Diligence of the Shield Hero

by Allen Blaster

Hope is not enough to survive the trials ahead. If they're to live, friendships must be retained. Knowledge has to be acquired. And as Fitoria said, Naofumi will have to learn to be Diligent to protect the friends and loved ones he has come to cherish. Multiple pairings. Cover by Temero. Covers Season Two territory. Arc 9: Ch. Seventy-Seven: Rise of the Otherworld Heroes

93. 30: A New Direction

Sorry for the delay. I had things come up last weekend. And if you couldn't tell by the length of this chapter, this one needed a lot of work. A lot more than the usual chapters. I blame Naofumi for this.

Thanks to GeneralPen0412. Some of what you said in your review is what I wanted to try and word myself for this chapter. Thanks for giving me permission to use what you said. Also, thanks to Youtuber Argent for mentioning this fic and Shield Kid in one of his videos. I think that's the first time I've seen any of my writing mentioned on YouTube before. I'll continue to do my best to try and listen to everyone's comments.

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Chapter Thirty: A New Direction

---

Naofumi was despondent and Ren was depressed. Because of this, the responsibility to explain what'd happened fell entirely on the Bow Hero. How he'd discovered Motoyasu's note, how they had to ride three of Mirellia's dragons to try and catch up to him. How they were too late. How they fought the Spirit Tortoise and lost two of the dragons.

The Queen stayed silent during the whole story. She didn't ask a single question. Her stern glare fell on Naofumi several times throughout Itsuki's retelling of the events.

Naofumi didn't ask why. He knew.

He'd &^%$ed up.

Once this debriefing was over, she was going to tear him to pieces. His body would never be found. It was only a matter of time.

"One moment, Sir Itsuki. Shadow!" Mirellia suddenly called out, interrupting Itsuki mid sentence. A shadow, a man by the looks of it, appeared on the canopy next to her.

"Yes, your Grace?" He answered the summons.

"Any news on Sir Motoyasu?" The Queen asked, her face hidden behind a fan.

"None, I'm afraid." The man shook his head gravely. He was one of the Queen's agents that Motoyasu had rescued from the Debais Manor. "The Shadows sent to find him and his party haven't reported anything thus far. But we have received word from the Church in Fable that their device indicates that him to be alive."

Wait, there was a device that could tell if the Holy Heroes were alive? Naofumi almost blurted this out, but kept himself from speaking at the last second.

It should have been a relief to hear that. If Motoyasu was dead and they defeated the Spirit Tortoise, then that'd mean the Waves they'd face after that would be harder to deal with. Either that, or Fitoria would have to kill them so a new batch of Heroes could be summoned. Both of these options were things that none of them wanted to think about right now.

Especially since Fitoria wasn't talking to them anymore, thanks to Naofumi. Though that brought up the question, if Motoyasu was still alive, where had he disappeared to?

Naofumi would have wondered more about the Spear Hero's whereabouts if not for the impending fate he was facing then.

"Alright. Now, you were saying, Sir Itsuki?" Mirellia set her fan down and crossed her hands together to stare intently at the Bow Hero.

Itsuki told her the rest of the story. After they'd lost, they'd tried to delay the beast so the rest of the country's army could get away as well as the people who lived in the nearby city. But even then, the heroes weren't able to delay it for long enough and many people still died.

Itsuki then described some of the turtle's abilities that they'd discovered like regeneration and a passive area of effect ability that drained people's MP until they passed out and died. He also detailed its impressive defensive capabilities, the horde of familiars under its control, and a variety of other things he could recall from the battle.

One of the most surprising details that Naofumi hadn't known was that their battle with the monstrous Guardian Beast had been over two days ago. Had he been asleep that entire time? He must have been really exhausted.

Or maybe he hadn't wanted to wake up...

"If it wasn't for whatever Naofumi did to block its last attack, we would have died." Itsuki added at the end, noticing the glares that Mirellia kept on directing at the Shield Hero. "He's the reason we're alive to tell you about this."

...

Mirellia didn't respond to Itsuki's point at first, choosing instead to continue to glare at Naofumi. He didn't meet her glare head on, expecting that if he did so, his lease on life would expire soon after.

Finally, she looked at Itsuki and Ren again. "Thank you for informing me about this. I'll consider what you've said when we meet with the other coalition leaders… for now, I'd like you to leave. And do not talk about what happened with anyone else. Deny that you said you lost if you have to."

"W-Why do you want us to lie-" Ren stammered in surprise.

"The Spirit Tortoise has already inspired enough fear as it is!" Mirellia snapped at the Sword Hero, picking her fan up off the table to point it at him. He nearly fell backwards in his chair.

"It has wreaked havoc across several different countries already! And if my scholars are correct on their projections based on the Guardian Beast targeting highly populated areas, then the Spirit Tortoise will be rampaging through Melromarc by tomorrow night! Unless you don't want the backup of every soldier here for the next time you fight it, then you better not say anything else that would lower morale any further!"

The Sword Hero and Bow Heroes winced in response to that. It sounded like things were a lot worse than the Queen had let on. Itsuki's bombshell comment in the center of camp had dropped at the worst possible time. "Alright. We'll try our best." Itsuki replied with a curt nod.

"Good, now go, all of you... except you." Mirellia pointed a finger at the Shield Hero, malice dripping from her tone.

Itsuki and Ren gulped. It appeared that they could tell what was going to happen next. But unlike before when they were there to support Naofumi at the Spirit Tortoise, they rushed out.

Facing a giant monstrosity was one thing. The Queen's Wrath was a completely different ballpark.

Even the Shadow was quick to flee.

Naofumi was left completely and utterly alone.

...

He gulped, shifting restlessly in his seat. Now that it was just them, he counted down to his imminent death.

A minute passed by in tense silence, and then another.

...

As time passed, he imagined what Mirellia would do to punish him. Throw him into a dungeon? Abandon him in the middle of the wild? Or, what was that threat he'd used on the Siltvelt Council a while ago, line his body parts on a neat line of pikes?

That would certainly be gruesome. The Queen wouldn't do such an act, right?

"... Shield Hero." At last, Mirellia spoke out again. Surprisingly, her voice was calm and even.

"Y-Yes…?" Naofumi muttered nervously. Maybe he was just overthinking it. Maybe Mirellia hadn't been told about what he'd said to Melty, and he was just building an over dramatic scene in his mind and-

Snap!

At the sound of the Queen's fan snapping in two, he looked up.

Oh, nevermind, she was definitely pissed off.

"HOW DARE YOU!" The Queen roared as she stood up.

Naofumi almost would have preferred the line of pikes...

The next few minutes trickled by, and Naofumi found himself sinking lower and lower into his chair. Mirellia was beyond furious. Naofumi was berated, lectured, tore apart, and a host of other synonyms that likely did no justice to describe the pure unadulterated Wrath that the Queen unleashed upon his very soul.

The only times she paused were to breathe. And right after, it was back to screaming.

"I DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO GIVE YOU HEROES A SAFE PLACE TO TRAIN! I RATIFY YOUR NEW COUNTRY AS A NATION AND THROW MY AUTHORITY AROUND TO GET OTHERS TO RECOGNIZE IT! I PULL MY INFLUENCE TO MAKE SURE THE CARDINAL HEROES ARE ABLE TO SAFELY LEVEL AT CAL MIRA! AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME?!"

She held up a note, detailing what Naofumi had said to Melty word for word.

Reading it over, Naofumi cringed. He knew he'd said some terrible stuff, but holy crap he'd messed up…

Imagine learning that as a parent. Learning that someone you looked up to, someone who you'd trusted to protect a valuable family member with their life if necessary, turned their backs on that trust and spat all over the one they were supposed to care for.

Fitoria was right. There were times to be angry. And Mirellia was perfectly justified right now.

Mirellia's rant continued for at least another fifteen minutes. At times, ice came out of her hands, and Naofumi feared that she'd unleash it on him. But every time, she'd shoo the ice away and continue to verbally tear his soul apart more effectively than any Soul Worm could.

Words really could hurt. Naofumi was experiencing firsthand what he'd put everyone else through. Perhaps, one didn't need an attack stat to hurt others so deeply after all. No defense stat in the world could protect against this.

"Tell me, why did you do this?!" Mirellia finally asked. Her cheeks red with how much she'd fumed.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't think-" Naofumi tried to excuse his actions.

"Do you really think a simple sorry is going to cut it here?!" Mirellia cut him off. "This goes beyond not thinking! What you did is unforgivable!"

"And you think it's okay to say what's unforgivable when your country was the one that kidnapped me from my world!?" Naofumi angrily yelled back, finally standing up to defend himself.

"Do you know how tired I am of fixing your people's messes?! I've barely had a moment of peace since coming here! Your first daughter messed me up badly! Your country's Church painted me as a devil! My reputation is still ^%$# in Melromarc! And let's not forget, I was just a simple college student before being forced into all this! I was torn away from everyone I knew, including my little brother, and expected to just roll over and die!"

"Be honest Mirellia, when have you ever looked at me as Naofumi the person and not as Naofumi the Shield Hero?! When have you ever considered that behind that label, we're just a group of young adults expected to save the world?!"

…

…

His anger dissipated, and he hung his head. "I'm sorry. I already know that what I did is unforgivable." He softly spoke. "I hurt everyone I care about. I snapped at the most minor annoyances. I hurt my friends by throwing their struggles in their faces. All because I couldn't take it anymore. Because I couldn't stand everyone using me to make themselves happy."

"It's not comparable. I shouldn't have done that to them. I should have never yelled at any of them. I shouldn't have bottled all this up inside me until I broke… I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry." Naofumi put his face in his hands and groaned.

He hated himself.

He'd thrown everything away just for a pointless, angry rant. And for what? Because he wanted to feel validated? Because he wanted everyone else to experience what he went through on a daily basis?... actually, no, what he put them through was much, much worse.

Yeah, he was their cook, but Ren and Itsuki made up for it by listening to him on the battlefield and being his invaluable backup at all times. Raphtalia trained herself hard every day just so she'd be able to attack where he couldn't. And Filo… poor, innocent little Filo, who he loved as his own daughter…

Naofumi's words and self-loathing made Mirellia breath in deeply to calm herself.

"Sir Shield Hero, do you know what two things I value the most in the world?"

He didn't respond and just continued to lean on the table with his forearms while holding his face in his hands.

"... Naofumi." Mirellia spoke again, this time, in a softer voice.

He hesitated. He didn't dare to face her. He didn't want to think that she was attempting to comfort him when she was still angry at him. But...

...

"Your country." Naofumi finally answered.

"Yes. My home, the country I grew up in, the nation I vowed to fix, Melromarc." Mirellia affirmed. "I would do anything, and I mean anything to protect my home and my people. Even if it means having to lay a thousand different bluffs to keep them safe."

Naofumi sighed. He somehow knew that, when her meeting came around, that was what she'd have to do. She'd have to bluff like crazy to keep the allies in their coalition from bailing on them right now. However…

"I understand that you love your country. But that doesn't mean-"

"And what do you think is the second thing that I care for the most besides my country?" Mirellia interrupted him.

…

…

Naofumi took a long time to answer.

