Turns out I slept for about three hours that night – but strangely enough, it was more than enough. I was really starting to like my current body.
First thing in the morning, I set off for Melromarc. I wasn't sure when exactly the setup against the Shield Hero would happen, so I decided to head out early.
No one knew how things would play out, so I wasn't about to pass up even one extra level. Levels are never useless, after all. So I took a longer route back to the city and managed to gain two more levels by wiping out monsters along the way.
As it turned out – I was a little late. The city was already buzzing with whispers about some heinous crime committed by the Shield Hero, which had prompted the king to summon all the Heroes.
I was honestly amused to hear the theory repeated more than once that the fifth Hero, the Scythe Hero, was also an accomplice and had fled the city without ever showing up at the palace. Hilarious.
The new developments made me pick up the pace. Sorry, Naofumi, if I don't make it in time – but there are things far more important to me than trying to interfere with the inevitable.
So instead of heading for the castle, I made my way to an elegant building that looked like a temple – home to the Dragon Hourglass.
Yeah, I should've done this earlier, but…
I just straight-up forgot. What can I say – I'm an idiot. Not that anyone cares.
— Oh… – one of the nuns noticed me approaching. – You… – she frowned slightly.
— Scythe Hero, at your service. – I gave her a mock-theatrical bow.
— I see… – the nun seemed a little surprised. – What brings you to us, honored Hero?
— I'd like to see the Dragon Hourglass. Also, I need some of its sand.
— The first is no issue, but your second request… – the nun hesitated.
— It's necessary for my mission to save this world. I'm not asking for the impossible, am I?
— I… will speak with the high bishop.
Well, that was better than being flat-out denied. At least they let me approach the Hourglass.
[26:13:41]
That's how much time was left until the Wave. Twenty-six days. More than enough to hit a decent level.
If I remembered correctly, Glass didn't appear until the third Wave, and the second one was still almost a month away.
Back then, the Heroes were around level 50 and still couldn't do a thing against her – so I'd need to work hard if I didn't want to get embarrassed.
— So you're the Scythe Hero I've been hearing about.
A man in his thirties, dressed like your typical priest, interrupted my thoughts. His face wore a frozen "kind" smile – which I wasn't buying for a second.
I vaguely remembered some story about a lunatic bishop, but I couldn't recall the details. Probably not this guy.
— Yep, that's me. – I gave a casual nod and spun my scythe playfully, tapping the blade on the floor and resting my hands on the handle. Looked pretty cool, probably.
— I believe you. You're here for this, aren't you? – the priest pulled out a tiny pouch from his robes. – The other Heroes have already come for sand, so we have some left in reserve.
— And you're just handing it over? – a bit of skepticism crept into my voice.
— It is our duty, as servants of the Church, to provide Heroes with everything they need to protect our world. It doesn't matter which Legendary Weapon they possess.
Oh, really? Let's see how long that attitude lasts. And hey, while we're at it…
— I admire your devotion to duty. – A smile crept across my face, which made the priest's smile twitch slightly. Huh. – In that case, would you mind giving me one more pouch? I'm sure one of my comrades didn't know about the sand and still hasn't received this vital resource.
— That is… – his smile was looking real strained now. — You mean the Shield Hero?
— Yep. – I nodded cheerfully.
— Well, I...
— He's also fighting to protect your world and needs support. Surely he deserves a bit of help too, no?
— Yes… Of course, honored Hero. You are absolutely right. Marie. – the priest turned to the nun who greeted me earlier. – Bring more sand for our Heroes.
— B-but… – she hesitated.
— Marie. – The bishop's tone brooked no argument. Even I felt a little chill from his glare. Yikes.
The nun left, and we spent the next few minutes silently smiling at each other like nothing had happened.
— Hic…
When the nun returned and saw us, she hiccupped and handed me the second pouch with visibly shaking hands.
My appraisal skill – picked up from a monster – confirmed the contents were real, not some fantasy-world knock-off drug.
— Best of luck in your sacred task, honored Hero.
— Yeah. You too. Don't catch a cold.
Waving to the poor nun and still-smiling bishop, I left that lovely place. Now it was time for today's main event.
The guards at the castle gates froze when they saw me approaching. For a good thirty seconds, they just stared as I walked up. Then, seemingly remembering their job, they led me to the king.
I was a bit surprised they didn't shackle me or drag me in like a criminal. What's gotten into them? Maybe the king hadn't lost his mind yet?
But the moment I stepped into the throne room…
— Hey! This is what you wanted, isn't it?!
I walked in on Naofumi, half-naked and furious, hurling a now much-lighter coin pouch at Spear Guy.
— Uwah! What the hell are you doing, bastard?! – Motoyasu reflexively caught the pouch, stumbling a little from the impact. Not bad for a guy who "can't attack", huh?
— Looks like I missed the good part…
— Hm. The Scythe Hero… – the king gave me a condescending look. – Decided to grace us with your presence?
For a brief second, I imagined myself standing behind the throne, smiling as the bloody tip of my scythe jutted out of the king's gut. On the floor before him lay the decapitated corpse of his bitch daughter, and he stared down in stunned disbelief.
I shook the vision away, but a strange, lingering feeling stayed with me.
— Yeah… – I answered a bit slowly. – I was busy and didn't catch what's going on. Why the gathering?
With some effort, I composed myself and returned to my usual tone and expression.
— That scumbag Naofumi tried to assault his companion! – Motoyasu, of course, never missed a chance to show off his IQ.
