Night. It's the time of day when people take a break from their daily lives, plunging into the expanses of the Sleepy Kingdom. For someone, on the contrary, it's the right time to work, because inspiration is so bubbling out of their heads. Someone admires her, and someone is... horrified. Why? Because night is the time when all the accumulated dirt of society comes out. It's time when even your native four walls may not protect you from those who inhabit it. Thieves, murderers, psychos and other representatives of the marginal community. It's their time.
On one of those rainy nights, a cloaked figure ran through the back streets of a dark city. From whom, you may ask? From the guards. Running deeper into the alley, the figure pressed against the wall, inhaling air like a pump. A soaked, tattered raincoat barely held the person hiding under it from the fierce downpour. We don't know what happened yet, but it's clear that the guards had good reasons to catch the figure. After taking a deep breath, the person was going to hide here as long as necessary, but a sudden shout from the soldier made the legs move again. The figure ran barefoot on dirty and wet tiles, sometimes sliding from the water, trying not to collide with some unsuccessfully standing barrel. A winding path led to a crossroads, where the figure shook its head before disappearing into another alley. The guards were shouting behind him, trying to catch up with the fugitive, but he was faster and soon all the voices died down. Did they lost him?
The heart is beating like crazy, making the rhythm of a nail hammered in. It would be a mistake to stay in place, as the guards in the capital were extremely attentive in their search for criminals. The figure raised its hands closer to its nostrils, and the bright aroma of dark red blood could be felt under its claws, which made the person shudder to the point of goosebumps. Wrapped in a tattered cloak, the fugitive continued his escape, walking along the path towards the light. It was getting harder to run, his body could barely withstand such loads. But it was worth it, to feel that wonderful feeling of freedom again. Freedom…
But it may not last long. The light at the end of the alley was blocked by a couple of soldiers, who immediately began to advance at the sight of the traveler. The escapee tried to go back, but the guards could be heard talking from there. Dead end. Go at the soldiers with your fists and you're already lying in a ditch. So what should he do? In situations of extreme danger, people come to rather extraordinary decisions. And so, for lack of an alternative, the fugitive jumped onto the wall of the right-hand building and began to climb it with his claws. It was difficult because of the water and general fatigue, but overcoming the difficulties, the traveler began to jump from wall to wall, until eventually he found himself on the roof.
Above, no one could attack the traveler, because all the danger is now below. The only enemies left were the raging wind, rain, and slippery roofs. One wrong step, and you'll roll head over heels back to earth. Taking a deep breath, the figure slowly walked forward along the gable. He had to walk very carefully, as the old tiles could move out of place at any moment. Taking into account the accumulated fatigue of the figure, it was increasingly difficult to maintain concentration. Especially considering the fact that somewhere on earth there are evil soldiers with lanterns roaming.
Dropping slightly, the figure moved with quick steps from one end of the roof to the other, in order to then jump to the neighboring house. It was possible to calm down. It seemed that the guards now had no way to reach the fugitive from above, so the person had a great opportunity to escape from the city. Or so it seemed to him...
A couple of accidentally detached tiles scared him, but the fugitive quickly returned to movement. After passing through several more buildings, he was already fully confident of escaping, so he stopped paying any attention to his surroundings. That's what killed him. Literally a second was not enough to jump, as an arrow appeared from nowhere and hit him right in the leg. The fugitive immediately rolled down the roof, straight into the darkness of the alleys, landing on wooden barrels. It was already impossible to get to his feet, the arrow hit him right in the calf and went through. Looking up from his feet, the figure saw the guards approaching. The light of the lanterns illuminated their dark armor and their faces covered with a helmet mask. The stone tiles shook from the massive footsteps of metal boots, and with it the fugitive's hope faded.
"Well, look who's lying around here!" One of the guards who came closest to them said in a malicious, mischievous tone through his mask. "Did you get there, little bitch?"
"Wait... d-don't touch me!" The fugitive begged for mercy.
The soldier grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the broken planks.
"Let's take a look at the hero of the occasion," With one sharp movement, the soldier removed the hood from the figure.
Beneath the cloak was a starved, exhausted half-man, half-dog. The soldier held the lantern closer to his face to get a good look. His eyes were covered in blood, and there were dark bags under them. The dog's ears drooped pitifully. He looked at the guard with desperate eyes that hid anger.
"As I thought, it's just a nasty little thing."
A couple of seconds later, the fugitive is lying on the ground, where a soldier's foot steps on his head. He whimpers in pain, but they didn't arouse pity in the guard. On the contrary, it awakened a much better feeling, he enjoyed it.
"Well, how does freedom taste to you? Do you feel that pleasant smell of rain? Don't worry, this will be the last time you'll feel anything," The soldier pressed down on the demi-human's head, causing him to scream in pain. "And you had the audacity to go against the mark and rip your master's throat out! You liked watching him choke on his own blood, didn't you, scum?!"
