The Substitution of the Shield Hero

In a distant dwelling. Sacred ruins long forgotten by the world.

There, the Filorial Queen, Fitoria, waited. At least, today, she waited.

Because she was confused.

Idly sitting atop her precious treasures in her nest, she carefully listened to the latest updates from her subordinates... and then slowly said, "Are you certain?"

Her subordinates... a group of Filorials that had been interspersed among the ones used by inhabitants in the various kingdoms.

They squawked and reiterated what they saw.

And to summarize what they saw...

Fitoria ran a hand through her silver hair and closed her crimson eyes. Her fluffy white wings fluttered behind her as she fiddled with her dress, carefully sorting out the information.

To begin with...

"So, the Shield Hero- No. The Legendary Shield itself is gone."

"Rial! Ri Rial!"

"...But the remaining three heroes are working closely together."

"Ri rial!"

"...And the former Shield Hero has gone around on a righteous crusade to free slaves and establish a nation of true equality with boundless resources and where even Filorials like you are treated well?"

"Rial!"

Fitoria stared at the fluffy pink Filorial in front of her. The latest in the chain of subordinates passing her news in the distant sanctuary she lived. Then she slowly said, "And you are certain that this hasn't been mistaken or distorted between you all?"

The pink Filorial looked offended and squawked. "RIAL!"

"...Yes. I suppose you may be bird-brained, but you are not idiots..."

Fitoria hummed and thought about the situation some more.

On the one hand, she was furious. The beloved Legendary Weapon that had belonged to her late master was gone. Destroyed even more thoroughly than if it had been sent to another world or the Shield Spirit itself was erased.

On the other...

'The world is being forcibly united.'

...Her master's wishes were being fulfilled.

Upon his death bed, Mamoru Shirono, her master and the Shield Hero who established Siltvelt into what it was today...

That man had requested Fitoria watch over the world and ensure the future heroes cooperated, killing them if necessary so that a new generation could be summoned if they proved problematic.

And Fitoria had originally planned to do just that after hearing about the scandal regarding the Shield Hero.

But now...

Fitoria pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache. "...This is all because those fools were too selfish."

She had always thought the inhabitants of the world were too unaware of the dangers it faced. Heady with their strength and with the might that came from summoned heroes, they ignored the threat of the waves and just bandied power about to control and dominate others.

"...This is the consequence."

Fitoria could vaguely sense it.

As the Hero wielding the Vassal Carriage weapon, she received the message about the Legendary Shield being deleted. But she thought it another trick by those shadowy beings behind the wave.

The fact that it truly occurred, and that the man who had been summoned as the Shield Hero was this capable...

"Should I leave it be?"

"Rial?" The pink Filorial looked inquisitively at Fitoria.

Fitoria hummed, thinking over it a bit more.

The next wave was only the third.

But Fitoria had a feeling that this next wave would be troublesome.

The first two had fortunately only opened to the crack between worlds. But to expect that to happen for a third time instead of connecting to another world and its inhabitants...

Fitoria tapped her fingers on her thighs and then decided. Looking at her subordinate, the pink Filorial, she said, "You mentioned the Queen of Melromarc liked our kind, yes?"

"Rial!"

"Good. Then..." Fitoria turned into a normal Filorial, white and fluffy. After that, she went and obtained an egg from one of her loyal subordinates before carrying it in her feathers.

"Ri rial!" Fitoria squawked. But the message that went across to her subordinates...

'From now on, I will handle Melromarc. Continue to survey the other areas.'

"Rial!"

"Ri rial!"

"Fi rial!"

Squawks filled the sanctuary as Fitoria's loyal subordinates scattered across the land once more.

As they left, Fitoria carefully re-did the barriers around the sanctuary. Then she reinforced the ones around the dwellings of the heroes that she protected.

With all of that done...

'Now, to see the state of Melromarc and the world with my own eyes...'

===

Back in Melromarc, the royal palace.

"Mother!" Melty ran into her mother's chambers holding a large white egg in her arms.

