Narrator POV
Nihilux pushed open the door to Naofumi's room after knocking.
He stopped in the doorway.
Naofumi was standing near the bed, looking awkward. And next to him was a small demi-human girl.
Raccoon ears. Brown and white hair. Ragged clothes. She looked terrified.
Nihilux stared. He had a slight surprised expression. This was one of the only times his face openly showed any expressions.
Then his eyes narrowed.
Blue text appeared in the air, sharp and abrupt.
Where did she come from?
Naofumi winced. "Nihilux, I can explain—"
You bought a slave.
It wasn't a question.
"No! I mean yes, technically, but—"
You bought a child slave.
The text was getting larger now and brighter.
"I removed the slave crest!" Naofumi said quickly, raising his hands defensively. "I paid extra to have it removed right after the registration! She's not enslaved!"
Nihilux went very still.
You removed it?
"Yes," Naofumi said. "I bought her, registered her so the sale was legal, then paid the trader to remove the crest immediately. She's free. She can leave whenever she wants."
Nihilux looked at the girl.
She was clutching the edge of Naofumi's cloak, staring at the glowing words in the air with wide, frightened eyes.
Nihilux took a breath.
Then exhaled slowly.
The tension in the room eased slightly.
Fine.
Naofumi blinked. "Fine?"
We'll talk about this tomorrow. I'm too tired for this right now.
"Nihilux—"
Tomorrow.
Nihilux turned and walked out of the room without another word. The door closed behind him with a bang.
Naofumi stood there for a moment, still holding his hands up defensively, then lowered them slowly.
The girl looked up at him. "Is... is he angry?"
"I don't know," Naofumi admitted. "Maybe... probably."
He glanced at the door Nihilux had just left through.
"Yeah," he muttered. "He is definitely mad right now."
.
.
.
.
The next morning came too early for Naofumi's liking.
He'd barely slept. Every time he closed his eyes, he kept seeing Nihilux's expression when he'd walked into the room and seen Raphtalia. The way those glowing words had gotten sharper. Brighter.
You bought a child slave.
Naofumi rubbed his face and got dressed slowly. His body felt heavier than usual.
When he opened his door, Raphtalia was already waiting in the hallway. She must have gotten up even earlier. She was wearing the same ragged clothes from yesterday, standing very still, very straight, like she was trying to take up as little space as possible.
"Morning," Naofumi said.
"Good morning, Master Naofumi," she replied quietly, bowing slightly.
He winced at the title but didn't correct her.
They headed downstairs together.
The common room was already filling up with the morning crowd. Adventurers checking their equipment, merchants discussing the day's routes, servers weaving between tables with trays of food.
Naofumi spotted Nihilux immediately. He was already seated at a table in the corner, slouched in his chair with his hands buried in his hoodie pockets, staring at the menu board on the wall.
Naofumi's stomach tightened.
Here we go.
He led Raphtalia over to the table and sat down across from Nihilux. Raphtalia hesitated for a moment, then carefully took the seat between them, folding her hands in her lap.
Nihilux didn't look at them. Just kept staring at the menu.
The silence stretched.
Naofumi cleared his throat. "So, uh—"
And that's when he noticed it.
The stares.
People at nearby tables had gone quiet. Conversations were dying down. Heads were turning.
Everyone was looking at them.
More specifically, at him and Raphtalia.
The whispers started almost immediately.
"Is that really him?"
"The Shield Hero?"
"With a demi-human child?"
"You don't think he actually—"
"I heard he tried to force himself on that girl. The red-haired one."
"And now he's got a child with him?"
"A demi-human, no less."
"Disgusting."
"Poor thing. What do you think he's going to do to her?"
"Someone should call the guards."
"The guards won't do anything. He's a Hero."
Naofumi felt his jaw tighten. His hands curled into fists under the table.
Don't react. Don't give them the satisfaction.
He forced himself to keep his eyes down, staring at the wood grain of the table.
Beside him, Raphtalia had gone very still. Her raccoon ears were pressed flat against her head. She was trembling slightly.
Nihilux still hadn't moved. He still hadn't looked at anyone. Just kept staring at that menu board like nothing was happening.
But Naofumi noticed something.
The air around their table felt... heavier. Like pressure building before a storm.
One of the nearby adventurers a big guy in leather armour leaned over to his companion and said, just loud enough to be heard, "I don't care if he's a Hero. That's not right. Someone should—"
His chair scraped backwards suddenly.
The man yelped, arms windmilling as he nearly toppled over. His companion caught him, and they both looked around, confused.
"The hell was that?" the big guy muttered.
Naofumi glanced at Nihilux.
He was still staring at the menu. But there was the faintest hint of a smirk at the corner of his mouth.
The whispers continued, but they were quieter now.
A server approached their table. She was young, probably not much older than twenty, with her hair tied back in a simple braid. She looked extremely uncomfortable.
She stopped a few feet away from the table, like she didn't want to get too close.
"What can I get for you?" she asked, her voice polite but strained. She wasn't looking at Naofumi. Or Raphtalia. Her eyes were fixed somewhere over their heads.
Before anyone could answer, Nihilux raised one hand and pointed at the menu board.
The server followed his gesture, squinting. "The... um... children's honey bread with fruit and milk?"
Nihilux nodded once, then pointed directly at Raphtalia.
The server blinked. "For the little girl?"
Another nod.
"O-okay." She scribbled it down on her notepad. "And for you, sir?"
Nihilux pointed at a different section of the menu.
The server's eyebrows went up. "The full breakfast platter? That's two eggs, three sausages, toast, fried potatoes, and beans."
Nihilux held up two fingers.
"Two platters?"
He nodded, then pointed at himself and then at Naofumi.
The server looked confused for a moment, then her eyes widened slightly. "Oh. One for you, one for him?"
Nihilux nodded.
Naofumi started to protest. "Wait, I don't need—"
Blue text appeared.
Eat.
"But—"
Eat.
The server was already writing it down, apparently deciding not to question the strange floating text or the even stranger customer. "Right. Two full platters. I'll have that out soon."
