I do not own Rising of the Shield Hero
Biggest thanks goes to Ace-Triad for SPAG editing this chapter. Also, special thanks for Angel Wraith for reading my rough draft and provide some feedbacks.
More author note at the end for people who are interested to see me blabber some more.
The first thing Mein sees is the olden Lute inn wooden roof. The third board counting from the left corner has a cragged line of cracks at the end. There's a strange smell in the air reminding her of the scented candles in her private bathroom back in her palace home. Not as sweet in her nose, but not at all unpleasant.
She made it. She's back, safe and sound in the quaint little village.
The second thing she notices is the Shield Hero sitting right beside her bed. His face hangs low and eyes closed, chest moving up and down peacefully. It's clear the young man fell asleep sitting in a chair.
This is new.
The Shield Hero always wakes up earlier than the incognito princess. By the time she finishes freshening up, her Naofumi has already finished his breakfast. It's rare for her to see the young man's sleeping face.
Mein is about to move her left arm out of her blanket to touch Naofumi's hand, when the pain returns like it's drilling all the way into her bone. The princess instinctively lets out a sharp grunt before she manages to bite back a full scream. She turns to look at the sleeping Shield Hero.
Naofumi's head jerks to the side - a mumbled gargle escapes his mouth, but he does not wake up.
Mein releases the breath she's holding. She slowly pulls her right arm out of the blanket. Taking a deep breath, she uses her right hand to yank the blanket off her body and turns her head to her left. The smell enters her nose before she makes sense of what's in front of her eyes.
Without the blanket blocking away most of the scent, the previous minty smell has taken to a much spicier odor. A greenish paste around the edge of linen bandages over her shoulder reveals their nature as being some kind of medicinal ointment. Probably some kind of homebrew treatment used by village folk.
The princess has to take a few more deep breaths while she slowly edges her hand to the bandage, as she squints her eyes tightly shut for a moment before lifting it up.
Chapter 18: Rude Awakening
The princess' vision blurs as it spins wildly out of control, her head feeling dizzy to the point it's hard to recall what's happening. The raccoon girl is probably having another one of her night terrors, since the echoes of her screams makes Mein's own head wobble.
Naofumi's face suddenly pops inter her view. The brown eyes of the normally laid back young man is a little red, his mouth flapping open and close with quick succession, clearly trying to say something. But it's hard to hear him over the raccoon girl's incessant screeching - someone really should take her out of the room.
Mein ties to push herself up from the bed, but her arms are chained down by iron. With only her head seemingly free, she can only frantically look around. It takes her a few moments to realize Naofumi is holding her arms tight while he slowly lifts her up. That's also when she realized the young demi-human is nowhere near her bedroom.
That's also the second time where she gets a good look on her left shoulder, where her previously flawless skin is now marred by dark black flesh. The vague stink of rot assaults her nose even though the scent of the healing ointment.
The princess in disguise realized that she was the one who was screaming on top of her lung.
The wound... why hasn't it healed? The Aether that saturates the air, earth, and sea of Medea should charge any living organism and heal their wound when they rest.
Unless... it's the 'Curse of the Wave'.
Oh, the Heroes of Old, NO! She vaguely remembers the burning sensation on her face before the pain on her shoulder took away the feeling from the rest of her body.
In her panic, Mein turns her head to look at the side of the room. A cheap, cracked mirror sits on a stand against the wall. Even with its ruined surface, the princess can still see the same linen bandage covering over her face.
A loud boom goes off in her head, and the world goes dark once again. Not the blissful nothingness she experienced before waking up. The incognito princess is still aware of the Shield Hero by her side, desperately calling out to her. But his voice sounds far away, and Mein can barely see the face of the young man with her vision becomes ever so dimmer.
With her being... damaged, what would become of her now?
"Mein, calm down. You don't want to make your wound worse." Naofumi's voice is stern, but also has a soothing softness behind the stoic words. It sounds like the bell atop the Cathedral, pulling Mein slowly back to the land of the living once again. The young man from another world seems to be slowly rocking her, like nurturing a baby. "We'll... we'll go see the healers now that you are awake. We'll figure a way out to heal you."
That is... admittedly a nice sentiment. Too bad, being the first princess of glorious Melromarc in disguise, Mein already knows the only way to 'cure' her ailment.
"Master Naofumi, the healer is here." Three gentle knock taps through the door and rocks into their room, before Kyubey's emotionless voice carries through the aged wooden door right after.
"Already?" Naofumi wipes his head towards the door, both his eyes and mouth wide open.
"We all heard the screams from your room, Raphtalia ran to get the healer." Kyubey the rabbit man pushes the door open with his good arm. An old woman with lines of age on her tired face follows him into their rented bedroom. Mein assumes this is the healer they were talking about.
The healer walks to the side of Mein's bed, Naofumi shuffles back to sit behind Mein while still holding onto her good shoulder and left arm to keep her upright. The healer bends her head down and looks left and right on Mein's ruined shoulder. "Aye, I'm afraid it's as we feared, milord. The herb ointment only delays the curse. It's simply not strong enough to fight it."
As the royal princess, Mein feels this snake oil peddling hag is patronizing her for stating something obvious. But she's simply too tired to voice her displeasure at this point.
"You mentioned something like this the first time. That's a cursed scar from monsters from the Wave of Catastrophe, right?" Mein feels Naofumi's hand leaving her left arm. He's probably scratching his hair, or chin again. The princess lets herself lay back into his embrace and rests her head on his shoulder. "Sorry, I didn't pay too much attention the first time. I was worried sick for Mein."
