Fairy Tail of the Shield Hero

by Tricksterverse

Lucy Heartfilia was a slave. She has no freedom, no future, and even her magic's been sealed. The idea of being sold off to another person was frightening, but she never imagined she'd fight by the side of the Shield Hero. Now, her and Naofumi fight the waves together, and if they're lucky, they might just create their own Fairy Tail.

1. The Hero and The Slave

How did it end up like this?

There are two ways that question can be answered, I know. First, there's the literal sequence of events that brought me to this point. My running away from home to be an adventurer. My meeting with Bora the Prominence in Hargeon, and my decision to join him on his yacht. Which ultimately led to him drugging me, branding me with a slave crest and shipping me off to a slave trader.

That exact merchant's tent is where I'm currently trapped. Forced to watch the world through the bars of a cage with nary a stitch of clothing on my body. I've always been confident in my looks, but I never imagined they'd lead to me being auctioned off as a sex slave to whatever disgusting pig happens to fork over the necessary silver.

Either way, that makes up the series of events that led to my current pridicterment. When I asked myself that question, however, the same question I've been asking myself every day since that crest was burned onto my body, I was thinking in a more ideological sense. Must be my inner author coming to the fore.

My name is Lucy Heartfilia, and I'm a slave.

I wasn't born as one, and my spirit will never accept such a title as a truth, but in a purely definable sense that is what I am. Anything that might've told a different story has been stripped away from me. My money, my clothes, my free will, and even my magic. My precious celestial spirits are currently inaccessible to me. The slave crest I was branded with is a special kind that seals the magic of whoever it's put on.

However, even though I can't use magic, my gate keys still remain by my side. They're my hope; the one thing I refuse to give up to these damn slavers. I won't let them be left alone, no matter what. And they haven't left me alone; I can feel it. I can't summon them as I can now, but my keys remain warm no matter how cold the steel of my cage gets. My spirits, my friends, are still with me. Letting me know I'm not alone.

Suddenly, I hear voices from farther up the tent. I clutch my gate keys tightly, and wrap the dirty brown blanket tighter around my body. I may not have any clothes, but I can at least cover myself with this.

After a couple minutes of wordless echos, I see the slave merchant emerge from around the corner. He's the same expensively dressed fat slime-ball I've come to recognize, but his creepy grin seems even wider than normal. It only takes a second to see why.

Another man follows the slave merchant. He's tall, lithe, and has messy black hair. His cold green eyes burn with equal parts anger and disgust. He's dressed in a forest green cloak over leather armor. All in all, he looks like a typical villain, and I find myself immediately scooting back in my cage.

Please don't notice me, please don't notice me, please don't notice me…

I can't help this frantic plea from racing through my mind. This is the first time I've seen a potential customer(and what a deranged use of that word)since I got here. If he ends up buying me, I doubt I'll end up better for it. It's a wild thing to think, but I actually do want to be bought by someone. I know that slave crests can be dispelled with holy water, and if I'm outside of this damn cage I might just be able to find some and free myself.

But to be bought by this man? No…

"What kind of slave are you in the market for?" The slave merchant asks.

"One that's cheap and obedient will do," the other man replies tersely, his eyes scanning the cages. I try to make myself as small as possible to avoid his gaze.

"I have some who will fit that bill, but they're not much suited for fighting."

"Doesn't matter. If they can't fight I'll train them."

The slave trader laughs, "That's an amusing response, when you don't believe in people."

"Yeah but slaves aren't people. Training one's the same as upgrading my shield."

Wow, what a scumbag! I want to shriek, but hold my tongue. What I can't stop is the mounting sense of dread I feel as the slave merchant makes his way toward my cell. Dammit, dammit, dammit! Why'd he have to want a cheap slave!

Sure enough, the slave merchant tears away the tarp obscuring my cell, revealing me completely to the cloaked man. There's a couple cages next to mine occupied by demi-humans, but the man's eyes immediately snap to me.

Oh come on!

"These are the cheapest slaves I have on offer, other than the dead ones of course," the slave trader says with a laugh.

"...Why's this one naked?" the man asks, looking away from me.

"Isn't it obvious? Cuz' her body's the only thing she's got going for her! I'm having a hell of a time with her myself."

"Hey, screw you, pal!" I snap without thinking. Instantly, I slap my hand over my mouth, but the damage has already been done at this point, so I glare at the two men.

The cloaked my narrows his eyes. Silence passes between us for a couple seconds before he says, "I've decided. She'll do, I'll take this one."

…Great. Just had to open your mouth, didn't you Lucy?

The slave merchant laughs like a loon, "Consider it done! Just follow me and we'll complete the binding ritual." The fat bastard opens my cell and grabs my wrist, dragging me out. I stumble but manage to stay on my feet. I pull the blanket even tighter around me, taking comfort in its security. I heard the cloaked man mention fighting, so I pray he hasn't bought me for nefarious purposes, but I can't guarantee anything.

The three of us walk back to the entrance of the tent in silence. Once we enter the slave merchants office, he pulls some magical ink off a shelf, along with a brush and a small knife. He hands the knife to the other man and says, "Prick your thumb with this. We'll need a bit of your blood to activate the ritual."

The man glares coldly at the merchant but compiles. After a couple drops hit the magic ink the slave trader dabs the brush and approaches me. I grimace but lean down, knowing it's best to get this over with. Despite my cooperation, the merchant still grabs my blanket and makes to tear it away from me.

"Hey-!" I cry.

"Stop that," the man declares, putting a hand on the slave merchant's shoulder. "I don't need to see that. Just complete the ritual so I can pay you and get out of here."

The merchant clicks his tongue, but complies with that same creepy grin. I look up at the cloaked man, unable to stop myself from feeling the slightest bit of gratitude. More people have seen my naked body in this past month than in my entire life, and I'm getting pretty sick of it.

The slave merchant closes in on me again, wiping the brush along the crest on my chest. Immediately, purple lightning sparks outward and I cry at the burning pain as the contract is sealed. It hurt the first time, and it hurts now just as much. Despite everything, I can't stop the tears from welling up in my eyes.

Thankfully, it dies down rather quickly, and I can focus on the world around me once more. The man and the slave merchant completed the transaction while I was coping with the pain of the slave crest, and now he turns to face me.

"Guess I'm gonna need something to call you. What's your name?" the man asks brusquely.

This man… he paid money so he could own another human being, I think bitterly.

"...Lucy, and don't wear it out," I spit, channeling as much steel into my voice as I can.

He takes it in stride, however. Simply raising one eyebrow and saying, "Alright then, Lucy. C'mon, we're leaving."

I take a deep deep breath, nod, and start walking. After a couple of steps, however, the man stops me with a raised hand. Wordlessly, he removes his green cloak before tossing it to me. "Put that on," he orders, "First thing we're gonna do is get you some clothes and a weapon. I don't need you drawing attention to me walking around in your birthday suit."

