you could cook, Keel! And I've never eaten anything like these! What are these?"

Keel gave her a nod. "That's because they came from Sir Naofumi's world. He showed me how to make them." For some reason, she frowned upon saying that.

Deciding that it was safe, the Spear Hero took a plate and ate a crepe as well. And then another. And then more.

Motoyasu hadn't realized how hungry he was until then. He figured it might have had to do with the fact he hadn't eaten last night, combined with constantly vomiting his stomach's contents.

"Hey, save some for me!" Keel complained.

Rifana, the pink haired weasel girl, laughed. "You can always make more, Keel."

Keel grumbled.

Beryl gave the two a smile.

Motoyasu observed carefully as he finished the last of his meal. The way these three friends acted was so… different from what he had in his party with those girls that he refused to name. Keel and Rifana constantly got into spats with one another, yet they were still friends despite that. Did any of those… pigs even bother to disagree on anything that Bitch didn't approve of?

Motoyasu raised his hand and counted on his fingers. Beryl only did what she was told because she was a slave. Rino did not want to cause a fuss, but often did suggest alternatives to whatever Bitch planned. Elena was an unknown; she tended to stay out of decision making when she could afford to. Hopefully, she was safe tending to that miracle seed.

A small paw touched the back of his hand.

Motoyasu adjusted his hand and saw a familiar white tiger cub on the table.

The Spear Hero froze, remembering how not too long ago, he was fighting it with life on the line. He desperately stabbed it while it refused to fall.

"Oh, that's Tama. He must have just woken up." Beryl explained.

Motoyasu blinked several times. This was an insanely powerful creature created by an unknown enemy and related to the world threatening Waves…did Naofumi really name it something you call an ordinary housecat?

Tama blinked back, looking up at Motoyasu with contemplative eyes, as if wondering about the Spear Hero's sudden silence.

The beast Motoyasu battled had no care for fear, pain, or vulnerability. This creature, this kitten was something else; it had curiosity. The Spear Hero brought a hand over to the tiger cub and patted him gently on the head. Tama purred back.

"Oh, that's so adorable!" Rifana gushed. "I think he likes you."

"He's very affectionate." At least, right now he was; a far cry from that unkillable monster from yesterday. Motoyasu brought his hand back and turned to the others. "Naofumi is prepared for everything, isn't he?"

There was a silence in the room, deep enough that he could hear the floorboards slightly creak. Even the tiger seemed to feel something was off. Rifana and Keel looked at each other.

"Hey, what do you mean exactly?" the dog girl said.

"Naofumi showed up in this world like he's prepared for it," Motoyasu observed. "Meanwhile, I'm over here, a guy who died to get here because I couldn't understand what the people closest to me were thinking. And now I repeated the mistake that got me killed. Why was I chosen to be the Spear Hero?"

Beryl grabbed onto his hand with her own. Though she said nothing, there was reassurance in her simple presence.

"We just showed up and it's like everyone and their grandma wants to worship the ground we walk upon, even before we've done anything… I thought I was going to be an incredibly awesome guy, this Hero who could solve any crisis just by showing up." Motoyasu shook his head. "I'm a let down."

Rifana rose and met Motoyasu in the eye. "Sir Motoyasu, I know we haven't talked to each other much, but… that's because people don't understand what the Heroes actually are."

Motoyasu looked at the weasel girl.

She continued. "The stories always painted the Legendary Heroes as these warrior sages who were trained or brought up with the sole purpose of being Heroes. None of the legends or stories I read spoke much about the worlds the Heroes come from or what they did before they came here. They think you're gods because they never learn that Heroes are really just ordinary people."

"Ordinary?" Motoyasu thought. Thinking about it, a few months ago, his life wasn't that strange. Nothing truly strange or supernatural happened to him.

Rifana nodded. "He taught us about his world and told us what it's like for you Heroes." She sighed. "Like how to you, everything seems like it's a video game because Status Magic is something only that you see in toys in your world."

Beryl looked at Rifana oddly. "Uh, a game?"

Keel nodded. "Most Heroes think our world is make believe, like it's a game of pretend or a storybook."

Beryl blinked. "Oh…"

Motoyasu nodded his head. "I… thought the same, too. Not anymore, but I was guilty of that." Yet another reason why Naofumi was better than him; he was willing to talk to his comrades about the differences between their worlds.

"Hey," Keel snapped. "You were nicer to us than either Ren or Itsuki! That makes you loads better."

"...Even if I didn't think you were… people?"

"You at least acted like you cared," Rifana said. "After all, you wanted to help Beryl when we met."

Motoyasu remembered that day, back when he thought Beryl had been chased by Balloon monsters.

"That's still more than Ren ever did for us, and more thoughtful than what Itsuki tried," Keel explained. "Neither of them cared about sick slave kids, until they were made to care. You did."

Beryl spoke, "Master, you've been nice to me, at least you tried. I am lucky to have you as my Master. So, for your sake, I just want to say that… without the Princess, things may be better."

Motoyasu nodded. He supposed the girls had a point, he cared. Sure, he did so because he wanted to play the hero, to be the knight in shining armor, but still, he wanted… people who he could trust… friends, real ones.

Myne abused that. She was the problem, the root of all of his woes. Maybe he was too trusting, following the words and whims of every girl he met. But she chose to feed him lies and made him a fool. No more. "You're right, Beryl. Things will be better." As long as he worked to be smarter.

With resolve in his heart, Motoyasu set his mind to the task at hand. He needed people who he could trust. Then he was going to save Rino. After that, they'd prove everyone wrong.

With breakfast taken care of, Rifana and Keel opted to pack their party's remaining belongings. Both had been given a rough idea on what they would be doing today. Namely, Naofumi had told them that he wanted the party in Lute before sundown.

So, she packed her mixing tools into their box and stored several books, including those two expensive books from Siltvelt, into a dedicated book bag.

Keel, meanwhile, packed Naofumi's accessory making tools.

