33 – Gratitude for Life

The first place I went to after I left the palace was obviously Oyaji's place.

The moment I stepped inside-

"What the hell? You crazy bastard..." Oyaji laughed and said, "Every time you come here, it's something else ridiculous."

Sylvia walked inside and waved. "It's been a while, Mister Erhard."

Lia waved too. "Oyaji! How've you been?"

I paused. "...Erhard?"

Oyaji... No, Erhard?

The blacksmith laughed and said, "Did you never get my name, kid?"

"...No. I thought it was Oyaji."

"Pft." Erhard shook his head. "Of course you did. But..." His mirth vanished when he saw Mein in my arms. "...Seems like a complicated story. You here for clothes for her?"

"Yeah."

Mein flinched on Erhard's sharp gaze and buried her face in my chest.

Erhard sighed. "...The lies become the truth, huh?"

I couldn't resist the low-hanging fruit when I heard his words. So I immediately sang, "She's not my lover. She's just a girl who said that I am the one."

"...What?"

I coughed. "Couldn't resist."

And I CLEARLY needed more sleep...

"Anyway." I set Mein down on her feet.

She flinched as soon as her bare flesh met the cold stone floor. But she stayed standing.

Sylvia immediately started poking through the rapiers, browsing the wares.

Lia started looking too, eyeing the various shields hung on the wall.

Erhard looked amused and said, "Well. I suppose we should get your latest companion equipped, right? This way then. I have her measurements from the last time you were here."

I walked with Mein leaning against me. But then I paused. "Wait. Oyaji- I mean, Erhard."

"You can just call me Oyaji, Kid. Makes me feel weird with you not saying it at this point."

"Oyaji then." I frowned. "Did you seriously not know that Mein was Malty?"

Mein paused, coming to a realization too. "...That's right." She looked at Erhard, confused. "...I thought you were playing along."

Erhard coughed. "That's... Well." His ears turned red. "...I don't keep up with the royal family too much, okay?"

"Pft."

"Oi!"

I laughed. "Fine, fine. I won't make fun of you for being a hermit. Now come on. We shouldn't be out too long with her like this."

===

After getting Mein dressed in proper clothes again... ironically, the same adventurer's outfit she had when she met me.

After that was settled, we headed to the inn and tavern combo. The one where this whole debacle began.

Needless to say, we immediately drew eyes and attention.

"Is that...?"

"The Shield Devil! But... the princess is there?"

"No, that can't be the princess, right?"

I ignored them all and walked to the innkeeper. "We'd liked to stay for the night- Actually, let's say for the week."

The innkeeper, an old and balding man... His eyes widened as he looked between me, Mein, Lia, and Sylvia. "Understood. Would you like a... single room? For you and your... companions?"

"A suite if you have it. One with multiple beds." I set down a gold coin on the counter. "If not, then a few rooms."

"...We have a suite, Yuusha-sama. And that won't be necessary." The innkeeper slid the coin back and smiled. "I have relatives at Riyute village. I heard that you saved them. All of them." He looked at Sylvia, Lia, and Mein again. Then he chuckled and said, "If you want the whole inn tonight, that's fine. I'll make it happen. Anything for Riyute's Savior."

"...That's a bit much-"

"It's not enough. I heard how the other heroes ran away. And how they would have died if not for you." The old man took my hand. "But because of you, no one died. Not a single soul. So... at least this. Please."

"..."

Sylvia gave me a soft smile. "Master. You should just accept it."

Lia nodded. "Yes! Goshujin-sama, good deeds are rewarded! You should say yes when it happens!"

As for Mein...

She pursed her lips and murmured, "Don't be an idiot, Yuusha-sama. Say yes."

"...Fine. Since I'm outnumbered." I pulled the coin back. "This time. This time only. Got it?"

The old man laughed. "Fine. Rishia! Your hero's back. Get dinner ready for him. As for the rest of you, out! Out!" The old man started shooing the others out of the inn and tavern.

But I ignored that.

Because the name caught my attention.

"...Rishia?"

I turned to look towards 'Rishia.'

And then I paused.

It was the waitress. The one who said she was cheering for me. The one who had served me from the very start.

I had barely acknowledged her back then, my mind too preoccupied with getting past the first stages of this world and the drama.

But now that I looked at her properly...

A young woman with long green hair tied in two braids with ribbons. Green eyes and a kind smile. A petite body, covered with a modest beige dress.