…

"Your family." Naofumi finally said, guilt hanging in his tone.

Mirellia nodded. "I know you consider Lurolona your new home. I know you treat those closest to you as family. Do you not value these like I do?"

"... It doesn't matter anymore…" Naofumi straightened out in his chair with a deep sigh while facing away from her. He suddenly looked a dozen years older. "My actions have torn my family apart. Raphtalia and Dou-Lon are both too afraid to speak to me now. Eclair left me. You know what I said to Melty. And, and Filo…"

Tears entered Naofumi's eyes. "She… she left with Fitoria because of me. I... I pushed everyone else away, and for nothing… it's all my fault…" Several more tears of guilt leaked from his eyes. He grit his teeth. "It's all my fault..." He whispered.

…

A hand rested gently on his shoulder. He looked up in surprise at Mirellia's face. Her purple eyes were oddly soft now, and a motherly gentleness emanated from them. This was the last thing he'd expected from her.

"No, Naofumi." He realized she'd dropped the title to address him. "At least, not entirely."

Naofumi choked up. Mirellia sat in a chair next to him. Right now, she was dropping all pretenses of being Queen. She was dropping all pretenses of him being Hero. Right now, she was speaking to him as one person would to another.

As a mother would to her lost, wayward son perhaps.

"I have spent the majority of this time talking to you. How about, for these next few minutes, you talk to me." The woman suggested.

His body shook again. "Why are you... being so nice to me?" His voice was a small whisper. "I can't understand… Aren't you mad?"

"Yes, I'm still mad." Looking up, there were still flames of anger lingering in her eyes. But they danced alongside an array of other emotions. "But my duty to my country and my people compels me to put my anger aside for the sake of our world. If I can't help you to get through this, then we'll stand no chance. The Spirit Tortoise will destroy my home. It will destroy my family, as well as yours. I cannot allow that to happen, ever."

"So talk to me Naofumi. Tell me about what it is that troubles you. Let me help you."

He didn't know what to say at first…

…

And then, when he started speaking, it was like he couldn't stop.

He laid bare what he'd been experiencing. He came to cold, hard terms with himself.

He admitted how hard it was to find the will to fight when he himself couldn't fight. How his Shield, only useful for defending, also made him perfectly suited for serving everyone else. How it felt like people took advantage of his abilities to satisfy themselves.

He expressed how he'd been annoyed by this and so many other things, but how he'd tried to bottle it up because he liked seeing his friends happy and thought that telling them about it would ruin their happiness.

He talked about how he was still suffering from what Malty did to him. How she haunted his nightmares at night. How he was afraid that she'd come back and try to take everything away from him all over again.

He talked about the Church. How their beliefs had messed him up. How he'd had to work so hard just to forget about what they'd done to him in an attempt to move on with his life.

He talked about his brother. How much he missed him despite choosing to stay in this world with Raphtalia and everyone else.

He talked about how he'd been a college student, or a scholar since Mirellia was more familiar with that term, before coming here. How his prior expereinces hadn't prepared him for coming to this world. How, even now, he still didn't feel like he could handle the weight of responsibility put on him as a Hero. How he wished so, so badly that someone besides him could have the Shield on his arm.

At times, he felt like screaming. It just felt so painful talking about some of these things when he'd bottled them up inside for so long. By the time he finished, he was crying harder than he ever had in his entire life.

Besides the thing with Malty, his family, the Church, the world betraying him… most of what he said were just small things. Petty things. Minor annoyances like L'Arc's nickname for him. Or Raphtalia being able to tell when he was thinking something rude, or everyone suddenly being able to read his face. Yet those minor things had been what broke him in the end.

Mirellia was silent that whole time. Her eyes were focused on him. Listening to everything he had to say with such importance, that it really did feel like he was talking to his mother.

He hadn't had great parents in his world. His familial love only extended to his younger brother and his grandparents. But, in that moment, Naofumi finally came to understand, in part, what having a kind, loving parent was like. To have someone who he could talk to about anything. Who would do everything in their power to help him get through the problem that he was facing.

Was this supposed to be what parents were for? Why… why couldn't his own parents have been like this? Why couldn't Mirellia have been his mother...

When he was finally finished, she was hugging him gently, and he was crying into her shoulder. He didn't know when this had happened, or what had sparked it. He didn't know if this whole scenario had shown him the true Mirellia, or yet another aspect of the cunning Queen trying to manipulate him.

But the gesture was highly appreciated regardless.

"Naofumi, I don't think I have to tell you how some of what you said could have been avoided. Is that correct?" Mirellia asked.

He shakily nodded his head. "If I'd only talked to the others about all this. If I'd only sat them down and discussed this with them instead of… instead of…"

"Yelling at them and treating them like &^%$?" Mirellia said, quoting what Naofumi had said earlier.

"How can I ask them for help now…" Naofumi lowered his hand again. Having gotten these things off his chest, he didn't know how to move forward anymore. He had no hope left for himself.

"I understand that feeling… I understand it all too well." The Queen continued, her expression turning sad.

"You… do?" Naofumi asked, letting her go to look her in the eyes.

"Yes." She affirmed with genuine conviction.

"I will say, I am still angry about what you said to my daughter… but..." The Queen trailed off, looking off to the side.

"Naofumi... please answer what I am about to ask truthfully." She spoke out again after a pause.

"Does it... does it really seem like I only care about Melty as my successor from an outsider's perspective?" She turned to him again with tears in the corners of her eyes.

"..." Naofumi opened his mouth but no sound came out as he hesitated.

"Please." Mirellia insisted. "I need to know."

...

"...yes." Naofumi finally muttered. "I'm sorry but... yes. I lied about a lot of things to Melty to make myself feel better, but when I mentioned you, I meant what I said."

…

...

"I… I see." Mirellia nodded slowly, before standing up from her chair. She walked around the table with her hands held behind her. For a minute, she said nothing, leaving Naofumi to think about what was happening. How they'd gone from her yelling at him, to him crying into her shoulder, to her collecting her thoughts for what she was about to say next.

Was this going to be her validating her treatment of Melty? Why she was so hard on her that the Second Princess didn't even know how to act like a kid?

"Have you ever wondered why my first daughter ended up the way she did?" When Mirellia finally spoke, her question took Naofumi off guard. He hadn't expected it, and it took him a moment to respond.

"Well, I assume it was because she was born that way." Naofumi shrugged. "Also, bad is an understatement. She's the devil, no offense."

"None taken, but if it was that simple, I wouldn't have to hold this guilt inside my heart. Even if I entirely agree with that second statement." Mirellia sighed, resting a hand against her chest. "But the reason why she turned out so bad wasn't entirely her fault."

Naofumi said nothing. The Queen continued, not looking at Naofumi as she looked towards some distant past only she could see.

"Malty was born during the great war against Siltvelt. Around the time Au… Trash, lost his sister. When the war finally ended and my husband returned home… I watched the shell of a man I'd grown to love give every bit of love he still had to his little girl…

"While I focused on transitioning our country into peace with Siltvelt, he spoiled our daughter rotten. He didn't punish her when she did something bad. He didn't reprimand her when she told a lie. He let her get away with so much. And he was always hugging her. Always holding her close. He was a loving Father in every sense of the word.

"And when I found out what she was starting to do, what she was starting to become, I wanted to tell my husband to set some limitations. To try and restrain her bad desires. But I found that outside of when he was with Malty, he never seemed to be happy. It was like Malty was his only source of joy. And I couldn't bring myself to try and force him to treat Malty differently. So for years, I let him raise Malty the way he wanted. I didn't try to intervene in her upbringing. When I…" Tears suddenly entered Mirellia's eyes again, and it was like a large gap was rapidly crossed in her memory.

"When I was raising Melty." She continued. "When Malty was a teenager, that was around the time I finally realized that I'd been too lax. She and her friends had started to do truly, truly horrible things. In several cases, they almost started wars with other countries. But every time I tried to reprimand her, she wouldn't listen. When I lectured her, she'd walk away as if I didn't exist. I eventually grew tired and sent her abroad to a private academy in hopes that they could fix her, but the only thing that accomplished was allowing her to lose her virginity… not even taking her right to the throne away made her act any better. Actually, come to think of it, that was when things really took a turn for the worse."

Naofumi stared. Malty had nearly started wars with other countries. And yet it was when her right to the throne was taken away that she became worse?! He hadn't thought his opinion of her could fall any lower.

Clearly, he'd been mistaken.

Mirellia's shoulders sunk. "I failed her as a parent, Naofumi. I just wanted to help my husband to be happy after all the loss that he'd been forced to suffer from his past life. And I failed him. I failed them both… and when I realized that I'd failed and that there was nothing I could do short of disowning her, I vowed to not let my little Melty turn into another Malty and did everything I could to ensure she wouldn't grow up like her."

"But in doing that, I failed Melty by not showing her the love that she deserved…" Her hand clutched the front of her chest. "You were right, I did try to turn her into a political machine. I tried to turn her into the perfect diplomat for Melromarc who would succeed me, without showing her any love whatsoever… and in the end, I thrust her on you with the hope that you and Miss Raphtalia could show her the love that I could not…

"I have been a horrible parent to all of my children."

…

Naofumi noticed a movement in the corner of his vision. He thought that he and Mirellia were alone here but it turned out that wasn't the case as Trash, who'd been sitting in his chair silently up to that point, rested a hand on his wife's hand. "N… No…" He whispered. The Queen looked up at him in surprise.

"It… wasn't only… your fault… my dear." He gave her a sad smile. "I am also to blame… for what happened…" Tears entered his eyes. "If only… I wasn't so… pathetic…"

...

Mirellia's eyes moistened, and she embraced her husband in a fit of tears. Naofumi could only sit in silence, watching husband and wife cry into each other's shoulders.

He'd thought he'd had it rough. But these two rulers, these two adults who were far older than him. Who'd had the experience of raising their eldest daughter from birth. Of loving her, caring for her… only for her to grow into a monster. And they blamed themselves for it… and Mirellia, burdened with that guilt, had tried to raise her second daughter differently, only to still fail as a parent anyway.

Naofumi still believed it was inevitable. Bitch just seemed like the type of person who'd turn out nasty no matter what way she'd grow up. Or maybe that was just his personal bias getting in the way?

Still, he couldn't deny that they understood. They understood all too well what it was like for their mistakes to tear their family apart… to do something so unforgivable that it seemed like there was no way out of the mess that they'd created.

And yet... here they were. Still in love with each other. Still trying to do what was best with what they had left.

As the two rulers separated, still holding each other's hands, Naofumi finally spoke. "... how… how do you two still love each other after… after everything?"

"Because…" Mirellia cleared her throat. It looked like she'd reached the point she'd been building towards with her story. "I already vowed that no matter what would happen, I would love my dear, wise, foolish husband till the end of my life. And he has shown his love for me by trying, ever so slightly every day, to make up for his mistakes. Whether it was through playing chess with Melty over their letters, or holding my hand when the weight of my country feels too much for me to bear, like now."

"As long as we're still working together, we can face the trials ahead, even those of our own making."

Naofumi thought about that while looking at Aultcray's face.

