Chapter Eighteen: Slice of Life
"You doing alright back there Raphtalia?" Naofumi asked from the front of the wagon where he sat holding Filo's reins tightly in one hand. His other hand held the open magic grimoire.
"Never better Master Naofumi." Raphtalia weakly said from where she was laying down, giving him a weak thumbs up. She didn't look nauseous, but she looked close to falling asleep again. In fact, as he watched, she did fall asleep.
Naofumi grimaced. He felt kind of bad that she'd gotten so tired from taking the medicine twice in one day. This was the girl's third nap since they'd left the village behind earlier.
Lucky...
Then again, he realized he could potentially use this as a way to put Filo to sleep when she was annoying… Nah, he wasn't that cruel… probably.
Naofumi made note of their surroundings. The forest that had been all around the village had long since dispersed. They were now heading into a mountain range. He wasn't sure where they were since he didn't recognize it from his earlier travels. But wherever they were, they were making progress. Very fast progress. He had to hold the grimoire just right so the wind wouldn't blast the pages around.
"How you doing Filo?!" Naofumi yelled loudly enough so Filo could hear him. She'd been keeping up the running pace almost since the moment they'd left the town behind. They'd passed by some very surprised merchants along the way.
"Not to worry! Filo can keep going, Daddy!" Filo yelled back. If she was tired, it wasn't showing.
"Good!" She might be a brat, but damn. This beat having to walk around everywhere. Though he still wished this KFC Loli wouldn't call him her daddy. 'And now that she has an outfit, we won't have to worry about her running around naked either. Though she'll still have to keep from talking and transforming around other people.'
He looked back down at the magic grimoire again. His translation pad bounced around in his lap, though he was trying not to look at it while he read. It was still going to take him a while to get proficient at reading Melromarc's language. But hey, at least he was able to recognize the letters and read a few words a minute on his own! He could even boost it a little if he came across words he recognized!
Which, the way the words and letters in the grimoire were organized, made it almost impossible.
'I hate this thing so much…' But he wouldn't be able to learn a spell without it. So he kept on reading.
...
Another half-hour passed, and the sun was beginning to set over the horizon. Naofumi still stared at the grimoire. He wanted to learn a spell, any spell. He didn't want all the effort he'd put in since they first rode out to go to waste. Raphtalia had already learned her second spell that morning damn it! He had to learn something even if he wanted to fall asleep from all the studying he'd done!
'Come on! Just give me something here! Anything!'
He was staring at the grimoire so intently, he didn't realize that it was dark out until he got to the end of a line of text and realized he couldn't read what was next. It was too dark for him to read it. The text he'd just finished reading started glowing blue in the gradually coming darkness of night.
The text was glowing blue!
Did that mean... He took a minute to read through it again. Wanting to make sure that his eyes weren't mistaking him. But with the stars barely starting to appear in the night sky up above, there was no mistaking it. The words and illustrations on the page had finally come together and given him access to a spell! 'I did it! I learned a spell! I finally learned a spell!' A notification popped up on his status screen, telling him he had just unlocked the spell menu. He opened it up, and the spell he'd just learned appeared at the top of the menu. With its description and mana cost underneath it.
'It's not an attack spell, but…' He looked back at Raphtalia, who was still asleep where she laid. All he had to do was cast it and see if it worked. If it did, protecting his party was going to become a hell of a lot easier. "As Shield Hero, source of thy power, I order thee, decipher the laws of nature; and defend my target." He stretched his hand out in her direction. "Fast Guard!"
…
A frown came onto his face. He hadn't noticed anything happen after chanting the spell. "I said, as source of thy power, I order thee, decipher the laws of nature; and defend my target. Fast Guard!"
…
'What's going on...'
"And defend my target! Fast Guard!"
…
Nothing happened. He had no drop in his Mana gauge at all. 'Why isn't it working!?' He pulled open his status menu and opened his spell menu again. Fast Guard was right there, with its description as a support spell and everything! Yet for some reason, he wasn't able to cast it. Like he wasn't attuned to his own mana...
"... … … DAMN IT! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?"
Filo squawked in surprise at Naofumi's shout and stopped. Raphtalia also jumped to alertness inside the wagon thinking they were under attack but they weren't.
Naofumi was ticked. He'd put in far more effort to read the magic grimoire than his medical grimoire. He was tired. He was frustrated. And he'd just learned that all the work he'd put in had been wasted as soon as he discovered a spell! He didn't even know why he couldn't cast it! Motoyasu could cast magic, so why couldn't he do it too! "WHY WON'T IT WORK! I DID NOT JUST PUT ALL THIS DAMN WORK INTO READING THIS DAMN BOOK JUST TO FIGURE OUT I CAN'T CAST ANY DAMN MAGIC-"
"Master Naofumi?"
