As the Spear Hero party waited for their leader in the tavern, Marius arrived and joined them. All of them saw how miserable the Spear Hero look.

"Is everything alright?" said Rino, concerned for the hero.

Marius remained silent.

"Is this about the fight with the Shield Hero-"

Marius slammed his fist on the table, "Do not talk about that night!"

Everyone jumped from their sit, except for Leandros. And it momentarily caught the other patron's attentions before they return to minding their business.

Marius saw how frightened Rino of him and calmed himself down, "Let me think."

Then, Marius took the large bag of four thousand silvers from his belt and placed it on the table. He opened it to see the contents of the bag. Silver coins. And plenty of them. He then closed the bag, put it back into his satchel and got up.

"Time to move." Marius got up and headed to the exit

The rest followed behind, with Rino lagging behind still shocked by Marius's outburst.


Five warhorses trotted through a road on a bright sunny day. Each of them pulling a cart of wooden planks.

Soon, they reached the Lute Village and the villagers were still rebuilding their homes.

"Sir Spear Hero!" said a villager who approached them, "I thought no one will come to help."

"Where do you need this?"

"Um... Well, everywhere actually."

"Do you have spare tools?"

"We have plenty. What do you need them for?"

"To help rebuild your village."

"What?!" Lesty blurted.

"What's the matter? Afraid of hard labor?" said Leandros.

"Forget this!" Lesty forcefully released the cart for her horse, "No wonder Malty left! You're making us work to the bone!"

"Then you are free to leave." said Marius.

Lesty turned her horse around and galloped away.

"Who else?" said Marius.

All of them look at each other.

"How do we help?" said Elena.

"Help wherever you can. We will be here for awhile."


The next day, the village began to look almost like its former self with the help of the Spear Hero party. Wearing only his tunic, Marius wiped the sweat off his forehead before walking towards a well. He throw the bucket down and began pulling the filled bucket up.

With the bucket of water in hand, Marius drank from it to sate his thirst and poured the water on himself to cool down. Then, Marius caught a glimpsed of a familiar looking wagon with tattered white bonnet out in the open.

Marius put the bucket on the well and began approaching it. Once he got close enough, Marius realized it was the very same wagon he and his old family used to go travelling with. Marius placed his hands on the wooden body and memories of his time with the Shield Hero began flooding in his head.

Without hesitation, Marius climbed inside and saw the empty space inside the wagon. He got inside and laid down on the wagon floor. He closed his eyes and remembered all the memories he had with them.

He could still feel Filo pulling the wagon, Naofumi on the front driving the wagon and Raphtalia sitting with him, and he would treat the demi-human like his own little sister. Tired from working, Marius began falling asleep in the wagon.


The peaceful sound of the forest filled the air. The hot sun was blocked by the trees with only a few light got through and formed a sunray coming from above. There was not a vicious monsters on sight in this special area in the woods that Marius had found.

He then heard small footsteps coming from behind him. Marius turned and he smiled, then he reached his hand out.


On the second day, the rebuilding of the village continued.

Marius carried several wooden flanks on his shoulder and a toolbox on his other hand while on his way to repair a barn. Once inside, he saw several large hole on the roof letting outside the elements in. And the entrance was damaged aswell.

Marius put down the wooden planks on the ground and was ready for work. Then, he noticed a filolial inside one of the pen.

The filolial was white in color except for the pinkish coloration at the tip of its tail. On top of the head was two plumes also with pink tips.

Then, Marius noticed the pair of blue eyes of the filolial. He soon realized who the filolial was.

"Filo?"

The toolbox fell on Marius's hand. He slowly approached the filolial so he would not scared it. After he got closer, Marius reached his hand out to touch the filolial's feathers.

The filolial lowered its head to look at Marius out of curiousity. Marius caressed the filolial's head before gently grabbing it and pulled it closer to him.

Marius closed his eyes and put his forehead on the confused filolial's beak.

"Please... Remember me..." Marius said under his breath.

Marius then separated himself from Filo with his eyes still locked into her's, and he did not heard someone entering the barn.

"Hey!"

Marius turned his head and saw Naofumi.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Repairing the barn." said Marius.

"Doesn't look like it."

"I did not know you were here."

"Like you cared." Naofumi walked near Filo and placed his hand on her.

"It would be safer for her if you move her somewhere."

Naofumi then got Filo out from her pen and brought her out of the barn. Watching them, Marius fought the urge to go for them. He told himself there is work need to be done and decided to acted on it. He turned around and saw Rino without her mage hat.

"I did heard the villagers said about the Shield Hero being here." said Rino.

With the task in his head, Mariusevaluated the damages on the barn, "I might need an assistant."

"I-I'll do my best!" said Rino with a slight blush.


"The Spear Hero is here too?" said Raphtalia.

"Apparently." said Naofumi as he began packing his stuff up.

Then they heard a horse galloping towards them. The white warhorse stopped near them and they saw Marius on top of the mount.

"What do you want now?" said Naofumi.

"Your face is healing well." said Marius.

"No thanks to you."

"Right... I see you have your own mount."

"What are you trying to do here?" Naofumi stepped forward.

"I have a proposal-"

"Pass!"

"Let me finish... I propose we have a race. Your filolial against my warhorse."

"You wanna take my filolial too!"

"It will be a friendly competition. Perhaps it will entertain the villagers."

"You bring entertainment now? What's the reward?"

"I will gain nothing if I win. The thrill of the race will be enough. But if you win, I do have something for you. It is rightfully yours."

"Fine. But no funny business."

"Very well. Head south of the village at outskirts. We will be waiting."

