A Day In The Life Of The Shield Hero
Rise and Shine (and Grind)
My alarm clock? The ever-cheerful, sometimes-too-loud, Raphtalia yelling, "Lord Naofumi, it's time to wake up!" It's charming, really. Like being woken up by a golden retriever... with a sword.
First things first: breakfast! No fancy feasts here. We're talking hearty, adventurer-fuel. Think monster meat and whatever vegetables Filo hasn't devoured yet.
Then it's straight to business. Gotta check the stats, tweak the skills, and make sure my shield isn't trying to absorb anything too weird. You never know what that thing will decide to munch on next.
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Merchant Mayhem
Next, a trip to the marketplace. Time to haggle for supplies. It's a real test of patience, let me tell you. Those merchants think I'm made of money!
I usually try to get Raphtalia to do the talking. Her sweet smile is far more persuasive than my grumpy glare.
Sometimes I buy some supplies for Filo. The girl eats more than a small country.
Questing and Quests
After stocking up, it's quest time! You know, saving villages, slaying monsters, the usual hero stuff. One time, we rescued a kitten stuck in a tree. Very dramatic.
Monsters aren't always the problem. Sometimes it's convincing people I'm not the devil. Public relations is hard work, people!
Raphtalia and Filo are amazing, though. They make the whole thing way more bearable. Plus, they're really good at fighting.
The Grind Never Stops
Combat is mostly about positioning and letting my shield do the work. I'm a tank, not a damage dealer. Raphtalia handles the swordplay, Filo is the aerial assault unit.
After a long day, we find a cozy inn. Or, if the budget is tight, we camp under the stars. I've gotten pretty good at building a fire. It’s easier than dealing with paperwork.
Leveling up happens all the time. So, I'm pretty much always stronger!
Dinner and Downtime
Dinner is usually whatever we caught or bought that day. Filo usually tries to steal everyone's food. She's a growing girl, okay?
Evenings are for relaxing. Raphtalia often reads to me. Filo usually just runs around in circles until she collapses from exhaustion.
Sometimes, I even get to work on my shield skills. Finding new things to absorb and new abilities to unlock is always fun. Especially if it annoys the other heroes.
Sweet Dreams (Maybe)
Then, finally, it's bedtime. Except monsters never take a break, so sometimes we have to fight some at night. Which is not ideal, let me tell you.
The worst case? The nightmares about the waves. It gets hard sometimes.
But then, I'll look at Raphtalia and Filo, and know that I must keep going. I will beat those waves no matter what. I will protect those I love.
And that's pretty much a day in the life of the Shield Hero. Exciting? Exhausting? Both? You bet. Would I trade it? Not for anything.
"This is my path. My choice." -Naofumi Iwatani
