"Ugh. Another boring day." I thought as I threw my Jimmy John's hat onto my desk. "I just wish something INTERESTING would happen."

I had spent all day at work, and I was exhausted. I mean, working at Jimmy John's wasn't horrible. I got paid decently, my co-workers were all nice, and I was kept busy, but it all felt so bland. What was the point of working my entire life if I only got rewarded by having more work? I honestly wanted to either do nothing, or do something interesting. Unique. Unordinary. Honestly, I often felt as if I was born in the wrong world.

"I'm ready to go out questing and slaying monsters, not making sandwiches for a nice elderly couple." I thought to myself. "Why must I be born in this world, and not a fantasy one?"

I looked over at my bed, and I found a book sitting there. It looked old, well-worn, and certainly one you would find in a high-fantasy setting. I walked over to it and gently picked it up. "Records of the Four Holy Weapons?" It took me a second to process what it read. "Wait a second, this is the same one Naofumi read in the Rising of the Shield Hero!"

I looked at it closely, and it seemed authentic. The pages were yellowed, the hardcover torn in places, and the entire cover of the book wasn't made with cardboard, but with a rich, felt-like material. "Seems legit." I said under my breath.

I held the book for a moment, hesitating if I should open it. "No shot it actually summons me, but it could be interesting to read still." I hopped onto my bed, and opened to the front page. I looked around for who wrote the book, but I couldn't find a name. Weird.

The first chapter seemed to be about the Sword Hero, who was undoubtedly Ren. He was pictured as powerful, cool and collected, and a loner. "Seems like Ren."

The second was about Motoyasu. He was depicted to be a friendly, folk-hero type. Always interacting with the townspeople, and loyal to those he trusts. He was also rumored to be in relations with the princess, who was beautiful upfront, but a real bitch behind the scenes. "Motoyasu may look that way at face value, but in reality he was probably just picking up chicks. The part about Bitch seems accurate enough."

The third was Itsuki. He seemed to work discreetly, away from the common eye, always beating up bad guys in private, and bringing them to justice. "Man, he really likes this whole, 'hidden justice' thing, doesn't he?"

I realized I was close to the end of the book. The next chapter should be about the Shield Hero, but in Naofumi's story it was blank. Would it be the same for me? I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and flipped the page. I opened my eyes, and to my disappointment, it was not in fact blank.

It read about a Hero that was rough and tough, very rude and angry, but had a soft spot for his loyal companions. He was very generous despite his rude manner, but also cold and unforgiving for those who crossed him and harmed his friends. "A little over-the-top, but generally seems like Naofumi. I feel he emphasized his harshness more than anything though. It seems like it's from a semi-biased standpoint."

I sighed, disappointed that I was not the Shield Hero. "I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up, I knew nothing would happen." I got up from my bed, and walked to my door. Suddenly, the book's pages flipped open, and revealed the Shield Hero portion of it.

"Huh?" I said as I looked back. I walked back over to my bed, and the words on the pages started to erase with a golden light. The light flashed brighter, and I covered my eyes, but even so the light blinded me for a moment. Then, I reappeared in a completely different room than I was used to. The walls were made of gray stone, and the room was alight only by some torches on the walls.

"Wha-? Where the fuck am I?" I said in an incredulous tone. Four men in church garnets were standing in front of us. They all had very nervous looks on their faces.

"H-Holy Heroes! P-Please, assist our world and wrench us out of destruction's grasp! We beg of you!" They all bowed down on their hands and knees. I was silent for a moment, then realized I was on a pedestal with 3 other people, one holding a sword, another a spear, and a third, a bow. After looking down at my arm, I saw that I was equipped with a small, silver shield.

"No can do."

"Sorry bud."

"..."

"Uh, what the fuuuck?" I thought. Then, I realized I should probably act the part. I looked over at the churchmen. "I assume you are with the Church of the Holy Heroes?" They looked a little shocked, probably because I knew more than I should've, having been set in a world completely different from my own.

"Y-Yes, gracious lord, we have summoned you to this world to face a great calamity! Please, speak with our king and help us fend off the waves of destruction!"

The Sword Holder, who I presume to be Ren, looks condescendingly towards the churchmen. "Okay, but how is this our problem? Do you often just summon others to do your dirty work for you?"

The churchmen looked shocked. The Spear Hero, who I'm pretty sure is Motoyasu added, "Yeah, I honestly don't see how I tie into this. I mean, I might consider it, if I were to perhaps gain something from it."

The churchmen looked relieved, and stated, "Yes, yes of course! We shall provide you with any funds necessary to fulfill your duty. Along with even greater riches for yourselves, and power beyond your belief."

"I don't like how he phrased that last bit." I thought to myself.

Itsuki has been quiet this entire time, just staring at a spot on the floor. Now, a normal person would think he's scared or overloaded, but knowing this group in general they are all resisting with all their might to not start jumping with joy.

"Okay, so where is the meeting with the king withheld?" I asked.

The servants finally got to their feet. "Y-Yes, this way." they said, then filed out of the room.

I finally let myself crack a small smile. Ren, Itsuki, and Motoyasu however, had big grins on their faces. Motoyasu was pumping his fist. I walked out of the room before any of them, so that I could present myself first to the king. "Okay Maddox, first impressions are important. Don't fuck up." I walked up the spiral staircase, with the other heroes close behind.

The castle was winding, and I for sure would've gotten lost if someone wasn't guiding me. Finally, we reached the throne room. Giant gold doors swung open, and inside was a hall of people, and a noticeably large throne.

The man on the throne looked like a proper king, crown and robes and all, but I know he was the one known as the Trash. I walked forward, then bowed like a pledge of fealty. The other heroes walked behind me, snickering.

An announcer voiced "You are in the presence of King Aultcray the XXXII. Prepare thyselves for thy briefing of our situation."

The king looked at the heroes, not including me of course, with a sense of confidence. "HEROES! You have been summoned to our world to brave a dangerous task: Fighting the waves of disaster! Every month, a wave of horrible enemies shall tear our land with vicious claws. Your job is to level up and fend off the waves, and save our world!"

