CHAPTER 1: ROYAL SUMMONING

"Hmm..."

I had come to the town library to hang out and read some books.

Wait, that's a terrible place to start. I haven't even introduced myself yet. The name's Iwatani
Naofumi, college sophomore, and I'm what most people would call an otaku. I wasn't always
this way, but after I was introduced to video games, anime, and otaku culture, there was no
way I could ever go back to caring about something as boring as studying.

Once my parents realized I was a lost cause, they decided to focus their efforts on my little
brother instead, forcing him into some big-name cram school to "ensure his future".
Unfortunately, I think he must have cracked from the pressure of living up to their
expectations and preparing for entrance exams, since he ended up dying his hair blond and
talking like a punk. It was a really dark time for our family.

But then, a savior appeared: me!

I approached my dear, foul-tempered little brother and told him to play a certain mega-
popular dating sim.

"You fuckin' with me or somethin'!? Get the fuck out of here!"

"Geez, just trust me and play it, okay?"

I knew the real reason my little brother went bad. It's because unlike me, who got everything
I ever wanted growing up, he was forced to do nothing but study day in and day out. He
desperately needed an outlet for his frustration. And when a relaxation specialist like me
makes a recommendation, well, even my brother couldn't help but have his interest piqued.

...To make a long story short, the world gained another otaku. Since then, my brother's room
has been totally transformed, filled to the brim with merch from the dating sim I
recommended. On top of that, with his stress gone he managed to pass all his exams and get
into a super prestigious high school. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't just a little bit irritating.

On the plus side, thanks to my efforts my parents lightened up on me, and I was finally able
to enjoy a carefree college life. I guess you could call me the black sheep of the Iwatani family.

Anyway, where was I? Oh, right, the library.

My parents had already given me my monthly allowance of 10,000 yen, which I converted
directly into light novels, manga, and porn. I made another 50,000 yen a month from my part-
time job, but between the summer and winter comiket, and all the various local festivals, that
didn't go very far either. In fact, it was looking like I was probably going to have to crash at my
parents' house again for a while...

Still, I was able to live the way I liked, so I couldn't really ask for more. As far as I was concerned,
just having my tuition and food expenses covered was more than enough. That didn't change
the fact that I was dead broke, though, so in the interests of frugality, I was passing the time
reading random books in used bookstores and libraries.

I briefly considered getting back into the online game I'd been playing recently, but doing that
would mean resigning myself to an infinite time sink. See, I'm the kind of guy that values
breadth over depth. Rather than racing for the level cap like most people, I preferred to spend
all my play time leisurely making money. In fact, I had a character selling rare items in the in-
game marketplace at that very moment.

Unfortunately, that meant the real-life me had more free time than he knew what to do with
- which is where the library came in.

It happened while I was scanning over the section dedicated to old fantasy novels. You might
not realize this, but fantasy is as old as humanity itself. Even the bible is basically a fantasy
novel, when you get right down to it.

"The Weapons of the Four Saints?"

For some reason, a worn out old book with a nearly-illegible title suddenly fell off the shelf.
Maybe the last person that looked at it had been careless when they put it back? Or, maybe
it was fate. At any rate, I sat down in a chair and started reading.

*flip*

*flip*

*flip*

Apparently it was one of those books that starts by going over the setting in excruciating
detail. There was a lot to take in, but the gist of it was that a prophecy foretold the end of the
world. According to the prophecy, the world would be destroyed by wave after wave of
disasters. In order to avert this calamity, the people called out for Heroes from another world
to save them.

"...It's a pretty cliched plot, but I guess I can't expect too much of from an antique. It must
have seemed pretty fresh back in the day."

Four Heroes were summoned, wielding four weapons: sword, spear, bow, and shield.

"Haha, what? A shield isn't even a weapon, it's armor!"

I laughed wryly, but kept on reading. In the end, the Heroes set out on a journey to gain
strength and polish their skills in order to fight the Wave of Calamity.

*yawn*

A wave of sleepiness washed over me. Seriously, would it have killed them to add a cute girl
or two to keep the reader's interest? I mean, technically there was a princess, but she seemed
like a total bitch. The way she toadied up to all of the Heroes was totally disgusting. Like, just
pick a guy and stick with him, right?
Oh, well, at least there was a decent enough cast of characters. The dashing Sword Hero, and
the thoughtful Spear Hero. The Robin Hood-esque Bow Hero, working to topple a corrupt
kingdom. But when the story turned its attention toward the Shield Hero...

"Huh?"

I inadvertently let out a gasp as I flipped through the pages. Everything after the page about
the Shield Hero was completely blank. No many how many times I looked, there was nothing
there.

"What the hell is this?"

Before I knew what was happening, my vision grew dim and my consciousness began to fade.
Even in my wildest dreams, I never could have imagined that - just like that - I'd end up in
another world.
 CHAPTER 2: HERO INTRODUCTION

"Oh..."

I awoke to the sound of murmuring voices.

For some reason, a bunch of guys in robes were staring right at me.

"What the...?"

I shifted my attention toward this new voice, and realized I was surrounded by three guys who
were apparently in the same situation as me. I tilted my head in confusion. What the hell was
going on? Wasn't I just in a library?

No matter which direction I looked, massive stone walls loomed over me. Or maybe they were
brick? I couldn't tell. At any rate, I'd definitely never been in a building like this before in my
entire life. Beneath me was an altar, with a strange pattern drawn on it in glowing paint. It
looked like a magic circle you'd see in an anime or something.

Wait, more importantly... when did I get a shield? It was strangely light, and almost felt like it
was clinging to my arm. This was too weird. I tried to drop it, but no matter what I did it refused
to come off.

"So, are you guys going to tell us where we are?"

The guy with the sword called out to one of the robed men. And in response...

"Oh, honorable Heroes! Please, save our world!"

"...Huh?"

We all replied in unison.

"What do you mean by that?"

This way this conversation was heading felt strangely familiar. Like something I might have
read before in a web novel, maybe?

"You must have many questions, but time is short. You are the chosen Heroes, summoned
here by an ancient ritual."

"Summoned...?"

Right. Okay. Obviously I couldn't wrap my head around that one, but I figured it was probably
best to just go along with it and hear him out.

"Currently, this world is teetering on the edge of destruction. We pray of you, please, lend us
your power!"

The robed man bowed.

"Man, so much talking."

"This sucks."

"Right?"

"Can we go now?"

The other three people summoned here with me spoke up, interrupting my efforts to
smoothly progress the conversation. And not only that, to answer in such a way...

Listening to people when they were talking to you was just basic manners!

As if they could hear my silent rebuke, all three of them turned to face me.

...For some reason, they were smirking.

It almost seemed like they were enjoying themselves.

I mean, if this was actually real, and we had really been transported to another world... well,
I'd be lying if I said it didn't feel like a dream come true. But that was all the more reason to
pay attention, right?

"Don't you guys have any shame at all, suddenly dragging us here without our permission?"

The guy with the sword - he looked to be in his late teens - brandished his weapon.

"Even if you send us home when the job is done, that's basically just using us as slave labor,
you know?"

The guy with the bow voiced his agreement with a glare.

"You get where we're coming from, right? Keep in mind that depending on your answer we
might have to become your enemies."

I could sympathize with what they were saying. It was our right to confirm our situation, and
whether or not we'd be rewarded for our efforts. Still, to raise their weapons like that... these
guys had some serious balls. Somehow I was starting to feel outclassed.

"P-Please, at least have an audience with the king before you do anything rash. You can discuss
the details of your compensation there."

One of the robed men opened a heavy-looking door and gestured us inside.

"Well, I guess that's that."

"Seems like it."

"Though, talk is talk, even if it's a king."

With that, the other three guys headed toward the exit. I followed behind them, so as not to
be left behind. Compared to the dark room we'd started out in, the stone hallway was bright
and lively.

...The air here smelled sweet. I wasn't really sure how else to describe it.
On top of that, the scenery we could see through the row of windows lining the walls was
positively breathtaking. Clear blue sky, far as the eye could see, hung over a townscape
straight from medieval Europe. However, we didn't have long to marvel at the spectacle
before we were ushered through the hall into a large audience chamber.

"Oh? So these are the Heroes of old?"

