" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

Your POV:

Mirellia: A few days ago back in the wave, the one who helped us in the background is undeniably her.

"Yes, we really were saved by that."

Itsuki: I see...

Motoyasu: She's called Rishia, right ? It's such a shame that such a cute girl wears a squirrel costume all the time.

"Can you please stop going after every single girl you stumble upon ? And this set provides a decent stats boost after all."

Mirellia: Our hands were tied at that moment because it would have been careless to use magic or weapons in that situation. Then, she advised us to launch a dud barrel bomb filled with Lucol fruit near the fight. And because of that, we were able to successfully provide support. You have good comrades, Kawasumi.

Itsuki: Thank you for the compliment, your majesty. But, you're overestimating her a bit. It was just a coincidence that she was there at that time. It hasn't been long since she joined my party and she makes me worry quite a lot. I'm just glad of the miracles that she was of any use at all.

"Don't underestimate the power of dumb luck in a battle. And, to be frank... I'd rather rely on someone that can actually pull out those miracles than three certain guys who would still be in some hospital beds if I didn't decided to heal them."

Ren: Wh-

Motoyasu: What did you just say ?! Says the cheater !!

"That again ?! Really ?"

Mirellia: Heroes, please !!! The fact that there were other powers besides monsters in the last wave was a miscalculation... Now that we know our opponent is a fellow human with intelligence, we won't be able to win if we only rely on our levels. When we return to the castle, it might be a good idea to have all of you heroes undergo combat training.

Mirellia: If you have some other views on this matter, please...

Itsuki: No. It really is a shame that we weren't able to show the results of our level grinding.

'There was results... ?'

Mirellia: Well then, let's search for an instructor in each of your field.

Naofumi: Thinking back, all of it was learn through self-study. that'll help.

Mirellia: And so, until the preparations are complete, please take your time and relax.

Naofumi: Did you see that, your majesty ? Their disgruntled faces. None of them want to put in any effort. Why don't you say it clearly to them ? That they'll just lose even if they fought again !

"Naofumi... At that point, it'd probably have the opposite effect."

Mirellia: If I start scolding them, they'll just become even more stubborn. Even more if it's in front of you two. The fact that they don't admit their fault may be because they feel inferior to you. And even more so, if they don't want to put in any effort unless given a reward, that is a problem in itself.

"Seriously... These guys' ego could even put Kaiba's to shame... But, we won't be able to hold on like that forever, they'll need that training... OOMPH !"

???: So- So- I'm sorry.

"Hm ? You're..."

Rishia: HUH ?! L- Lord Staff Hero ?!

"Are you alright ?"

Rishia: Just give me a second, and I'll clear the path...

"... Don't tell me they're making you run errands again ?"

Rishia: Th- That's not it. I went out to buy things for everyone !

"'That's what running errands is...' You're carrying this to Itsuki's room, aren't you ? Want some help ?"

Rishia: I- I- I- I can't possibly ask you for that.

"That getup will make you trip again if you try to carry it all."

Rishia: B- But-

"Just hand it over."

Rishia: Huh ?! ... Thank- Thank you very much...

"Say... You mentioned being in Itsuki's debt. What happened exactly for you to be treated that way ?"

Rishia: Even if I tell you, the story of someone like me...

"Just speak already !"

Rishia: I- I may not look like it, but I'm from a noble lineage... We- we were really poor though...

*We had a good relationship with our people, and we lived a quiet and peaceful life. But, at a certain time, our people's fields started being ravaged by something, and they were given bad terms in negotiations. Bad things were happening one after another.*

*When we were in the midst of it, the neighboring town's noble came and gave us a proposal. Our family would give its daughter to serve as collateral and in return, they'd lend us money and bodyguards...*

"Let me guess, in the end it was only a trap set by that noble to take control of your territory ?"

Rishia: T- That's amazing, Lord Staff hero !

'I can see now why it was Itsuki who helped...'

Rishia: Due to the waves, just living was becoming hard... we were unable to save enough money... I was also taken as collateral but, I was locked away.

*It was at that time... It was at that time, that Lord Itsuki saved me.*

"And so ? What happened after the corrupt noble was punished ?"

Rishia: If I recall correctly, our family was entrusted with managing both towns... Honestly speaking, I don't know much about what happened after that. I went and joined Lord Itsuki's side... I- I thought I was good at magic, but Lord Itsuki was looking for vanguards for his party... I'm clumsy and can't get anything done correctly, but even so, I-

Itsuki: Rishia ? You finally arrived, huh ? Where were you- Do you have any business here, Y/n ?

Rishia: U- Um- Lord Staff Hero

"Just passing by, that's all. By the way Itsuki, how long do you intend to make her wear... That ? I can understand for battle, but it seems highly impractical otherwise. Oh, and one last thing. Say your personal hound to stay away from Filo if he doesn't want that to happen again. He'll understand."

Filo: master, you're back !

"Did I really took that long ?"

Naofumi: You know Filo, it was only a few minutes.

Raphtalia: So, how did the meeting go ?

Naofumi: With those three ? It would be a good idea to think that the other heroes will not be of any use.

Raphtalia: So the same as always, huh.

"From now on, we should plan everything while taking account of the fact that they'll always be beaten in 3 seconds by the boss."

Naofumi: More importantly... We should start to add more people to our party...

"True. Even if we work together, we're at our limit already..."

Filo: What ? Should Filo say what ? Yeah...

"Something wrong, Filo ?"

Filo: Master, the truth is, Fitoria wants to talk to you.

"You... You can communicate with Fitoria ?"

Filo: Um... "This feather acts as an intermediary and grants me sight" she's saying.

Naofumi: So she's peeping.

Filo: "And then, sometimes people come out from the fissure" is what she's saying.

"Has she already met Glass and the others ?"

Filo: "I haven't met with them" is what she's saying.

Raphtalia: So there exist other people too...

Naofumi: Do you know, Fitoria ? The true identity of Glass and Co. what lies beyond the fissure ?

Filo: Ummmm... "I don't know" is what she's saying. "But, what I know, is that after absorbing monsters, the only weapons that can convert it into drops, are the weapons that the heroes wield.

"So I was right. The 'Scythe hero'..."

Naofumi: Other heroes beside the five of us ?

Filo: "They exist other weapons besides the ones you five possess. But those are also different from all of your weapons." Is what she's saying.

"Different from this world... 'For the sake of the world'."

Naofumi: The heroes from the other side of the fissure...

Filo: "If I meet them somewhere during the wave, I'll defeat them" Is what she's saying.

"Sounds promising..."

Filo: "That's why regarding the other heroes, be sure to-"

Naofumi: Ah, yes, yes... We can't completely give up on them. But it's to much for us to do anything for them.

"Who knows, maybe after they've trained and really got stronger... But they'll have to be able to go against Glass-level opponents, at least..."

Naofumi: We really need new members in our party... ... ... 'My trauma is resurfacing... Adding new members to the party, means increasing the chance of being betrayed.'

"There, there, contain the PTSD, Naofumi. Don't let it take over you. There are people who can be trusted, even in this world."

Raphtalia: In the last wave, a lot of adventurers from the island took part, but searching for people who can be trusted and are also strong would be hard...

Naofumi: Adventurers who can be trusted, huh ?

"Well... We trusted them, didn't we ? If only they had really become allies..."

Motoyasu: Hm ? This is...

Random girl: Wait, Lord Motoyasu ?!

Motoyasu: Sorry, you don't have to wait for me. Hey, you over there ! You're Rishia, aren't you ? What are you doing here in this dark pla-