Itsuki stepped forward, and spoke for the first time. "Yes, that's good and all, but can we go home? Not into this 'Hero' stuff."

I had an inner laugh at that. "Liar." I thought. The king looked a little shocked. "Y-Yes, you may return home after the waves, if you wish."

Motoyasu piped up, "Yeah, and we were promised a reward of some kind?" The king, again, looked a little taken aback.

"Yes, we will provide you with money and other necessities for your journey. Now, open up your status screen." Motoyasu and Itsuki looked confused, but I knew that the icon was there from the very start. I had already looked a little through it back in the summoning room, and I can confirm I am in fact the Shield Hero. Signified by the shield on my arm, my attack stat was disgusting, but my defense was already through the roof. Anyway, back to the present.

"You guys haven't seen it?" Ren said. "The icon. In your lower right vision?" Motoyasu and Itsuki both looked at the corner of their vision, and they were a little surprised at the complicated screen that assaulted them. They looked for a moment, then returned to the conversation.

"Heroes! I am King Aultcray the XXXII, ruler of the land known as Melromarc and ultimately king of the nation. Introduce yourselves, I wish to know the names of those who will save us!" Ren, Itsuki, and Motoyasu stood up straight.

Ren stepped up. "My name is Ren Amaki. I am the Sword Hero. Don't hold me back."

Motoyasu went next. "My name is Motoyasu Kitamura, the Spear Hero! I'm here to assist all of you in fighting the waves!"

Itsuki was next. "Hello, my name is Itsuki Kawasumi. It's a pleasure to meet you."

I was last, obviously. "My name is Maddox Fulbright, a junior in high school. Looking forward to battling with you all."

The other heroes looked at each other, wondering why my name wasn't very japanese-like. The king dismissively looked over me, and addressed the other three heroes.

"Yes, Ren, Motoyasu, and Itsuki, correct?" I knew he was going to leave my name out, so I decided to not make a fuss about it. "Let us rest for tonight. Tomorrow, we shall allocate party members, but for this hour we shall relax and let the heroes talk amongst themselves."

The other heroes started to leave, but I interrupted, "Your honor, if I may, could you please provide maps of Melromarc and of the castle town for the heroes? It would help us plan out our battle strategy more."

The king begrudgingly looked at me, and replied with a sigh, "Yes, Shield, I suppose we can do that for you." I bowed. "Thank you, your honor." I turned to walk out of the room with the other heroes. I looked back, and I could see the Trash conspiring with another noble, most likely planning out my downfall from grace. I looked straight ahead, smirking. "They think they can outsmart me, but know this: knowledge is power."

I walked straight out of the throne room, and the gold doors shut behind me. As we were led to our sleeping quarters, I took note of where we were traveling. It would be important to know my way around the castle, especially if I had to make a daring escape. Finally, we reached the 4 rooms that we would retire in for the night. Each Hero had already gone inside to check around. I did the same, and I was surprised to see that they gave me an actually well-furnished room and not a pigsty.

After a moment of looking around, a knock on the door sounded out the arrival of someone. I opened the door, and a hooded, young woman stood there, holding a couple of scrolls. She looked about my age, if not a little younger.

"Thank you, miss." She looked at the floor, not making eye contact. She seemed very nervous, and a little frightened even. I didn't think it was from me though. "Hey, are you okay? Do you want to talk?"

She got a shocked look on her face, but shook her head.

"Hey, you don't seem okay. You must be busy right now, but if you want to come back to my room after nightfall and have a chat, I'm here for you, aight?" She looked at me again, and whispered the word, "O-Okay." She turned and fled down the hall. As she turned the corner, I could see that she had a slender, black tail. "Ah, I see. She's a demi-human. That explains why she is so nervous to talk to me. I wish people would be more comfortable around me, I'm really not that intimidating. I hope she comes back tonight to talk."

I realized I was just standing in the hall with the door open, so I went and knocked on each of the other Heroes rooms. Ren answered first. "Yeah, what is it?"

"We need to have a meeting. Discuss our plan of action for tomorrow."

Ren nodded. "You want to come in my room or should we use another's?"

I shrugged. "Either way works for me."

Motoyasu opened his door, holding a bottle of wine. "Hahaha! Party time tonight ladies and gentlemen!"

"Stop that." Ren said. "It's unbecoming of a Hero to get drunk on his first day on the job, especially when we have more important matters to discuss."

Motoyasu's smile vanished. "Jeez, I'm not THAT drunk yet. I just want to have some fun. Maybe pick up a lady around the castle or two."

I decided to interject, "Maybe tomorrow when you have your party, Ren, Itsuki and I aren't even old enough to drink yet."

Motoyasu scratched his head. "Huh, I guess you are right about that."

"Anyway, since Itsuki is the last one out, we should hold the meeting in his room." I said. I knocked on the door one more time. I heard a faint repeating thwacking noise.

"Coming," Itsuki said through the door. He opened it, holding his bow. "Yes? Why are you all standing in the hall?"

"We need to have a Hero meeting, to discuss our options for tomorrow. As you were the last one who answered their door, we would like it if we could use your room."

Itsuki nodded. "Yes, come on in."

The room looked similar to mine, big bed, ornate pretty much everything, except for one difference. There were suspicious holes in the walls and ceiling. Not many, just a couple, though I felt they were obvious. I assumed Itsuki was trying to figure out if his Targeting ability worked in this world.

There was a small coffee table in the middle of the room, surrounded by couches. We all sat down on a different couch, and I lay the maps in front of each of the heroes. "Here. There is a map of Melromarc and of Castle Town for each of you." They all nodded in appreciation, and took a map.

We sat in silence for a moment, and then Motoyasu spoke, "So, uh, are we just gonna sit here or…" Ren sighed.

"No, I suppose not." Itsuki said. "Though I think that Maddox should start since he brought us here."

I cracked my neck. "Yeah, fair point. I'll begin. As I've already stated, my name is Maddox Fulbright, a 17 year old Semi-Otaku from Texas, USA. Saving this world will be tough, but if we work together we can do it."

