by Aneko Yusagi
That was fair. She probably hated being stuck in human form. She couldn’t use all her powers that way.
“An item maker?”
“Yes. I think it might be sealed with magic—in which case no key would take it off.”
“An item maker…”
Raphtalia looked over at me. What did she want? I guess I could do a little, basic item work.
“Mr. Naofumi, you’re good with handicrafts. Would you mind trying?”
“I can do a little, but I don’t know how to unlock things.”
I had a little wire for working with items. I could try.
Turning the hoop in my hands, I found a small hole that looked like it might be a lock. I stuck the wire into it. If I managed to unlock it, I wonder if it would open up some handicraft skill?
I decided to try to focus my magic power on it. Huh? Something was responding to the magic.
The item dealer we’d travelled with had taught me a trick about using both at the same time. I flicked the wire back and forth. It seemed to be locked with a sophisticated mechanism—though I felt like I could break it with force. Or, if I just broke it I might not be able to ever get it off. But if I could lower the quality of it, I might be able to render its inhibiting effect on Filo null.
I went ahead and applied magic to the wire and then rattled the wire inside the hoop. There was a loud click, and the hoop began to degrade. It was like an anime in which they used electric stun guns to break an electric lock.
“Ah.”
With a dramatic puff Filo transformed back into her Filolial queen form.
“Think you can just do the rest by force?”
“Sure!”
Filo used her free leg, and one wing, to get a grip on the hoop. Pulling with a lot of strength, the hoop began to stretch.
“That is one violent way to get it off.”
“Oh shut up. You can’t get it off with a dainty touch.”
“Thank you, Master!”
“Be careful from now on. Motoyasu will be better prepared next time.”
It took a lot of intricate work to get the hoop off. We wouldn’t be able to do it in the middle of battle.
“Okay!”
And so we headed to the southeast as secretly as possible.
I don’t know if I’d managed to convince them, but there was no sign that Ren or Itsuki were following us. Either that, or they might be on the lookout for us somewhere down the road.
Even still—brainwashing? They couldn’t be that stupid. I probably had more to worry about from Motoyasu.
Regardless, it was nice that the strongest hero, Ren, and the range-attacking Itsuki, weren’t around. Filo could take care of Motoyasu, and as long as the princess was with us, they wouldn’t attack directly.
Even still, we had a mountain of problems to tackle.
“What to do…”
We started discussing our options.
Epilogue: Name
We were progressing on our journey to the southwest.
We didn’t have a carriage, so we all had to ride on Filo. It got old really fast.
“Should we steal a carriage somewhere?”
We already had bounty hunters after us. What was one little carriage?
“NO!”
Filo shouted in disagreement.
“If we have to steal a carriage, I don’t want to pull it!”
I guess Filo was developing quite a sense of justice.
“Well, I don’t want to steal one either, but riding on you all the time gets tiring.”
“What do you think, Princess?”
“Hmm…”
The princess looked perplexed by my question.
What was bothering her?
“It might be a little dangerous, but it might be best to send Raphtalia to a nearby village to buy one.”
That was probably a good idea. Or should we have asked Shadow for help?
“The sun is getting low in the sky. Let’s stop for a rest, shall we?”
“Yeah! Oh…”
I’d agreed with her idea, but the princess was still looking at me with a scowl.
What was wrong with her?
Filo’s stomach was audibly rumbling.
“I’m hungry!”
“You eat so much, Filo!”
Mel poked Filo with her index finger.
“Heh, heh.”
I’m glad they were friends and all, but they were starting to act like a stupid couple. It was annoying.
I finished making the campfire and moved on to dinner.
“Here you go, Princess.”
I finished making dinner and was handing a plate of it to the princess—but she was still scowling at me.
What was wrong with her?
“Mel, aren’t you going to eat too?”
“Yes, but…”
She stole a glance at me then flicked her gaze away. She was worried about something.
But what?
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.”
When Raphtalia asked her what was wrong, she reached out and snatched the plate of dinner I’d been offering.
“What’s wrong with you, Mel?”
“Um…”
Mel was acting strange enough that even Filo was concerned now.
“You know I don’t have brainwashing powers, right?”
“I know that!”
She quickly turned and looked away.
Though honestly she wasn’t acting so weird—all things considered. She was playing with Filo, and smiling and talking with Raphtalia.
She was only acting upset with me. She ignored me.
I had no idea what the problem was.
“Don’t say that.”
“Huh? What is it, Princess?”
She was shaking, and she had muttered something.
“What did I say?”
“Don’t call me ‘Princess’ anymore!”
She shouted. Her eyes were filled with tears.
“Why are you so upset?”
“I have a name, you know! It’s Melty!”
“What? Why are you stating the obvious?”
“I’m upset, Shield Hero, that you won’t call me by my name! You used to call me Mel!”
