Chapter 74 of Shieldbro,Tanuki,Firo,and Melty

A bit of a longer chapter. That queen scares me.
http://bakahou.wordpress.com/2014/09/26/chapter-74-of-shieldbrotanukifiroand-melty/
Chapter 74

The Queen

"Master!?"
Firo holds me anxiously as I was covered in blood.
The shield changed to the Chimeric Viper Shield by itself.

"What horrible wounds! Someone! Help master!"

A woman who looks like the commander of the punitive force runs towards Firo who was calling for help.

"Mother!?"

Melty exclaims in surprise towards the commander.
That reminds me....... The head of the punitive force looks like the person that was with Melty in the beginning.

I couldn't get a good look because of the fan though.

"Your efforts this time were quite amazing. Hero of the Shield-sama."

It might be because of her that the pope was trapped.

"Everybody! Treatment for Hero of the Shield-sama is top priority! This is a royal order. We must save Hero of the Shield-sama's life Without fail !"
"""Yes Ma'am!"""

The treatment team within the punitive force gathered around me and began chanting magic.

"Doraifa ・ Heal"

Light surrounds me.
However......There is no sign of the pain receding.

"Ar-are you cursed?...... For it to be so strong......"

The treatment team cast de-curse magic with surprised expressions.
But...... It had no effect.

"Do a thorough examination! Everyone please hurry!"

The queen issues instructions to the treatment team and Firo follows hastily.

"Ugh......"

My whole body is screaming in pain. But I will not lose consciousness here.
Because I still do not know whether or not the queen is friend or foe.

"Y-you are the queen?"
"Yes, I am the queen of Melromark, Mirelia Q Melromark. I'm sorry for helping so late."
(Tl note: I have corrected Merlot Mark to Melromark and removed the = since they are just spaces.)
"......You were definitely slow."

What does it matter.
Do you have power? Are you the true ruler of this country?
Do you even see the big picture behind this event?
there are a mountain of things I want to say.
My grudge towards her daughter and trash start to surface.

"Really......this time was all my fault."
"Mother......"
"Mama, why are you apologizing to such a person!?"

When the bitch impeached, I could see a few veins appear on the queen's smiling face.

"Malty...... Prepare yourself because there are a lot of things I need to say to you after we return to the castle."

Gogogo....... The air trembles.
Though I'm not the one that this anger is directed at, a chill still runs up my spine.
With the snap of her finger a shadow appears behind the bitch and arrests her.

"Wait mama!"
"Silence this fool at once"
"Yes Ma'am!"

The bitch's mouth is covered by a cloth.

"W-What are you doing to Mein!?"
"I am Mein......Malty's mother. By my authority, the fight between heroes is finished until we get back to the castle. Let's return to Melromarc castle and rest."

Motoyasu and the other heroes fall silent due to the queen's aura of authority.

"Now then, Hero of the Shield-sama......No, Naofumi Iwatani-sama.Your treatment is our top priority, so please rest. Everything will be prepared immediately."

The treatment team starts bringing out various magic tools, medicines, and holy water to use on me.
I feel like an emergency patient in an ambulance from my world.

"But......"

Why did the queen come here? Various questions appear as to why she isn't in the country south-west of us.

"I know what you want to ask. Why was I outside of the country for so long, why I am leading the punitive force, why did I not come defend you sooner?...... There are a lot of things I need to tell you. However, that can be settled after you are healed."
"Naofumi-sama!"

Raphtalia anxiously runs to my side while crying.

"I thought your heart stopped! Are you okay!?"
"Who......knows......"

I feel that I have suffered some grievous wounds.
My whole body seriously hurts, it would be too troublesome to stand up.
In her human form Firo and Melty come from the carriage.

"What terrible wounds......Hurry come over here."

One of the treatment team members see Firo's burnt limbs and calls her over.
However, Firo doesn't want to leave my side to receive their treatment because she is worried about my wounds.

"But, Master is......"
"It's alright Firo, Naofumi-sama will be cured by these people. Go have your wounds healed."

Raphtalia gently strokes Firo's head and whispers in an anxious voice.

"But......"
"Naofumi-sama would hate to see Firo getting a scar because of him."

