by Aneko Yusagi
“Forcibly unlocked?”
I checked the tree, and there was a “Filolial Shield” glowing on it.
It had a bunch of equip bonuses that all seemed to benefit Filolials, like power and growth adjustment (large, medium, small), detailed growth stat adjustment (large, medium, small), and others.
One that immediately jumped out at me was called Ability While Riding (large, medium, small). It must have meant that Filo would fight better with someone riding on her back.
Still, my level wasn’t high enough to use most of the shield’s abilities. Luckily the shield was unlocked, so if I just met the requirements I’d be able to use its powers.
It looked like the requirements had been met to unlock any shield related to Filolials.
“Thank you.”
“You are welcome. However I still have something I would like to discuss with you.”
“What’s that?”
“I’d rather talk in private.”
This was becoming a rather strange reward.
Hey—did this mean that all of the Filolial’s powers were concentrated into those cowlicks?
Filo couldn’t level up anymore, at least for now. So I suppose it was a good thing.
“Um… Uh…”
Melty was hesitant, and somewhat embarrassed, to speak to Fitoria.
“What?”
“That was just to test Filo, right? You weren’t…using me?”
“Of course not. Isn’t there anything you want, Meltan?”
“Um… Can you become a really big Filolial and let me ride on your head?”
Oddly engaged and passionate, Melty made her request.
“…Very well.”
Fitoria seemed a little put out, but as she pat Melty on the head, she started to grow larger. Then she smiled deeply.
“Wow…”
Then, just as she’d promised, she set Melty onto her head.
“It’s so high up here!”
Melty was very excited.
“Shield Hero, please back up a little.”
“Okay.”
I stepped back as I was asked.
And… Fitoria soon grew to be about eighteen meters tall.
Just how big could she get? She was like a building.
“Wow! Wow!”
Melty’s voice came down on the wind. Was it okay to take her so far from the ground?
But seriously, just how big could she get?
Or maybe that was her real size, and she had just transformed to match our size.
“Wow…”
Melty seemed very relaxed.
“It’s like a dream…”
“Too bad it’s not.”
Filo was powerful enough to defeat a dragon, and that girl had used her like a toy… that wasn’t a good sign.
“Now then. The day has only just started. I’d like for you all to get a little more rest.”
“Sure—if you’ll take us to where we want to go later.”
“We’ll talk about that later. For the time being, just try to relax. My friends here also extend their greetings.”
“GAHHH!”
“What? Celebrate the birth of a new queen? You mean me?”
“Congratulations Filo! Ah, ha, ha! Look how happy the Filolials are!”
The other Filolials all crowded around Filo and lifted her up.
“M…Me?”
They had picked up Raphtalia as well.
What was going on? We were suddenly very popular.
We spent the rest of the day with the Filolials. It was a festival-like atmosphere.
So there we were in seclusion. But once we left, how long would it be until the rest of the world believed in us too?
Chapter Six: The Bird God’s Peace
The whole day passed like a dream, and before long, night fell. Raphtalia, Filo, and Melty all fell asleep in a huge nest that the Filolials had prepared for them.
Just like the night before, Fitoria stayed up to speak with me privately.
“What is it?”
“About what we discussed last night…”
“Damn, you’re persistent. What’s impossible is impossible.”
This morning she’d been serious about trying to kill us though. I realized that it was thanks to Filo’s efforts that we made it out of that one.
But why was she so powerful? How did she get strong enough to fling Filo around like she was a doll? She was strong enough to take on all of the heroes at once.
“Did you really… try to be friends with them? Did you try?”
I didn’t answer immediately. If I didn’t think about my answer, she might kill me.
Motoyasu had made up his mind about me. I wasn’t sure what Ren or Itsuki thought.
Since the run-in we had over Melty, we hadn’t met again.
I had no way of knowing where they were, but I remember that when we last left them, they seemed to have some suspicions about what I’d been accused of.
“Did you try to clear your name?”
She had noticed that I hadn’t really done anything.
Especially concerning the rape accusation Bitch had made, I had given priority to my anger because I really believed there was no chance of anyone believing me.
I told them that I had been framed, and they didn’t believe me. That’s why I didn’t believe them.
But if I had been able to show them proof, would that have changed their minds?
We weren’t close enough to sit down for a chat. They knew everything about this world, and they knew that I didn’t—but they still sent me out on my own and made no attempt to help me. Why should I go to them?
All they wanted to do was play in their world and act all badass.
How was I supposed to know what they were thinking?
I’d thought about it before. I tried to imagine what Ren was thinking.
He knew that everyone was freaking out because I’d been accused of raping Bitch. Ren didn’t know much about Bitch, but he knew that she was beautiful.
Who should he believe? The man accused of the crime, of the woman who claims to be the victim?