It wasn't until that moment that he'd finally realized that one, Raphtalia had put a hand on his shoulder, and two, Filo had stopped and was looking back at him. "Is everything okay daddy?" Filo asked.
Naofumi grit his teeth as he tried to calmly breathe in.
Naofumi shook off Raphtalia's concerned hand, jumped off the wagon, ran up to a large boulder, and punched it. "DAMN IT ALL!" He yelled angrily. The boulder didn't budge, so he kept on punching the boulder angrily, his high defense stat keeping him from feeling the full sting of the pain from each blow.
Raphtalia looked shocked at Naofumi's display of anger and looked to Filo worriedly. "Do you have any idea what happened to Naofumi, sweetie?" She asked worriedly.
Filo shook her head. "Filo has no idea mommy." She looked down sadly at the ground. "Filo was pulling the cart when daddy started yelling."
Naofumi was punching the boulder relentlessly. He didn't fully understand why he was so mad at that moment. Maybe it had been a while since he'd let out his frustration. Maybe it was because he hadn't slept well the night before. Maybe it was because his dream of buffing Raphtalia and having her punch Bitch and Trash in the face repeatedly had been taken away by the fact that he'd learned a spell, but for some reason, he couldn't cast it, and would likely experience the same thing if he attempted to learn another spell.
Whatever the case, he kept up with his tantrum, punching the boulder's hard surface again and again and again…
Up until a firm hand grabbed one of his wrists, stopping him mid punch.
"Naofumi, stop," Raphtalia ordered him sharply.
Naofumi looked at Raphtalia. She was giving him a very stern gaze, which told him he needed to calm down right now. Naofumi looked at his trapped hand and saw blood slowly dripping out from scrapes and cuts he'd gotten from punching the boulder. His other hand was in the same shape. He had a high defense stat and a low attack stat. But he could still hurt himself punching a hard object full force repeatedly.
Naofumi finally managed to take his first calming breath and unclenched his fists. He suddenly felt more drained. "I'm sorry."
"I don't need an apology Naofumi... What happened?" Raphtalia said seriously. Though with a soft undertone behind her words.
"I… I finally learned a spell from the grimoire… but for some reason, I can't cast it…" His hands balled up in shame. "I can't cast one stupid spell…"
...
Her face softened as she allowed herself to feel worried for him again. "It'll be okay." She said as she let go of his wrist and hugged him. "We're here for you."
"I just… I just wanted to be able to do something that wouldn't make me feel so damn useless when all I have is a shield!" Naofumi said in frustration. "I got the glowing letters in the book and everything… so why… why can't I still use magic?" Naofumi asked despondently.
Raphtalia honestly didn't know. She didn't know much about magic other than what she'd already learned. So she hugged him for a moment more since she had no words that could help him out.
"... do you feel better now?" Raphtalia asked.
"Yeah... a little bit…" He said. Now that anger wasn't clouding his mind, his hands stung like hell. And he felt drained. And tired. Very, very tired. He hadn't had the chance to nap as Raphtalia had.
Raphtalia led him to the wagon and pulled an HP Potion from a box in the back. "Here. Drink this." She ordered.
Naofumi didn't question her and did as she said. As he drank down the healing potion, the pain coming from his hands disappeared. The cuts and scrapes healed over. Within ten seconds of drinking the potion, it was as if nothing had happened to them.
"Now I want you to ride in the back of the wagon and sleep," Raphtalia said seriously. Naofumi looked like he was going to open his mouth to complain. Wasn't she still fatigued from the anti-nausea medicine? "I've slept plenty today Master Naofumi. You'll feel a lot better if you get some sleep yourself." She cut him off before he could protest.
A stunned look appeared on Naofumi's face. "Are… are you sure?" He asked.
Raphtalia smiled happily. "Of course, I'm feeling much better now."
He continued to look in surprise at her. She continued to smile happily for him. "I really don't mind doing this for you Naofumi." She said, almost as if she was reading what his next thoughts were. "After everything you've done, you could use a nice long rest."
Naofumi stared wide-eyed at her. Then he looked down at the Shield on his arm. "Okay, I'll rest… but on one condition." He looked up at her. "Since you're feeling better, when I wake up, I want to ask you about those demi-humans that were trailing us in that town." He said seriously. "If we see them again, I need to know exactly what their deal is."