It still seemed like he wasn't entirely there for the most part. But right now, in his eyes, there was a flicker of something. A warmth in his solitude, an island in a sea of despair.

Hope.

Somehow, this man still had it. A hope that the storm of sadness he was struggling in would soon end. That one day, the rainclouds would disappear and sunshine would fill his life once again.

"I… I think I understand now, Your Majesty. I'm sorry. I never understood..." Naofumi muttered quietly.

No, he had understood. The importance of home. The importance of country. The importance of family.

He had merely forgotten it till now because of his anger and his fear. He'd let those two emotions destroy everything he'd worked so hard to build up.

He might not have had the best parents, but he'd still done his best to be there for Raphtalia. To raise Filo, to take care of Melty, Eclair, Dou-Lon, all of those he cared about really. In being angry at everything, he'd allowed himself to forget how important those connections were.

Bonds of friendship, comradery, trust, love… they were worth far more than any childish anger tantrum.

He didn't want things to be like before. What'd happened before had led to where he was now. But neither did he want things to continue as they were now. That would only lead to a life of sadness and heartache. The worst fate indeed.

So, like Aultcray, he was going to have to do something to pull himself in a new direction and fix everything he'd broken with his own hands.

"I need to find Raphtalia." Naofumi stood up quickly, heading for the tent flap. He paused, however, turning around to look at Mirellia again.

"I'll see you at that meeting and... I'll try to help you keep the coalition together." He promised. "Just… let me try and fix some of my mistakes first. And please… if we don't survive this, send a message to Melty, tell her you love her. I think she could use that from her real mother."

"... Sir Naofumi." Mirellia wiped her eyes, a smile finally forming on her face. "I have already done that. If you ever need to talk again, come see me. The other Heroes too. It's my fault as much as yours for not taking this step sooner." It was her job as a ruler to protect her nation. But she'd ignored the issues the heroes protecting them had been suffering from for too long now.

After this was over, that needed to change. None of the Heroes should ever feel like they couldn't talk about their own problems ever again.

"Now go. You will find your companions in the southeastern district of the camp."

And so he left.

---

"Raphtalia! Raphtalia!"

The people around the encampment looked at the source of the commotion and were greeted by astonishing sight.

The Shield Hero was running through the camp. Shouting the name Raphtalia at the top of his lungs. His armor still looked beat up from his encounter with the Spirit Tortoise too.

It was almost comical in a way if not for the look of desperation on his face.

"Raphtalia! RAPHTALIA!"

He continued to run, shouting her name. Ignoring the stares of everyone around him as he tried desperately to find the one girl that mattered to him the most in this world.

There really was a large variety of people here. Humans, demi-humans, beastmen, all wearing different colors of whatever country they were from.

But they didn't matter right now. He had someone far more important to find. Someone who'd been weighing heavily on his mind ever since that day when everything went wrong.

Not blinded by anger or fear anymore, having been opened up again thanks to the efforts of the Queen, he could finally feel in full the aching in his mind. The aching in his heart. The sense that something very close, very important, and very, very personal had been missing for far too long.

The memory of his dream washed over his mind, only making his desperation reach drastic proportions. He couldn't bear it. He had to see her again. He would never be happy until he saw her face and held her in his arms.

Finally, turning around a corner, he saw her.

She and Dou-Lon were at what looked like an altar, alongside a group of demi-humans. It looked like all of them had been in the middle of praying when the Shield Hero burst in. But he paid them no attention. His eyes focused only on her.

"Raphtalia!" It was like the cry of a man in the desert, stumbling upon a lone oasis.

"Huh, Naofumi-" Raphtalia turned her head in surprise, only to be tackled by a crying Shield Hero.

She was here… she was here...

"I'm sorry! I'm so, so, SO sorry for everything I said!" Naofumi bawled like a baby as he held her close.

"H-H-HUH!?" Raphtalia looked incredibly confused.

What was going on?! Why was Naofumi here?!

Had her prayers actually been answered that quickly-

Actually, she could think about it later. Right now, Naofumi was here. Naofumi was hugging her. And Naofumi was crying. His whole body shook against her. And his armor was all banged up. It was like he'd gone to hell and back.

She hugged him back and started rubbing the back of his head, not saying anything, but shaking regardless because of what was happening. He was here again. He was here, holding on to her…

She'd missed this. She'd missed this so much...

For several minutes, they clung to each other. The outside world didn't exist. Nothing existed but them and the ground they stood on.

...

After a little while, they finally held each other at arm's length, unable, or unwilling, to completely separate from one another. Naofumi looked into her deep, tea red eyes. Tears still leaked from the corners. Her pupils, focused on him, swirled with emotion. Her trembling, soft lips parted with each breath she took.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd studied her face so intently. She looked so breathtaking, so beautiful, and it only made him feel more guilty. The words he'd shouted at her before echoed in his mind, only adding to the huge weight bearing down on his shoulders.

"Raphtalia. I'm so… so sorry for the way I treated you." Naofumi said sadly.

"You didn't deserve it, at all. I was being incredibly selfish, and I hurt you and everyone else I cared about. I'll never be able to apologize for what I did-"

Raphtalia sniffled, but instead of wiping at her tears, she wiped away the tears under his eyes. The gentle action shocked the Shield Hero speechless in the middle of his apology. He'd expected anger. He'd expected bitterness. But this…?

"I can't speak for everyone else. You said some horrible, horrible things Naofumi." She whispered. "But... if it means anything." A very familiar emotion appeared in her eyes.

"I still love you."

Raphtalia...

He thought he'd been bawling before. But her words made him turn into a newborn baby. He couldn't stop the tears as she selflessly put her feelings on the matter aside to hug him and to comfort him.

"I've had time to think about what you said too." She whispered gently into his ear as he cried. "I don't regret kissing you to bring you out of your Cursed Series… I don't regret the times I put my life on the line to protect you…"

There was a pause as he continued to cry. She rubbed the back of his head, and when he finally began to calm down, she continued.

"But I do regret many things… you were right. I did let my love for you blind me to what was important. I focused so much on you that I forgot the promises I'd made to others. I guess I really was trying to turn you into someone ... and I let those kids die when I should have saved them ... " A sob tore through the half-raccoon girl's body. "Could you… could you possibly forgive me?" She asked.

...

"How could you ask me to forgive you when I'm the one apologizing here?" Naofumi shook his head. "You can't just forgive me. I hurt you and-"

"Naofumi. It's not the first time you've hurt me." As she said that, she raised her sleeves, revealing the flame shaped scars on her arms.

"But this time, I wasn't using that Shield! It was my own choice, and-" Naofumi began to speak frantically.

"And me and the others pushed you to that point." Raphtalia's face looked sad. "I knew more than anyone else, Naofumi. I was there for your panic attacks. Yet I thought that you'd prefer it if I didn't bring any attention to it so you wouldn't think about her and… in the end, I only helped to push you over the edge too. Because of me, other people died." Her downcast look made his heart wrench inside his chest.

"Raphtalia… it wasn't just you." He sighed. "Don't blame yourself. It was a host of many things that all piled up onto each other, and I just… kept it all to myself." In the end, it had been both their faults. No one person was to blame. Arguing it would get them no where, and it looked like Raphtalia understood that too as she breathed in deeply.

"... Naofumi." She stood up tall. "What do I need to do to help you?"

...

Raphtalia…

You're a rare girl indeed. Thank you.

"If you're sure." He began hesitantly. She nodded, listening to him. He took a deep breath to collect himself.

"Unless I'm in serious trouble, I don't want you to focus on protecting me." He started. "If something would hurt me at this point, it'd definitely kill you. I'd feel much better if you let me focus on protecting you and the others instead. I can't save others without your help, alright?

"Unless the enemy somehow brings me down, I don't want you or anyone else to worry about me in battle." Naofumi finished.

"Got it. Anything else?" The girl asked.

"... it… it would be a great help if you agree to set aside some time now and then to discuss any problems that we might be struggling with." He hung his head. "A relationship counsel, if you will."

Raphtalia's hand, however, was quick to raise his head back up for him. She was smiling at him. She was smiling so happily. "I've always told you this. If you're struggling with anything, you can tell me."

"I meant for both of us. And I'm not just talking about serious problems." Naofumi held her hand tightly in his. "This isn't just a one way street. I want us to really talk with each other about anything that bothers us. And by that, I mean anything. I don't want it to be a passing remark or some joke. If I do something that annoys you, you tell me. And if you do something that seriously annoys me, I'll tell you. That way, we can both talk it over and change or compromise if we have to. I don't ever want to hurt you the way I did ever again, so I want us to communicate."

...

The sheer implication of what that promise meant finally registered in her mind. She looked into her hero's green eyes in stunned shock while he continued. "I don't want to hide anything, and I don't want you to hide anything either. I need a person who I can talk about any problem with. And I want you to have someone you can vent to if you need it. So… please…"

"Naofumi… are you really sure?" Raphtalia asked. This would mean… they would be on equal footing with one another from now on. It didn't matter that he was a Hero and she was not.

…

"Yes." He said. "If we can be honest with each other, I'm sure it could help me to avoid another breakdown." Or, at the least, make it much harder for him to have a breakdown.

"... O-Okay!" Tears leaked from her eyes, and she grabbed his face before kissing him on the lips.

Oh… oh god… how he'd missed this feeling.

His hands weaved through the auburn hair on her back. Her taste, her smell, her everything enveloped his mind.

To think he'd ever felt that he should ever cut himself off from… from this! How had he lived without her these past few days? It was like he'd been drowning without her, and now his head was finally above water.

The thought of ever losing this feeling again was too unbearable for him to think about. So he didn't think about it.

The last few days of anger, of pain, of heartache… they were all melting away like dew under the morning sun.

'Raphtalia… you're too forgiving of my faults... but thank you.' He'd really needed this. He'd really needed her again. He didn't want something to drive them apart ever again.

And hopefully, this would be the start of a better, more healthy adult relationship between the two. They'd be far better prepared if he ever had a meltdown again.

"Ahem, Lord Shield."

And then, the moment was ruined as Naofumi remembered that they weren't alone.

"Oh, um, Dou-Lon." He and Raphtalia quickly separated. Looking at the small assembly, he saw Dou-Lon and many other demi-humans from Siltvelt. Almost all of them were looking up at him and Raphtalia in awe. He would have started blushing at their audience if it wasn't for the fact that Dou-Lon looked so subdued.

"My deepest apologies for interrupting. You're feeling better, I take it?" Dou-Lon asked.

"... Dou-Lon." Naofumi walked up to the Hakuko, resting his hand on the man's shoulder. "I'm sorry for what I said to you before."

"There is no need for apologies, Lord Shield." Dou-Lon bowed slightly. "It'd take more than a few words for this lowly hakuko's devotion to falter."

"Then just call me by my name please." Naofumi asked as he grimaced. "I don't want you to worship me."

"I'm sorry Lord Shield, but I have to." The Hakuko answered after blinking once and gestured to the other demi-humans around him. "Otherwise, people might think that I'm closer to you than I actually am."