"...Rishia?" I looked at her, confused.

Because she wasn't supposed to be here at this time.

"...Rishia Ivyred?"

"E-Eh?" The waitress- No. Rishia's eyes widened. "Y-You know my name, Yuusha-sama?" Her cheeks blushed and she let out a happy smile. "I'm honored!"

Sylvia gave me a side-eye. "...Master..."

Lia puffed her cheeks. "Goshujin-sama...! Stop flirting with beautiful women!"

"First of all, I'm not flirting. Second of all, we aren't even dating, so stop that. Third of all, I have mixed feelings about ALL of this, so let's not even bring up relationships. But anyway." I looked at Rishia, wracking my mind for what I remembered from the NovelFire. "...Aren't you supposed to be somewhere else right now?"

If I remembered right, wasn't Itsuki supposed to rescue her or something?

"P-Pardon?" Rishia blinked. "O-Oh. I mean... I was studying in Four Bray. But since my parents ran out of money, I came back to Melromarc and took a part time job here to make the rest of the funds to head home. But since Yuusha-sama was so nice to me..." She blushed.

...Ah.

Hm.

I wasn't sure if this was a butterfly effect, or if this was something that was missed by the real Naofumi. Or if this was just the 'reality' that I was in since my information was incorrect.

Either way...

"Alright. Then... juice for all of us. Some food too. You can pick."

Rishia pumped a fist in the air and said, "Leave it to me, Yuusha-sama!" After that, she dashed off to the kitchen.

Sylvia looked at the innkeeper and said, "Mister Innkeeper. Do you have baths?"

Lia's eyes brightened and she looked at the innkeeper too. "Yes! Do you have any warm baths, Ojii-san?"

The innkeeper chuckled. "I can run them for you. Just wait a few moments. I'll call when they're done." After that, he walked off to the back.

In the meantime, Lia and Sylvia sat down at a table nearby.

I walked over to sit as well, and Mein sat to my right.

"Hm." I took a look around and said, "A full party of four. Weird how it ended up this way, but I'll take it, I guess."

Sylvia frowned. "That sounds like you don't want us, Master..."

Lia pouted. "That's right, Goshujin-sama! You meanie!"

I laughed and reached out to ruffle their hair. "You two are inseparable to me... and to each other. Do you notice how much you're in sync?"

"Eh?"

"Huh?"

Lia blinked.

Sylvia blinked too. Then they both laughed.

"Well..." Lia poked her fingers together. "...Sylvia's like my sister."

Sylvia hugged Lia. "You're my sister too, Lia!"

"Sylvia...!"

I watched the two get off into their own world again and the usual loop of praising each other. Then I shifted my attention to Mein, who had been quiet the whole time. "Penny for your thought? Or would you prefer gold?"

Mein flinched. But then she sighed, idly twirling a finger through her crimson hair. "Just... reflecting. On my life until now." She pursed her lips. "...I'm a terrible person."

"You WERE a terrible person. You're choosing differently now." I paused. "Well, I suppose I removed the choice for you, but same outcome."

Mein let out a faint smile. "Should I call you Maou-sama instead?"

"I'll take a rain check on that- Wait." I paused. "Are you ACTUALLY saying Maou-sama and Yuusha-sama?"

"Huh? Of course I am. Those are the titles for Demon Lord and Hero from your homeland, are they not?"

I blinked. "...No? I speak the same language everyone else here is speaking." I pointed at my broken shield. "I kind of confirmed it recently, but the translation magic's been gone for a minute and I can still understand you all, you know?"

Since the Legendary Shield was gone now, and also from my status window, I could DEFINITELY confirm that everything here was in English.

And that the other heroes were probably having words translated into Japanese for them.

Mein's eyes widened. "Wait. Yuusha-sama... No. Naofumi. You mean that you aren't from the same homeland as the other heroes?"

"Huh. Did you guys NOT overhear us mention that then? I thought that's why the other guys didn't choose me in that line up."

Mein blushed. "N-No. I just made Daddy do that to isolate you- Forget about that for now!" She looked at me. "How are you not from the same homeland as them if your name is like that? Naofumi Iwatani... isn't that the sort of name that the other heroes have? From that land of... Nippon?"

Lia's eyes widened and she looked at me. "Goshujin-sama...? Are you from a different place as the other heroes?"