"So, Beryl's going to be fine?" Keel asked.

"Motoyasu is not perfect, but he cares about her." Rifana did one last check on books to make sure all of them were in their bag. "It's such a shame that we're the only ones who know that."

"At least, they won't have those witches dragging them down just by being there," Keel spat.

After that, they spent their time working, and spoke about uncomplicated things in between, such as what to make for lunch or what new spells they'd like to learn soon.

Midway through, the dog girl spoke up, "Hey, Rifana, isn't this the first time we've been away from Raphtalia… and Sir Naofumi?"

"Sort of, we've been away from them before," Rifana answered, her thoughts elsewhere. "But, I think this is the furthest we've been away from the two of them since we were freed. Every other time, they've always been a stone's throw away."

"Which means that we're here, the two members of the party who… did not come back from the future," Keel spoke.

Rifana felt her guts twist a little. She had more or less come to terms that her best friend had experienced a world where she died. She was grateful that it did not come to pass, but she was just a little bothered whenever someone else brought it up. "... I suppose that's true. Is something the matter?"

"I had a crush on Raphtalia…"

Rifana felt a bottle slip from her grasp and with only a split second to spare, barely managed to catch it. She turned to Keel.

"It's something I had been thinking about, especially when I think back to before our village was destroyed." Keel looked down. "I always liked her."

"I already knew." Rifana stated.

Keel blinked, obviously not expecting that answer. "I… uh… how?"

"We've known each other all of our lives. And it was only natural that one of us might… fall in love." Come to think of it, a large number of her storybooks had endings like that. "You're also kind of easy to read."

Keel blushed and shook her head. "But, this was before I found out about being a girl and…"

"And before Raphtalia kissed Sir Naofumi," Rifana completed. She could tell that this had been weighing on Keel's mind for a while. She had been uncharacteristically surly these past few days.

Keel nodded. "It's been bugging me. I was okay with it before, back when she first came back and talked about it. She even said he kissed her once and I… didn't think much about it." She placed a small chisel into a wooden case. "But seeing it… felt different."

Rifana nodded, concerned with her friend's wellbeing. She would be there for her. "It could be because you've matured since then. We've grown a lot since we started gaining levels." Between the gentle curves around her midsection and as well as the swelling upon her chest, the weasel girl had to get used to quite a few changes in such a short amount of time. She had gotten over her initial disquiet over her new body, with the encouragement of her friends.

For Keel, the changes were more subtle. While her midriff had started to take on a more obviously feminine shape, her preference for loose clothing and body armor tended to hide that. Aside from that, she did not complain as much about her physique, especially since right now she was the shortest member of the group.

"Yeah…" Keel took a seat on the bed. "I know I shouldn't be a jerk since Raphtalia looks… so much happier. And I didn't want to talk to her about it because I thought I'd ruin things for her, but I'm… causing problems, I know."

Rifana sat on the bed with her friend. She put an arm around her, reminding her she was there. "And that's what's causing you to be frustrated?"

Keel nodded. "Raphtalia doesn't like girls like that. And I had a crush on her from before I found out I was one…"

"And what about Sir Naofumi?"

"He was nice to us; he's a good person, really," Keel shook her head. "I…I don't hate him, but…"

"You have a hard time letting go."

Keel slowly nodded her head. "It… would be awkward."

"It's already awkward," Rifana said plainly. "What are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know."

Rifana could see it right on Keel's face as she continued to stare at a wall. She knew what she had to do, but she was scared of doing it. "Keel, you have to get this off your chest. To talk to them."

"I should," she grumbled. "But maybe later?"

Rifana nodded and accepted this. Keel could be very stubborn, but at least she was thinking about it. "If you don't, I'll remind you."

The dog girl grumbled. "Fine."

"Good!" Rifana smirked and then gestured to the remaining piles of equipment and tools that had to be packed. "Now, are we going to continue working or not?"

Do this for the money. We need money. Just suck it up. Naofumi repeated to himself every moment he spent in the Throne Room. Truth be told, he'd rather eat molten glass than stand before King Trash, waiting for the money he was owed, but that money was necessary, not just for his sake, but for someone else who truly needed it.

Thankfully, Bitch was not there to inflame his wrath.

Raphtalia stood behind him, lending the steady reassurance of her presence. To his flanks were Itsuki and Ren, with their party members behind them as well. There was no idle gossip or chatter between them, it was not the time.

"I see a certain someone is not here." In front of them all, the King sat on his throne, a barely checked fury smoldering underneath his expression. He turned his nose up. "Good, I do not wish to see the Spear Hero at this time."

Naofumi restrained his anger.

The King adjusted his robes and made a visible effort to soften his expression. "To the present company in mind, we will reward you with funds for your performance in the last battle, and also for your preparatory funds for the next Wave." He sounded incredibly professional, concealing his emotions under stoic practice.

The King turned towards Itsuki first. "To Sir Itsuki, in recognition of his achievements and for uncovering conspiracies among the nobility, in order to express our future expectations of him, we present 4,000 silver."

An attendant stepped forward and allowed Itsuki to take a very heavy bag of coins.

Naofumi carefully eyed the teenager as he took his coins. Half of that money belonged to him.

Itsuki turned and flashed the Shield Hero with a nervous grin, aware of the deal they had brokered.

Ren was the subject of the King's attention then. "To Sir Ren, in recognition of his prowess and his valor, in order to express our future expectations of him, we present 3,900 silver."

The Sword Hero raised his body forward and accepted the silver laden bag with clear pride over his actions.

The King then glanced over to Naofumi and turned slightly green, as if being this close to the Shield Hero bothered him. "To Sir Naofumi, in recognition for his defense of Lute, we present 3600 silver."

Naofumi accepted the silver from the attendant and felt the weight of the sack against his arms. Yes, there would be so much he could do with this. Sure, he got the least amount coin out of all of the Heroes present, but at least he got mostly fair treatment this time. He was not going to complain over missing out on three or four gold coins.