"But you are close!" Naofumi heatedly replied. His hand fell off his shoulder. "Dou-Lon, you were the only person who realized what was happening to me and tried to do something about it! But I blew off your sage advice and hurt you and everyone else instead!

"I don't want your blind unyielding devotion! If you're angry at me, if I hurt you, then please say so and if you can't forgive me then please tell me how I can make it up for you. I need you Dou-Lon, nearly as much as Raphtalia and Filo. I need that perception of yours paired with a healthy dose of common sense to warn me when I'm about to make a horrible mistake and I promise that I'll listen to it from now on! I swear I'll listen!"

The tall man looked briefly conflicted. "Dou-Lon." Raphtalia spoke this time, stepping forward and resting a hand on his other shoulder. "I didn't trust you when we first met. I thought you were nothing but a spy sent to try and take Naofumi away from us. But Naofumi was the one that convinced me to give you a chance. And I'm glad he did."

"It's hard for me to admit this, but he's right. While I was blinded by my love and my want to make him perfect, you weren't blinded by your devotion to him and sought to help him connect with himself. You have been a good ally and friend to both of us, even when I didn't treat you as such. We'll both need your help to become better people."

It was humbling to see Raphtalia apologizing to Dou-Lon like this, even if she didn't have to. He'd been the one that messed up, after all.

"... Lord Shield, Miss Raphtalia, surely someone like Miss Seaetto would be better suited for that role. It's easy to chart a course while the sea is calm, but unlike myself, she had the courage to defy Lord Shield's will even in his darkest hour."

"Of course I need her too." Naofumi gritted his teeth. "But that doesn't mean that she can replace you. Your insight as a friend is worth just as much to me. And by the sounds of it, to Raphtalia too."

She nodded in agreement, her hand falling off the Hakuko's shoulder as she took a step back to stand next to Naofumi once again.

The hakuko shifted in place a bit. Looking between the both of them several times.

Then, finally, he sighed, taking on a more relaxed posture. "I'm glad that you have finally come to your senses, Sir Naofumi." He said, his voice sounding genuine and happy. "You… truly said some hurtful things before. But as Miss Raphtalia said earlier, it didn't help that we pushed you to that point."

Naofumi suddenly jerked forward and hugged the Hakuko man close, and after a moment of hesitation, he felt Dou-Lon hug him back in response.

It was then that Naofumi had realized that, despite his actions, he still had two of the best people in the world willing to stand by his side… "You freaking demi-humans. You shouldn't forgive me just because I'm the Shield Hero."

"But you're not just the Shield Hero." Dou-Lon said as he stepped back, smiling genuinely at him. "You're Naofumi Iwatani."

…

…

Dou-Lon slowly blanched, realizing what he'd just said. "Um, uh, was it alright for me to say your full name-"

Naofumi laughed, cutting the Hakuko off mid freak out. "Of course. That's far better than being called Lord Shield. And unlike most everyone else I've met in this world, it actually sounded like you pronounced it correctly."

"Wait, really?" Dou-Lon looked up curiously.

"Yeah, normally, only the other Heroes say it right. Even Raphtalia says it wrong from time to time." Naofumi smiled genuinely, and for a moment, Dou-Lon had a taste of what heaven felt like.

It was serene. Awe-inspiring. Peaceful. All rolled into one glorious package of seeing his Hero, his God, smiling at him.

Seeing him in a better mood, the demi-humans around the Shield Hero looked even more in awe. One in particular approached Dou-Lon, her jaw hanging, and her sky blue eyes shining with adoration. "By the Shield, I thought you were joking when you wrote that you were one of Shield Lord's closest confidants!"

"Huh? Oh, Chen, what are you saying? I never wrote anything like that!" Dou-Lon rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"But then why else would Shield Lord be hugging one of us unworthy Hakuko!?" The young woman asked.

"Is this a friend of yours?" Naofumi asked curiously.

"I'm sorry! Forgive this unworthy Hakuko for interrupting you!" She prostrated herself on the ground, and everyone else around her followed suit.

"... Oh great, there's more of you?" Naofumi rubbed his eyes in exhaustion. He was getting an odd sense of deja vu from this woman. It was like meeting Dou-Lon all over again.

"Chen, please stand up. Sir Naofumi isn't fond of that kind of behavior." Dou-Lon told his friend gently.

"Oh, maybe Shield Lord would prefer us building a temple in his name instead-" She stood back up, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"No! Wait, actually, would you-" Dou-Lon turned to ask Naofumi.

"No." Naofumi responded flatly.

"No, don't build Sir Naofumi any temples." Dou-Lon heatedly told the others.

Several of them who'd pulled tools and stone blocks from out of nowhere sighed in disappointment as they put them back where they'd found them.

Were they honestly ready to build a temple for him at a moment's notice? Naofumi really hoped he wouldn't encounter another situation like this in the future.

"Awwww, what are we supposed to do then?" The hakuko woman put a hand to her chin, looking deep in thought. Naofumi took the moment of silence to study her more closely.

The Hakuko woman was taller than Naofumi, but not as tall as Motoyasu or her fellow Hakuko. Despite that, she didn't have a strong looking build. She had more of a wiry figure fit for a gymnast, which went well with her distinct outfit. A black bodysuit, similar to the ones that Melromarc's shadows favored, worn under a curious blue mixture of a Chinese martial artist dress and a monastic scapular that also included a pair of sandals as part of the ensemble.

It was tied together with a white sash around the waist that bore a symbol on it, which Naofumi couldn't read. This likely meant that it was in Siltveltish or some other written language besides Melromarcian. The skirt part of the dress had a pair of slits on the sides for easier leg movement. Curiously, she seemed to lack the distinct patches of white fur on her legs and arms that members of her clan were known for.

Her face was somewhat narrow but full and cute. Naofumi briefly thought that this would be what Wyndia would look like in a few years. Surprisingly, the hakuko woman's shoulder length hair was brown instead of white and black, which matched the colors of her catlike tail and round ears. But despite her overall unusual appearance, she still had blue eyes like every other Hakuko present.

Now that Naofumi thought about it, it was weird how Dou-Lon had gold colored eyes instead of blue. Eh, thoughts for later. Dou-Lon had now finished his brief chat with Chen and was currently in the process of physically pushing the brown haired woman forward while she frantically protested.

"Dou-Lon it's quite alright! I am perfectly content to bask in Shield Lord's glory from back there!"

"You were the one who asked me to introduce you to him when I had the chance." Dou-Lon smirked. "Now's as good a time as any."

The hakuko stopped pushing the woman when she was in front of Naofumi and coughed into his hand before addressing the shield hero again. "Sir Naofumi, please meet my friend and comrade in arms, Chen. I believe you've already met her once before but well, you know..." He rubbed the back of his neck while looking to the side awkwardly.

"Ehe... h-hello my lord!" The other hakuko squeaked out with a stutter, her voice cracking from the stress. "S-sorry about trying to kidnap you and stuff."

Raphtalia stiffened slightly in response but Naofumi just rolled his eyes and chuckled in response to the absurd scene unfolding before him. "It's quite alright. Dou-Lon told me all about it a while ago. It's a pleasure to formally meet you, right Raphtalia?"

The half raccoon girl next to the shield hero twitched in surprise at suddenly being addressed like that and nodded a few times while her cheeks went red. "Oh, yes of course. I'm Raphtalia. I am Naofumi's sword." She said awkwardly, then coughed to clear her throat. "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

The hakuko girl gaped again in response, completely starry eyed and awe struck. "I-i-it's an honor lady Raphtalia." She started shaking Raphtalia's hand energetically. "To think that I was graced with the presence of Shield Lord's chosen wife this whole time without realizing it!"

"Hurk!" Naofumi reeled back as if struck before turning red. "Ah, actually she's only my-"

"You're welcome Chen." Raphtalia cut him off with a bizarrely serene and graceful smile that stood out oddly on her face that was as red as a tomato. "Dou-Lon spoke fondly of you, I'm sure we'll get along."

Chen only went more wide eyed in awe. The Shield Hero had truly caught the eye of a beautiful woman indeed!

While the shorter hakuko was busy gushing, Dou-Lon's gaze fell on the sash that she was wearing. He made a double take before his eyes bulged out in surprise. "Wait, you're a Captain now?! When did that happen?! How did that happen?!" He looked at her suspiciously. "Who did you have to bribe to convince them you were responsible enough to hold that rank?"

Chen tilted her head to the side curiously. "Huh, didn't I tell you earlier?"

...

"Oh, um, perhaps you did." Dou-Lon hadn't been paying much attention to what'd been going around him lately, ever since the Shield Hero's breakdown.

Chen batted his ears playfully with her fingers, shocking him back into reality. "Hey!"

She giggled into her hands. "Well to answer your questions. Ever since Shield Lord's proclamation, Lord Werner and the remaining members of the council who weren't forced to leave their positions have been working tirelessly to 'clean house'."

The hakuko girl scratched her temple with an awkward smile. "Among the many inquiries and investigations of multiple influential people in Siltvelt, the council also looked into the Royal Guard after we got back and they ended up getting rid of many of the higher ups. I'm now in charge of security for the Siltvelt Council." Chen stood up tall as she spoke of it with pride. "Training the new recruits is taking up all my time though." She quickly deflated and began to pout. "I wish you were there to help me Lon-Lon. It'd be so much easier with you around."

"Urk! Don't call me that in front of Sir Naofumi!" Dou-Lon shouted at her.

"Ehhhhh~, why not?" She asked curiously.

"Naofumi has a tendency to nickname other people." Raphtalia explained sheepishly. "I think he's afraid that Naofumi might start using that nickname."

"I only do that when people don't give me their name." Naofumi shrugged. And he'd known Dou-Lon's name for a while.

Besides, Lon-Lon didn't really sound like a nickname that he'd come up with. White Tiger #1, on the other hand, sounded far more fitting…

Raphtalia was staring at him now. But unlike before, she didn't say anything about his rude thoughts. He raised an eyebrow at her curiously.

"Sorry, it's just… really good to see you acting more normally again." Raphtalia gave him a very real, genuine smile.

This was definitely a sign that their relationship was heading towards better waters.

"Ah, by the way." Naofumi decided to change the subject before things got too sappy again. "Chen, right? Are those clothes of yours a uniform of the Siltvelt royal guard or something?"

"Mm?" The hakuko girl blinked once in confusion before looking down. "Oh yea! We usually wear armor underneath the scapular, but my specialty is scouting and high speed strikes in combat so I don't bother with it." She explained excitedly. "Also, the scapular used to be green. This is a new design that was suggested by the esteemed Genmu elder to match the color of the sky when you lit it up during the last wave in Melromarc!"

"Oh, that makes sense." Naofumi nodded. "But I was actually curious about why neither you nor Dou-Lon were wearing it when we first met."

"While we were deep in enemy territory on an undercover secret mission?" Dou-Lon quirked an eyebrow.

"... Good point." Naofumi conceded to hide his embarrassment.

They talked for a little while longer, and then, when Naofumi's curiosity was satisfied and he was wondering how to end the subject so they could leave, someone else ended up doing that for him.

"Excuse me, is Captain Chen here?" A deep male voice suddenly cut the moment short and the hakuko girl straightened up, her demeanor instantly shifting into a more professional one.