She hurried away, clearly relieved to be done with the interaction.
Naofumi slumped in his chair. "Nihilux, you don't have to—"
More text appeared.
You're eating properly. End of discussion.
Raphtalia was staring at Nihilux with wide eyes. "Master Nihilux is... very kind."
"He's stubborn is what he is," Naofumi muttered, but there was no real heat in it.
Nihilux just went back to staring at nothing in particular, looking vaguely pleased with himself.
Raphtalia was staring at Nihilux with wide eyes. "Master Nihilux, that's... that's too much food. I don't need—"
Blue text appeared in the air above the table, glowing faintly in the morning light.
Eat.
Raphtalia stared at the words. She couldn't read them they were in English, but she understood they were meant for her.
She turned to looked at Naofumi helplessly.
"He's telling you to eat," Naofumi translated. "When the food comes, just eat it. Don't worry about how much it is."
"But—"
"Just eat," Naofumi said, a little more firmly. "Please."
Raphtalia bit her lip and nodded. "Yes, Master Naofumi."
Nihilux's eyes narrowed slightly at the word "Master," but he didn't say anything. Just went back to staring at nothing in particular.
The silence at the table was thick and awkward.
Naofumi tried to think of something to say. Some way to break the tension.
Nothing came to mind.
So they just sat there, waiting for the food, while listening to the rest of the common room.
The food arrived about ten minutes later.
The same server returned, this time with a tray loaded with plates. She set them down quickly, avoiding eye contact with anyone at the table.
In front of Raphtalia: a plate with three thick slices of honey bread, still warm from the oven, golden and glistening. Fresh fruit on the side strawberries, apple slices, and some kind of purple berry Naofumi didn't recognize. And a small glass of milk.
In front of Nihilux: a full breakfast platter, piled high with food. Eggs. Sausages. Toast. Fried potatoes. Beans.
And in front of Naofumi: an identical platter.
The server left without a word.
Raphtalia stared down at her plate.
She didn't move.
Didn't reach for the food.
Just kept looking the food arranged in front of her.
Her hands were trembling in her lap.
"Raphtalia?" Naofumi said gently. "You okay?"
She didn't answer. Her eyes were fixed on the honey bread.
Naofumi glanced at Nihilux, who was watching her with an unreadable expression.
"It's okay," Naofumi said again. "You can eat. It's yours."
Slowly, hesitantly, Raphtalia reached out and picked up one of the slices of honey bread.
She held it in both hands, like it was something precious.
Then she took a small bite.
Her eyes went wide.
She chewed slowly, carefully, like she was trying to memorise the taste.
Then she took another bite. And another.
She wasn't eating frantically. Not like someone who was starving, though Naofumi suspected she probably was. It was more like... like she couldn't quite believe the food was real. Like it might disappear if she wasn't careful.
After a few bites, her hands stopped trembling.
Her shoulders relaxed slightly.
She reached for one of the strawberries and ate it carefully, then took a sip of the milk.
When she set the glass down, there were tears in her eyes.
"Thank you," she whispered. Her voice was so quiet that Naofumi almost didn't hear it. "Thank you, Master Naofumi. Thank you, Master Nihilux."
Nihilux paused, a forkful of eggs halfway to his mouth.
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then he set his fork down and blue text appeared again.
Why are you calling us that?
Raphtalia looked at the glowing words, confused and a little scared, like maybe she'd done something wrong.
Naofumi sighed. "He wants to know why you're calling us 'Master.'"
Raphtalia blinked. "Because... because you are. You bought me. You're feeding me, and now you are taking care of me. That makes you my masters."
Naofumi translated, and Nihilux's expression darkened slightly.
More text appeared.
You're not a slave.
"She can't read it," Naofumi reminded him quietly.
Nihilux turned to look at him directly, and more text appeared.
Why is she calling us 'Master' if she's not enslaved?
Naofumi hesitated. "It's... just a habit, probably. She was a slave until yesterday."
Tell her to stop.
"I don't think it works like that."
Try.
Naofumi turned to Raphtalia. "You don't have to call us 'Master.' We're not... you're not our slave Raphtalia, I freed you remember from that place remember."
Raphtalia looked confused. "But... what should I call you then?"
"Just Naofumi is fine. And he's Nihilux."
She looked uncomfortable with that. "That's... I can't be so informal. You saved me. You're feeding me. You—"
"We didn't save you," Naofumi interrupted. "I just... I bought your freedom. That's different."
"But you saved me," Raphtalia insisted quietly.
Naofumi didn't have an answer for that.
Nihilux watched the exchange, then picked up his fork again and went back to eating.
But his eyes stayed on Raphtalia.
After a few more bites, Naofumi cleared his throat.
"So, uh. About yesterday."
Nihilux looked at him.
"I know it seems weird that I got her," Naofumi continued. "But she'll be really useful. I learned that demi-humans level up faster than humans. She can help us fight. And..." He glanced at Raphtalia. "She knows how to read and write this world's language. That'll help us a lot."
Nihilux set down his fork.
I could teach you the language.
Naofumi blinked. "What?"
Naofumi could read the text, but the implication made him pause.
"You... could?"
I've been learning it. Slowly. But yes.
"Oh."
So why didn't you ask me?
Naofumi looked away. "I... I didn't think about it."
You didn't think about it.
The text hung in the air, flat and unconvinced.
"And besides," Naofumi added quickly, "you're already helping so much. Paying for everything. I can't just keep relying on you for everything."
Why not?
"Because..." Naofumi trailed off.
He looked nervous now. His hands gripped his spoon a little tighter.
Nihilux watched him.
Because what?
Naofumi didn't answer.
Raphtalia looked between them, uncertain.
Finally, Nihilux's text faded.
Fine. We'll talk about it later.
He went back to eating.
Naofumi let out a small breath and did the same.
But Nihilux kept glancing at him.
Something was off.
Naofumi was hiding something.
But for now, Nihilux let it go.