And Marius steered his horse around and galloped away

"Master Naofumi? Are you really going to race with him?"

Naofumi groaned. Then Filo gently pushed Naofumi's back.

"Filo seems to be up with it."

"Alright, fine. I am curious about the reward that is rightfully mine."


The villagers all gathered at the outskirts to watch the race between the Spear Hero's warhorse and the Shield Hero's filolial.

"Where's the princess?" said Naofumi.

"She left. And so was her friend. It was their choice." said Marius.

"Whoever reached this line first will be declared the winner." said Elena.

"Master Marius!" Rino cheered.

"Good luck, Master Naofumi!" said Raphtalia

"On your marks..." Elena raised her arm up while holding her rapier, "Start!"

Elena pointed her rapier forward and Filo rushed beside her but noticed someone was missing. She turned her head and saw Marius still haven't move.

"Hey!" Leandros, "What are you doing!"

"I think I will move... Now!"

Marius's horse bolted away, leaving a trail of dust behind.


Naofumi and Filo was focused on the race, thinking they lost Marius. Then, they heard the galloping behind them getting closer. Naofumi turned his head and was shocked to see Marius just beside him. Filo saw the horse gained on her and she immediately picked up her pace to loose them.

Marius smiled. To once again race with his beloved Filo as he watch her sprinted ahead of them.

"Ella!" Marius said to his horse, and it gained more speed by its master's command.

Filo went around the village outskirts as she kicked up dirt up the air while Marius and his warhorse lagged behind. Meanwhile, the villagers began to cheer for the Shield Hero more.

"This is bad. Marius is losing." said Rino.

"I've read somewhere that filolials can outrun even horses bred for racing." said Elena, "Either Marius didn't know or-"

"He's losing on purpose." said Leandros.

The two girls looked at Leandros.

"What? It's pretty obvious."

The race ended with Filo crossing the finish line and the villagers ran towards the victor. The Spear Hero party stayed and waited for Marius. They saw Marius just trotted towards the finishing line and crossed it.

"He is tired." Marius patted his horse.

He then got off his horse and walked towards the winner. The villagers moves aside to make way for the Spear Hero.

"You raced well." Marius extended his hand out to Naofumi.

"Right." Naofumi reached out and held Marius's hand.

Both grasped each other's hand firmly before letting go.

"And my reward?"

"My beastman will deliver it to you at the inn. Until then, enjoy your victory. I will tend to my horse."

Marius turned around and leave the Shield Hero.

"You knew you can't win, didn't you?"

Marius turned his head, "Perhaps."

Naofumi watches on as Marius continued on to his horse, and was left confused.

"So. What now?" said Leandros.

"We finish what remains of our work. Then we rest." said Marius.

They suddenly heard commotion going on. Marius turned around and saw Filo now transformed into her filolial queen form.

"Did his filolial just suddenly grew fatter?" said Elena.

"It's so fluffy!" said Rino.

Leandros then saw how Marius looked at the filolial queen.

"Everything's alright?" said Leandros.

Marius shook his head, "Yes... Prepare their rewards and deliver it to them."

"Got it." Leandros looked at Filo then back to Marius before walking away.

Marius placed his hand on his horse and began leading it. He then noticed a piece of white feather stuck on his tunic. He grabbed it and recognized the same soft sensation on the feather along with the familiar scent.

He hid the feather in his hand as he continued leading his horse to let it rest.


Naofumi, Raphtalia and Filo were heading to the inn to rest when they saw Leandros leaning on a wagon waiting for them.

"About time." Leandros then presented the reward to Naofumi.

"An old wagon?" said Raphtalia.

"That is what's rightfully mine?" said Naofumi.

"There's more inside. Enjoy your reward." Leandros then walked away.

"Hey wait."

"Yeah?"

"Why is he doing all this?"

"I wish I knew but he's not a very open person. But I trust him."

Naofumi then shifted his focus on the wagon and saw Filo picking the wagon's tongue up with her beak.

"I think Filo likes that wagon." said Raphtalia.

Naofumi then approached the wagon to look inside. He moved the fabric away and was surprised to see the clothing Malty stole from him during his first day as a hero and a purse beside it. He quickly got inside to check.

He opened the purse and saw all the coins that stolen from him. He counted and it was the exact same amount when Malty took them.

"Master Naofumi?" said Raphtalia, with Filo also peeking inside.

"I don't know what he's up to. But now I want answers." said Naofumi.


Filo was in awed at the peaceful forest around her and was stopped by Marius with his hand extended towards her.

"Walk with me." said Marius.

Filo nodded and skipped forward to hold Marius's hand. With their hands held, they started walking through the forest together.

"I've found this forest during my travels. And I thought about bringing you here to see it."

"Filo love this place! This place is pretty!" said Filo.

"I'm glad."

Suddenly, an animal unlike they never seen before emerged from the bushes.

"What is that?" said Filo.

"I do not remember seeing that creature." said Marius.

But instead of attacking, the docile creature looked at the other direction and scurried away. Filled with excitement and curiosity, Filo went after the creature. Marius chuckled and went after her.

He followed her through the woods until he found himself in an open field of grass. He saw the same animal Filo was chasing but no sign of the filolial queen.

"Filo."

Marius called out for her but there was no respond.

"Filo!"

Marius called out again and was getting worried. Suddenly, Filo jumped on him out of nowhere. With Filo dangling on him, Marius's worried goes away. He wrapped his arm around her to embraced her with love.

Marius held her close and their eyes locked on each other. They leaned closer to each other and their foreheads touched gently. With their eyes closed, they felt the love that bonded them together.