"The suspect has been apprehended, current time is 18:20, requesting order for detainment."

The sound from the other end of the metallic device distorts slightly along with the noise from the rains outside. Both of his hands behind his back, the raven-haired man look up through one of his beaten-black eye toward the man in uniform. Noticing his beast-like gaze, the police officer kicks down his prey into the ground. There is a loud splashing sound as the bruised eye meets the ground, and afterward there is a loud cracking noise coming from the fallen man's stomach. The bastard successfully cracks a rib bone, and out comes the blood from the coughing mouth.

"Don't do anything funny," the police officer says. "Pull anything funny again and I'm crushing your face. Not like anyone is going to believe you over a police officer anyway."

The voice from the metallic device returns, this time with an affirmative from the other side of the electric line. "Confirming the suspect's capture and approving the order for detainment. Stay put where you are, officer, the police force will arrive in ten to fifteen minutes. Stay safe and don't let the suspect out of your sight."

"Yeah, yeah," the rude police officer snide dismissively. "You don't have to remind me every single time old man. This isn't my first rodeo."

"What you're trying to capture isn't a common thug, dumbass. Don't take him lightly or you will be sorry."

"He's just an old ghost from two years ago and he's not even older than me. What can an eighteen year old do against a grown adult with a gun?" cackling laugh cuts the question quickly as it fills the empty back alley. "That's right, nothing! This crook is not even worth the police force's time, honestly. He surrenders without much of a fight! This is the man that shakes the Japanese Police Force, are you for real?"

"Look, just stay safe out there alright?"

The police officer gives no reply. His sight returns to the man on the ground, currently laying down as listlessly as he can. Within a few moment, the officer clicks his tongue. "Come on. Is that the extent of what the famous Tiger of Kamurocho can do? The legend makes you to be this unbreakable, unbeatable, and undefeated badass that roams around the dark streets serving justice to evildoers, but you're just pathetic."

'...I'm done playing heroes."

"Oh, finally going to talk? Go ahead we have time until the force arrives."

"This is all just some stupid game I'm a part of. It sucks that I can't be unwilling about it," the man laughs, not because it is funny but because his words is coming out full of regrets. "My friends are threatened, my home destroyed, and the world is out to make myself as miserable as it could. With my arrest here, it will be the end. Finally I will be freed from these dumb chains."

"Cool story bro, who's out there making your life a living shithole anyway?"

"Your employer, most likely," the man replies. "You're not going to deny it, right? No way can loose cannons like you be a part of Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department. Someone's probably pulling some strings for you to get to me." The fire begins to light inside the man's eyes as he sees the flinching expression of the police officer. "And that someone is probably the ringleader of this little circus."

"...I don't know what you're talking about."

"Fess up already," the man sits against the wall after a short effort to balance himself. "You're employed by the Tojo Clan, right?"

The police officer gives no response, silently eyeing the now standing bruised man instead. Without uttering a word, the police officer pulls out the gun from his holster and aims it toward the suspect's feet. With a loud bang, a hole bores through the criminal's thigh and he falls down limping on one knee.

"One more word and I'll blast the other thigh."

The suspect laughs, though there is a hole inside his left thigh. "Bingo."

"I warned you," there is another loud sound ringing through the empty alleyway, but the one that falls on his back is the police officer. He swears that he has shot the Tiger of Kamurocho with his own hands, but how does the Tiger manage to send him looking into the raining sky? "What the—how the hell? What the hell did you just?"

Without uttering a word, the Tiger of Kamurocho steps close to the police officer's head and slams the sole of his feet into the bridge of the officer's nose. There is a loud cracking sound coming from where he steps on and what follow is the eyes of the officer rolling black. Soon after, blood begins to run down the officer's nostril as he faints into the dreamland.

"Hero," a voice calls to the Tiger, who recognizes this voice. "Hero, are you there?"

The man called Hero looks back on the caller, a figure of a girl in her twenties. With a bullet wound on his thigh, and a blurry vision coming from his eyes, the girl at the end of a long hall seems very vague in shape. However, the Tiger knows her very well, and he does not want her presence near him.

"I am not a Hero," the Tiger shakes his head. "I never am, and never will be."

"Don't say that, Hero!"

"I told you I'm not a Hero!"