If I were him, and I really didn’t know anything about either of them, I’d have to side with the woman who claimed to be the victim.
It was similar to things I’d heard about back in my own world.
On a commuter train one day, a woman grabbed a man’s arm and shouted, “This man touched me!”
Even if he hadn’t touched her, everyone on the train would immediately look at him differently, suspiciously. Even if he could prove that he was being framed, the man’s social position would be forever damaged.
What Bitch had done to me was similar to that.
“Sigh…”
My anger was starting to subside, ever so slightly.
Just as I didn’t know anything about Ren or Itsuki, they didn’t know anything about me. The same was true of Motoyasu.
Well, Motoyasu clearly only thought about women.
I felt like I had realized something important.
If Ren and the others were looking into what had happened, then it might be worth it to try and speak with them. If we ran into each other, that is.
If… Well, I’d try and talk the next time I saw them.
If everything went well, we might be able to make some superficial amends.
Of course, amends wouldn’t be possible until Bitch and Trash had been punished.
“Do you remember our previous conversation? Where should I take you after we leave this place?”
“Yeah.”
“I was planning on dropping you off somewhere near the Holy Heroes.”
“You’re coming too, right?
If she was as powerful as she seemed to be, she could probably help clear up the misunderstanding.
Her chief concern was that the heroes work together. Considering that, it seemed like a fair request.
“I will not intrude on your affairs any longer. Please show me that there is a reason for m
e to care about you.”
“Very self-satisfied, aren’t you?
“That’s the problem. I haven’t found a reason to value the current Heroes. The only one of you I’ve met that has potential is Filo. Prove me wrong.”
She clearly considered herself above me, but if she thought that she was doing it for the good of the world, then she really might kill the heroes for their infighting.
I couldn’t exactly say she was mistaken.
But I still had the feeling that she wasn’t going to save the world by knocking off people that were fighting with each other.
Actually maybe I— or not I, but us... the heroes… maybe we were wrong about how serious the threat was.
“Besides, I have plenty of things to keep me busy.”
“Like what?”
“Like saving the world from the waves. It’s not like the waves only come to places where people live.”
“Are there hourglasses outside of population centers?”
Fitoria nodded. I’d rather have not known that. So it wasn’t just civilization that was threatened?
“I’ve been put in charge of those areas. I’d love for you to help me, but you need to grow stronger first.”
So she meant that she’d gone out of her way to meet us and test us… while she had the time to do so.
She wanted to see if we were strong enough to face what was coming. If we weren’t, she’d kill us.
“If you can, have a real conversation with them. The world doesn’t have time for the petty squabbles of Heroes.”
“You make it sound like the heroes are always fighting.”
“I’ve seen it happen many times.”
“Fine. I have to do all I can to patch up the relationship, right?”
“There’s more.”
“What?”
“If even one of the Heroes is missing when the waves come, the waves will grow stronger. If that is what’s happening, then the Heroes must be killed so that new ones may be summoned. It must happen for the sake of the world.”
Damn… I didn’t want to know that either. That meant that the danger grew worse if any of the heroes died.
But if all the heroes died, then new ones could be summoned. What a situation.
She was telling us to kiss and make up. But if we didn’t she’d kill us.
This Filolial Queen sure knew how to give an obnoxious order.
I was lost in my thoughts for a moment, so Fitoria stood up and turned back to me.
“I don’t know how many waves it will take. But there will come a time when all the life in the world will be forced to sacrifice something great.”
“…”
“The Heroes will then be forced to make a decision. I’ll be waiting for you then.”
“Decision?”
“Whether you’ll fight for the world or for the people. If you can’t play nicely with the other Heroes and just want to be rid of your purpose, then at least stay alive until then. If you choose to fight for the world, you’ll have to make a great sacrifice, but you’ll be able to fulfill your purpose.”
“What happens if I choose to fight for people?”
“That’s a thorny path. The past Heroes wished for it. But it’s no longer possible. It is a path you cannot walk alone. You’d never make it.”
“Hmm… Just how much do you know? Tell me everything.”
“I’ve already forgotten so much. But I remember one thing. Saving the world and saving humanity are not the same thing.”
The world and its people were different.
From the way she was speaking, it was clear that she was standing on the side of the world. She seemed mostly indifferent to what happened to its people. Then what did it mean to fight for the world? I knew she was referencing the waves, but I couldn’t figure the rest out.
Regardless, there was a time when she wanted to see us again.
It might be after the final wave. I wondered… what WOULD I choose?
Even if it was on behalf of people, if I could do something to protect Raphtalia and the others, I’d probably choose to help people.
“So please, try to get along with the other Heroes.”
“All I can say is that I will try. I can’t say how they will react, but you did give us those rewards. The least I can do is make an effort.”