Sylvia tilted her head. Then she said, "...That is why Master knows my mother's language." Her violet eyes widened and she said, "You are from a different world AND a different country as the other heroes!"

"Well, yeah." I nodded. "Also, Mein... You know. I've never said that my name is Iwatani Naofumi. I just said, 'and me, Iwatani Naofumi' at the start and went along with it."

Silence filled the tavern. Thankfully, it was already cleared out beforehand and I had confirmed no one was around to eavesdrop other than the innkeeper and Rishia.

Because Mein gasped and shouted, "YOU NEVER GAVE YOUR REAL NAME?!"

Lia gasped too. "Goshujin-sama isn't Goshujin-sama?!"

Sylvia rolled her eyes. "No, Lia. Master is saying that Naofumi Iwatani isn't his real name. But Master is still Master. Right?"

I nodded. "That's right, Sylvia."

Mein pointed at me. "W-Wait. Then... what IS your name, Naofumi? No, what does the system say for you?"

I winked. "That's a secret. There's a saying from my world. Never give out your true name."

Even in reality, I didn't speak my true name. I just handed out a 'nickname.' One easier for people to process because my name was spelled differently from how it was pronounced.

It was superstition in my family.

But it had CLEARLY saved my butt here.

Because, in hindsight, that was probably the only reason <Parallel System> was able to latch on properly and why the shield spirit hadn't been able to directly influence me.

So, no, I would NOT be saying my true name until I was back on Earth.

And MY Earth too, not just 'AN' Earth.

I had ways to confirm that... but better to not talk or think about those until it came up.

Until then, I'd be rocking with Naofumi Iwatani as my name.

...Which was funny since 'rock' was in Iwatani.

Heh.

Mein looked at me. Then she said, "...You crazy bastard- OW!"

The slave crest on her chest flared, zapping her.

"Oh, right." I toggled off the various settings. "Forgot about that."

I'd already removed and converted Sylvia and Lia's slave crests into something more like a divine protection rune a while back, so I forgot about Mein's...

Mein teared up. "...Sylvia and Lia are right. You're a meanie."

"...Those tears with that face is criminal."

Even when she was a bitch, Mein had already been pretty.

Now that she had been forcibly corrected... even if mildly unethically so.

But anyway, now that she was genuinely a good person, it was pretty devastating.

Still, I was used to seeing beautiful women, so... Not working on me.

"Hmph!" Mein puffed her cheeks.

I raised an eyebrow. "And now you're copying Sylvia."

Mein pouted.

"And that's Lia."

Sylvia puffed her cheeks. "No copying!"

Lia pouted. "That's right! That's my thing!"

Mein rolled her eyes. "Fine." She paused. Then she let out a teasing smile and said, "Should I just be my usual flirty self~?"

"That doesn't work on me, sadly. I can sense bullshit a mile away. By default. And it's only been enhanced with my abilities."

Mein sighed. "Of course. Then..." She hummed. "...I guess I'll have to relearn who I am." She hugged herself and murmured, "After a bath. I feel so... dirty."

At that time, the innkeeper returned. "Speaking of baths..." The old man chuckled and said, "I've set up the bathhouse in the back. It's usually for noble guests... but what could be more noble than the hero and his female companions, right? It's just over there, so take your time."

"Bath~!" Lia immediately got up.

Sylvia jumped to her feet too and said, "Relaxation time!" She grabbed Mein and said, "You too!"

"M-Me? W-Wait. Naofumi- I mean, Yuusha-sama...!"

I waved. "Go bond. Skinship does wonders, I've heard."

"B-B-But...!" Mein let out a panicked look as she was dragged off.

The innkeeper looked at me, amused. "You aren't joining them?"

I raised an eyebrow. "And get involved in that mess? Sylvia and Lia are in the throes of raging teenaged hormones. I just KNOW I'll be dragged into something troublesome the moment I enter. Not to mention that while Mein is 'better' now and not a bad person, she still has the potential to be a nymphomaniac due to how many bodies she has under her belt. Also, still morally debating with myself on what to do with Sylvia and Lia since I was with them when they were small girls just over a week ago."

The innkeeper blinked. "...But they're adult women now?"

"You see. That's the thing. The fact that this world thinks that is okay is WEIRD."

"...Whatever you say, Hero."

"...Just get me some alcohol, dammit. I didn't drink the wine last time and I regret it."

The innkeeper laughed.

I rolled my eyes and chucked a gold coin at him.

If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.