"Now, if there is anything you'd like to request, we will provide for you if we are able," the King ordered.

Itsuki gave Naofumi a slight look. He raised a hand. "My Lord, I have an odd request to make of you."

The King inclined his head. "Speak your mind."

Itsuki stepped forward. "I was informed last night that you wield what is called the Seven Star Staff. May we see it?"

Naofumi squinted at the teenager and remembered what he had asked Itsuki last night. The Shield Hero had forgotten all about it, the previous night's events and Motoyasu's status taking precedence in his mind.

King Aultcray's expression became pensive before settling onto a neutral smile. "Of course." He then reached into his sleeves and pulled a staff that otherwise shouldn't fit there. Composed of white wood, with a swirl of purple veins that twisted around it, the Seven Star Staff gleamed brightly. "This weapon has seen me through many battles and led me to victory. I am proud to have wielded it."

"...I did not know such a weapon existed. It looks like our own Legendary Weapons." Ren spoke, eying his own sword. "It even has a gemstone on its tip, like my Sword has in its hilt."

"Indeed, many scholars theorize there is a connection between the two types of Holy Weapons," said the King. "Yours however, are known to be stronger and possess powers and capabilities that the Seven Star Weapons do not."

Naofumi was tempted to stay silent, but knew that not speaking also singled himself out. He asked a simple question. "Why are they called the Seven Star Weapons?"

"Because there are seven of them throughout the known world. Usually, they are divided among the nations," the King answered jovially. "I don't know much about the current wielders for many of the others, but I know that Siltvelt has a large panther therianthrope acting as Claw Hero."

Idly, Naofumi wondered if it might be a good idea to ask about him, the next time he met the Siltvelt Emissary, Maro.

"So, what is the special power of the Staff then? I assume it's magic related." Itsuki asked.

"You assume correctly, Sir Itsuki," the King replied, sounding more eager than before. He wielded the staff in his hands. "As you grow in power and level, the Staff allows you to amplify specific spells you know." The staff then glowed slightly, causing the King to blink. "Hm, that's odd."

Naofumi opened his Status screen and noticed that in his Power Up menu, an option appeared, but it was grayed out. So, he knew that the method existed now, but it was currently unavailable for some reason.

Itsuki had a look of perplexion on his face, probably seeing the same issue as him.

Ren, on the other hand, appeared disinterested.

With the musing on the Seven Star Staff winding down, Naofumi turned his back and prepared to leave the room, unwilling to spend any longer than he had to in that place.

Unfortunately, Malty had other plans.

"Oh, Sir Heroes!" the deceitful woman walked into the room and cried out, her tone full of cheer, as if the events she claimed to have lived through just yesterday never happened. "Thank you for helping me in my hour of need!"

Naofumi felt a powerful urge to strangle the woman.

Without a word, Raphtalia rested her hand on his shoulder and drew him back to sanity.

"Daughter, shouldn't you be resting?" the King inquired.

"I wanted to meet the Heroes while they were here," Malty explained. "I… I am thinking of going out there once more, for the sake of protecting our kingdom!" She eyed Itsuki. "Perhaps, Sir Itsuki might take better care of me."

Rishia gave a low but audible whimper.

Itsuki meanwhile froze like a deer caught in the headlights.

She was going to destroy someone else! Naofumi screamed in his own mind. After seeing what happened with Motoyasu, he knew she had to be stopped, no matter the means. "Are you sure that's a good idea? You nearly died in the Last Wave."

King Trash scowled from atop his throne. "She did?"

"I'm sure that's just because of Sir Mo-," Malty began to cry fake tears. "He did not protect us!"

Itsuki blinked. "But uh, Motoyasu… sort of did. He put himself in harm's way. " He caught himself and changed his tune. "But that still doesn't excuse his behavior!"

"I am certain these three Heroes are better than that scoundrel who shall not be named!" the King spoke bluntly. He turned a glance towards Naofumi, acknowledging him. "Yes, Three Heroes. Wherever he is, I wish he would stay away from my house!"

Naofumi bit his lip. He had to make sure that none of them learned that he was aiding Motoyasu, not while tensions were still hot. Regardless, he had a way to keep Bitch out of everyone's hair especially since she was leveraging her tears like they were candy; all he had to do was come off as reasonable. And he had two witnesses. "Itsuki, Ren, what was your estimate of the Princess's performance during the Wave?"

"...Easily cornered." Ren shifted uncomfortably. "She has good magic, but she nearly got badly hurt when the Wave devolved into a melee."

Itsuki nodded. "All of her friends were heavily under prepared. They had to pull a hasty retreat midway through the fighting. The rest of our groups were still standing, but Motoyasu… clearly stunted their training, probably to keep them weak to always be reliant on him."

Bitch looked at the other two Heroes with bewilderment; she clearly did not expect this.

Naofumi took a deep breath, annoyed that Itsuki so easily accepted Motoyasu's guilt, but that was something that had to be fixed later. Regardless, he had a pitch to sell. "King Aultcray, your daughter's safety is at risk. Do you think that she is prepared to face the Waves as she is now? Not only has she been kept physically stunted, but emotionally, she might be vulnerable if her crying is any indication."

The King looked at him with an expression of painful contemplation, as if he was considering which arm to tear off. He eyed his daughter, a maze of thoughts playing out over his face.

Naofumi knew he was reaching the King, but he had one more card to play. "Furthermore, are religious fanatics a problem in this world? The kind that might decide that Princess Malty and her friends have harmed their god, the Spear Hero?"

"... I cannot say that is an impossibility," the King gave a pained expression. "Daughter, it pains me to do this, but the Shield Hero speaks truthfully. You are in danger."

"What…what are you saying?" Bitch cried out.

"That I must make the difficult choice and act for your own safety," the King gave a heavy sigh. "Henceforth, I will require you to stay in the Castle and take remedial combat training, until you are sufficiently prepared for the next Wave. The same will apply to your companions."