The princess must just be venting the stress from our long journey. She was scratching her head and acting hysterical.
Filo and Raphtalia were watching the princess freak out. They were clearly just as surprised as I was.
“I’ll tell you again! I have a name. It’s Melty. But the Shield Hero keeps calling me ‘the younger princess!’ That’s my title, not my name!”
“What? You wanted me to call you by your name?”
“That’s not why I’m upset! Why do you treat me differently than everyone else does?!”
“Treat you differently? It’s not like you’ve been part of my party for very long!”
“But I’m sharing in your successes and trials, aren’t I? Don’t call me by my title!”
“And yet, you call me the ‘Shield Hero.’”
The princess seemed to understand.
“Shield Hero” isn’t my name, after all.
“Fine, I’m going to call you Naofumi then. I’ll call you Naofumi, so I expect you to call me Melty!”
“Oh man…”
“See?! Say it, Naofumi! Call me Melty!”
I didn’t like the idea of acting all familiar.
She was very polite with Raphtalia, but we have to act like we are really close all of a sudden?
Still, I didn’t want her calling me “Mister” or anything. That would remind me of my time with the Bitch. She used to call me “Mr. Shield Hero.”
If I tried to disagree now, she was sure to cause more trouble, and besides, she had helped us protect Filo in the last fight.
As far as I knew, she hadn’t lied to us either—and she had tried to reconcile the Trash with me, at least until the knights jumped in and messed it all up. Thinking back even further, she’d saved
us way back when Motoyasu had caused a scene in the middle of town.
She hadn’t lied, and apparently she hadn’t been trying to steal Filo from us either.
I had my doubts about believing anyone from this world, but if I was going to believe anyone, I guess I could believe in her.
Filo was naive and innocent, but she was a good judge of character. If Filo believed in her, I guess I could try believing in her too.
“Okay, fine. Melty. Is that better?”
“Yeah! You better stick to it!”
“Okay, okay.”
So she was going to freak out anytime I called her “Princess”? That could get annoying really fast.
“That was surprising.”
Sure, Filo was crazy and loud, but she wasn’t hysterical. She only went nuts in a childish kind of way.
Mel and Filo were similar in that way, probably because they were around the same age.
“Oh Princess Melty, I didn’t know that you were so upset.”
“Raphtalia, please stop calling me ‘Princess!’”
“Very well, Ms. Melty.”
“That’s better!”
I wonder how Raphtalia felt about that. She had started calling me by my name back when we fought the two-headed dog. I guess when we used our names, it was kind of proof that we’d grown close.
“Raphtalia, I’m glad you aren’t so picky.”
She was only a real handful in the beginning, but she had eventually come around.
Unlike Filo, she fought traditionally, with a sword. Since I was the Shield, we were really compatible. When we were selling things, she could run the shop. When we were on the run, she wore a disguise. She was always a big help.
“Is that a compliment?”
“Sure.”
“And I guess you’re being serious?” she huffed.
“What’s wrong, Master?”
Filo now?
I didn’t like the idea of Filo calling me by my name…
“Filo, don’t use my name.”
“Why?!”
“He, he… Filo is the odd one out!”
“But why? Why? How come I’m the only one that can’t use your name?!”
“Go ahead and try.”
“Naofumi!”
I didn’t even get a “Mister?” And she over-pronounced every syllable. It didn’t feel right.
“Yeah, I don’t think so. And can’t I get an honorific?”
“Nanny, nanny, booboo!”
“Okay Filo, relax.”
“But!”
“Melty’s right. Filo, you just call me Master. You could call that ‘being left out,’ but on the flip side, it makes you special!”
“Boo!”
“Fine. I raised you, so how about ‘Papa?’ ‘Dad?’ ‘Father?’”
“Um… I don’t like that!”
“Why?”
Fair enough, I didn’t like the idea of such a big thing calling me “Papa,” anyway.
“I’d rather call you ‘Master’ than ‘Father!’”
“Right? Okay, then stick with that.”
I wonder if she had some kind of motivation for preferring one word to another? Whatever.
“Naofumi.”
“What?”
Epilogue: As a Shield…
Melty turned to me.
“Say my name again.”
“Huh? Why, Melty?”
She closed her eyes and listened closely when I said her name.
“It’s nothing.”
“Weirdo.”
I was positively surrounded by crazy people.
Even if she had thrown a fit, I decided to just chalk it up to a mood.
“What do you say we get to sleep early and get a fresh start tomorrow?”
These last few days, really ever since we met Melty at the diseased village, it’s all been so busy. So much had happened.
We’d almost died a few times. Lots of bad things had happened, but if our current travels were successful, then it would all be worth it.
Plus I had another party member who believed in me. Honestly, I was glad.