"Of course." Raphtalia's smile was a little smaller than before, but it was still there.
He stared at her for a moment more and then gave her a head pat. Along with a soft smile. "… thank you." He said before he walked towards the back of the wagon.
…
"Mmmmmm!" Raphtalia was red-faced after the head pat and hugged herself embarrassedly. 'Master Naofumi! He makes me want to hug and kiss him so badly! But what if I get pregnant from the kiss!? Oh no oh no oh no! I don't know how much longer I can restrain myself!' Raphtalia shook her head quickly, trying to rid it of thoughts of her and master Naofumi sharing a loving liplock with each other. Only for them to have a little child nine months later because of a simple chaste kiss. Then he'd hate her, and she wouldn't be able to fight in the waves, and… and… 'AUGHHHHH!'
Naofumi sighed contentedly as he climbed into the back of the wagon and laid down on the blanket Raphtalia had been laying on a few minutes ago. It was still warm, and it smelled of her. He still felt a little bitter that he couldn't cast magic yet, but he felt more warmth and love because of his Companion that drowned away the bitterness. 'I'd be angry all the time if she wasn't helping me out.' He closed his eyes, and allowed himself to be lulled off to dreamland. Unaware of the panic attack Raphtalia was currently having outside.
"Is Mommy ok?" Filo asked.
Raphtalia finally came back to awareness. "Yes! Why wouldn't I be Filo!?" Raphtalia asked in a higher-pitched voice than normal. Her hands balled up at her sides.
"Mommy's been standing there the last few minutes. And Mommy's face is all red. Like daddy's when daddy gets angry." Filo pointed out.
"Gahhhhh!" Raphtalia shrieked in embarrassment.
Fortunately for her, Naofumi was already heading off to dreamland.
…
*Gasp!*
Naofumi woke with a start. He was surrounded by darkness. The ground all around him was cement. Ruins of structures hid in the darkness all around him.
Worse, he realized he was all alone.
"Raphtalia! Filo!" Naofumi yelled as he sat up. No sounds came from the darkness all around.
"Where am I, and where are those two?" Naofumi said to himself as he got up. He couldn't remember how he got here. The last thing he remembered was the wagon. He had just learned a new spell. What had-
A fire burst to life to the side, almost blinding Naofumi because of the darkness. He raised his shield to his face to block it out. The light illuminated the shield on his arm. It was bigger than any other shield he was supposed to have. With black and red colors like hellfire twirling across the surface. 'What the hell-'
"Ahhhhhh!" Raphtalia screamed.
His previous thoughts were thrown out the window. "Raphtalia!" Naofumi turned and ran in the direction of the fire. It was blazing behind the ruins of a large building.
"Daddy!" "Naofumi!" Both Filo and Raphtalia yelled.
"Hang on! I'm coming you two!" Naofumi yelled, worry filling his voice. Had they been separated? Was it an ambush? What the hell was going on!?
Suddenly, the scenery around him disappeared. He found himself in the wagon he'd been sleeping in, the wagon which was now ablaze. Fires ate up everything that had been inside. The unknown shield was still on his arm. 'What the…' "Filo, Raphtalia!" He called out. The fire wasn't hurting him for some reason.
"Filo!"
He peered through the smoke around him to see a large bird-like form on the ground. When he jumped out of the wagon though, he gasped. A severely burnt Filo laid next to the remnants of some burnt boxes, unmoving. "No, Filo…" He gasped again. Lying a few feet in front of Filo facedown on the ground was Raphtalia.
"No!" Naofumi yelled. "Raphtalia!" He jumped over Filo and rolled Raphtalia over. He gasped in shock and pain. 'No…' Raphtalia looked back up at him, her eyes were glassy. The remnants of tears drying beneath her eyes. "No… it can't…"
"Da… Daddy…" Naofumi looked over in shock at Filo. Her blue eyes were already fading. "Why… why did you… you attack… Filo..." Filo's head dropped back to the ground, and her breaths ceased.
"No… Filo!… Raphtalia!…" Naofumi clutched his hands to his chest. Hot tears pressed against his eyes. "No… NO!…"
They were both dead. He had failed. 'Wasn't I supposed to protect them? Wasn't I supposed to keep them safe?' He thought. The fiery remnants of the wagon continued to burn…
...
"Too bad Shield Hero."
He looked up, and Myne's figure appeared out of the darkness behind the wagon. "Looks like you weren't able to protect your party."