Will you listen, Firo? She stares at me while tilting her neck.
Can't be helped. Normally being so selfish and carefree, to be so anxious for my sake.

"I'll be fine, so go over there."

I squeeze out some instructions for Firo. When Firo reluctantly left to receive healing the treatment member nodded at me.
The treatment team use different recovery magic that seems to be effective against the curse.

"What a strong curse!......"

Mutters one of the healers.
Yeah, this is certainly a strong curse.
It literally says Curse Series.
Since the it's very effective, the price for using it is equally as high, such as directly receiving the curse myself.
It is very different from a mere spell.

"Prepare for Group Synthesis Magic [Sanctuary]"

Are you going to use that to remove the rest of Self-Curse Burning?
They aren't believers of the Three Heroes Church right? Then What religion are they following?
It does not seem to be the Shield religion.
As I think about such things my eyelids become heavy and it starts getting dark.

"Naofumi-sama!"
"Naofumi!"

Raphtalia and Melty shake me awake.

"Yeah? What's wrong?"
"Please stay conscious properly."
"What are you saying, it's like you think I died."

Well, in this situation I certainly might die.
Though I have no intention to die in such a place, I am tired in various ways.
I want to sleep......just a little.
But, I can't sleep yet. We are still far from the safety zone.
However, I am unable to do anything in my present state.
In that case......

"Raphtalia, if something happens run away with Melty on Firo."
"Understood. But I will be taking Naofumi-sama too. So no matter what, please wake up."
"Okay. I'll just sleep a little...... if anything happens wake me up."

During this exchange a memory appears.
...... I remember it.
The story where Raphtalia still looked like a child and would always cry and scream at night.
Raphtalia had to be ordered to do everything back then.

"My bad. It looks like there's no breakfast this time."
"......It's fine. Because, this time I'll defend Naofumi-sama while you sleep.
(Tl Note: Referring to where Raphtalia was crying and screaming at night by the river and Naofumi defended her all night from monsters)

After the conversation was over my consciousness went blank and I started dreaming.


It has been two days since then.

"Ugh......Heavy."
"Su......Su......"
"Munya......Master~"
"Heavy......Help.....Firo-chan......"

When I awake I see Raphtalia, Firo, and Melty all on my bed.

"What the hell is this! Get up!"

I wake the three of them up immediately and scold them.
Instead of them looking down, all three of them smiled.
I was told that I got urgently rushed to receive treatment in Melromarc Castle.
The curse caused by Blutopfer was very serious, and even specialized curse treatments couldn't remove it completely.
Wh en I ask how to cure it, the answer I got was it cannot be cured by magic or medicine. It seems that the only way to cure it is through time.
But the burns and scratches were healed and my physical fitness has recovered, I just feel lethargic.

When I check my stats, everything except defence dropped by 30%.
It seems until Blutopfer's curse is cured completely they will stay debuffed.
This is the price which I paid for meddling in troublesome things.

"So how long till I recover?"
"The rough estimate is a month for complete recovery."

A month huh......that's long.
Will it happen before the wave?
That reminds me, I was unable to go to Silt Welt after all.
For the purpose of Raphtalia and Firo's class up, we ended up in a strange position.

"How is your condition?"

While I was lamenting about the absurdity of the world, the queen came over and asked about my condition.
I do some stretches to show my body's condition.

"......"

I feel that I can trust her a little since she gave instructions for my treatment even while I was unconscious.
The queen also asked the treatment team at the hospital how I was doing.

"I see. Then could you follow me?"
"Where are we going?"
"We are going to the castle."

The queen produces her fan and hides her face, generating a strange pressure.

"Mother is scary when she's angry......"

Melty hides behind my back and starts trembling.
I feel an unpleasant atmosphere, is that anger?

"Are you going to execute me?"
"I will do no such thing. Iwatani-sama."

I feel her smiling as the atmosphere changes.
Does the fact that I wasn't attacked in my sleep mean this is safe?

"I just think Iwatani-sama would like to witness what will happen. Hohoho."
"What do you intend to do?"
"Please come to the castle, I'm sure you will enjoy it. There are various things I need to talk to you about as well, shall I answer everything Iwatana-sama asks after that?"