"Right here. What's the situation?" She turned around, looking at the source of the voice.

Dou-Lon stared at her back in surprise. Who was this girl and what had she done to his childhood friend?!

The individual she was addressing was a dog demi-human wearing a similar uniform, but he was also clad in some plate mail and had a different character written on his sash. He saluted her before he spoke again. "Sir Werner wishes to speak with you about the recent changes in security arrangements for the upcoming meeting ma'am. It's nothing urgent but it's probably best to not make him wait."

"Very well, report back that I'll be there shortly. Dismissed." The dog man saluted her again and left in a haste.

"Whoa, you were like an entirely different person there." Dou-Lon said, staring at her in surprise.

Maybe it hadn't just been dumb luck that she'd been given the position.

"It's just more work again." The hakuko girl deflated a bit before addressing her best friend. "Sorry Lon-Lon, I wish I could stay and chat but duty calls."

"No, no, Chen. It's quite alright. Your role is an important one. I'm just happy that our prayer session here has led to many miracles unfolding before our eyes." Dou-Lon shook his head, ignoring the usage of the embarrassing nickname this time before hugging her warmly. "It's good to see you again."

Chen nodded and returned the hug with a smile before addressing Naofumi with a deep bow. "Shield Lord, Lady Raphtalia, it's been a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise." Raphtalia returned the bow.

Naofumi extended his hand outward. "See you later?"

Chen froze in place staring at the hand being extended to her in shock. "Is he.. But I'm not worthy… I'm not worthy to shake the hand of our lord…"

Naofumi sighed and muttered something under his breath before forcibly grabbing Chen's arm and shaking it. "Right, see you around then. Come on you two, there's something else we need to take care of." He gestured at Dou-Lon and Raphtalia to follow him, leaving the stunned tiger girl to stand there and stare at her hand while murmurs of conversation between the other present demi-humans erupted around her.

"The shield hero touched her!"

"She is the chosen one!"

Naofumi rubbed the bridge of his nose, ignoring the insanity behind him as he walked away from it and instead addressed his two allies with a more pressing concern.

"So, um, is Eclair here?" Naofumi asked carefully, feeling like he was walking on eggshells.

…

Dou-Lon's face sank. "Yes, she is, along with Granny and a few other volunteers… but fair warning, Sir Naofumi. Neither I nor Miss Raphtalia hold any grudges towards you for what you said to us, but… I suspect that Miss Seaetto won't be nearly as forgiving. Particularly regarding your actions towards the crown princess and your daughter."

"Could… could you both… take me to her?" Naofumi asked nervously.

"That might not be wise." Dou-Lon hesitated again. "I can already tell you how it'll probably go."

"I'll more than likely deserve it." Naofumi replied somberly. "But if you two are going to forgive me so easily then I at least need somebody who's going to give me what I deserve for all the ^%$# I put everyone through."

"If… if that is what you wish." Dou-Lon nodded in understanding. "Then please follow me, she should still be in her tent near the rest of Queen Mirelia's associates."

Dou-Lon and Raphtalia did lead the Shield Hero to Eclair's tent. And it did not take a genius to find out how that reunion went.

---

The fact that the rose haired knight immediately attacked Naofumi wasn't a surprise to anyone. Her loyalty had taken a heavy blow after witnessing the way that he'd acted around his daughter and everyone else. But watching him slowly and tortuously verbally dismantle Melty had been the final straw.

After all, the knight had cared for the Second Princess almost as much as Raphtalia. Possibly even more so, due to her loyalty to the crown. That had been what made Eclair leave his party. Not when Naofumi had stepped all over her pride. Not when he called her or the others weak. But when he hurt Melty.

He'd definitely crossed a line with what he'd said to the Second Princess.

"Miss Seaetto, please, control yourself-" Dou-Lon tried to reason with her.

"You stay out of this Dou-Lon! This is between me and this piece of human garbage here!" Eclair shouted back at the Hakuko.

She hadn't even realized that Naofumi had switched to a weaker shield.. Instead, she continued her assault, slashing at the Shield Hero over and over again, leaving countless small scratches all over his arms, torso, legs, and even a couple on his face.

He'd originally switched to a weaker shield so that she wouldn't break her sword on him. That would have made her even more furious than she was now. But even after seeing that she was hurting him, he didn't switch to a shield with slightly better defense. Maybe he deserved this? Or maybe he was just being an idiot. Either way, he allowed the knight to assault him without making any move to protect himself.

It was when she realized that she was actually starting to draw blood that she stopped in surprise. "What the hell do you want?!" She quickly recovered and demanded. Her blade stood idle in her hand.

"To apologize, for starters." Naofumi replied quietly.

"Apologize? Apologize?!" Eclair's head fell back as she laughed. "After what you said to Princess Melty, there is nothing you can ever say that'll ever make me forgive you!" She resumed attacking the Shield Hero with renewed fury.

For several minutes, this continued. She treated him as she would any practice dummy. It was a good thing that she could only inflict minor scratches on him. Otherwise, he'd seriously be in trouble right now. Thankfully, Raphtalia and Dou-Lon didn't try to interfere further and let the rose haired knight vent her anger on the Shield Hero.

When she finally stopped to catch her breath, Naofumi spoke again.

"I know… I know you're angry and won't easily forgive me for what I did. But there's another reason why I'm here right now."

"And what might that be?" She asked, her voice dripping with spite.

"To ask for your help." Naofumi answered quietly.

…

Hearing that stunned Eclair. The Shield Hero knelt down before her and lowered his head. "I had no right to say what I said before. To you, to the other Heroes, and especially to Melty. I was a complete and utter bastard. And I only made things worse with the way that I acted afterward. I don't expect forgiveness from you or the others. All I want is to stop the Spirit Tortoise before it kills everyone."

"... My help?" Eclair scoffed. "What could I help the great Shield Hero with? Weren't you the one who called me weak and pathetic?" She looked off to the side, but her open helmet didn't hide the look of hurt on her face. "Why would you want the help of some weak, useless knight?"

"Your stats are lower than everyone else's, but that doesn't mean I was right to call you weak." Naofumi paused to breathe. "You give your all to protect everyone around you, and… And, even when I was a bastard, you weren't afraid to stand up to me. You called me out when nobody else would. You have the courage to act when things go wrong, Eclair. We'll need someone like you at the battle should things go south."

…

"You know things can't go back to the way they were before that simply, right?" Eclair finally stated after a moment with a sigh.

"Of course, I don't expect things to be like before. I wouldn't be surprised if, once this is over, you'll never want to bother with me ever again… but… just once, just one more time, please help me to protect everyone here. Please… then you can go and pursue whatever goals you want without having to deal with me ever again. I promise."

Eclair stared down at the man in front of her. After a moment, her eyes slowly drifted towards the hakuko standing in the back next to Raphtalia.

...

"Dou-Lon, tell me the truth and swear it on your knight's honor." She suddenly spoke. "Miss Raphtalia will always stand by this man regardless of what happens, even if she has to lie through her teeth, so whatever she might have to say right now is worthless." Eclair threw a glare at the half raccoon girl, making her shrink back.

"But I know you're no knave. Despite your cowardice and weakness, you have shown to me that you have some modicum of pride and chivalry. So tell me, does this pile of trash that you dragged into my tent actually mean what it's saying, or is it just that desperate now that it's realized how worthless a shield is when you don't have anything left to protect with it?"

"I would say that it's a bit of both, Miss Seaetto" Dou-Lon answered curtly and bowed to her slightly while putting a hand over his chest. "But I believe he is being honest. Sir Naofumi realizes the weight of his mistakes, and will try with all his power to fix them. I swear this upon my honor as a former member of the Siltvelt royal guard."

...

"Hmph." The rose haired knight narrowed her eyes and looked down at the shield hero prostrating before her again. Blood slowly leaked from the deeper scratches that she'd managed to inflict on his arms.

It was red, just like hers.

After another moment of silence she finally sheathed her sword and turned to the side. "I hold no anger towards you for what you said to me." Eclair started to speak, before glaring down at the Shield Hero again. "So if you really want my services and sword back, you'll apologize on your hands and knees to Miss Filo, Princess Melty, Queen Mirellia, King… Trash, and everyone else who you have wronged because of your actions. Then, I want to see you make an honest effort towards each and every one of them to repay them for the way you treated them before."

"I will, I swear." Naofumi answered without hesitation. He was going to do that anyway. Anything for a chance to fix his horrible mistakes.

Upon seeing his resolve, Eclair visibly relaxed. Naofumi was being sincere… at least for now. How long this would last for, she didn't know. But with the fate of the world at stake…

Well, somebody had to be there to make sure that the Shield Hero held up his end of the deal.

"In that case..." Eclair paused, searching for the right words. Eventually she just shook her head and a request to join his party popped up in Naofumi's peripheral vision instead.

It was worth more than what a thousand words could ever say.

"Thank you." He replied hoarsely as he confirmed the request and saw the knight's name appear next to Raphtalia's and Dou-Lon's.

"I knew you'd come around." Dou-Lon said to the knight with a small smile.

"Don't get cocky bakako." Eclair growled under her breath before elbowing the large man in the gut, making him wheeze.

"Eclair…" Raphtalia's ears fell, and she wasn't sure how to properly express her gratitude to the knight.

"If you really want to help Sir Naofumi that badly, Miss Raphtalia, then you will spend more time learning sword techniques after this is over." Eclair stated bluntly to the half-raccoon girl. "Even if you are stronger, you have been lax and haven't realized your full potential."

"I… I understand." Raphtalia nodded. "I'll look forward to being your student again."

"Good. I'll push you both so hard you'll wish you were never born." Eclair promised the two demi-humans. But there was a hint of a smile on her features.

"Oh no, the flashbacks…" Dou-Lon groaned. Raphtalia patted his back in sympathy.

Things were slowly starting to look up but Naofumi still had Filo, Melty, and a host of others to apologize for his actions. Gods, he'd been such a terrible prick that even getting this far seemed like a damn miracle. But…

He was going to do what Mirellia had said. He was going to put forth effort to try anyway. You miss 100% of the shots you never take, after all. And they needed all the help they could get when they went to face the Spirit Tortoise.

Looking up at the sun, Naofumi realized how much time had passed. "I need to go. I need to help Mirellia convince the people here to help us with the Spirit Tortoise."

"Naofumi…" Eclair suddenly looked serious. "I heard of your defeat… do you actually think that we'll be able to stop it?"

"... I honestly don't know. Even thinking about that fight… it terrifies me just how powerful that beast was." Naofumi trembled, and put an arm over Raphtalia to help steady himself. She put a hand on his chest, and he gripped it tightly with his own. Just as sudden as the fear had come, it dissipated under her touch. "But, that happened because I wasn't ready to fight it then. This time, I'm ready to put everything on the line to stop this thing. So I can protect you, Dou-Lon, Raphtalia, Melty, Mirellia, and everyone else in this world that I care about."

Eclair looked him up and down. That statement. That determined look in his features…

She wasn't imagining it. She inwardly chuckled. Perhaps, the man she'd met inside that prison cell wasn't dead yet after all.