"I understand, milord. And indeed, it's a kind of cursed scar caused by monsters from the Wave." the old healer waves her arms around, like she's trying to embrace air. "Aether, the source of magic is all around us on Medea. And when we rest, it helps boost our bodies' natural healing ability. That's why a good eight hour rest can fully heal most non-fatal wounds."
"So, that's why sleeping recovers our health points. I didn't think about it till now." Naofumi's voice start out soft, but slowly become crispier. It's the voice of someone who suddenly finds an important piece to a puzzle that's been bugging him.
"But the monsters coming from the Wave of Catastrophe are different beasts entirely. Their scratches and bites carry the curse that stops the healing effect of rest if not cured immediately by strong healing potions. If left to fester, they will become progressively worse ... even killing the person. That's why the Wave of Catastrophe is feared so much, even in the beginning when the monsters aren't as strong as some of our native bestiary."
Mein can feel Naofumi's grip tighten around her shoulder. His voice becomes hitched once again. "Isn't there any cure? I'll do anything to heal Mein."
The first princess already know the answer.
"High level Miracles can heal a cursed wound, although the most common cure is the holy water produced by the Church."
Yes, alongside the flux of anti-Shield Hero, and demi-human sentiments after the Great War, the promise of miracle cures in the form of holy water is the biggest reason why the Church became one of, if not THE strongest factions within glorious Melromarc.
"That's great! We'll just go ask for some holy water!" Naofumi's sudden burst of excitement reminds Mein of a drowning man grasping at floating straws to stay afloat. From the week they been traveling together, she knows the Shield Hero should have been more perceptive than this.
"Master Naofumi..." Her voices is as dry as cracked old paint falling off a derelict wall. "The most common faith in Melromarc, is the Three Heroes' Church."
Silence fall under the room once again. The incognito princess can hear the distant squawk of filorials on the other side of the village.
"Isn't there still people practicing the Faith of Four, like this village?"
"Everyone here have their little shrine praying to all four heroes, yes. But the priest needs specially constructed altars to produce holy water. Milord needs to go to one of the bigger towns, or cities for them." The healer's eye turns down towards the floorboard, no doubt wanting to avoid the dimming hope in Naofumi's eyes.
"And they all hate the Shield Hero, after what happened in the Great War." Once again, Naofumi's voice sounds distant in Mein's ear. But her vision is not turning dark this time.
"We can try going to the cities on the Golden Coast, under House Amelia's rule, Master Naofumi." Mein lifts her right arm and takes Naofumi's hand into hers. It feels cold to the touch from the sweat, but not entirely unpleasant. "House De Gallia of Gale Land shielded them back in the Great War, their province is the only one untouched. There's bound to at least be one Church of Four Heroes still standing."
"But your shoulder... and your face…" Naofumi's words make the princess shudder. She instinctively tries to lift her right hand and touch her cheek, but the drilling pain on her shoulder put a stop to that. "...will there be enough time?"
"Judging from my experience with my supply caravans, we don't have enough time." Kyubey, who has been silent for the entire exchange finally opens his mouth. "We only have a week before the Wave hits. To even reach the borders of the Golden Coast, we'll need to travel nonstop on a carriage, constantly exchange tired filorials on the traveling Outpost. People don't get that kind of service unless it's a national emergency, or paying through the nose. That's assuming we find a Church who still practice the Faith of Four on our first stop within Golden Coast."
Mein is aware that if she's still the first princess of glorious Melromarc, her injury and inflicting the Curse of the Wave would be a national emergency. Of course, father can simply summon the Pope of the Three Heroes' Church to give her the best kind of treatment.
Her hidden personal distaste towards the church aside, the royal family's relationship with the Pope is quite amicable, on the account of fighting together as comrades-in-arms back in the Great War.
But she can't simply turn her nose up at the Shield Hero, and go back to the life of a princess now. Those curse wounds ... they'll leave scars. Massive, everlasting scars on her body, judging simply by the size of the bandages.
If she truly was an adventurer from some backwater town, it's not a big deal. But in noble society, this kind of blemish means her life is effectively over. Being used as a political bargain would be the last of her worries, the only life await her from the Shield Hero's party is to join the clergy as a common nun.
It's not fair... she's the first born of the rightful queen of glorious Melromarc and her king regent. She shouldn't have to degrade herself, pretending to be a no-name commoner and fight monsters just for a shot at the throne. But now... if she loses her position in the Shield Hero's party, she would lose everything to her name.
Life is not fair...
The roof is leaking.
"Mein, it's okay. It's okay... everything will be okay. I won't let you die. I'll figure something out to fix this." The Shield Hero gently rocks his body back and force while gently holding Mein, like she's a priceless piece of art made of fragile material. "Is there no other way?"
"There is Yggdrasil medicine. The miracle cure can heal someone back to perfect health from the brink of death. But, it's even rarer. Countries have gone to war against each other over it in the past." Kyubey is the one answering back the Shield Hero. Mein realizes the old woman is absent in the room. The healer probably made the exit while she's lost in her mind.
"So, getting the medicine from the Three Heroes' Church is our only option..." Naofumi's voice come off a bit garbled near the end. Mein can easily picture him biting on his lips.
"With Miss Mein's deteriorating condition and the Wave in another week, yes." The rabbit man's face is nonplus as usual, but his ear is draping down his head once again.