Naofumi sat in his spot, staring at the red-headed bitch in shock. Myne laughed bitchily into her hand. Fire glowed in her hands, showing she was the one who'd set the wagon on fire. "It seems you'll have to go back to hunting monsters all by yourself! But I guess that's no surprise, since you-"
Something snapped in Naofumi, and he quickly stood up. A look of rage coming onto his face as he charged forward. She knew fire magic. He was surrounded by fires. She had been the cause of this. She had killed Raphtalia and Filo! "YOU BITCH-" He yelled as he punched for her face.
His fist passed right through Myne as if she was made of smoke. He stumbled in surprise and looked behind him. Myne was no longer standing there, and neither was the burning wagon. He was surrounded once more by darkness and the ruins of buildings.
"Show yourself!" Naofumi yelled angrily as he looked around. The Shield on his arm changed to the Chimera Viper Shield.
After a moment, a figure appeared from the dark door of a building. Only, it wasn't Myne.
"Shield Hero. As if. A shield isn't even a weapon." Motoyasu said cockily, hefting his spear over his right shoulder. "You couldn't even save your party members with your shield. How pathetic. But I guess that's what you should expect from a useless shielder."
Naofumi backed away. "No, this can't be real! This has to be in my head!" Naofumi yelled, putting his hands over his head. It was the only thing that made sense!
"Is it all in your head though?" Myne asked as she appeared behind him again, opposite Motoyasu. He looked back at her. She looked real, from her manipulative smile to the glint in her eyes. "You're all alone Shield Hero. No one can help you now."
"You're wrong!" Naofumi yelled at her. "I'm not alone! I'm not-"
"And I was hoping you were trustworthy Naofumi." Naofumi looked to the side. Ren was standing calmly against a pillar, looking boredly down at his sword. "I can't believe you'd kill your own party members."
"No, not you… too Ren." Naofumi said, reaching out towards Ren. Had Myne so easily manipulated him with those words?
"Just give it a rest Naofumi." Itsuki appeared out of the darkness next to Ren. Holding his bow in one hand. "None of us ever believed you were trustworthy. Running away after you raped Myne. And now this?" He looked away in disgust.
Naofumi backed away from the two. A shocked look on his face. "No, you're wrong! I had to run away! She was going to frame me! Her and the Three Heroes Church! They're both framing me right now!"
"Hahaha, as if Shield Demon."
Naofumi turned around and quickly backed away from the nun that had appeared close behind him. "The Church of the Three Heroes would never sink so low to deal with somebody as useless as you," Altara said. Her pride clearly showing in her voice. "Especially when you have so conveniently incriminated yourself!"
"We should have never summoned a demon like you to our world." The Trash King appeared between Motoyasu and Altara.
"It'll be better for us all if you never existed kid." Erhard appeared between Ren and Myne.
"Raphtalia and Filo would have never died if they didn't travel with you!" Motoyasu yelled angrily.
"We'd save a whole lot of trouble if we just locked you away like the demon you are!" The mustached Royal Knight Commander appeared between Itsuki and Motoyasu.
"To think we ever thought to help out a demon like him." The old apothecarian and witch from the Capital both appeared between Altara and Myne.
Naofumi dropped to his knees and held his hands over his ears. More people joined the circle around him. Albert, Jerry, Pope Balamus, Firo, the nobles he'd met in the King's palace, the Lord of Lute Village, Tanya, and a bunch of random people he'd overheard either in the Capital or during his travels appeared all around him. Their voices becoming like a chorus of hate.
"Who does that lowly Shield Hero think he is?"
"To think he'd kill his own party members!"
"He's worse than the rumors say he is!"
"We'd be doing our Gods a favor by ridding the world of him!"
"He'd do the whole world a favor if he were to disappear himself."
"Why did we ever need to summon this filth? Without his companions, he's just a useless piece of trash."
"He killed his party in cold blood. Who's to say who he'll try to kill next?"
'No! I didn't do anything! I didn't kill them! It was Myne that did it! Why won't any of them believe me!? Why are they all believing that bitch over me!?' He thought in pain. 'What the hell did I ever do to this world to turn them all AGAINST ME!?'
"Urghhhhhahhhhhh!" Naofumi screamed in the middle of it all. Anger and grief coursing through him like a hurricane about to explode. What was wrong with these people!? What was wrong with this world!? Why did they all hate him?!
He felt the shield on his arm activating, green flames appearing over it as his mouth opened to yell. Red lines covered his face.
