" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

3rd person POV:

Mother: Raphtalia, do you know the tale of the Four saints ? Out of the four, it seems that the hero of the Shield always treated us semi-humans very well.

Raphtalia: Really ? I want to meet him !

Father: Raphtalia, the heroes are not summoned during peaceful times. But, you know...

Father/Mother: You are a lucky child, Raphtalia. After all...THE WAVES OF CALAMITY, WILL SWALLOW THIS WORLD WHOLE.

Raphtalia: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !

Naofumi: -talia. Raphtalia. Snap out of it !

Raphtalia: DAD ?!

Naofumi: Not even.

He flicked her forehead, bringing her back to reality.

Naofumi: Damn. When are you going to wake up ? Y/n's already up and ready.

Raphtalia: Oh... 'Another scary dream... The day that wave appeared has been haunting me all this time...'

Your POV:

Hm... I could probably give you two silver coins for everything.

Naofumi: ... I see.

"Say, you know any place near here where we could make out some money quickly ?"

Merchant: Well... if you can find and sell some ore from the nearby coal mine, it might bring in a little money.

Naofumi: Is that so ? Compared to other places, this village seems rather downhill.

Merchant: Ever since the wave came, it would appear some dangerous monsters have taken up residence in the mine. I heard that the heroes were summoned, but I've no idea of what they're doing to help us...

"Yeah... Us neither..."

Suddenly, Naofumi picked up the ball Raphtalia was eyeing for quite some time now, much to her confusion.

Naofumi: Hey mister, how much for this ball ?

Raphtalia: Huh... Uh...

"Don't hide it, you want it. You were already staring at it in town."

Raphtalia: But...

Naofumi: Think of it as a reward for what you've done. Here, take it. But playing comes after work.

"But... But you just had breakfast..."

Raphtalia: I... I'm sorry... Uh...

Naofumi: Well, whatever. If you're going to eat, then let's go.

Raphtalia: Yes sir... 'He's different from how I heard the Shield hero was like, and he's scarier than I thought. But he's probably actually...'

"And you're right about that."

Raphtalia: EEEK !! How did you...

"Questions later, let's have breakfast now."

Naofumi: A pickaxe, some rope, a map... Lucky find. It looks like we can use all of this stuff. And...

"Something wrong ?"

"GAH !!"

Naofumi: I just got a pretty nifty power. Now, then... Our goal is to find a site where we can dig.

"Leave this to me. Custom spell, [HERMIT PURPLE], analysis !"

From the tip of my staff, bizarre thorns appeared, as a little screen was displaying the information to my eye.

Naofumi: New spell ?

"Yep. With that one, it's impossible to hide something from me. I was surprised to discover I could read mind with it too... Raphtalia, your next line will be 'Is that what you did to me before ?' Isn't it ?"

Raphtalia: Is that what you did to me before ? Huh ?

"Yes. Yes it was. Now let's see, ore... ore... I think there's some on a cave below us..."

Naofumi: How does it work exactly... ?

"It tells me approximately where is a specific something I'm looking for, as long as I know what I'm looking for. And it's displaying every info I need when analyzing something. That's why I can tell those footprints were not made by a normal dog..."

Naofumi: Probably one of the monsters dwelling around here somewhere. Even so, judging by these prints, it can't be all that big.

Raphtalia: A dog... ?

Naofumi: Raphtalia. If it gets too dangerous, we're getting out of here. Stay close. Which way ?

"How should I know ? you have the map."

Raphtalia: ... 'It'll be okay, it's not scary... I will make myself of use to my masters !'

"There we go !"

Naofumi: Sweet. I'll get to use the shield I unlocked earlier.

*Pickaxe shield: Equipment bonus, mining skill +1*

Naofumi: I'll just aim right here, then.

"Yeah, let's just hurry, this place is giving me chills... I feel like something's watching us from the shadows..."

*You have obtained light metal.*

Naofumi: Whoa ! This looks like it could sell for a lot. Okay, let's head over there, next. Guys ? Guys, what's wr-

"We've got company..."

"A canine monster..."

Naofumi: It's bigger than the tracks at the entrance indicated... Be careful, Raphtalia. Raphtalia ?!

Raphtalia: 'I have to fight... That's my duty... That's my...'

In her head, another vision superimposed itself to that two-headed dog, one of a way more scary three-headed cerberus...

