Chapter 8

The embers in Maya’s room had completely died out. She sat in the dark for a long time, the heavy iron of her newly forged gauntlet resting coolly against her knee.

Through the thin wall, she could hear Myne’s soft, even breathing.

Maya stood up, unlocking her door and quietly slipping into the hallway. She opened the door to Myne's room. The red-haired spy was sprawled across the plush bed, completely dead to the world, the empty wine goblet resting on the nightstand beside her.

Maya pulled a heavy wooden chair into the corner of the room, far from the moonlight spilling through the window, and sat down. She crossed her arms and watched the sleeping viper.

I could go out there, Maya thought, her eyes fixed on the shadows. With my agility stat boosted by the balloon skin and this iron gauntlet, I could probably find whatever thug the King hired to rob Naofumi. I could stop it.

But as the hours ticked by, a cold, pragmatic logic settled over her.

No. I shouldn't interfere.

If she stopped the frame job tonight, what would happen tomorrow? The King and the Church of the Three wouldn't just give up. They would try again, and next time, the trap would be deadlier. They might even realize Maya was a threat and target her, too.

Furthermore, Naofumi needed this. It sounded cruel, even in her own head, but this world wasn't a game. It was a brutal, unforgiving political warzone. If Naofumi was going to survive the Waves of Calamity, he needed to shed his naive, trusting college-student persona immediately. He needed to understand the true nature of their enemies.

I gave him the warning, Maya reminded herself, clenching her metal fist. I gave him the tools to see through their lies. Now, he has to face the fire himself. If I hold his hand, he'll never learn to survive. He has to face his own problems from now on.

Maya closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the wall, and waited for the dawn.

The morning sun crept over the horizon, painting the room in hues of gold and pink.

Myne groaned, shifting on the bed. She pressed a hand to her temple, a slight hangover pounding behind her eyes. As she blinked the sleep away, she suddenly froze.

Sitting in the corner of the room, bathed in the morning light, was Maya. The Gauntlet Hero looked completely awake, her dark eyes resting softly on Myne.

Myne scrambled up, pulling the blanket to her chest, her carefully crafted composure slipping for a second. "Maya-sama! What… how long have you been sitting there?"

Maya offered a gentle, thoroughly convincing smile of relief. "Oh, thank goodness you're awake, Myne. I've been here most of the night."

"But… why?" Myne asked, genuinely bewildered.

Maya stood up, walking over to the bed with an expression of pure, sisterly concern. "You drank quite a bit of wine last night, Myne. You were heavily intoxicated when I brought you to your room. I couldn't possibly sleep knowing you were in such a vulnerable state."

Maya reached out, gently tucking a stray strand of red hair behind Myne's ear. "This city is strange to me, and there are many rough characters around. I simply couldn't bear the thought of someone sneaking in and taking advantage of you while your guard was down. So, I stayed to keep watch."

Myne stared at her, completely dumbfounded. In the criminal, backstabbing circles Myne usually operated in, showing weakness was a death sentence. Yet here was this incredibly powerful, summoned Hero, sacrificing her own sleep just to act as a bodyguard for a "drunk maiden."

A flicker of genuine irritation crossed Myne's mind—she hated being seen as weak—but it was quickly swallowed by a massive wave of smug satisfaction. She is completely wrapped around my finger, Myne thought gleefully. She’s strong, but she's so naive and protective it's pathetic.

"Maya-sama…" Myne cooed, forcing a look of touched devotion onto her face. "You are truly a noble soul. To protect a humble adventurer like me… I am forever in your debt."

"Think nothing of it," Maya smiled, turning toward the door to hide the coldness in her eyes. "Now, we should get dressed. The King requested all the Heroes gather at the castle this morning, remember?"

"Ah, yes," Myne said, a dark, anticipatory gleam returning to her eyes. "We certainly wouldn't want to miss that."

An hour later, Maya and Myne walked through the heavy oak doors of the grand throne room.

The atmosphere had completely changed from the day before. The room was packed with knights standing at attention. The King sat on his throne, his face set in a mask of furious, righteous indignation. Ren, Motoyasu, and Itsuki were already there, standing to the side with their parties, looking incredibly uncomfortable.

And in the center of the room, surrounded by four heavily armed royal guards, stood Naofumi.

He looked exhausted. His starting armor was rumpled, and he was clutching his shield tightly to his chest. He looked up as Maya entered, his eyes searching hers for a brief second.

Maya kept her face blank, stepping into line next to Motoyasu, with Myne standing dutifully right behind her.

"Now that all the Heroes are present," King Aultcray bellowed, his voice echoing like thunder, "we shall address the vile crime committed in our capital last night!"

The King pointed a dramatically shaking finger at Naofumi.

"Naofumi Iwatani! The Shield Demon! You stand accused of assault and attempted robbery against the daughter of a prominent nobleman! What do you have to say for yourself?"

A murmur of disgust rippled through the assembled nobles and knights. Ren crossed his arms, looking disappointed. Itsuki shook his head, muttering something about justice. Motoyasu just looked angry.

Naofumi stood tall, his jaw set. He didn't look panicked like he would have yesterday. He looked incredibly, dangerously calm. He remembered Maya's warning. They are going to try to frame you.

"I say," Naofumi replied, his voice echoing clearly through the hall, "that the accusation is a complete fabrication. I spent the entire night alone in my inn room. I have the innkeeper's ledger to prove it."

The King sneered. "Lies! We have a witness who saw you fleeing the scene! Bring forth the victim!"

The crowd parted, and a young woman in torn, disheveled noble clothing stumbled forward, weeping into her hands.

Maya watched out of the corner of her eye as Myne suppressed a triumphant smirk. The trap was fully sprung. The kingdom had meticulously crafted a scenario to ruin the Shield Hero permanently.

Interactive Choice: How does Maya handle the trial?

Maya must navigate this carefully to maintain her cover while the kingdom executes its plan.