"You know what to do." A final figure appeared in front of Naofumi. His outline was blurry, but a smirk rested on his face. "Unleash it. Accept who you really are."
"DARK GAS-"
"Master Naofumi!"
*Gasp!*
Naofumi sat up suddenly, his eyes looking frantically around him. The voices were gone. But it was dark, it was so dark! 'What's happening to me!? Where am I?! What-'
The flap to the front end of the wagon opened. Raphtalia peaked in worriedly, holding a ball of light in one of her hands, illuminating Naofumi's surroundings and briefly blinding him. She rubbed tiredness away from her eyes. "Master Naofumi! Are you alright?" She asked in a worried tone.
…
Naofumi stared at the half-Tanuki girl in silence. 'But… but she…' Realization finally hit him, and he allowed himself to relax. His eyes looked at the shield on his arm. It was still in its default setting where he'd left it before falling asleep.
It had only been a nightmare.
"It was nothing. Just a bad dream." He whispered.
"Are you sure? I thought I heard you whimpering. And you were crying." She said as she entered, looking down at him worriedly. She set the ball of light to the side.
"Are you okay?" She asked sincerely.
He leaned forward and put a hand over hers. "I'm alright now. Thanks though." He said. Despite that, she continued to look at him with worry in her eyes. Had it really been that bad?
He decided it'd be for the best not to dwell on the nightmare he'd had and stopped thinking about it. "How long was I asleep?" He asked.
Raphtalia stared at him, visually making sure he was okay. "About seven hours." She finally said. He was surprised. He had slept for that long? "Filo ran for half that time before I made her stop at the base of a large hill. She ate all the monsters in the nearby area before she went to bed. I've been keeping watch ever since. I felt it'd be best to let you rest." Raphtalia further explained.
"... Well, at least I won't have to cook for Filo tonight." He said optimistically.
"... That might have been because I promised her you'd cook us breakfast in the morning." Raphtalia admitted sheepishly.
…
Naofumi sighed, and leaned back against the covering of the wagon. "I guess there's no backing out of that promise?"
Raphtalia shook her head. "Figures." He muttered. "I guess I don't have much of a choice. My cooking is one of the only things helping to keep her somewhat obedient."
"Maybe if we continue to be nice to Filo and treat her as our daughter, she won't need a monster crest or good cooking to behave," Raphtalia suggested.
"Ha, as if that'd actually work." He muttered, looking down at his legs. 'I'm still not going to think of that Chicken Loli as my daughter. The last thing I need is the other heroes thinking I've gone off the deep end again.'
Raphtalia, instead of inviting her master out of the wagon, sat down next to him, holding her hands in her lap. With what had happened while he was asleep mostly out of the way, and as much as she'd like to press him about what he'd been dreaming about, she knew the subject was about to change to an uncomfortable one. She decided not to try and avoid it, and waited for Naofumi to bring it up.
That didn't keep her tail from moving apprehensively behind her.
"What do you know about those Siltvelt demi-humans?" Naofumi asked. It wasn't a hard voice, but neither was it soft. It was like a calm, a calm that could fall to either side depending on what way the conversation went.
Raphtalia looked down at her hands. "I don't know much. I've never visited Siltvelt before." She admitted.
"But you know more than what you told me before at Elhart's place?" Naofumi asked.
…
Raphtalia's head lowered, as if she was ashamed. "I knew a little bit… but I wasn't sure what you would have done if I told you." She admitted quietly.
...
Naofumi raised her chin up so he could look her in the eye. He didn't look upset as much as he did worried. "It's okay. I wouldn't want to leave you or Filo behind no matter how good the offer was."
Raphtalia smiled. "Weren't you wanting to be rid of Filo this morning?" She asked.
"Okay, maybe I was lying about not leaving Filo. But you care for her too, so I can't leave you both." Naofumi said.
Raphtalia held his hand. It was progress on his end. Or maybe it was because he saw the uses of a Filolial that could help them travel. Whatever it was, it helped her to start talking. "To be honest, almost all demi-humans view the Shield Hero as a Savior. Some go as far as viewing the Shield as their God." She started. "And Siltvelt is one of those places. I learned that from my parents."
"When I grow up, I want to meet the Shield Hero!" A young Raphtalia yelled happily to her father. Who chuckled at the childlike way she'd said it.
"I wouldn't mind getting to see a Cardinal Hero myself." He said.
"I'm sure every demi-human from Castle Town to Siltvelt would love to meet him, dear." Raphtalia's mother said as she appeared, resting her chin on her husband's shoulder.