Silence hang in the stale air of their medicine scented inn room once again. No doubt, the Shield hero and the demi-human are both trying to figure their situation out.
"Can you still stand, Mein?" Naofumi is the first one to poke a hole through the bleak atmosphere draping over them like a heavy curtain. "Maybe some fresh air will make you feel better. Everyone's waiting in the common room. Let's see if we can come up with some better ideas."
"Okay, Master Naofumi." Mein nods her head. She lets the young man slowly guide her to the floor. Her legs feel wobbly, and her head still rings a little like there's an annoying bell inside. It's hard to tell if it's caused by having a cursed wound right on her face, or it's from her unnatural slumber.
Regardless, the demi-human holds the door open while Naofumi carefully guides her out of the room, and eventually making their way into the common room where the village elder, militia leader and their head hunter is sitting around the same table. The lizard man stands on one leg against the wall, while the raccoon child has her legs pulled against her head in the corner.
The Heroes of old! Mein didn't even think about the child till now. What would happen to her, if the damn child tattles on how she left her to the hound and tried to run for her life?
Will there even be a spot left in the Shield Hero's party after that?
The elder stands up from the table and walks towards them. His mouth opens as if trying to say something, but he quietly stands aside and silently allows Naofumi to guide Mein to the table.
"We have to get holy water." Unlike most of the time, the Shield Hero speaks with a firm finality that tells everyone he's drawing a line in the sand, and preparing to defend it to death.
"Yes, of course... that much is for certain to treat Lord Shield Hero's companion..." Elder Lute sits back down while his mouth begin to ramble incoherently. He is rubbing his palms together, while sweat begins to run down his head. "But the nearest church is the Cathedral of the Three in Castle Melromarc. And Lord Shield Hero being the Shield Hero... this complicates things greatly."
It's hard to tell what he's nervous about. The prospect of losing their village's protector, or Naofumi might turn his wrath on them for having one of his companions badly injured on Lute territory?
"Master Naofumi, you only need to escort me back to the capital. I can go request holy water from the Church by myself." Mein looks through the grim face of everyone in the room. She speaks to the Shield Hero with a soft whisper. "They won't know I'm in the Shield Hero's party, if I'm not with the Shield Hero."
More importantly, she can reveal her true identity of the nation's first princess if she's discovered to the Church, if Naofumi and his posse of demi-humans isn't around. There is a possibility she's already on their blacklist for ruin the plan to convict the Shield Hero.
She'll have to hope they bought her excuse of being a sleeper agent beside the Shield Demon.
Naofumi is pensive for a few moments before shaking his head. "No, you were right there with me back in the trial. What if someone recognizes your face? What's stopping them from refusing you treatment, toss you into a dungeon, or kill you?"
It seems like the Shield Hero recovered some of his intelligence by this point. The princess in disguise has to agree with him, for the chance of something happening against her is higher than she receive proper treatment.
But she doesn't have any better option at this point.
"Maybe one of us could acquire holy water for the Shield Hero, elder?" Georg, the militia leader's voice seem to bring the village elder out of his stupor. "Surely, they can't know all of our faces, and they won't know we are working with the Shield Hero?"
"Yes! Of course! I'll try to collect money from everyone right now, see if we can pool enough money for it." The elder slaps his forehead and jumps up from his seat once again. He quickly leaves the room through the door as aged wood makes a tooth -aching crack on the hinge.
"Will those zealous fucks living in their granite cathedrals even meet with us, the dirty commoners from the boonies?" Gaston crosses his arms in front of his chest. His statue-like face twisted into the visage of a demon. "They are filthy bloodsuckers, pretending to be holy men and women. They'd refuse to save a man's life, if there's a noble nearby who stabbed their pinky and was willing to pay through their nose."
"Not every cleric from Three Heroes Church was like that, Gaston." Georg's face whip towards the enraged hunter.
"Most of them are." The hunter narrows his eyes at his cup on the table, his eyes become distant. "You have to be a noble, a hero, or at least a filthy rich merchant if you want them to lend you an ear."
The hunter leaps up from his seat faster than the elder and begins to throw on his traveling cloak and traveling hat.
"What are you doing, Gaston?" The militia leader turns on his seat to look at the hunter.
"I'm going to find the Spear Hero. Heard he was nearby a few days ago. The Church won't deny him, if he's the one requesting holy water."
"It's just a rumor! You don't know where he is now!" The militia leader shouts at the hunter, but Gaston already flew out the inn. The aged wooden door makes a louder crack this time.
"I'm sorry." Naofumi's eyes are down cast, his voice start to tremble once again. "This wouldn't have happened, if I didn't go down to that mineshaft, or took this adventure more seriously."
"No, it's not your fault. Master Shield Hero. Neither of Lautrec and I noticed that hound till it's too late. We both got complacent with our enhanced senses." Kyubey's voice makes Naofumi rises his head and stare into his red eyes with intensity. The rabbit man is probably confused by the Shield Hero's unusual reaction, as he looks to the side and takes a step backwards.
"If I can fix this by signing a contract... I'd be willing to sell my soul. Huh... now I know how Sayaka felt." Naofumi begin another one of his incoherent rambling.
Mein couldn't understand how 'signing a contract' jumped straight to selling one's soul. Perhaps it must be more of the forbidden knowledge from the Shield Hero's world.
"We don't need to go find another hero. There's one right here." Naofumi stands up from his seat, his face grim with determination.
