This is a Full Metal Alchemist and Rising of the Shield Hero Fanfiction only.
She looked at me and smiled, "But that also begs the question why did you say you know my mother very well?" I thought about it and decided to leave that up to her imagination. She left after she apparently was buying something like a few pieces of armor. Erhard was not going to let me leave unless I explain.
"Look, kid, you can try and get by telling her that the royal family is well known, and you know her well since you heard so much about her mother, but I know that look in your eye and I am not buying it. So out with it, how come you know her mother, this kingdom's queen so well?"
I would not expect any less from Erhard, "You heard that her mother was in love with a shield hero that was summoned before, well it turns out I am the reincarnation of a shield hero, this shield of mine has a very special ability, it links with my mind, and shares everything I ever experienced, a back up for my memories for when I die and am summoned again."
"This ability, takes me a little bit to organize my memories in my reincarnated body, so when I said I know her mother, I mean it, I know her mother, every last inch of her if you get my meaning, and yes, she was as much in love with me, I was with her, and yes, that also means we were lovers. But the part that I died tragically was garbage, I was betrayed by one of my party members."
He didn't look happy to hear that last part, "Well since you know you were betrayed, this tells me you know who is it that killed you, so who was the traitor?" I didn't even need to waste a second in telling him he is the man he currently calls King Melromarc. His name was Luge Lancarose, a member of low-class nobility.
"So that is why the King hates your guts so much, and the reason he tried to bribe me into selling you defective goods. So if he hadn't killed you, you would be pretty much our current King, instead of him." I told him that not that it would matter to me, I would still be out here doing my best to keep the people of this world safe, as I should as the Shield Hero.
"So you were never after power or fame, I knew that I made the right choice in choosing to back you, kid, I guess you really did love her, but is it true that you were summoned by Silvelt that time when you saved the Queen?" Yes, I was summoned by Silvelt but it didn't matter one bit, as one of the Four Cardinal Heroes, our duty was to save the world, and thus we never swore allegiance to any nation.
"If we swore to be loyal to the nation that summoned us, we would never be able to do anything, because what happens if we are summoned by different nations each time? We could not do our duty like that. If we failed to fulfill our duty the waves of catastrophe destroy our world, so it was understood that no nation may impede or hamper our ability to do our duty."
Erhard began to nod his head, "Well this rune should help keep your armor in good shape from now on, I did my best to make it as concealed as possible so that it will not malfunction in the middle of combat. Don't even think about giving me any money, those bat wings were just what I needed for some things I needed to make, so let's just say we are more than even."
As I walk towards the witch's shop I was told actually Filo and Raphtalia got tired of waiting for me and decided to go get started on the work by the seamstress to make her new clothes, something was bothering me, all the way since fighting the Nue in the mine, Filo had stayed in her bird form.
For some strange reason my little girl has not turned into her human form, I guess this was just her being considerate since she understood anything she wears would be torn to shreds when she changes to her natural bird form. I am going to have to give Filo a little extra food as a reward for being such a good girl.
Just as I stepped into the business of the seamstress I began to hear Raphtalia, the shop had a display of clothes for both men and women so this lady is more a tailor than just a seamstress. "I hope that daddy will like these clothes, it was sure painful and tiring for me to make all that mana thread."
Well by the sounds of things they actually decided on the design and manage to get the clothes done by the time I made it to them, either the tailor works extremely fast, or the conversation with Myne and Erhard really took a lot longer than even I figured. I better apologize to them for making them wait.
I can in where they were talking and I was floored with what I saw, Filo had grown older since last time I saw her, her figure looked less of a young girl and more of a young woman, the obvious c-cup breasts, waist, and hips were covered by something akin to some pleated shorts, a vest, and some fingerless gloves and arm guards, everything told me she was thinking of having to fight and was making herself ready.
The color, however, was dark pink with light blue streaks, and she also had a white ribbon sort of belt on her waist and on the parts that were on her shoulder, "So he finally comes, guess the discussion with Myne and Erhard took a little longer than either me or Filo would like, yes, I know you met with Myne because you smell of her scent."
Leave it to Raphtalia to guess who I met just by the scents on my clothes, why is she behaving like a woman accusing her spouse of cheating on her. "Well the delivery took little time, but Erhard offered to put in that auto repair glyph on my armor, and since I don't know when I will see him again, I thought it would be prudent for me to get it done, and you know Myne simply loves to go to that shop."