They finished breakfast in relative silence, the whispers from the other patrons a constant background noise they all tried to ignore.
.
.
.
When they were done, Nihilux stood up and gestured toward the door.
We need to get her new stuff.
Naofumi nodded. "Right. She can't fight in those clothes."
Raphtalia looked down at her ragged outfit, then back up at them, confused.
The next few hours were spent moving between shops.
First, a general clothing store. Raphtalia needed basic clothes that weren't rags. They got her a simple tunic, some pants, and a pair of decent boots. Nothing fancy, but it was clean and good for adventuring.
She had sparkles in her eyes after seeing her new clothes.
"This is... for me?" she asked quietly as the shopkeeper wrapped the clothes.
"Yes," Naofumi said. "You can't keep wearing those old ones."
Her eyes got a little watery, but she didn't cry. Just nodded and whispered another "Thank you, Master Naofumi."
Next was the weapon shop. A smaller place than the one Naofumi had visited before, but the owner seemed willing to do business without asking too many questions.
They found a small dagger, sized for a child. Basic iron, nothing special, it had a good weight and a sharp edge.
"This one should work," the shopkeeper said, handing it to Raphtalia. "Light enough for her size, but sturdy. And it won't break on the first swing, for the little miss."
Raphtalia held it carefully.
The shopkeeper also sold them a set of light leather armour. A chest piece that buckled at the sides, arm guards, and leg guards. All sizes for someone of Raphtalia's age.
It wasn't much, certainly nothing compared to the armour Naofumi wore but it was better than nothing.
Nihilux paid for everything without comment. Naofumi tried to offer some of his remaining money, but Nihilux just gave him a flat look and told him to.
Save your money.
By the time they were done, Raphtalia looked like a completely different person.
She stood in her new clothes and armour, holding the dagger carefully in both hands, staring at her reflection in a shop window.
The ragged slave girl was gone.
In her place stood a small adventurer. Inexperienced, scared, but... equipped.
"I look like..." she whispered. "I look like an adventurer."
"You are an adventurer," Naofumi said. "Or you will be. Come on. Let's go test out that gear."
.
.
.
They left the city through the eastern gate and headed toward the forest.
The guards at the gate gave them the usual looks but didn't stop them. By now, word had spread about the Shield Hero's new "companion," and most people were content to just whisper and stare rather than actually interfere.
Whenever someone too close to them tried to interfere with them, they would mysteriously find themselves tripping into the nearest wall or into their companions. Which over the hour had led to 3 group of adventures fighting each other.
The forest wasn't far, maybe a twenty-minute walk from the city walls. It was the same general area where Naofumi and Nihilux had been hunting balloons the day before, but they'd be going deeper today.
Raphtalia walked between them, clutching her dagger with both hands. She kept glancing around nervously, jumping at every sound.
.
.
.
Each sound made her flinch.
"It's okay," Naofumi said quietly. "We're just going to start with something easy."
Raphtalia nodded, and kept following close to Naofumi.
They moved deeper into the forest, following a well-worn path. The trees grew thicker here, blocking out more of the sunlight. Shadows stretched across the ground.
Nihilux walked ahead of them, hands in his hoodie pockets, apparently unconcerned. Every few seconds, Naofumi saw his head tilt slightly, like he was sensing something.
After about ten minutes of walking, Nihilux stopped and raised one hand.
Monsters ahead. Three of them.
Naofumi looked around but didn't see anything. "Where?"
Nihilux pointed to the left, past a cluster of bushes.
Naofumi squinted to look where Nihilux was pointing. Still nothing.
Then something moved.
A small shape burst out of the underbrush.
It looked like a rabbit. Sort of. Except it had a single horn jutting out from its forehead, and its eyes glowed a faint red. Its fur was matted and dirty, and when it opened its mouth, Naofumi could see rows of small, sharp teeth.
A Usapil.
Raphtalia let out a small gasp and took a step back, raising her dagger defensively towards the creature.
Two more Usapils emerged from the bushes, flanking the first one. They all turned to face the group, their glowing eyes fixed on Raphtalia.
They all looked towards the smallest target in group.
"Raphtalia," Naofumi said, keeping his voice calm. "You can do this. It's just a rabbit."
"It has a horn," she whispered. "And teeth."
"Yeah, but it's small. You're bigger than it. And you have a weapon."
The first Usapil started hopping forward, slowly at first, then faster.
Raphtalia took another step back. "Master Naofumi—"
"You can do this," he repeated, moving to stand beside her. "I'll block if it gets too close. But I need you to try. Okay?"
She looked up at him, terrified.
Then she looked at the approaching Usapil.
Then she nodded, just barely.
The Usapil lunged.
Raphtalia screamed and swung her dagger wildly.
The blade caught the Usapil mid-leap, slicing across its side. It wasn't a clean hit, more of a panicked swipe, but it was enough.
The Usapil let out a high-pitched squeal and hit the ground, tumbling. It was injured, it tried to get back up, but Raphtalia swung again, this time with both hands, bringing the dagger down hard.
The blade struck true.
The Usapil went still.
Raphtalia stood there, breathing hard, staring at the small body.
Her hands were shaking.
"Good," Naofumi said. "You did well, Raphtalia."
She didn't respond to Naofumi, but kept staring at the still corpse of the dead creature.
Then the other two Usapils charged.
Raphtalia yelped and stumbled backwards.
Naofumi stepped forward, raising his shield. "I've got—"
One of the Usapils leapt high, arcing over Naofumi's shield, aiming straight for Raphtalia's face.
Its horn gleamed in the filtered sunlight.
Raphtalia screamed.
The Usapil stopped mid-air a meter away from her face.
Hanging there, suspended, its legs still kicking uselessly.
Raphtalia stared at it, confused and terrified.
Then the Usapil flew backwards as if it had been swatted by an invisible hand. It slammed into a tree trunk with a wet crunch and fell to the ground, motionless.
Blood splattered across the bark.
Raphtalia's eyes went wide.
Naofumi turned to look at Nihilux.