"You don't have to do that for me, Master Naofumi." Mein's shoulder still hurt, she only manages to lift her arm enough to pinch Naofumi's pants. "You're their sworn enemy, what will they do to you? It's better for me to go by myself and take my chances."
Naofumi crouches back down to look at the incognito princess at eye level. It would have been quite romantic like a scene jumped right out of her favorite romance novels, if she doesn't have that rotting wound on her shoulder... and her face. "Mein, you were injured because I didn't protect you well enough. I'm the Shield Hero. I can't fight by myself, can only protect other people and I didn't protect you back in the mineshaft. I have to take responsibility for my mistakes. No matter what happens at the church, we'll do it together."
The Shield Hero sits back into his chair. He runs his finger on his chin while the other hand holds onto Mein's hand. "Not to mention, aren't the other kingdoms already pretty mad at Melromarc summoning all four heroes behind everyone's back? If I make an official appearance in the Church as one of the Four Legendary Heroes, surely they can't kill me and try to brush it under the rug. I think the official approach is our best bet to have you treated."
"That... does make sense. The Three Heroes Church can say whatever they want to people of Melromarc if you go to them in secret. But it'll be much harder to convince the other countries. Siltvelt and Shiltfreeden both reveres the Shield Hero, even the pig king of Faubley won't sit quietly if the church dares to openly harm you." Georg's affirmative answer is cut short when the elder of Lute village barges right back into the common room.
"I collected all the spare money from everyone. It's... not much. We used up most of our savings to prepare for the Wave. But I hope it helps." The big money bag falls onto the table, revealing mostly copper coins with a few shining rays of silver on them.
"That was fast." Kyubey's statement makes a shade of pink appear on the old man's cheek.
"Well... everyone has been pooling whatever they had left in the past week. Master Shield Hero done so much for us, it doesn't feel right not to do something for him." The elder coughs into his hand, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Oh, and also, Big Bill is preparing the only carriage we have in the village. It's a dingy old set of wheels, but it'll be better and faster than walking back to the capital on foot."
Times like this make the first princess of Melromarc realize how she manages to hit absolute rock bottom, where she needs to depend on the good will of dirty commoners for her survival.
It's strange, how those people she barely pay attention to is doing everything in their meager power to help her, while her mother, the fierce Red Queen of glorious Melromarc, was willing to sell her life away to a lecherous old man.
"Thank you, for everything." Naofumi's eyes runs through everyone in the Inn. He turns his eyes to his demi-human companions. "You guys don't have to come with us..."
The raccoon girl's ear perks straight up her head. She leaps up from her corner accompanied by a loud distant squawk of a bird, and runs to the Shield Hero's side. "No! I'm coming with you! Big sister Mein, she saved my life in the cave. She got bitten because of me."
Wait, what?
The girl isn't angry how she was left to die to the two-headed dog?
No, there is no way anyone can be this... forgiving. The girl has to be planning... something.
"I guess I'll stay in Lute for now. If the Three Heroes' Church does something to Master Shield Hero... someone needs to warn the other Legendary Heroes." Kyubey looks at both the Shield Hero and Mein as a distant rumble begins to carry itself into everyone's ear, he slowly shakes his head.
Coward! The damn bunny is probably afraid for his own life. If something bad were to happen... one of the villagers could easily warn the other Heroes of their fate.
Only the lizard man is left. He turns up his head as the cacophony of hundred voices seem to approach the inn. The reptile's milky eyes slowly wander through everyone in the room like he's trying to piece through them with his unseeing eyes.
"It is my duty to witness what happens, as my goddess mandates." Lautrec's lipless mouth part ways, his visage twisting into a sneer not unlike the Wave-damned monster who bit Mein.
The commotion is right outside the inn's door now, the young blonde boy with a great sword strapped on his back walks through the door. "We are ready to go. Whenever the Shield Hero need us, Elder of Lute."
"Are you going, Raki?" The village elder turns toward the boy. Rather than surprised, the old man simply lets out a sigh of acceptance.
"Yeah, I know big brother Aki's schedule. He's going to patrol the front gate with the guards today. He's a knight serving under the queen. He'll have an easier time requesting holy water from the Church than us farmhands, miners and hunters."
"Actually, the Shield Hero is going to request the aid of the Church himself. Lord Shield Hero decided his companion will most likely receive treatment if he makes an official appearance."
"Oh." The boy turns to look at the Shield Hero, and makes the most eloquent response. "Well, I can ask big brother to escort Shield Hero."
"Then it's decided. We are going to the Three Heroes' Church together." Naofumi edges closer to Mein, his voice goes quiet, to the point of being more like a whisper. "Are you ready to go, Mein?"
"My wound isn't getting any better, Master Naofumi." Mein tries to crack a smile at the Shield Hero.
The young man's eyes and mouth both turn downward at her attempt at making a joke.
The incognito princess feels like slapping herself - why did she brought up something her Naofumi obviously feel guilty about? Especially when the raccoon girl could expose her actions any time?
She draws closer to Naofumi's face as one hand from her good shoulder rises up to gently stroke his face. "Don't blame yourself, Master Naofumi. You did your best."
The Shield Hero simply gives her a nod. His arm goes around Mein's shoulder, helping her up just like how he helps her up from the bed. When they exit the inn, the princess sees everyone from the Lute gathered around an old filorial carriage, with filorial Bill's prized racer tied to the cart.
The princess never bothered to learn those people's names, yet she vaguely remembers their faces when they hunted monsters together.