I can't hide my surprise at that. Still, I gratefully accept the cloak and put it on, pulling it closed in front of me. The man doesn't spare another word for me before walking forward. I dutifully follow behind, unable to keep a certain amount of warmth from bubbling in my chest. If nothing else, I'll finally get to see the outside world again.

And this man… maybe he's not a total villain after all.

0 0 0

I can hardly believe I actually did that.

Damn this world. Damn that lying bitch and that garbage king. Damn everything that brought me to the point where I need to buy a slave to survive. But that's just it, right? I want to survive, to live, so I have no choice but to fight. If I have to become a bastard to do so, don't blame me. Blame those lying, thieving scumbags who betrayed me.

"So, I was taken to Melramarc…"

The muttering of my newly bought slave draw me from my thoughts. I don't know what to make of her, honestly. She has a surprising amount of backbone given her situation, but her looks also remind me of that lying bitch. Moreover, I can tell from the looks she shoots me what she's thinking. She expects me to take advantage of her the second it's convenient, just like everyone else did with the other woman. It pisses me off, but at least in her case I know she only thinks that way cuz' she's been advertised as a sex slave. What a twisted world I've been summoned to…

Also, "You didn't know where you were after all this time?"

"I was blindfolded on my way here! And it's not like they let me take long, scenic walks," Lucy snaps, glaring at me.

Point…

We reach the weapon shop without any more words exchanged. Thankfully, nobody saw fit to harass us on the way here, so I don't have to deal with any rumors about dragging a naked lady through the city. The old blacksmith raises his brow at my entrance, but I pay him no mind. I couldn't care less what he thinks of me so long as he runs an honest business.

I step up to the counter and drop ten silver coins down, "I need clothes and a weapon for the woman, and keep it under ten silver."

The blacksmith looks between me and the woman. I wouldn't be surprised if he's guessed at our relationship. Regardless, he nods and rifles around behind the counter for a bit. He emerges with some clothes that he hands off to Lucy. "Thank you," she whispers gratefully, then immediately disappears behind the changing room curtain.

I lean against the counter and wait patiently while she gets changed. When she next emerges, she's dressed in an ocean blue vest with a collar and a skirt of the same color that ends halfway down her thighs. Her previously bare feet are now covered by black boots to complete the ensemble. I don't know or care about fashion; as long as she can fight like that I'll be happy.

"Here's that weapon you wanted," the blacksmith says, placing a steel shortsword on the counter. It doesn't look very impressive, but I guess that's to be expected from a cheap sword.

Lucy joins me by the counter, takes one look at the weapon, and says, "What kinds of whips do you have that are in our budget?"

"Whips? What's wrong with that?" I ask, pointing at the sword with a raised brow.

"I know how to fight with them. I've never held a sword in my life. I figure if you bought a slave to fight for you you'd want them to be good at it."

"You're saying you have experience with combat?" I ask, surprised. Pleasantly, though; if Lucy can already fight thirty silver's is more than worth it.

"I was-am-an adventurer. I know a thing or two," Lucy says with a hint of pride.

"Alright then. Find a whip for her," I say, looking at the blacksmith.

"I'll admit, that's not something I hear often, but I have one or two in the back," he replies. True to his word, the blacksmith leaves us alone in the shop.

Silence permeates the space around us. I've gotten used to these kinds of silences since the trial; comes part and parcel with being alone. This is the first time it feels awkward, though. I don't really know how I should act around Lucy, which is a bizarre thing to worry about considering she's my slave.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

I turn to face the blonde. "You just did," I can't stop myself from saying. Lucy glares at me in response, so I relent and say, "Go ahead."

"What… what exactly are you expecting from me?"

"I'm not gonna rape you, if that's what you're asking," I growl. "I need to grow stronger, but I can't do that on my own. I need someone to fight for me. That's your job. Do it, and I'll make sure you're protected."

"My hero…" Lucy snarks, and I almost crack a smile.

"You're pretty mouthy, all things considered."

Lucy huffs and turns away. The blacksmith returns a second later and places a whip on the counter. "I think this'll serve you well. It's a simple leather bull whip, but it's got a steel tip to really pack a punch."

That doesn't mean much to me, but Lucy's smiling as she takes it, so I guess it's a winner. "Let's see what you can do with that thing," I declare, and proceed to draw an orange balloon from under my cloak.

Lucy looks alarmed by the presence of the monster. "You keep something like that under your cloak?!" She shrieks.

"That a problem? Now come on, kill the little bastard!"

Lucy huffs but swiftly complies. Taking the whip in one hand, she lashes out and-pop-swiftly destroys the balloon in one attack. Not bad… this might actually work out.

It's only an orange balloon, but still. If we test our mettle against some stronger monsters and come out on top, I'll have plenty of material to unlock stronger shield forms.

"Time to go. We've got everything we need from here," I say, and proceed to walk out the door.

"Wait up!" Lucy cries in alarm, briefly racing to keep pace with me. "Uh, if it's not too much trouble, can we get something to eat first? I'm starving."

I sigh briefly before saying, "Yeah okay. Not like you'll be much use to me if you pass out in the middle of a fight."

"Oh, like you never get hungry," Lucy grumbles.

"I already said okay," I grunt, though privately I concede the point.

We managed to find a restaurant before too long. It's busy but not packed, and the combination of stone floors and wooden tables gives it an industrial look. Of course, the pleasant din of conversation becomes hushed as soon as I step inside. The patrons don't even attempt to pretend they aren't staring while they gossip with their fellows.

"The shield hero?"

"Is that person traveling with him?"

"A woman, don't tell me…"

I ignore it and claim a seat at one of the booths. Lucy takes a seat across from me, though I notice a small frown on her face. "Hey, can we get something to eat here?" I call out.

One of the servers grimaces, but still approaches us. "What can I get you?"

"Two of the cheapest lunch sets you have," I demand.

"That'll be nine coppers."

"Yeah, here," I grunt, and hand over the money. The waiter swiftly leaves our table, and I turn my attention to Lucy. "Alright, what's your damage? Did you want something different?"

Lucy shakes her head, "The food's fine, but didn't you see the sign outside? This place refuses to serve demi-humans."

"I can't read this world's language. Are you telling me you can?"

"Of course! I read all the time. It's one of my favorite hobbies," Lucy explains with a smile.

"Teach me," I immediately order. I can't begin to imagine all the ways that'll help me in the future.

Lucy glares at my attitude, however. "Teach you…" she trails off knowingly.

I grimace, knowing what she wants. "Teach me… please," I grumble. Lucy nods with a satisfied smile. What an annoying woman. She realizes I can force her to do it with the slave crest, right?

The waiter returns with our food, interrupting my thoughts. He leaves just as quickly, and I take a bite of the meat. Dammit, I still can't taste a thing…

"Mmm~ so good!" At least Lucy's happy with the food. "It suchs a shame about the prejudice, though. I really hoped that would've been resolved the next time I came here."

Once more her words catch my attention. "You're saying you're familiar with Melramarc?"