"Noooooooooo!" The fugitive denied it.
"Noooooooooo!" The soldier skillfully parodied him. "You're yelling like a woman. When you killed a man, you were much braver."
"Well, that's it, stop messing with it already!" Another guard shouted. "We've been following him for almost a couple of hours already, let's go!"
"Enough?! I'm going to slam this fucker right here!"
"Well, slam faster! I'm tired of running" The soldier was given the go-ahead to act.
"Yes," the guard turns his head back to the fugitive, and is just about to pull the blade out of its sheath when…
"Wait a minute!"
...he was interrupted.
In the distance from everyone, there was a small silhouette of a large build under an umbrella. He was completely invisible, except for the umbrella and the top hat on his head. As soon as the silhouette announced his wish, all the guards paid attention to him, the voice was painfully familiar.
"It seems to me that it would be wasteful to get rid of this demi-human now. He can still serve someone very well, oh yes."
"He killed a man. He is a murderer, and murderers must be punished," The failed executioner stated firmly and clearly.
"People die every day for various reasons. One more, one less, there's not much difference. But demi-humans are a very valuable resource, oh yes," The unknown continued in a sarcastic and squeaky voice.
"You're selling them, that's why they're valuable to you! But for us, it's just a consumable. And this one has also gone over the mark! Will he be a good boy next time?!" The soldier clearly did not like being interrupted from his long-awaited work.
"That's right, oh yes! I guarantee I'll make a perfect slave out of him! And to make sure of my guarantee, don't forget that Her Majesty personally gave me the right to dispose of all the demi-humans in the capital and the surrounding villages, oh yes," This evil entrepreneur clearly knew what he was doing. "So give me this demi-man."
"...You know, in another situation, I would really give it to you."
Suddenly, the guard trampled the fugitive's head into the ground. And then again, and again, and again, and again… When he thought it was enough, he cleaned his stained shoe on the tile.
"But he broke the law. And I hate violators."
Although it was not visible because of the darkness, the strange figure only smiled in response to such a rude refusal. Yes, he may have lost today, but who knows what lies ahead?
You may be wondering: what was the point of this whole performance? Wasn't it already obvious that demi-humans in Melromarc weren't perceived as full-fledged individuals? Well, let's get back to where we left off.…
***
"My name is Melty S Melromark and now I am your companion."
Oh yes, the new companion of our Shield Hero. Old friend Malty was replaced by her younger, though already grown-up sister. We'll find out later what the eldest child is doing at the same time. Now it's worth paying attention to Jun's reaction.
"What?"
The mental processes in his head immediately recognized the obvious signs of danger. In front of Iwatani was the Princess Melromarc herself, announcing her joining the team. From the realization of this fact, Jun almost turned white, because now an even greater degree of responsibility has fallen on him. As soon as something happens to Melty, the Shield Hero will immediately say goodbye to his life. Besides, does she even know how to fight?
"As I can see, you've already imagined more than one variation of your own execution," the princess was very perceptive. "I hasten to reassure you, I can be a worthy partner for a Hero."
"But... you're a princess..." The girl's gaze grew heavier for a moment. "Aren't you supposed to be doing other things?" Jun didn't mean to be arrogant. Melty's desire to go on an adventure with him seemed very strange, given her status.
"And what should I do, in your opinion?" Iwatani seemed to feel Princess Melromarc pressuring him for unnecessary words, which made him shrink in front of her. Seeing this, Melty calmed down. "I understand that this sounds strange and perhaps even threatening to you, but listen to me. The Shield Hero, as you can already understand, is hated in Melromarc, to put it mildly, so no one would want to join you. I want to help you and to some extent protect you from unwanted danger from the citizens of our state. I know a lot and have been trained in battle, so please give me a chance to prove myself, Mr. Hero."
After hearing the princess' explanation, the Shield Hero straightened up. It still didn't sound like much, but Jun was able to figure out that if one of the leading figures of Melromark was walking next to him, then no one would think of revealing their dislike in any way. Moreover, he is now the owner of the Shield. It is his direct responsibility to protect.
"It still doesn't seem like a good idea to me, but I have no other choice, so..." He held out his hand to Melty. "I hope we can work together."
"Of course," she shook Junpei's hand without changing her expression. "In that case, let's not delay. Pack your things, and we're off."
Without wasting a minute, Jun took his purse and followed the princess. First, they received their promised reward of eight hundred silver coins, and then they left Melromark Castle. Jun wanted to ask if they could use the royal treasury if Melty was now his companion, but since the girl didn't even mention the subject, it seemed that such an option was not available to him.
The doors opened and the duo began to walk across the bridge that separates the castle from the city. The buildings that Jun observed from the windows of the palace looked much more huge than he thought from above. His feet kept leading forward, and his eyes kept running in different directions, trying to capture this city in all its glory.