"Everyone, sorry I can't finish what I started..." Naofumi's face is looking through them too. He rapidly blink his eyes, trying to hold back something.
"You already done more than enough for us, Lord Shield Hero. We are better prepared for the Waves of Catastrophe than any village in Melromarc." The elder walks up to the young man from his side, the big bag of copper coins in his hand. "Accept this from us, and best health to you and your companions. We... we'll tell everyone passing through our village of your noble deeds. People need to know you are a true hero, not a monster like the old Siltvelt king."
Raki climbs up to the front of the cart and takes the seat of the driver while Naofumi guides Mein to the back. The cart is not meant for people as there is no seat on the side, but it has a large sheet of monster leather over it with hay underneath. The villagers clearly tried their best to make it as comfortable as they can.
The villagers help them climb up the cart. One of the men from the militia even bends down in front so Mein and Raphtalia can use his back as a step. They gather in the gate of their village together with Kyubey as their filorial 'carriage' rides away, until the village is hidden by the trees from both side of the road.
How pitiful... she's honestly going to miss this sleepy and quaint village after staying here for a week.
Nobody said anything as the cart rocks on the King's Highway like a boat, only the pitter patter of the wheel on the cobblestone road making any noise. The trees eventually part ways into a vibrant clearing, indicating they are getting ever close to their destination. Mein's vision begins to dim once again as she begins to doze off resting on Naofumi's arm, until a surprised voice rocks her awake once again. "Raki? What are you doing here?"
The princess turn her head around out of curiosity. She looks at the young knight for a few moment before recoiling her head back down into the side of the cart.
The knight Raki was talking about... he's the same young knight she seduced past on the day of the hero summoning. If he recognizes her... everything will blow up in her face, more than it already did.
"Big Brother. One of the Shield Hero's companions got hurt by a Wavespawn. We are going to the church to ask for their holy water." The princess hears Raki hop down to the cart as his shoes make a clicking sound on the stone road.
"Did they? Let me see." The knight's metal boot clank on the road as his steps draw closer and closer. He finally walks to the back of the cart and peeks inside. Mein's eyes meet with the knight briefly, and the young man's head recoils backwards.
For the first time in the life of the princess, she hopes a man cringes with disgust, than recognition at her.
"My condolences... Master Shield Hero. To have a cursed wound right on the face... she'll need treatment right away." The young knight turns to look over their cart, no doubt at the guards manning the front gate. "Squad one, with me. We'll escort the Shield Hero and his injured party member to the Cathedral. Captain Falric, take over the command of the gate's defense till I return."
"Yes sir!" The guards cries out in unison while they make a single loud clank.
The princess hears the loud snorts of a raptor and the annoyed squawks of their cart's filorial. The cart begins moving once more, this time with the fast strides of Melromarc guardsmen around them. The verdant grassland recedes from Mein's view outside the reconstructed wall of Castle Melromarc. Familiar scenes and landmarks of Castle Melromarc begin to enter Mein's limited view between the wooden walls of the filorial carriage.
"Please stay back, good citizen of Melromarc." Aki's crispy voice carries out behind Mein's back. She sees the unmistakable tips of a wand, a spear and a bow made of stone. 'The Triumvirate' statue standing on Hero's Square at the intersection of the Ivory Street and Silver Street, commemorated for father, General Anderson, and the Pope for their effort in the Great War, no doubt.
They are only a hair away from their destination, in that case.
The first princess of Melromarc wonders if this is how a convict going to the gallows feels.
Sure enough, the cart slowly comes to a stop. Naofumi slowly rises up behind Mein and helps her back on her feet. Raphtalia jumps down the cart first with the boundless energy expected from a demi-human child. She and Raki help both Naofumi and Mein climb down the cart.
The triangle shaped roof of the Cathedral of the Three Saints stand proudly in front of them atop the grand staircase. The ivory colored roof, or the holy triangle of the Three made of gold seems to be glowing back at them under the afternoon sun.
They make the princess feel very small and insignificant.
It also reminded her how much risk she's taking. Especially if someone from the church recognize the face of the first princess, and blurt it out in front of her Naofumi. She'll have to be on her best behavior, and hoping nobody pays her any attention.
"Please, this way. Master Shield Hero." The young knight holds his arm up toward the staircase. He takes the point as twelve guards stand on Naofumi's sides in two lines. The Shield Hero is shaken out of his stupor at the building when he gently nudges Mein as they begin ascending with the raccoon girl and lizard man.
"Sir Akalabeth of Lute, what business do you have for bringing beasts and their taint to this hallowed ground?" Atop the staircase, a group of knights wearing silver colored armor, with golden triangles on their chest armor and armored skirts turn their nose up at the Shield Hero and his group.
"Akalabeth, really?" Naofumi does not seem to pay any attention to the derision aimed at his party. He's too busy whispering to Raki over the name of his brother.
"They gave big brother an 'former name' when he's admitted into the life of knighthood. 'Aki' does not befit someone in the service of Her Majesty the Queen, or something." Raki rolls his eyes while slicing over his neck with his finger. "That's one thing I'm not looking forward to, if I become a knight like Big Brother."
"I bring the party of the Shield Hero. One of his companion was injured by a Wavespawn. He requests the aid of the Church for holy water."
The group of church knights fall silent for a moment, before they begin to whisper to each other just like the bystanders.
"What's the commotion?" A young knight with blonde hair walks out of the door towards them. The first thing Mein notices is the red holy triangle on his armor and clothes. The second thing is his handsome face. The princess in disguise quickly ducks her head down, letting her red hair hide her face to its best ability without her leather helmet.