"Mhm! I used to visit here all the time when I was little."

She can fight, read, and knows the land? How could that slave merchant say she's only good for her body? Is he an idiot?

Or maybe… is this another trap? The slave merchant went out of his way to find me, after all. Was it his plan to set me up with Lucy so she can kill me in my sleep or something?

Immediately, my eyes narrow. "Alright, enough bullshit," I snap, startling Lucy. "You've got way too much going for you to be sold off so cheap. What's your angle?"

Her eyes widen in surprise before she settles down. A look of resignation settles on her features. "You catch on quick. I should've been more careful with what I said."

I clench my fists, "So it is a set-"

"I hid all my talents from the slave merchant. You don't seem like you know a whole lot about it, but the people who pay the most for slaves have the worst characters. I made myself seem as dumb and weak as possible so I'd be sold off for pennies. It was my best chance at getting away with my life."

I take a second to ruminate on her answer. Before too long, however, I simply nod and look away. This girl… she just wants to survive. Like me. "Fine. Just don't think I'll let you get away with betraying me."

"...Something tells me you don't have many friends."

I grumble and take another bite of tasteless food.

0 0 0

Stepping outside of Melramarc's castle town, I let out a big sign of relief.

What's wrong with my life?!

Not only am I enslaved to another person, the guy turns out to be a super rude, super shady jackass! I know it's a little much to expect my master to be 'nice', but this guy sure is making the process painful! It'd be one thing if he was just rude, but this guy's clearly some kind of social pariah!

I'm not stupid. I heard the hushed whispers that followed us wherever we went. Saw the hateful glares point at the man's back. Just what did he do to make everyone hate him so much? Sure, he's rude, and obviously a bad person. But he doesn't seem completely evil…

"I'm not gonna rape you, if that's what you're asking."

Yes, it was rude. Yes, it was far below the bare minimum when it comes to how one should treat another human being. It was true, though. I can tell he truly has no intention of assaulting me. So yeah, he's not pure evil, but still…

"Hey," I call, and the man stops to look at me. "Just who are you? And I mean who are you really?"

The man stares at me for a couple seconds. Then, wordlessly, he raises his left arm. That's when I see it. He has a small metal shield attached to his forearm. "I'm Naofumi Iwatani, and I'm the shield hero."

Hearing that, my eyes widened in awe. "Shield hero? As in, the four cardinal heroes!?"

"Uh-huh," Naofumi grunts, unamused.

But it doesn't stop me from squealing in delight. I leap forward and hug Naofumi's shield arm. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I've been hearing stories about the four heroes since I was a kid, and now I get to meet one! This is one of the greatest days of my life!"

"Get off! You're annoying as hell, ya know that!"

I gasp in shock and pull away, "I can't believe you said that! Is that any way to treat a fan?"

"Yeah, right. 'Fan' my ass," Naofumi snaps, "You don't know anything about me!"

"Then tell me," I say simply. Naofumi's eyes furrow in confusion, but I continue, "Tell me about yourself. I'm stuck with you now, we might as well get to know each other better."

Naofumi doesn't say anything for a while, just watching me with the same look of slight confusion on his face. Eventually, he turns toward the forest and says, "...Maybe later. Right now we need to do some monster hunting."

Naofumi proceeds to walk toward the forest, and I swiftly follow him. "You got it, mister hero!"

"Don't call me that," he groans.

"Alright then. Let's get started, Naofumi."

"...Make sure you don't slack off, Lucy."

Wow, what an asshole. And just when I was starting to like him.

0 0 0

After a few hours, I've come to the conclusion that monster hunting with the shield hero is… weird.

I don't know if that's a good weird or a bad weird, but there's no denying the descriptor. At first blush, the whole idea of hunting monsters en masse seemed strange to me. Naofumi hadn't taken any monster-slaying requests from a mage guild, so it's not like we'd profit from it. And if we're aiming to become stronger, meditation and bookwork would better improve our magic capacity. Naofumi and I need to be as strong as possible for the incoming wave, and this is a poor way to do it.

And boy, isn't that a heady thought? It didn't really sink in when Naofumi first revealed his identity, but my whole world's in serious danger! News of the first wave hadn't hit Fiore before I was kidnapped and turned into a slave, but now that I know everything's turned upside down. I can't keep treating this like some terrible nightmare, I'm fighting to protect my world! That's why I need to make sure Naofumi is as strong as possible.

Of course, that brings to mind the legendary shield which serves as his namesake. Like I said, killing tons of monsters wouldn't help develop our power normally, but the shield works a lot differently than I heard in the legends. It's not a school of magic like my celestial wizardry; it's a magical artifact. Naofumi himself hasn't even made a connection with the world's mana, it all comes from his shield.

From what I've been able to gather through watching and the little snippets of info I had to drag out of Naofumi, his shield primarily gains power by absorbing materials from the world and monsters. After he absorbed some material from the blue mush I killed, he gained access to a shield that helped him make medicine. To hear him describe it, it's like his head was suddenly crammed with three textbooks worth of medical knowledge. I'm not about to complain, though. Healing magic is practically unheard of nowadays.

Anyway, it seems like monster hunting's going to become a pretty regular part of my day. That revelation, however, along with everything else I've learned, leaves me with a question.

Should I tell Naofumi about my spirits?

My hands unconsciously brush the gate keys now hanging from my waist. During the four or five hours we spent fighting today, I more than held my own with my whip, but I know we could be doing a lot more if this damn slave crest didn't lock away my magic. Naofumi, as my 'master', can change that if he wants to. I'm pretty sure he hasn't because he legitimately doesn't know about this effect of my slave crest. If I did tell him about my magic, would he release it?

I honestly have no clue. In our brief time together, I haven't learned a lot about Naofumi. I know he's desperate to survive. I know something happened to make the kingdom of Melramarc and the other heroes hate him. More than anything, however, he's… afraid. Afraid of betrayal. The second I appeared more capable than he expected, his first instinct was that I was somehow planning to trick him. If he knew exactly how powerful I really am, would he feel relieved? Or… suspicious?

"What's the matter? You not feeling hungry?"

Naofumi's words draw my attention to the current situation. After we finished fighting earlier, the two of us set up camp by a river in the forest. Naofumi used one of his shield's skills to catch us some fish and cook them over a fire.

Having been properly addressed, I grab one of the cooked fish and say, "Sorry, I'm fine. Just thinking about everything. I never expected I'd be one of the people fighting for the sake of the world." I'm being a hundred percent honest, too, even if that wasn't what I was really considering.

Naofumi regards me oddly and says, "You seem to know a lot about these waves, and the world at large."

I shrug, "Like I said before, I'm well read. I'm kinda surprised you know so little, honestly."

"That's not my fault. I was summoned here from a completely different world, remember? The legends said the same thing, right?"

"...Point," I concede, and nibble on my fish. It tastes surprisingly good, all things considered.