A self-important old man was looking down at us with an appraising gaze. I couldn't put my
finger on it, but something about him made me uneasy. If I had to guess... it was his eyes.
There's no way I could ever like somebody that looked at other people like that.

"I am the king of this country, Aultcray Melromarc the 32nd. Raise your heads, Heroes."

I resisted the urge to point out that none of us had our heads lowered. I wasn't an expert on
courtly manner, but at the very least I knew better than to talk back to a king.

"Now, I shall explain the current situation. This country - nay, the very world - is on the path
to ruin."

Basically, it was like this:

A prophecy existed which predicted the end of days. It spoke of wave after wave of calamity
which would beset the lands. If nothing was done, the world itself would fall into ruin.

And, the year of the prophecy had finally come. The sands of the ancient Dragon's Hourglass
had begun to run once more. According to legend, the Dragon's Hourglass was supposed to
serve as a monthly warning system for the Wave of Calamity. At first the people had written
it off as mere superstition. However, disaster struck the instant the final grain of sand fell, just
as the legend said.

A dimensional fissure appeared over Melromarc, and a vast horde of monsters spilled out
from within. Though the country's knights and adventurers just barely managed to subdue
them, the next wave was expected to be even stronger. There was no way they would be able
to stop the calamity a second time. And so, the leaders of the country decided to enact the
ancient summoning of Heroes, in hopes that they might be saved.

...By the way, our ability to communicate with the people of this world was apparently a boon
granted by the legendary weapons we all held.

"Uh-huh. So, you expect us to just work for free, then?"

"That's sure convenient for you."

"...It really is selfish, you know. Dragging us into a problem that doesn't have anything to do
with us."

Judging from the way they were smiling earlier, they obviously weren't really upset. So why
were they speaking so brazenly? It was probably time for me to speak up and smooth things
over.
"Well, it's true we have no obligation to help you. And suppose we do save the world, only to
get sent home empty-handed after all our hard work? Nobody would take a risk like that
unrewarded."

"Urk..."

The king shot a glance toward one of his retainers.

"Of course, it goes without saying that we were planning to richly compensate you for your
efforts."

The four of us clenched our fists excitedly. All right! That was more like it.

"Besides that, we could also prepare discretionary funds to support you on your journey. It's
a small price to pay to ensure your cooperation in saving our world."

"Oh? Well, as long as you make it a promise..."

"Don't think that means you own us, though. We're just cooperating for as long as you stay
on our good side."

"...That's right."

"Yeah."

Geez, again with the condescending attitude. Making an enemy of this country was the
absolute worst thing we could do right now. If that happened, the little progress we'd made
in this negotiation so far would totally fall apart!

"Now then, Heroes. Tell me your names."

That's when I realized. All of this was just like the book I had been reading earlier. Sword,
spear, bow, and shield. It couldn't be a coincidence that the weapons were the same. As
unbelievable as it seemed, could we have somehow ended up in the world of that book...?

While I was wrapped up in my own thoughts, the others began their introductions.

"My name is Amaki Ren, age 16. I'm a high-schooler."

The Sword Hero, Amaki Ren. A total pretty-boy.

He stood a petite 165cm (roughly), with delicate, sincere features. In fact, he was so pretty
you might even mistake him for a girl if he dressed up in drag. His hair was short, with brown
streaks. With his long-slitted eyes and light skin, he was the very image of a cool, slender
swordsman.
"I'll go next, then. The name's Kitamura Motoyasu, college student, 21.

The Spear Hero, Kitamura Motoyasu. An easygoing older-brother type.

Though his features were more traditional, he was easily on par with Ren in the looks
department. If you told me he'd dated two girls at the same time before, it wouldn't surprise
me at all. Even his hair was chic, tied back into a long ponytail. It was a feminine cut, but
somehow he made it work. All in all, he seemed like a helpful and reliable guy.

"Oh, me now? My name is Kawasumi Itsuki. I'm a 17-year-old high-school student."

The Bow Hero, Kawasumi Itsuki. A mature youth with the air of a pianist.

There was a fragility about him, yet at the same time an unshakable strength. Honestly, it was
hard to get a read on him. He had nice hair, though: wavy, with a bit of a perm. He seemed
nice enough, for the quiet, little-brother type.

I couldn't help but be a little thankful everybody was Japanese - not that I had anything against
foreigners, mind you, it just would have been a little shocking to see one here.

...Crap, was it my turn already?

"Oh, sorry. Guess I'm last. The name's Iwatani Naofumi, and I'm a 20-year-old college student."

The king stared at me, contempt in his eyes. A chill ran down my spine.

"Hmm. Ren, Motoyasu, and Itsuki, eh?"

"...Uh, Your Majesty? What about me?"

"Oh, my. My sincerest apologies... Naofumi."

This old guy was unbelievable. It was already glaringly apparent that I was the odd man out
here, but he didn't have to rub it in like that!

"Now, if everybody could please confirm their statuses?"

"Huh?"

Status? What the heck was a status!?

"Umm... how do we do that, exactly?"

Itsuki timidly asked the king for help. But, at least he seemed to have some inkling of what
they were talking about. I was completely lost!

"What, you guys didn't notice it the moment you got here?"

Ren seemed genuinely shocked that we could be so ignorant. The smug, know-it-all look on
his face was totally irritating.

"There's a sort of icon in your peripheral vision, right?"

Eh? He was right. I hadn't noticed it before, but there really was a strange mark floating there.

"Just focus your consciousness on that."

Focus my consciousness? I still didn't really get it, but I tried it out anyway.

...Ping! The icon suddenly expanded into a browser-like window that filled my entire field of
vision.

Iwatani Naofumi
Class: Shield Hero Lv. 1
Equipment: Small Shield (Legendary Weapon), Otherworldly Clothing
Skill(s): None
Magic: None
Within it, various data was presented in an easy to digest manner. So this was a "status", huh?
It was just like something out of a game!

"I'm only level one? ...What a pain in the ass."

"Yeah, can we really fight like this?"

"Uh... more importantly, what the heck is this?"

"Do you not have status magic in your world, Heroes? Here, it is something that anybody can
use."

"No kidding?"

Apparently the ability to quantify and observe their actual physical parameters was
considered normal in this world.

"Anyway, what should we do from here on out? Being such a low level is making me uneasy."

"Ah, about that. We would like you to go on a journey to polish your skills and strengthen your
legendary weapons."

"Strengthen our weapons? They're legendary, right? Shouldn't they be strong from the start?"

"I am simply relating the contents of the legend. It is written that 'the summoned Heroes will
grow and strengthen their legendary weapons.'"

"Again with the legends. So can we at least use something else until these things are strong
enough to be useful?"

Motoyasu spoke up, twirling his spear absentmindedly. He had a point. After all, my "weapon"
wasn't even a weapon, it was a shield. Obviously I would need something else to survive.

"We can worry about that later. For now, we should just focus on getting stronger like they
asked."

Being summoned as a Hero in another world...

I was overflowing with things I wanted to try. I mean, come on. There was no way I wouldn't
be fired up in a situation like this! The others must have felt the same way; I was sure of it.

"Well then, should the four of us party up?"

"Wait just a moment, Heroes."

"Hmm?"

The minister stopped us as we were preparing to head out on our journey.

"The four of you are to gather companions individually, then set off on your own separate
journeys."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"It's quite simple. According to legend, the weapons you carry naturally repel each other.
Should you operate together as a group, you will do nothing but impede each other's growth."

"I'm not sure I get it, but basically you're saying we can't get strong unless we work alone?"

Hmm? Some sort of help message had suddenly appeared over my shield.

Caution!
Working together with your fellow legendary weapon holders will be detrimental to your
progress.
Please try to operate separately as much as possible.
"Looks like it's the real deal..."

What was with this game-like explanation, though? It was like we had really fallen into the
world of a game. At any rate, it was nice know that the legendary weapons came with a user's
manual. I would have to make time to read through it all later.

"So then, we need to gather companions, I guess?"

"On the contrary, we will gather companions for you - the best of the best, have no worries.
However, the day grows late. For now, rest yourselves and gather your strength. Your journey
begins tomorrow."

"Thank you."

"Yeah, thanks."

