Rise of the Soul Hero

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The morning the trio was still resting, they were at the inn and had only recently woken up. The first thing Naofumi did was to check Andrei's burn that he had received last night. Andrei himself was sitting on a stool next to a small mirror. His left eye area was bandaged with part of Naofumi's cloak, and he could still feel the pain from the spell Princess Malthy had cast on Naofumi. Andrei didn't regret what he had done, if it happened again he wouldn't hesitate to protect Naofumi again.

Now looking in the mirror he began to unwind part of Naofumi's cloak from his face. As he did so they both saw the red scars at the burn site, and the skin underneath those scars was also red and swollen. Andrei tousled his overgrown grey hair, which looked like grey, and then turned to Raftalia who was currently sitting on the bed.

- Sister Raftalia, do you happen to have a rubber band? I just need to tie up my hair so it doesn't get in the way. -

Raftalia quickly came to Andrey and looked at him and smiled a little, then put it in Andrey's other hand and began to speak.

- Here, I think it will suit you not a big braid. Although with loose hair you look even better. -

Andrei smiled and began to answer.

- Yes, I would like to be with loose hair, though I will shorten it a little. Now let's treat this damn burn. -

After these words, Andrei looked in the mirror again and quietly remarked to himself that he looked a little like Zuka from the avatar. Naofumi didn't hear this and decided to ask.

- Did you say something to Andrei? -

With a small smile Andrei began to answer quickly thinking of an answer.

- Yes, I said that I'm now a handsome man, eh, just like a figure of some kind. I can't remember which one. All right, let's get on with it. -

Naofumi sighed a little and started talking.

- I'll put some ointment on it, then drop some elixir and bandage it up. But before that I'll ask you a question, is the vision in your left eye intact? -

Andrei closed his right eye and looked only with the left one. Everything was visible, but the colourfulness around became much less, everything around as if a dark shade prevailed. Having realised this Andrei opened his right eye and started to answer.

- My vision is fine, I can understand the distance, there is nothing blurred. But colours became as if prevail more dark shade, but when I look both colours are better distinguishable. -

Naofumi scratched his cheek slightly and began to say the assumption that came into his head.

- It looks like the retina of your eye is slightly damaged. But it's not too serious, that's good, so let's get down to business, it's going to hurt for sure, I can't guarantee a painless treatment. -

Andrei just shrugged his shoulders and agreed. But at that very second he clenched his teeth and fists as the feeling of the ointment on the burned part brought searing pain. Naofumi tried to do it all carefully, but realised that Andrew was in quite a bit of pain right now and tried to apply the ointment as quickly as possible.

Raftalia watched and held the bandages in her hands, waiting for the bandages to be applied. By this point Naofumi was finishing applying the ointment, Andrew sighed relaxedly as Naofumi did, then he began to speak.

- Well, now you need a little drop of elixir and Raftalia will bandage this place for you. Be patient for a while Andrei. -

Andrei just nodded and after a second he felt the elixir dripping on the part where the ointment had been smeared. It was much more tolerable, but at the same moment he felt it start to sizzle and burn even more. Raftalia realised it was time to bandage that part and did it as quickly as possible.

When it was over Andrew looked at himself in the mirror again and started talking.

- Damn, that hurt, but it felt a lot better than yesterday. We'll do it again next time, but in the meantime I'll have to buy myself a helmet or a mask so that I don't scare the kids on the street. -

Hearing this, Raftalia immediately hugged Andrei from behind and began to speak with a kind tone.

- Andrei, you won't scare anyone with this. Everyone will know it, in addition to you and me, and only let him try to say something to you. -

Then Naofumi stood beside Andrei, and putting his hand on Andrei's shoulder, he too spoke in a serious tone.

- A single word, a slanted glance or a whisper behind our backs about you, that man will know my wrath at once. I will not allow my comrade to suffer because of some mockery. -

Andrew with a small smile also put his palm on Naofumi's shoulder and began to speak.

- If so, I will not hide the trace of it, let everyone see and know that I have nothing to be ashamed of. As long as you're around, I'm like a stone wall. And so are you. -

They agreed with these words and began to pack. Andrew quickly put on his leather sleeveless jacket, put on his belt and put his swords in the scabbards that were on his belt, and then waited for the others. Then they went outside and went to an old acquaintance to check and buy something. Andrei didn't know what Naofumi wanted from the merchant, and he didn't want to know, he just followed his friend and sister.