"True. But I'd be happy if our daughter got the chance to see him face to face." He smiled widely. "It's because of him that us demi-humans are here today."
Raphtalia looked curiously at her parents from her father's lap. "Is the Shield Hero the most popular hero out of the four heroes of legend?" She asked curiously.
"Not so much among humans as demi-humans Raphtalia. It also depends. For example, there is said to be a group of demi-humans with amber colored eyes who love the Sword Hero as their unique eye color marks them as the descendant of a past Sword hero." Her father said as he closed the storybook he'd been reading to her from.
"Really?" Raphtalia asked curiously.
"Yes. There is diversity amongst the races. But for Siltvelt, no one is higher than the Shield Hero. It's even said that some of the Shield Hero's descendants were among the greatest rulers in Siltvelt."
Raphtalia moved out of her Father's lap to stand in front of her parents. She continued to look at them curiously. "Does that mean Siltvelt is a good place for demi-humans because of the Shield Hero?" She asked.
The smiles on her parent's faces suddenly became strained. "Yes, it was… at one point." Her Father said, forcing happiness into his voice.
Raphtalia looked at her parents confusedly, sensing their change of demeanor. "Does Siltvelt not love the Shield Hero anymore?" She asked sadly.
"Oh, it isn't that sweetie." Her mom said. "They still love and worship the Shield Hero in Siltvelt."
Raphtalia continued to look confused. "Then why-"
"We'll explain when you're older Raphtalia." Her Father said, cutting her off. "For now… here comes the tickle monster!" With that, her Father jumped out of his chair and began tickling Raphtalia all over.
"Ahhhh! Noooo!" Raphtalia yelled happily as she fell back to the ground while being tickled in all her sensitive spots. She tried in vain to resist and rolled on the ground laughing. Up above, her parents tickled her relentlessly, laughing happily with their daughter.
Her original question was soon forgotten under the maelstrom of flailing limbs and childlike laughter.
Raphtalia looked up at Naofumi. He didn't appear mad. Rather, he was looking down at his hands with a contemplative expression. 'So I was right about those demi-humans worshipping the Shield Hero… and if the whole nation worships the Shield Hero like the Three Heroes Church worships the Sword, Spear, and Bow Heroes…'
Naofumi looked up at Raphtalia. "If I'm worshipped as a God by the demi-humans, why haven't I seen them before today?" He asked. Had he known before the first wave, he could have easily escaped over into Siltvelt. The Church hadn't been sure if he'd survived the mines or not, so it would have been easy for him and Raphtalia to sneak across the border.
Raphtalia's ears folded to her head as if she were ashamed. "I didn't realize at first how severe our situation was." She admitted. "Had I known, I would have suggested Siltvelt being a place to go since they worship you."
Naofumi could get part of her reasoning. He had, after all, kept her in the dark about his reasons for running away from the Capital until after the Sacred Duel between him and Motoyasu. 'But she knows why I ran away now. And she said she would have back then... So what would make her want to keep away from wanting to leave the country for Siltvelt? Her parents never told her anything about the place... Unless…' "Was back in that village the first time you met demi-humans from Siltvelt?" He asked.
Raphtalia shook her head. "From what I understand, they've been searching the Kingdom for you for a long while… the first time I met demi-humans from Siltvelt was back in Dragon Village... I was approaching the bathhouse when I was confronted by two shuzaku." She said.
"Shuzaku?" Naofumi asked.
"They're a race of demi-humans," Raphtalia said sadly while looking towards the back of the wagon. "One of the elite races of Siltvelt. Distinguished with red wings and claws hands. The two I met were males. They said they were searching for you under the orders of the Grand Council... they weren't very nice…"
...
'Wait… didn't she mention…' He finally remembered that time from what felt like a long time ago. He'd asked Raphtalia if the bathhouse in Dragon Village had offered private baths when they walked by it. She'd said it had and had admitted it was because she didn't like some of the stares the men were giving her. He'd written it off as some idiot lolicons wanting to get a look at Raphtalia. He had never felt to press…
He realized Raphtalia was remaining silent now, and he became worried. "Raphtalia, what did they do?" He asked as he gave her hand a squeeze.
…
"When they realized that I was part Raccoon… I learned why my parents never talked about Siltvelt…" She looked back at Naofumi with tears in her eyes. Her tail wrapped around one of her legs, and she lowered her head in shame again. "The demi-humans of Siltvelt hate humans. But they also appear to exercise prejudice against Raccoons too. They... they said the Raccoons had betrayed their nation..."
