RYUJI POV
After we split up to do our things, Naofumi and the others came to our usual inn.
Filo: we're back
Ryuji: hey, how's the--
I suddenly smelled something awful and pinched my nose.
Ryuji: what the hell!? Where is that smell coming from?
Filo: we fought in the sewer!
Ryuji: and why are you guys in the sewers?
Raphtalia: we couldn't get a class upgrade because of a royal decree so we bought something for Filo instead
Ryuji: and you guys went in the sewers to test it?
Naofumi: yeah, I'm going to go clean up. Raphtalia, I'll heal your curse when I get back
Raphtalia: okay
The next day when we were loading up the cart to sell while scouting possible places for the waves when Ake and his squad showed up and were out of breath.
Ake: *pant* sir shield hero... we managed to scrape up 150 silver pieces as you asked
Naofumi: put the crate he was carrying down and approached the knights.
He then hands Ake the accessory from yesterday.
Naofumi: go on. Use that money to buy yourselves better equipment
Ake: you mean you'll accept us?
Naofumi: I'd refuse your request if you guys valued money
Ake: thank you very much
Ryuji: so you were testing them
Naofumi glanced at me and then glared at Ake and his team.
Naofumi: you may be a friend of Ryuji, but I still don't trust you. The second you try to exploit me or set us up, you'll regret it for the rest of your lives
With that, Ake and his squad joined our party.
Afterward, while Ake and his team are buying new gear we set off, going from village to village to sell some stuff while scouting any possible areas where the wave could hit.
During the trip, we stopped by a town where we were told to pay a toll despite having a special pass.
After paying the toll, we entered the town where the buildings were practically falling apart.
As we set up our products, people carrying all kinds of things approached us.
Man: please sir, I'll give you this for something to eat
Naofumi: I prefer to have money
Man: we don't have any. We have nothing left at all
Ryuji: why, aren't you people from Melromarc?
Man: no, we're refugees that fled from the north
Man 2: there was a rumor that an adventurer from this kingdom was assembling a resistance force to begin a revolution
Man 1: When we came here, we found out that it was already over. We had very little money, and we couldn't buy supplies for the trip back
Man 2: We then learned despite the revolution had been a success but the situation was the same so we came to live here because it was nearby, but with the toll and the tax we're completely broke
Naofumi: do you have any idea who this adventurer is?
Man 1: we don't really know. The rumors say he was an archer
Ryuji: (an archer? Is Itsuki behind this?)
Suddenly a baby started crying in a woman's arms.
Naofumi: *sigh* Raphtalia, set up an emergency kitchen
Raphtalia: right
Later Naofumi started cooking and we handed out food.
Ryuji: is this everyone in the village?
Man 1: yes, everyone else has been killed. After the resistance was a success, we heard rumors from traveling merchants and passing adventurers that the resistance raised the taxes even more, just like the lord had done before
Naofumi: why did they do that?
Man 1: I don't know too much going by the rumors. But going by what some merchants said it takes a lot of money to run a country... come to think of it, I bet the previous king had the exact same thing in mind
Ryuji: if you thought about the reason for the revolution?
Man 2: at first it was just famine and then the previous king raised the taxes
Man 1: With the decrease in money, it has gotten harder for us to buy food
Woman: we'd like to go back but that would mean we have to suffer from starvation again
I began to feel pity for the people and wanted to help them.
Raphtalia: master Naofumi, Mr Ryuji, we should help them
Raphtalia looked at Naofumi with pleading eyes.
Naofumi gave in and rubbed the back of his head.
Naofumi: fine, but I have no idea what to do
Ryuji: I might have one
Naofumi: you do?
Ryuji: it would stop the increasing tax, but if I know the locations of the towns I could distribute the leftover fast-growing seeds on Ratha to help feed the people
The refugees looked at me with hope.
Man 1: will you really?
I glanced at Naofumi and he gave me a nod.
Ryuji: leave it to me
After giving the refugees hope, I summoned Ratha.
Naofumi gave me crates full of seed and I loaded them on Ratha's saddle.
Ryuji: well, I'm off
Naofumi: make sure you tell the villages the same agreement we have with the other one
Ryuji: Don't worry grouchy, I will. Let's go, Ratha!
Ratha: *Roar*
I then spent the next few days going from village to village to distribute the seeds while making the same arrangements.
I even got a reward from the newly established government of the nation for saving them from their hunger but I refused it and told them to lower the taxes instead.
With almost a day left before the next wave hit, I returned to the capital and met up with the others.
Filo: master can we get something to eat?
Naofumi: sure, let's get lunch
Filo: yay!
We then head for a restaurant where notice Ren and Itsuki are together at a table.
Ryuji: it's those two
Ren and Itsuki made eye contact with the two of us but they decided to ignore us.
We sat nearby and ordered food.
After our food arrived Naofumi and I listened to Ren and Itsuki's conversation while we ate.
Itsuki: I overthrew this despot in a country to the north and do you know what happened after that? When I went to the guild to pick up my reward, they said they had already given it to someone else
Ren: same here. I lost a job request from some guy out of the blue
Itsuki: looks like someone's going around pretending to be us
A woman who I remember was part of Itsuki's team approached him and handed him a piece of paper.
Ren: what is it
Itsuki: it says that a nobleman is taxing his village way above the limit
Woman: there's more, the guild said that the lord of that land is using the money to hire mercenaries to suppress any dissent
Ryuji: *whisper* hey, are they talking about those townspeople?
Naofumi: *eating* seems like it
As I took a bite from my food, Itsuki said something surprising.