"Then I will do what I can to boost morale here." Eclair said with resolve. "Raphtalia, Dou-Lon, help me out as well. Sir Naofumi, you better convince those leaders not to pull out from the coalition, or else."

"Of course." The shield hero nodded. Raphtalia then kissed him on the lips again before leaving the tent, briefly making Naofumi feel like he was in heaven.

"And Sir Naofumi." Eclair looked back at the Shield Hero from the tent flap. "If this is all a farce. If you ever mistreat Princess Melty, Miss Raphtalia, Miss Filo, Mr. Dou-Lon, or anyone else so horribly ever again, I will personally make you regret ever being summoned to our world."

"Better get in line early. You wouldn't be the first." Naofumi shrugged.

Realizing what he'd just done, he put a hand over his mouth at the bit of sarcasm that leaked out, but Eclair actually chuckled in response. "I'll be sure to reserve a spot near the front of it then."

"Oh, and heal those cuts. You don't want to go into the meeting looking like someone attacked you." Eclair finished before finally leaving.

Naofumi did so. Thinking it over, he was really grateful that the rose-haired knight still wanted to assist them.

He vowed he'd make things up to Melty, Filo, and everyone else too. He didn't care if he had to become their butler for life… well, maybe he cared a little bit. But still, they hadn't deserved the treatment he gave them. He had to make things right however he could.

So he went to the coalition meeting, having done what he could to mend things over with his immediate party members, minus Filo.

Gods, he wished he could see her again so badly.

---

Filo was missing her daddy.

At first, Filo had thought that she made the right choice.

Fitoria's Sanctuary was amazing. There were so many other Filolials around. There were running rivers and lakes filled with crystal clear water to swim in. Countless types of exotic fruits grew on the bountiful trees that made up the massive grove of the sanctuary. There were even some tasty monsters that could be easily found in the wilderness or in the water.

But even the sweetest and ripest of fruits and the fattest and juiciest monsters tasted completely bland to Filo.

They weren't daddy's cooking.

The other filolials were very friendly and nice, referring to her as "princess" with respect and awe while trying to make her feel comfortable in her new home.

But they all felt like strangers. Filo was starting to resent the title too.

Filo was Filo, not princess.

They couldn't replace Mommy or Mel, or even Tiger Guy and Red Vegetable Lady and all the other nice people that she was familiar with.

"Gwah!" (Hello Filo!)

"Gweh?" (How is Filo doing?)

A pair of familiar voices greeted her, belonging to two distinct filolials. One had a bright puffy orange plume of feathers that was like the color of the setting sun while the other was indigo in color with a slick short plume that clung tightly to its body.

Unlike most of her brethren here, aside from Fitoria, these two were the closest thing that Filo could describe as friends, since she had interacted with them briefly before her arrival to the sanctuary.

Blue, as he was uncreatively named by Sword Guy, had helped them out during the last wave in Melromarc and Amber spent over a week protecting Filo's home with Spear Guy while Filo was in Cal Mira. While still keeping their distance, they at least called Filo by her name.

"Hi..." She responded while idly scratching at the forest floor with one of her claws and looking down. Normally, she wasn't in her Queen form. She liked her human form more. But some of the Filolials here weren't very comfortable with humans.

Noticing Filo's sour mood, Amber blinked and quickly approached her looking at Filo from different angles. "Gweeheeh?" (What's wrong Filo? Is Filo hungry? Is Fitoria being too hard on Filo in her training?)

"No, Filo is fine. Just tired." Filo shook her head and turned away but Amber walked around her, cutting her off and extending her neck to examine the larger Filolial. Filo then turned around again but Amber repeated her motions from a different side.

"Gwah! Gwah!" (Filo doesn't look fine! Filo looks sick! Amber will go bring medicine!) The orange filolial flapped her wings frantically in a show of concern when Blue suddenly walked up behind her and pecked the orange bird on the head.

"Gwa! Gweeh!" (Ow! What was that for?)

"Gweh. Geweh." (Amber, stop. Amber is being a nuisance. Filo is not sick. Filo just misses her old flock. Leave Filo be.) The blue filolial flapped his wings slightly and pulled his head back.

"Gweeeehhh..." (Oh, Amber is sorry. Amber was just worried.) The orange filolial lowered her head in shame.

"It's okay. Filo understands." The royal filolial nodded stiffly before walking away.

Fitoria's training was actually one of the few things that cheered Filo up. It was very hard and sometimes brutal but it got her mind away from these dark thoughts easily and Filo could feel herself growing stronger every day despite her level being lowered by Fitoria.

There'd been a reason for it. Fitoria mentioned it'd help Filo to grow stronger. And as she regained those lost levels, Filo did feel stronger. Yet she still missed Mommy and Daddy all the same.

This routine continued until one day after a loud crack had pierced the sky. Filo was on her way to Fitoria's nest right then and when she arrived, she heard the cries of a couple filolials..

Fitoria was talking to her two friends. Amber and Blue. Though it seemed like they were in an argument, as the two were shouting at the Filolial Queen and digging their taloned feet into the ground repeatedly.

"Gwah!" (But Fitoria heard that loud crack in the sky!)

"Gweh!" (Why can't Blue and Amber go and help out?!)

"Because I have already made my decision. The Heroes are not worthy of our help." Fitoria answered them with a stony face.

"Gwehgwehgweh!" (Fitoria made that decision! Amber and Blue did not!) The orange Filolial puffed up.

"Gwah!" (Blue is worried about Noodle and his flock. Blue doesn't want them to fight the big turtle by themselves! Big turtle will eat them!)

Fitoria frowned, but upon seeing Filo, Fitoria shook her head. "Enough. I will not hear talk about this any longer."

Amber and Blue opened their beaks to protest, but then a great wave of power poured out from Fitoria's form, making the air in the grove tremble and the two birds were scared into submission. "Gweh…" (Okay…) Amber crooned sadly and began to walk away while Blue just shook his head at Fitoria silently before joining his friend.

After the two had left, Filo cautiously approached the filolial queen who still had an air of danger about her. "What was that about?" She asked innocently.

"Nothing. It just seems that those two have forgotten how worthless the human race is." Fitoria answered.

"But… Mommy and Daddy aren't worthless… right?" Filo asked while looking up at Fitoria.

"...let's continue where we last left off. You'll need to master this technique if you want to become a queen." Fitoria turned around, walking off to assume her usual position on the other side of the clearing where her nest was located.

Filo nodded, afraid to pursue the answer further. Fitoria didn't look mad anymore but she didn't look happy either. It was probably not the best time to say that Filo wasn't so sure if she wanted to become a queen anymore either.

The following days were oddly quiet. It was like the earth was standing still. No Waves were happening anywhere around the world. Even the monsters seemed afraid to poke their heads out for more than a brief time.

It gave Filo a lot of time to think and explore the Sanctuary by herself. And then, one day, she suddenly stumbled upon a particular scene that made her pause.

It was an adult Filolial mother sitting in her nest, surrounded by her chicks. They peeped eagerly as she fed them while nuzzling her head against each and every one as she did so.

Filo stared at the mother filolial, feeling an array of complex emotions stirring within her little heart. Distant memories began to pass through her mind.

---

"Okay Filo, say ahh." The half-raccoon girl smiled brightly as she pushed the spoon overflowing with baked beans forward.

"Pii! Pii!" The little chick peeped excitedly while opening her mouth wide to let the spoon deposit its contents into it.

"Ugh, are you seriously spoon-feeding her?" Naofumi rolled his eyes. "She's a monster, not a kid, just put the food in a bowl and let her go ham on it."

"Master Naofumi, don't be rude." Raphtalia pouted at him before grabbing another spoonful of beans and facing the chick again with a happy smile. "Don't listen to daddy Filo, daddy's just in a bad mood because of the bad men looking for us."

"Pii!" The little filolial chirped, mostly oblivious to the conversation around her and ate the food offered to her by her mother in glee, quickly finishing it.

"There you go! Good job Filo!" Raphtalia clapped her hands with a giggle.

"Wow. She managed to eat with only minor assistance. Truly an achievement to be proud of." The shield hero droned on while eyeing the forest clearing that they were in with suspicion. It was as if he expected someone to jump them at any moment.

"Master Naofumi, that's no way to treat your own child." Raphtalia pouted again, harder this time. She gently grabbed the chick that was quickly becoming too large to carry, stroking it's head as she did so.

"Pii!" Filo affectionately rubbed her head against the warm soft hand that was stroking her.

"Raphtalia, stop talking nonsense. We aren't this thing's parents. Filo is just an investment in our transportation options." Naofumi waved his hand back dismissively.

His companion's pout turned into a frown and she walked up in front of him, holding the baby filolial out. "Hold her and say that again."

"Huh?" Naofumi blinked and looked at Raphtalia's face in surprise, not expecting to see the indignant expression that was painted on her features. "Raphtalia, come on, we don't have time for this. We don't know how long our lead on those bastards from the church will last. We need to stay vigilant."

"Master Naofumi, we are in no danger at the moment. There is no one here but us." Raphtalia replied boldly and pushed the filolial into his arms.

"Pii?" The chick looked around curiously before meeting her daddy's gaze and flapped her little wings excitedly. "Pii! Pii!"

"She might be a monster but she is still a child in our care." The half tanuki's expression softened. "She needs love and affection just like any other. Surely you of all people should understand this after what you told me about your parents."

Naofumi opened his mouth to protest but no sound came out and he looked down at the Filolial held out in front of him. She was flapping her little wings and moving her feet, squirming in Raphtalia's hands as if she wanted to reach out towards him.

"I know that you don't have much reason to show others kindness these days, but I know that you have the capacity for it. You showed it to me after all." Raphtalia finished sadly and raised Filo slightly in front of Naofumi.

…

The shield hero sighed and gently took the chick from her hands and held it close to his chest. Filo crooned in delight, rubbing her body against him. And no matter how hard Naofumi tried to resist it, his frown melted away into a small smile. "Well alright, I guess she is a little cute."

As soon as he said it, a loud stomach growl came from the chick in his hands. Filo opened her mouth wide, chirping as she demanded to be fed.

"The hell?" Naofumi looked at her in disbelief. "Again? But you just fed her!" He turned to Raphtalia who just shrugged.

"Well, she is a growing girl." The half tanuki giggled.

"Yea, no kidding. I swear, she was smaller than my head this morning and now I can barely hold her." Naofumi complained as he set Filo down on a nearby bedroll and got to work cooking more beans, noting that their supply was getting dangerously close to running out again. This was supposed to last Filo a week! Damn that crazy old man. He must have lied about the growth and needs of Filolials because Naofumi was the Shield Hero.

At least they got a free cart out of that mess because at the rate Filo was growing, they would probably be able to put it to a good use faster than he'd thought.

The next batch of beans was soon ready and it was Naofumi's turn to feed the chick. He was about to set the bowl on the forest floor before Filo like he did earlier today but looking into her happy, excited eyes and hesitated. With a quiet curse under his breath, he turned around and grabbed a spoon as well.

Instead of setting the bowl down, he sat cross legged on the grass and held the spoon out in front of him.