It would be very awkward with her Naofumi, if one of her possible betrothals recognized her face in front of everyone. The young knight she seduced once may be unable to recognize her face through the wound and bandage. She doesn't want to push her luck against someone who spend a good few months to officially courting her.
"Sir Arc. The Shield Hero is here, requesting aid of the Church for holy water." The church knight turns to the only son of House Arc, as it's clear the young Knight Templar outranks him despite their age difference.
"Please, invite them in. I'll notify Lord Commander Fordring immediately." The young knight stays silent for a few moment before giving his verdict.
Mein feels a gentle sensation of tugging from Naofumi. She begins to climb the last few steps while Naofumi whispers into her ear once again for encouraging words.
They enters the grand hall of the cathedral. Naofumi's head slowly turns upwards, and stays there for quite a few moment as his feet stops. He's no doubt intrigued by the painting in the ceiling depicting the past heroism of the Sword, Spear, and Bow heroes. From their left side, the sound of a sermon can be heard by everyone.
"The first lesson, taught to us by the courageous sword, is strength. Strength can be abused by the weak of heart, but weakness itself is no virtue. For the good to prevail, it must first be stronger than evil. That is why we must strive to better ourselves, day and night to live up to the strength taught to us by the heroes of old."
"First lesson, STRENGTH." A booming flock of a hundred voices echoes back.
"Let's go, Master Naofumi." Mein gently tugs the young man's sleeve. Naofumi looks back down at her and nods her head, as they and their guard escort walks toward the giant hourglass in the distance. Behind them, the boom of the sermon continues.
"The second lesson, taught to us by the loyal spear, is trust. Strength of one can fail us, but strength of a hundred, let alone a thousand, is unbreakable. But for a thousand minds to work together, there must be trust between us. To give your faith to someone is never easy, but to stand tall before opposition, we must learn to trust each other taught to us by the heroes of old."
"Second lesson, TRUST."
"What's this, the Shield Hero is request aid from us? Not his loyal subjects from Siltvelt? I'm surprised." A priestess with platinum blonde hair, wearing twin spectacles peers at their approach lazily as she speaks with the head church knight.
"I'm not here to argue over old political unrest caused by my predecessors. Melromarc summoned me, provided me my companions. I think it's within my right to request aid when they are injured fighting for me." Naofumi's back straighten up, his rebuke isn't showing any weakness, yet it does not contain the unbridled arrogance from the other heroes either.
"The third lesson, taught to us by the devoted bow, is justice. Good choice aren't always wise, evil choices aren't always foolish. Regardless, we must always strive to be good. Achieving the end goal is meaningless, if we betray our virtue through our actions to reach it. That is why we must always hold ourselves with the highest standard treating everyone with fairness and justice taught to us by the heroes of old."
"Third lesson, JUSTICE."
"Sure, as soon as you pay your tithe owned to the church." The bespectacled priestess holds her empty hand forward. "Five gold pieces."
Mein does not need to know the holy water market to know this witch is trying to openly rob them within the ivory halls of the cathedral.
"Isn't that too much? That's over five times what we charge for others." Even the young knight escorting them is voicing his concern now.
"The fourth lesson, taught to us by the ambitious shield, is vigilance. Weakness and evil prey upon everyone, even the best of us. Conflict and strife does not only come from the outside, but within as well. That is why we must live our lives with constant vigil. To not give into our own selfish desires, but live the life of a true defender standing on frontline protecting others taught to us by the heroes of old."
"Fourth lesson, VIGILANCE."
Naofumi's head turns toward the direction where the sermon come from. No doubt intrigued with this almost... positive narration of the Hero who the faith is supposedly against.
"Considering all the damages past Shield Heroes caused on us, ones they never paid back by the way. Five gold pieces is an unbelievable bargain." The priestess rolls her eyes with a scowl on her face, with no doubt that the four eyed Witch is thinking about her next breakfast where she dines on a serving of baby filorial eyes. "No tithe, no service. A long line of people are waiting on our holy water to save their lives."
"I can't pay five gold pieces, not right away." Naofumi guides Mein into one of the chairs on the side of the wall. He takes off the blue tinted helmet off his head. The princess isn't too sure where he's going with this. "But this armor of mine. I heard they are made by Blue Chromezoid and worth a fortune. I'll leave my armor here with you for the cure to her wound."
"NO!" Mein jumps up from her seat and throws herself onto Naofumi's side, the young man wobbles on his feet, almost tipping over from surprise. "You can't fight without your armor, Master Naofumi! That hound from the cave, it injured you through your armor when we were fighting it. The Wavespawn will only be stronger from this second Wave!"
No matter what the first princess of Melromarc wants, her fate is now bound together with the Shield Hero with the... unfortunate outcome to her face and shoulder. If he's badly injured, or heroes of old forbid, dies... the only life awaiting her are within these ivory walls.
"You are smart, Master Naofumi. We can make up for the five gold pieces when we have the time. Don't sell your armor for the cure."
Naofumi looks into her eyes, his eyes and mouth quivering. He holds up one of his finger in front of Mein's eyes. "A week. The healer from Lute thinks we have a week most to treat the wound on your face. If it takes longer... it'll be too late."
Mein's breathing stops. The thought of her dying has not come to mind till this point. Her mind wonders back to the day when she lost her friend.