Leaving behind words of gratitude, we relocated to the guest quarters prepared for us by the
king.
 CHAPTER 3: HERO DISCUSSION

Once we arrived in the guest quarters, we sprawled out on the extravagant beds that had
been prepared for us, and went to work studying the Help menu for our weapons. At some
point, the sun completely disappeared below the horizon, but I was so absorbed in reading
that I didn't even notice.

On the plus side, I was able to find out a lot of useful information. Apparently, the legendary
weapons were almighty tools that didn't require maintenance. On top of that, if their owner
diligently leveled up and fused materials into it, new forms would unlock, which were
recorded in something called the "Weapon Book". That sounded interesting, so I decided to
try pulling it up.

SWOOSH!

The screen that appeared was filled with icons that extended well beyond its borders, all
marked as "Locked".

Amazing...

It looked like I could develop my legendary weapon through various branching paths. It was
just like a skill tree from an online game. And in order to learn skills, I needed to unlock the
power sleeping in the weapons...?

"Man, this is just like a game, don't you think?"

I spoke up suddenly, but the others weren't really paying attention. They were probably
looking through the Help menu too.

"What are you talking about? This isn't just 'like' a game, it is a game. I'm pretty sure I've
played it before."

Motoyasu boasted.

"Eh?"

"Yeah, it's really popular. You haven't played it?"

"No! I'm a pretty big otaku myself, and I've never played anything like this."

"Seriously? But this is Emerald Online!"

"I've never even heard of that!"

"Huh? Are you really a gamer? It's super-famous."

"Sorry, the only really big online games I know about are Odin Online and Fantasy Moon
Online."

"What the heck are those? This is the first I've heard of them."

"Eh?"
"Eh?"

"What are you all talking about? This world isn't an online game at all, it's from a console
game."

"Wait, that can't be right. Isn't this a VRMMO?"

"Huh? Even assuming we've entered the world of an online game, that's still something you
play with a mouse or controller, right?"

Ren tilted his head in confusion at Motoyasu's question.

"Mouse? Controller? Why are you talking about antiques? Aren't all the online games these
days VRMMOs?"

"Did you hit your head or something? Those kind of games only exist in science fiction."

"What!?"

Ren objected loudly. Thinking about it, he was the first person to notice the status magic,
wasn't he? I got the impression that he was already used to it, somehow.

Itsuki raised his hand.

"Umm... everybody, what game world do you think this is, exactly?"

"Bravestar Online."

"Emerald Online."

"I didn't even know there was a game like this."

While I certainly thought this world seemed game-ish, it didn't remind me of any game in
particular.

"I see. By the way, to me it looks like the world of Dimension Wave, a console game."

For some reason, none of us had ever heard of any of the others' games.

"Wait, wait, we can sort this out."

Motoyasu touched his hand to his forehead and tried to get a grip on the situation.

"Ren, according to you this is a VRMMO, right?"

"That's right."

"And Itsuki and Naofumi, you understand what he means by that?"

"It's a term I've seen in science fiction games before, yeah."

"I've read a few light novels about them."

"Okay, same here. Then, Ren. This 'Bravestar Online' you mentioned, it's a VRMMO?"

"Yeah, I used to play it all the time. The way this world works really resembles the systems it
uses."
Based on what Ren was saying, he came from a world where the technology to dive into virtual
realities was commonplace.

"So, do any of the games we've mentioned exist in your world's past?"

Ren shook his head.

"I consider myself something of a gaming history buff, and I've never heard of any of them.
Are you sure they're famous?"

Motoyasu and I both nodded. If he really was an expert on online games, it would be strange
for him to have such a glaring gap in his knowledge. And while it was possible that the problem
was on our side, you'd think at least one of us would be able to name a game that was actually
popular.

"Then, how about a question based on common knowledge? Like, the name of the current
Prime Minister, for example."

"Ah!"

Everybody nodded in agreement.

"Okay, all together now..."

*gulp*

"Yuta Masato."

"Yawara Koutarou."

"Kodaka Enichi."

"Ichifuji Shigeno."

"..."

Nothing. I didn't even recognize any of the names from history class.

After that, we compared various topics ranging from popular net slang to famous websites,
but the result was always the same. We couldn't seem to agree on anything.

"It looks like we're all from totally different Japans, huh?"

"Yeah. No matter how you look at it there's no way we all came from the same world."

"Still, fantasy worlds are one thing, but who'd have thought that alternate Japans exist too?"

"Well, there's still the possibility that we came from the same world but different eras, but
with so many inconsistencies it's seeming less and less likely."

Being gathered here together like this was strange. Really strange. That said, the fact that we
were all otaku probably didn't mean anything.

"Based on the way things have been going, I'd wager we all ended up here under different
circumstances, too."
"That seems likely. I can't say I'm really interested in small talk, but I suppose we should at
least consolidate our information."

Ren started telling his story. From the way he was talking, he clearly wanted us to think he
was cool.

"I was on my way home from school, when I stumbled onto a murder in progress. I remember
up to the point I tackled the murderer to help my childhood friend, but after that..."

...He kept absentmindedly rubbing his side as he told his story.

Personally I thought it was pretty cliched, but I resisted the urge to chime in with a snarky
comment. From the looks of things, he probably did bring down the murderer, but got stabbed
in the side during the scuffle. Normally I would file away him away as "untrustworthy" for
brazenly lying about what he remembered just to make himself look better, but since he was
a fellow Hero I decided to let it slide.

"Anyway, before I knew it I was here."

"So you saved your childhood friend, huh? That's pretty awesome."

He laughed off my compliment with an affected air of coolness. But, that was fine.

"I'll go next."

Motoyasu lightheartedly gestured toward himself.

"Before I came here, I had a lot of girlfriends, you know?"

"I figured as much."

His "reliable older brother" schtick must have been like catnip to girls.

"And so, because of that..."

"...you were two or three-timing them and got stabbed, right?"

Ren's question was obviously sarcastic. However, Motoyasu just blinked his eyes in surprise
and nodded.

"...Women are scary."

"Goddamn!"

My anger boiled over, and I flipped him the bird behind his back. What a bastard. I seriously
wanted him to drop dead.

...But wait, wasn't dying the reason he was summoned here in the first place? I didn't have
time to ponder it, though, since Itsuki was already talking, hand clasped to his chest.

"As for me, I was crossing the street on the way home from cram school, when a dump truck
came barreling around the curve at full speed. After that..."

"..."
In all likelihood, he had been run over by the truck. What a terrible way to die.

...Hey. Wait a minute. Wasn't my story a little out of place here?

"Uh... do I absolutely, positively have to tell mine?"

"Of course! Everybody else did, after all."

"Oh. Right. Well, if you insist... I was at the library when I noticed a strange book I had never
seen before. Naturally, I picked it up and started reading it, and before I knew it I was here."

"..."

Their stares were icy. What? Did I need to have a tragic history to be accepted or something?
The others started whispering to each other just out of earshot.

"But...that guy...shield..."

"Of course...right?"

"Yeah..."

I couldn't quite make out everything, but I got the feeling they were looking down on me. I
needed to change the topic, and quick.

"So, everybody! It seems like you're all already familiar with this world's rul- I mean, systems?"

"Yup."

"That's right."

"More or less."

Damn, I was the only novice here! This totally sucked.

"I-I see. Then, do you think you could give me some pointers? Since my world is the only one
that didn't have a game like this."

For some reason, their reaction to my question was split. Ren glared at me, while Motoyasu
and Itsuki were smiling.

"Don't worry, your good buddy Motoyasu is here to tell you how it is."

Motoyasu walked up to me and draped his arm across my shoulders. Something about the
look on his face was really suspicious.

"See, there's a class in Emerald Online called the Shielder, that - surprise, surprise - uses
shields as its main weapon."

"Okay."

"At first, the high defense is really nice, but as you progress through the game it starts to get
overwhelmed by the ridiculous amount of damage the enemies can dish out.

"Okay..."
"In short, at high levels it's a loser class that absolutely nobody uses."

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

I didn't want to hear that! I mean, what the hell!? He was basically calling me a born loser!

"Wasn't it ever fixed in an update?"

Surely they must have balanced it at some point.

"Nah, it was terrible and barely anybody played it, so they never bothered. Last I heard, they
had decided to just get rid of it altogether."

"Wasn't there any class advancement!?"

"Sure, but the whole line sucked."

"What about class switching?"