The entire ground begins to shake, as the walls and the grounds around the Tiger breaks apart in large chunks that falls above him and flies into the sky. He can see everything around him starting to disintegrate into sparks of memory that goes into the void, one small particle at a time. On the far end of the alleyway is the girl the Tiger recognizes the most.

"Hero, wake up!"

Naofumi slowly opens his eyes to the sight of an unfamiliar steel-black ceiling. He tries to raise his head, but the ceiling is shorter than he thought and he hits his head. Though there is now a visible-looking dent right above him, he finds himself slowly being able to get a feel of everything around him. He is now inside a small cell made out of metal, and around him are similar people of various stature inside the same type of cage as him.

However, everyone have ears or tails of animals growing out of them.

His whole body is full of bandages. His abdomen and stomach are still aching, but the pain subsides after a short while. He looks at his chest and finds himself still clothed, but there are bandages going under his clothes. He realizes that someone must have seen his back when they tend to him, and he wonders if anyone sees the inks on his back. His spine twitches, sore from his back leaning against the cold floor. Then he looks to the side where a girl is looking at her with tired eyes, but tinges with life.

Then his worries go straight out the window with another one replacing it.

"Hero, you woke up!" finally, Naofumi notices the unfamiliar face beside him. "I'm so glad. I found you fainted in the back alley and it's just so happen that you're allowed to recuperate here."

Naofumi eyes the girl beside him, who is clearly of early age both in physique and in mentality. Her eyes are brown, the same color as the girl's eyes, and they stare back at him listlessly. However, on a closer look her eyes are actually of a redder spectrum, it could be the lighting of the cage playing tricks on Naofumi. Her skin is light-colored, though looking pale around her face, and there are visible signs of bruises around the neck and shoulder visible through her dirty rag she uses as clothing. It does not dawn upon Naofumi that he is looking at a slave until he sees the black leather collar with chains dangling around from its front, and this makes him instinctively holds his hand against his neck.

To his relieve, there is nothing similar to a collar on his own neck.

His eyes return to the little girl, who has a pair of animal-looking ear on her crown. Her brown hair is lush and flowing up to where it touches the dirty floor of this small metallic cage. However, what piques his eyes the most is the ink he sees coming out of the girl's chest: an inscription in the form of symbols that merges to form a magical circle. It is then that Naofumi realizes that the girl is an animal-human, who happens to be a slave.

"Shield Hero, you are awake I see!"

The voice appears from the darkness and it startles Naofumi to a small degree. He conceals his presence until he decides to speak up, and despite the approaching man's body is looking a lot like an egg with legs his smile is still very intimidating. It is revealing the man's sharp teeth in a wide and cunning grin. From how fancy his clothing is Naofumi can guess where the man is standing amidst the beasts inside their cages.

"Who are you?" Naofumi asks. "Are you the one that saves my life?"

"Well, yes, quite," the mysterious man says. "I am but a humble monster tamer, but encountering you is a stroke of luck on its own, Shield Hero."

"Elaborate," Naofumi concisely replies.

"You see, Shield Hero—"

"Naofumi," the Shield Hero cuts before the monster tamer proceeds. "Naofumi Iwatani."

"Mhm, yes, Mister Naofumi isn't it? Such a fine name for an otherworldly being I might add. Though I should cut the flattery for now," it is as if the monster tamer is able to read Naofumi's mind. It is not something that Naofumi often say, but he is not the kind of person who gets soft from being flattered. "You see, the reason why I sheltered you here is of one thing and one thing only: You have the potential to be my best profit machine!

"My name is Beloukas, a simple monster tamer. I run this joint of mine in search of profits. It is completely legal, so rest assured that you are not breaking any laws," Beloukas smirks, revealing his pearly white teeth. "Not that you have not broken any rules before you are here anyway. I heard the rumors, you know. That is, about you having your way with your companion in the woods just outside of Castle Town."

"Oh, did they find the proof of me raping Myne?"

To that word, the animal girl winces as she stares into the Shield Hero. She is not moving, but her eyes strictly glues into Naofumi.

"No," Beloukas responds by shaking his head. The expression in the animal girl slowly brightens with a soft huff. "Nevertheless, I am convinced you have not done the deeds myself. Rumors fly by fast these days but not this fast. It has not been 12 hours yet."

"Of course I haven't. Anyone that believes in baseless rumors like this is either stupid or out to get something out of it." It looks like the royalties are the one conspiring against him. "Seems like my hunch is right about her, she smells so similar to someone I know."