Itsuki: interesting. They need to be taught that with great power, comes great responsibility
Naofumi and I were so surprised, we spat our food at Filo and Raphtalia.
Raphtalia/Filo: huwaa!!?
Raphtalia: mr Ryuji, Master Naofumi, why did you two suddenly spit on us?!
Filo: Master that's so gross!
Naofumi: *chuckling* sorry Filo
I was laughing my butt off at the random Spiderman reference I started coughing.
NAOFUMI POV
While Ryuji was laughing/coughing, Ren and Itsuki got up from their seats and approached us.
Itsuki: what's so funny?
Ren: yeah, why were you two laughing?
I calmed down and looked at Itsuki.
Naofumi: I had no idea you've been bitten by a spider pal
Itsuki: *confused* bitten by a what?
Ryuji calmed down a little, but he was still chuckling.
Ryuji: it's nothing... We were caught off guard because you said a quote from a comic in our world
Itsuki: it's you isn't it Naofumi! You are the ones impersonating us, stealing our jobs, and taking our rewards!
Naofumi: why the hell would I do that for?
Itsuki: Who else would come up with an idea like tha--
Naofumi: did you think you're trying too hard to be a secret vigilante?
Itsuki: what do you mean!?
I stood up from my seat to look at Itsuki in the eyes.
Naofumi: you were the archer who helped the resistance to the north weren't you?
Itsuki: yeah
Naofumi: do you have the slightest idea what happened to the kingdom after the king was gone?
Itsuki: of course I do! The kingdom has become prosperous again with the evil king gone!
Ryuji: you're wrong, the people suffered even more. They were so starving they snuck out of the country to find food and those who had already left refused to return
Itsuki: W-what!?
Naofumi: sure, the king made a mistake but all you did was change who was in charge. you never solve a damn thing! Heck, Ryuji had to go there to try to fix the issue by giving the people food just so they wouldn't starve!
Itsuki: stop trying to change the subject! we're talking about you impersonating--
Ren grabbed Itsuki's shoulder and got him to shut up.
Ren: alright then, how can you explain my case?
Naofumi: what was it about, some disease?
Ren: if you know, then it makes things easier. So why'd you steal that job?
Naofumi: did you know that the corpse of that dragon you killed caused an epidemic that nearly wiped out an entire town
Ren: what!?
Ryuji: what's worse it became a zombie
Ren: a zombie dragon!?
Naofumi: we just happened to be there and got rid of it. That's why your job request was canceled. *angry* did you two know how many people died because of you two?!
Raphtalia: master Naofumi!
I noticed Ren's eyes shifted to Raphtalia for a moment before closing them.
Ren: I see... I'm sorry
Itsuki: *surprise* you mean you believe him!?
Ren: why shouldn't I? He has no reason to lie, Ryuji was there to confirm it
Ren left the restaurant, and while Itsuki still denies the truth he left with his teammate.
The next day we went to Erhard's shop to get our upgraded equipment and waited for the wave to begin.
While waiting for the countdown, Ake and his team finally arrived.
Ake: thank goodness we made it in time
Ryuji: are you guys ready?
Knights: yes!
Naofumi: Raphtalia, Filo come here for a sec
Raphtalia: sure
Filo: kay!
I walked away from the others with Filo and Raphtalia.
Raphtalia: master Naofumi, did you need something?
Naofumi: hold out your hands
When the two held out their hands, I gave each of them accessories I made for them.
Raphtalia: whats this?
Naofumi: your accessory has a spell that boosts your mana regeneration
Raphtalia: will it? I'm so happy, thank you
Naofumi: Filo, your accessory will double your speed and agility
Filo: thank you, master!
FIlo immediately transformed into her filolial form.
Raphtalia: master Naofumi, did you make an accessory for Mr Ryuji?
Naofumi: well it's kinda awkward for me to give one to him so I told him I'd make him one for the monster he'd use for the next wave
Raphtalia: which monsters did he set in his monster party
I focused my attention on Ryuji's icon and six monster icons popped up.
Naofumi: I think its Akashiro (Yian Kut-Ku), Torrent (Velocidrome), Wind breaker (Congalala), Chatterbox (Qurupeco), Ratha (Rathalos), and Avalanche (Tigrex)
Raphtalia: I get that Avalanche and Ratha are chosen because we don't know how strong the wave monsters are, but why did mr Ryuji choose to bring the other four?
Ryuji: because if I went with my stronger monsters their huge size might destroy houses
Ryuji suddenly appeared behind us and startled Raphtalia.
Raphtalia: please don't sneak up on me like that Mr Ryuji
Ryuji: sorry about that. so are you guys ready?
Filo: Ready!
Raphtalia: yes
Naofumi: as ready i try to be
Erhard: I'll be waiting here in my shop, so make sure you kids come back alive
As the countdown reached zero, we were enveloped in light and were teleported to a village near the mountains.
3RD PERSON POV
In another kingdom, a queen was looking out the window when a hooded figure appeared next to her.
Queen: any reports from Melty?
???: Princess Melty has come into contact with the shield and vassal heroes your majesty
Queen: if the shield hero is the kind of man I think he is, then reconciliation would take quite some time. Since the vassal hero is on good terms with the shield hero, then he may be able to help with that issue
The queen looked into the sky with a somber expression.
Queen: I feel bad for putting Melty through this but this too is the duty of the future ruler of Melromarc
???: your majesty?
The queen turned around and walked to the door.
Queen: continue to keep an eye on them
???: as you wish
The queen left the room, the hooded figure vanished without a trace.
As the queen walked through the hallway, a worrying thought plagued her mind.
Queen: (I hope that the heroes are able to stop the waves)