"Sorry, but it wasn't that kind of game."

Geez, if all of this was true, I had been stuck with a tough class. I looked down at my shield
gloomily. Did it really hold such a dismal future?

"Wait, what about you guys?"

I turned to Ren and Itsuki in desperation, but they quickly averted their eyes.

"Sorry..."

"It's the same in my world, too..."

Eh!? So I really got screwed over?

While I was standing there dumbfounded, the others started talking about games amongst
themselves.

"What's the terrain like?"

"The names are different, but otherwise it's essentially the same. Which means there's a good
chance the monster distributions are the same, too."

"Since each weapon's hunting ground is slightly different, we should avoid going to the same
areas."

"Yeah, that's probably the most efficient way to do it."

Their eyes were sparkling. I could tell they were thinking something along the lines of, "Wow,
we really hit the jackpot as far as abilities go, didn't we?"

...That's right. They were strong, and I wasn't. But there were still plenty of roads available to
me. If I was weak, I just needed to rely on companions. Even somebody like me could get
stronger by fighting in a party.

"Hehe... what am I worrying about? It's not every day you get a chance to see another world!
I'm sure things will work out somehow."
I couldn't let everybody's looks of pity get to me. I just needed to trade out this shield for a
proper weapon, and I'd be good to go.

"All right! I can do this!"

I pumped myself up.

"Honorable Heroes, we have prepared a meal for you."

Oh? Apparently it was time to eat dinner.

We opened the door, and an attendant escorted us to the knight corps' dining hall. It was like
a scene from a fantasy movie. Rows of tables were packed with food, like an all-you-can-eat
buffet.

"Everybody, please help yourselves to whatever you like."

"Seriously? We have to eat at the same time as the knights?"

Ren grumbled under his breath.

...I couldn't believe he was complaining when they had gone through the trouble of preparing
us a feast. What a jackass.

"No."

The attendant shook his head.

"After you've had your fill, the food here will be used at your introduction."

Hmm? As I took a closer look at the dining hall, I realized that the boisterous throngs of people
filling the room were all cooks. So this was what they called "preferential treatment", huh?
Apparently they intended to introduce us to the knights when we finished.

"Well then, let's eat!"

And so, we indulged in the cuisine of another world. It was a bit bland for my tastes, but there
wasn't anything I couldn't eat. Though, a lot of it was bizarre. There was even one dish that
looked like an omelette but tasted exactly like an orange!

After we were done, we returned to our room.

"Do you think they've got a bath here?"

"It's a medieval setting, so chances are they have outdoor washtubs."

"I'm sure they'd prepare one for us if we asked."

"Eh, that's okay. It's just one day, after all."

"That's true. Anyway, I'm tired, and we've got a big day tomorrow, so I'm gonna go ahead and
hit the hay."

The rest of us followed Motoyasu's lead and went to bed too.

That night, I drifted to sleep with a smile on my face. My grand adventure started tomorrow!
Morning couldn't get here fast enough.
 CHAPTER 4: SPECIALLY ARRANGED GOLD

The next morning.

After breakfast, we eagerly waited to be summoned by the king. But of course, nothing was
going to happen so early in the morning. Judging from the position of the sun, it must have
been around ten o'clock when they finally came to get us. We headed out with excitement
fluttering in our hearts.

"Welcome, Heroes."

Inside the audience chamber, twelve men and women dressed like adventurers had been
gathered. There were even a few that looked like honest-to-goodness knights. The king's
assistance was really amazing...

We bowed in greeting.

"As promised, we have gathered companions to follow you on your journey. They are all eager
to make your acquaintance."

This was perfect! There were just enough people here for each of us to get three companions,
with nobody left over.

"Now, future heroes of this country. Choose the one you wish to serve."

Eh? They got to choose who they were going to follow themselves? That was surprising, but
the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Obviously they would favor their own
citizens over a bunch of strangers.

One by one, the adventurers briskly crossed the room and gathered into groups in front of
each of us. As for the final tally...

Ren: 5 followers.

Motoyasu: 4 followers.

Itsuki: 3 followers.

Me: None at all!?

"Wait a minute, Your Majesty!"

What the hell!? This was just too cruel!

The king didn't seem quite sure how to respond.

"H-Hrm. To be frank, I never imagined something like this could happen."

"He isn't very popular, is he?"

Even the minister threw me under the bus, a shocked expression on his face.

Just then, a robed man whispered something to the king.

"I see. So there was that kind of rumor..."

"Did something happen?"

Motoyasu delicately tried to break the tension, but it was too late. It felt like I was back in
elementary school being excluded by the other kids during gym class all over again. This wasn't
the kind of thing that's supposed to happen when you come to another world!

"Apparently, a rumor has been circulating around the castle that out of all the Heroes, the
Shield Hero is the least acquainted with the ways of our world."

"What!?"

"In legend, it is written that the Heroes are ones with a deep understanding of the inner
workings of this world. If I am not mistaken, that does not apply to you?"

Motoyasu nudged me with his elbow.

"Guess they were eavesdropping on our conversation last night, huh?"

Wait. Was he talking about the fact that I'd never played a game like this before? That was
the reason nobody wanted to join me? No, more importantly, what was with that bogus
legend in the first place? Even if I wasn't as well informed as the others, I was still a Hero,
wasn't I!? Who cared if shields sucked in a few shitty games? This wasn't a game, it was reality!

"C'mon on, Ren! You've got five followers, can't you spare one or two?"

Ren's followers (men included) shrank back behind him like frightened children, while Ren
himself simply sighed and scratched his head.

"Well, I can't say I'm a fan of company. I'll leave behind anybody that doesn't think they can
keep up with me."

However, even in the face of such cold words from their lord, none of Ren's followers so much
as moved a muscle.

"What about you, Motoyasu? Don't you think this is too cruel!?"

"Well..."

Incidentally, I forgot to mention it earlier, but the ratio of men and women in the adventurers
gathered for us was heavily weighted toward women. It was quite the mystery.

"It's... not my decision to make."

Itsuki seemed genuinely troubled by my situation, but didn't want to reject the companions
that had chosen him, either.

Incidentally, I forgot to mention it earlier, but every single one of Motoyasu's followers was a
woman. It seemed he was genetically predisposed to having women flock to him no matter
where he was.

"I do think it would be best if we each had three followers, but... forcing them into it against
their will would be terrible for morale."
Everybody in the room nodded at Itsuki's reasonable words.

"Then, I have to set off on my journey alone!?"

But all I had was a shield! How was I supposed to get any stronger without companions!?

"My Lord, I will travel with the Shield Hero."

One of Motoyasu's subordinates raised her hand and volunteered to join my party.

"Oh? Are you sure?"

"Yes."

She was a lovely young woman with shoulder-length red hair. Actually, more than that, she
was stunning, wasn't she? Her features were a bit childish, but even so she was only a little
shorter than me.

"Are there any others willing to go to Naofumi's side?"

...

I could almost see the tumbleweeds rolling. Not a single other person showed even the
slightest inclination of volunteering.

The king breathed a sigh of regret.

"Very well. Naofumi, from this point on you are to scout suitable companions on your own
and bolster your ranks. Because of these decidedly unique circumstances, I will make a special
exception just this once and increase your aid for the month over that of the other Heroes."

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty!"

It was a sound judgment. If nobody here wanted anything to do with me, then I just had to go
out and find some people that did.

"Then, I shall distribute the funds."

At the king's signal, we were presented with four heavy, jangling moneybags. As promised,
mine was slightly larger than the others.

"I hereby bequeath 800 silver coins to Naofumi, and 600 silver coins to the other Heroes. Use
it to equip yourselves, and then begin your journey!"

"Yes!"

And so, our audience with the king ended. Everybody filed out into the hall, and began their
self-introductions.

"Nice to meet you, Shield Hero. My name is Mine Sphere. Let's do our best together, okay?"

"R-Right!"
I was grateful to Mine for speaking frankly, without holding anything back. Though I had taken
a hit to my self-confidence from the ordeal I just went through, the fact remained that this girl
became my companion. And I had to cherish my companions! Because, compared to the other
heroes my weapon was essentially useless.

"Then, shall we go now, Mine?"

"Okay~!"

Mine nodded enthusiastically and fell into step behind me.