He was standing a few feet away, one hand raised slightly towards the creature.
The third Usapil took one look at what had just happened and bolted back into the underbrush.
Raphtalia was still staring at the blood on the tree. Her face had gone pale.
"Raphtalia?" Naofumi said carefully.
She didn't respond.
"Hey. Look at me."
Slowly, she turned her head to look at him. Her eyes were unfocused.
"It's okay," Naofumi said. "You're safe. It's over."
She looked down at her dagger. There was blood on the blade.
Then she looked at the Usapil she'd killed.
Her breathing got faster.
"I... I killed it," she whispered.
"You did," Naofumi said. "You defended yourself. That's what you're supposed to do."
"But... the blood..."
"I know. It's not easy the first time. But you did what you had to do."
Raphtalia's legs gave out.
She dropped to her knees, still holding the dagger, staring at nothing.
Naofumi knelt down beside her. "Hey. You're okay. Breathe."
She took a shaky breath. Then another.
Nihilux walked over and looked down at her. Then at the dead Usapil. Then back at her.
She needs a minute.
"Yeah," Naofumi said quietly. "She does."
They waited.
After a few minutes, Raphtalia's breathing steadied. The colour started to return to her face.
She coughed. A small and wet sound.
Naofumi frowned. "You okay?"
She nodded quickly. "Yes, Master Naofumi. I'm fine."
But she coughed again, covering her mouth with her hand.
Naofumi made a mental note of it. She'd been coughing on and off since they left the city. Probably from being kept in that cage. Who knows how long she'd been sick.
She looked up at him. "I'm sorry. I wasn't I didn't mean to—"
"Don't apologize," Naofumi said. "You did fine. Better than fine, actually. You killed it on your first try."
"But I froze. When the other one attacked, I—"
"You're still learning. It's okay."
Raphtalia looked over at the Usapil that Nihilux had killed. The one that had been thrown into the tree.
"Did... did Master Nihilux do that?"
Naofumi nodded. "Yeah. He stopped it before it could hurt you."
She stood up slowly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, and walked over to where Nihilux was standing.
She bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master Nihilux. You saved me."
Nihilux looked uncomfortable.
You're welcome.
Raphtalia couldn't read it, but Naofumi translated.
She nodded quickly. "I won't. I promise. I'll... I'll try harder."
Nihilux studied her for a moment, then reached out and patted her head awkwardly.
She looked surprised, but then she smiled.
Then she coughed again. Harder this time. She turned away, trying to muffle it.
Naofumi and Nihilux exchanged a glance.
She's sick.
"Yeah," Naofumi said quietly. "I noticed. We'll deal with it later."
Naofumi watched the exchange and felt something in his chest ease slightly.
Maybe this would work out after all.
"Come on," he said. "Let's keep moving. We'll find some more monsters, maybe easier ones this time."
They continued deeper into the forest.
.
.
.
They fought for another hour.
More Usapils. A few Orange Balloons that had wandered into the forest.
Raphtalia was getting better. Slowly. She still hesitated before each attack. She still flinched when the monsters got close, but she was learning. Her swings were becoming more controlled and less panicked.
By the time they reached the river, she'd killed three more Usapils on her own.
She was also coughing more frequently.
The river was wide and clear, flowing gently through the forest. Sunlight broke through the canopy here, making the water sparkle. It was peaceful. Quiet except for the sound of running water and birds singing somewhere in the trees.
Naofumi found a flat spot near the bank and sat down heavily.
"Let's take a break here, guys" he said.
Raphtalia nodded, grateful, and sat down beside him. She was breathing hard. Her face was flushed, and there was sweat on her forehead despite the cool air.
She coughed again. This time it was a deep, rattling sound that made her whole body shake.
Naofumi frowned. "How long have you been sick?"
Raphtalia looked startled. "I'm not. I'm fine, Master Naofumi."
"You're coughing."
"It's just a little cough. It's nothing."
"Raphtalia."
She looked down at her hands. "A... a few weeks, maybe. Since before... before you came."
"A few weeks," Naofumi repeated flatly. "And nobody did anything about it?"
She didn't answer.
Of course, they didn't. She was a slave. Why would they waste money on medicine for a slave?
Naofumi felt anger flare in his chest, but he pushed it down.
"Stay here," he said, standing up. "I'm going to make you something."
"Make me something?" Raphtalia looked confused.
Naofumi opened his shield menu and started scrolling through the different forms. There had to be something useful here. Some kind of....
There.
Medicine Shield.
He'd unlocked it a while back by absorbing some medicinal herbs. He'd barely looked at it then, but now...
He equipped the Medicine Shield and felt a faint warmth spread through his arm.
The shield's description appeared in his vision.
Medicine Shield
Effect: Allows basic medicine compounding. Quality increases with skill level.
This would work for what he wanted to do.
He looked around and spotted some familiar plants growing near the base of a tree. The same medicinal herbs he'd gathered during the rainstorm the other day.
He walked over and started picking them, being careful not to damage the roots. When he equipped the Leaf Shield, he could feel the quality of the plants improve slightly as he harvested them.
He gathered a handful, then switched back to the Medicine Shield.
Now came the hard part.
He'd never actually made medicine before. Not in this world, not even back home. But the shield seemed to... guide him, somehow. Like it was feeding him information.
Crush the leaves first. Not too hard. Just enough to release the oils.
He found a flat rock and used the pommel of Raphtalia's dagger to crush the herbs into a paste.
Add water. Just a little. Mix it thoroughly.
He scooped some river water into his hand and worked it into the paste, kneading it until it formed a thick, green mixture.
The shield pulsed with warmth.
A notification appeared.
Beginner Cough Medicine Created
Quality: Low
He scooped the medicine into a small cup and added just a little bit more water to it.
When he walked back to Raphtalia, she was watching him with wide eyes.
"What is that?" she asked.
"Medicine," Naofumi said. "For your cough. It's not going to taste good, but it should help."
He handed her the cup.
She stared at it. "You... you made this? For me?"