"What smell?" Beloukas inquires.

"It's nothing. I'm just rambling to myself."

"Sounds like you're quite experienced with this," Beloukas smiles at Naofumi. "However, that is not what I am about to sell you, Naofumi. Are you interested in buying some... tamed animals for your journey in this world? I'm packing up some of the best batch of monsters you can find in this world."

"Just call them what they are, Beloukas," Naofumi looks at the animal girl beside him. "She's a slave. You are selling slaves."

"...Well, you can say that." It is as if the curtain around Beloukas suddenly drops. His mannerism does not change, but the air around him seems less sinister and funny. Now it feels like Naofumi is talking to a businessperson who is selling his wares, instead of a smuggler promoting his contraband. "It is true that I am selling slaves, demi-humans and non-human slaves to be exact. How are you interested in taking a look at some of the things I'm selling?"

Naofumi's eyes sharply glares at Beloukas. Chills send shivers down the slave trader's back, and cold sweat drips down his forehead. The drop goes down his cheek, before finally dropping down from his chin in a matter of minutes. The silence is broken by the single drop of sweat falling on the ground, which creates a small sound of water splashing against dry sands. Beloukas moves his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his face, his heart feeling a fear he never feels before from the man before him.

"You... are you really the Shield Hero?" Beloukas mutters. There is something not quite right with the current Shield. He is too accepting, and yet too distant to assess his true intentions.

"I'm not a Hero," Naofumi speaks in a dry, dismissive tone. "I never was, and never will be."

"But that means you accept my proposition, yes?" Beloukas laughs. "It's not as if I am hearing a 'no' out of you."

"When you found me, did you find me yourself or did one of your slaves notice me?"

"Ah, very perceptive of you, Shield Hero," Beloukas says as his big stubby hand points at the little animal girl beside Naofumi. The girl's body shakes and shivers when the slave trader points his finger at her. "That girl finds you all tuckered out in the middle of the alleyway just a few distance away from this tent. I have faith in the intuition of demi-humans, you see."

Naofumi turns to the girl, who is scared to look straight back at him. What expression does he make right now? All he feels is disgust to everything around him, and it might distort his face in a certain way. There is no mirror to check, but he knows his expression is not soft. He sighs to his current situation. How does he get into this situation in the first place?

All of it starts from that book.

He sighs. It is not a sign of defeat, but a sign of acceptance. He reaches for the girl's crown with his right hand, the hand closest to the girl, with both eyes locking with the little girl's own. There is visible rejection from the little girl as she closes her eyes to brace for the pain, but it never comes, she only feel warmth from the hand that is now ruffling the hair in-between her raccoon ears. When the raccoon girl opens her eyes, she finds Naofumi giving her a small, but heartfelt smile.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

"You have taken a liking to your savior, Naofumi?"

"Sure does," Naofumi says. "How much is the price for her freedom?"

"Fifty silver coins," the response is immediate, not missing even a single beat. "But for you, Shield Hero, I am willing to grace you with thirty silvers instead. Isn't she a bargain?"

"What's the catch?"

"Well, she's a raccoon demi-human so she is born blessed in short-range combat. It's just going to be a matter of picking the right weapon for her. On top of that she's still young so she has a great room for growth, and I'm sure she will grow differently in a great way if she's under your care. Now, the downside to her is that she is sickly, cursed with panic attacks and disease she accumulates from her previous owners. I'm sad to say this but her price is also taking into account how she is basically a third-hand, no, a fourth-hand goods."

"Ridiculous," Naofumi clicks his tongue. "You can't put usages on a person's soul."

"I'm sorry, Naofumi. I really do. However, that is what the market put standards on. Some of my buyer aims for first-hand goods. That's just how it is in this world."

"...Sadly, I can see your point," Naofumi returns his gaze to Beloukas with his hands free from the softness of the raccoon girl's head. "But tell me one thing for now, Beloukas. Where do you get your slaves? You said that this girl has been going through three different masters before. What does she do before, or to be exact, what do her previous owners make her do?"