***
The spectacle that greeted us when we crossed the drawbridge from the castle into the town
nearly blew me away. Though I had caught a glimpse of it through the window yesterday,
seeing it up close really drilled in the fact that I had come to another world. Wooden
signboards hung over stone streets and storefronts, and delicious smells wafted through the
air. It really made quite an impression.

"What should we do now?"

"First I want to find a shop that sells weapons and armor. We should definitely be able to buy
something decent with this much money."

Right. Since I only had a shield, the first thing I needed was a real weapon. Without that, I
would never be able to fight monsters (or anything else, for that matter), and catching up to
those guys would be next to impossible. On the other hand, they all had weapons they had to
develop from scratch. If I could get a head start out of the gate, I'd be able to pass them in a
flash.

"In that case, I know of a great little shop I can take you to."

"You'd do that for me?"

"Of course! We're partners, aren't we?"

Mine guided me through the streets with a skip in her step. Then, after about ten minutes she
suddenly came to a stop. We were in front of a shop with a conspicuously huge sign,
emblazoned with nothing but a sword.

"Here it is."

"Woah..."

Peeking in through the door, I could see that the walls were covered with weapons from floor
to ceiling. Without a doubt, this was an honest-to-god weapon shop! And not only that, it
looked like they also dealt in armor and useful tools for adventurers.

"Welcome!"

The shopkeeper bellowed out a greeting as we entered. His enormous, muscular frame was
exactly what you'd expect from the owner of a weapon shop. But that was great! I would have
been a little disappointed if he had ended up being some sleazy ball of grease. This really was
another world, huh?

"So this is a weapon shop...?"

"Ah, a new customer! The fact that you came in means you must have an eye for quality!"

"Actually this girl here recommended you."

I pointed at Mine, who gave a quick wave to the shopkeeper.

"Well, thanks for that missy."

"Oh, don't worry about it. Your shop is famous around these parts, that's all."
"You flatter me! Anyway, this strangely dressed fellow is you boyfriend, I presume?"

That's right. To the people of this world, my clothes must have seemed otherworldly. Anybody
judging me by my appearance alone would think I was a total weirdo.

"You can't tell who he is just by looking?"

"Wait, you don't mean... he's a Hero!?"

The shopkeeper stared at me for what seemed like an eternity.

"He doesn't seem very reliable..."

Hey.

"If you have something to say, say it."

Of course, even if I didn't want to admit it, I probably did look pretty unreliable. But that's why
I wanted to get stronger!

"I'm just saying, if you don't load yourself up with quality equipment nobody will take you
seriously."

"That's probably true..."

Hahaha... he was a straight shooter alright.

"From the looks of you I'd say... you must be the failure of the Heroes, right?"

Urk. I could feel my cheek twitching. Why did rumors about me seem to spread so fast? Well,
whatever. I couldn't let it get me down.

"I'm the Shield Hero, Iwatani Naofumi. I'll be getting into a lot of dangerous situations from
here on out, so I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other."

I figured it would be best to introduce myself properly and clear up any misunderstandings.

"Naofumi, huh? Well, if you're already planning on becoming a repeat customer then I think
we'll get along just fine. Nice to meet you!"

Geez, this guy was energetic.

"Hey, mister. Don't you have any good equipment on sale?"

Mine pouted a little and batted her eyes at the shopkeeper.

"What's your budget?

"Let's see..."

Mine looked me over like she was appraising my value.

"I'd say... 250 silver coins, or thereabouts."

250 of my 800 silver coins...? I wondered if she was figuring in the cost of recruiting allies and
paying for lodgings.
"Understood! Wait there moment."

The shopkeeper left the counter and wandered around a bit, before finally returning with a
pile of weapons from various sections of the shop.

"So, kiddo. Do you have a preference for any particular weapon type?"

"Not really. I've never actually held a real weapon before in my life."

"In that case, I'd recommend a sword made for novices."

He lined up a selection of swords on the counter in front of me.

"All of these come with a coating of BloodClean already applied."

"BloodClean?"

"It's a special coating that makes blood and gore slide right off the blade, to preserve cutting
ability."

"Woah..."

Now that he mentioned it, I was pretty sure I'd heard something in my world about blades
wearing down after being used to cut meat a lot. So then, basically he was saying these were
all swords that never go dull? Amazing...

"From least to most expensive, we've got iron, magic iron, magic steel, and mithril. You might
think they're a bit pricey, but I can guarantee their performance."

Interesting. Did the toughness of the weapon vary by material?

"We've got even better weapons in stock, of course, but these are the ones that fit your
budget."

Normally in console games the shops in the first town were full of crap items, but there
seemed to be an amazing assortment of products here. This world really was like an online
game, wasn't it?

...Wait, no, what was I thinking? This wasn't a game, it was reality. It made perfect sense that
a weapon shop in the capital of a major country would be well-stocked.

"Maybe... the iron sword?"

I gingerly wrapped my fingers around the hilt and picked it up. There was a hefty weight to it,
like you'd expect from a weapon. Compared to my shield, it was surprisingly heavy. Would I
really be able to fight monsters with this...?

CRACK!

"Ow!"

Suddenly, I felt a shock like I had been struck by lightning, and the sword snapped out of my
hands.

"Oh?"
The shopkeeper and Mine were looking back and forth between me and the sword with looks
of wonder on their faces.

"What happened?"

I bent over and picked up the sword again. It seemed perfectly normal. So then, what was that
before? Was it just a fluke?

CRACK!

"Ouch!"

What the hell? Was the shopkeeper playing a prank or something? I glared at him, but he just
shook his head and shrugged. He was clearly just as confused as me. Maybe Mine knew what
was going on? I couldn't imagine that she was responsible for this, but she was the only other
one here...

"Didn't it just fly out of your hands on its own?"

Ridiculous. That was impossible. I stared at my palms in disbelief. As I did, a message appeared
in my field of vision.

Legendary Weapon Rule Violation: Contact With Unauthorized Weapon

Wait, what? I quickly pulled up the Help menu and consulted the user's manual. There had to
be something in there about... aha!

A Hero can't fight with anything other than the legendary weapon in his possession.
Seriously!? I couldn't use anything to fight except my shield!? What kind of shitty game was
this?

"Umm... sorry, but apparently this shield is the only weapon I'm allowed to have."

I raised my head and smiled bitterly.

"Really? Could I have a look at it?"

Since I couldn't take the shield off, I held out my entire shield arm for the shopkeeper. I felt a
little silly, but there was no way around it. He muttered something under his breath, and a
small ball of light flew toward my shield and burst apart.

"Hmm. At first glance, it's just a normal small shield. But there's something strange about it..."

"Ah, you can tell?"

I was painfully aware that it was just a small shield. Even the status magic said so. (Though, it
did have the designation "Legendary Weapon" attached.)

"See this jewel fixed in the center here? I can feel a powerful energy radiating from it. I tried
examining it with appraisal magic, but I wasn't able to see much. Even though there shouldn't
be a type of magic I can't identify..."

The shopkeeper gazed at me and thoughtfully stroked his trademark beard.

"It really is interesting... ahem. Anyway, if weapons are out, how about some protective gear?"

"Yeah, okay. That sounds good."

"Let's see... you already have a shield so there's no need to worry about that. And since there's
no point in splitting your budget between weapons and armor anymore, you should be able
to afford something pretty nice."

The shopkeeper started pointing out various sets of armor on display.

"Full plate armor restricts your movements, so it's not really suitable for adventuring. I'd say
that a nice set of entry-level chain mail is just what you need."

I walked over to the armor he had recommended and touched my hand to it. The countless
chain links jangled and swayed. I wondered what its defensive abilities were like...

Huh? An icon popped up.

Chain Mail
Defense Up, Slash Resist S
Strange, nothing like that had appeared when I was looking at the swords. Maybe it was
because I couldn't equip them?

"How much does it cost?"

Mine addressed the shopkeeper.

"For you? I'll knock it down to 120 silver coins."

"Do you do buybacks?"

"Hmm? Well, I guess if you brought it back in good shape I'd be willing to pay 100 silver coins
for it."

"What's going on?"

"Oh, Shield Hero. I was just asking him how much we could make back on this armor once you
outgrow it."