"Welcome to Majestix, Mr. Hero," The princess introduced her hometown. "The so-called "Pride" of our state."
There was an atmosphere of mystery and some mysticism around. Narrow streets, winding and dark, like a tangle of eternal night, lead to mysterious buildings that contain a story lost in time. The ancient towers, entwined with ivy and moss, like guardians of the past, silently stand as witnesses to the countless mysteries stored within their walls. On every corner, you can come across Gothic sculptures and statues depicting angels, demons and other supernatural beings, as if to show that the air in this city is permeated with forces incomprehensible to an ordinary person.
"I never would have thought that I would find myself in such a... I don't even know what word to choose..." At the sight of the emerging picture, Jun could hardly find the words.
"Gloomy, mysterious, foggy, cruel, and other epithets," Melty replied, understanding the way the Shield Hero was trying to describe the city. "If you meant any of this, then I won't argue, he really creates such a feeling. But I give you my word, it's not as creepy as it seems at first glance."
Citizens and their appearance came to the defense of the Majestix. Most wore neat business clothes, as if to show how much intellectual progress in this city had increased since Jun's first impression of the gloomy capital. Some stood out from the general background with their colorful outfits and jewelry on display. Most likely, they were either businessmen, theater actors, or people involved in the state. And someone, on the contrary, dressed in long cloaks and dark clothes, which hide the figures in the shadows and add mystery to the appearance. Their gazes are hidden under hoods or behind long strands of hair, giving the impression of an unfathomable mystery.
"Besides, it should be noted that with the advent of new technologies in the Melromarc, life has become much easier. And all because of the excellent cooperation with the neighboring state of Faubrey. It is thanks to them that we can afford such a thing as, for example, a shower."
"Oh, yes, I was very surprised when I saw a shower in the bathroom of the castle," Jun supported the conversation, scratching his head. For his reasons, it is rare to find a water supply system for such a setting.
"In addition, the supply of firearms and training in the use of these guards will begin soon. A concept for motorcycle carriages has also already been created," As if Melty was bragging about technological progress, despite the fact that neither her intonation nor her physiognomy had changed.
After walking for another ten minutes, the guy suddenly asked:
"Your Majesty, where are you taking us?"
And indeed it is. As soon as they left the castle walls, Princess Melromarc didn't even bother to hint at where they were going.
"If an adventurer, and even more so a Sacred Hero, is going to fight against monsters, then he must be in uniform. Therefore, we will first go to the blacksmith shop, where we will purchase armor for you."
"That sounds reasonable," the Shield Bearer agreed with her.
"And yes, please don't call me 'Your Majesty,'" Her voice became rougher. It seems that the princess doesn't really like being addressed by her status. "I don't want to hear that nickname again. Especially from a partner."
"Uh... okay... Melty?" Judging by the fact that she didn't react to it in any way, Jun figured out how to address her better.
And so the duo stopped at the door of a small two-story house. Unlike the general aesthetics of the capital, this house was built with a different atmosphere, warmer. The light from the fire was visible in the windows, and someone's shadows that were engaged in work. Above the door was a signboard with a drawing of a hammer and anvil. It looks like they've reached their destination.
"Come in," Melty conceded to Jun the right to enter first.
After closing the door behind them, the partners felt a sharp rise in temperature, which made their palms sweat. Inside, they were greeted by armor for sale on the left and weapons on the right. At the end of the room, a red-haired woman with glasses was sitting at the counter, immersed in reading a book. As soon as the door closed, she immediately turned her attention to the newcomers and got up from her chair.
"Welcome, travelers!"
Now the woman could be seen better. She had long red hair pulled back in a ponytail and yellowish eyes covered with glasses. She was wearing a leather vest, under which a white shirt was hidden, as well as black trousers and brown boots, and leather gloves rested on her hands.
"Wait a second..." the girl squinted. "Princess Melromarc?!" At the same moment, the blacksmith started up.
"Hello, Romina. Tell me, is Erhard in place?"
"Of course I'm here, Your Majesty!" A voice came from the far room.
A bald, middle-aged man with a slightly gray beard entered the room. He had a fairly sturdy build, and was dressed in a brown jumpsuit and a black shirt with boots. One of the distinguishing features was his limp, as evidenced by the simple cane in his right hand. Jun looked at the princess reproachfully, to which she seemed to respond with a look.: "What? They are already adults, I cannot contradict them."
"I didn't expect to see you in my modest establishment," Judging by his face, the blacksmith was very happy to meet Melty. It looks like they've crossed paths before. "And in what company! This is..." He narrowed his eyes, "I can't believe it, but this is the Shield Hero himself!" Erhard was amazed to see the bearer of the Sacred Shield right in front of his eyes.