"Ah, yes," Beloukas gulps. "Most demi-humans around her age... are usually only bought for their—you know what... however, it is either through fortune or misfortune from her disease and weak constitution that she has not been... ravished... by her previous owners." His voice is filled with sadness. It is as if Naofumi is hearing the voice of a tired old man. "Rest assured, that I am not dealing the slaves I sold into that kind of slavery. Most of the fresh batches I have are for utility or fighting purposes."

Somehow, Naofumi cannot believe him.

However, he needs to buy the raccoon girl her freedom first. It is only right to trade kindness with kindness.

He reaches out for the back of his waist and inside the arm-sized pouch where his spare clothing and small purse of coins are inside. He picks what appears to be thirty silver coins, count them one by one, and gives Beloukas thirty-one coins. It looks strange for Beloukas, but his gaze back at Naofumi meets with a sharp reply. "That one silver coin is for my freedom... and other necessary prices. For example, what you see on my back may need to be kept a secret."

Beloukas laughs. "Right away, good sir."

With a skip and a hop, Beloukas returns to where he comes from. Naofumi then places his hand on the cage surrounding him and opens it. Once outside, he looks around to find other cages clattered all around him, with each of its inhabitants looking at him with various type of pair of eyes. Beloukas' words have some truth into it, as most of the slaves Naofumi sees are either full of bruises and injuries, shows their physical prowess in their figures, or both. It is unfortunate that he cannot save them all at this moment, but with the right amount of money, maybe someday they too can taste their freedoms.

For now, he bows at them with respect before looking back at the girl still in her cage. "Do you have a name?"

"A... name?" she points at herself, and Naofumi nods. "My name is... Raphtalia."

"That's a beautiful name, Raphtalia."

The idea does not sink in, but when it does the raccoon girl shows a big smile. However, the moment of warmth soon ends when the girl begins coughing. Naofumi cannot help himself but pull the little girl out of her cage and outside in a heartbeat, where he feels how cold her entire body feels. She is not in a healthy condition to be moving around, and is clearly in need of his protection and care.

"Are you looking for a way to cure her, Naofumi?" Beloukas returns with what appears to be a parchment, an ink vial, and a thickly lined, short cut horsehair brush in his hands. "Then you better inscribe her with your mark of slavery first."

"Why?" Naofumi replies. "She needs her freedom. Being my slave is the opposite, isn't it?"

"Yes, but no, I'm afraid. In Melromarc, demi-humans are not the top priority of its society. It's harsh to say this, but you should know what happens to an untended demi-human living in this city in particular. Have you seen people coming in groups but leaving in few when entering back alleys?"

"They abduct innocents to sell them as slaves?"

"That's right. Usually slaves I bought from them are given a job in Melromarc under my connections. You can see them if you search hard enough, but aside from their slave crests they function as normal people to the standard of this kingdom to a degree." The tone of a tired old man does not escape Naofumi's ears. Maybe Beloukas is telling the truth about his view of demi-humans. "Plus, being linked with your slavery mark will raise the constitution of your slave proponent to their master's. I assure you, Naofumi. I do not want to be a slave trader, but things that go on in this world just never go your way."

"I don't believe you just yet, but your argument is convincing enough," Naofumi's thought turns to people in his previous life that returns to the life underground without their consent. If this will let bad things stay away from Raphtalia, then he can shoulder the burden of owning a slave. "If this is truly for her safety, then I will do it. But once she is healthy enough to fend for herself, I will remove her mark."

"It will hurt the slave for a little bit, so you might have to bear a little scream from her."

Naofumi nods.

"Come, there's a bed near the entrance. Help me carry her there."

There are a few moment of silence afterward, but following the small respite is an ear-deafening scream from Raphtalia. It echoes throughout the dimly lit tent. The scream does not settle until dawn shines lazily through the gap of the tent's entrance to greet Naofumi and his slave. With a brand on her chest, the girl walks out of the tent with Naofumi, wearing the baggy new clothes inside his waist-pouch.

The parting with Beloukas is quick. A few goodbye from Naofumi and Raphtalia and they are off to the main street of Melromarc. The Shield Hero is looked differently by the people that meet him, but Naofumi moves past them and into one of the safest locations that he knows in Castle Town. He hurriedly goes past the civilian district and into the marketplace, eyes looking around for wanted posters, and past the marketplace and going a bit off the main path is the blacksmith shop run by Erhard. He does not see a wanted poster all the way to the blacksmith's store, and it is either an amazing coincidence or it is an elaborate trap by Myne.