"Anyway, that's not why I brought it up. You clearly know a lot about this world, Lucy, and I want you to tell me everything. I'm not gonna let myself be caught unprepared again. Never again…" he growls, trailing off at the end.

…And in that moment, I decide not to tell him about my spirits. Something happened to Naofumi, something that left him broken and unwilling to trust others. The last thing he needs to hear is that I'm keeping secrets.

But you know what? That's fine. I'll just have to make him trust me. He's one of the cardinal heroes tasked with protecting my world, after all. He deserves at least that much.

"Alright, just call me professor Lucy!"

"Ugh, no way."

"What the hell?! Is that you kind of attitude you want to have when I'm trying to help you!"

0 0 0

Time passed, as it has a tendency to do, and the two of us slowly figured out how to get along.

I instructed Naofumi on everything I knew about the waves, the heroes, and the kingdom of Melramarc during the evenings. While we worked together to fight monsters and develop the shield during the day. Before too long, we managed to figure out how to work together. That's one nice thing I'll say about Naofumi; he's true to his word. He said he'd protect me as he does. I haven't taken a single injury since he always pops in to block any attack with his shield.

That being said, not everything I told him went over well.

"So the king always had it out for me! I knew it!"

This particular outburst followed my explanation of Melramarc's state religion, the three heroes church. They worship the sword, the spear, and the bow, while portraying the shield hero as a devil who deviates from the natural order. Maybe it's just because I'm native to Fiore, but I always found that really stupid. The actual legend speaks of how all the cardinal heroes fight the waves. There's no favoritism there.

That being said, Naofumi's reaction still concerns me. "Did something happen between you and the king?"

Naofumi abruptly stops his angry pacing. "...Just forget it. At least now I understand everyone is my enemy."

"...And what about me? Am I your enemy?" I can't stop myself from asking.

Naofumi's expression is strained as he turns to face me. "Well we're not exactly friends. You wouldn't be here if it weren't for that slave crest, let's not pretend otherwise."

That's not untrue, but I also still would've been trapped by that damned slave merchant if it weren't for Naofumi. I may not have asked for any of this but now that I know the stakes I'm happy to help. I'm no fool, I know I'm mostly giving Naofumi a pass because he's a hero, but is that so wrong? He still needs my help, so why?

"..."

Naofumi doesn't say anything more, and refuses to look at me. I glare at his back before stomping away, "I'm going to bed."

"..."

Without another word exchanged, I pull the top of my sleeping bag over my head.

The next day, it's back to monster hunting. Only this time it's a little more awkward since Naofumi and I don't speak to each other. A good night's sleep might've lessened my anger, but I'm still annoyed at him. Thankfully, it doesn't affect our training any, so we keep marching through the woods surrounding Melramarc.

After defeating another Vulcan with my voice, I realize I can't keep up the silent treatment any longer. Not because I've forgiven Naofumi, but because…

"We really need to do something about our funds."

"Hm?" Naofumi questions, looking up from the downed Vulcan.

"Your shield does a fine job of keeping us fed and protected, but if we want to keep progressing we're gonna need a lot more money. Better equipment, travel, shelter. It all piles up."

"I've been thinking about that myself, actually. All these monsters help upgrade my shield, but there's only a couple places we can sell the parts. And even then they don't go for much," Naofumi rants, slowly pacing around the clearing.

"Magic's an especially expensive business too. Grimoire's and other magical texts will bankrupt us if we're not careful," I add.

"You really think I can learn magic?" he asks, sounding genuinely interested.

"I don't see why not. You're already using a magical artifact, after all."

"Hm, I guess I'll have to start budgeting for that. I'm just not sure how we'd make that kind of money."

"Well, I have a few suggestions if you're curious~"

"Ugh, fine. Just try not to be too obnoxious about it."

Ass!

I clear my throat and say, "One thing we should definitely do is sell the medicine you make. With the waves going on that'll be flying off the shelf. If we could find a way to preserve the fish you catch we could probably sell that too. And then there's the mage guilds. We could make a pretty penny completing missions if we joined one of those!" I cheer, unable to keep the awe out of my voice. I've always wanted to join a mage guild.

"Yeah, that's not happening."

Splat!

I quickly pull myself off the ground and shout, "And why the hell not?!"

"Did you forget I'm the shield hero?" Naofumi questions with a sneer, "This whole stupid nation has it in for me. You really think we can trust any mage guild to treat us fairly?"

I wince at his harsh words. I hadn't considered that. "Oh, right… guess we better get to work on that medicine."

"You mean I'll get to work on some medicine. It's not like you can. Why did I pay for you, again?" He snarks.

"If you wanna go back to fighting on your own, that's more than fine-" I start to rant, but pause when I notice something incredible. "Wait a minute… You're smiling!"

Yes, really. It's a small thing, barely noticeable to someone noy paying attention, but it's definitely there. I almost want to dance and cheer. I never thought I'd see that grumpy jackass smile.

Of course, Naofumi has to go and ruin it by turning away and marching off. "C'mon. Let's have some lunch. Then we'll head back to Melramarc and try to make some money."

"Sure thing, boss man," I say breezily, following behind him. Despite everything, I feel a lot better than I did this morning.

0 0 0

Stepping into the capital of Melramarc after a little under a week, I can't help but note how much things have changed.

Not the city itself; that's still the same monolith of industry I remember exploring as a child. I'm speaking of my outlook. The last time I walked out of these gates I was weary and afraid. I still had a spark of hope within me, but it was buried under many layers of despair born from my experience as a slave. Returning by Naofumi's side, however, that's no longer the case.

I still have that damnable slave crest branded on me. My magic may still be sealed, but now I stand as a member of the shield heroes party. It wasn't initially my choice, but I'm proud to be fighting against the waves. Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of going on an adventure with others. Twisted as my reality might be, I have managed to achieve that dream.

"How much do you think we'll be able to make from that?" I ask Naofumi, gesturing to the satchel full of medicine on his waist.

"I figure you'd know better than me. I'm sure I can sell it for more than the usual price with the after effects of the first wave, but it's not like I'm an expert on this world's economy."

"Neither am I," I admit shamefully. When Naofumi glances at me in confusion, I explain, "I didn't grow up here, and Fiore doesn't share the same currency as Melramarc. I'm not sure what the inflation rate is off the top of my head…"

Naofumi sighs, "I guess we'll find out through trial and error, though I'm not about to let anyone con me."

"I'm sure. Hey, do you know how to get to the apothecary on your own?"

"...Yeah, why do you ask?"

I roll the knapsack I'm carrying off my shoulder and hold it up, "I was thinking we could split up. I sell the monster drops while you sell the medicine, then we meet back up here. The sooner we're done the sooner we can get back to training."

Naofumi grabs his chin, mulling it over. I try my hardest to keep my expression neutral. Truthfully, there's more to my suggestion of splitting up than just efficiency. Thankfully, after a moment Naofumi says, "Hm, I guess that's fine. Make sure you're back within two and a half hours, though. That's an order."