"But… Papa!" Myne looked like she wanted to actually cry.

"Daughter, don't be difficult. I know you want your freedom, but this is for your own good," the King shed a tear.

Myne looked at the Heroes as if she had been betrayed.

"We're sorry, Myne, but… as you are, you'll get really hurt next Wave," Itsuki said apologetically.

Ren tried to look expressionless and cool. "You are simply too weak right now."

Naofumi kept his face hard as a stone.

Inwardly, however, he gloated and laughed. He couldn't kill Myne, but at least now she would be stuck in a gilded cage where the harm she could do would be limited.

Bitch fumed and looked like she was about to throw a tantrum. But instead chose to take it in stride and walked off to presumably her room.

The King sighed. "Will that be all?"

Naofumi nodded. The other two Heroes also had nothing else to bring up.

"Dismissed!" the King barked and sent the Heroes and their parties away.

The Heroes all left the King's throne room, their parties in tow.

Setting their parties aside, Itsuki and Naofumi found a private room to have a short exchange; Ren left without saying a word to either of them.

Itsuki counted out his earnings and placed half of it in a different sack. "Okay, Naofumi, here's your share," he said with a glum expression.

"Pleasure doing business with you," Naofumi said dryly as he accepted one of the sacks. Then with that part of their business concluded, he moved on to the next step. "So, did you get the King's Power Up method?"

"Sort of," Itsuki frowned. "I see it on the menu, but I can't access it at all."

"Same here." Naofumi replied.

"Do you suppose we can't use the Seven Star Hero skills?" Itsuki idly wondered. "Maybe there's a secret unlock requirement that we have to meet?"

"I don't know. This isn't something I read about," the Shield Hero admitted. He hadn't encountered a Seven Star Weapon before now, so this was new to him. "We'll just have to figure it out later."

The Bow Hero sighed and walked out of the room and into the corridor his party waited.

"So, Motoyasu didn't show up, can you believe it?" Itsuki sneered. "I guess it's the least he could do when he put everyone in distress last night."

Naofumi clenched his fists, the mood changing as they went.

"Fueh!" Rishia whimpered and froze in front of the Shield hero.

Itsuki blinked and backed away. "Man, you're still angry at him."

"Sorry," Naofumi bottled his frustrations away. He hated that everyone was so quick to accept the verdict, that Motoyasu was a criminal and a rapist. And even worse, he had given a warning to everyone that Malty was a monster. Maybe he could have been more direct, but no one wanted "spoilers".

Raphtalia wordlessly stepped over to him, providing her steady presence.

Donut moved towards Itsuki and placed a hand over his shoulder. "Sir Itsuki, our job."

"Right!" Itsuki waved her off. "Anyways, Naofumi, I've got a new job and I can't really say much about it. So, if you don't mind, I have to go."

Naofumi was tempted to inquire about this new job Itsuki took, especially if this was going to lead to him traveling up north to intervene in the rising tensions of a small country; however, given Itsuki had been basically told that Bitch was a danger and had basically forgotten it, the Shield Hero had more important things to do than waste his breath.

"Knock yourself out," Naofumi answered, letting the Bow Hero and his entourage to leave.

Naofumi cursed his fate. Motoyasu was a pariah and if he associated himself with him, it could cause problems between him and the other Heroes. The Shield Hero had a clean reputation this time around the nominal friendship of the other Heroes. That would last as long as no one knew he was aiding Motoyasu.

Whatever. If he got found out, he endured worse already.

After that escapade, Naofumi took everyone out shopping.

The first stop took him to a certain blacksmith's store, where in a previous life, the Shield Hero needed a handout just to survive.

"So, you don't think he did it?" The blacksmith eyed the Spear Hero, cautiously whilst he rubbed a whetstone over a sword.

Motoyasu gulped. He was dressed in a dense robe, his Legendary Spear having transformed into a very mundane looking spear to hide its true nature. It had been decided for everyone's sake that the Spear Hero had to conceal his identity.

Naofumi nodded his head. "I know the King says that there's a whole lot of evidence that says otherwise, but take it from me. He didn't do it."

The Old Man did not look immediately convinced, though he slowly nodded his head. "I don't know what to think, but you never struck me as the abusive type."

"That's true!" Beryl said abruptly. She also wore a body concealing robe. "In fact, Master Motoyasu liberated Rino the moment we learned she had been enslaved!"

The Old Man sighed. "Alright, Kid, if you think Sir Spear Hero is innocent, I'll take your word for it. Besides, anyone who keeps their ear to the ground hears some odd things about the older Princess."

"Thank you." Motoyasu breathed a sigh of relief. "You have no idea how desperate I am for equipment."

"Hm? Don't you have arms and armor already?" Erhard questioned. "I saw you with that gambeson, when we last met."

"All of my personal belongings were in the palace. And my armor was taken from me when I was taken prisoner," Motoyasu grimaced. "The only things I'm left with are a few item drops I left in my Spear from before and during the Wave."

"Right…" The aged black smith then retreated into the back of his store. He tossed a pallet of monster materials onto the table.

Naofumi immediately recognized them. "Are those some of the materials I left with you?"

"Sure is! I've still got crates full of 'em, so I hope you don't mind if I use them."

"I don't," Naofumi voiced his approval. He eyed the Spear Hero. "You still up to making equipment decisions?"

"I believe so," Motoyasu reached into his robe and drew a bag of silvers. Ironically, part of Itsuki's share now belonged to Motoyasu. "My budget for this is about 600. And I need equipment not only for myself, but Beryl."

"By my reckoning, she's got one more growth spurt before I can give her any serious equipment," the old Blacksmith grabbed the bag of silvers and counted. "But she's tall enough that she can use a normal weapon and can just grow into it as she levels. Do you have any preferences, Fox?"

"I know how to use a knife," Beryl answered. "So, maybe a sword?"