Ah, of course. That made sense. Right now I was only level one, but as I grew stronger it stood
to reason that I'd be able to equip more powerful equipment as well. This chain mail was just
the best thing I could equip at the moment.

"Okay, I'll take it."

"Wonderful! I'll even throw in the innerwear for free!"

The shopkeeper's generosity rendered me speechless. I handed him the 120 silver coins for
the chain mail.

"Would you like to wear it out?"

"Sure."

"Okay then, right this way."

I was guided to a room at the back of the shop, where I changed into the innerwear and chain
mail. I put my original clothes into a bag the shopkeeper gave me.

"Gahaha, it's not much, but you definitely look a little sturdier now!

"Thank... you?"

I was pretty sure that was supposed to be a compliment.

"Well then, Shield Hero. Shall we head out into the field?"

"Yeah!"

I was in high spirits as I left the shop with Mine. I looked like a real adventurer now!

Afterward, we walked toward the edge of town and exited through the castle gates. The
guards posted as lookouts acknowledged our presence with a nod, and I greeted them
cheerfully in return. This was it! The start of my adventure was finally here!
 CHAPTER 5: SHIELD’S REALITY

Outside the castle gates, grassy plains extended far as the eye could see. There was a stone
road (of sorts) leading off into the distance, but aside from that there wasn't so much as a
trace of human civilization to be found.

The last time I had seen anything like it was when I went on a trip to Hokkaido, but even that
paled in comparison to this endless blue sky, this sea of green that stretched all the way to
the horizon. The only thing that kept me from running around and frolicking to my heart's
content was the knowledge that if anybody saw me doing it, my stock as a hero would
plummet even further than it already had.

"Just a minute, Shield Hero. This area is home to many weak monsters. We should should use
this as an opportunity to warm up before things get tougher.

"Sounds good to me! This is my first time fighting, so let's do our best!"

"Yes. Please do your best."

"Wait. Are you saying you're not going to help?"

"I will. But before that, I thought it would be good if we figure out how strong you are on your
own."

"Oh... I guess that makes sense."

Thinking about it, Mine was probably already fairly experienced, while I had no idea what I
was even capable of. If she thought the monsters here were safe for me to start with, I should
trust her judgment.

We plodded through the plains for a while, until eventually we stumbled across a
conspicuously orange balloon-like... something.

"Ah, there's one now. An Orange Balloon, by the looks of it. Be careful, Shield Hero... it's weak,
but extremely aggressive."

What was with that naming sense? It looked like an orange balloon, so it was called an Orange
Balloon? I almost felt sorry for the thing.

"Grah!"

I could practically feel the hostility emanating from its ferocious growls and two vicious little
eyes. The instant it noticed my presence, it charged right at me.

"Good luck, Shield Hero!"

"Alright!"

This was my chance to shine. I steadied my shield with my right hand, then brought it down
on the Orange Balloon.
*smash*

*boing*

The spot I hit popped back up as if nothing had happened. It was surprisingly elastic! I had
been sure it would burst immediately...

The Orange Balloon snarled and snapped its teeth at me.

"Woah!"

*clang*

It made a solid-sounding noise, but I ignored it. Even though the Orange Balloon was gnawing
on my arm, it wasn't having any effect at all. It almost felt like a faint barrier was being emitted
by my shield and protecting me.

I looked at Mine without saying anything.

"You can do it!"

...Could I, though? Sure I wasn't taking any damage, but I wasn't dealing any either. I needed
to change my strategy.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

I channeled my inner martial artist and pummeled the Orange Balloon with my fists.

Then, after five minutes...

*pop*

It finally split open.

"Haa...haa...haa..."

I heard a ping, and a message saying I had gained 1 EXP appeared. To fight so hard for one
measly experience point... it didn't bode well. These guys were way tougher than I'd thought
they'd be. There was a limit to what I could do with my bare hands.

"Good job, Shield Hero."

Mine was clapping, but it seemed a little forced.

Just then, I noticed the sound of footsteps somewhere in the distance slowly growing louder.
I turned my head to see what it was, and saw Ren and his followers trotting along at a brisk
pace. I briefly considered calling out a greeting, but I didn't have the nerve to disturb people
running with such serious expressions.

Suddenly, three Orange Balloons appeared in front of them.

*slash*

Without hesitation, Ren drew an arc with his sword, popping them one after the other.
He took them all out with one strike!? Just how high was his attack score!?

"..."

Mine waved her hand in front of my face to snap me out of my daze.

"Don't worry about it so much. Every Hero has their own way of fighting, that's all."

"...Thanks, Mine."

That's right. I had just been used as a chew toy for five whole minutes without getting so much
as a scratch. It seemed my defense score, at least, was actually pretty high. With my spirits
rising a bit, I stooped down and picked up the remains of the Orange Balloon I'd defeated. As
I did, a faint sound began to emanate from my shield.

Interesting...

I slowly brought the balloon scraps toward my shield. The instant I touched them together, a
faint light glimmered, and the orange, rubbery material was sucked into the shield's jewel.

Orange Balloon's Balloon Scraps Acquired

I noticed that the Weapon Book was lit up now. I opened it up to see if anything had changed,
and saw that an icon for an "Orange Small Shield" had appeared. It was still locked, though -
apparently I needed to gather more materials before I could actually use it.

"Is that the power of the legendary weapons?"

"Yeah. It seems I can fuse certain materials into it to unlock new forms."

"I see..."

"Incidentally, are those balloon scraps worth anything?

"You'd be lucky to get a single copper coin for them."

"...And how many copper coins are in a silver coin?"

"A hundred."

Oh, well. I didn't really expect it to sell for much anyway.

"Anyway, you're up next, right?"

"I suppose I am."

Two more Orange Balloons had approached us as we were speaking. However, Mine drew her
blade and struck them down with two swift, elegant cuts. They didn't even last a second.

No way... even Mine...?

This was my second day as an official Hero of another world, and after just five minutes of
battle, I understood my standing perfectly. I finally realized just how weak I - or rather, this
shield - really was.
...It would probably be best to let Mine handle the fighting from now on.

"Okay, new plan. You attack and I'll defend. Let's see how far we can get."

"Roger!"

Mine agreed immediately. Afterward, we walked through the plains until the sun had nearly
set, slaying every Balloon we encountered. Apparently they came in a variety of colors, since
aside from the standard Orange Balloons we ended up fighting a few Yellow Balloons, too.

"There are stronger monsters up ahead, but we should probably head back to the castle soon
before it gets dark."

"Aww, but I wanted to keep fighting some more..."

Since I wasn't taking any damage, defending against the Balloons' attacks was really easy. I
felt like I could keep going all day.

"I understand your feelings, Shield Hero, but I was hoping we could visit the weapon shop
again before they close. If you buy me better equipment, we will easily be able to progress
much further than this tomorrow."

"...I guess I can't argue when you put it like that."

But was it really okay to stop here, when I was so close to leveling up? I had already fulfilled
the material conditions for the Orange and Yellow small shields, so all I had to do now was
gain a little bit more experience and I'd actually be able to use them.

(By the way, I kept collecting balloon scraps even after fulfilling the conditions. They might
only be worth a single copper coin each, but hey, money was money!)

In the end, though, Mine got her way, and we paused our adventure midway to return to
town.
 CHAPTER 6: THE TRAP & ARTS OF BETRAYAL

By the time we got back to the castle town, it was already evening. We headed straight for
the weapons shop.

"Ah, if it isn't the shield kiddo. You know, the other Heroes stopped by after you left."

So everybody ended up outfitting themselves at this shop, huh? No wonder the shopkeeper
looked so pleased with himself.

"I see. Say, you wouldn't be willing to buy these, would you?"

I showed him the scraps I had scavenged from the Orange Balloons we hunted today, but he
just waved toward the door indifferently.

"There's a shop around here that specializes in buying and selling materials from monsters.
I'm sure they'd be willing to take them off your hands."

"Thanks."

"No problem. So, do you need anything else?"

"Yes. I wanted to buy some equipment for my companion, here."

I looked around the store for Mine and found her staring intently at the equipment on display.

"What's your budget this time?"

I still had 680 silver coins left. What was the best way to spend them?

"What do you think, Mine?"

"..."