The other heroes looked at each other, trying to hide a smile. "That's perfectly okay." I thought. "Let them believe that I'm as weak as they think I am, then at an almost defeat, I whip the enemy's ass."

Itsuki raised his hand. "I'll go next. My name is Itsuki Kawasumi, and I'm a highschooler from Japan. I look forward to working with you all."

Motoyasu stood up. "Alrighty I'm next! My name is Motoyasu Kitamura, and I'm here to save the world and pick up some lovely ladies!"

Ren sighed, once again. "Anyway, as I've said before, my name is Ren Amaki. I am also a high schooler from Japan. I plan to get as strong as possible, so don't get in my way."

"Hey, what's with that attitude?" Motoyasu said, "Aren't you guys extremely stoked to be inside of Emerald Online, the most popular game of all time?"

Itsuki and Ren looked confused. As for me, I was indifferent, I knew this was going to come to pass, so let's just see how it turns out.

"Emerald Online?" Ren said. "This is obviously a game called Brave Star Online, I've never heardof this so called Emerald Online before. Also, I feel like the term 'Inside of' is a little outdated, it's more like the game is a reality,"

Ituski shook his head. "No, you are both wrong. This is obviously a console game called Dimension Wave, I've never even heard of these other two titles before. Also Ren, I don't really understand what you mean by 'outdated.'"

"What do you mean?" Ren asked, "All games are VRMMO's at this point. What old-age tech are you guys using?" Itsuki and Motoyasu looked dumbfounded.

Motoyasu turned to me. "What about you Maddox, what game does this appear like to you?"

I sighed. "For me, it doesn't appear to be like any game. I was raised on single player games that made you explore a mostly fictional world. I honestly don't think I've ever played an MMO in my world, as there weren't any really worth mentioning. However, I do play Battle Royale Shooters and Laning games like Apex Legends and League of Legends, along with RPGs such as Pokemon."

They all looked at me strangely, as if my eyes just fell out of my head. Finally, Motoyasu spoke up. "League? Really?"

I held my hands up defensively. "I only played whenever my friends would, I'm barely bronze 3 in ranked."

Motoyasu looked down on me, until Itsuki broke in. "Um, what in the world are you guys talking about? And why are you talking about this 'League' game like it's a curse?"

Motoyasu and I shuddered. "You don't want to know." Motoyasu stated.

"Anyway, if we may continue." Ren said, assertively. "I believe it is important to know why we each seem to have a mislap in knowledge, especially whenever it comes to these popular MMO games. For each of you, these games are well-known, correct?"

They all nodded. Ren continued, "So, other than in Maddox's case, who doesn't play MMOs and doesn't live in Japan, therefore not understanding what the popular games are there, why do each of us not know anything about these games?"

"Well, I can tell you that much." I said, "We all come from different realities, therefore if we were back in our worlds our cultures would never meet, and we would have no idea of anything from other worlds, unless we had some means of super-advanced communication technology that may be impossible to pull off without divine intervention, like what happened here today."

They were all silent, trying to process what I just said. "Sooo, like, different realities, huh?" Motoyasu said, unsurely. "Definitely not in Kyoto anymore, Todo."

I snapped my fingers. "I got that reference, though in my world it was Kansas, not Kyoto."

Ren and Itsuki seemed deep in thought. "It seems like Motoyasu and Maddox's worlds are a little closer to the same than the rest of us, huh?" Ren stated.

"Seems like it." Itsuki confirmed.

"Anyway, enough of that." Motoyasu said dismissively. "Maddox, you don't know how an MMO works, do you?"

I started picking at my fingernails. "Perhaps, though I have experienced enough Light Novels and Anime to understand what they are. I understand that there are levels determining your strength, a variety of classes to appeal to players, guilds and of the sort as well." I looked at Motoyasu with a glare in my eye. "However, I assume you were going to tell me, as the Shield Hero, that I am a useless class, no? How I drop off late game as the strength of enemies becomes too strong compared to my defense rating?"

Motoyasu looked shocked. "Wha-, hey, how did you know what I was going to say?" I ignored him and continued picking at my nails. "What you don't realize, Motoyasu, is that a Shielder is possibly the most useful of all classes. Not restricted to just blunt force attacking, or casting spells, the Shielder is a strong, multipurpose role designed to A. Protect the user and the damage dealers of the group and B. cast support magic used to turn the tides of battle. I may not be able to do damage, but in the end it doesn't matter how much damage you do, all that matters is coming out on top as the last one standing. May seem similar, but it is not the same."

The rest of them were visibly sweating as I picked apart their arguments for why the Shield Hero was worthless, and they didn't even have to say anything.

"And as far as how I know, Motoyasu…" I gave them all a glare and a slight smile. "I know more about you all and this world than any of you realize. I know that Itsuki has a special ability from his world that makes nearly any of his ranged attacks hit the mark perfectly."

Itsuki gasped. "Wait, how did you know that?" I continued, "I know that Ren is a solo player that puts on a cool face, but in reality he is wracked with self-doubt and worried about grieving others, and due to that fact he never learned how to swim."

Ren looked shocked, but stayed silent. "And Motoyasu, I know that you have a fetish for angels, and you will be completely obsessed with one that joins my party, though she will never reciprocate your love."

Motoyasu's mouth hung open. I stood up. "And I know that ALL of you, that whenever the time comes, you will be too weak to fight when needed, and you shall rely on me, even if you come to hate me. Your own weakness and your image of this world being 'oh so perfect' will get you killed, and whenever you are at your lowest point, each and every one of you will be betrayed by the same red-headed bitch, and though her beauty may be captivating, she will cause you so much more suffering than if you committed suicide outright." I stood up, walked to the door. "With that, I bid you a goodnight, and I hope that you become strong enough to stop the waves of destruction, for the sake of this world, and your very own lives." I walked out and closed the door behind me.

Once I did, a wave of exhaustion came over me, and I slumped against the door. "Holy shit, I can't believe I just talked all that trash to those guys when all my knowledge comes secondhand from the light novels!"

