The Substitution of the Shield Hero

Sylvia's fox ear twitched towards the house as she heard Naofumi scream. As it did, she sighed and lowered her can of orange soda. "Master really had it coming, didn't he?"

Lia nodded. "Mmhm!" She sipped her can of grape soda and said, "Naofumi-dono shouldn't have tempted fate by talking about Rishia like that."

Rishia paused in the middle of sipping a drink similar to a pinacolada. Then she tilted her head. "What did Lord Naofumi say about me?"

"..." Sylvia stared at Lia.

Lia stared back, and a tacit agreement to not mention it was silently made.

Rishia tilted her head, confused. "Lia? Sylvia?"

Lia smiled. "Don't worry about it, Rishia!"

"O-Okay...?"

In the meantime, Sylvia took a look around.

It was close to midnight. Because of that, the kids were already passed out on the beach. Mina and Nina were curled up with Melty and Filo in the middle of a giant sand castle.

Bahamut was napping at the front gate, like a guard beast, while Morgan was curled up against the opposite side of the sand castle.

Mirellia and Daji were sitting by the sand castle, both subtly reinforcing it with magic so it wouldn't collapse and would stay warm so the kids could have a proper rest.

Mein was sitting with Lucina and talking with Mister Dante and Mister Vergil.

S'yne had started up a conversation with 'King' and 'Kei', the mysterious teenagers who had come along with Mister Dante and Mister Vergil.

Meanwhile, the Three Heroes had all gone off somewhere, clearly sensing the chaos and wanting nothing to do with it.

After that, Sylvia shifted her gaze back to Rishia and chuckled. "You really have some interesting time though, Rishia." She glanced at Rishia's black bikini before saying, "To come out at that time to seduce Master..."

Rishia turned a bright red and said, "I-I wasn't seducing Lord Naofumi! I just... figured that it would have been a long day." She averted her gaze. "A-And as his bedwarmer, I figured I should... help. If he was... stressed." Her face turned even more red after she admitted it.

Lia gasped. "Rishia!"

Rishia didn't respond, just hiding her glowing red face behind her soda can as she took a sip.

Sylvia smiled and said, "It's fine. Master is clearly open to it. But... it truly is terrible timing." She laughed as she heard Naofumi beg for mercy again. "To think Master's parents would suddenly appear in a flash of blue light just as Mister Ren wished for them..."

Lia nodded. "Right?! It must be karma for Naofumi-dono being so silly recently!"

Sylvia nodded too and said, "Maybe now Master will take his health more seriously."

Rishia poked her fingers and said, "Um... what do you think this means for us though? If Lord Naofumi's parents are here, is anything going to change?"

Lia giggled. "Naofumi-dono? Change? Of course not!"

Sylvia rolled her eyes and sipped on her soda. "Master is the sort of man who would rather die being wrong than admit he was wrong, so if anything this will just be a temporary delay in his plans. Although..." She hummed. "...I wonder if we will get to see Master's home world?"

Lia's eyes sparkled. "Do you think we'll get to go home with Naofumi-dono?!"

"Do you think Master would leave us behind?" Sylvia laughed. "After all that he has dragged us through, I think he would take us along even if we dropped dead."

"Oh! That's true!" Lia giggled.

Rishia smiled and said, "Lord Naofumi is wonderful like that. So loyal and caring..."

"Mm..." Sylvia sipped on her soda. "Well, at least to those he chooses. But he chose us, so it's fine."

Lia looked at Rishia and said, "Hey, hey! Rishia! Do you really like Naofumi-dono?"

Rishia blushed. "Wh-What?"

Sylvia looked over at Rishia too and said, "Oh, yes. That is a good point... Do you truly love Master, Rishia?"

"U-Um..." Rishia poked her fingers. "...I-I don't know what 'love' is. But..." She let out a warm smile. "I feel comfortable around him. Lord Naofumi is a bit... strange. And he really has no shame when it comes to putting hands on me..."

Lia let out a scandalized gasp. "Naofumi-dono did?!"

"N-No!" Rishia blushed. "N-Not in that way! At least, not yet." She turned more red and quickly added, "W-We've just been sleeping in each other's arms..."

Sylvia raised an eyebrow.

Lia giggled.

Rishia nervously fidgeted with her long green hair and said, "I-It's nice though. Lord Naofumi doesn't do anything creepy. He looks at... well, you know. But it's more like appreciating beauty than wanting to... um. Make love. I think?"

