Chapter 30: Transformation Ability
"Oyaji! Oyaji! Oyaji!"
I knocked on the door of the closed weapon shop over and over.
After I did the disgruntled weapon shop Oyaji reluctantly opened the door.
"What is it all of a sudden shield an-chan[1]? The shop closed a long time ago."
"It's not like that!"
I showed Oyaji Firo who I had dressed in my cloak.
"An-chan, don't come bragging because you got a good slave."
"You're wrong!"
Who does Oyaji think I am!
If I met the me that's inside Oyaji's mind, it seems like I could kill him without regret.
"Master? What's wrong?"
"You be quiet."
"No."
Damn! What the heck is happening!
After that there was no end to the panic.
That slave trader, he had his mouth hanging open while pointing. His men were also too shocked to speak.
Even Raphtalia was speechless.
Firo was so desperate to be by my side so much so that she became human.
By the time I noticed, I had carried her over to Oyaji's shop.
"Ha-hachoo"
Poof! Sreeeech!
She transformed and I heard the sound of the cloak I put on her ripping.
In a moment Firo transformed to a Filolial Queen's (pending) body.
This bird! Cloaks aren't free you know.
"Wha..." (f)reewebnovel
Oyaji also lost his words. He looked up at Firo.
Firo returned to a human form, and grabbed my hand. A thing that resembled a mantle fell on top of her head.
"... do you get the situation?"
"Ye-yeah."
Oyaji led me into the store with a really complicated face.
"So, the reason you came to me, is for that girl's equipment?"
"Leaving aside defensive power, isn't there some outfit that won't break even if she transforms?"
I knew it was unreasonable as I asked Oyaji.
"I mean why is she transforming!?"
"An-chan, calm down a bit."
That's right. Thinking about it carefully why is Firo transforming into a human?
There the wings growing out of her back which may be remnants of her true form.. She was a blond and blue-eyed girl so she kind of looked like an angel.
On top of that, she was so cute she had a face like a painting.
She looked around 10 years old. Her physique was like Raphtalia's from a while ago.
Guuuuu....
A classic loud stomach growl.
"Master I'm hungry."
"Bear with it."
"No."
Ku! What the heck is happening.
"For now do you want what I'm having for dinner?"
Oyaji said as he brought a pot out from the back of the store. It seemed like a soup.
"Sto-"
"Yaaaay, thanks for the food"
Firo stole the pot from Oyaji and drank it down, the entire pot.
"Hmm... it doesn't taste that great."
She gave the pot back to Oyaji.
Oyaji looked at me, stunned.
"Um, sorry."
"... An-chan, treat me to a meal after this."
I felt more and more like despair was waiting for me.
"Right... I feel like I might of had some clothes for demi-humans that had transformation powers but... I mean go to a clothes store an-chan."
"Are you telling me to go to a clothes store that doesn't know me at this time of night with a completely naked girl? On top of that, the girl can change into a monster you know?"
"... that's true, hold on a sec."
Rustle rustle, Oyaji rummaged through the back of the store.
"I don't know if the size will fit, and they're some odd clothes so don't expect much."
"I got it."
In the end, Oyaji spent some time before coming back.
"Sorry. None of the clothes look like they'll fit her after she transforms."
"What, was that!?"
This was my last option, what should I do now. Are you telling me there are no clothes for this young girl who looks at me dearly and comes into contact with me?
With this, the recent good opinion I've gotten is going to take a steep dive.
"Master"
"Don't transform!"
Even if I have to use the magic crest, there's no choice but to forbid her from transforming into a human. A monster transforming into a human has to be pretty rare.
"No."
Ku... what does this kid what to do!
Plus she's completely going against what I say.
Is it her rebellious phase? She shouldn't be allowed to enter a rebellious phase a few days after being born.
"'Cause... if I'm in my true form master won't sleep with me."
Firo tightened her grip on my hand and smiled with her whole face.
"... why do we have to sleep together?"
"'cause I'm lonely."
"Ahh... how to say this, an-chan. You have it rough huh?"
I didn't come to this world to take care of kids though...
"Come to think of it where's Raphtalia?"
"I finally caught up."
Raphtalia entered the shop breathing heavily.
"You suddenly took off running... I searched for you."
"Ah, sorry."
"Ahhh Raphtalia onee-chan."
Firo happily waved her hand.
"I'm not giving you master ok?"
"What is this child saying!"
"Not giving me, I'm not your thing. More like you guys are mine right?"
Meaning they're slaves.
"Well, for now I'll see if there's a way to tailor clothes for her so go back for today."
"Right, sorry about this."
"Thanks for the food~"
"Man... you manage to surprise me again and again, an-chan."
I left the weapon shop and started tiredly making my way towards the inn when Raphtalia called out to me.
"Ah, that sla-... the monster trader asked you to come back."
"Hm? Got it."
We returned to the tent and the slave trader, who was just waiting for us, came out to greet us.
"Well, that was a surprising development. Yes."
"Yeah."
"So, I've realized why sightings of Filolial kings are so rare."
"Oh? You figured it out?"
"Yes. I mean, I think Shield Hero-sama will also be able to understand."
What? The slave trader's using quite a round-about why of speaking.
"You don't understand?"
"... no so tell me."
The slave trader pointed to the human shaped Firo who was wearing the torn up cloak.
"Filolial kings have a high level transformation ability, so they transform into regular Filolials to avoid human eyes, is what we think."
