The Substitution of the Shield Hero

I hooked another fish from the water and then placed it in a cooler for Rishia to clean and grill later.

After the whole mess with Grima in Lucina's world, I decided it was about time to take a small break.

...Mostly because I was getting the itch to go wreak some havoc thinking about the shenanigans that Bahamut might be up to in the other world.

It was better for my sanity and peace of mind if I just waited until after that was over before heading there. In the meantime, I was going to enjoy a nice bit of proper relaxation time... mostly since I hadn't actually had the chance to since getting to Cal Mira.

Between the kids' shenanigans, my parents, Uncle Dante, and all the other stuff, this was actually the first bit of time I had to just destress and blank out.

Like now, sitting on a foldable lawn chair and staring at the glittering blue shore while holding a fishing rod and waiting for the brightly colored bobber to dip under the water as something took the bait.

Nothing had yet... mostly because I had just reeled one in.

But I wasn't in a rush.

Mina happily sat on the ground to my side, scooping up sand to build a small tower, her blue hair shifting in the wind.

Nina sat next to her, reading what looked like a basic magic primer that she got from somewhere. As she read, she idly blew hair up to shift her blonde bangs away from her eyes.

Rishia was a few paces away, setting up a fire and grill for the fish we caught.

Lucina and Morgan were on my left a fair distance away, Lucina teaching Morgan how to properly fish. And the kid was playing along even though I already taught him how the other day.

And that left Mirellia behind us, idly tutoring Melty and Filo in how to use their fancy new weapons, Melty's white-feathered dagger and Filo's black-hilted whip.

...Well, there was Robin too. But as for what Robin was doing...

I glanced up at Robin, who was draped around me like a cloak. And who was still very much naked underneath her black robes. "...Do you seriously not mind that at all, Miss Robin?"

"Mm?" Robin let out a sleepy sound and then a soft chuckle. "I'm fine, Naofumi. You're very cozy... Is it uncomfortable?"

"...I would be lying if I said it was uncomfortable."

Especially since Robin's... well, 'assets' were very squishy and firm. It was like a nice warm pillow being pressed against my back, and the feel of her heartbeat pulsing occassionally against me was pleasant too.

But still.

"But are you sure you're comfortable like that?"

Robin chuckled and idly nuzzled against my back. "Mm... it's warm. You're cozy. And the sand feels nice against my knees and feet. If you're fine with it, I'll stay like this and nap for a while."

"..."

Is the world testing my patience? Or is this karma coming back around to bite me?

No, is this Grima's last laugh? Since that bastard knew he couldn't beat me in a fair fight, did he deliberately let me have Robin knowing she'd be the clingy type?

...Well, I couldn't complain, so I guess he won that battle...

"Alright." I shrugged and said, "It's nice, so go ahead. Just don't start nibbling on my ear something."

Robin let out another soft chuckle and said, "I won't. This is... more than enough for me." After that, she mumbled a bit more and drifted off into sleep, her breathing slowly settling into a soft rhythm.

Which meant I was getting up close and personal ASMR, as well as a personal body pillow clinging onto me as I relaxed while fishing.

Again, couldn't really complain. But it was definitely not something I expected to happen any time soon.

'Hm.'

I just realized something.

I was definitely way too comfortable with physical intimacy from women. Like, objectively so.

Most of the time, men would be panicking, anxious, or freaking out about an opportunity like this, right?

I know for a fact that Dad mentioned he used to get flustered a lot... and he still did when Mom did it.

But it just came natural to me? Like, I enjoyed it when women were like this with me, but I didn't go out of my way to look for it.

It kind of felt like...

'Oh, Mom you sly woman.'

I got it now.

It was like how if you let a kid have candy whenever they wanted as a child, when they became an adult they'd rarely eat it. Since they were never restricted from it, that just became an every day thing. Something uninteresting.

And considering how often Mom was clingy and probably a bit borderline dangerously affectionate with me when I was a kid what with all her kisses, hugs, and absolute lack of personal space...

The result was me being physically at ease whenever I was around a beautiful woman. At least, as long as they weren't actively trying to seduce me.

'It would explain why Rishia is such a good body pillow...'

Maybe I was Pavlov'd into associating 'clingy beautiful women' as 'safe space'...

Something to think about.

And also something to note since I definitely didn't seem to be affected by lust at all. At least, not the roaring 'super horny must have sex' kind of lust.

At that time, Mina looked up at me and giggled. "Papa's having weird thoughts again."

I coughed and said, "Am not."

Nina giggled too and said, "It's okay, Father. You're a person too."