I grimace at his words, knowing they've activated my slave crest. As long as I have this, Naofumi's word is law. If I don't return in two and a half hours, I'll be shocked relentlessly until I comply with his demands. It's a truly despicable magic, but I'm sure I can take care of all I need to in that time.

"Well you're in a mood today," I snark, if only to keep up appearances. "I'll see you later then," I say with a wave. Naofumi nods in acknowledgement before walking towards the apothecary. I do the same with the monster part salesman. As soon as I've created enough distance, however, I break into a frantic sprint.

I race through Melramarc as fast as my legs can take me, nearly bowling over nearby citizens in my rush towards the monster part salesman. From here on out, every second counts, and this is the part of my job I need to complete the quickest.

I take every shortcut I can remember from my youth, cutting through alleys and darting down side streets. Even with all that, it takes me a little over half an hour to reach the salesman. By the time I get there, I'm a sweaty, exhausted mess, but I can't afford to slow down.

I slam my knapsack onto the counter and exclaim, "I've got some monster parts I want to sell to you, and let's make it snappy!"

The rotund salesman jumps in surprise, "Jesus lady, it's not a frickin 'race!"

"Maybe not for you, but I need quick service here, now take a look at what I've got!" I demand, upending the knapsack upon the counter.

The salesman grumbles something about rude kids but complies with my 'requests'. I can practically hear the seconds tick by as he carefully inspects my wares, but I try my best to remain calm. "Blue, green, and red mush tops. Vulcan horn. Some balloon bits. It's not a bad haul. I'll give you thirty-two silver and seven copper for the whole set."

"Done!" I shout, slamming my head on the counter. The now exasperated salesman hands over the money, and I sprint away without even saying thank you. Naofumi absolutely refused to let me handle anything related to our expenses, so this is the first time I've held onto some cash in nearly two months. And now that I've got it, I know exactly what I'm going to do with it.

Pushing myself harder than I ever have before, I book it for the church of the three heroes. The holy water they sell can dispel my slave crest. Even the cheapest they offer will be enough to grant me freedom! The thought's an intoxicating one, and it gives me the drive to arrive right after another half hour has passed. It's now been a little over an hour since I separated from Naofumi. If I want to return in a reasonable timeframe I can't afford to take much longer.

The three heroes church is a ridiculously extravagant stone building with three tall towers and tons of stained glass. Their religious symbol hangs proudly from the front of the building, declaring proudly that this is a place of worship. I don't care much about their particular faith, but I don't have to for it to save me.

I burst through the front door, thankful that the church is relatively empty. Trying to compose myself slightly, I speed walk to the nearest nun and say, "Excuse me, I need to buy the cheapest holy water you have. My aunt's been afflicted with a minor curse, and I need it to be dispelled."

"God is compassionate toward those who are faithful toward him," the nun espouses. "I'm happy to carry out his will. Give me one moment."

"Thank you so much," I express, trying to keep tears from welling. Finally, after all this time, freedom is within my grasp!

The nun ambles down the length of the pews before disappearing further into the church. I take a seat in one of the pews and try not to lose my mind waiting. That ever present time limit hangs over me like a guillotine, and as the minutes pass by I can feel my chest tighten.

Thankfully, after only eight minutes, the nun returns. Resting in her hands on a literal silver platter is the holy water I requested. My ticket to the future. "Here you are, my child. I'll pray for your aunt's swift recovery."

"That's appreciated, sister. How much do I owe you?" I ask, struggling to keep my patience."

"Fifteen silver-"

Before she can say anything more, I slam the require silver onto the trap, grab the bottle of holy water and take off!

It's so, so tempting to undo the slave crest here and now. But it just isn't safe. My contact isn't just with Naofumi, after all, it's also with the slave merchant. The moment I undo the crest, he and Naofumi are going to know. They won't be told directly, but something like a pulse will suddenly flow through their body. I'm not really afraid of what Naofumi will do then, but if the slave merchant happens to catch me off guard while I'm in the city he'll likely capture and enslave me again.

No way in hell am I gonna let that happen.

That's why I'll wait. Wait until the right moment to finally regain my freedom and greet my friends again. The celestial gate keys at my side practically hum with anticipation, and I'm right there with them.

Taurus, Cancer, Aquarius… I can't wait to see you guys again!

That's for later, though. Right now, I race across the city one last time in order to reach my and Naofumi's meeting spot. Luckily, I manage to get there with twenty minutes to spare. Not so luckily, Naofumi's already there and waiting for me.

"The hell took you so long?" He asks. This might just be my biggest hurdle yet. The slave crest will punish me if I lie, so I can't spin a convincing tall tale to clear Naofumi's suspicions.

Of course, lying and not telling the truth are two very different things.

"You wouldn't believe how busy Melramarc is!" I exclaim. I can't claim the salesman was busy because that'd be a lie, but Melramarc as a whole is a hub of business. Everyone's constantly bumping into each other trying to get from one place to another.

"Long line, huh? What a pain," Naofumi grumbles, and I practically jumped for joy. That's the best kind of response I could hope for.

"I was really scared I wasn't gonna make the time limit." Again, not a lie. Naofumi likely thinks that's because of the busy salesman, and that suits me just fine. "Anyway, here's all the money I have!" I chirp, handing it over. That one was a little nerve racking. A single changed word would've spelled the end for me.

Luckily, Naofumi seems to think the sweat on my brow comes from my race across the city. He takes the money from me, counts it over and frowns. "This is all you got? I'm sure our haul was worth more than that."

"Eh?! I was sure the salesman paid me everything they were worth," I exclaim, laying down my last half truth. After all, thirty-two silver and seven copper was a perfectly reasonable payout for everything I offered. The seventeen silver and seven copper I just handed Naofumi is irrelevant to that.

"Tch. Guess that's what I get for trusting your business sense."

"Well don't tell me we're gonna take it lying down!" I rant, putting on an act. "We ought to march down there and make sure we get what we're owed!"

"Forget it. I've already taken care of that. I'll just need to make sure the sellers around here know you're my companion, and they won't try it again. Besides, I earned more than enough with my medicine to make up for it," Naofumi explains.

I heave a silent sigh of relief. It looks like my deception managed to work. I can't deny I feel a little guilty tricking Naofumi like this. He's obviously got trust issues, and I know he wasn't just born like that, but I refuse to spend the rest of my life as a slave.

Pushing those thoughts aside, I ask, "Oh yeah? How much?"

Naofumi hoists a heavy looking coin purse. Is it just me, or does he look the slightest bit pleased?

"A hundred ninety-five silvers."

"Wait, are you for real?!" I gush, throwing my arms around Naofumi. "Hey, we can spend a little of that here, can't we? Maybe get some lunch? Or some better equipment. Oh, what if we go all out and visit a magic shop! We can finally figure out what your magic affinity is!"

"God, would you shut up already! You're giving me a headache!"

