Chapter 94

The next morning.

"Today we're going to Itsuki's place, right?"

"..."

Raphatalia made a slightly reluctant face.

They say that what happens twice will happen three times, and I hope nothing happens today.

Itsuki has a strong sense of justice. I hope it doesn't end up like Motokatsu or Ren.

"Don't worry too much about Itsuki's sense of justice. They have their own logic. It's just for two days..."

I give a warning just in case. If there's a place where it could happen, I think it would be around there.

I'm not telling you to get along. It's fine if we can just level up normally.

A bow isn't like a shield or a sword; it's not a weapon that can fight alone like Motokatsu or Ren.

In fact, I remember Itsuki's party had a front-line fighter in flashy armor.

"Yes, I'll do my best."

"Good morning, Master."

I left the room, feeling a bit reluctant.

"Today's Spear Hero's party exchange is canceled."

"Something happened?"

"It's due to the treatment of Lecor fruit poisoning."

"Those fruits...?"

Is it a physical condition? I didn't have any problems at all.

Apparently, it's a different world, so it's not surprising if there are differences in body structure.

Or maybe the one Motokatsu ate was poisoned.

Or... maybe I have poison resistance thanks to the shield, so I was fine.

Motokatsu will probably spend the day in bed.

Given his nature, it'll be a sweet event with the girls taking care of him.

He's the only one among the heroes with a party setup like a dating game.

...I can't help but feel a bit repelled by it.

"Therefore, the exchange between the Sword Hero and the Spear Hero will only be tomorrow."

"Hmm."

It's probably good for Motokatsu. As for Ren... it probably won't change much.

Well, it's all good since he doesn't have to deal with the bitches for a day.

"I'll report later that the Shield Hero is exceptionally strong against alcohol."

"Those fruits were incredibly delicious. Did you pay for the bar?"

"Yes, I paid."

"Then it's fine."

"He's becoming known as the Drunken Hero in the town."

What a strange rumor.

How can he be called a Drunken Hero when he's not even drunk?

"It's not me. It's a title for Motokatsu."

"It's definitely the Shield Hero. Rather, I'm curious why you thought it was me."

Totally... That's it. Either because of my poison resistance or because alcohol doesn't affect me in my world.

"By the time we finish talking, we've arrived. This is where the Bow Hero's party is staying."

With that, the shadow disappeared.

"Well..."

Feeling uneasy, I knocked on the door.

"Come in."

I got a normal response.

There's no need to worry just because Motokatsu's place was strange.

I opened the door and went in.

"Thank you for coming, Shield Hero."

Inside the room, Itsuki's party members greeted me in a relaxed manner.

They weren't as polite as Ren's party or as selfish as Motokatsu's. They were truly natural.

But... they seemed more like Motokatsu's side.

"I'm the last member for the exchange, Rock Valley Shigeo. We'll be working together for two days. Nice to meet you."

While greeting, I checked Itsuki's party.

Hmm... five people? The one with the prominent armor is standing with his arms crossed.

I have a bad feeling about this.

However, the moment I stared, he stopped crossing his arms.

"Yes, please. We, the Ituki-sama Guard, will show you how we fight, Shield Hero."

Guard!

What a powerful word.

It's bad... I almost laughed. What is he doing?

I somehow managed to suppress my laughter.

"Yes, we, the Ituki-sama Guard of five—"

"Sorry! I bought the items we were asked to get!"

The door behind me opened, and someone rushed in.

Turning around, I saw a girl carrying a tool bag.

"Ah, already? The Shield Hero has already arrived?"

She looks... around 14 years old? A bit young.

She has a well-groomed, pretty face. Motokatsu would probably try to hit on her.

She's small. She doesn't seem suited for combat. Does she use magic?

This voice sounds familiar.

I think she was the one who explained Zweilt Aura to me.

Judging by how quickly she appeared, she might be knowledgeable.

"You're late, Reisha! Come and introduce yourself."

"Yes!"

"We, the Ituki-sama Guard of six!"

Didn't he say five just now?

And one of them was out buying items.

I feel a strange atmosphere...

"Then, let's go out for now."

"Yes, we need to learn how to fight from the Shield Hero."

"Ah, yes..."

What is this mood?

I feel like I can't keep up.

The necessary items were bought by the girl, so there's no problem.

Despite my unease, we formed a party and set out.

When we passed through the market, I saw a crowd gathered at a fraud merchant's shop.

They seem to be doing well, which is good.

So, we got on the boat...

With seven of us, including me, the boat is a bit crowded.

But it should be fine if the tide is low.

The coral reefs are beautiful...

"Reisha, move to the side."

"But, if I move any further, I'll fall."

What's going on?

It seems like Reisha is in a weak position...

Soon, a large object fell into the water.

"Plunk..."

Sure enough, Reisha fell into the sea.

"She fell!"

I grabbed Reisha's hand and pulled her back onto the boat.

"Really... How could you cause trouble for the Shield Hero!"

"No, you were the ones who pushed her."

Saying it's crowded and telling her to move to the side... this girl is so small, it shouldn't be a problem.

Honestly, the others are taking up too much space.

"Maybe it's because of the armor and equipment, but you should move closer."

The one with the flashy, large armor is taking up the most space. What's with these guys?

"That's not possible."

"What do you mean it's not possible..."

What is this place?

Anyway, I gave Reisha a cloth to dry herself off.

"Thank you!"

"Try not to catch a cold."

"Yes!"

She seems like a timid girl.

We got off the boat and arrived at the island.