"Hello," Ivatani greeted awkwardly.
"I understand that you came here for the equipment, didn't you?"
"Yes, we would like some kind of armor, so that we have enough for eight hundred silver coins. I just don't know if we have enough for two sets."
"I don't need it," The princess refused coldly.
"Why not, Your Majesty?" Romina decided to try to convince her. "We will be able to choose the most elegant armor to emphasize your beauty and status.
Melty was annoyed.
"As you wish," The blacksmith resigned himself. "In that case, Romina, make measurements for the Shield Hero, and we will choose his armor."
"Okay," The woman reached under the table to get out a roll of centimeter tape, and then got up from her chair. "Come with me, Mr. Hero."
As soon as the Shield Hero disappeared into the locker room with the forge, Erhard sat down on a chair and put his good leg on the table. Melty wanted to talk about manners, but decided not to. She's in his "domain" now.
"How are things going with work, Erhard?" The princess decided to ask.
"Wonderful!" The blacksmith answered her bluntly. "After the first Wave, things went uphill. Every day, at least a couple of people will come in to buy or order something."
"The Guild is busy with tasks again, no wonder."
"That's why we started taking measurements. How does it usually happen? First, the adventurer comes to buy the available uniforms, and then brings the materials and makes special orders. It's already commonplace, my wife won't let me lie," Said Uncle armorer, pointing his thumb at the locker room.
"Don't you get tired of such a load?"
"Not at all. Besides my own hands, I have a pair of apprentices available. I could use the machine that Faubray wanted to fit, but the beauty of forging lies in my own work," Erhard raised his hands and moved his fingers as he spoke, in order to add more depth to his words. "And I like to work. If I mess around, I'll only age faster."
"That's for sure…"
The blacksmith's words seemed to remind the princess of someone.
During their conversation, Romina went to another room to return with a set of clothes and some armor.
"Tell me, Your Majesty, and why the Shield Hero?" The blacksmith was interested in the choice of the princess. After all, this is the first time he sees the Shield Hero in Melromarc. And even more so still alive.
"Why would you ask such a question?"
"We have three more Heroes in the set, but you have chosen the most controversial one. You could, for example, join the Bow Hero. Such a good-natured man came in before you today. And he's also very modest, he took his own measurements," Jun grimaced when he heard the praiseworthy words about Itsuki.
"I have my reasons for that," Melty answered him vaguely. "Besides, no one wanted to join Mr. Hero, so this can be considered my act of mercy to him."
Iwatani's face grew heavy. He wonder if Melty was referring to her desire to become the partner of the Sacred Hero, or if she was motivated by other motives. The ones that she either doesn't want to reveal to the last one. He really didn't want to think about his partner in a negative way, especially at a time when their partner relationship was just taking shape. But just in case, he will remember this phrase.
Meanwhile, the Shield Bearer donned the proposed armor and went on display in it. Modern clothes were replaced by a black shirt with a neck-covering collar, leather gloves with loose fingers, dark brown trousers and high black leather lace-up boots. The body was now covered with armor that looked very much like a brigantine with tightly fastened straps, since Jun currently has a not very developed physique. This applied to the arms, shoulders, chest, back, hips, knees, and shins. It would be more desirable to take a simpler material, but for starters, the protection is not bad. The protection characteristic in the status has increased.
"Why aren't you wearing a cape?" Romina asked.
"It seems to me that it will be somewhat uncomfortable with him," Iwatani decided to keep silent about the fact that with this cloak he looked like a bandit.
"That's not bad either," Melty remarked. "The main thing for us is that it can protect against damage."
"It will protect you, rest assured! Oh, one more thing..." Romina brought a dull brown backpack to the counter. "You will definitely need it."
"Thank you," The Shield Bearer thanked Romina and, taking the satchel, put his things there. After all, they were still valuable to him. "How much do we owe for everything?"
"Well, since you're protecting Princess Melromarc herself, kid, let's settle on three hundred," For Elhart, it was as a sign of respect for Jun for his upcoming work. "But you do understand who you should go to now, don't you?" Uncle Blacksmith winked slyly.
"We will definitely come again," The princess understood the hint, after which the Shield Hero provided the blacksmith family with the announced amount. "Thanks again."
After hanging his backpack on his back, Jun followed Melty and together they left the forge. The next goal for today was the most important for the newly minted Hero — gaining experience.
***
Dark clouds hung over the ground, and a light breeze stirred the thick grass. Tall trees appeared in front of the Shield Hero's eyes, which combined into one large forest. A few meters away from him, the princess stood and stared intently into the depths of the forest. What are they doing here? They're waiting.
"Melty, how long do I have to stand like this?" The Shield Bearer asked excitedly.
"Not too long! It usually takes ten minutes for them to smell a person!" The princess shared her knowledge. "I advise you to put up a Shield!"