Naofumi backed away from the duo as they made their order. It was not his place to dictate how Motoyasu should equip himself. Furthermore the Shield Hero and his party already had a recent upgrade, so they had little business shopping for arms and armor so soon. He rejoined his party.

Raphtalia flashed him a smile.

"Something on your mind?" The Shield Hero questioned.

"Looking at them brings me back." Raphtalia answered, eying the Spear Hero and his only companion.

Naofumi looked at Motoyasu and Beryl as they asked questions of the shopkeeper; with the Spear Hero arguing to increase the protection that Beryl wore, whilst, the fox girl countered that since Motoyasu would be at the front, he needed the most protection he could afford. It wasn't that long ago when Naofumi and Raphtalia had a conversation just like that.

"Sir Naofumi!" Rifana drew his attention. She held a small basket up, a small tiger cub poked his head out. "Tama is getting restless."

Naofumi eyed the tiger cub and gently patted him on the head. "It's okay, once we're settled down and got what we need, you'll be roaming around before you know it."

Tama purred gently, the promise seemingly drawing his attention.

Keel walked up to the counter and made some recommendations for the two shoppers, particularly on suggestions on what kinds of swords and armor Beryl should wear.

Keel also pretended to swing an imaginary sword … and topple over the same barrel of swords that she did when she first met Erhard.

"Are you going to keep doing that, Sea Dog?" Erhard shouted back.

Keel immediately rushed to the ground and started picking up weapons.

Naofumi snorted. "You're right, Raphtalia."

Raphtalia rewarded him with a light blush.

Naofumi quietly added Keel to the list of people who should under no circumstances be allowed to hold monster eggs.

Once Motoyasu and Beryl made their order, Naofumi took the group towards a place that no one in particular liked. The slave tent's guards only gave them a nod as they walked through the entrance.

It was necessary, not just to obtain Filo's egg, but also because Motoyasu wanted Filolials of his own. Tama needed a monster seal so that he could be brought into the party. And lastly, that collar that they ripped from Tama's armor needed to be examined.

As they entered the tent, Beryl shivered uncomfortably. On reflex, the Spear Hero grabbed onto her hand and steadied her. The fox girl held on tight.

Naofumi had to hand it to Motoyasu, he was surprisingly resilient. Maybe if his party hadn't included a certain demon in it manipulating his every action, he might have turned out okay. Hopefully, Filo would understand not to kick him in the groin unless he truly deserved it.

"Ah, Sir Shield Hero and Miss!" The slave merchant stopped them and walked out from the back room of the tent.

Raphtalia looked like she wanted to vomit. Naofumi stepped in front of her, a gesture for her sake.

"I see you brought some extra guests," the slave merchant adjusted his monocle. "My, is that the Spear Hero? Rumor has it that you're now the King's least favorite Hero."

Motoyasu turned a glance towards Naofumi, wondering if this was still safe.

Naofumi nodded at his concerns. "Rumors are intangible, money is real," he told the slaver, making sure he knew exactly what was at stake.

"But of course! We deal only in the real here!" Belokaus giggled to himself. "We here in this establishment pride ourselves on customer privacy! Provided of course, this man is a customer..."

"Now, get us the eggs," Naofumi ordered. "Filolials only."

"But of course!" The slaver trader grew a wide smirk. "Right this way, Sirs!"

"I'm also interested in Filolial eggs," the Spear Hero added, his tone unsettled by the slave trader's… everything. He gave Naofumi a sheepish look. "Hey, uh, is it wrong if I told you this guy reminded me of someone? Like, I'm pretty sure I saw him in a Video Game once as some sort of banking merchant."

"I know exactly what you mean, but for me, he was the antagonist of a manga." Naofumi nodded his head. Back when he first met the slave trader, he did bear an uncanny resemblance to a popular manga villain in his world.

The slave merchant brought them towards a box containing a dozen nearly identical eggs. "Because we arranged this beforehand, I have already taken the liberty of separating the Filolials from the other monsters for you. This right here contains only Filolials."

"Wow…" Beryl gasped from behind him. "That's all Filolials?"

"Indeed, they are!" said the flesh trader.

Naofumi walked to the box and loomed over it. One of those eggs had to be Filo, he just knew it. But which egg?

"Take your time, Sir Heroes!" Beloukas rubbed his hands, as if counting the money he would make.

It suddenly dawned on the Shield Hero that despite having planned out that this would be where he would encounter his gluttonous bird, he had no way to tell her apart from the others. What if he couldn't find her here?

Raphtalia stepped next to him. "Which do we take?" her tone held a hint of worry. "What if we get… the wrong egg?" After all, she was the only other person in the room who knew who Filo even was.

There were twelve eggs and there was only a chance one of them was Filo's. What would happen if he got the wrong egg? Would it just be another filolial? Or would the filolial end up turning into a Queen, too? And what if he got another and that also was not Filo? Was if he took all of the eggs here, but none were his stubborn and willful glutton?

Then maybe Beloukas wouldn't mind if he cleaned out his stock. Fitoria would approve no doubt… but what if none of them were her?

Naofumi looked at each of the egg, imagining each of them hatching, none of them the one he wanted. Was anything more terrifying than missing someone who was never going to be born?

Naofumi took a deep breath and steeled himself. He did not have time to worry about what ifs or could be's. He had to pick an egg, no matter what.

The Shield Hero brought his hands to one of the eggs and picked it up. His Shield emitted a soft and subtle glow. He felt there was a sense of something there. Could this be the one? No, this was her; he could feel it. "Filo," he whispered.

Motoyasu eyed the eggs. "I know some stuff about these creatures, back from well… Emerald Online, but uh… that's not really adequate. Anything I should know?"

"Extremely gluttonous, but affectionate. They eat everything and like good food," Naofumi answered, gently holding the egg in his hands. It felt so familiar.

"They also tend to be very flighty and…. Bird brained," Raphtalia added, eying the egg her Hero held.

Beryl gave her a squint. "Where did you learn that?"

