The Rising of the Shield Hero Volume 05 (4 page)

I picked the important parts out of her speech. Here’s the gist of it:

The Cal Mira islands were famous as a resort, but at the same time it tended to attract hoards of monsters in its more remote areas, where they would quickly acclimate to their new environment.

The islands were also famous because adventurers that wanted to level up would make for the islands in large numbers to fight these monsters. Every ten years, when the “activation” occurred, adventurers would descend on the land in even greater numbers.

In order to make up for the leveling experience I’d been denied by the actions of Trash and Bitch, the queen was offering us participation in the activation.

“Naturally, your boarding and transport costs have already been covered. I hope that you will all participate.”

Had this been an online RPG, this would be equivalent to some kind of special event where players’ experience gains were doubled.

So she was talking about double experience for simple enemies. It was the sort of thing any gamer would flip out for.

“Now then, before you heroes make your way to the islands, I was hoping you would participate in a friendly exchange of information. Please come with me.”

“Information exchange?”

“Yes. In preparation for the increasingly difficult and dangerous waves, I believe the only way forward is to ensure more cooperation between the heroes.”

“Is that really necessary?”

Ren spat the question as if he considered her suggestion absurd.

What was his problem? What did he think was unnecessary? Unlike the others, I didn’t already know everything about this place. Didn’t he know that by now?

“I believe so. I’ve heard that the heroes had difficulty coordinating their efforts during the last wave. I think it would be beneficial to discuss this.”

“ . . . .”

Ren was silent.

She was right though. When the last wave came, the other heroes hadn’t even joined forces with the knights. So they were left all alone at the site of destruction.

Apparently if the heroes registered a group of reserve soldiers as part of their party’s back-up battle formation, those soldiers would be automatically teleported to the site of the waves, whenever and wherever they occurred.

But none of the other heroes had taken advantage of the system.

So in the end, aside from the group of soldiers that had approached me, there were no other back-up troops around to help when the last wave had come.

“Aside from that concern, I wonder if it might not benefit you heroes to coordinate your efforts, combine your strengths and knowledge, and move forward together, as a unified body.”

“You’re right. If we want to survive the coming waves, we need to do as you’ve indicated.”

Itsuki immediately agreed with the queen. But he was just saying what she wanted to hear.

If anyone were to protest at this point, they’d look like the bad guy.

Or, if anyone were to protest, they’d end up dying alone in battle.

I realized that I needed to agree as well.

Besides, Fitoria had told me that the heroes needed to cooperate if they wanted to stand a chance against the waves.

Before some of my recent experiences, I probably would have dismissed the possibility of cooperation outright.

They wouldn’t have believed a word I’d said anyway.

But Ren and Itsuki had listened to what I’d said. They’d analyzed the church’s story and found it suspicious.

If they’d done that for me, I could at least return the favor.

“Very well then. Let's set up a place to talk, here in the great hall. Heroes! Introduce yourselves and follow me.”

We looked at one another.

“You heard her.”

“We need to coordinate our efforts. What should we do first?”

“Why don’t we introduce our teammates?”

“Good idea. Very well, I’ll go first.”

And Itsuki led us over to his other party members.

“These people have been traveling with me as party members.”

Itsuki waved his hand at a group of people there, motioning so that Ren and I would understand.

“This is the first time we’ve officially met. Shield Hero, and . . . yes, Sword Hero—though we’ve spoken before.”

“ . . . Yeah.”

Itsuki’s party members each stepped forward and introduced themselves.

It all felt natural and casual enough. In the middle of a feast there was no sense of tension or nervousness. The soldiers were ordering whatever they wanted from the waiters as if it were any other day

“I’m Naofumi Iwatani—the Shield Hero. Pleasure.”

We introduced ourselves, and I made a mental note of each of Itsuki’s friends.

So there were . . . five of them? One of them wore some flashy armor and kept his arms authoritatively crossed.

When he noticed my eyes moving in his direction, he quickly uncrossed his arms. It gave me the creeps.