She thought she hit rock bottom when she was being pitied by a village full of dirty commoners. She was wrong, this is true rock bottom.
The mind of the princess wanders back, to the day when she lost her friend. If she didn't sneak out of the castle on that day with her little friend...
"Do you take the Church for your personal sellback service?" The blonde witch snorts at them while she makes a shooing gesture with her hand. "Take your melodrama away from this scared ground and crawl back to whatever squalid hole you congregate with your pet animals. No tithe, no service."
Any sense of regret in Mein's mind is now replaced by anger. The priestess is flat out lying through her teeth now. Everybody living in the city knows the Church is the biggest sellback service, thanks to the vast amount of wealth they acquired through generous donations of their faithful flock, and their holy water. From fallen nobles to merchants down on their luck, countless people sell their family heirlooms to the church for a fraction of their worth just to make the ends meet.
They are simply trying to find excuses to refuse aid to Naofumi... and unfortunately, herself by extension.
She'd give this smug witch a piece of her mind... if she's not afraid of blowing her cover story.
"What is this commotion?" The sandy voice of a much older man almost makes Mein jump up to her feet. She turns her head and finds her breath caught on her throat. A man with wild long black hair and beard is walking toward them. At first, the princess in disguise thought the lines crawling all over his face is acquired through age, but as the man walks closer and closer, she realizes they are old scars.
Not cursed scars from monsters, like she'll no doubt carry even after her treatment. These are natural scars gained badly healed weapon wounds.
It's a well-known fact the advancement in potion, healing magic, and even Aether in the air makes it much easier for a man to lose a limb or two than gaining a permanent scar. The only possibility for someone with scar from weapons is to never receive treatment with potion, magic AND constantly miss the threshold of gaining [Well Rest]. When a wound closes in this state, it would not heal properly and leave a scar on the person in question.
The princess wonders how this priest has a face like this.
"Preacher Logarius." The lying priestess snarls like a cat with her tail stomped. "You should go back to holding your sermons, I'm handling this just fine."
"Perhaps, Sister Amelia. Perhaps. But as a member of the clergy, we should all live up to the lessons taught by the heroes of the old and help people to the best of our abilities." The now named preacher turns his head towards Mein. He walks forward, and inspects her face. "The cursed wound from a Wavespawn. You are here for our holy water. Good thing it's still in the first stage, for there won't be any leftover symptoms if you receive treatment now."
"She's a member of the Shield's party, good preacher." The distaste in Sister Amelia's voice is all but apparent now. She clearly holds deeper grudge toward the preacher than his monstrous face.
"I see." Logarius nods his head nonchalantly. He clearly lacks the same passion as the four eyed Witch to smite anyone associated with their demon. "Last time I checked, we have enough holy water to go around. Our teachers taught us to not turn people away, even if they do not share our beliefs."
"You don't mind me being the... being who I am?" Naofumi looks the preacher up and down. It's clearly he wants to voice his confusion out, but was afraid speak his mind for the fear of what'll happen to his companions.
The scarred preacher simply chuckles at the Shield Hero's suggestion. "Do you mean that whole Shield 'Demon' belief? No. My sect does not believe in the Shield Hero was a demon in disguise. A demon would not save us from monsters pouring through the Wave. For those who save us from monsters, there are those who lived up to our best expectations and become heroes, and those who failed to live up to it for a variety of reasons. But at the end of the day, all of them are men, not demons. And even the failed heroes serve as cautionary tales, to remind ourselves to always believe in vigilance and be better to others selflessly. Some has taken to call the sect I belong to the faith of 'Three and One', but I disagree. We simply choose to practice our belief in the faith of Three differently."
"I see..." Naofumi nods his head, mirroring the preacher from a moment ago. He walks to the counter and empties both the last money pouch for the last handful of silvers he has left, and the bag of copper gifted him by Lute's elder. "Will this be enough?"
"See that, preacher? The Shield can't even afford his companion treatment." The four eyed Witch, no doubt feeling vindicated, begins to snort back at the preacher with renewed vigor. "I don't know how much this count up to, but it'll be short even if we sell the holy water at market price."
The preacher silently walks to the counter, he begins to count the coins out and piles them up one by one. Nobody speaks as the preacher does his work, with only the sound of precious metal gliding through wood making any noise. After what feels like an eternity, he looks up from the now perfectly piled up coins in front of his scarred visage. "You are indeed a little short, Sir Shield Hero."
"I told you so-"
"But the lives our holy water can save are priceless. Perhaps, we can make an equivalent exchange of something else with value? Do you have common healing potions for your journey? Or even emergency rations? The church has a duty to save lives during the Wave of Catastrophe, but with most of our healers producing holy water, we are severely short on common commodities. If used correctly, they can save more lives than our holy water."
"Yes, of course. I have a way to make healing potions with my shield, even when I'm asleep." Naofumi quickly takes out a handful of healing potions from his shield. He all but pushes them into the waiting hand of preacher Logarius. "Take them! Take them all! I have time to make more before the Wave!"
"Please, allow me to examine them first." the preacher bows his head down to the Shield Hero. He takes one vial into his calloused hand and look them under the light. "The color is vibrant, they are of good quality even if they are lower tier healing potions. I'd say five vials is enough to cover the rest of the cost."
"Preacher! You can't believe whatever he's telling you!" Sister Amelia gets up from her chair and stomps her foot. "He's the Shield!"