…
Her fists clenched. He was starting to get the bigger picture from what the demi-humans he'd overheard back at the village had said. "I don't know what my race did. But they said some of the nastiest things to me Master Naofumi. And they threatened me at sword point to reveal where you were hiding. Somehow, they thought that I was hiding you in Melromarc just to spite Siltvelt, and they wanted to kill me and take you away... If it hadn't been for Jerry chasing them off…" Raphtalia couldn't continue. Tears were falling from her eyes and she hung her head in shame. She hadn't told Naofumi because she hadn't wanted to worry him. She hoped Naofumi wouldn't be mad at her for keeping this from him.
...
Naofumi's weight shifted, and Raphtalia was surprised when a pair of warm arms brought her close, allowing her to lean into Naofumi's unarmored chest. "It's okay." He said. One of his hands moving through her hair comfortingly. 'So Jerry wasn't just treating her well because she was a customer.' The realization finally hit him.
He felt a little bad for assuming the blacksmith had been a lolicon before.
"You're… you're not mad?" She asked, sniffling a little.
"By the sounds of it, these people in Siltvelt sound like a bunch of religious zealots," Naofumi said calmly. "And I don't think we'd have anything to gain moving from one country of religious zealots to another." He chuckled. He found it ironic. He was being hunted and persecuted in this country, but he'd prefer being hunted and persecuted in Melromarc than being treated as a figurehead in a different country that would persecute and/or kill Raphtalia and possibly Filo. "Besides, you're my Sword and Companion," Naofumi mentioned. "I'm not going anywhere without you by my side. Whether some ruling class approves of Raccoons or not."
…
Raphtalia wiped tears from her eyes. "And, and Filo?" Raphtalia asked again.
He thought about it. "Ehhhh, maybe I wouldn't leave her too." He said with a shrug. She looked up into his eyes and saw them twinkling with mischief. Before she could realize why he released her and looked towards the wagon's front flap. "After all, I'm not sure I approve of you listening in on important conversations, FILO!" He yelled.
"Ahhhhh!" The surprised to be caught girl fell through the flap onto the floor of the wagon in a heap of limbs.
"Filo!" Raphtalia said in worry as she reached for the girl.
"Yeah, went straight to sleep my &^%!" Naofumi yelled.
Raphtalia stopped reaching and looked to Naofumi in shock. "Naofumi, language!" Raphtalia berated him. However, she was surprised to see him not looking angry. But again, his eyes were showing mischievousness.
"Wahhhh! Daddy you big meanie! You're being all lovey-dovey with mother and not Filo!" Filo cried childishly as she beat her fists against the floor of the wagon.
"No, this is me being mean!" Naofumi said as he crouched over and proceeded to tickle Filo relentlessly. The surprised Filo tried to resist, but couldn't stop herself from rolling all over the floor of the wagon, laughing her head off as Naofumi continued to tickle her. "How do you like peeking in on people's conversations now Filo!?" Naofumi asked, trying to hold back his own laughter. "Huh?! Huh?!"
"Hahahaha! Stop, please! Hahahaha! Daddy! DADDDDY!" Filo continued to laugh despite her pleas, enjoying the attention.
Raphtalia gasped at the familiarity of the sight in front of her. For a moment, she saw the same memory she'd shared with Naofumi pass before her mind again. Only Filo had taken her place as the little girl. 'Filo… Naofumi...' A wide smile appeared on her face, and Raphtalia joined Naofumi on the fun. Replacing her mother's spot in the memory while Naofumi replaced her Father's. "Are your feet ticklish too honey?" She asked as she started tickling the bottom of Filo's feet. Continuing her memory where it had left off.
"Augh! NO! NOOOOOO!" Filo yelled whilst laughing from the double tickle tortures being applied to her.
Raphtalia started to laugh, and Naofumi started to laugh too. 'We might be on the run from the Capital, the Three Heroes Church, and mercenaries from Siltvelt…' Raphtalia looked from Filo to Naofumi. 'But I'm so glad we can still have moments like this despite all that.' Even if Naofumi didn't view Filo as his daughter and got annoyed with her for acting like a child, he looked very happy in that moment.
The thought of kissing him went through her mind again, and Raphtalia's face burned a bright red. 'Oh no! Not again!'
"WAHHHHHHH!"
It'd be a long while before Raphtalia and Filo went back to bed. Allowing Naofumi to keep watch for danger in the night. But for now, all three enjoyed the family moment they were having.
Hero Clips!
What if we kissed?!