"Pii!" Filo happily ate the meal one spoon at a time.

"Don't get any weird ideas. I'm not your daddy. But I'm also not your owner. I'm...

He shook his head, unable to find the proper word for it. "Either way, you better not forget this. You're lucky. Genuine love and affection is a privilege that few get to experience in their lives. Hopefully, you'll get the love and affection you deserve." He smiled with a sigh and patted Filo on the head when she was done eating.

---

Filo hadn't forgotten.

"Mommy… Daddy…"

She sniffed loudly, feeling a terrible pain and longing in her chest before turning away from the scene and hastily retreating into the nearby woods.

She missed Mommy and Daddy so much. As she thought about her last few days with them more and more, she began to focus less on the hurt and more on her parents.

They'd been angry. But they'd also been in pain. Daddy especially. He'd been wearing that mask of Anger which she hadn't seen him wear for a while in an effort to hide that pain. People always thought Filo wasn't very bright, but Filo noticed these little details.

Mommy had been afraid, which had only made Filo even more afraid. If Mommy was scared, then what could Filo possibly do? And so, she'd chosen to stay with Fitoria. She'd chosen to get stronger and to focus on something besides her broken family.

But Filo couldn't run from it any longer. She cared for Mommy and Daddy too much.

She didn't want the big turtle to eat them. She'd be forever sad if she lost them both. And even without that, she still loved them.

And so, with slight fear and a heavy heart, Filo began to make her way towards Fitoria's nest once again, her mind made up on what she had to do.

---

"You want to go back?"

Fitoria's words cut through the air like a knife, making Filo wince slightly but she braced herself and raised her head to look at the filolial queen with determination.

"Yes."

"Why?"

The simple question felt like an avalanche crashing down on the little girl's head. The tension in the air was growing by the moment and Fitoria's red eyes looked cold and judgmental. Yet, Filo pressed on.

"Because Filo misses mommy and daddy." She realized how flimsy her words and motivation sounded but she didn't know how else she could explain it in a way that Fitoria would understand.

The filolial queen's face remained completely still. Her thoughts impossible to discern.

"... I see." She finally nodded stiffly and looked away from Filo, directing her gaze outside her nest instead where many filolials could be seen moving around. "Are you not happy here? Is someone amongst my flock mistreating you?" Her eyes narrowed at the place where Amber and Blue had stood recently.

"No!" Filo shook her head rapidly. "Fitoria's flock is very nice! Everyone is friendly and polite, but..." The smaller bird hesitated and looked down. "But it's not Filo's flock."

The stony expression on Fitoria's face stiffened before melting into a melancholic one. She looked down at Filo again before speaking out in a quieter voice. "It could be yours."

"Well..." The blonde haired girl paced in place a bit, nervously rubbing her feet on the ground before looking up again sadly. "But Filo already has a flock."

Fitoria closed her eyes in response, seemingly deep in thought. After a minute she opened them again as her expression grew hard again.

"Fitoria will permit Filo to leave if Filo truly wants to. But you must understand that if you do, then I will never take you back again. I promised that I'd help you grow stronger. That I'd make it so you wouldn't have to rely on humans to survive. But I won't do that if you decide to go back to the human world. You will have to live with your choice for the rest of your life."

"Filo understands, Fitoria. Filo is thankful for everything Fitoria has done for Filo... But right now, Daddy needs Filo. And Filo wants to be there for Daddy and Mommy." Filo replied, relief washing over her face.

"Even though he hurt you?" Fitoria asked, a tinge of bitterness creeping into her voice.

"Yes." Filo put her hands over her chest and looked down at them sadly. "Even if Filo still doesn't understand why Daddy was being so mean… Filo understands that Daddy is hurting. That Mommy was hurting too. Filo loves Daddy. And Filo loves Mommy. Filo doesn't want Daddy or Mommy to hurt any longer. So Filo wants to help Mommy and Daddy."

Fitoria continued to look down at her young protégé. Filo took only a moment more to think to herself before nodding, as if coming to a decision. "Filo is thankful that Fitoria took Filo into her flock. Filo will never forget Fitoria's kindness in taking Filo in. But right now, Filo is needed by Daddy and Mommy's side. Filo wants to help Daddy and Mommy to never hurt ever again."

Filo's pure blue eyes stared determinedly at Fitoria, as if challenging her to try and make her change her decision. But to her surprise, a small smile appeared on the Queen's features instead. Filo… really did remind Fitoria of what she'd been like before. Of the faith that she'd once held in heroes and people in general…

"Very well." Fitoria rested her hands on Filo's shoulders. Her smile, however, was replaced by a look of sadness. "Forgive me for lying to you. I have lived long enough to be betrayed a hundred times. Fitoria does not wish for you to carry the heartache I hold now. But Fitoria won't stand in Filo's way if this is what she wants."

"This is what Filo wants." The girl nodded her head, holding her fists up in front of her determinedly.

"Gwah!" "Gwah!" ("Yea! Tell her Filo!" "Show her!")

Two familiar Filolials suddenly appeared from the trees behind Filo, surprising Fitoria. "It sounds like Amber and Blue want to help too!" Filo said happily, turning around to face her two friends.

"But… but why…?" Fitoria asked, sounding surprised, and a bit hurt. "Don't you two know the evil of humans firsthand?"

"Gwah! (Yes, of course we do Fitoria.)" Amber cried out.

"(We are grateful that you protected us here.)" Blue spoke next. "(But Noodle and Blondie are good humans.)"

"(And we don't like how you've refused to help them just because the Shield Hero hurt you.)" Amber narrowed her eyes.

Fitoria scowled. "I already said-"

"(Yes, we know what Fitoria has said, but it is still wrong to us.)" Amber shook her head sadly. "(Amber cannot understand you, Fitoria. Not when Amber will never live for as long as Fitoria has. Nor will Amber remember things like Fitoria does.)"

"(We refuse to stand back and let the good humans fight by themselves.)" Blue continued. "(Fitoria was the one who asked us to assist the heroes originally. And Noodle and his flock were the humans that taught Blue that good humans do exist in this world. If Fitoria won't help us, then please, Amber and Blue ask that Fitoria won't stop us from assisting their Heroes.)"

…

Fitoria hung her head. "If this is what you two truly desire…"

They both stood tall on the opposite sides of Filo and nodded their heads.

"Then you may leave with Filo as well." Fitoria relented.

"Yayyyy~!" Filo cheered, and the two Filolials rested their heads in her hair happily.

Fitoria suddenly hugged the future queen of the Filolials close, whispering quietly into her ear so only she could hear. "You… you really love your parents, don't you?"

"Of course, Daddy and Mommy were the ones who raised Filo." The little girl replied happily.

Fitoria's hands clenched the back of Filo's dress tightly. "But how can you forgive the ones that hurt you so easily?" She hesitantly asked.

Filo cocked her head to the side curiously. "Filo doesn't know..." She then shrugged. "Filo thinks it's because Filo loves them!"

It was just that? Filo only wanted to head back out of love?

Fitoria shook her head. It wasn't smart at all. That love of hers would only get her hurt. Possibly killed… and yet she still wanted to go.

Fitoria let go and held a hand to the carriage necklace around her neck. "In that case, good luck, Filo, Amber, Blue. Please, take care of yourselves."

A bright white light surrounded the little angel girl as well as the two Filolials. Filo waved goodbye to Fitoria up until the moment a loud crack sounded and they disappeared from the Filolial Sanctuary.

Fitoria's looked at the empty spot where they'd stood a moment before. She felt conflicted. Not about Filo wanting to leave, no, it was about her own decisions. About the hurt, the betrayals…

She couldn't stop picturing them. The hazy images in her mind. The faces of those who'd hurt her. The faces of those who'd hunted her or her flock down.

She couldn't forget them. She could not let go of that hurt, compounded tenfold by Naofumi's actions. She couldn't…

And yet… what was this feeling in her chest?... Guilt? She thought. Was it, perhaps, wrong to judge everyone based on the actions of a single person?

"Did Fitoria do something bad?"

The Queen looked behind her as if expecting someone to be there.

But there wasn't. There was no one to guide her. No one to tell her if she has done something wrong. No one to give her helpful advice.

Those two had been gone for a very, very long time...

She struggled hard, and for a moment, she remembered them. The faces of her father and mother smiling down at her as they rubbed her head.

The memory flashed by so quickly that Fitoria gasped. Then, thick watery tears began to streak down her cheeks.

"Mam… Fil..." Their names, just on the tip of her tongue.

Fell out of reach. Back into the dark void of her mind.

...

For the first time in hundreds of years, Fitoria curled up on the ground and cried like the lost, confused child that she truly was deep inside.

What was she supposed to do? How could she learn to believe in people again as Filo did?

"Why…" She whispered to herself amidst her sobs.

"Why couldn't you have been a little more like them... Naofumi…"

---

"If even the Cardinal Heroes couldn't defeat it, then what chance do we have?!"

"We weren't prepared to face it!" Itsuki argued back with the general that'd spoken. A tall, burly figure dressed in Dragonsteel armor from head to toe. "Between its draining ability and all those familiars that it had at its command, slowing it down was all we could do at that moment!"

"You tried to protect one nation that preemptively attacked it, yet you left others to be destroyed?!" Another delegate angrily demanded.

Another uproar of voices accompanied the first.

Holy hell, it was like Naofumi had walked into a battlefield. He moved next to Mirellia's Shadows to try and get a better understanding of what was going on before anyone noticed his entrance. One of them did the unspoken honor of weaving an illusion for Naofumi that hid him from sight.

"Is it that bad?" Naofumi asked.

"I daresay, it has been a while since I've seen a meeting go so horribly." The familiar Shadow answered his inquiry. As she brought the Shield Hero up to speed, the debate at the large round table continued.

"Well excuse me, Sir." Itsuki spat out the last word. "Last I checked, I don't have the ability to be in five places at the SAME TIME!"

More angry murmuring accompanied the Bow Hero's statement.

"I believe what the Bow Hero is trying to say." Mirellia supplemented. "Is that the Heroes are only human. Even with their powers, they can't protect everywhere at once. Is that not why we also have the Seven-Star Heroes in our world?"

"That brat sure has a way of saying that, Your Majesty." Someone sarcastically remarked. Itsuki trembled in anger in his seat, and it was only because of Ren grabbing his shoulder that he didn't snap.

"Where are the Seven-Star Heroes anyway?" Another man asked. "Are Zeltoble, Shieldfreeden, and Faubley so selfish that they refuse to aid us with even them?"

"You know how far away they are." Another delegate answered. "It isn't that surprising if they aren't here yet." It looked like not all the delegates there were complete morons.

"Or perhaps they realize how futile it'd be to fight this thing!" Yet another delegate argued.

"Please, let us have cool heads prevail." Werner, one of the Siltvelt representatives seated at the table, finally spoke up. His red wings flared out behind him. "The last thing we need is an argument when the fate of the world is at hand."

There were some murmurs of agreement at that. But others didn't quite share the same sentiment.

"What about Siltvelt's Claw Hero?! Where's he at?"