Opening the store's door, Erhard winces at the sight of the Shield Hero with a little animal girl in his hand. He looks at the girl, scanning something to see if his hunch is right. When he sees the chest of the little girl has circular crests adorning it.

"Naofumi, did you buy a slave?"

Naofumi does not deny it.

It is not wrong in this world to own slaves, or the practice will become illegal at the drop of a hat. That is not what angers him, however, but what comes out from Erhard's mouth afterward.

"And is that the result of you raping your companion?" Erhard shuffles from the back of the kiosk and gets himself close and personal with Naofumi. "Are you feeling strong now that you are the Shield Hero?"

To his defense, he expects something of a warm greeting. However, what comes from Erhard is a fist the bulky man readies himself to swing across Naofumi's cheeks. To that, the slave beside him looks at the muscular man and cuts in-between them.

"Move outta the way, little lady," Erhard says as he cracks his knuckle. "I need to talk with your master you see, says around town that he just has his way with his companion somewhere in the woods."

"He didn't do it!" Raphtalia screams. "I don't believe you at all!"

That takes him a little bit out of his game, surprised that the slave is taking the side of the Shield Hero. "Little lady, I advise you to step aside," Erhard's eyes move from Raphtalia's face to the Shield Hero's. "I have some business with him, first."

"I didn't do it," Naofumi stares back at Erhard. Both eyes sharply drill themselves into the blacksmith's mind. "I won't ask you to believe me, but that is the truth. I did not rape Myne Sophia."

Mere words do not sway someone so easily, but the tenacity and determination inside Naofumi's eyes tell a different story. At that point, Erhard completely buys what Naofumi is selling. Call it a hunch, a feeling, or experience, but to the blacksmith, there is no room for doubts in his words.

"I believe you," an instant reply from Erhard as he lowers both of his hands. He then flashes the Shield Hero with his brightest smile. "I knew someone like you wouldn't have the gall to do something that horrendous. I can be a good judge of people, you see, and my eyes and hunch tell me more about your companion than they do about you, though I have no proof to back my claims."

"No, that word is enough to convince me," Naofumi laughs. "That Myne girl is a rotten girl through and through."

"And still you believe in her?"

"Shouldn't judge a book by its cover," Naofumi sighs, "but sometimes you just can't help it when the book is not as good as its cover."

"True that," Erhard then looks at Raphtalia, who is confused at what is happening. "So this here's your slave, huh? A bit too little for a fighting companion, isn't it?" He eyes Raphtalia from top to bottom, all the while his fingers glues to the goatee on his chin. "Seems like she's not that good at fight, what with her complexion and all that, but if I can guess she's going to be a good swordsman comes the right time."

"Then I'll take the sword you offer me two days ago."

"Nah, that's too big for a small girl like her," Erhard turns around and goes back behind the counter in search for something else he has in mind. "I'll pick some good short sword that weights light proponent to her height. I'll give you a good discount for it too."

"You're a lifesaver. I don't have that much money left."

"If you have some good money to spare, treat that girl to good food and fine medicine," Erhard's head peeks from out of the counter to make sure Naofumi gets it. "She's going to be your traveling companion from now on, right? You better keep her healthy and happy you hear?"

"Yes sir," Naofumi chuckles, and his chuckle proves to be contagious as Raphtalia begins chuckling with him. Noticing that, the Shield Hero cannot help but tease her for it, like how a father does to his daughter. "That's a nice smile you have."

Blushing, the raccoon girl slowly moves away behind a shelf full of breastplate and hides herself from Naofumi's sight. Seeing that, Erhard cannot help but laugh, as if he has seen something so rare and precious he has not seen in a long while. Soon after, he finds what he is looking for and places it on the counter.

"Found it, a good set of armor and weapon for the little lady."

Spread on the glass counter is a set of armor tht is made of new leather. A brown filled-leather long sleeve, a red outer layer for the shirt with a darker brown tarp stitched to its front. Alongside that is the tight-fit looking kid's trouser that is made to protect the thighs of the little lady. As if covering all the necessary precautions, Erhard also throws in a small glove with steel frame to protect the forehand and a pair of small greave to protect Raphtalia's knees, shins, and feet. Finally, there is the sword in question. It is small and sleek, it looks sharp, and there is a leather scabbard to accompany it along Raphtalia's waist.