"Yes, I am perfectly aware the position of the Shield Hero, Sister Amelia. If you recall, even Mikage, the King of Rape, never harmed his companions at the height of his madness. I believe our Shield Hero would not make defective potions when they can easily hurt his companions. Perhaps it is you who should look inward, and not let your actions dictated by fear, Sister Amelia." The scarred preacher's voice remains with the same stern determination, but his words and action makes his intention clear. He'll all but put his foot down... and throws the book at the four eyed Witch.
Deservedly so, if Mein do say so herself.
"Very well, follow me. Companion of the Shield." The priestess responses with the same incessant mewling of those two Siltvelt rats from a week ago. It's rather depressing to know someone in glorious Melromarc has the same dignity as those two opportunist animals. "As per protocol, you will receive treatment at our inner sanctum."
"I'm coming with you, Mein." Naofumi tries to follow the priestess. Two spears crosses in front of his face.
"I'm sorry, Shield Hero. But it truly is against our protocol to allow someone healthy to enter the inner sanctum where the sick and wounded receive their treatment." The scarred preacher moves closer to the Shield Hero and puts a hand on his shoulder. His eyes stares intensely into the eyes of the priestess. "But I give my word your companion will make a full recovery barring some scars as per usual from the cursed wound. As long as nobody acts with negligence in their practices."
The warning in his words are clear to everyone, even without the preacher rising his voice.
"Yes, of course. No harm will come to your previous companion." Sister Amelia scowls back to the preacher and Naofumi, she turns again to lead Mein into a small side door.
"I see..." Naofumi nods his head at the preacher. "Thank you, for all your help."
"No thanks are necessary, Shield Hero. I am only trying to live up to the teaching of past heroes." The scarred preachers gives a deep bow to the young man.
The first princess gives one last look to the Shield Hero, and the two demi-humans who remained silent the whole way. She turns her back on them and enters the door and follows down the corridor with the priestess. The overly clean white ceiling, wall and floor makes her wonder if she's already dead after she's mauled by the dog, and her mind was simply playing tricks on her to let her see the Shield Hero one last time.
Did she pass through some threshold and into the afterlife as she enters the door into this white corridor? The princess can't help but touch her neck with her good arm. The cause of death isn't a broken neck... but her face and shoulder would be close enough.
"Enter this door, and wait patiently for your healer, Your Highness." Sister Amelia's word jolts the incognito princess back to reality.
"You know who I am?" Mein blinks a couple of times, as she narrows her eyes at the sneering priestess. "And you were going to turn down my treatment?"
"Of course we know. Do you take us for fools to not recognize the face of the first princess?"
Well... judging by how the priestess acted in the hall of the hourglass, Mein would say she is most definitely a fool.
That last name, Amelia... this Witch wearing the robe of a holy woman is probably a cousin, or maybe even second or third cousin of her childhood playmate. A shame, really. The four eyed Witch is obviously from a less well-developed branch than Iris.
"Must keep up the appearance, don't we? Won't we endanger your position as a 'sleeper agent beside the Shield Hero', if we offer you treatment right away?"
Mein's eyes narrow even more in an attempt to hide how her vision is diming once again. "Was everything happened outside an act to deceive the Shield ... Demon?"
The priestess does not answer Mein's question. She simply holds her arm toward the small door for a few seconds before walking away.
The princess takes a deep breath. She wants to run away from all this... brightness and back to her Naofumi. But the cursed wound on her face and shoulder...
It's hard to say if she's been rooted to the floor for a good hour, or only a few seconds past. But the princess eventually enters the room and sits down on the single stool it has. She closes her eyes, not wanting to see the white ceiling, white wall, and white floor that's blinding her.
Did the Three Heroes Church figured out her lie, and lay a trap for her and the Shield Hero? Is there anything she can do, other than waiting for her fate?
"This meeting has been long overdue, wouldn't you say, my child?" A warm, fatherly voice makes the first princess opens her eyes. Mein's body freezes on the stool.
As the first born daughter between the Queen of glorious Melromarc, and her Wise Sage regent king, she considered herself to be very important.
But she didn't expect a face to face meeting with the Pope of the Three Heroes' Church, in this room small enough to feel like a maximum security prison cell.
End Note:
So, that happened. Next chapter, the red princess has a face to face with the Pope of Three Heroes. That should be interesting.
On a more serious note, I'm an atheist, so in real life I'm about as against the idea of organized religion as one can get. But I found Three Heroes Church's canon portrayal where everyone in it is some combination of incompetent, stupid, or evil to be pretty off putting. It honestly make me wonder if the writer of RotSH is actually a Chinese, since having a Christianity themed evil religion with no redeeming quality is pretty much required by law in Chinese JRPG inspired fantasy Web Novels.
Which is why I decided to portray the Faith of Three as a more complex faction with different sect who interpret this 'three heroes and one demon' ideology differently. And not everyone is a brainless sheep, or a malicious buttmonkey.
Onto the guest reviews!
To Guest:
Glad to see you enjoyed this story so far, also highly appreciate you spending the time to leave a review!
To Rando12:
I don't want to spoil too much of the story of course, but the Shield Hero and the Red Princess still have a long time to bond before the cat get out of the bag. We haven't even gotten to the Chimera Wave, after all.
As for the Spear Hero... you'll learn how he's fairing pretty soon. Although I don't think canon Malty is any more competent than Motoyasu to begin with.
XD
To Guest1:
I definitely enjoy reading over what the theories other people come up with my story, even if they aren't the same as the one I wrote. Hope you'll continue to have a good time with my story!