I see...they have the power to transform and hide, thus people won't realize they're the Filolials' boss on sight. They could also use it to transform into humans.
"Well well, to be able to see with my own eyes the Filolial king that can rarely be studied, I'm moved by Hero-sama's high monster taming ability. Yes."
"What?"
"To raise a normal Filolial into a queen... what raising method would you use to raise a queen do you think?"
... I understood the slave trader's aim. This guy wants to hear how to raise Filolial kings from me and mass produce them.
It must be a pretty rare class of monster, plus it has transformation power. He wants to raise them at minimal cost and sell them at a high price to reap a huge profit.
"It's probably, the legendary shield's power I think."
I reasoned that the power of growth compensation raised her to this height, otherwise it wouldn't be worthy of being legendary.
"When Hero-sama is vague like that, it makes me all tingly. How much would I have to pay to have you teach me I wonder?"
"That's not what I mean!"
"Well then, I'll present you with one more Filolial, so please try-"
"I refuse!"
If they increase any more my wallet won't hold out. I already have to do something about Firo's clothes. If my food expenses increase any more I would be broke.
"Sigh... thinking of any other possibilities, I guess there was that."
"What was it, if you please."
Uu... the slave trader's eyes are sparkling.
It was sickening.
"I fed her meat from a huge monster that was beaten during the wave, so I can't deny the possibility that affected her."
Well, even I think that that sounds crazy.
But she did eat the chimera's meat so I'm not saying anything wrong.
"Hmm... then no helping it."
The slave trader didn't believe it either, but he didn't want to irritate me so he backed off.
"I'll give you a Filolial anytime, so please try raising one. Yes."
"If possible I want to decline but..."
“If you raise it, you’ll easily be able to earn a lot of money”
"Hm, if I'm not busy I'll think about it."
With that one phrase, I became even more self-conscious that I'm a miser.
"Have you finished talking to him?"
"Yeah."
"By the way what shall we do?"
"About what?"
Firo was drawn into the conversation so she had a question mark above her head.
"About your treatment."
"I'm sleeping together with master~."
"I won't let you!"
"Ahh no fair! Raphtalia's onee-chan, you're trying to keep master to yourself~"
"No I'm not!"
What are they getting so worked up for...
"Alright, then Firo will sleep in the stable attached to the inn."
"No!"
My order was clearly rejected by a mere bird.
"I'm sleeping with master!"
... this is the same as a child throwing a tantrum because they want to sleep with their parents.
"I see I see, no helping it."
"Naofumi-sama!?"
"Even if I reject her, she'll just keep being selfish so I should meet in the middle somewhere right?"
"Well... yes, but.."
Raphtalia muttered like she wasn't satisfied.
"But make sure you're not naked in front of other people."
"Okaaaay!"
Does she really get it? Well whatever. I'll pray that the weapon shop owner can do something about it tomorrow, nothing to do but return to the inn.
I returned to the inn, paid the inn keeper for one more and went back to my room.
Studying or mixing potions... the free time for that disappeared when Firo transformed into a human.
"Yay! A soft bed~!"
I warned Firo who was jumping on the bed and decided to turn in early.
... It's hot!
Why is it hot!?
"Uuu..."
My body won't move as I want.
What's happening?
I fearfully opened my eyes and the world was pure white.
I was wrapped in wings.
"Su... su..."
This bed is breathing!
I slowly raised my body to see I wasn't sleeping on a bed. I was on top of Firo's belly after she had returned to her real form.
At about the same time, Firo's original body rolled in her sleep, falling off the bed while hugging me like a pillow.
"Wake up! You fat bird!"
Who said it was okay to return to your original form.
"Noooooo..."
This guy was speaking even though she was in her real form.
"Wh-what are you doing!?"
Raphtalia yelled at me while looking half asleep.
"Oh, Raphtalia, help me!"
This guy was not waking up even if I punched her. My attack power was just too low.
"Wake up Firo!"
Firo rolled over on the floor.
Creak creak creak...
I heard an ominous noise coming from the floor. With just a wooden floor, we were near the breaking point.
"Get up!"
However, Firo who kept smothering me showed no signs of waking up.
"Wake up now!"
Raphtalia forcefully pulled Firo's smothering arm open.
I didn't miss that chance and somehow managed to escape.
"Whew... it's only morning and it's already terrible."
"Nnya?"
Firo realized I was gone and opened her eyes.
Firo noticed me and Raphtalia glaring at her and tilted her head.
"What's wrong?"
"First return to human form!"
"Ehhh... I just woke up."
Ku! This is the last thing I wanted to do but no helping it!
I used the status magic and chose the monster icon and in the restrictions index I put a check on the part that said my orders were absolute.
If I do this she won't be able to go against any kind of order I make.
"Become human!"
I faced Firo and issued an order.
"Ehhh... I want to sleep with master for a bit more."
After refusing to follow my order, the curse mark on Firo's belly emerged.
"Eh?"
"If you don't listen it's going to hurt."
The shining red curse mark spread across Firo's body.
"Noooooo..."
Then, some kind of pattern appeared on Firo's wing. It flew to the curse mark and, with a fizzle, the mark stopped shining.
"Huh?"
I checked the monster icon. For some reason the part of the restrictions index I had marked had become unmarked.
I tried to check it again, but even if I messed with it it didn't change.
Damn! I brought a monster because it would listen to my orders.
Slave trader... I'm heading to your place right now, so wash your neck and wait.[2].
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