Still shaking, I walked back to my room. When I opened the door, I realized that the maid from earlier was setting tea and cookies on the coffee table, which was arranged in a similar style to Itsuki's room. She started to get up. "A-Am I intruding? I-I can leave if you want…" She still looked very nervous, but at least she was speaking to me.

"Nah, not at all. After all, I invited you to talk, didn't I?" She paused for a moment, then nervously nodded her head.

"Y-Yes, I suppose so." She sat back down, and I walked over and followed suit. I picked up a cookie and started to nibble on it. I realized she wasn't taking anything.

"If you are hungry then you can have some too." I said. She looked surprised again, then shook her head.

"N-No, I couldn't p-possibly take anything. I-It's for the Shield Hero, after all." I looked at her, studying her. She avoided eye contact.

"Well, if you change your mind, it's there. I'm not a huge fan of tea, so you can have as much as you like."

She stood up quickly and bowed. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't know the Shield Hero had such tastes! I'll immediately go prepare another drink." She moved quickly to exit the room, but I grabbed her hand.

"Hey, it's no big deal. Most drinks I like aren't from this world anyway, so no need to fret over it." The girl looked astonished, as if I did something completely unordinary.

"Why don't you sit back down, and tell me what's troubling you?" I asked as nicely as possible. I realized I was still holding her hand, so I quickly let go. She rubbed her wrist, as if I hurt her, but the wondrous look on her face didn't really match. "Oh shit, did I hurt her? I didn't realize that my strength would be too much for her, usually my grip is really weak."

She looked at me strangely, with a hint of nervousness in her eyes. "O-Okay, but I feel unworthy to confer my problems to someone as important as the Shield Hero." She sat back down. I waited for her to collect her thoughts. After a long pause, it looked like she wasn't going to start without any encouragement.

"Alright, let's start with the basics. What's your name?" She still avoided eye contact, but a hint of shock flickered over her face.

"M-My name?" Another pause. "It's… Elle. But most people call me El, if anything."

I studied her again. "Alright. El, how did you end up as a servant in the castle?" She looked away again. "I-" She started, then fell silent. Her eyes grew dark. I waited a moment.

"If it's hard to talk about, answer me this. Are you a slave?" She still looked away. Then, the faintest of whispers.

"Yes."

I cracked my neck. "I understand." I said. "In that case, 3 weeks."

She looked up, confused. "What?"

"You heard me. 3 weeks. Then I'll take you away." She still looked confused, but her face was growing more surprised by the second.

"Note, it'll be hard. I'm a Hero, so unless you have some family to go back to, you are stuck with me. On top of that, I expect you to fight monsters and help me beat my enemies, since as the Shield Hero I can't do it myself."

She looked confused still, but after realizing what I just offered her, she slowly began to become more hopeful. "Got it? Whatever hell you are going through, I'll come to save you in 3 weeks. Last until then, and I'll give you a new life. Understand?"

On the verge of tears, she sat in silence. "Well, what's it gonna be?" I encouraged her. Then, she suddenly leapt over the table and hugged me. "Yes! Please, I'll stay strong, so please come to take me away later!" She was crying now, and I held her gently in my arms. We sat there for a minute, just letting her get all her bottled emotions out. After staying still for a moment, she let go.

"Thank you, Shield Hero. I-I'm sorry for touching you without permission. I promise it won't happen again." She was back in maid mode.

"Eh, don't worry about it. I could tell it did some good."

She looked at me, long and hard. "Do you need anything else before I go? I could prepare a bath, if you prefer." I thought for a moment.

"Do you have running water or what? Is it something that I could do myself?"

"All you need to do is turn a knob." She responded. "Unless you would rather have a public bath, I'm sure I could find a place still open."

My mouth quirked a bit. "I see. In that case, I'll be fine on my own. Thank you though, El."

She bowed. "It is my job, after all. I'll come to wake you tomorrow morning." I nodded, and she made her way to the door.

As she was walking out, I spoke, "Hey El?" She turned back. "Yes?"

I sat silent for a moment. "I wanted to let you know that I have my heart set on a person, and I'll do anything to protect that person at all costs. If I come to save you, will you respect that? I'll come to help you regardless, however your answer may change how we work together in the future."

She stood there silent. "I understand. Though I do not know who this person may be, I'm sure they are important if the Shield Hero cares for them so much. I'll respect your wishes, if you want to be with this person, I shall not interfere."

I looked over my shoulder. "Thanks El. And one last thing."

"Yes? She asked. I smiled.

"Call me Maddox. Shield Hero is too formal, and I'd rather my friends call me by my name."

She looked a little taken aback, but responded, "Okay then, Maddox. I'll be waiting. Please, if you can come sooner, I beg you to do so."

I got up from my sofa. "I'll do what I can." She nodded. "Thank you, Maddox." And with that, she left. I stood there for a moment, reflecting. "What the hell am I doing? Offering to save someone, even if I don't have any idea of their situation or who they need saving from? Who the hell do I think I am?"

I walked to the balcony. For once, I could actually see the stars, though they were nothing like back home. "I put on this tough guy act, so what happens when something goes wrong, or differs from my knowledge? Then what will I do?"

I stared at the sky for a long time, thinking about this brand new opportunity that I have been given. I sighed. "Well, I'll worry about that later, when the time comes. For now I better wash up and get some sleep." It was already really late, the moon high in the sky. I quickly bathed, and the bathtub worked just like back home, though there was no shower head.

I was getting dressed when I realized that something looked odd in the reflection of the mirror. I squinted very, very closely. "Hmm. Something seems… off." I moved my head around, rolled my shoulders, cracked my neck, and it still wasn't obvious what was off. "Do I look more… two dimensional?" Suddenly, it hit me. "What the actual fuck?! I look like I'm straight from an anime! 2D and everything!"

I furtively looked at my surroundings. Funny enough, everything since I was summoned looked like it was from anime. 2D, but somehow given form and dimension. I picked up a hairbrush, turning it over in my hands.

"What in the world…" Its dimensions looked exactly like if it was a flat object, though as I turned it around my perception of it changed. I looked into the mirror at it at the same time, and sure enough my perception of it changed there too to match the angle of the brush. I set down the brush. "How in the hell did I not notice before?! Am I really that much of a weeb that can't tell real life from anime?" I let out an exasperated sigh. "Whatever. This is my reality now, so I might as well accept it and adapt to it."

