Now then, what's next?
I remember the leftover potions from the wave.
Even though I had them prepared beforehand, I never used them in the end. It might be better to just sell them to a medicine shop.
"Let's go to the medicine shop and then, the blacksmith."
"Naofumi-sama, we won't be receiving any more aid so we need to be more careful with our money. We should refrain from what we've been doing up until now."
"Understood."
"Right now, we'll be fine with out current equipment. Let's consider buying them only when we really need them."
"..."
Fumu, that is a good idea.
However, we only have cheap goods compared to the equipment of the other Heroes.
I think it would be a good idea to get Raphtalia a better weapon when we start fighting stronger enemies.
"It has only been a few days since we got new weapons. Imagine what Oyaji would think."
"Yeah..."
The Oyaji from the weapon shop has given us various services. Although he allows us to trade in our equipment, we won't be able to afford better gears with our current funds...
"Alright, let's save up then."
"Yes!"
Well it isn't a bad idea to be frugal with your money.
"Then, let's go to the medicine shop."
And so, we went to the medicine shop. The owner had a friendly smile when he saw us.
"What? What's going on?"
Normally, he has a sour look on his face when he sees us, so seeing him smile sent a shiver down my spine.
"Nothing much. I just wanted to thank you if you came."
"Huh?"
We're both confused.
"I heard that you guys saved my relatives in Riyuuto Village. They told me to help you out if possible."
"Oh... I see."
When the wave ended, everyone from Riyuuto Village got together to thank us. It seems like his relatives were among them.
"So, thank you for that."
The shop owner retrieved a book from a closet and handed it to me.
"What's this?"
"You've been making beginner level medicines, this book has a bunch of recipes for mid-level medicines. This will be a good time for you try them out."
"..."
I gently open the book of mid-level recipes. The binding is in bad shape but the letters are printed clearly.
Yup. Can't read it.
"T-thanks. I'll try them out."
I should show him some gratitude for helping us out.
Recipes for medicines with higher sale value should probably be found in here.
"I'm happy to hear that."
I felt pressured because I might not be able to answer his goodwill.
I already gave up reading the language of this world... but it might be a good idea to learn.
"The owner of the magic shop also tells you to drop by."
"Magic shop?"
"Naofumi-sama, it's the shop that sells magic books."
"Oh, I see."
I thought it was just a bookstore... but now that I think about it, they had things like crystal balls at the back.
"Where is that?"
"The big store along the main road."
... Ahh. One of the biggest bookstores in town.
"So, how may I help you today?"
"Ah, today's--"
I sold my potions for higher than the usual amount.
I also bought new tools using that money before heading to the magic shop.
"Oh, you're the Shield Hero. You've been a great help to my grandchild."
"Uh..."
I have no idea who she's talking about but it's probably someone from the village. The old lady at the magic shop politely greeted us.
The old lady was a bit plump and wore witch-like clothing.
"So what do you need?"
I look around the magic shop that I thought was just a bookstore.
There are rows of stale books and lots of crystals placed behind the counter.
Along with stuffs like staffs, it definitely felt like a magic shop.
Anyway, how do you use magic in this world?
"Is that young lady over there your companion?"
"Hmm? Ah."
I nod at Raphtalia.
"Please wait a moment."
The old lady said and retrieved a crystal ball from behind the counter, then she began to chant some sort of spell.
"Okay, now then Shield Hero-sama. Can you take a look at the crystal ball?"
"Ah, sure."
What's going on?
Is what I thought as I gaze into the crystal ball.
... It's shining a bit but I didn't notice anything else.
"Hmm... it seems that Shield Hero-sama is suitable for support and healing magic."
"Eh?"
I'm suited for magic!?
Hurry up and teach me then... well I can't really complain since I wouldn't understand.
"Next is the young lady there."
"Ah, okay."
I step to the side as Raphtalia looks into the crystal ball next.
"Hmm. As expected, the young lady of the Raccoon race is suited for light and dark magic."
"'As expected', as in that's normal?"
"Yes... her race is skilled at illusions using light distortion and darkness concealment."
I see. So the Raccoon race is similar to Tanukis. It seems that even in Japan, Tanukis are a sort of creature that can transform into humans.
"So what now?"
"Here, just something from this old lady at the magic shop."
The old lady then hands us three books.
Books again! Even though I said I can't read, why are you also giving us books?
"I actually wanted to give you a crystal ball, but this old lady's livelihood would be endangered if I did."
"What do you mean?"