"Oh, just something I noticed one time I met one," Raphtalia lied, omitting the part of her having met Filo before. She focused on the egg in the Shield Hero's hands, her eyes lost in what might have been memories of who might have been inside.

"They sound fun," Motoyasu turned to Beryl. "How about this, we both pick an egg."

Beryl beamed brightly. "Uh, yes, Master!"

At the same time, the two of them selected an egg each and collected them into their hands.

Naofumi nodded his head, approving of Motoyasu's latest action. "Treat them well, but disobedience may be a problem. Just bear that in mind." Hopefully, this time, he could do a better job; it didn't matter if Filo remembered or not; she was still his.

"Huh, I think I can do that," Motoyasu mused. "None of the girls really liked my cooking, especially not… her."

Beryl gave Motoyasu a sheepish look. I liked what you could make, but I was too scared to speak up in front of Princess Malty. I think Miss Rino thought so too."

"Then it's a good thing that we don't have her around anymore."

Naofumi silently looked at his egg. He had a good feeling about it.

One of the slave trader's henchmen came by and deposited three incubators. The Shield Hero put his egg onto an incubator and registered it to him. Motoyasu did the same for the ones he and Beryl took; he technically offered Beryl to have an egg registered to her, but she declined.

The slaver then walked over. "It seems that this part of our business is concluded. Now if I may, I have few other matters that need addressing. The Queen's agents have informed me that they accept your meeting and have dispatched an agent to meet you in Lute." He eyed the Spear Hero, noting that he was focused on browsing through animal feedstock and medicinal pills. The slave trader then walked over to Naofumi and leaned close, "By the way, how much does the Spear Hero know about your… unusual circumstances?"

"He doesn't know," Naofumi turned to look at Motoyasu, currently distracted. The Shield Hero honestly had no idea on whether or not Motoyasu needed to know about time travel or if learning about it might cause things to go poorly. He knew eventually, he would have to explain himself to the other Heroes, but this might not have been the best time.

Beloukas broke away. "Very well then. On my next order of business," He then drew a letter from a pocket and turned towards Raphtalia. "Miss, I have splendid news for you. A message from Nadia had just arrived this morning from air mail. It seems that she is quite interested in speaking to you, since she paid for overnight delivery."

Raphtalia gave him a look. "Master, may I?"

"It's your letter, don't let me stop you," Naofumi answered as he looked over the eggs. After all, if this was Sadeena like she hoped it was, she deserved to know first.

Rifana and Keel went to stand near Raphtalia as she opened the letter. They began to read it.

"Master Naofumi!" Raphtalia shouted a few seconds later, her tone shrill as she looked up. "It's her! It's really her!"

"I take it there's good news."

"Nadia is Sadeena!" Raphtalia spat, holding up the letter and furiously gesturing to its contents. "She says it right here! She says that she's been looking for us!"

"Well, mostly Raphtalia," Rifana chortled, her mood rising. "But she's been buying up slaves from Lurolona in Zeltoble."

Even Keel was in a cheerier mood than usual, though she said nothing.

So when Raphtalia sent the letter to Nadia, she actually went and got a hold of the one adult who survived her village's destruction. "You sure it's her?"

Raphtalia nodded vigorously. "She didn't expect that we'd still be in Melromarc, she thought we'd be somewhere more expensive and exotic."

"Wait, really?" Beryl spoke up. She leapt from Motoyasu's side and went closer to the other girls. "You really found Miss Sadeena?"

So, if they had gone to Zeltoble with the other Heroes, they could have had the reunion much sooner if they went to the right places, assuming everyone involved could recognize the other. Still, it was good to know that both parties were buying up slaves for the same purpose. "Do we know where she is? Can we meet her?"

"In Zeltoble. There's an address," Raphtalia replied. "But she'd rather go to us if she could be told where to meet."

"If she can go to Lute within the week, we can meet her there. Otherwise, we'll be on the road," Naofumi answered. There was so much to do and as convenient as it was to have Sadeena come to them, there was no guarantee they'd arrive at the right time and date. And he did not want to waste her time either. And Melromarc, while much more hospitable this time around, the Church was present in every major settlement. Besides, they needed to go get a class up and there was no guarantee that they'd be able to use the Dragon Hourglass in Castle Town. "It might be better for us to instead go and meet her in Zeltoble; tell her that those are her options."

Raphtalia nodded. "I'll be sure to message her that." There was a certain eagerness in her voice. It was almost like she was about to leap.

Naofumi turned to the slave trader. "In the meantime, tell your Clan that Sadeena and I will be collaborating together for the purchase of the remaining Lurolona survivors."

The slave trader gave him a slimy smirk. "Consider it done. Oh yes, Sir. My Uncle will be so pleased to learn that he is being approached by a rising business alliance!"

This was for a good cause. No matter how many times that guy makes you feel like you're drenched in slime.

"Wow, you're really buying all of us?" Beryl asked, shocked. "You're… really here to save us."

"In less fortunate news, I am afraid that my contacts have not yielded any information on the topic you… requested. This, 'Rino' for instance has not been found yet."

Motoyasu stared at the slave trader. He almost looked like he wanted to strangle him to pull out any answers he could.

Beloukas seemed to take note of this and acted accordingly, raising hands in a defensive gesture. "Rest assured, Sirs, my contacts are working tirelessly to provide you with the answers you need."

"You better…" Motoyasu practically growled, turning his head away.

Tama poked his head out of the basket Rifana carried, changing the focus on the conversation entirely.

"Ah, is that little beast I have been hearing about?" the slave trader said. "Word is that the Heroes dispatched strange beasts and the Shield Hero adopted one of their young!"

"That's… sort of what happened," To be honest, the truth was far more bizarre. Naofumi took Tama from the basket and put him onto the table along with plenty of silvers. "I need an upgraded monster seal.