"Quit being so grouchy," I complain, poking him in the ribs. "We've been working really hard. Don't you think we deserve to treat ourselves?"

I won't deny pulling out the puppy dog eyes for that one. I can't help it. I'm so sick of eating berries and fish. I deserve a break, damn it! And to my surprise, Naofumi looks to be considering it. "...Fine. Let's get some food, then we'll get you some better equipment."

"Wow, Naofumi. You're such a charmer~" I tease.

"Leave me alone," he groans, already speed-walking towards the nearest restaurant.

0 0 0

Finally, finally… it's time.

The sun has long since fallen. Naofumi and I finished our business in Melramarc and returned to fighting monsters. I got to test out the new whip Naofumi bought me. It's got a steel handle which connects to a chain and ends with a heavy, bulbous iron tip. It's more like a really long range mace than the whips I'm use too, but it certainly packs a punch.

Of course, the whole time we were fighting I was thinking of this moment.

The moon is high in the sky, casting our campsite under it's hazy glow. Naofumi is fast asleep, his back turned to me. And I sit across from him clutching the bottle of holy water in my hands. Here, right now, far away from any enemies. This is the perfect moment I wished for.

I pull off my top, too excited to care about my exposed flesh. The topper of the bottle comes off with a soft pop! and with one last deep breath, I say goodbye to the life of a slave.

My chest burns as the holy water cleanses the curse. I bite my gums to keep from crying out in pain and waking up Naofumi. Thankfully, the sensation is brief, and I find myself breathing easier than I have in months.

A simple look down confirms it. My flesh is no longer marred by the presence of the slave crest. I'm free! I can do everything I've ever wanted to do! Go on adventures, develop my magic, work on my novel, join a mage guild. The world is full of possibilities and they're all open to me!

"Expect… I know exactly what I want to do. Don't I?" I say to myself, throwing my top back on. All it takes is one look at the sleeping Naofumi, and I know exactly where I'm needed.

I take my gate keys off my belt and hug them to my chest. The moment the slave crest was destroyed I could feel the emotion rushing from them. Relief, love, joy, annoyance… that one probably came from Aquarius. Point is, I've been reunited with all my closest friends. I've known some of them as long as I've been alive, and that's why… "You guys understand, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. You're a bleeding heart and we're all moved by your compassion. Stop milking it!" The voice of Aquarius explodes within my mind, rattling my brain. I had no idea spirits could communicate telepathically with their contractors. I guess it's a product of our long separation.

Either way, Aquarius has a point. Naofumi is rude. Naofumi is brash. Naofumi is undeniably a bad person. I don't know what happened in his past, but it'll never justify his having purchased a slave.

However… Naofumi is also nurturing. He always makes sure I'm fed. He lets me rest when I'm tired. He listens to everything I say, even if it annoys the hell out of him. He's always willing to put himself in danger to protect me, and he's the reason I'm able to stand here now. Sure, things could be better. But given what my situation was when we first met, they could've been so, so much worse.

Naofumi's a bad person, but he's not evil. Far from it.

And more than anything, Naofumi needs someone.

He refuses to tell me anything, but I know something bad happened to him. Something that made him feel like he can never trust another person again. And if I leave now, he likely never will.

My time as a slave was the hardest of my life, no doubt, but I always had my spirits with me. Even if I couldn't see them, their presence made me feel safe. Naofumi, though, was all alone.

Until now.

Naofumi turns in his sleep, throwing off his blanket. With a smile, I pull it back over his body. "Good night, Naofumi. Let's work hard again tomorrow."

0 0 0

I wake up the next morning feeling more refreshed than I have in a while. I guess having a big wallet helps with that. Lucy can be annoying as hell, but she's pretty smart when it counts. I'll have to add medicine making as part of my routine. If nothing else, it's a great source of reliable income.

Turning to the side, I see Lucy peacefully sleeping. That idiot; she told me she was gonna take watch. Honestly, I'm surprised I slept so well knowing she was. The slave crest made it impossible for her to hurt me, but the merchant never mentioned what might happen if she lets me die.

Honestly, that thought's what's kept me from hunting stronger monsters. The thing is, we're starting to hit a wall. We aren't finding any new monsters to upgrade my shield, and while fighting helps our reflexes, teamwork, and whatnot, it doesn't make me stronger by itself.

It's ironic. The other heroes treat this world like a game, but I kinda wish it was more like a game right now. This'd be a lot simpler if I could just grind levels to get stronger.

I guess that's the difference between a game and reality.

"Get up," I command, nudging Lucy with my foot.

She groans and rolls to the side, muttering, "'m tired. Go 'way."

"Not happening. We've got a lot of work to do if we're gonna be prepared for the wave."

Lucy sighs deeply. Then, with little warning, she shoots to a sitting position. "Alright. Time to start the day!" She cheers, suddenly all smiles.

Ugh, how can she be this happy so early in the morning? It makes me kinda nauseous.

Either way, Lucy is up and moving around in short order. We work together to pack up our camp, and then I retrieve a map from my shield. "We're heading for the village of Lute today."

"The one Erhard told us about?" Lucy questions, looking over my shoulder.

"I figure it's about time we expand our operation," I explain, studying the map. After finding the quickest route I roll up the map and return it to my shield's storage, "Anyway, if we leave now we should get there in an hour or two."

"Then we better get a move on!" Lucy exclaims, trotting down the forest. I join her not a moment later. Nearly a week after we first met(in a very loose definition of the word)I still don't know what to make of my slave. She doesn't act how someone in her situation normally would. She's got no reservations about speaking her mind or bitching me out, and she's remarkably chipper all things considered. Honestly, her attitude sometimes reminds me of that woman, which kinda makes me want to activate her slave crest and shut her up. Even I can tell that's going a bit too far, though.

It's hard not to make rash judgments like that, now that I understand the whole damn kingdom has it out for me. The three heroes church… I need to keep as far away from those prejudiced bastards as possible.

More than anything else, that's what sticks in my mind about Lucy. She's so damn knowledgeable. I've learned more from her about this world than the stupid king who runs this damn place. Then again, that's probably intentional on his part.

"That's a pretty serious look on your face. Copper for your thoughts?" Lucy asks, drawing me from my thoughts.

Looking at her curious expression, I realize that even though I can't bring myself to trust her, I like having her around. Even if she does annoy the hell out of me a lot.

"Just thinking about how much of a nag you are," I snark. Lucy glares and me and fires back with her own insult, and the rest of the walk passes by uneventfully.

When we actually step inside Lute village, I can't help but notice how different it is from Melramarc. The city is a din of heavy stone walkways, blocky buildings, and busy streets. Lute is a far more rural setting. Dirt roads run through the village, and many of the buildings are wooden cabins and shacks. Likely created from the surrounding forest. It's far less busy too, which is fine by me if it means no one recognizes us.

"Lute, huh? Well, if we're looking for materials, the mine is gonna be our golden goose," Lucy says.

"This town has a mine? How the hell do you know that?"