I wanted to tell Raphtalia that in a previous life she had the ability to turn her fingers into incredibly hard and sharp lances, and more than likely she likes to go there because deep down she misses having that ability, or I could be quite honest and say she was waiting for me to clear up any misunderstanding after the way that shadow pretended to be her during the race with Motoyasu.
"Oh come on, you can grill your cheating lover later, like that has never happened to any of the women that come to my shop, so come on dad, don't your daughter look adorable? I used dark pink to show that she is, in fact, a lady, light blue to show she is playful and the white ribbon belt and armbands to show she is deep down she is a little angel."
I swear this is turning out to be a nightmare, the tailor is looking at this thing that screams Kunoichi going to war, and instead, she thinks this is a young lady going on a picnic. "All I can say is kids grow up too damn fast, I am just going to have a headache when Erhard sees her dressed like this, I already had to practically beat perverts away from Raphtalia and now this?"
The lady tailor actually glared are me and got a little closer to me than Raphtalia clearly wanted, "Oh, you men are all the same, don't think of practicality, think about how adorable your little girl looks, you act like this is your only child, you should know all parents feel that their kids grew up too fast, but instead of complaining, you should complement your daughter, don't you know little girls need complements to grow up into beautiful young ladies?"
For a second I had to stump on my on foot to stop myself from calling bullshit on the entire argument she just made. "For your information I raised three strong, and confident children who know better than expect empty compliments, they all grew up knowing if you want something it had better be earned rather than give, like those clothes, she actually earn them by working hard and making all that mana thread, good job Filo, you make me very proud."
"So I got two sisters I don't know about? Where are they and when can I meet them, daddy?" I looked at her and apparently, hen she transformed into her bird form all clothes change to a blue and pink ribbon with a white ribbon part that it looks like was used to tie it to her neck.
"You have two older sisters, Fitoria who is my eldest, she is actually working to keep this world safe, and your other sister is Vitoria, who I do believe is the current queen of your kind, of the Filolials. So all in all both your elder sisters are working very hard, it is true, I do wish to meet with them to see how my two other daughters are doing."
I paid her the five gold pieces for the clothes, and she was still glaring at me, "You had two other daughters and yet you complain about your kids growing up too fast, and don't give your daughters any praise what is wrong with you?" I just asked her to name any knight or warrior that gives his children empty compliments.
She thought for a second and then looked at me, thought for a few more seconds and just gave a big sigh as she leaned on her counter. "I guess you do have a point. Don't make me any happier, my dad and you would both get along, too bad he died during one of the waves." That is when she pointed to a wall nearby, no way, that was her father?
Before I walked to the door following both Filo and Raphtalia, Filo now in her human form, "Don't be like that Claire, you might not have heard him, but your father Walter was very proud of you and the fact that you were so good at making clothes, the man would not shut up about his adorable and talented daughter. He carried a small portrait of you and showed it to anyone he could during our meals. I should know, we both fought against the waves."
She looked at me and then she jumped off her seat, over the counter, and looked at me really happy, yep this is Walter's kid alright. "So did my dad give you any sage advice?" Other than the fact that I should find myself a good woman and get married? No, he wouldn't stop telling me that.
I honestly feel like I understand how dad felt when Uncle Maes used to tell him that all he needed was a good wife. Too bad the woman I very much wanted to marry back then is now married to the backstabbing bastard that killed me. Somehow I don't think Mire will recognize me, and deep down I think she stopped caring about me long ago and now is just focused on doing her job as ruler of Melromarc, her stupid father would be happy, I hope.
Well, all in all, my day was not over yet. I still have to think of a way for us to do a class upgrade for both Raphtalia and Filo, who am I kidding? I need one too but I think the pope of the church would sooner baptize a hellspawn than help me.
Come to think of it, I don't think he was that happy how the duel with Motoyasu ended, so instead now that Filo is wearing some clothes I decided to visit the apothecary to see if my good friend needed any more medicines, I just happen to have five creates worth in my inventory.
As soon as I stepped into the place he looked like he was told they just found his daughter beaten, raped and hung on a tree. "Well, I came to see if you needed some healing medicines, got five crates of it if you want it, but clearly this is a bad time."
As I was about to walk out he went from slumping against his counter to holding me in his arms. "No don't give me that medicine instead tells me Roy did you finish learning the antidote section from the book I gave you?"
I sure as hell did, it was an entire twenty-page section on the book talking about poisons, and diseases that are caused by bad conditions such as bad air, bad water, or something that was blown from somewhere else.