I walked out of the bathroom and got in the giant bed. I struggled to get to sleep. "Man, I really miss my Raphtalia body pillow." Then I thought about one day that I could actually snuggle Raphtalia like I do my pillow, and I realized that instead of fantasizing about it, it is a good possibility that it could become reality. I soon drifted off to sleep with that comforting thought.

The next day:

I awoke at a knock on the door. I sat up and sleepily rubbed my eyes. I realized that I wasn't in my normal bedroom, but one gilded and fancy, as well as being spacious. "Where am I?" Then, it all came rushing back. I looked down at my arm, and sure enough the shield was still there.

"Maddox? Are you awake?" a voice called out. I looked up, and sure enough Elle was standing there, holding a tray with several cups on it. I stretched my arms above my head.

"Yeah, thank you El." She set the tray down on the coffee table and bowed. I got out of bed and walked over to her, and the air smelled of chocolate.

"I'm sorry, but is that hot chocolate?" I asked, maybe a little greedily.

"Yes, it is. I remembered that you said you didn't prefer tea, so I tried to make something a little different." I noticed that the tray had sugar cubes and milk, as well as the actual brew itself. It was still steaming hot.

"I, er, I appreciate that. I feel I'll need more people like you as I go about fighting the waves."

She blushed a little. "I-I thank you, Maddox. I'm not deserving of such praise, but I'll keep doing what I do and work hard for you."

I nodded, but I felt she was worthy of praise. Knowing what I know about the people of this country, they had harsh feelings towards the Shield Hero. I needed people who could pick me up when I'm down, and I'm hoping Elle would be one of them. "Hey Elle, how long do we have before the king's summons for us?"

She thought for a moment, and responded, "They should be around mid-morning, but I wanted to have a conversation with you before they arrived."

I nodded. "So do I. I wanted to know more about the situation you're in. I'd like to have my facts straight if I'm going to prosecute a noble."

She nodded, a little timidly. "Y-Yes, though it is not a fun topic, I feel the same way. After all, if you are coming to my aid, it would benefit you to know what goes down on the inside."

I sat down and picked up the cup of hot chocolate. It smelled delicious. "Have a seat, and tell me what's going on." She bowed, then sat down across from me. She was quiet for a moment.

I don't think I ever really described her appearance at all, so I'll go ahead and do that now. El had shoulder-length black hair that was just barely visible under her hood. The hood, by the way, hasn't come off since I met her. Always hiding her ears and facial features, even though she was very pretty. I figured it was either a matter of preference, or it was forced upon her because she was a demi-human. Either way, I thought it was strange, however I don't have a first hand experience with this world, only what Naofumi's story has told me. I have only ever seen her in a modest maid outfit, and she often keeps her tail under her dress.

"I have a question," I asked, "You are a demi-human, correct?" She nodded. "Is wearing the hood a choice, or is it forced upon you because of your race?"

She looked a little ashamed. "I wear it because I am told to, though I don't dislike it. I would rather have a choice in the matter to wear it when I want to, rather than force it to be worn all the time."

I thought for a moment. "I see. In that case, would you mind telling me your level and why you are working at the castle?" She nodded.

"I'm only level 1, so I don't have any combat experience. In fact, I was strictly forbidden to have it taught to me by anyone, though I don't think anyone would teach me in the first place. I work at the castle for my owner. He loans me to the castle during the days and at nights… um…" Her eyes grew dark. As she looked down, she started to shudder.

"...I see." I said. My voice was coated with anger. How dare they harass this poor girl, and even if she was a slave, damaged goods weren't worth much. I promised myself once more that I would save this girl that had shown so much kindness to me, a human, in a country of human-supremacists, even if she was being tortured in horrible one way or another by another human.

"Those bastards…" I muttered through clenched teeth. In case you were wondering, I was super pissed off right now.

"M-Maddox? A-Are you okay?" She looked genuinely concerned.

I took a deep breath, and regained my composure. "I'm fine." I said through a light-hearted smile. "I'm just… realizing that the worst people get put in charge, no matter the world. I'm fine, I promise."

She still looked worried, but nodded her head and advanced the conversation. She told me how she was from a small village near southern Melromarc, which got raided by bandits. The bandits demanded that all of the children would be offered up to them, as well as all sorts of valuables, or else they would burn the entire village to the ground. El's parents wanted to fight, and she did too at the time, but they both knew that if they fought it would turn out to be a bloodbath. She went with them willingly, and she was sold into slavery.

She was tossed around between slavers, and after she was tortured but refused to break, she would just get put back on the market again. She's been under this current noble for a little while now, but she spends most of her time at the castle.

The noble, though not particularly cruel, doesn't have much of an interest in her, so instead of her standing around doing nothing, she would be loaned to the castle, in order to make a little money. All money she earned went straight to the nobles pockets though, so she was stuck working a thankless job and having her earnings go to someone who did nothing to support her.

"I understand that I have it better than most slaves at the moment, but the unpleasantness of my past still haunts my dreams." She finished.

"How long has it been since you've seen your parents?" I asked.

She gave a little, sad laugh. "About 5 years now, I suppose? It has felt like so much longer." I stayed silent for a bit.

"If I were to take you to them, would you rather stay with them or assist me on my adventure?" She thought, long and hard. "I don't really know." She answered. "I think I'll worry about that when the time comes." I nodded.

"That's a fair way of looking at it." We talked a little bit longer, and I learned a lot about her. Most of it was trivial stuff, but I learned that she was 17, though she looked a tad younger, and her favorite activity was actually art, drawing specifically.

"I like to draw too, though I really can't very well." I said whenever she mentioned art.

"Don't say that, I'm sure your art is amazing, it's just the curse of the artist to doubt their own work and abilities. It's not like there is a magic undo button or anything." I chuckled at that one.