I sighed. "Darn kids. This is the problem with being too smart. Your kids are just as smart or smarter..."

Mina nodded. "Mmhm! Am smart!"

Nina nodded too, a bright smile on her face. "Thank you, Father. And yes, I am smart."

I chuckled and then reeled in my line before idly flicking my wrist, sending it out again.

As I did, I hummed. "I wonder how the others are doing?"

The Three Stooges should be on the island still too, right? They'd missed the whole shebang with my parents and everything, so I wondered what they were doing right now...?

===

"...And that's why we're not hanging out with the Spear Hero, Miss Therese." Itsuki explained while restringing his bow with a new bow-string, crafted from leather from one of the monsters he'd slain that gave extra experience.

Therese adjusted her glittering blue hair and nodded, casually launching a fireball at a shadowy penguin. "I see... a man with such deviant tastes is indeed one to avoid."

Elena brushed a strand of her crimson hair away and said, "I agree. That's why I'm joining Itsuki and Ren's party now instead of sticking with that pervert."

Ren sighed as he cut down an oversized fish that leapt out of a nearby puddle. "I can't say I'm surprised that it ended up this way considering he died due to a love triangle in his past life. But at the same time... at least it's consentual?"

Itsuki gave Ren a harsh look and said, "A child cannot consent, Ren."

Ren held up his hand and said, "I'm not saying it's right or excusable for Motoyasu to be with Yuki. I'm just saying that he didn't actively go out of his way to go onto that route. He just... didn't say no."

"THAT'S WORSE!"

Elena sighed and said, "Just ignore it for now, Itsuki. Regrettably, until the waves are concluded, we can't afford to kill or punish the Spear Hero. If we could, Lord Naofumi would have, wouldn't he?"

Itsuki paused. Then he let out a long suffering sigh. "That's true. Considering everything that happened, Aniki wouldn't have given Motoyasu a pass unless it would cause a big issue..."

Ren nodded. "Yeah. So let's just focus on getting stronger so we can handle the waves and eventually head back home. And speaking of getting stronger..." Ren took a look around. "...Where are we anyway?"

The four of them had teamed up in a makeshift party after Ren and Itsuki decided to go level grind. Elena had come along since she was practically attached at the hip to Itsuki, and they'd met Therese who was adventuring alone since her party had headed home early to handle personal affairs.

Since it was a pretty leisurely pace with their party composition, they had been bantering, chatting, and venting about various things while killing monsters...

But because of that, none of them had paid any attention to where they were.

And right now, they looked to be deep in Cal Mira's jungle terrain, with creeks and puddles all around, along with vine-covered trees and numerous ambush points for monsters.

Therese hummed and slowly turned around. Then she said, "We are at the northern part, I believe? If we continue moving forward, we should end up at a cliff face towards the sea."

Itsuki looked surprised and said, "You can tell that?"

Therese smiled. "I have an affinity towards directions. It's part of who I am."

Ren tapped his sword hilt and said, "I see. But north, huh?" He hummed and said, "I think Naofumi set up on the southwest? The Adventurer's Outpost is in the middle of the island, and I remember him setting up south of that."

Elena nodded. "That should be correct." After that, she looked up at the sun in the sky and said, "It also appears to be around... noon? Or a few hours after? Should we head back?"

Itsuki idly shot down a few snakes trying to sneak up on them. Then he said, "I think it would be fun to camp out for the night, wouldn't it? We have rations, and it shouldn't be too hard to build shelter."

Therese flicked her wrist, sending more fireballs to shoot down some oversized spiders in the distance. "Camping out in a place like this... you have some bold taste, Itsuki. Even L'Arc wouldn't have chosen a place like this for the night."

Elena pulled out some glowing crystals and said, "It's okay. I prepared ahead of time and bought [Sanctuary Crystals] from the outpost. These should keep out the small fry."

Ren raised an eyebrow and said, "Those exist?"

Elena tucked a strand of her orange hair behind her ear and smiled, giving a side-eye at Itsuki. "I'm very diligent in helping Itsuki."

Itsuki let out a genuine smile in return and said, "Thank you, Elena."

Elena winked and said, "Just don't run off to your world without me, Itsuki."

Itsuki laughed. "I would never. And even if I did..." He held her hand and said, "I would cross a thousand worlds to find you again."

Elena's breath hitched, her composed expression fracturing for a bit with raw vulnerability. It quickly vanished as she put on her polished smile again, but everyone there saw it.

And Ren let out a wry smile. "Crossing a thousand worlds to find you again, huh...?"

Therese chuckled. "How romantic." She placed a hand on her cheek and said, "If only L'Arc would do the same for me..."