Iwatani listened to his partner's advice and raised his round shield to his chest. He didn't know what kind of creatures would be waiting for him, but since the princess had recommended caution, the monsters were supposed to be intimidating. However, at the moment, he wasn't so much interested in which monsters would attack them as how they would fend them off. The fact is that the Sacred Shield is much more different from other Weapons, it does not cause damage. At least, there was no need to expect Shield damage at the start of the journey, so all hope at that moment was on Princess Melromarc. After all, she insisted on her skills.
There was a rustle. Jun's entire attention was focused on the bushes, from which the noise was coming. Then he appeared to the right of the bush, then to the left, a threat literally emanating from the forest. His legs began to tremble. In the head of the newly minted Hero, various types of creatures that could attack him loomed. One is more terrible than the previous one.
And then they moved. Quickly. Unnoticed. The only sound was the rustle of grass approaching the boy. Iwatani couldn't determine the direction of the monsters, but he knew for sure that they were heading straight for him. He closed his eyes, concentrated, and…
"Ha!"
As soon as the monster jumped out of the grass, Jun immediately hit it with his Shield. The monster took no damage, but flew a good distance away from our protagonist. The Shield Bearer opened his eyes and was met with some... bewilderment. What he pushed away turned out to be just a ball. An orange monster ball. His face looked like something that small children usually draw. Two large pointed eyes and a big toothy mouth.
"On the left!"
The voice of his partner brought the boy's consciousness back into the process of fighting, but as soon as he shifted his gaze in the opposite direction, another ball was almost next to his face. One moment and the end... However…
+15 exp
The ball suddenly exploded, followed by the one whose attack Jun had deflected. The remaining pieces of rubber from the monsters were now scattered on the grass. There was no doubt, the princess had struck her own blow. As soon as Iwatani turned to Melty, he noticed three thin transparent needles hanging from her arms. There was only one on his right arm, as the rest had been used up on monsters. Princess Melromark moved closer to her partner.
"I told you I'd be useful in battle," The same cold voice said, but Jun caught a hint of bragging in it.
"Yes, I'm convinced now..." The Shield Bearer was still in a state of shock. "Is this magic?"
"Exactly," Melty raised her hand in response to the Hero's question.
Needles made of water hung in the air between the knuckles. With a single movement of her hand, they joined into a single clot of water that levitated over the girl's palm. It was as if she commanded her.
"Simple but effective magic that does not require the pronunciation of a spell. Of course, it still consumes mana, but not so fast," The partner explained her technique.
"Cool..." The newly minted Hero whispered. For him, seeing real magic firsthand was akin to fiction.
The princess's face softened. For her to hear such a compliment was something new, something unusual. Jun was not from here, he didn't even know what was going on inside the Melromarc family and her circle of acquaintances. But he shouldn't have known about it yet. It should take enough time to get involved.
"I advise you to pick up the remaining skin," Melty broke the silence. "It can be sold, or your Shield can absorb it, Mr. Hero."
And indeed. Taking a piece of rubber from the grass, Iwatani applied it to the Shield crystal, which lit up with a bright green glow, and then the rubber dissolved. More precisely, it turned out to be inside, but the result, unfortunately, was zero. Apparently, no improvement could be obtained from this material. Jun was a little annoyed by this conclusion.
"Then let's take all the skins and..." But suddenly…
And more rustling. And more balls. But this time there were significantly more than two of them. It was like a whole pack of monster balls that surrounded our team. However, they were not going to attack yet. Jun and Melty pressed their backs against each other and circled in the remaining free territory.
"Why don't they attack?" Asked the Shield Hero. A couple of creatures passed by and attacked the Hero without hesitation, but these same creatures were waiting for something.
"There's something wrong here"…
And then the balls started moving. They began to line up in a line of five balls each. And then they changed color, turning bright red instead of a dull orange. They joined together, and thus evolved. Now, there were three rubber worms in front of the duo, ready to gnaw on their every bone.
"Mr. Hero, cover me!" Shield's companion shouted.
"What?"
But before he knew it, one of the monsters had already attacked the boy. Miraculously, Jun managed to block the worm's attack, and his teeth were now trying to bite through the round Shield. With a jerk of his arms, Iwatani threw the monster aside, and it disappeared into the grass.
At the same time, Princess Melromarc was accumulating water into one large clot. It looked like the attack she wanted to carry out needed some time to execute. This realization became a pain in Jun's heart, but no one asked him. The second worm flew away from the impact of the Shield.
They circled in the grass, attacking Melty one at a time, and the Shield Hero ran around his partner and did everything possible so that not even a scratch would form on his companion. After a couple of minutes, Jun's seventh sweat was already flowing down, and the rubber worms didn't even think to stop. Actually, Iwatani decided to follow their example. Without any special attacks, he managed to fend off opponents by relying only on his stamina and willpower. But is it enough to stop the attacks of three at once? Quite, because help has already arrived.