Raphtalia: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH !!!

While she started to have another of her panic attacks, the monster attacked us, so we had no other choice to dive on the underground lake below us.

Naofumi: hang in there, Raphtalia. Geez, of all the times to have a panic attack...

"Tell me about it. it's a good thing we keep developing new abilities, or else..."

Naofumi was using a rope coming from his shield to climb back the cliff, while I was supported in the air by a bunch of green tendrils.

*Rope Shield: Equipment, bonus skill "Air strike shield" can only be used with the rope shield.*

"Custom spell, [HIEROPHANT GREEN]..."

Naofumi: We got out of there okay, somehow...

Raphtalia: I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I, I-I know I have to fight, but... My mind suddenly went blank and...

Naofumi: What happened ? You probably cry out at night for the same reason, right ? Spit it out.

Raphtalia: ... I... Am from a place on the outskirts of this country, a place where you can see the ocean. It's a town full of Semi-humans. This country isn't kind to Semi-humans, but everyone was friendly with each other, and lived peacefully. Until the day the wave of calamity struck...

Raphtalia: Monsters we've never seen before came swarming out in numbers unheard of, and my town was swept up within all of that before anyone knew what was going on. Me and my parents were cornered to a cliff by one of the biggest monsters, and... And...

"I think you don't need to continue, if it hurts you like that.

Naofumi: I get it now... So that was what traumatized you. Raphtalia, you...

Monster: GRROWLLLLLL...

Raphtalia: Aaa... AAAAHH !!

Naofumi: Calm down ! That's not the thing that killed your parents !

Raphtalia: B-But...

Naofumi: LISTEN ! Raphtalia, you're going to take that thing down, right here and now.

"If you fight, and if we can get stronger as heroes to drive away this calamity, then no more kids will have to go through the same thing you did ! We can't do anything for your parents anymore, but if you fight here and now, you will save other kids !"

Naofumi: Relax. I will... PROTECT YOU !

Naofumi: NOW, RAPHTALIA !! HURRY UP !!

But Raphtalia was frozen in place, too scared to even move a finger.

Raphtalia: Wh-Why ? Why won't my feet or hands move ?! I've got to fight ! I have to help my master ! If I don't move, then it'll be the same as before... He'll die !!

"Good grief... Raphtalia, when you're not strong enough to fight, there's only two roads before you. You can either run away and hope to survive, or overcome your fears and strive to grow stronger. I will help you to choose the right path. Custom spell, [STAR PLATINUM] !! Strength enhancement !!

The two of us got covered in thick purple-blueish light, and we both rushed the enemy, Raphtalia repeatedly stabbing one of its two heads, while I was beating the shit out of the other one.

Sadly, it didn't lasted long, before Raphtalia's dagger broke, leading on the monster spotting the two of us, and literally leaping from Naofumi to get us.

Naofumi: AIR STRIKE SHIELD !!

The Hellhound was almost knocked out after hitting the barrier, and Raphtalia reacted fast, picking up the two pieces of her broken dagger, using them to skewer the two heads at the same time.

Both heads pierced, the monster fell to the ground, where it remained motionless.

"Huff... Huff... We got it... I need to watch my mana bar more closely from now on..."

Naofumi: Yeah... Ow... Even with the divine protection of the Shield, that still sure did hurt... thanks to it, though, it's not bleeding or hurting nearly as much as it would be otherwise...

Raphtalia: Don't... Die... Please don't die... D-Don't... leave me alone...

Naofumi: Who do you take me for ? You do realize I'm the Shield hero, right ? The day I die is the day I can't protect you from an attack.

"You did good, Raphtalia..."

Raphtalia: Um, about that... If I could, please ask for your names ? I haven't heard them yet...

"That's right, we never told you... I'm Y/n. L/n Y/n."

Naofumi: And I'm Naofumi. Iwatani Naofumi.

Raphtalia: I'm once again pleased to meet you... Lords Naofumi and Y/n.

"Please drop the 'Lord' thing..."

Naofumi: What, again ?!

Raphtalia: I'm so sorry !!

Raphtalia: 'Mom ! Dad ! Guess what ! I met the hero of the Shield ! He was really scary at the start, but... Dad, Mom... Thank you... I'm all right now. Because Lord Naofumi is here with me...'

"Gonna have to think seriously about that healing spell now..."