"Doesn't Shield Hero-sama know that you can learn a spell by releasing compatible magic from a crystal ball?"
What!? That means that I can use magic even though I can't read?
"The country recently made a large order... of crystal balls for the Heroes. A lot of them were delivered, does Shield Hero-sama not know?"
"I had no idea."
Because of that trash king. They were probably given to the other heroes.
Geez, they left me out to die.
"Although magic books are a bother, one could learn 10 spells in a single month with dedicated studying."
So, 1 spell with the crystal ball and around 3 spells per magic book; though I still can't read it yet. No, since she said a month maybe there's something more to it.
"My apologies."
"No no, these magic books are more than enough."
Raphtalia answers while smiling. I nod along.
"So how much magic will we be able to use?"
"These are all beginner level. For higher level... please buy them."
"Ah- Ah."
It is a shop. So we shouldn't be ungrateful since she is hurting her own business by giving these books away.
"Thank you."
It was hard to express but we accepted the magic books from her.
"Ha..."
I let out a sigh.
I don't really like studying. What could someone with low grades like me do with these?
Fine. I'll definitely decipher the recipes and spells in these books.
Is what I want to say.
I kind of wish my shield had a 'written language translation' ability.
There's a high chance that my shield has recipes for various medicines. I should be able to use them if I try.
However, I wonder which option would be better, spending the effort to search through the branches of my shield or learning the language to understand the medicine recipes from the books?
With the latter, I would have to deal with costs and other problems.
Still... just thinking about the possibility of my shield having a way to translate this world's written language makes me lose my willpower.
"Let's learn magic together."
Raphtalia happily says to me.
"But I can't read the language of this world..."
"Eh, that's why we should learn it together."
"Well... I guess that's fine."
Well, it doesn't hurt to study while making medicine.
"Anyways, when is the next wave?"
"Hm? Ah, one moment."
I look at the icon in the corner of my vision and check the menu for the next scheduled wave.
Next: 45 days and 14 hours.
"In 45 days."
Wasn't it every month!?
Hmm, well looking back, it has only been around 2 months since I was summoned here.
In that case, maybe the time limit is longer this time around.
It had only been a few days between Raphtalia becoming a slave and then meeting me.
A month is... a long time then.
"Well, having a lot of time is also good."
It's possible that there isn't much we can accomplish in that period.
"For now, have we finished all we needed to do here?"
"Hmm... we have reapplied the curse and sold the medicines. We have also received the books. I think that's it."
Raphtalia confirms.
Since coming back here because we forgot something would be a waste of time.
"Let's get some food then grind some levels afterwards."
"Okay."
Today's breakfast surprised me. Because my sense of taste has returned.
I can now say that something tastes delicious.
Requirements for Mortar Shield has been unsealed.
Tsl note: mortar as in pestle & mortar
Requirements for Beaker Shield has been unsealed.
Tsl note: beaker as in beaker & flask
Requirements for Yagen Shield has been unsealed.
Tsl note: does this have an english name? it's pretty much the same as pestle & mortar
Mortar Shield
Equipment bonus: Novice Mixing
Beaker Shield
Equipment bonus: Liquid solutions bonus
Yagen Shield
Equipment bonus: Gathering Skill 2
After eating, we left the town and headed in the direction of Riyuuto Village.
Nearby is a place with a moderate amount of monsters.
I don't know the grinding spots of the other Heroes. Because the only way to find these spots is either by asking the locals or searching for them yourself.
Finding a decent hunting spot just from looking at a map is pretty difficult; enough to be called a challenge.
Although it's not like we're competing, it's slightly frustrating to fall behind the other heroes. It's just that fighting new monsters and letting my shield evolve doesn't sound too bad.
While I've left out many details, a lot of shields have been unlocked. Although my abilities have risen, that is also a small problem on its own.
Because of my shield, my defense has increased a lot. My other stats such as agility, stamina, magic power and SP have all risen. Everything other than attack.
For that reason, during the last wave I didn't really receive any injuries.
While we were en route...
"... By the way, can I absorb any monsters from the wave?"
I completely forgot about it after returning from the invasion, but I want to see if my shield will react to them.
So near Riyuuto Village, we found the mob corpses from the wave.
Requirements for Netherworld Locust Shield has been unsealed.
Requirements for Netherworld Bee Shield has been unsealed.
Requirements for Netherworld Corpse Eater Demon Shield has been unsealed.