“Ah, yes. Pleased to meet you. I am Master Itsuki’s bodyguard, and I intend to fight for the good and safety of the world.”

“Bodyguard?!” Ren and I shouted in unison.

That wasn’t a word I was expecting to hear. Ren seemed to be just as surprised as I was.

What’s wrong, Ren? You didn’t know either? Ha! I had to keep myself from bursting out laughing.

Just who did Itsuki think he was? It took all my willpower to suppress a grin.

“Yes!” They all shouted together. “All five of us are Master Itsuki’s bodyguards!”

“Excuse me! I’m terribly sorry it took so long to get this food to you!”

I turned to see a young girl carrying a tray piled high with various foods.

She better be careful. She looked like she was about to drop it.

“Ah . . . .”

Damn! I reached out and quickly snatched the tray to keep it from falling.

“I’m so sorry!”

This kid . . . she seemed kind of young.

She probably wasn’t a day over 14. You could feel the immaturity.

She had a refined bearing though—and a pretty face. She must have come from a good family. She was pretty cute.

She probably had a weak resolve. Had Motoyasu been there, he’d have probably already been hitting on her.

She was a small girl. I guess she was part of Itsuki’s party, but what did she do? Maybe she was a magic-user or something like that.

“You’re so slow, Rishia! Go on, introduce yourself.”

“Fu, Fueeeee! Okay!”

Then all spoke together again. “The SIX of us are Mr. Itsuki’s bodyguards!”

Ren turned to me and whispered, “Didn’t they just say there were five bodyguards?”

That’s what I’d heard too, but there was no use in pointing fingers at this point.

“Don’t say anything, just watch what they do.”

The whole thing made me a little uncomfortable, honestly. But until their behavior became an issue, I would assume that Itsuki knew what he was doing.

“What do you think? Quite the dependable lot, these guys.”

“Honestly I have plenty I’d like to say, but for now I’ll just say that everything looks good.”

I looked them over again, starting from the right, just to take stock. They all wore expressions of extreme self-confidence.

I’m sure they were all dependable enough, but I couldn’t help but remember our battle with the high priest—during which they hadn’t done anyone much good at all.

Itsuki was positively blushing with confidence, but I was still bothered by the guy in the flashy armor. There was something about the way he knit his eyebrows that didn’t sit right with me.

He looked somehow condescending, but then I took stock of the whole party and realized they all had that look.

As for the Rishia girl—she was casting awkward glances left and right, looking uncomfortable and unsure of herself.

“I hadn’t really met any of them before, but you’ve got a weird group of people together here.”

Ren chose his words with care. The group had given me the same impression. “You think? They all seem normal to me.”

What did he think was normal about them? Calling them “bodyguards” made the whole thing weird straight from the get-go.

I thought that Itsuki considered him some kind of world-weary general character, the sort that traveled the wicked world righting its wrongs. But here was his party referring to themselves as bodyguards.

I didn’t know what to make of it—it was all too strange.

Itsuki went on to tell me each of their names, but I wasn’t paying attention and immediately forgot them.

I was distracted by the guy in the flashy armor. He’d pointed his chin in my direction, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was looking down on me.

It started to really get to me . . . . I decided to mention it.

“Itsuki.”

“What is it?”

“Do something about this one. His face and his attitude are bothering me. He looks at me like he thinks I’m a criminal.”

“I suspect that has more to do with your own attitude than his, Naofumi. Nothing about his behavior is bothering me.”

“Mu!”

Itsuki . . . . That little word-dance was really obnoxious.

“Yeah, well. He makes a different face when you aren’t looking.”

“Shield Hero, you’re probably just imagining it, don’t you think?”

“We’re talking about YOU! Stay out of it.”

It sure looked like he hadn’t spent much time teaching his “bodyguards” proper manners. It’s probably Itsuki’s fault. I imagined him talking bad about me for the last few months. His friends probably just picked up on the general mood.