"I came here once with my father. He talked about how Lute is a mining village."

Just who the hell are you, Lucy?

There's no way someone as talented and clever as her was just grabbed off the street and enslaved. I really need to ask about the story behind that at some point. But not now. Now, we've got some materials to farm. I'll ask her about it later tonight.

"Any chance you know where this mine is?"

"Ah, no. I didn't really get to go exploring back then," she admits sheepishly.

I sigh, "Guess we'll just have to ask around."

We do exactly that, and manage to find out where the mind is after twenty minutes. Moreover, we find out the mine's been overrun with strong monsters. That's kind of a blessing and a curse for us. On the one hand, strong monsters means a lot of potentially really powerful shields. Are we really strong enough to take down those monsters, though? I suppose we're gonna have to find out.

Before entering the mine, however, we make a pit-stop at a storage shed just outside it. After all, if this place is full of valuable metals, I wanna mine them for profit and shield fodder.

Unfortunately, we didn't find much useful stuff. Just a pickaxe and some rope. Out of curiosity I let my shield absorb the latter, and I actually unlocked a new form!

"Rope shield? That's kind of boring."

"I don't know, what can you do with it?" Lucy asks.

I check and see what the shield says. To my surprise, the rope shield has an exclusive skill tied to it. I've come across these before with some of my other shields, but they're mostly utility skills like better cooking or compounding. This, however…

I thrust my hand forward and shout, "Air strike shield!" In response to my words, a translucent green shield appears in the air a few feet in front of me.

"Eep!" Lucy jumps, before blushing when I fix her with a flat stare. "A little warning next time! You scared the hell out of me!"

"You're just jumpy," I tell her.

Lucy 'hmphs' and looks away, and I feel the beginnings of a laugh bubble in my chest. If nothing else, it's always fun to watch her reactions. "Hang on a second, I just got an idea!" Lucy chirps, and proceeds to dart out of the shed. I'm a little confused, but wait patiently for her return. If it weren't for the slave crest making it impossible for her to hurt me, I'd be kind of concerned with how easily I take Lucy at her word.

I'm supposed to be her master, so why do I always feel like the one being dragged around?

Lucy returns a few minutes later, carrying with her a portion of the metal wire lining the fence. "Try feeding this to your shield," she requests. I'm a little skeptical, but do as she asks. Much to my surprise, it works out! I've now gained a new shield form. The wire shield, and it even comes with some special abilities.

"Net shield!" I call out before I can really consider the consequences. I phrase it like that, you see, because it completely slipped my mind to tell Lucy to get out of the way. The human sized net of metal wires my skill produced doesn't hit her directly, but when it skims her arm the rest of the net quickly wraps itself around her, like a big hug.

"What the hell, Naofumi! Get me out of this!" She cries in alarm.

I open my mouth to apologize and undo the skill, but that's when I notice it. The net has wrapped itself around Lucy in such a way that it forcefully pushes out her breasts, hips, and thighs.

Basically, she looks like she's playing around with bondage.

"I don't know, you look like you're having a great time over there," I snark, unable to keep my mouth shut.

"Wha-Naofumi, you jerk! Get me out of this thing, it's embarrassing!" Lucy wails.

I chuckle and undo the skill, freeing Lucy. "Alright, we've wasted enough time here. Let's go."

"You say that like it's my fault!"

0 0 0

The mine is about as cramped and dreary as I imagined. The walls hang low, barely leaving enough room for me to stand fully. Wooden supports line the cave walls, and the only source of light is the torch I hold in my left hand.

"Brr, it's kinda chilly in here," Lucy says to my right. She's carrying the pickaxe we found and hugging it tightly, as if trying to conserve warmth.

"That's what you get for not wearing pants."

"Oh shut up. I look good in this," Lucy huffs.

"Whatever you say."

Lucy blows a raspberry, and we continue further into the mine. Luckily, after a while we exit into a much wider chamber. The mine opens up into many stone outcroppings of different elevations. I can see multiple shining gemstones, and there's even a river running through the mine to my left. I whistle lowly, and Lucy murmurs, "Oh wow. It's so pretty!"

I step further into the chamber after putting out my torch. I approach one of the iron deposits with a smirk, "That's not too bad. C'mon, let's get to work."

Lucy silently passes me the pickaxe, and I get to work. Clang! Clang! Clang! With each swing of the pickaxe, I manage to unearth more of the iron. I have a feeling I can sell this for a pretty penny, but first I throw what I've collected into my shield. As I've come to expect, I unlock a new shield form. The siderite shield; and it even comes with another unique skill. I'm on kind of a roll today, aren't I? This unique skill is called shooting star shield, and if the description is to be believed, it allows me to create a large protective barrier. Sounds useful, especially if it means I don't have to keep running around to protect Lucy.

I return to picking away at the various deposits, thankful for the complete lack of monsters. Given how valuable the metal's here are, I doubt the story about monsters is a lie, so I guess I'm just lucky. About time after all the crap I've been through.

"Naofumi, watch 0ut!"

…I was kinda asking for that one.

Spinning around, I see Lucy's already dropped into a battle stance, her whip at the ready. Standing atop one of the stone outcroppings is a black, eight foot tall demon dog with two heads. It looks down at us imposingly before growling.

"Get behind me!" I order as the hellhound descends from its perch. "I'll try to keep its attention. You focus on attacking."

"Be careful, Naofumi, this thing is stronger than any other monster we've fought so far."

I narrow my eyes at that information. That's not good to hear. I'm tempted to retreat, but I know the demon dog won't let us get away easily. If we want to live, we have to fight!

"Haah!" I shout and race forward at the same moment the dog does. It's maw opens wide and the right head lashes out, seeking to tear my throat out. I catch its attack on my siderite shield, which dutifully keeps the beast's teeth from piercing my flesh.

Of course, I only blocked one head, second swiftly bears down on me with a roar. However-

"Hah!"

Lucy's whip comes in from the side, smashing into the beast's jaw. The demon dog staggers back and growls, blood dripping from the second head's jaw. That metal tip sure packs a wallop.

The hellhound charges once more, this time targeting Lucy. I guess it realized she's the more dangerous one here. Even so, "Not gonna happen! Air strike shield!"

The demon dog slams into the green shield, halting its assault. Lucy darts to the left and flanks the monster. With an artful flick of her wrist, she ensnares one of the beast's necks. She tugs with all her might, and manages to wretch the hellhound's head to the side. Moving quickly, she wraps the other end of her whip around a pointed rock. "Help me keep it in place, Naofumi!" She yells.

Of course! A stationary target is an easy to kill one. I change to the wire shield and cry out, "Net shield!"

The web of steel wire shoots forth and wraps itself around the monster's legs. It promptly collapses to the ground, snarl and struggling. However, its efforts to escape just cuts its flesh against the razor like netting. That being said, I doubt it'll stay down for long.