I was still shocked that I’d been able to trust the Bitch’s sister, though.
If we trusted each other, we could prove my innocence. At the end of my journey, I felt like there was a little spark of hope.
As for tonight, I would sleep soundly.
I had to—I had friends that were relying on me.
Extra Chapter: Before I Met My Best Friend
My name is Melty Melromarc. I am the second princess of Melromarc, and I am first in line of succession.
In order to see more of the world, I’ve been traveling with my mother.
My mother’s job is to travel around the world meeting with people to make sure that Melromarc never has to go to war.
I’m supposed to learn how to do that job, so that is why I have been traveling with her.
One day I was really excited because my mother was going to teach me something new about her job.
A letter had arrived from my father, and when my mother opened it I had a pretty good idea of what kind of job she was going to give me.
To be honest, I don’t hate my father at all—but I think he is kind of gross. I’d heard all sorts of legends about what a strong warrior he had been, but I grew up watching him fawn over my older sister. He gave her whatever she wanted, and it was hard to respect him after that.
It was hard to believe the kind of man he had become.
Still, he had a great military mind. You could tell when he played strategy games with mother. My mother would sit there scratching her head in thought, and he would just yawn—and win. My mother was not a weak player by any means. I’d never seen her lose to anyone besides him. No matter how hard I studied, I could never compare to the skills of my mother. Yet my father beat her easily.
I loved my father. He cared about his family—but I simply cannot understand why he was always caving in and giving my sister whatever she wants.
Speaking of strategy games—my sister was the least skilled among us. My father would hold back to let her win, which is fine. But when she played against others she would lie, cheat, and steal—anything to win.
The strategy games have different names all around the world. The one we played was actually brought to Melromarc in the past by a Hero from another world. My mother said he called it “chess.”
I wasn’t good at using pressure, or cheating. So what did my sister do to me?
“Whenever this piece is in trouble, there is a rule that lets me shuffle the position of the other pieces on the board.”
Then she reached out and moved all the pieces into more advantageous positions.
Even after that, I won. She flipped the board over in anger.
“It’s a special move! All the piece affiliations switch! And the same special move makes it my turn!”
I even let her do that. But then when it was my turn and I reached for a piece…
“This one can jump all the other pieces and go straight for the king!”
She said, slamming down a random piece where my king was.
“Okay, then it’s my turn to use that special move.
Did she think that I wasn’t going to follow her own rules?
“Well…
“It’s my turn, isn’t it? Now then…”
I reached for the piece she said had the power, declared that I used the power, and then took the piece off of the board.
“…”
She was glaring at me with burning hatred. Did she think I was going to ignore the rules she made up?
“I’m the only one who can do that! I’m putting the piece back.”
“Then this game is not fair. If you want to play that way, play with father.”
I stood up and left, and she picked up the board and threw it across the room. What was she thinking? The idea of the country falling into her hands was enough to make anyone nervous.
Ok, back to my story.
&nbs
p; About two months ago our world was visited by a strange phenomenon called the Waves of Destruction. The first time it happened I was out traveling with my mother. Before we could go home, we were first supposed to attend an international conference about the waves. We were on our way to a country called Faubrey, for the conference. We were supposed to attend a panel about defending the country.
Our ability to summon the Heroes gave us authority, and that was very useful in a diplomatic setting. So we discussed the ceremony for summoning the Heroes.
In order to see how the ceremony was performed in different places, representatives of each country were to gather together and watch.
The first summoning was to occur in Faubrey. But it ended in failure. The Heroes never arrived.
“Mother, why don’t they hold the conference after the Heroes have arrived?”
“Some things are too difficult to decide simply pragmatically, whether they be between people or between countries.”
All the countries would attempt the ceremony, and we were to participate, even if just a little.
In the end it became clear that our own country, Melromarc, had performed the ceremony without notifying the other nations.
The world was complicated and hostile enough before this happened. When Melromarc summoned the Heroes, it started a serious international dispute.
Things were hard after that. Assassins were sent after my mother, and the conference fell into chaos.
I thought it was clear that my father and some church associates were to blame, but maybe my sister had a hand in it too.
“You Melromarc weasels! You want sole control over the Heroes, is that it?!”
Someone was thrusting an accusatory finger at my mother. She did not retreat, but covered her mouth with a folding fan. I was shocked when she calmly responded.
“Would you like me to say that we aim to take over the world?”
“What was that?!”
“Perhaps you mean to declare war against my country, which processes all of the four Holy Warriors? Think carefully about that.”
“Ugh…”
I knew her well enough to know that she was actually very troubled.
Soon, she fell sick. She had a fever, and it was difficult for her to swallow. But she hid her discomfort. She participated in the meetings and said that we summoned the Heroes for our own protection. My mother had willpower like no other. I respect her very much.