We headed towards the hunting grounds.

With seven of us, it feels like a lot.

"Then, let me ask, how does Itsuki usually fight?"

"Shield Hero, can you change how you address Itsuki-sama?"

The one with the largest, flashy armor advised me.

Here we go again.

"What?"

"At least, use 'san' or 'sama' when addressing him."

...What is he talking about?

It's my choice how I address Itsuki. Who does he think he is to correct me?

Maybe it's out of loyalty, but he should choose his words carefully.

"Let me make one thing clear, I'm the Shield Hero, treated as an equal to your heroes. Why should I take orders from you?"

"No, the Shield Hero is inferior to Itsuki-sama in terms of achievements, so you must show respect."

What a ridiculous argument.

It's absurd. What drives this guy... Looking around, it seems everyone except one agrees.

That one is Reisha, who is being treated like a lackey.

I can't tell what she really thinks, but she seems flustered by the situation.

"...What are you saying?"

Achievements... Does he know how the secretive Itsuki is perceived by the world?

He thinks he's on a mission to correct the world, but there are no rumors about him.

"Achievements? The Bow Hero, who is known as the most unremarkable hero? I haven't heard anything about where and how he has performed."

"You... criminal scum."

The moment he said that, a shadow appeared behind the armor and stabbed a dagger.

"The Shield Hero is innocent. This is approved by the queen, and insulting the Shield Hero will result in punishment."

The armor guy was shocked by the sudden event.

It seems the bitches are being kept in check.

So, this kind of insult is not allowed.

"Insulting the Shield Hero is a serious crime. Remember, this is a betrayal of the hero you trust."

Think it, but don't say it.

Well, Itsuki's party still doesn't believe in my innocence.

Given his strong sense of justice, it's not surprising.

"Gr..."

The armor guy glares at me with disdain.

"Hey, I'm starting to want to leave these guys and go home."

"I think the Shield Hero would be the one in trouble, not us."

"Well..."

I can't level up alone.

I think it's better to go hunting for reference.

This perception of me as evil, can't it be changed?

Probably because these guys have been with Itsuki for a long time and have been brainwashed.

"Anyway, I'll answer the question properly!"

The armor guy spat in frustration, and the shadow disappeared.

"Come on, just talk."

"...Itsuki-sama always stays at the back, protecting us while we fight."

"Wow..."

Yeah, that's how a bow works.

I don't know how it is in this world, but having a ranged attack is an advantage.

During the escape, Itsuki's attacks were a problem.

Thanks to that, I found a way to deal with ranged attacks, so it's not an issue now.

"Let's go and defeat some monsters!"

Reisha, who seemed uncomfortable, announced, and the group started moving.

We encountered a monster.

The one with the flashy armor stepped forward, followed by the others.

"Come on, Shield Hero, attack!"

"Why are you relying on me right away?"

Is Itsuki going to draw his bow here...

"Use your head, that's your job."

The armor takes damage from the monster, and the others heal to buy time.

Meanwhile, the others attack the monster.

There is some coordination, but the strategy is wrong with me added.

"Stand back."

I made the armor step back and moved in front of the monster.

It's just a minor enemy. It doesn't hurt at all.

"Gr..."

The armor guy grunts in frustration.

Is he so envious of my calmness?

I'm more envious of the weapon he has.

"So, your Itsuki finishes the monsters with his bow when the damage to you guys is significant?"

"Yes, he uses more force when the damage to us is significant."

Yeah... it's an average way to fight.

It's like using humans as a wall.

"Itsuki-sama has the highest attack power among us. Our job is to bring out that power to the maximum."

A different warrior answered.

Being able to attack from a distance, he can attack freely as long as he's not close.

In other words, Itsuki just needs to be careful not to hit his allies.

"The rest is just healing and support."

"What about magical support?"

There are times when even Itsuki can't handle it.

"I do it when necessary."

"Me too!"

Yeah, that makes sense.

The coordination isn't as good as Ren's, but it works.

...In a way, Ren's party is so well-coordinated that he's almost unnecessary.

"Then, you with the armor and the one with the sword, focus on offense rather than defense. I'll handle everything."

"Can you handle it?"

The armor guy says provocatively.

Here we go again.

Does this armor guy have a grudge against me?

"I can, unlike you who acts all high and mighty but doesn't get hurt."

What do I need to be cautious about with this level of minor enemies?

After all, who took all the pope's attacks?

These guys were there, so they should know.

"You..."

This flashy armor guy has a high sense of pride.

He complains every time I do something.

Despite that, the hunting went... not well.

"You! Taking the monsters we were fighting is unacceptable! You don't have the right to live—"

"Ah!?"

The armor guy and the others rushed to finish the monster that the adventurer was fighting.

"Follow the island's rules! Sorry, these guys are a bit delusional."

Ah, I want to go home already!

It's more difficult than Motokatsu's party.

They seem to have forgotten the rules we were taught on the first day.

We were told not to take monsters that adventurers are fighting.

These guys seem to think they are special.

I wonder what kind of education Itsuki is giving them...

"My head hurts..."

During the fight, I noticed that Reisha is fighting in a very indecisive way.

She stabs with a sword, then casts a spell from a distance, and when someone is injured, she casts a healing spell.

But she's always late.

It seems like she hasn't grasped her role. I could give her advice, but...

"Reisha, move forward!"

"Reisha, move back!"

"Reisha, heal! Hurry!"

"Reisha, cast a spell!"

"Yes!"

I stopped because I felt bad seeing her beaten up.