"Thing is, back in my world, there is this thing called digital art. By drawing on a certain tablet you could do things like 'magically undo' a mistake, or copy and paste an image over and over again in a single button. It made it so that you could make your art look really professional without as much effort."

El looked amazed. "Wow! I wish something like that existed here! I would love to try it!" I chuckled again.

"I'm sure you would. Thing is, to get this tablet, you need a LOT of money. In terms of this world, it would be several gold pieces just for the tablet alone, then you need to buy all sorts of software and other things just to get it to work." She looked a little confused, but nodded.

"I see. However, it IS possible to get one, assuming you work hard enough to make money for it? For a device so interesting, it would seem pretty rare and not many in the world." I shrugged.

"Not really. Back in my world, most things were pretty easy to get, as long as you had enough money. You know when it rains, lightning strikes, right?" She nodded. "Back in my world, we could make all sorts of things that ran off of lightning. In fact, it was so commonplace, the whole world would be shut down without it." El looked amazed, once again.

"Wait, so how do you get the lightning? If everything runs off of it, then isn't it a limited resource, as you have to wait for storms to appear? And how do you keep the lightning, because whenever it strikes it goes away in an instant." I gave a little smirk.

"The thing is, lightning doesn't just appear in storms in my world. We use things like windmills and waterfalls to generate lightning, which is called electricity. So even if we run out of things like oil or coal, we still have a resource that will always be there, and in such, an infinite source of power!"

Her eyes lit up. "Wow! That's incredible! Our worlds sound so different! I wish I could live in your world one day."

I laughed a little. "Yeah. It's definitely an interesting place." I said that, then remembered how I felt before coming to this world. "But it isn't all it's cracked up to be." I finished, a little darkly. El must've noticed my discontent.

"Maddox? Are you okay?" She asked.

I shook my head fiercely, almost like a dog. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Just got a little lost in my thoughts there."

El was silent for a moment. Then asked, "Maddox? Were you not happy with your old world?"

I stayed silent for a long time. Then, I gave a little half-laugh. "You could say that. Living in my old world was kinda… dull. There was no purpose for me. I would wake up, go to school, come home, sleep, and repeat. There wasn't anything exciting, like monsters or demi-humans or going on adventures. Life in my world is repetitive, and at least here in this world every day is different. You'll never fight the same monsters and every battle is different. I felt… trapped, in my old world. A lot of times, I didn't want to go on living. There didn't seem like a point. I wasn't contributing anything to the world, I was just… there. I want to do more, to save people, but also to enjoy myself. I often wanted to be summoned to another world, just like this one. Specifically this one. And then… it happened."

I was quiet for a while. El respectfully let me have some time to think. "I'm sorry that you felt that way. Aren't you glad that you are here now?" I nodded.

"Of course I am. However, what happened to me is a thing that is unprecedented in my world, only appearing in fantasy books and fairy tales. I'm so lucky that I, out of all of the 7 billion people on my earth, got to choose this world over my own." I looked down at my shield, still stuck on my arm. "I have the spirit of the shield to thank for that."

El thought for a while, taking in what I said. "I hear the words that you are saying. I'm grateful for my sake, and yours, that you have appeared in this world. However, I have a question. You said that you always wanted to be summoned to another world, and said 'specifically this one.' Did you have knowledge of this world before being summoned? And may I ask how?"

I thought for a moment, thinking about how I should respond. "That's a story for another day." I stated simply.

El looked at me long and hard, gauging my expression. After realizing I wouldn't crack if she pressured me, she sighed. "I see. I hope I can hear that story one day, then." I laughed.

"That story will be for a very specific moment, most likely deep into my heroship. You think you can last that long? The untold dangers await in the shadows, so best be prepared!"

She giggled a bit. "I will be Maddox, as long as I'm by your side."

I smiled. "I'm glad you are."

Just then, a knock at the door. What seemed to be something like a royal messenger cracked it open and said, "Your Royal Highness requested that the four holy heroes meet in the throne room at once."

He quickly closed the door. I stood up and cracked my neck again. "One last thing before you go." El said, also standing up. She handed me an envelope. "This is the address of the noble who owns me. He's not as evil as most nobles, but he is incredibly strong-willed, making him an exceptional businessman. He has his dark side, but he is mostly a good person."

I nodded and took the envelope. "Does he do anything unpleasant to you?" She shook her head. "Honestly, no. He doesn't seem to have any interest in me whatsoever. However, his subordinates, on the other hand…" She trailed off.

I nodded again. "I see. In that case, would you assume he is a reasonable person, so I could buy you from him legally and not have to resort to using my authority as a hero?"

She thought for a moment. "He would drive a hard bargain, but I don't think it would be impossible. Honestly it seems like a real possibility."

I cracked my neck again, then stretched my arms. "All right then. I'll try to reason before anything else. However, if it comes down to it, would you like me to resort to violence?"

She shook her head. "I feel that would only be trouble. Plus, my owner is very, very strong. He was originally born as a noble, but he wanted to serve as a member of our army. He was a military general at one point, but after being troubled with serious back issues and growing to his mid-forties, he retired from the military and started to resume his title as a noble. From there, he has only grown his wealth and he has his hands in all sorts of honeypots. It would be wise not to engage in a fight with him."

I thought for a moment. "By three weeks' time, the first wave should have arrived, and be dealt with on the last day of the deadline." I thought, "By then, Raphtalia and I should be between levels 30-40, though it may increase if I prioritize leveling over making profit. Either way, there isn't a feasible way to increase past level 40 and the class up by the time the two weeks are up. Filo also won't be available at that point in time, so that's one less ally on my team. This noble was a general, so he must've already classed up, and though he may have back pain, it wouldn't hamper him much in a fight, just because of military discipline." I nodded to myself.

"Very well, I won't fight against him. It wouldn't really work out in either of our favor, so no point in doing it." El smiled.

"Thank you Maddox. I would rather not see him come to harm, as he hasn't treated me horribly, and I always have enough food and activities to keep me busy." I smiled back.

"Then that's settled then." I realize that we have spent another good 10 minutes talking. "Ah, Shit! I'm gonna be late!" I ran to the bathroom, changed into my old clothes, and bolted for the door. "Thanks El! I won't forget you!"