After accumulating enough energy, Melty struck the formed clot on the ground, thereby creating three lines of water spikes that pierced each worm tightly. The water was gone, followed by any threat. Jun collapsed to the ground, suffering terrible shortness of breath. For such an untrained body, such a load could almost lead to a heart attack. The girl stood up to her full height and looked at her slightly soaked clothes. Of course, using water magic it is impossible not to get wet yourself, but a certain squeamishness in Melty's character made her growl with displeasure.
"I am very grateful for the protection," The princess thanked the tired Hero.
"You're welcome..." Jun answered her during a break from shortness of breath. "It's... my job"…
Looking into the system, Jun noticed that his level had increased from the first to the third. Although it wasn't enough, some stats had already started to rise. After catching his breath, the guy got to his feet and collected all the remaining pieces of rubber from the monsters. At the same time, Melty, looking at her stats, was somewhat depressed. After collecting all the pieces, the smiling Iwatani approached the princess and asked:
"Well, are we going to continue gaining experience?" It seems that the last skirmish actually cheered up the Shield Bearer quite well.
"My mana is almost gone..." It was the first time she didn't hide her emotions. The frustration could clearly be seen on her face. "Actually, you shouldn't have expected anything else from a level reset."
"Did you reset the level?" Jun managed to find out about this function in his manual yesterday. If a person wants to follow a different skill development path, they can reset their level back to the first one. Moreover, from leveling up in the Hero's team, the partners receive bonuses, thanks to which they will be stronger at the same level from which they dropped.
"As you can see, Mr. Hero. The magic that I can control at the moment requires a lot more mana than is currently available to me."
"It's not scary. I think a few more such outings, and you'll be able to do even better magic tricks," The Shield Hero was full of optimism.
"However, it will end anyway," This was not enough for the girl. "And if this happens, for example, during a Wave, then I will be completely useless."
"In that case, what do you suggest to do?"
"The two of us in the team will not be enough. We need a warrior. Someone who doesn't need mana in general."
The idea was sound. However, Jun immediately realized that it would be very difficult to find another person in the team, given the reputation of the Shield Hero in Melromarc. Where can they find them? There are probably a lot of adventurers in the guilds, but would they be willing to accompany Jun? And he can immediately start worrying about the safety of Melty.
"And where can we find this warrior?"
"...I'll take you," The princess's voice took on a mysterious tone. Iwatani realized that this place was not what he expected to see. He might not even like it. "But not now. Let's go have lunch first."
"I think I'll agree..."
***
Evening. Due to the accumulated clouds, the city only began to sink into darkness faster. Our heroes, who had had their fill of delicious food, strolled down the street at a leisurely pace. The princess took the Shield Hero to a luxurious restaurant, where she treated him to delicacies at the expense of the establishment. The staff's faces were neutral at the sight of the boy, but there was hostility in their eyes. At first, Jun felt uncomfortable from this, but later this feeling disappeared as soon as the food was on the table.
Later, after a hearty lunch, the couple strolled around the city, looking at the local attractions. Melty told some interesting facts, and Jun absorbed all the incoming information. The clock ticked on, and the sun sank lower, approaching the horizon. Iwatani has an important question.
"Melty, did your father order us to set off without being able to return to the castle?"
"Hmm... actually, I could arrange with him to continue living in the castle for a while longer," the Shield Hero sighed with relief. "But I can't guarantee it. We need to look somewhere first."
And again the tension. The first time the princess mentioned a certain mysterious place, a slight tremor passed over the skin of the Shield Bearer. He really wanted to save the money for something more important, considering the potential opportunity to spend the night at the castle. But what kind of place is this and why does our hero's residence depend on it? Jun remained in the dark.
Princess Melromark literally grabbed her wary companion and with the words "follow me" led him to the right place. A quarter of an hour later, they found themselves next to…
"It's... a pub..." That said it all. Placed between two apartment buildings, a literal pub stood right in front of our heroes. What was Melty trying to say? Maybe she's a closet alcoholic?
"Let's go," The girl replied firmly and clearly. Iwatani fell into a stupor.
Contrary to expectations, everything turned out to be quite civil inside. Even, to some extent, a little empty. Several tables with chairs against the walls and a bar counter showed some kind of strange feeling... fake. Melty approached the bar and addressed a healthy middle-aged man. He looked at her mysteriously through his monobrow, he was waiting for something. And he was expecting a coin that the princess pulled out of her jacket pocket. It was gold, with some kind of unusual engraved symbol, akin to the emblem of a cult. Noticing the coin, the man lowered his hand, and then there was a sound as if a mechanism had been triggered. And indeed, the chest of drawers with utensils at the back actually turned out to be a secret door that leads into darkness. Turning her head, the princess said:
"Heroes go ahead."