"That's going to cost me a pretty penny."

"It is. Sixty-five silvers in fact."

"That's... are you sure?" Naofumi's eyes shot wide open as his pupils shrinks. "That's so cheap!"

"Hey, I don't want a loyal customer going into other people's stores."

Naofumi feels like he is about to cry, but those tears are held inside his tear ducts through sheer will and determination to act strong. Though the voice crack kind of gives away his true feelings. "That's... thank you. Thank you very much."

"Remember me when you are famous, okay?"

"I will," Naofumi looks at Raphtalia, "Isn't he nice, Raphtalia?"

"Yeah, I agree," Raphtalia nods. "Mister Blacksmith is a really good guy!"

"Aww, geez you are making me blush, here."

The warm mood soon dissipates when Raphtalia turns pale all of a sudden and starts a great coughing fit, however. By the fourth coughs, Naofumi is on his knees to look at Raphtalia's face. He places his hand on Raphtalia's neck and force the girl to turn her head softly towards him. It is a bit ungentlemanly on Naofumi's part, but his concerns bypass all manners of decorum at this point. True to his horror, the girl's body is warm as if burning up, but there is no sign of excess fatigue or severe dehydration in her complexions. For now, Naofumi can only point at the common cold.

"This is horrible. You're not fit for battle at all."

Raphtalia cannot respond any other way but with a weak and tearful 'sorry' after she finishes coughing her fit away.

"No, it's not your fault," Naofumi shakes his head. "We're going to stay the night for now and go out tomorrow once you feel a lot better, okay?"

This time, Raphtalia is the one that shakes his head.

"No, I don't want to!"

"Raphtalia, don't be so difficult. It's for your own good!"

"No, no, no! I don't want to!"

"Naofumi, can you at least hear what she has to say first?" Erhard sighs from behind the counter, hands crossed with eyes sternly staring at the Shield Hero. "Look, I know it's going to weird you out but slaves don't actually get this kind of treatment that often. Most of the time, slaves that are unable to be useful to their masters are sold at a discount and the master will find a new one with the added price. And if they are unable to sell the slaves, they'll work them to the bone or until they die getting there."

"What is wrong with this world's society?"

"That's what it means to be a slave and live with slaves in this world, Naofumi. It's just something that happens without much thinking in anyone's part," Erhard looks down and sighs, but Naofumi can see that he is thinking of something. After a few moment, he looks up at Naofumi with a smile. "But hey, if you can find in your heart to feel empathy for her then maybe things are looking up for this world. I ought to tell you something good then, in the forest outside of this Castle City far to the south is an area filled to the brim with herbs. You might be able to gather some material there to create healing potions for the little lady."

"How much do you want me to pay for that info?"

"Take it easy, sheesh, I am not about to swindle a regular. Just be careful out there, okay?"

Naofumi cannot help but show a big smile towards the big blacksmith. "Thanks," he then turns to Raphtalia, "Alright, take your time changing your gear okay? And if here's anything wrong you can just yell. Fitting's room just a hallway behind that door behind the counter."

"...Okay," the girl says weakly, but there is a smile in her face. She then turns to Erhard as she gathers up her armor and weapon, which is surprisingly lighter to carry with both hands than she thinks, and gives the blacksmith a smile too. "Thank you Mister Blacksmith!"

"It's my pleasure, little lady," Erhard says as he opens the door to the backroom. After Raphtalia disappears in the other room, he turns to the Shield Hero. "I feel like I'm getting old by the day here."

"Sorry about that," Naofumi walks to the counter and turns to the nearest empty wall to lean against. "It seems like I am going to trouble you for a long while, Erhard. Thank you."

"Bah, don't mention it. It's a pleasure for me to help one of the four heroes."

"Is that so?"

After a long while, Raphtalia finally returns to the shop with her new attire. The clothing that Erhard picks matches well with Raphtalia's childish physiques. It seems that Erhard does have a good eye on judging the characteristics of a person. Naofumi nods alongside Erhard as Raphtalia sees the two of them with raised eyebrows and a monotonous expression.

"Now that the girl is clothed, I think you should clothe yourself too don't you think?' Erhard moves his hand to circle Naofumi's everything. "You need to take care of yourself too, you know?"

Naofumi looks at his everything, being a shabby and dirty short-shirt and trousers.

'How much are you selling a set of clothes?"