Sylvia sighed. "Yes. We're aware of Master's tendency to appreciate beautiful women..."

Lia nodded. "Naofumi-dono definitely isn't shy about that! I remember when we were getting bigger, he stared too! Well, more because he was worried, but he wasn't shy about it!"

Sylvia laughed and said, "Careful, Lia. With how you said that, people might think Master is a degenerate like Motoyasu."

Lia gasped. "Naofumi-dono would never do that! He wouldn't put his hands on a child!"

Rishia burst into giggles and said, "Are we defaming Sir Motoyasu's character now?"

Sylvia raised an eyebrow. "Is it defamation if it's true though? Yuki is technically a grown adult since she matured from her levels. But from my understanding, she is the same age, at least in time, as Mina and Nina."

Rishia paused. "...Really?"

Lia hummed. "I think Yuki's a bit older, Sylvia. Maybe by a week or two?"

"Even so." Sylvia frowned. "Master was right. There is a difference between being physically mature and being really mature... It feels kind of icky when you think about it."

Lia nodded. "Yeah! Like... does Yuki know any better? Miss Lyno is fine since she's a real adult. But I don't know about Yuki..."

Rishia furrowed her brow. "...I never thought about it like that. It's just how things have been. There are a lot of nobles who coupled with demi-humans who matured with their levels and not age... But when you put it like that..."

"Then it definitely is inappropriate, right?" Sylvia nodded. "All the more reason why Four Bray and Siltvelt were razed to ash."

Lia paused. Then her crimson eyes darkened with mirth. "It's a shame. I think they died a bit too quickly for all they did."

Rishia pursed her lips. "...Four Bray *was* a bit... degenerate. And its king..." She shivered in disgust.

"Well." Sylvia finished her soda and said, "That is all settled. Now." She glanced back towards the vacation home where Naofumi was letting screams that could only come from someone experiencing bone-deep cringe. "...I suppose we just wait until Master is ungrounded."

Lia giggled. "I'm surprised! Naofumi-dono is usually so serious and unbothered by things. But the moment his Mom and Dad showed up, he was just like a little kid!"

Rishia giggled too and said, "I know! It's kind of cute! To think Lord Naofumi had that side to him too..."

Sylvia smiled. "Well, Master has always been more than he showed. But." Her violet eyes sparkled with amusement. "...Now we know. Master has a secret goofy side too."

Lia grinned. "This means we can prank him!"

Rishia gasped. "No! You shouldn't do that!"

Sylvia hummed. "Master HAS been getting a bit full of himself... And we've learned that he's weak to cringe."

"Mmhm! And seduction!" Lia gasped. "What if we practice flirting on Naofumi-dono?"

Sylvia paused. "...It feels icky. But at the same time, the look on Master's face..."

"Right?! We have to do it! At least once!" Lia giggled. "Think of the blackmail material! We can finally get Naofumi-dono to listen!"

Sylvia rubbed her chin. "That is true..."

Rishia glanced between Lia and Sylvia before saying, "Should I... be hearing this?"

Sylvia waved her hand and said, "At this point, Rishia, you are practically Master's wife, so it's fine."

"E-E-Excuse me?! W-W-Wife?! With Lord Naofumi?! B-B-But...!"

"Oh, that's true!" Lia's eyes sparkled. "Rishia's shared a bed with Naofumi-dono, she takes care of his kids, she makes sure he's well-rested... the only thing they haven't done is kiss! And babymaking!"

"B-B-Babymaking?!"

Sylvia nodded. "Mmhm. Though, I doubt Master is really interested in babymaking... He really is not like other men. Rather than, women, I think he wants to collect planets."

"True!" Lia giggled. "He already made the moon his! And he painted it his colors~"

Rishia blushed. "L-Lia! Phrasing!"

"What phrasing?" Lia tilted her head. "Naofumi-dono painted the moon's body with his colors! And I think he said he planted his seeds there too!"

Rishia turned a bright red, looking like she was visibly steaming up.

Sylvia noticed and then leaned forward with a teasing smile. "Oh my, Rishia. Did you want Master to plant his seeds in you instead-"

"I'M GOING TO SWIM!" After saying that, Rishia scrambled out of her seat and ran towards the shore.

Lia giggled and said, "I'll come with!"

Sylvia laughed and then walked after the two to make sure nothing happened.