As they walked along the road, many people looked in their direction. The news of what had happened during last night's duel had spread through the city since morning. Everyone knew how and what had happened, some of the rumours were embellished, but seeing Andrei's face covered with bandages. Each of those who knew less than the others simply speculated without knowing the truth and theorised that Andrei had deliberately stood in front of the spell. Others said that there was no spell at all, that the boy had been injured accidentally. But also people were discussing why the shield hero had been sent a messenger with money, and not a small amount of money, as there were not a lot of people at that time when it happened.

Passing by a couple of shops between which this discussion was going on, Andrei realised that everywhere, even in this world, people are gossips and talkers. But by this time they had already reached the tent of the Trader. When they entered they saw the Trader himself, who was just waiting for them. He rubbed his hands together and approached the three. He had a smile on his face, his eyes were covered with glasses, but he started to speak while rubbing his hands together.

- Ah dear Hero of the Shield, I've been waiting for your return. You've been a great help to me, you know. -

Naofumi raised an eyebrow in surprise and asked a question.

- I wonder what I did to help you so much that you're so pleased? -

The merchant smiled even wider and spread his hands apart to answer.

- The strength of your assistants tells me that I have only the best goods. I'm almost out of customers. I also have you to thank for that. -

He walked up to Raftalia and Andrew, then looked at them closely and began to speak.

- I see the little girl has grown up and become even more beautiful and very strong. And the guy is no longer a walking skeleton, but a young man who can be envied by many, even these bandages on the left side of the face near the eye make you more combative. By the way, I can give you ten gold pieces for the girl, and if she's a virgin, I can give you twenty. -

Raftalia blushed very much and looked questioningly at Naofumi, who in turn raised his hands as a sign that he was not going to do it. Then looking round he began to speak.

- We're here on another matter, yesterday we were compensated for what happened to Andrei. You don't have any healing ointments or very good elixirs. -

The slave trader thought for a moment and began to answer.

- Unfortunately, I don't have anything suitable. I would be glad to help the boy heal this wound, but alas. By the way, so that your path would not be so empty, I inform you that I decided to make a small lottery. Take one free monster egg, I'm sure you have a very good hand. -

Naofumi sighed heavily and began to speak.

- Oh well, I'll have to go to the herbalist or something to buy the necessary items. I'll take the lottery, I'll see if I can get something useful. -

After saying that, he went to the rack and chose one of the eggs. The peddler, seeing the chosen one, again made a wide smile and began to speak.

- As always a very good choice, this is a filorial egg. These birds are used for transport, I think, in the future you. -

Then he turned to Andrew and began to speak.

- I wish you good luck, boy, it's not your first scar, but it may not be your last. So be careful, a man like you can do a lot of things. I also think that in the future you'll come to me for what you need, like the Shield Hero. -

Andrew smiled slightly and began to respond to these words.

- If I come to you, it will be only to buy back every single slave. It will bring you wealth, but I swear that no more slaves will ever come to you. -

The slave trader laughed a little and began to speak.

- You can see a future entrepreneur and a strong man in one person. Perhaps by the time you become like that I will leave this country, but at the same time I will wait for those days. You really are an interesting person. -

After this conversation the three left the tent and went to a tavern to eat. There they sat down at the table and Andrew immediately felt how people began to look at them, he sighed and slightly rubbed his cheek, and then began to eat stew that was brought to him. But at that moment the three of them noticed that the lottery egg began to shake. Their gazes were fixed on it, and in a second it began to crack, and in a moment it broke up and there was a little white chick with very fluffy plumage on the table.

It looked at all three of them and hopped closer to Naofumi, then smiled slightly. But when he saw that Andrew and Raftalia were looking at him very attentively, he immediately became serious, and then began to speak.

- It looks like we have a new member of the team, I hope you will be very useful bird. We need strong boys. -

Despite its small stature, the bird stood up to its full height and proudly stuck out its chest, then hopped onto Naofumi's shoulder. He brought a spoon with food to it and started to feed it without hiding his smile.

Then this bird was not much on Raftalia's shoulder, who also fed it, and then moved to Andrew. He smiled at her and began to speak.

- You seem to like to eat little bird, if so, then grow faster. We'll feed you and praise you. Now try this stew. -

He brought the spoon to her and she ate all that was in it at once, and then Andrew began to talk.

- You know, calling her birdie all the time would be a bit silly and rude to her. Let's give her a name, something appropriate. By the way, is it just me or has she gotten a little bigger? -

Naofumi looked at her and began to answer with the same slight surprise as Andrew.

- You're right, she's grown bigger. What about the name, what do you think of Firo? I think it's pretty good and short. -

And that was the end of it, they've had Firo with them ever since.