Jun approached the dark passage with slow steps, and his palms trembled convulsively. He remembered the bookstore that had lost all light sources in a matter of seconds. It was as if he was plunging into that very darkness again, only now on a voluntary basis. His feet crossed the threshold and Iwatani realized that he was now standing on the stairs leading down. There was nowhere to go, so he had to go lower. After the princess had already stepped onto the stairs, the door suddenly closed. Literally at the same moment, torches lit up on the walls of the stairs, which allowed the couple to easily descend. The partners were silent, only the asynchronous stomping and the burning of wood by the torches spread down the aisle.
As our heroes descended lower and lower, their ears picked up strange, barely audible sounds. They sounded like grunting, coughing... crying. The last step was completed, and our protagonist saw a long corridor filled with cages. A prison? No, Jun had already guessed at that moment. It was a store.
"Where are you taking me, Melty?" Ivatani asked softly, almost in a whisper. He was very wary.
"I already told you — for a partner."
At the same time, Princess Melromark walked forward down the corridor. Jun, whose head was filled with emotions that he couldn't vent, followed her. And his heart only shrank more. There were people in the cages who didn't look like people at all. Everyone had some kind of bestial trait, and someone even looked like an anthropomorphic animal. Most of those seen are children. Thin, sick, depressed, angry, scared. Some even had missing limbs. The smell was disgusting, which left Jun wondering why Melty was still acting so calm. Maybe she's used to watching such barbarity?
After walking through the "catacombs" for some more time, the duo was suddenly called out by someone.
"Although I was informed of your arrival, I decided to make sure of it on my own," A person came out of the darkness of the unlit corridor and addressed our heroes. "Fortunately, they didn't lie to me."
A middle-aged man and a rather short stature appeared before the heroes. He was dressed in a white three-piece suit with a purple tie, a white top hat was on his head, and round glasses covered his eyes. The man was holding a purple umbrella in his hand. At the sight of the heroes, he showed his wide grin.
"Hello, Beloukas," The princess greeted him. "I see you're not sitting around."
"Oh, come on, Your Majesty! When such important people visit my humble abode, I have no right to rest, oh yes!" 'And there are such connections...' flashed through Jun's mind. "And this, I understand, is the newly elected Shield Hero next to you? Oh, what a commotion your father caused, Mrs. Melromarc."
"Not about that now. I think you know perfectly well why we came to see you."
"Of course!" Beloukas seemed to be beaming with happiness. "I will choose the perfect slave for the Sacred Hero, oh yes. Follow me!"
The slave owner went deeper into the corridor, but Iwatani stopped his companion, almost grabbing her by the shoulder.
"Melty… What does it all mean?" The Hero asked with a bit of fright.
"Is something wrong, Mr. Hero?" Without betraying herself, Melty answered the question with a question in her usual cold manner.
"Did I hear right?" Did you bring me here to buy a slave for yourself?" The fear gradually turned into anger.
"I'll ask you again. Is something wrong?"
"What's wrong?" The question seemed to mock Jun. "Y... Everything is wrong, Melty! I was ready for anything, but a slave?! It's... it's not just bad, it's disgusting! How do you think I should become a worthy Hero if I risk sinking to the bottom literally on the very first day of my journey?!"
Turning her head towards her partner, Princess Melromark stared at him in silence for a few seconds, and then sighed heavily.
"I knew it would come to this..." She didn't try to hide her annoyance. "I'll explain it on my fingers. In our position, acquiring a slave is the most reliable solution. They are submissive and will not disobey you for anything, because they will have a magical mark on them, which, in case of disobedience, will electrocute them until the demi-human calms down. We will have a loyal warrior who simply will not have the right not to watch your back, Mr. Hero. NO ONE is obliging you to treat him exactly like a slave. You can at least raise him as your child, I don't care. The main thing is that it will be yours, and yours alone."
"It's still wrong," Jun insisted.
"This is wrong only for the world where you come from. There are different rules here, and either you follow them or you die."
Hard. Melty didn't stand on ceremony in her statements, as if she was bringing Iwatani down from heaven to earth. His hands clenched into fists, Jun wanted to continue to resist his partner's immoral decision, but... he couldn't. She was right, as much as he hate to admit it. In a world where there are only haters around you, only a slave can become your military ally. Even if he doesn't want to.
Sadly lowering his eyes to the floor, Jun relaxed his arms. Pressing his lips together, he said reluctantly:
"Allright…"
The girl relaxed, realizing that she had managed to convince her ally. Without saying a word, she walked away towards the slaver, and the defeated Hero could only follow his partner.
"Answering the question about housing, any presence of a demi-human is prohibited in the castle."
Jun remained silent on the news.
