Chapter 32 - 32: Reward (2/2)
Firo is measured again after she puts on her mantle and then the clerk starts designing something.
Sales Clerk: ”I want to see her true form!”
Firo looked at me with a troubled face. I gulp and looked around.
Naofumi: ”It seems to just bȧrėly fit here.”
Firo's changed form will just bȧrėly fit under the ceiling less than 2m.
Sales Clerk?: ”Can you sit down?”
Sales Clerk?: ”Yea, that's good.”
Firo changed back to her demon form while paying attention to the ceiling, and stared at the girl.
Sales Clerk: ”Oh-... This gap is good!”
Not even being shaken by Firo's true form... This dressmaker can do it!
As expected of a character who sells doujins. I'm glad this is a different world.
Sales Clerk: ”I'll bet a ribbon will suit her.”
Firo's neck size is measured by the dressmaker and she begins to design clothes again.
Sales Clerk: ”Well I'm going to wait for materials to arrive!”
She seems excited while answering.
Old Man?:”This fellow is a good craftsman.”
Naofumi: ”I guess…”
She is the type to be absorbed in her work and will accomplish it by all means.
Old Man?: ”Well, it will be completed tomorrow.”
Naofumi: ”That's fast. How much is this going to cost in total?”
Old Man?: ”I recommended you to this place so it should be around 100 silver pieces.”
Ugh... I received a shock.
Naofumi: ”Firo, do you understand? I spent a large sum of 400 pieces of silver on you. I expect you to work diligently.”
Firo: ”Okay!”
Do you really understand? We left the shop with Firo in her human form.
We joined up with Raphtalia, who was waiting at the gate of the castle town.
Raphtalia: ”Naofumi-sama, I bought the ingredients you asked for.”
Naofumi: ”Firo costs 400 pieces of silver. Raphtalia was cheaper.”
Raphtalia: ”Please don't say it like I'm a cheap woman!”
Sigh... Is this going to be okay?
Naofumi: ”Alright, old man, bring the iron plate. Firo, get a cart and carry it from the weapon shop.”
Firo: ”Ok!”
Old Man: ”Alright…”
Firo left with the old man for the weapon shop and came back pulling a cart.
Why is she pulling it in her human form?
An iron plate within the size I was imagining was within the cart.
Naofumi: ”Alright, let's leave the castle town and go to the riverbank near the grassy plains.”
We arrived at the riverbank.
I took out the iron plate, put it on a griddle and immediately put charcoal under it.
Naofumi: ”Raphtalia and Old man, take care of the fire.”
Old Man: ”Yeah yeah.”
Raphtalia: ”Okay”
As expected of the old man of a weapon shop, it seems managing fire is his forte.
Firo: ”What about Firo?”
Naofumi: ”Stand watch so that balloons don't approach us...”
Firo: ”Okay~!”
I told Firo to do something else because she would likely fail doing anything here.
I cut the meat and vegetables that Raphtalia brought into appropriate sizes and put it near the grill.
Old Man: ”Lad, the charcoal is ready”
Naofumi: ”Yeah”
Raphtalia and the old man heated the plate as per my instructions, so I put the fatty meat onto the grill for the oil.
Then I spread out the vegetables and meat so they aren't directly on top of the fire.
Old Man: ”You sure are skilful”
I used a stick and a knife to turn the meat and vegetables so they don't burn.
Naofumi: ”Well, this should be fine.”
Yup. Today's lunch is a barbecue by the riverbank. Firo's reward.
Naofumi: ”Firo, it's ready.”
Firo: ”Okay~”
Firo was already drooling from the smell when she took the skewer I handed her.
Firo: ”Yaay~! This is delicious!”
Firo starts throwing meat and vegetables that were just cooked into her mouth.
Naofumi: ”Hey don't eat everything, this is for everyone.”
Firo: ”Mfkay~”
Firo nodded while stuffing her mouth.
Do you really understand?
Naofumi: ”Let's eat I guess…”
Raphtalia: ”Okay”
Old Man: ”Sure”
I distributed the meat and vegetables onto some leaves and hand it Raphtalia and the old man.
Old Man: ”Oh this is delicious. I'm surprised grilled meat tastes so good.”
Raphtalia: ”For some reason, this dish that Naofumi-sama makes is strangely delicious.”
Naofumi: ”I'll take that as a compliment”
Old Man: ”I'm not flattering you. Why does it taste so good?”
The old man looked at his plate with a puzzled expression.
Naofumi: ”It's probably the result of the cooking skill from my shield.”