"We don't know." Werner answered, albeit hesitantly. "He has been away training these last couple of months. I have sent some of my people to try and locate him so he can be informed about our situation. But they have had no luck so far."

Werner's answer, which he'd hoped would allay their fears, only sparked more arguments and debates. It really had seemed like the rest of the world had abandoned them. With scouts reporting that the Spirit Tortoise was only a day away from their position, it only made their situation worse.

"Why should we do what Melromarc asks anyway?! From my understanding, Melromarc has already started evacuating its people from the cities. By the time the Spirit Tortoise reaches there, there'll be little to no casualties, correct?" A representative of one country, a general, blurted out despite Werner's plea for civility.

"What are you saying?" Mirellia asked, her eyes narrowed at the man.

"My scouts have informed me about the Spirit Tortoise's movements, Your Grace. Even an idiot could figure out where it's heading." The man lifted up a finger and moved it from side to side as he clicked his tongue. "I believe you have gathered us all here not because you want to stop this thing and save our world, but because you want to protect your nation. Tell me, why should we help protect Melromarc, after you have hogged all the Cardinal Heroes for yourselves, dooming the rest of us to fight the Waves by ourselves?"

Based on how Mirellia held her fan up to hide her face, she did not like having this question asked. "Are you actually implying that I want to stop this thing for personal reasons and not because I want to defend our world?" She asked.

"That is exactly what I'm saying. Why else would these brats be helping you out?" The man smirked widely.

"How dare you!" Mirellia wasn't able to answer this time as Ren shouted and stood up. "We aren't just objects to be used at your whim! We chose to remain in Melromarc because of how much her Majesty has helped us! And we're choosing to help out right now!"

The man was silent, pondering the Sword Hero's statement as the teenager continued. "And lately, we've been training not only ourselves, but those in our village so they'll be strong enough to help fight a wave whenever and wherever it occurs in the world!" He continued. "We're doing that so we can help you all!"

"If that is true, then where are these soldiers you speak of?" The general asked. "Aren't they here to help us in our time of need?"

…

"They're… they're not strong enough to face the Spirit Tortoise yet." Ren replied lamely.

"And you are?" He scoffed.

...

Ren looked stunned at that. He'd walked right into this trap.

Naofumi glared at the man. Shadow had just finished catching him up on everything else that had been discussed thus far. Overall, it didn't paint a pretty picture. As the last few minutes had shown, everyone was divided on either sticking together or falling apart.

"I see now why Mirellia keeps her Heroes on such a short leash." The man spat towards the Queen. "You're truly an embarrassment. It's no wonder why you lost."

"W-We didn't lose-" Itsuki started to say, but the guy stood up. He didn't believe him one bit, seeing how they'd acted in this meeting. Their lack of discipline was shocking indeed.

"Our time is wasted here. The minions of the Spirit Tortoise have already destroyed two forts in my country. We should be doing what we can to protect our own homes instead of wasting our people and resources to support Melromarc!"

A chorus of agreements came from some of the other delegates and their military commanders, who began to stand up as well.

"You won't be able to face it by yourselves. If you leave, you will be dooming your country to destruction." Mirellia stated calmly to him.

"Are you threatening us Vixen?"

"No, I am not." Mirellia answered. "I am merely stating what the Spirit Tortoise will do after it's done destroying my country."

"Then I'd rather save my forces for when-" The man answered while moving towards the exit.

"Air Strike Shield!"

A green shield appeared in his way, stopping the man in his tracks. After recovering from his surprise, he beat his fist against it, yet nothing happened. "What is this?!" The confused general angrily demanded.

"Sorry, I'm late." Naofumi said dismissively as the illusion around him disappeared.

"T-The Shield Hero?!" Surprised shouts and whispers could be heard among the crowd. Werner and the rest of the Council with him stared at Naofumi in awe.

"Naofumi!" Ren and Itsuki got up, looking at him in surprise.

"Hey guys, I'll talk with you later, ok?" Naofumi directed a nod at them, before glaring at the man in front of him.

"So, you really want to pull a dick move like that, huh? You want to let the Spirit Tortoise destroy Melromarc so you can move in afterwards to take your piece of its ravaged land. Is that what all of you are thinking here?" Naofumi quirked an eyebrow while looking around at the council of various ambassadors, leaders, and military generals.

Shouts of protest and denial erupted around him as everyone present simultaneously began to recite the excuses that they'd prepared in advance. Low leveled soldiers. Not enough supplies. Supply trains being crushed by the Spirit Tortoise or its familiars. It seemed like the list went on and on and-

Finally tired of it, Itsuki transformed his weapon into a bow with a strange, yet familiar cone jutting out from the center of it. He put his lips to it, and an ear piercing screech from Itsuki's Voice Gengar Bow, or, more specifically, its own unique Megaphone skill, deafened everyone in attendance.

"... Lords and Ladies." After a pause, Itsuki lowered his weapon while watching everyone rub their ears and mutter quietly under their breaths while looking up at him fearfully. "Please remain civil. This is a war room, not the grounds of a traveling circus from Zeltoble. If you need to speak, then do so one at a time."

Naofumi nodded at him in gratitude before addressing the general who'd protested earlier. "So, am I right? Are you refusing to help just so you can add to your borders when Melromarc is destroyed?"

"N-No! Of course not!" The man defended himself. "I merely do not wish to waste my people's lives on a hopeless battle!"

"So you'd rather wait for an even more hopeless battle in the future?" Naofumi simply asked.

Blood drained from the general's face, as well as the faces of several others there. "Don't think the Spirit Tortoise will just leave you alone after it's done with Melromarc." Naofumi continued, his voice calculating and his words thought out. "It'll continue to the next country after that. And then the next. And then the next. You said its minions already destroyed two of your fort cities, correct? What will you do when the Tortoise itself comes for you? What will you do then when you're all by yourselves?"

...

…

He was met by dead, shocked silence. It was like none of them had considered what Naofumi had just asked. If not even the Cardinal Heroes could beat it, what chance did they have? Would it be better to just roll over and let the Tortoise kill them then?

"But… but…" The man sputtered, trying to come up with some response. And then, his face flared with anger. "Then what's the damn point! You Heroes have already lost to it! If even the Cardinal Heroes can't beat it, what hope do we possibly have?!"

"Let me ask you this:" Naofumi asked, seeing this wasn't the raving of an idiot, but of a desperate man who honestly had no clue how to help his people out of an impossible situation. "Have you considered why we couldn't defeat it?! Do you hold the three of us on such a high pedestal that you demand perfection of us?!" Naofumi ranted back.

The man didn't answer, but Naofumi gave him no time to. "I'll tell you why we couldn't beat it!" Naofumi directed his voice at everyone. "We couldn't beat it because of me!"

"Yeah, the three of us fought it, but because of my impatience, the other two Heroes weren't able to fight at their full potential! I didn't listen to them and decided that we should fight it when we had almost no idea of what it was capable of! We got our butts handed to us! And I refused to fall back to come up with a better plan! It's my fault that we lost!"

"But we're not making that same mistake twice! We know what we're getting into now, and we're not going to be stupid enough to fight it by ourselves! We'll fight together with our parties, with Mirellia and her knights, and with whatever forces you can spare to help us protect this world!" Naofumi's shield transformed then.

Blue light shone off him as a hooded white cloak surrounded his form. The Shield of Hope II stared everyone in the face. "If you still think there's no hope left, then you can leave. But keep in mind that everyone here will remember if you chose to be cowards who fled when the Cardinal Heroes requested your aid."

Another wave of quiet murmurs finally passed over the room and the representatives didn't look so confident anymore.

"Urk!" The man who had been protesting the most fell back into his chair, a look of shock on his face. He'd heard tales about the Shield Hero and his role in making peace between Melromarc and Siltvelt. But to see this in the flesh.

"Naofumi…" Itsuki and Ren stared at him.

Naofumi nodded to them, his eyes apologetic for not being there sooner. They were only teenagers. They shouldn't have to deal with meetings like this. It was his responsibility as the older Hero to help them be the best they could be.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you guys during our last fight. And I'm sorry I messed everything up." Naofumi said, the meaning in his voice holding more than just that. Words he couldn't speak in the presence of the others. "I promise, this fight, I'll be prepared to defend you from whatever the Spirit Tortoise throws at us, no matter what."

The two teenagers looked back at him for a moment. Finally, Ren closed his eyes and gave the Shield Hero a short nod before leaning back in his chair. "I'll take your word for that."

Itsuki shook his head and chuckled at the display in disbelief. "You'll listen to us too, I hope?"

Naofumi nodded. Itsuki smiled in relief. "Then let's start discussing how we're going to face the Spirit Tortoise this time."

"H-Hold on a moment, we're here to discuss if we will even join the fight-" The General from before spoke out again.

"You heard Naofumi." Ren interrupted him, this time, more confidently. "Either help us, or leave. There's no room at this table for cowards."

"Siltvelt already promised to help the Shield Hero in his time of need." Werner shook his head, the wings on his back ruffling themselves. "We have been sharpening our claws and our fangs for this day. If that means fighting the Guardian Beast and its minions, then so be it."

The general stayed silent a moment more. Looking at everyone there. He then looked at the Shield Hero and his shield once again. "You… you really think you can beat it?" He asked.

Naofumi nodded. "It's either that, or die."

The general nodded, a solemn look coming over his face. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry for my behavior, Your Grace." He gave a polite bow to Mirellia. "I thought I was only trying to do what was best for my people. But I wasn't thinking."

"I cannot fault you for that. I want what's best for my people too. What's best for all of our peoples." Mirellia smacked her fan on the table. "And for that, we must assist the Cardinal Heroes and defeat the Spirit Tortoise once and for all, for all our sakes."

There were murmurs of agreement from around the table. No one else made any attempt to leave. Mirellia directed a look at the Shield Hero as he unequipped his blessed Shield, sitting down next to the other two Heroes.

There was a time to be angry. There was a time to hurt. And as she knew in politics, there was always a time to compromise and reconcile.

She was grateful the Shield Hero had chosen the latter. Everything would be much easier from this point forward now.

"If we are in agreement, then let us discuss our plan of attack." Mirellia spoke.

And thus, the meeting that was supposed to determine if they should even fight the Spirit Tortoise turned into the meeting where they planned on how and where to fight it.

It was only a day away from their current position.

They only had one day to prepare.

But thankfully, one day was all that the Heroes needed to get back on their feet and face the Guardian Beast.

---

Author's Notes:

Conflict is inevitable. Contention is a choice.

As I've learned, there are three kinds of people in this world. Those who will hold a grudge. Those who will completely forgive without holding anything back. And those who lie somewhere in between. I'll admit, I'm not good at holding grudges. If it's that bad, I'll just forget about it and move on with my life. The below is just my personal experience, and the personal experiences of other great people I've met or talked to around the world.

There's a time to be angry. There's a time to be hurt. But above all, there's a time to reconcile or move on. Things might not be the same, for better or for worse. But it's only futile to try if the other person doesn't want it at all. And more often than not, I've found that they genuinely want it. Take it with a grain of salt. Not everyone is like that.

But what a world it'd be if everyone could all set aside their differences and work together.

Till Next Time

Allen