I quickly left the room and set for a brisk pace down the hall. I remembered where I was going from the previous night, so I easily made my way back to the throne room. The guards were standing at the huge doors, and they gave me a scowl. I nodded at them, respectfully, and the doors opened.

The king, like usual, was sitting on his throne. He was already addressing the other three heroes as I walked in. I quickly fell in line with the other heroes and kneeled.

"Your Majesty, I am deeply sorry for being late. I was in the middle of an information gathering session and I lost track of time. It will never happen again."

The king looked down on me, like I knew he would. "Yes, as expected of the Shield. Anyway, Heroes! Today you shall start your expedition to gain strength and fight against the waves of destruction! In just a moment, a group of seasoned adventurers will arrive and choose to fight in your parties. I will also give you funds to start your adventure, as well as additional funds after every wave."

I did a little check around the room to see how the other heroes were feeling. Motoyasu looked pumped, but also a little hung over. Itsuki looked neutral, but I could see peeking through his facial expression he was pretty stoked. Ren seemed aloof, however I could assume his anxiety about constantly being with people was going off the charts inside of him. All three heroes seemed to have a deep wariness of me, as they should after last night. It was my goal after all, to prove I shouldn't be messed with.

The giant doors opened, and about 10-15 people walked through the door, a mixture of both male and female adventurers. I was looking around the crowd, and I found the one I was looking for. Myne Suphia, otherwise known as the princess of Melromarc, Malty. I glared at her, my rage of how she will treat the heroes of this world burning inside of me. She didn't notice me at first, but as they got closer she realized I was staring at her angrily. She gave an innocent smile, though obviously I wouldn't be tricked by that. Malty wasn't the only one who noticed though, several of the other adventurers looked terrified as if I was glaring at them.

"Now then, adventurers, choose the hero you shall fight beside!" The king declared. As expected, about half the women lined up behind Motoyasu, a sizable number of men and women lined up behind Ren, and only three people behind Itsuki, including the gaudy armor guy.

I noticed that Malty had initially lined up behind Motoyasu, and nobody lined up behind me. Even if I didn't know anything about how things were most likely to go down, based upon my actions and the people around me, this was the most probable outcome. Then again, I probably wouldn't have been glaring at the adventurers if I didn't know the outcome.

"This is… deeply unfortunate." The king said, putting on a fake sense of concern. "I didn't know that the Shield Hero is so unpopular. Is no one willing to fight beside him?"

All of the adventurers pretty much hid behind their heroes. Cowards.

"Well, then, in that case, the Shield Hero shall receive a bonus in order to recruit party members as quickly as possible. Adventurers, do you have anything to say?"

I noticed the king glanced at Malty, as if signaling her.

"Um, Your Majesty? I have something to say." The bitch herself declared, seemingly oh-so-innocently. "I would be willing to party wi-"

"Denied." I interrupted. The entire room looked shocked. I looked over, aloofly at her, a hint of a glare on my face. "You are Malty S. Melromarc, correct?" I said, cracking my neck.

The entire room once again looked shocked, though some shock was different from others. The king and Malty looked like they were shocked about being found out, while the other heroes and adventurers looked shocked by the fact she was a princess.

"M'lady, I am in no need of a noble who knows nothing but a cushioned life. Especially the princess herself, as I also have no need to marry into the royal lineage. You being in my party would only cause problems, as it is a matter of two authorities constantly clashing. Excuse my saying this, but I honestly don't want anything to do with you." My gaze hardened at the end.

The entire room still was in a state of dismay. The king looked like he was struggling to keep his anger under control. "Very well then." He said through gritted teeth. "We shall keep the parties how they are. If you wish to rearrange them, that must be done after we leave this room."

Malty looked dumbfounded. She held her tongue though, as she should. Nothing she ever says is worth of value. The king snapped his fingers, and several servants came up and provided each of us with a cloth pouch. My pouch was slightly larger than the other heroes.

The king cleared his throat. "Ahem, these pouches contain 600 silver for the Spear, Bow, and Sword Heroes, while the Shield's contains 800 silver. This shall be your allowance until the next wave, two weeks from now. Use it well. If you require more, doing heroic deeds for the kingdom and the guild shall provide you with plenty of funds, and shall also spread your name as heroes of Melromarc. Go now, and seize your destiny!"

We were quickly ushered out of the throne room, but I noticed that Malty had stayed behind, most likely to conspire with the king. Soon enough, I realized I was in the center of all the other heroes and their parties. The other heroes looked wary of me still, and their party members looked downright terrified of me. I gave each person there a little glance, letting them know I'm taking note of every person here.

"Ren. Itsuki. Motoyasu." They all gave a slight jump, though not very noticeable. "Come with me. I need to talk with the heroes in private." Ren and Itsuki nodded, a little shakily, and Motoyasu was almost visibly sweating.

"Yeah, okay." Motoyasu said unsurely. I noticed his gaze darting around a bit, like he was looking for an escape route. I smiled, just a little one that would throw them off their game.

"C'mon, I'm not gonna hurt you guys. We're on the same side. Plus, I am physically unable to hurt you anyway, due to being the Shield Hero, so don't worry." I led them down the hall a bit, still within sight of the rest of their parties, but not within earshot if we talked quietly.

"Listen," I started. "I'm not trying to be the bad guy. I get that we started off on the wrong foot, which is partially due to me, however as soon as I saw my shield I understood that I got a little bit of the short end of the stick. You guys agree?" They all nodded.

"In such, I could tell after a bit of time, I was universally looked down on among the people in this kingdom. The dismissive way the king treats me is proof of that. Clear?" They nodded again.

"I soon realized that if you heroes felt the same way, I was going to have not a single ally as I start my adventure. Therefore, I had to make a declaration that I was not going to be messed with, and that I was a hero just as much as you guys. Capisce?" They all nodded, this time more understanding.

"I understand that you guys most likely took my comments the wrong way, however if you think back on it, did I say anything that was untrue or that was a personal attack?" They thought for a moment.

"No, I guess not." Itsuki replied.