Old Man: ”The power of the shield?”
Naofumi: ”Well, at least I think so.”
From the corner of my sight I see, Barbeque is now available. Quality: Good -> Great quality.
To think that such a strange icon would exist.
Old Man: ”That's such a mysterious shield. I'm quite envious.”
Naofumi: ”I can't take it off so it's quite inconvenient.”
Not to mention the non-existent offensive power.
Oh right, there was the special effect from the Bee Needle Shield that I can counter attack enemies with called [Shield of the Needle].
Although the enemy would have escaped before I beat it, unless it's slow like a balloon.
As expected, even if the demon runs away, I'm at a disadvantage.
Sometimes, a smart monster would ignore me and aim for Raphtalia.
Old Man: ”Haven't you become quite strong?”
Naofumi: ”I don't know... Compared to the other heroes…”
Old Man: ”Is that so, are the legendary weapons that powerful?”
Naofumi: ”That's right, I learned from experience.”
Old Man: ”I see”
Naofumi: ”Then-”
Because skills could be acquired in various ways, the power of a legendary weapon is way above average.
Moreover, accumulating status improvements whenever a shield is unsealed is good.
There are a bunch of conditions that unseal new shields, such as absorbing monsters and other materials, levelling up and the skill tree.
Besides, any exclusive effects any shield that was mastered gives permanent bonuses.
Even a weak shield could be helpful if I unseal it.
Due to the Equipment bonuses carrying over, the more shields I unseal, the stronger the skills I use.
I can see how many bonus stats I got. My stats in general are higher than Raphtalia's. Maybe it's because I'm a hero.
Especially in the aspect of defence. I have 3 times more and that's not including the permanent bonuses from mastered other shields.
Because I originally never attack, all the gear went to Raphtalia. After all, the potential ability as a Hero of the shield is in defence. The price for that is 1/10th of ATK.
The difference between a resident of this world and a hero would be from any effects granted by this shield.
Otherwise, I can never beat a monster with just defence.
After all, the only reason a hero is different from a normal person was because of the legendary weapon. It could be considered that you are only a hero because you have the legendary weapon.
I hate it, but I am only a hero because of this shield.
It seems there is an influence from being the companion of a hero.
Raphtalia is superior to normal Demi-humans because of the ability from Slave trainer Shield and Firo's abilities are on par with her despite the level difference.
I don't know how much effect Growth Correction had, but it seems to be quite large.
The effects of Slave Trainer Shield and Demon Trainer Shield are good. I wonder what effects Friend Shield would have, if that even exists.
It seems the existences called companions are essential for a hero.
Friend huh... an existence I don't have.
Old Man: ”I see... It seems heroes really are different from us commoners.”
Naofumi: ”That seems to be the case.”
Travelling around the world, absorbing various demons and materials to grow stronger.
Honestly, there's just so much more to examine.
I don't understand how much I can improve the shield.
But if I don't do anything, the wave of disaster will strike.
I don't know how many times it will come either.
It's been twice already. Maybe 5 times, 10 times, or even 100 times, I don't know.
Whatever it is, I can't just sit around and do nothing.
That reminds me...There seems to be a worrisome shield called Curse Series.
At that time when I almost lost Raphtalia, the Curse series was released and started eroding the shield.
I've looked for that skill tree many times.
However, I can't find it no matter how hard I look.
I'll try asking for help.
Curse Series
I hesitated to ask.
I only type in that sentence. Besides, I checked many times. I feel a shock and the letters change.
Curse Series
Armour that grants power and consumes the user. Hero! Do not use it.
Therefore, I decided to stay away from this topic.
When I need it, the power will appear. This shield seems to have many limitations.
Firo: ”Master~ there's no more meat”
Naofumi: ”What!”
When I look there is no more meat. Everyone has already finished eating the stuff I prepared.
All that's left are vegetables.
Firo: ”Is it already over? Firo still wants to eat more.”
Naofumi: ”Uhmm, well... Go to the forest and catch 5 Usapiru. I'll cook those too.”
Firo: ”Okay~!”
Firo rushed to the forest at full speed.
Old Man: ”Oh man, that was delicious. Totally worth it.”
Naofumi: ”If you think that, then discount the price of clothes.”
Old Man: ”Lad, there's already a heavy discount, it'll be a large loss if I discount any more.”
Oh well, we barbecued next to the riverbank till evening and then called it a day.
By the way, Firo caught 10 Usapiru.
I bȧrėly had time to eat. Mostly managing the barbecue and dismantling Usapiru to roast.