She gave Filo a tiara, and me a shield. The least I could do was hear her out.
“You passed the trial. I have more hope for you than I do for the other Heroes.”
“Why?”
“The Shield Hero who raised the new Filolial Queen can’t be all bad.”
“I am though. I’m bad.”
I just said it without thinking.
I mean… I’d bought a little girl as a slave and forced her to fight for me.
I certainly wasn’t a GOOD person.
“…”
Fitoria sent her gaze to the sky and sighed deeply.
“Think what you want for now. But don’t forget that we are connected through Filo.”
Had Filo not been able to pass her trial… she would have killed me.
She was powerful enough to do it. I’d even been wounded.
“Fine.”
“Shield Hero, I think that you have the strength to fix things with the other Heroes. And honestly… they are all just too weak. With how things are now, I won’t have to step in to take care of you all. You’ll take care of yourselves.”
“Will it be so hard?”
“It will be. And if you have to use that Shield…”
Fitoria reached a hand towards my armor.
I suddenly felt lighter.
The dragon core that had been imbedded into my barbarian armor somehow changed. It now appeared like a Taoist ying-yang symbol.
Barbarian Armor + 1 (Protection of the Bird God):
defense up: impact resistance (medium): fire resistance (large): wind resistance (large): shadow resistance (large): HP recovery (very small): magic up (medium):
agility up (medium): magic defense manufacturing: spiritual contamination resistance: automatic recovery
“What’s this?
“It will help you resist the Cursed Series. Still, it won’t keep you safe completely… Don’t use the Shield if you can avoid it.”
“I’ll do what I can, but you shouldn’t hold your breath. About this or about making up with the other Heroes.”
“Please…”
Fitoria flashed the most sincere smile I’d seen yet as she walked over and leaned against me.
“You’re heavy. Get off.”
But Fitoria showed no signs of moving.
“…”
She kept leaning against me in silence.
What was she doing? She looked like a little kid about to burst into tears.
Why? It was my first thought. Why? What did she want?
Then I thought of reasons. She’d said that a hero had raised her.
Where was that hero now? He’d either gone back to his own world, or he’d died a long time ago.
Did she think I was like her new parent now? Did she see her old hero in me?
There was nothing I could do about it.
I ran my hand over her head. When I did, she buried her head against my shoulder and hugged me.
It seemed like the only reason she had to live was the promise she’d made to the hero in the past. Was that all she had?
She’d promised to protect the world. How many years had it been?
Thinking on how long she’d worked for the world, I felt like the least I could do was accept her request.
In all her years, how many people had she met and worked with? In THIS world? She must have fallen into disappointment and desperation many times. Was that why she didn’t trust anyone but the heroes?
She was a rather clumsy girl. She seemed to be very powerful, but that was probably because she was trying so hard.
When a little girl asks you to do something, it’s hard to say no.
I’d do what I could.
Eventually Fitoria’s breath became deeper, and I realized she’d fallen asleep against my shoulder. Her snores sounded just like Filo’s.
Someday, after I’d gone, would Filo lean on another hero’s shoulder and fall asleep? As I thought about it, my eyelids grew heavy, and soon I was asleep too.
“Thank you so much!”
Melty and Filo were waving their arms energetically.
Morning came, and Fitoria declared that it was probably about time we hit the road. She motioned for us to ride in the carriage.
Once we were all in the carriage, Fitoria teleported us back to the field where we’d fought with the Tyrant Dragon Rex, and we all disembarked. Were the other heroes nearby?
“Are the other heroes somewhere nearby?”
“I sense some kind of reaction nearby…”
Fitoria was staring at the carriage. That wasn’t a good sign.
A moment passed. Then Fitoria transformed into her normal Filolial form before raising her wings and running away.
“That was an interesting experience, wasn’t it, Mr. Naofumi?”
“Sure was. Okay, Filo…”
“Uh huh?”
Oh, I forgot to mention that Fitoria had given Filo a parting gift.
It was a new carriage. It was made of wood, though it wasn’t of exceptional quality.
Everything was getting really complicated. Why had she put so much on my shoulders?
Filo had preferred the carriage that I’d bought, but there was really no choice but to compromise.
Filo turned into her Filolial Queen form and started to pull the carriage.
“Let’s go!”
“Okay!”
“Yeah!”
“We can do it, right, Filo?!”
We’d gotten far off course, but we were back on it now. We headed for the southwestern border.
“I didn’t think it was going to be this far…”
We’d arrived at the border. From where we stood we could see a small fort-like structure where guards watched the border from their patrol along the roof.
There weren’t very many people crossing the border, and there were guards inspecting the contents of large luggage carts.
“Damn. They’re keeping a close watch.”
“Because they are looking for us, right? At least there are fewer guards here than there were up at the northeastern border.”