Firo is pulling the wagon across the highway, while looking like an ordinary Philo Rial. We are mostly trying to ignore villages and towns.
We're almost at the border.
"Gueeee!"
Firo cries in alarm.
The second princess and I hide in the straw to observe.
"Hehehe, hand over all your money and you may leave."
A familiar sounding voice.
What is wrong with this guy?
Firo who senses that it's not necessary to disguise herself returns to her Philo Rial · Queen form.
"Are you fighting?"
The second princess anxiously asks from the midst of straw.
"Yeah, probably. Don't worry about it."
That's one hell of a stutter.
"Even though I ransacked you last month, you're already back on your feet. Quite quick if I do say so myself."
One of his companions who had a puzzled expression prepares to attack.
"Sh-Shut up! Because of you I'm just a lackey in another group of thieves now!"
"The boss has returned to his country!"
"Sh-Shut up! You're going to get it!"
They all take up their weapons and charge us.
"Firo! Raphtalia!"
"Okay~!"
I step back to protect the second princess.
What? The second princess can fight?"
"I command the origin of power. I have read and deciphered a law of nature. blast them with water!"
(Tl note: 「アル・ツヴァイト・アクアショット！」 Anyone got a better name let me know.)
Huh?
Tzuvait. It is an adjective that makes a magic intermediate class. As for Ars, it means multiple magic systems.
"Uge!"
"Ugu!"
The thieves near Firo are blown away.
"Tzuvait・Aqua Slash!"
The second princess follows up immediately with another spell.
Somehow, I heard something dangerous.
"Firo-chan!"
"Not yet~!"
One of the thieves snuck around us by taking advantage of the confusion, and tried to jump the second princess.
"Air Strike Shield!"
I'll just use the Bee Needle Shield this time. they may accidentally die from sustained poison damage. I'll just stun them with paralysis.
"Ugh,arg......"
One of the thieves is hit by my the second shield and falls down convulsing.
"Still not done yet!"
The first thief who approached the second princess begins to crawl.
"No, it's over."
Probably one of thieves crying in resignation.
"I'll help Mel-chan!"
And with a thud, Firo just body slams him.
"You guys know the drill. Tell me where your hideout is."
I ask after tying up all their members.
"We'll never talk-"
"It's over there!"
"Are you joking?"
'Don't you understand!? That's the shield!"
"That's right! that bird eats everything including the head. I'd rather just get kicked and get away!"
Raphtalia sighs and face-palms.
"If you tell a lie-"
It was mostly just food. But since we have been living like fugitives recently,and only eating demons, a decent meal was appreciated.
Anything that was valuable was collected, and anything that was too troublesome to take was burnt.
I half-smiled at the thieves who were despairing.
"Yup. I learnt it for self-defence."
"Uhmm, I'm level 18...... I can use a few Intermediate class water spells."
That's unexpectedly low. Well, if we're judging by appearance and age she would be very high levelled.
"Yup"
Her hair is blue. Are they related?
"I can use a little earth magic too."
I was hit in the back during that duel with wind magic.
"That's right"
Not that it matters.
"This is probably for the best. for the time being enter my party."
But this is insurance in the case of an emergency. It would be best if we didn't fight though.
I don't want to go in a direction that would not require us to rely on the second princess.
"Hey. Why did Hero of the Shield-sama make father so angry?"
Firo also seemed to be listening to my story for some reason, but she stayed quiet.
Well my feelings and grudges were mixed in a little, but I'll just think of it as education.
"Father and Elder sister are cruel! Even though Hero of the Shield-sama said bad things to them I can't complain."
"Mother even said to value the Hero of the Shield-sama as much as possible."
Is the queen different?
"What's wrong?"
"Um......I don't know. But she sent a letter to father telling him to treat all the heroes the same."
I understand the second princess's story a little, it seems the queen was worried this would happen to me.
"That's right"
"One month and three weeks old."
"Ehehehe......I was praised."
"Then I'm the older sister."
"Raphtalia onee-chan is......"
Firo looks at Raphtalia with an extremely disappointed expression.
Well, I understand your feelings since the bird said something like that.
"Wh-what?"
"Well...... I was not allowed to lose."
The atmosphere is delicate.
"Well, despite Raphtalia's age, her appearance suits her."
That would have immediately labelled me as a lolicon.
Not to mention, Raphtalia became my slave when she was a little girl.
"This is just how things work out."
I wonder what the other heroes would say.
"Anyway, we'll rest here today and cross the border tomorrow."
"Okay!"