Mine was comparing equipment with a serious look on her face and didn't seem to hear me
at all. I really needed her input here, though. After all, when we were done shopping we
needed to have enough left over to get us through the rest of the month, but I didn't even
know how much lodgings would cost, let alone everything else.

"Equipment for your companion, huh? Well, it will definitely make her stronger..."

"Right?"

Since I couldn't attack at all, we'd get get more bang for our buck by making sure Mine was as
well-equipped as possible. Or at least, that was the idea.

"It'll probably be pretty expensive, though, so why don't we negotiate a discount?"

"You sure say some amusing things, Mr. Hero."

"80% off!"

"Are you crazy!? 20% increase!"

"You're going in the wrong direction! 79% off!"

"Even double-price is too good for some bastard trying to haggle without looking at the
wares!"

"90% off!"

"Tch! 21% increase!"

"Stop trying to bump up the price! 100% off!"

"That's just asking for it for free! Ugh, fine, 5% off!"

"Not enough! 92% off!"

And so on.

Eventually Mine came back to the counter, carrying a lovely set of armor and a sword made
out of a strangely expensive-looking metal.

"I'm done shopping, Shield Hero."

"So what's the total, pops? Including the 60% off, of course."

"480 silver coins. 59% off is as low as I'll go!

My preemptive haggling had been surprisingly effective at dropping the price. Still, to be left
with just 200 silver coins...

"Mine... can't you be a little more understanding? I've still got lodging fees and living expenses
to think about, you know."

"It's fine, Shield Hero. If I get stronger, we'll be able to defeat stronger monsters and make
back the money by selling their materials, right?"

Mine pressed her chest into my arm and pleaded with me. Her eyes were sparkling.

"W-Well, if you insist..."

Come to think of it, those 200 silver coins had been given to me to make up for my lack of
followers. The rest was meant to be used on equipment from the start. Looking at it from that
point of view, there was a good chance that the amount of 200 silver coins was chosen
specifically because it would be enough to get me through the month.

...That said, I'd still feel more comfortable if I leveled up a bit and got a steady source of income
before trying to recruit anybody.

"Okay! I guess I'll take these, then."

"Thank you very much! You're a pretty ridiculous Hero, you know that?

"Ha ha, well. I just really enjoy business, that's all."

In online games, I always enjoyed making money. I had an uncanny ability to buy low, sell high,
and play the auctions. And it wasn't like it was easy, mind you. With all the information
available at their fingertips, actual humans in games were tough to haggle with!

"Thank you, Shield Hero."

Mine gently kissed my hand in gratitude.

...Yeah! Affection Points: UP! Our journey from tomorrow on was sure to be more enjoyable!

Ahem.

At any rate, New equipment in hand, Mine and I headed to the town's inn. The rates were 30
copper coins per person per night.

"We'll take two rooms."

"Not one?"

"Shield Hero..."

Mine was emitting a silent pressure.

Urk... I had the feeling I'd already lost this one.

"Okay, two rooms it is."

"Right, right. Thanks for your patronage."

The innkeeper rubbed his hands together greedily and told us about the rooms we'd be
renting. After having an unreasonable amount of information hammered into my head, we
stopped in at the tavern next door for dinner. I ordered two deluxe specials, which ran five
copper coins a piece.

"Which reminds me..."

I spread out the map I'd purchased on the way back into town and asked Mine to help me get
my bearings.

"This here is the plain we were fighting in today, right?"

I was making notes about this area's terrain on the map, for future reference. It might have
been better to ask Ren or Motoyasu about it, but judging from the way they were acting
yesterday, they probably wouldn't have told me anything. Guys like that would do anything
to get a leg up on other people, without a second thought. I wouldn't be surprised if they took
advantage of my ignorance to guide me right into a nest of powerful monsters or something.

That was why I had decided to consult with Mine, who seemed knowledgeable enough about
this sort of thing.

"Yes, that's right."

"And from our conversation earlier, would I be right in thinking this forest here is the next
hunting ground after the plains?"
The map gave a broad overview of this country's terrain. Basically, there was a vast plain with
the castle at its center. From there, there were roads running toward the forest and the
mountains, as well as roads that intersected with rivers and villages.

However, since this map was so small, only a few villages near the castle were actually shown.
It didn't give any indication of what to expect beyond the forest, either, which was
problematic. Without knowing where to go and what kind of monsters would be there, it was
impossible to progress.

"Yes. It's not recorded on this map, but our current goal is Raffin Village, on the other side of
the forest."

"Hmm..."

"And, just past Raffin is a dungeon well-suited for novice adventurers."

"A dungeon...?"

Sure, hunting monsters was the basis of online games, but that was aiming too high!

"I doubt we'll find much of value, but it should be good for increasing your level."

"If you say so."

"Don't worry! The monsters there are strong, of course, but with my new equipment it will be
an easy victory."

"Ha ha, thanks. This was all really helpful."

"Think nothing of it. By the way, aren't you going to drink any wine?"

Since this was a tavern, they had brought out alcohol along with the food. However, I hadn't
touched it at all.

"Ah, sorry. I don't really like the stuff."

It wasn't like I couldn't handle myself. On the contrary, I had such a high tolerance that it was
almost impossible for me to get drunk. I just didn't really have an interest in it, that's all. It
probably stemmed back to the times I went out drinking with friends in college, and had to sit
there and watch everybody get drunk off their asses while I stayed stone-cold sober. It wasn't
very fun.

"Not even just one glass?"

"Seriously, I'd rather not."

"But..."

"Sorry."

"I see..."

Mine put down the bottle of wine with a disappointed look on her face.
"Anyway, I'm glad we were able to talk about our plans for tomorrow, but I think I'm going to
go ahead and turn in early."

"Goodnight, Shield Hero."

I had already finished my meal, so I left the boisterous tavern and returned to my assigned
room. Once I was there, I stripped off my chain mail and laid it on the chair.

"..."

I set down my pouch of silver coins on the table. This inn required payment in advance, which
meant I was already down to 199 silver coins and some change. The uneasy feeling that gave
me was probably an instinct I'd gained from spending so much of my life totally broke.

On a lark, I took about 30 silver coins out of the pouch and hid them under my shield. It was a
really touristy thing to do, but somehow it made me feel better.

A whole lot of things happened today!

I knew what it was like to defeat monsters, now, even if it was just popping balloons.

I laid down on the bed and stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling, thoughts racing. This really was
another world. Just like last night, the excited feeling in my chest wouldn't go away. I could
feel it. Things were only going to get better from here on out. So what if I didn't have as many
companions as the other Heroes? I had my own path ahead of me. There was no need for me
to aim at being the strongest, as long as I did the best I could.

*yawn*

My eyes were getting heavy. A joyful racket was coming from the direction of the tavern, and
I could almost swear I heard Motoyasu and Itsuki's voices amongst the noise. Maybe they
were staying at this inn tonight too?

I reached out and extinguished the lamp lighting up the room. It was still a little early, but
even so I quickly drifted off to sleep...

***

*jingle*

Huh...? A noise...? Were those guys in the bar still going at it?

*mumble*

*rustle*

So hot... clothes stuck...

***

"Ngh?"

It was cold.
There was sunlight shining on my face, which meant it must be morning. I wiped the sleepiness
out of my eyes as I sat up, and looked out the window. Apparently I had been more tired than
I thought, since the sun was already fairly high in the sky. It was probably about nine o'clock.

"Huh?"

At some point I had ended up wearing nothing but my underwear. Did I strip in my sleep?

Well, whatever. It didn't matter.

Outside, the street was bustling with people going about their daily routines. The sight of
restaurants and food stalls busily preparing for the lunch rush while carriages clattered along
made me feel like I was in a dream.

This world was really amazing. Apparently there were two types of carriages: higher class
horse-drawn ones, and lower class bird-drawn ones. The bird-drawn ones were being pulled
by huge, ostrich-like things that kind of reminded me of chocobos.

The occasional ox-cart rounded out the medieval atmosphere.

"Well then, time for breakfast!"

I searched around the bed for the clothes I had (apparently?) taken off last night.

...Weird. They weren't there? Then, the chain mail I'd put on the chair... was nowhere to be
found, either. On top of that, the sack of silver coins that should have been sitting right there
on the table was gone too!

Even my original clothes, which I had kept just in case I ever needed them, had up and
vanished.

"Wha..."

No way!