"It's old so I'll sell it for ten silver coins."

"Can't you go any cheaper?" Naofumi scoops up a few silver from his pouch and counts up to six of silver. "Six silvers. That's my final offer."

"You drive a hard bargain, Naofumi," Erhard laughs as he goes to the back of his store, though there is no animosity in his voice. "You want a small pouch too for twenty bronze coins?"

"That would be helpful."

Back from the back of the shop, Erhard hands Naofumi a set of clothes: black long sleeved shirt under a leather coat, a set of trouser with its leather belt, a small white pouch with finely knitted string, and a leather boots as a bonus. To finish the look, Erhard gives Naofumi a green cape to wear around him and possibly cover his exposed shield.

After a few moments of changing their clothes, the man and his slave duo walks out of Erhard's store a happy customer. The two of them avoids the crowd by walking around the main street through the edge of the Castle Town. Scaling the thick town walls, the Shield Hero blends well within the lower class inhabitants of said district. There is a sense of satisfaction in navigating through the small alleyways and unexpected shortcuts through the city, it also doubles as an opportunity to find good places to buy or sell things at lower and higher than the market price. Naofumi feels at home the most in this part of the town, and the only things that are missing are the hooligans that roam this part of the town.

It is all a good feeling until Raphtalia's stomach starts grumbling. The grumbling is a loud one that does not drown in the sea of chatter around them. Naofumi looks at the little girl, who is insisting that she is not hungry while profusely shaking her head.

'Let's find something to eat."

"Muu..." something close to acceptance rings out of the girl's mouth. "But I'm not hungry."

"You can't fight on an empty stomach."

There is a moment of silence as they continue their walks.

Then she nods, though weakly.

"Good girl," Naofumi smiles as he pat the girl on her head before ruffling her head. "Now, let's find a good restaurant. Okay?"

"Okay."

The two of them walks around in a square along the stone pavements for a short while. Finally, they find a good-looking inn-restaurant some distance away from the castle walls in the outskirt district. Entering the establishment, however, he meets with various eyes that glare daggers towards him.

"That's the Shield."

"That girl walking beside him, is she his slave?"

"Not only is he a rapist he's also into demi-humans? That's disgusting."

Naofumi walks toward the counter with Raphtalia looking around him. The restaurant is not small enough to contain a great space for everyone to eat in, but it is not big enough for people to attend more than eight joined tables. A small line of table by the counter is currently empty with a few seats waiting for customers, and there is where Naofumi and Raphtalia sit. Raphtalia needs a few moment before she stands beside Naofumi, who is now sitting comfortable on the wooden chair.

Noticing this, the Shield Hero turns to the little girl.

"What's wrong? Why aren't you sitting on the chair?"

"I can eat on the floor just fine," Raphtalia says.

"Nonsense," Naofumi picks Raphtalia up, resulting in the girl shrieking in surprise, and places her on the wooden chair beside him. "There. Forget about what your previous masters tell you. You're never eating on the floor."

"Oh... okay."

A faint smile appears on her face.

The crowd behind them starts to simmer into their natural discourse, but there remain a few shifty eyes looking at Raphtalia and her master. Her ears pick up various words that she does not understand well, but all of them are surely insults. She wants to say something to them, but she feels that it is not right for a slave to say something so out of the line to them.

It is then that he eyes see something in the corner of the restaurant.

There sitting on the corner of the restaurant a family of humans: a father, a mother, and their son, all of them smiling and laughing around each other as if in their own world. Looking at them, something stinging appears to invade her eyes, but only for a short moment. She eyes the father's smile, the caring side of the mother as she wipes the food off the son's mouth with a napkin, and the son eating happily from his meal. She misses from such happy scenery, but she forgets what it is.

"What would it be for the infamous Shield Hero," the waiter behind the kiosk-counter, blonde-hair, average height, dresses nicely in leather clothes and black pants, huffs. Naofumi can tell that he does not want to serve food for him, but he has his pride as a cook to serve the best meal for paying customers. "Will your slave eats breakfast alongside you too?"

"One of the cheapest meal set you have."

"And what's for you?" the waiter scoffs as he takes Naofumi's orders. "We recommend the finest meat we have, though it will be wasted on your stomach."

"No thanks, just give the little lady what that family's kid is having," Naofumi says as he points at the table where Raphtalia's eyes directs. "The cheapest meal set is for me, you see."