The slaver immediately figured out which slaves should be offered to our duo, since Princess Melromarc herself showed up to him.
"So, the first candidate!" Beloukas snapped his fingers and torches lit up inside the cage, showing the "goods".
An anthropomorphic elephant, shackled, sat humbly in a cage. A lot of scars and deep wounds that have not yet healed, a missing left hand and two sawn horns. An unpleasant sight.
"We picked up this warrior from underground battles in Zeltoble. Just think, it lost to some panda," The slaver was not shy in his words. "However, even taking into account the lost arm, this beast gave a real performance in battle!"
"Definitely not," Melty immediately made her verdict. "We don't have enough money to cure this big guy."
"And if we take money from the treasury?" Jun suggested.
"Government money does not apply to such services. Next."
Next, the slaver demonstrated the half-wolf to heroes. Before he could turn on the light, the beast's sharp fangs were already trying to bite off the princess' face. She didn't even move. The slave had a sturdy build and ash-colored fur. There were minor scars, but nothing more.
"This beast has participated in various tournaments, outbid many times, and has already changed owners ten times. Fast, agile, deadly…"
"And the one who got crazy", The girl finished her thought. "Strong is good, but it must be controlled. And you can't do it with just one mark. Next."
Then there was another one, and another, but each subsequent candidate did not suit the princess in some way, so they continued to sort out the demi-humans one by one. Jun was somewhat tired of this, so he decided to walk around the catacombs on his own while Melty tried to find the perfect slave. He felt extremely uncomfortable, as if he felt guilty for some kind of wrongdoing, while doing nothing. Wandering through the quiet corridors, he heard the clang of chains.
It came from a solitary cell, remote from everyone else. Due to the lack of light in the cage, it was difficult to see anyone, and only the distant flame from the torch showed bare feet lying on the cold floor in scratches. Small, like a child's.
"Is anyone there?" Jun asked this in order to get a response. "I heard you moving the chains, can you answer me?"
Silence. Iwatani thought that the prisoner was scared and just didn't want to contact the Hero in any way and decided to leave.…
"How... how do you know my language?" A girl's voice rang out from the cage.
"What?"
"Language. You speak the language of my homeland," She wasn't scared, but rather tired.
It seems that this slave was from another country and Melromarc's language did not understand at all.
"I have a translator in the system. I'm a Hero," Jun was inspired.
"A Hero... a human?" What nonsense..." The prisoner clearly had no feelings for the human race. "There is nothing sacred about people. They only maim, mock, and kill like wild monsters."
"You're wrong, not all people are bad."
"And who? Is that you? People come here just to buy a slave, you're no different from others," The boy recalled his indignation that he had expressed to Princess Melromark. Even the slave understands that he is not acting like a Hero.
"I don't need a slave. I just need someone who will fight for me, because I can't do any damage on my own."
"A Hero who can't fight? Is this some kind of joke?"
"Mr. Hero! The princess's voice came from the hallway. A few minutes later, Melty was standing next to the guy. "We have found an excellent candidate, let's go and take a look."
"Oh, and here's the owner. It looks like they'll be flogging again soon..." Apparently, the slave has already managed to get to know Beloucas better. Melty's face changed abruptly and she looked towards the camera.
"What did she say?"
"She said that Beloucas was whipping her," Ivatani loosely translated her words.
"This is the standard, but the problem is that I didn't understand a word of it. Her language is similar to Siltwelt, but I can't make out a single word."
"Ah, it looks like you've found our new product!" The suddenly appeared Beloukas did not surprise the couple with his appearance. It seemed like the perfect moment for him. "We found this demi-human only two months ago on the shores of the Siltwelt. This little mutt may seem like the one that gets snapped enough to fly away, but she's full of surprises, oh yeah!"
"It's kind of rude to call her a little mutt," The Shield Hero defended the slave.
"What?!" Thanks to Jun, the slave understood perfectly what the slaver said about her. "How dare you humiliate me so much?!"
Getting to her feet, the slave abruptly ran up to the bars of the cage, so that she could now be clearly seen.
"I am Q'ten Lo-no-miya Shinpan Raftalia-shinno! Princess of Q'ten Lo and the direct heir to the throne! You're supposed to lick my heels, you bastards!"
It was a little girl, about ten or twelve years old. She had dirty and unkempt reddish hair, raccoon ears on her head, and red eyes like two rubies. There was a long scar on his lower jaw, just to the left of his chin, just barely reaching the corner of his lip. The slave was dressed in an already worn, torn red yukata. Jun was very surprised to see his native outfit.
"Perky," Melty remarked. "Hmm... not to say that it's a bad option, but I've already found a better slave, so…"
"Wait," Iwatani stopped the girl. "I...I think I've already made up my mind," The slave princess's eyes widened. "I'll take it."
I'll take the Raphtalia.