"Ah, I see, I am slightly disappointed that you aren't selling it to yours truly as this does interest me, Sir!" The man then gestured to one of his assistants and began to set up for the binding ritual. "So, who shall be the proud owner of this unusual beast?" he eyed Naofumi and Motoyasu.

Motoyasu gave a questioning glance as the Shield Hero. Neither of them really thought of this possibility.

Naofumi eyed the tiger cub and debated on whether or not it might have been a good idea to put him into Motoyasu's custody. On the one hand, this meant that Motoyasu had one more party member. Tama also did not actively hate Motoyasu and theoretically would work with him once bound under a monster seal.

On the other hand, Tama did nearly kill Rino, which could be a problem if they ever found her again. Further, the white tiger cub was an unknown monster of unknown strength created by unknown purposes. Motoyasu might have been a capable monster handler for all knew, but he did not have the expertise in handling animals. Additionally, if Motoyasu got a Filolial, that would mean the Spear Hero would have to split his time learning the ins and outs of two separate animals that don't even share the same Phylum. Lastly, Motoyasu already had three dependents; just adding another one was not a good idea.

Naofumi grumbled. "I'm going to keep the tiger."

"That's fine with me." Motoyasu answered. "So, anything else?"

"Stronger monster seals might not be a bad idea," answered Naofumi. "It's not strictly necessary, I would encourage it if those Filolials become Royals."

Tama was placed onto the ground in a small ritual circle. He gave Naofumi a pleading look as the ritual circle began to glow.

Naofumi knelt down. "It's okay, little guy," he told the creature. "It's only going to hurt if you struggle." He pricked a finger and let the blood roll free.

The little tiger cub steadied himself.

"Indeed it is! The pain is proportional to the creature's will, as the rebellious spirit has to be brought to heel!" Beloukas answered.

As the slaver spoke, Tama stepped back and hit one of the walls of an invisible cage. He took a mild shock.

"Don't move," Naofumi told the tiger. "It'll all be over soon."

The tiger looked at him, following the words of his voice.

The magic of the circle then washed over the white tiger cub. In Naofumi's HUD, the name "Tama" appeared. He was level 1.

The tiger sneezed. How adorable.

Naofumi took the tiger into his arms and carried him. "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Tama purred.

Motoyasu gave him an approving smile. "You have such a way with animals. "

"I do," Naofumi admitted. Melty and Rishia were the only party members of his that weren't demihuman or monsters.

He then reached into his satchel and drew out the large metallic collar Tama had once worn.

"Oh, what is this?" the slave trader's eyebrows raised even behind his spectacles.

"We're not sure. A mercenary I spoke to said it was likely a control collar; they apparently fell out of fashion after ink seals became the norm," Naofumi answered and gave the collar to the slaver.

The slave trader took the collar and began to go over it. "It does look like one, but this one is more… sophisticated than what examples I have seen."

"How so?" Naofumi questioned.

"I can't quite confirm it, but this sort of control collar I think is meant to do more than forbid rebellion," Beloukas answered.

Motoyasu gave him a sharpish look. "We already know someone made these things. We need to know who and why."

"Indeed, Sir!" the slaver put on a smile. "With your blessing, Sir Heroes, I would want to send it to my family; one of my relatives I believe can unlock its secrets."

"Well, there might be a chance that we head to Zeltoble to pick it up. We might be able to ask them about it directly," Naofumi replied.

"Excellent!" said the slaver as he put the collar away. "Now, would that be all?"

"No," Naofumi answered. He turned to the Spear Hero to wait for his reply.

Instead, Motoyasu looked at the back of the tent, his eyes fixated on something rather uncomfortable.

Beryl grabbed onto her master's hand, her gaze also locked.

It wasn't hard to figure out where they were looking. The slave trader did more than just sell monsters after all; he was in the business of making money off of the inhuman. In Melromarc, demihumans and beastmen were no different from animals in the eyes of the law.

"Kitamura, you don't have infinite money. I don't have infinite money," Naofumi did not know what they were thinking exactly, but he had an idea. After all, the slaves couldn't betray him; and arguably, they might have been better company than royalty; slaves could actually be grateful for starters.

Motoyasu looked down at the ground, whatever idea he had crushed.

"I don't know what you want exactly, but bear in mind that whether or not you buy a slave to free them or to put them to work, you need to justify that purchase against your available funds," Naofumi completed. He did not want to do this, but Motoyasu needed to have his head on his shoulders. "Nothing is going to come free, especially not in your current reputation. You can do nice things every now and again, just bear in mind that whatever you do, there's always a hidden price attached."

Motoyasu nodded his head. "I'll… think about it later then." He turned to the slave trader. "We're done, for now."

"Excellent!" he took off his hat and made a flourish as he bowed his head. "I shall see you later!"

To everyone's relief, they all left the tent.

"So, what's next?" Motoyasu asked the Shield Hero.

The Shield Hero went through his internal list of activities. There was only one last thing to go that involved Motoyasu specifically. "Next, is to work on your own skill set. You mentioned you can sew, right?"

Motoyasu truly felt out of his element as he watched the Shield Hero work.

Naofumi darted between stores and businesses, his words convincing shopkeepers to provide him favorable deals. Once, he managed to convince a seller to provide him with a broom, which he then resold to someone else to gain a sword, to then have that sword turned into a pile of coins for a tidy profit. Even Keel got in on it, turning crepes into coins.

To Motoyasu, this was more inexplicable than actual magic.

"It's all supply and demand," Naofumi told him. "Everyone has something they need and if you want to make money, you have to go out of your way to meet that need."

"So, if people are hungry, you give them food!" Keel summarized.

"And if they're stinky, you give them soap?" Beryl interjected.

"Exactly," Naofumi answered and then thought. "Though, phrase that better or you'll loose customers."

That made more sense to Motoyasu. "Give the customer… what they want?"

"Or what they need, or what they think they need," Naofumi nodded. "Just make sure that whatever price that you're charging is higher than the cost it takes to produce and store."

"There's a price for storing items?" That sounded like a radical concept.