It seems the queen has created a situation where I have no choice but to go to the castle.
She is necessary for me to prove my innocent, so there is no way I can refuse.
Well there is no reason to decline for now.

"I want to ask one thing."
"I would like to talk after we arrive at the castle but......what is it?"
"You......Did you send Melty to me so she would get involved in this incident?"

This is the problem I am worried about most.
Depending on the answer there is a possibility that all the heroes will be rounded up at the castle and gotten rid of, all according to the queen's plan.

"......That concern is only a baseless fear. Would that be the correct answer?"
"Eh!?"

Melty trembling while staring at her mother.

"Melty didn't say it, but she wanted to meet her father so much that she couldn't sleep at night. So I let her be selfish and meet him."

Meeting that trash. I was feeling uneasy when I thought the queen sent Melty to meet him.

" There is nothing to worry about. When such a thing happened I told shadow my ideas."
"Idea?"
"Yes, I entrusted Melty to the Hero of the Shield, if he tried to murder her then he would have been arrested."

The queen snaps her fingers.
Suddenly a group of assassins appear.

"What an annoying story."
"......I apologize to have troubled you. However, I think a lot of problems have been solved."
"That's not it. What would you have done if Melty died!?"

I cannot hide my sympathy for Melty as she looks down sadly.

"There were always two bodyguards following her and supporting Iwatani-sama in various ways."
"I see......"
"For example, the one knight who tried to assassinate her."

One of the shadows transforms into the shape of a knight, just like that anime with the phantom thief!

"Villager."

One of the villagers who helped us in village to the east.

"Merchant from neighbouring country."

Even the guys from the neighbouring country that thanked me......
Certainly, it was strange for a person from the neighbouring country to show up there.

"I'll explain the circumstances later. Do you still doubt me even after the shadow appeared when Melty was truly in danger?"

That reminds me...... a shadow did appear when the Church ambushed us.
However, that was a really dangerous situation so I couldn't think straight.
Firo and I were the only ones able to nullify the Three Heroes Church shadow's poison.......

"Mother...... did you know I might have been killed?"
"It was a possibility."

Melty hangs her head when the queen answers flatly.
well, as expected of the parent of bitch and wife of trash.Quite suitable to being a bad person.

"Are you people really parents?"
"I cannot argue about that even if I am one. There are a lot of lies that can be told......Let's see. Do you understand what it takes to be queen of such a country for years?"

Well......Even if I impeach I don't understand.
This fellow. I can only agree that she is trash's wife.

"But......I believed in Iwatani-sama. Is that a suitable answer?"
"......Coward."
"Otherwise I cannot protect this country."
"Hah......Wouldn't it be better if you didn't arrive?"
"Naofumi-sama!?"

Raphtalia speaks anxiously.

"It seems you are unable to refute it. I won't spread it. In the first place, if we were enemies I would not have received treatment."
"Yes, certainly, I think you would want to be present for what is about to happen."

If we share a mutual interest, then there would be no problems in lending a hand.
I don't know what you are after, but if necessary I will use the Wrath Shield again.

"I brought the carriage of the holy bird here. Let's return with the luggage."
"Really!?"

At the queen's words Firo steps forwards.

"Yes of course. It's in front of the hospital, please confirm it."
"Yay~! Mel-chan! Let's go!"
"Okay!"

Firo and Melty run out of the room together.
She really loves that carriage huh.
After watching the both of them run off, I stare at the queen.

"I feel disgusted."

Although I have received some goodwill, I do not know her real intentions.
The queen antagonized the Three Heroes Church, and furthermore treated the devil of the shield favourably, I wish to know why.
I can't even think of a reason.
I do not believe in some noble reason such as fighting the wave together.
Or is there still information that I am lacking?

"I have a goal. I will use any means necessary to achieve it. Although the way we go about things is different, I believe I have the same feelings as Iwatani-sama."

Similar feelings as me.......
I don't know why, but I feel that I somewhat understand.
After coming to this world, I have experienced various things.
At least this person is talking to me as an equal.

"I will follow your instructions for now."
"I am grateful. Iwantani-sama."

After obtaining my consent, the queen smiles.
The smile has a strong will mixed in.

"Auckley……Malty……. This isn’t over yet……."
(Tl note: Auckley = trashking for those who forgot.)