After that, and some more idle small talk, the party of four searched for a clearing to set up camp.

It didn't take long for them to find one near a clear stream.

When they did, Ren used his sword to chop down the nearby trees for raw materials while Itsuki diligently used said raw materials to craft a small wooden cabin.

During that, Therese set up a small fire pit while Elena checked the water in the stream.

After scooping up a small vial and dripping some powder inside of it, Elena's eyes widened in surprise and she said, "This water is fresh water. It seems like it's not from the sea?"

Ren tilted his head. "Really?" He finished giving the last of the chopped trees to Itsuki and said, "That's surprising. Is there an underground spring or something? Or do the nearby plants naturally filter out the salt?"

Itsuki started weaving some fibers for bedding and said, "It might just be magic, Ren."

Ren slowly blinked. Then he sighed. "Of course. Magic. I keep forgetting that this world sometimes doesn't make sense..."

Elena chuckled. "Considering Lord Naofumi turned the moon into a habitable world, I would have thought you would be used to that by now."

"Me too, Elena." Ren sighed again. "Me too. I thought I would have already adapted to it. But I guess not."

As Therese set up some logs for the firepit, she said, "Is it true then? Did the former Shield Hero truly conquer the moon and claim it for his own? I heard rumors about it in the tavern, but..."

"Oh, it's definitely true." Ren nodded. "Naofumi is the definition of bootstrapping. When he was summoned here, he was definitely just like us. But since the Legendary Shield had a lot of restrictions... instead of figuring out what it was supposed to do, he worked around the restrictions instead by using his head. And the end result of that..." Ren let out a helpless shrug.

Itsuki chuckled and said, "The end result is a man with the power to break the world in half but who still picks up projects and various excuses to not handle the fact that he has at least two beautiful women who would immediately start a relationship with him. It's pretty funny. I think Kamijou-san would sympathize... or punch him in the face. Maybe both."

Elena walked over to sit down beside Itsuki, idly picking up some fibers to help him weave some bedding as well. As she did, she said, "Whatever the case... it means that this world is peaceful. So it's a good thing."

Ren sat down on the stump of a tree he cut down and nodded, a faint smile on his face. "Yeah. It was pretty hectic those first months. But now it's pretty relaxed." He shrugged and said, "I mean, how could it not be, right? If this was a game like Meincraft, we're practically in Peaceful Mode now."

The four shared a brief moment, just quietly working and resting in peace.

But then Therese spoke up and said, "So were you Legendary Heroes summoned from different worlds as well then? In my world, our Heroes were also summoned from different worlds. Although that included the Vassal Heroes, not just the Legendary Heroes."

Ren tilted his head, looking intrigued. "Vassal Heroes? Hm... I think Naofumi would know more about that. But I'm pretty sure the only people who were summoned here from another world are the Four Heroes."

Itsuki nodded. "That should be accurate. Queen Mirellia mentioned that the Vassal Heroes in this world are all from this world's inhabitants. Not only that, but the ritual that summoned us is supposed to be a grand magic, so there shouldn't be any casual otherworlders like us."

Ren paused to think about it. Then he said, "...Actually, don't you think that prince from Four Bray was a bit suspicious? That country's a bit too high tech, isn't it?"

Itsuki shrugged. "Maybe. But it's also the place where previous summoned heroes settled down though."

"Oh. True." Ren hummed and looked at Therese. "But that's the rough situation. We're all from different worlds, yes. And Naofumi is from a particularly spectacular world..."

Itsuki teased. "You mean an amazing world." He paused. "...Do you think he could meet Spider-Man?"

Ren shrugged. "Considering he apparently met Doctor Strange, I wouldn't put it past him." Ren stretched and then said, "...I wonder when this is all going to end though?"

Itsuki paused. "...That's true." He frowned. "We were summoned to fight against the waves, right? Aniki seems like he's pretty much figured it out. When he does... do we just go home?"

Therese looked at them all and said, "Do you have a home to go back to?"

Ren nodded. "I have a... friend waiting for me still. If I really did die in that world... she'll be heartbroken. So I have to go back."

Itsuki nodded too and said, "I don't really have anyone waiting for me... but I would want to go back." He rubbed the back of his neck and said, "I kind of miss games..."

Elena smiled. "Then I'm going with you."

Itsuki smiled back at her. "Of course you are, El."

"E-El?" Elena turned a bright red, letting out a shy smile.

Therese chuckled. "Well, let's hope that we all return to our homes safe and sound then. But for now, let's take a bit to relax, shall we?"