"Yeah. Now eat it. It should help with your cough."
Raphtalia looked into the cup carefully and looked at the green liquid inside. She wrinkled her nose slightly.
Then she scooped a small amount onto her finger and put it in her mouth.
Her face immediately scrunched up. "It's bitter."
"I told you it wouldn't taste good."
She took another small slip. And another. Until the cup was empty.
"Thank you, Master Naofumi," she said quietly, her eyes a little watery, though whether from the bitter taste or something else, Naofumi couldn't tell.
"Don't mention it."
While Raphtalia was resting, Nihilux had wandered over to the river's edge. He was staring at the water.
Then, without warning, fish started flying out of the river.
One. Two. Five. Ten.
They floated through the air, wriggling helplessly, and landed in a neat pile on the riverbank.
Raphtalia gasped. "How?"
Naofumi just sighed. "Telekinesis. He does that."
Nihilux looked back at them, and blue text appeared.
Lunch.
"Showing off again?" Naofumi called out.
Raphtalia was staring at the floating fish with her mouth open. "That's... that's amazing."
Nihilux looked vaguely pleased with himself.
Naofumi walked over to the pile of fish and picked one up. It was a decent size, probably enough for a meal.
He held it up to his shield.
The shield pulsed.
[Absorb: River Fish?]
He confirmed it.
The fish dissolved into light and was absorbed into the shield. A moment later, a notification appeared.
New Shield Unlocked: Fish Shield
Equip Bonus: Cooking Ability +1
Huh. Useful.
Raphtalia had stood up and walked over, watching with fascination.
"Your shield just... ate the fish?" she asked.
"Yeah. It does that. Absorbs materials to unlock new forms."
"That's incredible." She looked at the shield with something like awe. "I've never seen anything like that before."
Naofumi shrugged. "It's just how it works."
Nihilux had already started gathering wood for a fire. Within a few moments, he had a decent pile stacked up.
Naofumi pulled out a flint and steel from his inventory and got the fire started. Once it was going strong, he skewered a few of the fish on sticks and set them over the flames.
The smell of cooking fish filled the air.
Raphtalia sat down nearby, watching the fire. She looked more relaxed now. The medicine seemed to be working a bit, she hadn't coughed in several minutes.
"Master Naofumi," she said quietly.
"Yeah?"
"Your shield... it can do so many things. Change forms, absorb materials, make medicine..." She looked at him. "What... what kind of shield is it?"
Naofumi paused.
He'd been avoiding this topic. Partly because he wasn't sure how to explain it. Partly because he didn't want to see her reaction.
"I'm the Shield Hero," he said.
Raphtalia's eyes went wide.
"The Shield Hero?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yeah."
She stared at him.
Then, suddenly, her eyes filled with tears.
"You're... you're the Shield Hero?" Her voice cracked. "The Shield Hero came to save me?"
"I didn't..." Naofumi started, uncomfortable. "I didn't know you needed saving specifically. I just...."
Raphtalia threw herself at him, wrapping her small arms around his chest in a tight hug.
She was crying now. Really crying.
"Thank you," she sobbed into his chest. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. The Shield Hero is supposed to protect people like me. Like my parents. And you came. You really came."
Naofumi sat there, frozen, not sure what to do with his hands.
He glanced at Nihilux helplessly.
Nihilux was just watching, waiting to see what Naofumi would do next.
Naofumi sighed and awkwardly patted Raphtalia's head.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "I'm here. It's okay."
She cried for a few more minutes, holding onto him like he might disappear if she let go.
Eventually, her sobs quieted. She pulled back slightly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to....."
"It's fine."
"The Shield Hero..." She looked at him with so much hope in her eyes that it made Naofumi's chest ache. "You're going to save everyone, aren't you? You're going to stop the Waves?"
"I'll try," he said instead. "I'll do everything I can."
Raphtalia smiled. A real smile this time. It was bright and genuine and so full of like.
"Then I'll help you," she said firmly. "I'll get stronger. I'll fight beside you. And together, we'll save everyone."
Naofumi managed a small smile back. "Yeah. Together."
The fish finished cooking.
They ate in comfortable silence, watching the river flow past.
For the second time since he'd been summoned to this world, Naofumi felt like maybe, just maybe, things might actually be okay.
...............….
Nihilux POV
One week.
Almost seven days of the same thing over and over.
I feel like I am going insane.
Every day was identical.
Wake up around 8 AM. Go downstairs. Get breakfast.
I'd order Raphtalia something good from the kids' menu. She always gets happy, trying something new every day.
Then I'd order a full breakfast for Naofumi. I don't understand why he keeps protesting about that. It's free food, man, just keep eating.
After breakfast, I'd tell them to meet me at the gate in an hour.
This hour was the most exciting part of the whole day, really.
I'd hit every sweets shop in the market district. Cookies, candied fruit, cream pastries, whatever. My inventory was stuffed with this stuff. I barely had anything in my inventory that wasn't food.
Should probably fix that sometime soon.
At least nothing spoiled in there. Time just stopped for anything I stored. However, that worked, hey, I am not complaining.
Then we'd meet at the gate and head to the forest.
I'd scout ahead with my psychic perception. Find balloons or Usapil's, or another monster I could find nearby. Bring them over or just point where they are. Watch Naofumi and Raphtalia fight.
Raphtalia had gotten a lot better. She could take down Usapils now on her own.
She also insisted on carrying her own stuff. We'd gotten her a bag on day one, and it looked too big for her; it was literally bigger than her torso. Definitely the wrong size. Naofumi had tried to carry it for her, and she'd argued with him about it.
"I can carry it myself, Master Naofumi. I want to help."
The kid was stubborn. Oh well, at least she wasn't really carrying anything heavy in that thing.
So now she hauled around this bag that was almost as big as she was, collecting monster parts and herbs while we fought.
A waste if you ask me. Naofumi collects almost everything they kill, but he gives her a few things to carry now and then.
Around 2 or 3 PM, we'd stop by the river.