"It's a concept called Inventory Opportunity Cost, but you don't need to know the name. Just know that as you carry and hold an object, it will both degrade over time and prevent you from using that space to store something else."

Motoyasu stared at what sounded like an entire foreign language.

"Think of it like… carrying food in a cooler. You have so much space and any food inside will eventually rot no matter how much effort you put into it. And you may not be able to add new food to it because of existing inventory. So you have to balance out the needs of what you can carry against food that will rot."

Motoyasu frowned. Now he understood, but he did not feel optimistic about his chances if something so essential needed to be dumbed down so much for him to understand.

Naofumi shook his head. "Look, we don't have to worry about advanced concepts, just for now make sure whatever prices you charge make it so that whatever you're selling is not a waste of effort. Got it?"

"I do." So, like grinding, you had to make sure what you were doing was worth your time. Okay, that sounded like something Motoyasu could try to pick up, but honestly, if Elena did not hate his guts, it might be better if she could work… unless she was also in league with Myne.

"And bear in mind, marketable skills, skills that few people have, mean that you can set the prices even higher," Naofumi said. "Like how in an MMO, good raiders can argue to better loot shares from the leader."

"Oh," the Spear Hero mouthed as the explanation set in. Naofumi putting things in a gaming context just made things seem easier to understand. Maybe that was a flaw with how he saw the world. Maybe if he was smarter, none of this would have happened.

"So, sewing is a marketable skill?" Motoyasu nervously eyed the box that held his new sewing equipment as well as the book that taught sewing techniques. Thankfully, he knew enough about the language to read it.

Rifana pipped up. "Take it from us, your clothes tear a lot even when not in combat. If we didn't fix them up every now and again, we'd have to carry more spares."

"Also, if you want to learn tailoring, you can make your own clothes," Naofumi replied. "Plus with skill bonuses from weapons, they'll be of very high quality. That's good either for personal use or if you want to sell it."

Motoyasu turned a side glance to Beryl, who was currently enraptured in a chat with Keel. She did not wear the maid dress right now, instead now dressed in a heavy cloak. He imagined dressing her up into a cute outfit- No, cut it out, I have to make up for my failings! He sighed in his own musings. Either way, she deserved better clothing that she liked.

"Grey," Naofumi scolded. "Pay attention."

Motoyasu blinked for a minute before remembering his current alias. "Sorry!"

Naofumi grumbled. "This brings me to my next point. Try to wear plain clothing and to cover your face as much as possible when you can. Secrecy and anonymity are nice things to have, especially since it means less people will bother you."

Motoyasu slowly nodded. This lesson was obvious, even to him. Being a total nobody was being better than the infamous Spear Hero. That's why instead of any red and white clothing, he instead wore plain browns and grays and had a mask covering the lower part of his face.

"Don't slouch," Naofumi continued. "Keep your back straight."

Motoyasu looked at himself. He had been slouching. That was a problem?

"No matter what you do, you have to be confident, or at least look confident," Naofumi explained. "No one is going to trust a guy who doesn't look confident."

Being confident. That… did not come easily anymore. Motoyasu knew how much of a failure he was, and the thought of Rino's possible fate weighed heavily upon him. Still, Naofumi did not seem to give up on him. Maybe he could trust that?

The Spear Hero adjusted his posture as instructed. He felt oddly better about himself.

"Good," Naofumi nodded his head. He pointed a finger towards a collection of filolial pulled wagons. "This will be our ride."

Motoyasu cocked an eyebrow.

"There's nothing for us here right now, and to be honest, it's probably for the best."

The cloaked Spear Hero understood. Being in a different village from the King and that Swine sounded very appealing right about now. "Where are we going?"

"Lute," Naofumi answered. "I know it's not far away, but it's a good place to hide out while we're raising the Filolials."

Motoyasu nodded. A nice farming village sounded pretty appealing. Sure, he never liked the countryside much before, but anywhere was better than being near the King.

"Oooh!" Beryl beamed. "Yeah, that's sounds great!" The younger fox turned towards her Master. "Master uh… Gray, what shall we name the filolials?"

Motoyasu smiled. It was good to hear her cheer, especially since it sounded like she held no grudge against him. "Well, my old habit was always naming my pets after their colors. Like, say a white female I might call Yuki or snow."

"That sounds nice. I like the snow, too," Beryl answered. She turned towards Naofumi and Raphtalia. "Say, what about you, do you have a name already?"

"Sort of," Naofumi shrugged. "I think I'm going to name her Filo."

"Isn't that a little basic?" Motoyasu found himself asking. It was literally the first four letters of the species name.

"Master Naofumi has never been good at naming things," Raphtalia said, sounding like this was a recurring problem.

Naofumi shook his head and led the way forward. "We're going to test your disguise by hitching a ride," he said, completely avoiding the previous topic. He stepped forward to speak to a carriage driver.

Raphtalia giggled, following along. The rest of the demihumans followed behind her, barely stifling their own laughter.

Motoyasu suddenly found himself feeling just a bit better. And here I thought Naofumi was the perfect man.

Sure, he didn't fully understand why Naofumi was protecting him or went out of his way to pull him up while he was down. He knew there had to have been a reason more than just kindness, but that really didn't matter one bit.

Naofumi was trustworthy.

Without a looming crisis, this was considerably easier to write.

The whole Staff Power up thing is something me and my Editor went over a few times because there's some vagueness on whether or not Aultcray actually knew his method or not, whether it was widely known or the like. The only thing we can say we knew for sure was that they tried the Staff Power Up method and it did not work until "Fenrir Rod'' came into the picture. So we settled on this method.

I think some of you may have read into the Keel situation incorrectly. So, forgive me, but I did have to clear it up. This didn't change my planning much, since I was planning on having a Rifana and Keel chat about it even before the last chapter. Namely, I did draw a bit from the line where Naofumi accused Keel of having a crush on Raphtalia and did some extrapolation based on their lifestyle and backgrounds.