Actually, they were from Melromarc to begin with, which meant that they were probably prejudiced against the Shield Hero from the very start.

“I’ve been curious about something.”

Ren raised his hand.

“What?”

“You’ve been referring to Itsuki as ‘master’ but don't attach a title to either mine or Naofumi’s names. Why is that?”

“Because the Sword and Shield Heroes have clearly not been performing as well as Master Itsuki has. That should explain the difference.”

What did he just say?

I’m used to dealing with crazy people by this point, but that was just too much. What would make them think that? I looked around at the crowd, and each member of Itsuki’s party, save one of them, seemed to be in agreement.

It was Rishia that seemed to not share in their opinion, the girl that Itsuki treated like a servant. I couldn’t tell how she really felt, but she did seem stressed by the disagreement.

Ren sighed loudly.

“Just when I was wondering what you’d say . . . .”

I couldn’t believe he had the gall to even mention our “activities!” And this from Itsuki, who snuck around and did his work in secret. How did he think the rest of the country saw him?

He might have liked the idea of fighting for justice in the shadows—but no one knew who he was, and no one talked about his “deeds.”

“Activities? Is Itsuki, by far the most boring hero around, trying to act like he’s done more than we have? You know, I haven’t heard anything about what you’ve been up to. No one talks about it.”

“Well, maybe that’s because, unlike Ren and Motoyasu, I haven’t been running around trying to get people to praise me. The best work goes unnoticed—that’s just how it is.”

Itsuki shot back, apparently surprised that he was being challenged.

What was that supposed to mean? No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like Itsuki was the one concerned with his reputation.

Did he just like to fancy himself an angel? Oh Itsuki, so brave! So noble! Saving the world and not even looking for credit!

“You fool . . . . Are you berating Master Itsuki?

“What are you going to do about it? I’m not nice enough to stand aside while someone insults me to my face.”

Ren spat back, and I saw his hand move to the hilt of his sword.

“Fueeee!”

“Please stop that! Ren!”

Itsuki inserted himself between flashy armor and Ren.

“Itsuki, it looks like you still have some explaining to do.”

“ . . . .”

Ren spat angrily at Itsuki.

“Regardless, Ren and Naofumi are heroes just like I am, so please show them the respect they’re due.”

“Understood!”

Flashy armor shouted and bowed deeply to us. I wondered what he was really thinking.

“Alright, I’ll introduce my people next.”

Ren clipped and stalked off without another word.

A feeling of malcontent remained in the air, but Itsuki and I followed Ren across the room.

“Welcome! Welcome! It’s good to meet you both, Shield Hero, Bow Hero.”

“Oh, um . . . .”

Ren’s party members were still eating, but when we approached they stopped and snapped at attention, treating us respectfully but looking nervous as they did.

After dealing with Itsuki’s crew, I wasn’t really sure what to make of it.

Anyway, there were four of them.

“I’m the Shield Hero, Naofumi Iwatani.”

“I am the Bow Hero, Itsuki Kawasaki. I believe we’ve met a few times before.”

I think I’d seen three of them before, on our first day after we were all summoned here. It looked like he’d acquired one more party member somewhere along the way.

“Pleased to meet you again, Shield Hero, Bow Hero.”

“Sure.”

The whole group was very polite and proper.

But I couldn’t help remember the way they’d avoided me on the first day here, the way they’d all run to hide behind Ren.

I couldn’t forget it.

I better stay on my toes—there’s no telling what they really thought.

“I apologize for my previous actions.”

“Huh?”

One of the men stepped forward, representing the group. He appeared to be a solider of some kind. He bowed to me.

“I’m sorry, under the previous king I, we . . . I didn’t know what would have happened to me had I aligned myself with the Shield Hero.”

The rest of them all followed suit, lowering their heads to me.

“I realize this is too little too late, but please accept our apology.”

“Uh . . . okay.”

They were all so . . . modest, I wasn’t expecting that and was thrown of balance.

Based on the way I’d been treated for the last few months, I couldn’t help but suspect ulterior motives.