Ren shook his head.

"Well…" Motoyasu started. "I don't see how you know things about my personal life, especially how much I like angels, and though I did feel offended at the time, afterwards I realized that it was just kinda like our first bonding experience, y'know? As heroes of the new world."

I laughed on the inside. "Actual bullshit. Motoyasu realized nothing, and he thought he was about to die as I called him over."

Ren interjected my thoughts. "Maddox, what I would like to know is how you seem to know things about us and this world despite being A. not having been here and knowing us before this time and B. not even playing a MMO before. So tell us, if you want us to understand, what gives you the right to act all high and mighty to us?"

I stayed silent for a moment. I chuckled a bit. Then, a little bit of exaggerated laughter to really give off the 'insanity' vibe.

"That, Ren, is a very valuable point. Thing is, I wouldn't tell my closest ally that secret until the time is right. You've all read manga and seen anime. Telling the secrets of the universe before they come to pass is a sure way of destroying the timeline."

They all went back on guard. "However," I continued. "When the time comes, assuming you are my ally, you shall be informed right away. Fully trusting me will most likely be nigh impossible until then, however all I ask is to see matters from a logical standpoint, and accept the evidence provided as fact. If you can't trust me, trust the facts. Got it?" I said, smiling again.

They all were still on edge. However, Ren slowly nodded, followed by Itsuki. Motoyasu looked back and forth between me and the other two heroes, then mumbled, "Sure, I guess."

I nodded. "That's all I ask for. Sorry to be bothering you, I know your time is valuable, though certain matters have to be discussed when the time calls for it." I walked away, down the hall, away from the other heroes and their parties. I didn't look back, and that was that.

I wandered the halls a bit, a little unsure of where I was going, then at last I reached the grand entry hall. I was on the second floor overlooking the hall itself, and the size and grandeur of the hall rivaled even the throne room.

I noticed a character polishing one of the many items on display, and I quickly realized it to be Elle. "Hey, El!" I said loudly and waved. She turned around, noticed me waving, and smiled. She waved back.

Now, I wanted to test something. It's something that everyone does when starting a new game for the first time. Is there fall damage? Logically speaking, of course there is. However, wouldn't it be cool if I could jump off the balcony and land perfectly, taking no damage because of my high defense rating? I thought it was.

I jumped onto the railing and declared, "Here I come!" El look dumbfounded. "M-Maddox?! What are you-" I lept off of the railing, and El screamed. I was plummeting down to the ground, and I noticed that it was just a tad bit higher up than I thought. Even so, my defense rating should still cover it. I plummeted towards the ground, and right before I hit it, I realized. "Wait. Maybe this is a bad idea." I tried to tuck and roll at the last second, but I ended up just falling on my back. "OOF!" I gasped, and though I didn't take too much damage, it was still deeply uncomfortable. Thank god for being the Shield Hero.

"M-Maddox! Are you okay?!" El said, running over. She kneeled down beside me as I slowly sat up. I flashed her a cool smile, and gave her a thumbs up.

"Never better! What's up?"

El's face had a mixture of anger, surprise, and concern on it. "What do you mean, what's up?! You just jumped three stories!"

"Huh? Three?" I looked back up, and I realized that there was a third story between the ground floor and the floor I jumped off of. "Oh, uh, yeah, cool right? Being the Shield Hero has its perks."

El just looked shocked. Then, her face grew to be one of a kind of proud disappointment, if you get what I mean. Like the kind of face in anime where a character is like 'That is super idiotic. I can't believe you just did/said that.'

"Anyway," I continued, "I'm about to head out on my journey. I wanted to say goodbye for the time being."

El sighed. "I get that, but… did you really have to jump off the third story balcony?"

I gave an embarrassed laugh. "Eh heh heh, I guess not." El shook her head again.

"Well, at least you didn't get hurt too badly. You're lucky no one else saw the Shield Hero act so recklessly."

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that one was on me. I promise I'll act more like a hero next time." El looked at me, a little harshly.

"You better. Otherwise how else will you make a name for yourself? I mean a good one at that." I nodded again.

"You're right." I looked at the doors just a couple of yards away. "That's it, huh? Outside?"

El looked at me strangely. "Where else would it lead to? The moon?"

I laughed a little. "That train of thought isn't wrong, though a little cruel at that."

She turned away. "Hmph. You DID just jump off the third floor. I have a right to be a little angry."

I nervously laughed again. "Again, not wrong." I stood up, silent for a moment. El stood up as well. I turned to her.

"Well. I guess I'll see you. Three weeks, right?" She nodded.

"Three weeks. I'll think about the offer you gave me in the meantime, if I wanted to go back to my village or not." I nodded.

"Yeah, okay. Thank you for everything you've done for me. Even if it seems super small and insignificant, every moment at this castle is a step forward on my Hero's Journey. I'm grateful for the Hot Chocolate too, of course."

El smiled, a little sadly, but also letting me know she'll be okay. "I thank you too, Maddox. I'll await your return." I turned to leave, but she grabbed my hand.

"Maddox, I have one thing to say to you before you go. I feel I must say this now, before you experience any hardship." I turned back.

"Yeah? What's up?"

She looked a little shy for a moment, but she turned her gaze right into my eyes and spoke determinedly, "Maddox, you are the kind of person this world needs. Someone kind and compassionate to your allies, daring and willing to take risks for a greater goal, and intimidating to those who oppose you. You give respect to those who deserve it, and those who don't you try to help them earn it. You are the hero of this world, but more than that…" Her voice grew a little softer. "You're my hero." She looked on the verge of tears.

I nodded, then smiled. I opened up my arms for a hug, and I squeezed her tight and held her close. "I'm glad I have you by my side, Elle. I won't forget you." I let go. Her face was bright red. I turned around, and headed for the door. I held my hand up as I walked.

"Three weeks El. I'll return back here in three weeks to take you away." I looked back, and I saw her crying, though she was smiling.

"Okay Maddox! Three weeks! I'll be waiting!" She waved after me, and I crossed through the doors into the brand new world ahead of me, full of opportunities and most of all, the love of my life, Raphtalia.