Mirellia paused in the middle of flipping through some ancient tomes and looked up. "Melty? What is it, dear?"

Melty smiled and held out the egg for her. "I got you a gift! You like Filorials, right? A nice Filorial gave me this one!"

Mirellia blinked and said, "A... Filorial gave you an egg? To keep?" After processing Melty's words, she let out a warm smile and said, "Then I suppose you must possess a pure soul. It's quite rare for one to entrust their young with a human. The only ones who have are the heroes, you know?"

Melty's blue eyes widened. Then she said, "In that case... You should raise it!" She walked forward and placed the egg in Mirellia's hands.

Mirellia instinctively hugged it, her eyes wide. "M-Melty?"

Melty nodded and said, "You said it, right? Filorials trust their young with a pure soul. Well!" She smiled and said, "Mother has the purest soul I know! So if you raise it, then it should turn out beautifully!"

Mirellia's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Oh, Melty..."

Seeing her mother tear up, Melty did as well. But she said, "You've been lonely, and I'm busy studying hard. So..." She nodded to the egg. "When the Filorial hatches, Mother should be less lonely. Right?"

Mirellia pursed her lips and said, "Even if that may be true, I'm quite busy-"

"You spend your day either researching ancient tomes, writing poetry, or thinking of new insults for Lord Naofumi after the trouble he's caused you, Mother. You are not busy."

Mirellia blinked. Then she laughed and said, "I suppose that's true..." She reflexively traced her hand over the soft surface of the egg.

*CRACK*

Mirellia's eyes widened. "W-What?"

Melty's eyes widened too. "M-Mother!? Did you break it?!"

"N-No. Of course not. How could I-"

*CRACK*

A piece of the egg shell fell down. And then...

"Fi?"

A cute and fluffy pink Filorial chick emerged from the egg.

Seeing it, Mirellia's heart melted. "Oh, you're adorable, little one..." She gently helped the chick free and hugged it close.

"Fi! Filo! Fi!" The chick chirped and then nuzzled against Mirellia's chest.

Melty giggled and said, "The chick probably thinks you're its mother."

Mirellia smiled and reached out with a finger, nuzzling the chick's beak and making it squish down in contentment. "I do believe that's the case." She chuckled and said, "I suppose that means you have a new baby sister then."

Melty blinked. "Baby sister?"

"Mmhm." Mirellia smiled and said, "It's right here, in the shape of the beak and the head feathers. This is definitely a female chick."

"I see!" Melty's blue eyes sparkled and she said, "You know a lot about Filorials, Mother!"

Mirellia shifted the tiny chick to rest in her bosom between her skin and blouse.

Melty's eyes widened and she blushed. "M-Mother?!"

"What?" Mirellia smiled, gently petting the Filorial chick with her finger. "A baby bird is most comfortable in a warm space. And they catch sickness very easily in the open air. This is safest."

"I-I suppose that is true, but still...!"

Mirellia ignored Melty, idly stroking the cooing chick nestled against her chest. "Mm... What shall we name you, dear?"

Melty walked over to look closer at the baby chick and said, "Maybe Magenta? Or Cherry? Ooh, or-"

"Filo." Mirellia smiled and gently nuzzled the baby chick's beak with her finger. "That's your name, little one."

"Fi... Fi! Filo! Fi!" The baby chick... Filo. She chirped and then nuzzled close against Mirellia. After letting out a small yawn, she slowly drifted off into sleep.

Seeing that, for the first time in a while, Mirellia felt her heart lighten. Ever so slightly.

But then...

"Excuse me for interrupting, I dare say."

...Kage emerged from the shadows, urgency clear on her face even through her mask.

Mirellia paused. After shifting Filo to be more comfortable, she looked over at Kage and said, "Yes?"

"...Siltvelt has declared war on Four Bray, I dare say. And Four Bray sent a long ranged attack directly upon Siltvelt's territory, I dare say."

Mirellia blinked. And then she let out a soft laugh. "Oh, Naofumi, you sly, sly man..."