The Flower Behind the Shield — Sefia & Naofumi's Untaken Path - Episode 2

Naofumi was still thinking about that cloth bag even after morning came. He ate only a single strip of dried meat. He shoved the medicine pouch into the inside of his cloak. That was all. It had nothing to do with gratitude. The truth was his stomach was empty, and if food was available, he used it. That was the whole story—he told himself this while washing his face in the stream. The water was cold. The morning in Ernesta Forest was quiet, with only bird calls threading through the gaps between trees. (But who uses wind-type magic like that...) Stop thinking about it. It doesn't matter. Naofumi straightened his cloak and left the forest. He had one goal for today. The weapon shop "Elhardt's Smithy" in the royal capital, Castle Town. Among the materials he'd gathered yesterday, there were some he hadn't absorbed into his shield yet. He'd sell what he could sell, and use what he could use for the shield. That was all. When he reached the main road, the morning air felt slightly different. A carriage approached from a distance. The moment the driver saw Naofumi's shield, he looked away. Naofumi didn't mind. He was used to it by now. Two hours' walk to the capital. --- "Elhardt's Smithy" was tucked away in an alley in the eastern district of the capital. The sign was old and half the letters were worn away, but the constant sound of metal being hammered echoed from inside the shop, serving as a landmark instead. When he pushed the door open, a bell chimed with a soft ring. The interior was cluttered. Swords and axes hung from the walls, and shelves were lined with processed monster materials. Behind the counter sat a stout man in his fifties, writing something. Elhardt. The shop's owner. "You again" He spoke without looking up, his gaze still on his writing. He wasn't friendly, but he didn't turn people away either. That was his way. Naofumi placed a bag on the counter. "Four mushroom-type caps. Two Exhaust Bat wing membranes. And three Usapil fangs" Elhardt finally looked up from his writing and examined the bag's contents one by one. He felt the texture of the caps with his fingers, held the wing membranes up to the light. Silent and methodical. "The wing membranes are top quality. The caps are... so-so. Four silver coins for everything" "I thought it'd be three" "The wing membranes are in better condition than expected. That's all. No need for thanks" Naofumi thought for a moment, then nodded. This man had been strange from the start. Other shops would furrow their brows the moment they saw his shield, or blatantly inflate prices, or refuse to deal with him at all. But Elhardt was different. He said nothing about the shield. He set prices based only on material quality. That was all. "Can I ask you one thing" "What" "Why do you buy from me? Every other shop turned me down" Elhardt was silent for a while, then set his writing aside. "The quality of materials has nothing to do with what type of hero you are" "...That's it?" "That's it" Naofumi said nothing. He took the four silver coins and turned to leave the counter. That was when it happened. The shop door chimed again. --- A woman had entered. She was slightly older than Naofumi—mid-twenties, perhaps. Her chestnut-colored hair was tied back in a single bundle, and her eyes behind her glasses were narrow. Her clothing looked like something a scholar or teacher would wear—a white blouse with a dark navy robe draped over it. She carried two thick books in her arms, and in her other hand was a magic lantern—a device that glowed when infused with magical power, commonly seen around the city. The moment their eyes met, the woman froze slightly. Then her face brightened. "Found you!" "..." He couldn't say anything. This woman—this voice. Last night, by the campfire. The one who'd disarmed the trap and left food and medicine. The footprints had been small. The magical traces were wind-type. (It was her.) "I've been looking for you. I went to your campsite yesterday, but you were already gone..." "How do you know where my campsite is" The woman—Celia—faltered for a moment. But she quickly recovered and adjusted her books. "My name is Celia Claire. I'm a magic instructor at the Royal Academy..." "I didn't ask that. I asked how you know where my campsite is" "Ah, well. I used wind-type magic to... search for you a little" "You were following me" "N-No! It wasn't following, it was searching!" "Same thing" Elhardt coughed from behind the counter. He wasn't looking at them. But there was no way he couldn't hear. Naofumi recalled last night's cloth bag in his mind. A wind-type barrier. Food and medicine. A magic instructor. It all connected. "What's your purpose" "...I wanted to offer my strength to the Shield Hero" Naofumi didn't laugh. But something inside him went cold. This pattern again. Approaching with a kind face, asking for something. A messenger from the kingdom, or some other conspiracy. The reason didn't matter. "I don't need it" "Huh?" "I have no intention of accepting anyone's goodwill. It doesn't matter who you are. Leave" He started walking toward the door. "Are you aware of the Royal Magic Instructor qualification review system" His feet stopped. He didn't turn around. But he stopped. Celia continued. Her voice was calm. The flustered atmosphere from before had vanished. "There are only about eighty Royal Magic Instructors in this country. To be appointed, you need to pass the top five percent of the magical aptitude exam, have three or more years of practical experience, and receive approval from the Royal Review Committee. I was the youngest to be appointed, at twenty-two years old" "So what" "To have that qualification revoked requires unanimous approval from all five committee members. However—in cases of suspected treason against the state, a provisional suspension can be issued with the approval of just three members" This time Naofumi turned around. Celia didn't avert her gaze. Her eyes behind her glasses looked