I imagine Lucy shares my thoughts, because she races toward the downed monster. "Naofumi, hunting knife!" She shouts, and in the same moment uses a nearby rock as a springboard to launch herself into the air.

I move swiftly, unsheathing the knife I keep for skinning animals and monsters. I chuck it toward the airborne Lucy. She catches it, reverses the grip, and drives it into the beast's first head with all her strength. Blood spurts from the wound, dying her hands red, but Lucy doesn't relent.

With a howl, the monster redoubles its efforts to escape. I lurch forward before regaining my footing. I'm sure that if it weren't for my insane defense, my arm would've been torn from its socket. "Finish it, Lucy!" I howl desperately.

She removes the knife from the first head, struggling to keep her footing on the monster's back. Before she can stab the second head, however-

Snap!

The hellhound lurches to the side, and Lucy's whip breaks in half! Now untethered, the second head descends downward and sinks its fangs into Lucy's shoulder!

"Ahh!" She screams as blood pours forth from the wound.

"Lucy!" I cry and race forward, canceling my skill. It won't do any good now, anyway. I switch to the siderite shield, run up and punch the demon dog with all my might. If it weren't for this damn shield, that might've actually mattered, but as is it's like trying to feather duster the beast to death.

At least it gets the monster's attention…

The hellhound turns its bloody gaze on me. It violently throws its neck to the side, hurling Lucy over me and sending her crashing to the ground. She lands next to the stream, struggling to get up as blood stains her body and clothes.

"Damn you!" I roar, and the beast responds in kind. Its single working head lurches forward. I beat it back with my shield, but the hellhound surprises me when it suddenly bounds forward. It slams into me with its forepaws, tackling me to the ground. I try to gain my bearings, but the monster's claws press into my chest. I scream in pain, and the hellhound seeks to sink its teeth into my jaw. Thankfully, I manage to block it at the last second.

Still, things aren't looking good for me. It's only a matter of time before one of its attacks slips by and tears out my throat. Or maybe it'll just choose to crush me to death. Either way, I can practically hear the seconds ticking down to my death.

"Not yet…"

Lucy's voice, barely above a whisper, still manages to reach my ears. I peer at her out of the corner of my eye. She's on her knees by the river. One hand putting pressure on her wound, the other gripping one of those golden keys she always keeps with her.

"I am not done yet! Open, gate of the water bearer!" She yells at the top of her lungs. Then, she drives the key into the stream beside her. "Aquarius!"

To my complete and utter shock, a flash of yellow light emerges from the river. From it appears a woman with long blue hair and a fish tail. A mermaid. She holds a vase in her arms, and opens her eyes to glare at Lucy.

"Brat! You leave us alone all this time only to summon me for this?! I'll send you flying right with that monster!"

"Wait… what?!" I cry, unable to contain my surprise despite the situation.

"You can't mean tha-gaah!" Lucy shrieks. True to her word, the woman sends the river waters cascading forward, swallowing Lucy in the process. I take a deep breath a second before the waves wash over me too. Instantly, the hellhound is torn from my body by the current. Of course, I join it a second later, right alongside Lucy. I grab her hand and pull her close on instinct, using my body to shield her from the rampaging waves.

The beast isn't nearly as lucky, though. Its body is torn to pieces by the twists and turns of the current. What small wounds we did inflict on the beast are ripped open by the violent waters, before the demon dog is ultimately smashed against a wall, its chest pierced by a large jagged rock. The waters immediately die down, planting Lucy and I gently against the floor of the mine. We immediately cough and hack the water out of our lungs before turning our attention to the still present Aquarius.

"Well? Do you have anything to say for yourself?" She demands, glaring at Lucy.

"I love you, Aquarius," Lucy says earnestly. I look at her in mild surprise, only to see tears of joy running down her cheeks. She looks like she's reunited with an old friend.

Aquarius hmphs, but I swear I can see the faintest hint of a blush on her cheeks. "Brat," she growls, before turning her attention to me, "You better not screw this up."

Then, without another word, she disappears into thin air. The whole experience leaves my head spinning. There's so many things that don't make sense. So many things that I need to ask Lucy. I open my mouth to speak, but-

"Are you okay, Naofumi?! I was so worried!" Lucy wails, hugging me fiercely. "I always figured your defense would keep you from getting hurt, but then you were under that monster, and I got so scared…"

…There's a part of me that wants to just let go. To return Lucy's embrace and assure her I'm just fine. It's so tempting… but no. Not after the last time.

I push Lucy away. "What was that just now?" I demand.

"Wha-what?"

"You used magic of some kind, right? You're a wizard?" I question, my anger and fear mixing into a cocktail of emotion. "Could you do that this whole time? Why did you keep that from me?! Were you hiding it so you could use it to trick me and-"

Smack!

Lucy's palm impacts across my right cheek. It doesn't hurt, but it does shut me up. "I freaking hate you sometimes, you know that!" Lucy screams, drowning out any kind of rebuttal I can come up with. "What did I ever do to you, Naofumi! Haven't we fought together, ate together, and lived with each other?! Everything we do together I give one-hundred percent, but it's never enough! Am I really that insufferable? Do you seriously hate me that much?"

Tears begin to fall down her cheek anew, and I'm the cause. I've made Lucy cry…

Her accusations cut to my core. They're the same things I scream to myself when I'm alone with my thoughts. Why do the people here hate me so much? Is the shield so terrible that I deserve all this? I never imagined my actions could make someone else feel the same. Someone who I've share what feels like a lifetime of memories with.

"...I don't hate you, Lucy," I express. A few times throughout our travels together, Lucy hugged me. I've never been the one to initiate, but it's time I change that. I grab Lucy's arms and pull her into a hug. "We don't always agree, and you annoy the hell out of me sometimes, but I could never hate you. I can't count on anyone else to have my back."

Lucy sniffles into my chest, then murmurs, "I know you have a hard time trusting people, but you don't give other people much of a reason to trust you."

I wince but nod, accepting the criticism. I'll do whatever I have to so I can survive, but she's not wrong that I don't always make it easy for myself. She didn't say it directly, but it's likely that's the reason Lucy didn't tell me about her magic. She was scared of how I'd react, and it kind of annoys me that she had reason too.

I sigh, "I won't say 'no more secrets' or something stupid like that, but the next time you have something important to tell me, don't be afraid to."

"...Does that go both ways?"

"I'll try…" I murmur, cringing internally.

Lucy snickers and pulls away. "Well, we've had a pretty long day, haven't we?"

"Yeah, let's get out of here after I feed this thing to my shield."

"And then we should hit a doctor. We both look like death warmed over."

"For sure," I say with a nod. "Just make sure you don't let them give you any medicine. I'll make anything we need myself and save us some money."

Lucy sighs, "My god, you're so greedy."

"Oh, like you're any different," I snark.

As we continue back and forth, I can't help the feeling steadily rising in my chest. Not happiness, friendship, or something else equally lofty. But… contentment. With Lucy by my side, I can bear living in this world.