— Wow! That's quite the way to start your life in a new world. Wasting no time, huh, Naofumi? – I raised my brows in fake admiration.
— Nott, you too… I didn't do it! – The Shield Hero didn't find the joke funny. Shame.
— Oh, alright then. – I nodded calmly, face neutral now.
— Huh? – Naofumi blinked, confused.
— You believe this scum, Nott?! – oh for the love of, Motoyasu, just disappear already.
— Well, yeah. If Naofumi says he didn't do it, then he didn't. Simple, isn't it?
— Hmph. I thought the Scythe Hero had more sense. Clearly, I was mistaken.
— Screw all of you! – Naofumi stormed out of the castle. Still in his underwear.
— Ahem. My apologies. – while Motoyasu was still processing, I casually walked up and took the pouch Naofumi had thrown. – Well then… Thanks for the show. – I bowed to the king. – I'll take my leave now.
— Hey, wait!..
I didn't bother turning around. Real Heroes don't look back at explosions. Who said I was fleeing? I just wasn't going to waste more time here.
Instead, I walked outside the castle and spotted Naofumi's retreating figure. Still in his underwear. It was kind of funny.
I didn't see much point in going after him just yet. He'd manage on his own. For now, I had other priorities.
First up – finding the magic shop run by that old lady from the novel. Took me a while. Most townsfolk didn't use magic, so they didn't care about magic shops. Plus, there were several of them.
Eventually, I found her – the witchy-looking granny with the big hat behind the counter.
— Oh-ho-ho, a new customer. Welcome to my humble shop. – she greeted me with a smile.
— Good day. I'd like to know my magical affinity.
— Ah, I see… – the witch looked me over. – Then please, gaze into this orb. – She pulled a crystal ball from behind the counter.
I leaned in and did as instructed. The orb glowed faintly. Didn't mean anything to me, but the old lady seemed surprised.
— My, my… you have talent for three branches. Light and Darkness will allow you to create illusions, and you also have an affinity for Ice. What's odd is that your Ice affinity is very high, but your affinity for Water – its source – is minimal…
Well now. That actually made some sense. Darkness for the Hero of Death – sure. Light… maybe tied to the Life/Death duality. Ice? Death is cold, right? I could roll with that.
— In that case, I'd like to start with a book on Illusion magic.
The price tags shocked me. Even the most basic books started at one gold coin. And the cost skyrocketed with each level.
I could try getting books for free later. Like when I saved Ryute Village – the old lady's grandson lived there. In the novel, she gave Naofumi and Raphtalia some books in gratitude.
Alternatively, I could ask the king or some other bigwig. That could work any time.
But I had reasons to act fast.
So, I made my next stop a normal bookstore, where I picked up a couple of beginner books – the equivalent of an alphabet and a dictionary.
Yeah, I was going to learn the local language. Why? Silly question. Literacy opens doors to all kinds of knowledge.
I planned to use the time before the Wave productively and develop in multiple directions. And after the Wave, I could collect some rewards from grateful villagers.
Cynical? Maybe. But I didn't care.
If I'm being honest with myself – I didn't really care about the fate of this world. The lives of strangers (human or not) meant very little to me.
So, pondering edgy anti-hero thoughts and strolling through Melromarc, my eyes caught a figure in a green cloak – and a brief glint of a shield. The figure noticed me too.
— Nott? – Naofumi looked surprised.
— Small world. – I admitted. – I see you got dressed.
— Yeah… Wait, what are you doing here?
Naofumi was suspicious. Understandably so. He probably expected another betrayal.
— Oh, you know, stuff… Oh, right. Catch. – I tossed him the pouch of silver he'd thrown earlier. – Kind of dumb to throw away money when your life depends on it.
I wanted to scold him a bit more, but I understood the emotional outburst. So I let it go.
— Got it now…
— Oh, and this too. – I tossed him the second pouch – the one with the Hourglass sand.
— I don't need handou– what's this?
— Sand from the Dragon Hourglass. That big chapel over there. – I pointed. – Once you hit level 50, absorbing it with your shield unlocks teleportation. Contacting the Hourglass now shows a countdown to the next Wave. Also, Legendary Weapons can copy weapons of the same type. Just touch any shield and you'll see. What else… – I stroked my beard.
— W-wait! – Naofumi flailed. – Why are you… telling me all this?
— Hm? – Took me a second to understand. Then it clicked. – Oh. Simple. I don't care.
— Huh?
— I told you already, Naofumi. I believe you didn't do it.
— …
— Well, that's all I've got for now. Good luck, Shield Hero. If you ever need help – you can ask. Though we probably won't see each other for a while.
I waved to the stunned Naofumi and walked away. Why didn't I tell him about the other enhancement methods? Ha. Like he'd believe me.
The key to unlocking those features was believing they existed. Did Naofumi believe in anything right now? Highly doubtful.
To become stronger, he'd need to crack the shell of mistrust he'd built around himself. And to help him, I'd have to earn his trust – which I didn't have time for.
And anyway, that sweet raccoon girl would do a much better job than some creepy guy with a scythe.
Yeah, I decided to leave Raphtalia to Naofumi. They needed each other. If I looked at this world as reality – and not as an opportunity to collect waifus – then, from a practical standpoint, any slave could fill that role for me.
So, after picking up a nice travel bag, I hit the road again. The Wave was coming, and I had to grow stronger. No time to waste wandering around.
— Time to grind like a champ!