straight at him. "Cooperating with the Shield Hero currently constitutes suspected treason against the Melromarc royal court. My very presence here could become grounds for a provisional suspension if the loopholes are exploited" "...So you're saying you came here knowing the risks" "Yes" A short answer. Naofumi looked at Celia's face. He could tell she was nervous. Her hands gripped the books a bit too tightly. But her eyes didn't waver. (She doesn't seem to be lying.) But that didn't mean he could trust her. "Why go that far" Celia was silent for a moment before answering. "Someone who was falsely accused on the very day they were summoned, yet still fights monsters every night and gathers materials to survive. I can't just ignore that" "Pity" The word came out like a blade. Naofumi himself recognized it—the same word he'd spat out last night while kicking the bag. Celia frowned. "It's not pity. If it were pity, I'd have left the food and gone home immediately. I want to fight alongside you" "Why would a magic instructor need to fight with me" "I can use magic specialized in supporting the Shield Hero. I can fight in a way that compensates for your low attack power. Logically speaking, it should be a decent combination" "...Do people usually describe things as 'not bad' like that" "I thought it was better to be honest" Elhardt coughed again. This time it was louder. "Standing around talking is unseemly. You can use the work table in back. I won't bother you" The two of them moved to the back of the shop after a brief pause. --- When they sat facing each other at the work table, Celia finally set down her books. She let out a breath—her arms had been tired from carrying them. Naofumi almost spoke, then stopped himself. "Tell me about your magic. What kind is it" "My specialty is support magic and wind-type magic. In particular, 'Fast Wind Shield'—a wind barrier spell that can be deployed at high speed—has practical combat experience. That's what I used on your cloth bag last night" "Was there any need to protect a cloth bag" "Just in case. So the contents wouldn't scatter when you kicked it..." "You were watching" Celia nodded quietly. Heat rushed to Naofumi's cheeks. He'd kicked it. He'd yelled alone. He'd said "Is this pity?" All of it—she'd seen all of it. "...If you say a word about this, I won't forgive you" "I won't say anything. I promise" The corners of her mouth were slightly raised. Naofumi looked away toward the counter. Elhardt had returned to his writing and wasn't looking their way. (Why is she smiling?) "Have you heard of magical usage records" The conversation shifted. Naofumi refocused. "No" "At the Royal Academy, all magical usage is automatically recorded. The time it was cast, the location, the type of magic. It's linked to the caster's ID and can be reviewed later" "...How does that help with anything" "For now, it's just an explanation. Please remember it" She spoke with hidden meaning. Naofumi felt something catch, but he didn't press further. "Understood. So what are your conditions" Celia tilted her head. "Conditions?" "No one moves for free. You're moving because you want something. What do you want" "...You think that way about everything, don't you" "Of course. Isn't that how it is" Celia was silent for a while. Morning light streamed through the window and slowly moved across the work table. The smell of metal and the distant sound of hammering. "What I want... I don't really have anything specific. I just want to do what I think is right" "Justice. That's troublesome" "Huh?" "People who move for profit will leave when there's no benefit. But people who move for justice will charge ahead as long as they think they're right. They can't be controlled" "...That was painfully accurate" "It's a fact" "But couldn't you also say that because there's no profit motive, I won't betray you" Naofumi fell silent. He couldn't argue back. The logic was sound. But he didn't want to believe it. The memory of being betrayed despite believing was still fresh and painful in his chest. "...Trial period" "Huh?" "I'm not trusting you. But I don't have a reason to turn you away yet. We'll try working together. That's all. If I don't like it, I'm kicking you out immediately" Celia's eyes widened, then she smiled slightly. "That's enough for me" "Don't look so happy. I didn't give you permission" "Yes" She was still smiling. Why was she so happy about this? Naofumi looked down at the work table. Something in his chest felt unsettled. (She said it wasn't pity. She said it was justice. She didn't seem to be lying.) That was all. Nothing more, nothing less. --- On the way back, the two walked side by side through the eastern district alley. Celia's luggage seemed heavy, and she adjusted her books several times, tilting slightly each time. Naofumi said nothing. There was no need to. But he slowed his pace a little. There was no particular reason. He just did. "There are no wave predictions for tonight, but a group of Exhaust Bats has been confirmed on the north side of Ernesta Forest. About ten to fifteen of them" "...Where did you get that information" "From the Academy's observation magic records. It's public information, so there's no problem" "You're good at bringing information, aren't you" "I'm a teacher. Organizing and conveying necessary information is my strength" "...Might be useful" Celia turned slightly. "Did you just compliment me" "I just evaluated you. Not a compliment" "Ah, yes. You're right" She was smiling again. Naofumi said nothing more. The city's bustle continued in the distance, and voices from the market drifted from Calen Square. The smell of bread. The smell of horses. Somewhere, someone laughed. This city still didn't welcome Naofumi. The cold shoulders, the low prices, the thrown stones—all of it continued. Nothing had

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Episode 2

Name: The Flower Behind the Shield — Sefia & Naofumi's Untaken Path
Author: Novelia

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