The waiter raises his eyebrow before clicking his tongue. A small grin now appears across his face. "Sure, right away, Shield."

With that, the waiter moves to the kitchen, and Raphtalia's eyes returns to Naofumi. Eyes wide, pupils small, and her expression are full of disapproval. "You don't have to do that!"

"You don't want to eat that meal?"

"It's not like that!" protests the little girl. "Why are you being so nice to me? My previous masters—"

"Your previous masters do not mean shit to me," Naofumi cuts in-between her sentence. Raphtalia freezes up to the sudden low tone of voice with a shriek. Raphtalia has her eyes closed, too scared to see the expression on her master's face and what will come at her afterward, but what she expects never comes. Because when she opens her eyes, she only sees a warm smile on Naofumi's face. "I'm going to treat you right. I swear that I will give you the happiness you deserve. For now, I'm going to give you the strength to defend yourself, and later on when you are strong enough to be independent your freedom."

Raphtalia is speechless, unsure of what to say.

Yet, she feels an intense amount of happiness welling inside her chest.

The next few minutes of waiting for their food has happiness adorning their atmosphere, and the entire restaurant seems to be moving along with their antics. Now the dissent in their voices seems to be yesterday news, as the patrons are now slowly looking at the Shield Hero with a new perspective. Some shifty gaze remains locked to him, but now just a few.

"Here you go, Shield," the appearance of the waiter with a plate of food on her hand makes Raphtalia's ears perk up. The waiter is a brown-haired young girl that is younger than Naofumi, who cannot help but contain her smile. She places the plate of meal before Raphtalia with a smile, but then when she hands the cheapest meal to Naofumi she gives him the biggest frown in her arsenal. As she bows her head slightly, the voice that comes out of her mouth signals a warning to Naofumi. "Enjoy the food."

It could be Naofumi's last, after all.

Taking a fork the waiter places beside the plate, Naofumi picks what appears to be a flaky bacon strip and eats it.

Tastes like sand.

He then turns to Raphtalia, who is right now eyeing the meal before her with sparkles in her eyes. The meal is like a convenience store lunch, a small serving of fried rice with two small red sausages, a small dosage of what appears to be a swirling spaghetti noodles with a pinch of tomato sauce, and to finish the assortment a small scoop of flan-like substance with syrup on top of it. A flag on top of the fried rice signifies what it is: A Kid's Meal.

"Can I—" Raphtalia starts, her head turning to Naofumi's. "Can I really eat this?"

"Of course you can!"

Without picking up the spoon, Raphtalia picks the fried rice with her hands and send the disorganized pile of rice into her mouth in one magnificent gusto. The girl then picks up the sausages on the other side of the plate with her other hand and eats it together with the fried rice. She munches it quickly, savoring the taste inside her mouth, before swallowing it in one strong gulp down her throat. With a strong expression, she finds her food stuck inside her throat, but she forces it down her throat forcefully. After a few moment of pain, she then goes back to scooping another pile of rice from her plate.

"Slow down," Naofumi says as he eats what appears to be a small tomato that tastes like watery paper. "Is it really that good?"

Raphtalia's face is brimming with joy, her eyes sparkling and shining with stars and her mouth grinning wide with happiness. "It's really, really good!"

"Is that so?" Naofumi smiles. He picks up what appears to be dried lettuce leaf from his plate and eats it. It tastes like a bitter and dry leaf. "Make sure to chew slowly next time, alright?"

Raphtalia nods as she picks up another scoop of fried rice.

As Naofumi look at the sight of Raphtalia eating happily, he still cannot shake the feeling of wrongness in all of this. She is just a little girl tasting the happiest meal in her life, showing how harsh her life must be prior to this. He clenches his fists, almost to the point of drawing blood with his nails. At that moment, he swears to make everything right for her, for this innocent girl wronged by this very world.

The thought of Myne slowly appear in his mind, and the last few ingredients in his plate become even bitterer by each bite. Though he harbors little hate for the girl, he knows in the back of his mind that she is going to be the cause of further hardships. With that thought, he hopes that the rest of the day will not be too harsh for him and Raphtalia.

For now, he prefers to savor this little happy moment with her.

Special Thanks to the Shield Hero Discord for Catching my Mistakes on this Chapter.