Language lessons. Raphtalia teaches Naofumi how to read and write. I must say, for a kid, she is surprisingly well educated.
Maybe the literacy rate is higher in this world than I expect.
I'd sit near the river when she teaches. But I was using Parallel Processing to absorb everything. I could read almost any sign now. Still couldn't write very well, but I was getting there.
Also, I feel like my parallel mind is somehow getting better at absorbing information. It's a small thing, but when trying to observe something with it. The 'image' or the information it sends back to my mind is a lot more detailed than before.
Maybe it will level up or something. It did have a level 1 in my menu, so it makes me wonder what do I have to do for it be upgraded. I am thinking of pushing it to its maximum limit during the first wave.
Do I just keep using it normally, or can I force an evolution by pushing it to its limit? So it makes me wonder what I have to do for it be upgraded. I am thinking of pushing it to its maximum limit during the first wave.
Anyways, then Naofumi would cook fish.
Every. Damn. Day.
I was so sick of fish.
By day three, I started eating my cookies instead. Raphtalia would stare at them like they were treasure, so I started giving her one after every meal. She loved the cream-filled ones.
That part was nice, I guess.
After that, back to the city. Sell loot. Eat dinner at the inn. Usually around this time, Naofumi and Raphtalia would go to sleep. I would stay behind and go to the bar to get myself something to drink.
I have some standards. I waited till Raphtalia was no longer present nearby to drink.
Repeat.
8th day of this.
I felt like I was babysitting, not saving the world.
So today, I changed things up.
"I'm staying in the city," I told Naofumi at breakfast.
Well, I wrote it in text.
You two go train without me today.
Naofumi looked surprised. "You sure?"
Raphtalia is almost level 18 now. You can handle low level monster.
"What if something bigger shows up?"
Run. I'll know if you're dying.
That wasn't entirely true, but I am sure they'd be fine.
Naofumi still looked uncertain but nodded. "Okay. If you're sure."
I was sure.
I needed a break from the routine before I lost my mind completely.
.
.
.
After they left, I wandered through the city.
I'd been to the market district a hundred times. Knew every shop, every street vendor.
But I'd never really explored the noble district before.
I'd heard there was a high-end bakery there. The kind that made elaborate custom cakes. I wanted to check it out. Maybe buy something if it looked good.
The noble district was obvious. Full of nobles and their servants, it was quite close to the castle as well. which was expected.
Anyways, I took my time exploring this place. I knew the general location of where it should be located. I also saw a lot of other shops in this district that I would have to visit in the future. Particularly, a magic shop, once I get a bit better at writing this world's language, I am coming back here.
Which shouldn't take longer, I am confident that even without more Raphtalia, I can learn the rest on my own in a few days, maybe a week at best.
I found the bakery after about fifteen minutes.
It had a fancy gold sign; business must be good for them. The display windows were showing three-tier cakes with sugar flowers and gold leaf. Way too elaborate, but impressive.
One thing I have noticed is that this world is surprisingly well advance? Modern? In terms of food items. There are so many options everywhere. They even have items you wouldn't expect in a medieval setting.
I was about to go inside when I felt it.
Eyes on me.
I was a bit excited; I thought the mystery stalker was back.
I am going to get this fucker this time.
I extended my perception instantly. Ten people. Following me. Spreading out to surround me.
Thugs, probably.
Boring, here I got hyped for nothing, oh well, maybe they will surprise me or something.
I kept walking. Led them away from the main streets.
After ten minutes, I turned into an alley. Narrow with a Dead end.
Perfect.
I walked halfway down, stopped, and turned around.
And started waiting for them.
Ten men entered the alley. Not what you would expect from your typical thugs. They looked well-dressed, and even their weapons looked expensive.
That one in the back, he is wearing a servant's attire… didn't I see him before? He was with a fat noble, if I am not mistaken.
Then the leader stepped forward.
Big guy. Maybe six-foot-two. A scar running across his left cheek. He had an expensive-looking sword.
No way this guy is a thug.
Oh, and he was bald.
"Well, well," he said, his voice rough.
"Looks like the freak noticed us."
"You're in the wrong part of town, boy," the leader continued, cracking his knuckles. "Noble district's not for... whatever you are. Walking around in those weird clothes. Probably some kind of foreign trash, yeah?"
The other thugs laughed. A few of them started spreading out, blocking the alley entrance.
The leader pointed at my hoodie. "That looks expensive. It must be custom-made, maybe. Hand it over boy. And whatever else you've got. Money, jewellery, anything valuable."
I tilted my head slightly.
Honestly?
I was a little excited.
After about a minute passed.
The leader's grin started to fade. He looked confused, and then annoyed.
"You deaf, freak?" he said, taking a step forward. "I said hand it over."
How should I deal with them?
His face went red. "Listen, you little—"
He took another step, raising his sword.
Wonder if I can make that guy hit himself...
Actually, wait. I had a better idea.
I pulled one hand out of my pocket and pointed at him.
The leader stopped mid-step. Froze in place.
His eyes went wide. He tried to move.
"What the—"
I pointed my other hand at the nine thugs behind him.
Then I sent a mental command directly into the leader's mind.
{Attack them.}
His body moved on its own.
He spun around, sword raised and swung at the nearest thug.
The thug barely got his weapon up in time to block. "Sir! What the hell are you—"
Sir?
The leader swung again. Harder this time. The thug went down.
"STOP!" one of the others shouted. "What are you doing?!"
The leader's mouth moved. His voice came out strained, panicked. "It's not me! I'm not doing this! I can't—"
I made him swing again.
Another thug went down, clutching his arm.
"Boss, STOP!"
"I CAN'T!"
It was... kind of funny.
The thugs were scrambling, trying to defend themselves against their own leader. Some were trying to restrain him. Others were backing away, confused and terrified.
The leader kept swinging. Kept hitting them. All while screaming that it wasn't him, he couldn't control his body.
I watched for a minute or two. Four of them were down now. The rest were bruised and bleeding, desperately trying to keep their boss from killing them.