'Master Naofumi! He makes me want to kiss him so badly!' Raphtalia thought to herself where she sat in the corner of the camp. Naofumi was making breakfast in the background, and Filo was running around as a small child, chasing a butterfly. Raphtalia was still red from the head pat he had given her that morning for getting the ingredients he needed for today's breakfast.
'But if I kiss him, I could end up getting pregnant!' She thought.
Her mind briefly entertained the risk. 'No, I can't get pregnant now! I have to be able to fight for Naofumi, not raise a family! Even though I'd really like to raise a family with him!'
Her mind wandered. Imagining something more simple she could do instead to show her appreciation. Like massaging his shoulders for him instead. Raphtalia's face blushed a brighter red at the thought, but it seemed safer. He always seemed so tense. 'Wait, but if I do that, then Naofumi might feel obligated to kiss me in appreciation! I have to think of something else!'
She imagined themselves going out on a date. That would be a great way to show her appreciation. And- 'Oh no! But Rifana always told me about how guys are supposed to kiss girls on dates! What if Naofumi took me on one and I was obligated to kiss him! Then I'd… I'd...' She thought.
Her mind wandered even further upon a realization. Naofumi gave her headpats whenever she did something for him without being asked. But what if Naofumi decided to kiss her instead of giving her a head pat as a show of appreciation for doing something for him. Like the time she'd made the sandwich for him! Her eyes widened at that. Anything she could do for him would end with them kissing and raising a family.
'Oh no! I won't be able to do anything for Naofumi anymore in fear of being rewarded! But if I don't do anything for him, then he could think I'm useless, and then I'd do something nice to make it up to him and then, then, then…'
"Ah! Ahhh! Ahhhhhhh!" Raphtalia started to roll around on the ground. Feeling embarrassed because she had no idea what to do. Every outcome always seemed to end with them kissing!
Filo and Naofumi looked down confusedly at Raphtalia. Naofumi was holding two plates of food; one for her and one for himself. Filo was holding the pot that held the rest of the food he'd made. "Daddy, what's wrong with Mommy?" Filo quizzically asked Naofumi.
"I have no idea," Naofumi said dryly while he and Filo watched Raphtalia rolling around on the ground.
'What do I do what do I do what do I do?!..." Raphtalia thought over and over again in her embarrassment.
Naofumi sighed.
Sometimes, he really wished he had her power to read minds.
Hero Clips!
Ara Ara Naofumi-kun
*Gasp!*
Naofumi woke with a start. He was surrounded by darkness. He couldn't see anything around him. His hands and legs were tied down. 'Is this another nightmare?!'
"Raphtalia! Filo!" Naofumi yelled as he tried to sit up. No sounds came from the darkness all around.
"Where am I, and where are those two?" Naofumi said to himself. He couldn't remember how he got here. The last thing he remembered was the wagon. He had just learned a new spell. How had he gotten here… and why did the ground beneath him feel so soft?
A candle lit itself on his left. The light allowed him to recognize that he was back in the room he'd stayed in at the castle. He was lying in a large, comfortable bed. He was dressed in only a bathrobe, and his arms and legs were restrained by rope.
He was confused as hell. 'How did I get back here!? What am I doing back here!? Why the hell am I tied up in only a bathrobe!?'
The door to the room slid open, and Naofumi looked up. He wanted to ask whoever it was for answers right now. But instead, his eyes bugged out at what he saw.
"Ra-Raphtalia?!"
Raphtalia had a towel wrapped around her. Her hair was damp from having showered. She smiled seductively as she started to approach the bed. Eyeing him like he was a piece of prey. 'No way. There's no way.'
"Ara Ara, Naofumi-kun. Are you ready to begin?"
"Augh! Augh! Aughhhhhhh!" Naofumi awoke with a start in the back of the wagon. Screaming his head off. He looked absolutely scared after what he'd seen in his dream.
"Master Naofumi! Are you okay?! Why are you screaming?!" Raphtalia asked worriedly outside the wagon's front flap.
Naofumi clutched at his chest. His heart was beating faster than a drummer that'd had a little too much caffeine. 'That does it! I'm finding a demi-human who can teach Raphtalia about the changes in her body!'
"Master Naofumi?!"
"Is daddy okay?!"
'Ara Ara, Naofumi-kun.'
Naofumi shook. He still couldn't get those damn words out of his mind. Nor could he get rid of the image. Something was rising, but it certainly wasn't the Shield Hero.
"How am I ever going to look at Raphtalia the same way again?!"
Till Next Time
Allen