I'd been robbed!? That was totally ridiculous! Didn't this inn have any security at all!?

Anyway, I had to tell Mine about this! I flung open the door to my room and ran next door.

"Mine! This is bad! All our money is gone, and my equipment too!"

But no matter how desperately I knocked, there was no response.

I was so preoccupied that I almost didn't notice the heavy footsteps approaching from down
the hall. Before I knew it I had been surrounded by castle knights.

Thank goodness! I could see a light shining in the darkness. Once I explained what had
happened, they'd definitely catch the guy that had done this. He'd regret ever messing with a
Hero!

"You guys are from the castle, right? You've gotta help me!"

I earnestly appealed to the knights. Where the hell was Mine? This was serious!
"Shield Hero!"

"Y-Yes?"

Huh? Their response seemed somehow... hostile.

"You've been ordered to appear before the king. Come with us."

"Appear before the...? Wait, no, first you have to help me! A thief came in the night and..."

"I said let's go!"

The knights roughly took hold of my arms and started dragging me down the hall.

"Hey, stop! Listen to me!"

What were they doing? I was still in my underwear for god's sake!

"Mine! Miiine!"

But the knights ignored my cries, and I was forcibly brought back to the castle in one of the
very carriages I had thought were so wondrous just a little earlier. Nobody told me anything.
I had no idea what was going on. The only certainty was their eyes - their eyes that clearly
regarded me as a criminal.
 CHAPTER 7: FALSE CHARGE

Once we arrived at the castle, the knights marched me - still in my underwear - into the royal
audience chamber, spears prodding at my back. The king and minister were waiting for me
with sullen looks on their faces.

And...

"Mine!"

Not only were Ren, Motoyasu, and Itsuki already there, along with all of their followers, but
Mine as well. However, when I called out to her she shrank back behind Motoyasu and glared
at me.

"Huh? What's with that reaction?"

Everybody was looking at me as if I was a villain.

"You're saying you don't remember?"

Motoyasu questioned me with a threat of menace in his voice. What the hell was all this?

"Don't remember wha... huh?"

I suddenly realized that Motoyasu was wearing my chain mail.

"Wait a minute... you! You're the thief!"

"Who are you to accuse anybody!? I never thought you could stoop so low, you... you fiend!"

"Fiend? What are you talking about?"

At that, the atmosphere in the audience chamber shifted. I had the distinct feeling that I was
in a courtroom.

"Yes, please state the charges against the Shield Hero."

"Charges? What are you talking about?"

"L-last night the Shield Hero got drunk, burst into my room, and... and... f-forced me down
against my will!"

"Huh?"

"He... he told me that the night was still young, and then started r-ripping off my clothes..."

Mine clung to Motoyasu's back, crying and accusing me through her sobs.

"It was so scary... I only barely managed to escape from the room, screaming. Thankfully Lord
Motoyasu was there to help me."

"Eh?"
Where was all this coming from? All I remembered doing last night was going to bed early and
sleeping like a baby.

I looked at Mine in bewilderment.

"What are you talking about? After dinner yesterday, all I did was go to my room and sleep."

"Liar! If that were true, why would Mine be crying like this?"

"Why are you being so protective of her? You barely know her! And while you're at it, explain
where you got that chain mail!"

Didn't they meet for the first time yesterday?

"Oh, this? I just happened to run into Mine while I was drinking alone at the tavern, yesterday.
We talked for a while, and she gave it to me as a gift."

"Huh?"

No matter how I looked at it, it was my chain mail. I mean, the chances that Mine had bought
it with her own money weren't zero, but given that my own chain mail had disappeared right
before Motoyasu suddenly got a brand new set for himself, well... anybody would be
suspicious.

I gave up on talking with Motoyasu and appealed directly to the king.

"Your Majesty! Last night all of my possessions except my shield were stolen away in the night
by some thief! I beg of you, please, find out who did it and arrest them."

"Silence, fiend!"
The king bluntly denied my proposal.

"Committing an act of sexual assault on one of my citizens is an unforgivable offense. If you

weren't a Hero I would have you put to death on the spot!"

"I'm telling you, it's a misunderstanding! I didn't do anything!"

However, everybody in the room had already decided I was guilty. It felt like the world had
suddenly dropped out from under me.

What the hell? What the hell!? WHAT THE HELL!?

Why did I have to suffer this kind of abuse for something I didn't do?

And then it happened. As soon as she was sure that nobody was looking at her, Mine's
expression changed. A self-satisfied smirk floated across her face, and she stuck her tongue
out at me derisively.

Everything fell into place.

I glared at Motoyasu as a terrible, dark emotion began to well up from the pit of my stomach.

"You! You did this! You set this whole thing up!"

Even I was surprised by the voice that came out of my mouth.

"Ha! Like anyone would listen to the words of a damned rapist!"

Motoyasu stepped between me and Mine as if telling me to keep my filthy eyes off her, and
played himself up as the hero helping the hapless victim.

"Don't fuck with me! That's what happened, isn't it!? You planned all this just to get my money
and equipment!"

He probably knew that I'd end up buying Mine lots of nice things to compensate for my own
weakness. His plan must have been to have her squeeze me for everything she could, then
skip out with whatever money was left. Then, this entire charade was just to take me out of
the picture entirely and ensure they never got caught.

...Fuck, I was almost impressed.

Come to think of it, she never once called me by my name, did she? Was that her way of saying
this world didn't need more than one Hero?

"Doing something like that to his only ally in another world... what trash."

"You're right. Even I can't bring myself to pity him."

Ren and Itsuki didn't hesitate to condemn me either. So, they were all in on it from the very
beginning, huh? Since I had a shield, since I was weak, since I couldn't fight, they all just
decided to trample over me for their own benefit?

...Filth.

They were all cowardly filth. None of them had ever believed in me. Well, screw that! Why
should I have to protect people like them! This world could burn for all I cared!

"...Fine, whatever. Why don't you just send me back to where I came from? Then you can get
yourselves a new Shield Hero."

Another world? Ha! Why did I need to go so far just to feel like this!?

"As soon as things get inconvenient he runs away, huh? How disgusting."

"I agree. Somebody who would throw away their duty and assault a woman is just..."

"Just go! A person like you could never be a Hero!"

I wanted to kill them. Ren, Motoyasu, Itsuki - I wanted to kill them right there. This should
have been my chance to enjoy an adventure in another world, and they had ruined it.

"Well, what are you waiting for!? Send me back!"

However, the king merely folded his arms and frowned.

"I wish there was a way to send a Hero like this back to where he came from, I truly do.
However, my researchers have informed me that another summoning is only possible after all
four of the current Heroes have perished."

"...What?"

"That can't be..."

"N-No way..."

Finally, even the other three Heroes were at a loss for words.

There was no way to return to our original worlds?

"You're saying we're stuck here!?"

This had to be some sort of joke!

"You guys can let go of me any time now!"

I struggled out of the knights' grasp.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

"Don't even try escaping!"

In response, one of them punched me.

*thud*

What a nice sound. However, it didn't hurt at all. It seemed the same couldn't be said for the
knight that did it, though, since he was clutching at the arm he used to hit me and grimacing
in pain.

"So? If you can't send me back, what are you gonna do with me?"

I shook the numbness of being restrained out of my arms, and addressed the king.

"...Nothing. You exist to fight the Wave of Calamity, so there will be no official punishment.
However, your crime is already well-known amongst the citizens. That shall be your
punishment. Do not expect to find any work in my kingdom."

"Oh, boy, you sure are generous!"

In short, he was telling me to raise my level as an adventurer and prepare for the Wave.

"You will return here in a month to fight. Even if you are a criminal, you are still the Shield
Hero. Make no attempt to escape your duty."
"I get it! I'm weak, after all. And time's wasting."

*jingle*

Ah, that's right. I had totally forgotten about the money hidden in my shield.

"Hey! This is what you wanted, right!?"

I hurled my last 30 silver coins right in Motoyasu's face.

"Woah! What the hell are you...!"

Of course, Motoyasu started ranting at me again, but I ignored it.

As I left the castle, people pointed in my direction and started whispering among themselves.
I couldn't really say it was surprising. Rumors here spread quickly, after all.

At any rate, my trust and my money both disappeared completely.

This was the true, miserable start of my adventure in another world.