Chapter 98

"Stop it, stop it!"

"But it's Master Itsuki!"

"She probably just judged me that way. But the truth is different. We should settle this calmly and look for an opportunity."

"Is that so? I understand."

Realizing the disadvantage, Kaito gave up and relaxed his strength. In response, Raphatalia also loosened her grip on his arm.

"Lies and holding back. You, who only seek to satisfy your sense of justice, will eventually lose the trust of your companions."

Another harsh word was directed at Itsuki.

"…I pray that won't happen. You will eventually come to rely on me."

What is that?

Even if it's the whining of a loser, I don't understand.

Why would Raphatalia rely on Itsuki instead of me?

I can't even imagine the situation.

Are you and Naofumi the same kind?

Not because you have a strong sense of justice, but because you want praise from others?

Or is it just for self-satisfaction?

Am I overthinking it?

Surely it's not that bad.

I want to believe that. Otherwise, there's no way out.

"Looking forward to tonight's meeting."

"Yeah, I have a lot of questions."

"Yes, I also have questions for you, Naofumi."

With that, Itsuki and the others returned to their room at the inn.

However… Kaito was even faster than Ren. It almost seems like Kaito is the main one.

"Really! Are all the heroes except for Master Naofumi like that!"

I can understand why you'd want to hold your head in your hands.

I can understand your feelings. They are, after all, heroes.

Some people even call heroes hypocrites. In the games I know, even thieves can be heroes.

Especially, they all act on their own selfish sense of justice, secrecy, and self-satisfaction.

Still… we need to have a reflection meeting.

"Raphatalia, Filo, listen to me."

"What is it?"

"What is it?"

"I think Raphatalia's ideals are a bit too high."

"Eh!?"

Raphatalia responded with a surprised expression.

"It's probably partly my fault, but heroes are human beings first. In the legends you know, they might be doing great, but in reality, they have one, two, three, four, five, six flaws."

"Isn't that a lot?"

"…Don't worry. Legends are embellished. After all, there's a saying that heroes love beauty, and in this world, heroes also have such endings."

"Um… yeah…"

There's a proverb, but if it's understood, it means there are similar sayings in this world too.

"So, don't get worked up over every little thing. They each have their own way of fighting. Observe them closely."

"Huh?"

"Observe Naofumi's way of fighting closely. He steps forward to fight if his companions are hurt. That's the attitude of a hero, right?"

"Y-Yeah."

"Observe Ren's way of fighting closely. He tries not to overwork his companions and asks for help from the hero when the opponent is too tough."

Is that a bit harsh?

Well, he was lacking in strategy, but that's how he usually is. You can understand it with experience.

"Anyway…"

"Observe Itsuki's way of fighting closely. He tries to avoid hurting his companions and fights in a way that builds confidence. He is relied upon as a hero."

Well, that's why his subordinates are there.

I admit it's a bit tough for me too.

But if you only focus on the bad, you'll miss your own flaws.

"I might be chasing ideals too much, just like you."

"…"

"Nobody is perfect from the start. Heroes grow stronger by cultivating their weapons… even if they are strong, they may not be mentally strong."

"Y-Yes…"

I was quite elated when I first came to this world.

After all, it's a world of swords and magic.

If you know a little about the unpleasant aspects of reality, you might still hold onto a dream.

If you are praised as a hero and gain special powers, you might get carried away.

Think about it, the four summoned heroes are, for better or worse, human.

They are not perfect.

However… I believe there are certain qualities that make them heroes, even if the selection criteria are unknown.

For example, Naofumi, though he is a womanizer and a feminist that I find annoying, his action to free Raphatalia from slavery is generally considered a good deed.

Ren also helps troubled villages.

Itsuki, though he may lack some consideration, his stance of not tolerating evil is heroic.

Of course, that doesn't mean I want to get along with them.

Their problematic behavior is too noticeable. But what I want to say to Raphatalia is not to defend them, but to improve the awareness within the party.

"Can you see my flaws, since you've been with me all this time?"