Netherworld Locust Shield
Equipment bonus: Defense +6
Netherworld Bee Shield
Equipment bonus: Agility +6
Netherworld Corpse Eater Demon Shield
Equipment bonus: Decay Prevention (Small)
Next I checked to see if any other shields would be unlocked from these.
However, the requirements for this shield series were not fulfilled and only one of them was unsealed.
Requirements for Bee Needle Shield has been unsealed.
Bee Needle Shield
Equipment bonus: Attack +1
Special Effect: Shield of Needles (Small) Bee's Poison (Paralysis)
With this we continue onward. The villagers are in the middle of disposing the Chimera corpse.
"Sup."
"Ah, Shield Hero-sama."
Because of our efforts the other day, the villagers warmly welcome us.
"Is that the boss of the wave?"
I grumble while looking at the Chimera corpse.
I closely look at the thing called a Chimera, but for some reason... it doesn't quite look like the monsters in this world.
Maybe it's the color or something, but I can't pinpoint why.
"What a fearsome thing."
"... Yeah."
The villagers and I agree.
I wonder if the other heroes or knight brigade already harvested it. What's left of the meat and fur are carved up.
"Can I take some of it as well?"
"Please go ahead, we're having trouble disposing of it anyways. Do you need us to help process and prepare the parts?"
"That doesn't sound too bad... but there doesn't seem to be much I can use."
The fur is carved up so it isn't possible to make something like armor. So, all that are left are... the meat and bones... and the snake tail.
The heads have been removed and taken. Looking at it, it seems that it had 3 heads.
Well whatever, Raphtalia and I cut apart the corpse and let my shield absorb the pieces.
Requirements for Chimera Meat Shield has been unsealed.
Requirements for Chimera Bone Shield has been unsealed.
Requirements for Chimera Leather Shield has been unsealed.
Requirements for Chimera Viper Shield has been unsealed.
Chimera Meat Shield
Equipment bonus: Cooking Skill +1
Chimera Bone Shield
Equipment bonus: Darkness Resistance (Intermediate)
Chimera Leather Shield
Equipment bonus: Defense +10
Chimera Viper Shield
Equipment bonus: [Change Shield] skill, Antidote Mixing +1, Poison Resistance (Intermediate)
Special Effect: Poisonous Snake Fang (Intermediate), Hook
The last one seemed to come with lots of useful bonuses. The defense increase was pretty high too.
However, using the shield requires a high level and unlocking more of the Chimera Series.
It should be fine to do this later, but there's a big chance it could be important for the next wave.
"What about the rest?"
I ask the villagers.
"We were going to bury it anyways so take whatever you need."
"Okay..."
Although it's a bit of a waste, all that's left are mostly just meat and bones.
I guess we can hold onto the bones but I think we can use the meat for jerky.
There's no way it would be edible though.
So it's like that. I felt like it could be used for ingredients in some magic potions.
... But I'm not sure if anyone would ever buy it... Plus, it'd be bad if the remains went rotten. It would also be scary if it somehow regenerated from not being preserved properly.
About the bones, I think they should be fine.
However, even then we should probably be careful.
"Then I'll take as much as possible."
"Um, but it will be quite heavy."
"Can I have the village look after the rest?"
"Eh? If Shield Hero-sama asks..."
"Just take the meat and dry it, but leave a bit and see if there's anyone who would want to buy some. That should help with the reconstruction. There should be people who would buy the meat of the wave monsters in order to research it."
"Yes, there should be."
The villagers seemed interested in the reconstruction fund so they accept my suggestion.
I deal with the innards and other easily decayed parts by absorbing them into my shield. The sun has set by the time we finally reach Riyuuto Village.
The village was half-destroyed but the survivors all stayed together in the remaining, intact houses.
We received a room in a safe inn and quietly spent the rest of the day resting.
"... Although I do want to help out with the reconstruction, we don't have the luxury to worry about others right now."
Today, we were taken care of by the people of Riyuuto Village.
They were grateful for our help with the chimera parts, but for us to receive a free meal and room might have been overdoing it.
"You're right. But it would be great if we could do something that would be mutually beneficial."
A villager who could read and write had provided us with a chart of this world's alphabet.
In other words, the Hiragana table. Or the alphabet table in English.
Afterwards, since Raphtalia could read a bit, I had her point out characters and teach me the pronunciation until I slowly deciphered the table.
With this, maybe even words can be formed but figuring it all out will be difficult.
For now I don't need to rush to learn the letters.
In between making medicine, I work hard at memorizing the characters.