This was more entertaining than I'd expected.
I pulled my other hand out of my pocket and gestured slightly.
The leader's movements changed. Got more... theatrical.
He started spinning. Dancing, almost. Pirouetting between strikes like some kind of fucked-up ballet.
One of the thugs got hit with a spinning backhand and went flying into the wall.
Another tried to run. The leader chased him down, still spinning, and clotheslined him.
I couldn't help it.
I laughed.
Out loud.
"Haha. Dance for me more, puppet."
A notification appeared in my vision.
[New Skill Acquired: Mental Command (basic)]
Huh.
I dismissed it for now. I'd check the details later.
Right now, I am busy watching the show.
The leader's eyes were wide with terror. Tears streaming down his face. But his body kept moving. He just kept dancing and kept fighting.
By the time he was done, eight of the nine thugs were on the ground. Groaning, Unconscious, Bleeding. One guy had a few of his teeth knocked out. Weirdly, he was smiling as he got knocked out.
Was he a masochist?
The only one left was the servant in the back.
He'd tripped at some point during the chaos. Now he was on the ground, pressed against the alley wall, frozen in fear.
His eyes were huge, and his face was pale. He looked like he wanted to cry.
I made the leader turn toward me.
Then I made him start punching himself.
Left hand. Right hand. Left. Right.
Over and over.
The leader was sobbing now. "Please…stop….I…"
Left. Right. Left. Right.
His nose broke. Blood poured down his face.
Left. Right.
His eye swelled shut.
Left. Right.
Finally, his knees buckled. He collapsed face-first onto the cobblestones.
I released my hold on him.
Did I go too far?? I don't want to kill him.
I used my power to check him over.
Nah, he'll be fine.
It was so quiet now, except for the sound of the wind and the groans of the injured thugs, of course.
I turned my attention to the servant.
He was still frozen. Staring at me with absolute terror.
I walked over slowly. And stood over him.
He flinched. His whole body was shaking now. Any longer, and this guy is definitely going to piss himself.
I crouched down. I looked into his eyes and gave him a small smile.
Then I reached out with my telepathy.
{Tell whoever sent you: wrong target. Next time, I won't be nice.}
His eyes went even wider. He was hearing my voice directly in his head.
He started nodding frantically. Tears are running down his face now.
I stood up. Stepped aside. Gestured to the alley exit.
He scrambled to his feet and ran.
I still wanted to mess with him, so as he reached the exit, I made him trip. As he was falling, I twisted his body to face me.
His jaw was shaking wildly, and he tried to back away from me. I made my eyes glow lightly, raised my right hand and waved at him while giving him the same smile for a moment ago.
He started shouting something about 'The devil' and crawled to get here as fast as he possibly could.
Well, at least this was more entertaining than eating fish again.
I turned back to the unconscious thugs scattered across the alley.
Then I looked at their weapons. The expensive swords and well-made daggers. I don't care about the armour, but their weapons. I had an idea in my mind, and I want to try it soon.
Waste to just leave them here.
The weapons lifted into the air. All of them. Floating in a neat line above their former owners.
Then I opened a rift in space. One for each weapon. Small tears in reality, leading directly to my inventory.
The weapons disappeared into the rifts one by one. Sucked into storage.
The rifts closed.
There, I just got free stuff.
It's like they say, the best stuff is free stuff.
What should I do with the sword's…. I will make Naofumi sell them for me and buy some more daggers.
I was just about to leave when I heard footsteps behind me.
Someone was running towards me, fast.
I turned to look behind and saw.
A man in a noble's clothing rushed into the alley, slightly out of breath.
He was big. Not fat, exactly, but... heavy. Round face, blonde hair slicked back, expensive purple coat with gold trim. He had this wide smile plastered on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes.
He looked at the scene, and then he looked at me.
"You there!" he called out, his voice was loud and jovial. "Are you alright?"
He walked closer, stepping carefully around the bodies. His smile never wavered.
"My, my. What a terrible scene. These ruffians attacked you, did they?" He gestured at the unconscious thugs. "Did you... defeat them all?"
I shook my head. No.
Well, technically, I never even touch them, so...
It's not my fault.
His smile widened. "Ah, I see. Well, regardless, you seem unharmed. That's what matters."
He stopped a few feet away from me, then suddenly straightened up and placed a hand over his chest in some kind of formal gesture.
"Forgive me for not introducing myself sooner. I am Idol Rabier, Lord of the Rabier Territory." He gave a small bow. "I heard a commotion and came as quickly as I could. I'm relieved to see you're unharmed, Sir Nihilux."
He knew my name?
Well, there were plenty of nobles at the castle when I came to this world. So it's not really that surprising.
His smile widened slightly. "Ah, you seem surprised. Well, it's not every day that one of the otherworlders graces our fair city with their presence. Word travels fast, especially about those travelling with the Shield Hero."
There is something about him.
I moved to walk past him.
He stepped to the side, blocking my path and still smiling.
"Before you go," he said quickly, "I should mention, I am the Governor of the Rabier Territory. It's west of the capital city. A beautiful place, really. I would be honoured if you would visit sometime. As my guest, of course."
I nodded.
Sure, whatever, man. I'll visit.
His smile grew even wider. "Wonderful! I'll be eagerly awaiting your arrival."
"Until we meet again!" he called after me.
As I turned the corner and headed toward the bakery, I thought about it.
That was definitely strange.
How did he get there so fast? The fight only lasted a few minutes. And this was a back alley in the noble district. Not exactly somewhere you'd just "happen" to be passing by.
And the timing. Right after I let the servant run away. Then this noble shows up.
Ahh, forget it, I filed that away for later. Something to think about when I wasn't craving sugar.
I was almost at the bakery now.
Time to see what they have here.
.
.
.
.
"—and that's when we finally killed it," Naofumi finished.
I nodded slowly, processing what he'd just told me.
So a two-headed dog monster. In a mine. And you fought it.
"Yeah."
And Raphtalia froze up at first because it was the same type that killed her parents.