"…Master Naofumi… sometimes you laugh when you see people suffering."

Ouch… I was aware of this, but it's tough to hear it from Raphatalia.

After all, I've been profiting from the misfortunes of merchants and villagers. When I hear about someone's misfortune, I jump at the opportunity to make a profit.

Recently, I've been laughing at the misfortunes of scum and bitches.

I don't intend to change that.

"Also, you're not polite, and you don't lie, but you make excuses like not making promises."

Ouch… words are indeed sharp.

I'm aware that I'm twisted, even without being told.

I think it's fine as long as I don't make promises.

Is my unwillingness to improve also one of my flaws?

"You have a bad mouth, and you're insensitive and natural in some ways, and you're not considerate and don't understand people's feelings."

"That's an exaggeration."

You're starting to say it.

Who's insensitive and natural? I'm aware that I'm not considerate.

"Well, in that sense, I might not be recognized as a hero by Raphatalia yet."

"That's not true!"

"If you think that, I'm glad. But just like my flaws, they have flaws too. They just stood out this time."

I can't move forward unless I understand.

Also, knowing their weaknesses will make it easier to take countermeasures in the future.

"From my perspective, Raphatalia also seems to have high ideals and can be selfish. You tend to run away when something unpleasant happens. Understand that."

"Yes…"

Raphatalia looks down and becomes quiet.

I might have said too much, but there's a saying, "Look at others and improve yourself."

There are many aspects of the heroes' flaws that apply to me, and there are many things that could happen in the future.

It's important to be aware of these to prevent them from happening.

"Hey, hey, what about Filo?"

"You're noisy."

"That's mean!"

"Ha ha."

In conclusion, problems will always arise when people gather in a party.

The problems those three have could also happen to us.

To prevent that, we need to change the awareness of the entire party.

"We need to be careful about ourselves, our companions, and an objective perspective."

Princess play, individual play, and privilege recognition—these are the problems I noticed in their companions that we need to avoid.

I hope we can avoid hierarchy. When new companions—slaves or monsters—are added, I don't want Raphatalia or Filo to be bullied.

I believe they wouldn't do that, but it's not guaranteed.

I can't say for sure that new members won't promote such behavior either.

This applies not only to Raphatalia and Filo but also to me.

I need to anticipate and improve problems that could arise due to me, as much as possible, because it will be difficult in the future.

As the Shield Hero, I am more directly affected by my companions than the other three.

Raphatalia and Filo alone are no longer enough, and I need more companions.

As the number of companions increases, it will become more difficult to manage. Considering the problems and potential issues that those three have caused, I need to maintain the party from now on.

"Don't think that just because you're a hero's companion, you can do anything. Try not to cause trouble. If there's another event like this, don't give up halfway."

More than anything, dealing with them is troublesome.

Probably, complaints will be directed at Raphatalia during the meeting.

Honestly, I hope to be spared next time.

"…I understand. I'm sorry."

Raphatalia seems to have reflected on her actions, understanding my position.

"Chasing ideals isn't bad, but you need to work hard to be proud of it."

"…Yes."

"Y-Yes!"

Looking at the two nodding, I muttered.

"Still, it's better to be with Raphatalia and Filo."

Before anything else, they all caused some kind of problem.

In just one week, I've come to understand how easy it is to get along with Raphatalia and Filo.

"That's why. I'm counting on you two. Please continue to work hard."

While supporting the downcast Raphatalia, I ended the reflection meeting.

There's something else I haven't heard yet…

"By the way, Filo, you were with Itsuki the whole time, right?"

"Yep."

"Did you do anything different from me?"

"Hmm…"

Filo fiddled with her cowlick while thinking.

What is that?

"Well, he was talking about 'percent' and 'bonus' and the monsters here."

Percent? Bonus?

Is he hiding something? Bonus… it sounds like equipment bonus. What about the monsters? I'll try to use them as bait.

I also have the minerals from Reisha. If I can get more information, I might gain something.