"Sure did, I can even make that last antidote formula? Why?" He began to laugh and handed me no less than three more books. "Roy, I never told you this or my wife, but I got a daughter I had from a one night stand, and some adventurers just told me the place where she lives and works is a place that they wouldn't go because people are dropping like flies over there from some disease. Please, Roy, help my daughter and I will owe you for the rest of my days."
I begin to wonder how old is this daughter since I met one already, and her son, she lives right next door to our home at Lute. "Don't worry my friend, I will go there right now. I will find what is causing the disease and put an end to it, you can trust me."
Well I can say without even thinking about it Filo is one happy filolial, she was singing in such a way that it made her sound like she couldn't be happier, Raphtalia, on the other hand, was still as upset as when I met them both at the tailor shop.
It would be an absolute understatement to say that this is exactly how my dead was treated every single time mom suspected him of cheating on her, of course, he would never do that, he didn't have a death wish or was suicidal enough to cheat on the best sniper in the state military, King or not.
"Raphtalia why are you still angry with me? I told you that Myne just wanted to clear up a misunderstanding. From the way you are looking at me you think I actually slept with her, for crying out loud, next time we are at the Capital, I am going to walk with you to Erhard's shop so you can ask him if I slept with anyone at his shop."
She didn't look any happier, "For all I know you both mated with her, she certainly seems like the type. You should be more careful, or did you forget how she was helping Sir Motoyasu to cheat on the race? Come on Master Mustang you should be more careful of being taken advantage of because you try to be nice with everyone."
Well, I wasn't nice with Luge on principal, but I guess she is right about one thing, I need to be more guarded with how I let others influence me. While she does have a valid concern, nothing is causing me to stop feeling like she is behaving like a housewife that thinks her husband cheated on her.
As the wagon got closer to the village we were headed to I began to catch a rather ripe smell coming from somewhere, this smell reeked of rotting flesh, and the animals that were on the side of the roads or the nearby fields looked like they have been dead for weeks. "Filo I don't like the looks of this, we better hurry I think the situation is far worse than I had anticipated."
The situation started some time ago, the newly grave sites told me the death toll was nothing to sneeze at.
"Traveler I caution you and advise you to leave the region, there is a foul air blowing down from a nearby mountain, we honestly are running low on medicines so we don't have many to spare to people who don't live in our village."
I jumped off the wagon and told him to take me to the people treated their injure or sick. He reluctantly did, and as soon as I went inside I saw dozens of people suffering from being in contact with a very severe poison.
"What brought you here, stranger? As you can see we have no beds to treat you if you seek medical aid, and our supplies of medicines from the capital are running dangerously low." I looked at him and smiled. I took one potion and gave it to the nearest ill person, in a matter of seconds the person's skin began to look more healthy.
"Actually that is why I came, I am a medicine merchant and thought that you may want to buy some of my medicines, don't worry helping you give the medicines to the patients does not cost extra, so are you interested?"
That is when Filo decided to follow me in her bird form and the second the doctor saw her and then some he began to try and hug me and Filo, "I had no idea the savior of the domesticated fowl was anywhere near this village, elder our prayers have been answered by the god of domesticated fowl! Smile, we are saved!"
Did this idiot forget I mentioned the medicine I would use on all these sick people was in fact for sale? For some odd reason, the nurse that was near him looked sort of familiar, something about the nose and the eyebrows made me think I have seen someone with these features. Never mind that she had long purple hair tied in a ponytail, and while her uniform did not show it, it was clear this nurse was quite the beauty.
"How do we know he is the real savior and not some crook pretending to be him trying to pass off some poorly made medicines?" Well, I can't fault the elder for being cautious, the nurse asks to see one of the bottles and as soon as she saw the bottom of one she smiled and gave me a big hug, those were definitely big if what I felt was any indication.
"Relax Elder, this man is the man who sells medicines to my father back at the Capital, he has told me of his skills as a potion brewer, you have nothing to worry about, he is as good at making medicines as my father if not better."
I told the doctor to put all the sick people near me so that I didn't waste time in giving them all the medicine, I also did it because one of the skills I have made the effect of medicine even stronger if the person taking it was near me. While I was giving the medicine to the people, Raphtalia came into the room and began to bring in the boxes of the antidote bottles.
This book shield is truly a miracle find, whatever potions I feed to it, it records the formula, and then I just need to place ingredients in the inventory touch the book shield and the ability will make the potions with ingredients found in my inventory. As long as I feed a potion to the book shield, I could later make as many medicines as I needed it, as long as I have the ingredients.