"She didn't freeze completely," Naofumi said defensively. "She hesitated. But she pulled through. Helped me kill it."
After you got hurt protecting her.
He winced. "Yeah. Took a bite on the arm. But I made some medicine with the shield. Healed it up fine."
I stared at him.
You could have asked me for money. You know that, right?
"I wasn't low on money," Naofumi muttered. "I just... wanted to check out the mine. See if there was anything useful."
Uh huh.
"I'm serious."
Sure.
He scowled at me, but didn't argue further.
I glanced over at Raphtalia, who was standing near the door, waiting patiently.
She looked... different.
Very different.
"Come on," Naofumi said, standing up. "Let's go get breakfast."
.
.
.
We headed downstairs to the common room.
As we walked, I thought back to yesterday.
While Naofumi and Raphtalia had been off fighting two-headed dog monsters in a mine, I'd been having my own adventure in the noble district.
The thugs. The puppet show. Lord Rabier showing up right after.
And that bakery.
I'd finally made it there after Rabier left. Bought three different cakes. All of them were amazing. Worth the entire trip.
I even went back to get an extra one for later.
I'd have to keep an eye out.
We reached the common room and sat down at our usual table.
The server came over. Same routine as always.
I pointed at the menu for Raphtalia. Then for Naofumi. Then for myself.
Except this time, the server did a double-take when she looked at Raphtalia.
"Is... is she with you?" the server asked, confused.
"Yes," Naofumi said. "Same as always."
"But she's..." The server looked between Raphtalia and the kids menu I was pointing at. "She's not a child anymore."
Right.
That.
When they'd gotten back last night, it was almost dark. I'd been sitting in the common room, drinking, when Naofumi walked in with Raphtalia. Just in time, too, I was getting a little worried that was taking them so long and was just about to go out looking for them.
She still looked the same then, but the real magic happened when we woke up this morning. I saw her next to Naofumi.
Except Raphtalia didn't look like Raphtalia anymore.
She looked like a teenager.
I'd actually had to do a double-take. Thought maybe Naofumi had picked up a different demi-human somehow.
But no. It was her. Same raccoon ears. Same voice. In the same way, she called him "Master Naofumi."
Just... older.
A lot older.
Naofumi had explained it to me. Demi-humans aged with their levels. The stronger they got, the faster they physically matured.
Raphtalia had hit level 19 in that mine.
And apparently, that was enough to jump her from looking like a 10-year-old to looking like a 17 or 18-year-old.
Maybe 16? I was never good at guessing ages.
"She'll have a regular meal," Naofumi told the server. "Not the kids' menu."
Before I could respond, Raphtalia spoke up.
"I'm not a child anymore," she said quietly, but there was something firm in her voice. "I'll have what they're having, please."
The server blinked, surprised. Then nodded. "Of course. Three full breakfasts then?"
I nodded.
The server walked away.
Naofumi glanced at Raphtalia. "You didn't have to—"
"I'm not a child, Master Naofumi," she repeated, more insistent this time. "I can eat a regular meal now."
I watched the exchange.
That was different. She was speaking up for herself. At least she is starting to be assertive.
I liked that.
Better than just quietly accepting everything as she had been.
Though she was still calling him "Master." That bothered me. She wasn't a slave anymore; the crest was gone but she kept using that title anyway.
Was that Stockholm syndrome? I'd been wondering about that since day one.
Captive develops attachment to captor. Textbook case.
Except... she chose to stay. Naofumi freed her. She had agency.
But did she really? Or did she just think she did?
Though for later.
Raphtalia started talking about her looking better now, and she likes herself even better than before, while getting a little closer to him, and Naofumi just kept nodding along.
I watched the exchange and thought about it.
This was kind of hilarious.
Not in a mean way. Just... objectively funny.
If demi-humans aged up with levels, then by that logic, by the time Raphtalia hit level 90, she'd either be dead or look like Jabba the Hutt's less attractive sister.
What the fuck kind of system was that?
Hopefully, it didn't work like that. Hopefully, there was a cap or something. Otherwise, this world's biology made even less sense than I thought.
I pulled out my mental notes on this world's rules.
Added a new entry: Demi-humans age with levels. Unclear if this continues indefinitely or stops at adulthood. Research needed.
The food arrived.
We all eat. Raphtalia seemed to be enjoying her food. She even asked Naofumi about some of the things she was eating.
After breakfast, Naofumi stood up.
"We should head to the Dragon Hourglass today," he said. "The Wave is tomorrow. We need to check in."
I nodded.
Agreed.
"Right."
Raphtalia stood up as well, adjusting her bag. It didn't look comically oversized on her anymore. Now that she was taller, it fit her very well actually.
That was going to take some getting used to.
We headed out of the inn and toward the castle district.
Tomorrow was the Wave.
The first real test for Naofumi and Raphtalia.
And me?
I am confident that nothing would be able to harm me. As a matter of fact, I am going to make Naofumi sell all these extra daggers and swords I have on me. And get him to buy me 5-7 higher-quality daggers, hopefully that sword from yesterday sells well.
......................................................................................
Author notes~~
I had fun writing this chapter.
This chapter was almost 9k words. damn
For the next wave of catastrophe chapter, maybe I will split them into two parts if it gets too damn long.
well the wave is where the canon story truly begins to change slowly bit by bit.
Also, i am thinking maybe I won't add Filo in this story, or if I do, it might be much later.
currently i have the story planned out till the start of anime episode 7. and I want to focus more on Nihilux side of the travelling the country story.
I also need to read up more on Rising of the Shield Hero LN, since there is much I don't really know about their world.
currently i am trying to upload every 2 days, but I will probably change in the future, since my exams are coming i will get busy soon.
or maybe i will shorten the length of the chapters, but to be honest i rather not do that.
Oh well i think about that when i reach that.
Maybe i will also start work on my others story, that i kind of just left dead in the water. Like my tensura one, I have 3 chapters read for that but i just didn't like the quality, so i never uploaded them.