"Normal speech"

'Thought'

Status/written text

(Silent magic)

[Normal magic]

{Change of location, time or POV}

Zero's here with another special! This time we celebrate the first anniversary of my story (The Witch and the Sorcerer), and if you want to understand what is happening here you should read that first if you haven't already!

I'm beginning to read the Shield Hero LNs right now and I thought about making this as a little special. Hope you enjoy!

Just one more thing; some days ago, I opened a channel dedicated to my fanfictions on the Overlord Fanfiction Discord server. If you wanna pass by, I would appreciate it! The channel is called "fanfiction-by-zero-sama"! Invite Code is "FzznPaVT"

Beta reader: SirWertsalot (Time to jump into another masterpiece. ZeroSenpai's gonna end up luring me into another LN series at this rate.)

The Witch and the Shield

{Arwintar Imperial Palace: Private Library}

Renner was looking around Fluder's private library. She still wasn't too sure how Satoru convinced him to give him access to his private library. 'That's my Satoru I guess…' she praised internally.

Next to her was Lakyus. The young noble was looking in wonder at the myriad of books all around her. Even Renner had to admit that it was a spectacle to behold. All that knowledge gathered here; almost two centuries of information, history, and magical study. It was no wonder this place was only accessible to few people.

Shaking her head, Renner returned to reality; there was a reason why they were here. They were helping Satoru gather information about the 13 heroes and, if possible, about the 8 Greed Kings.

"Please be careful. Some of these tomes seem very ancient. We don't want to cause damage after Sir Fluder was so generous to give us access to this place."

Said Satoru from behind them. She gave him one of her smiles while Lakyus nodded.

{An hour later}

Renner managed to gather many books and now sat between Satoru and Lakyus at one of the tables, all three of them immersed in their reads.

She didn't find much on the Greed Kings, but she managed to gather some books on the 13 heroes. That said, this library was enormous, and she didn't doubt that there were useful tomes hidden here and there. It would take far more than a day to find them. She doubted that they could scan the whole library in less than two months of constant work.

She put down the book she was currently reading and took up another one 'The four Cardinal Heroes?... what is this book doing here?' she opened it and began to read. It almost sounded like a fairy tale, but it was unlikely that such a book was in this library. There must have been a certain degree of truth behind the story. Finally, she found something interesting, apparently those Holy Weapons were wielded by four legendary heroes. 'Some of the 13 heroes perhaps…' she thought.

She went through each hero quickly to try and see if they had anything in common with any of the 13. 'Spear, sword, bow and shield… what?' she thought, as she turned a page only to be greeted by blank pages, but before she could do anything a light began to shine from the pages of the book as they began to turn on their own.

"SATORU!"

She cried in alarm. The magic caster immediately turned to ward her and noticed the shining book in her hands. He immediately grabbed her and Lakyus. Hiding them behind him, the shining book now laid on the ground, but the light didn't stop growing. Soon it would engulf them, but before that happened, Satoru cast his spell and a purple barrier appeared all around the three of them. But that didn't stop the light; the white light quickly engulfed the barrier and they disappeared into it.

{Satoru's P.O.V.}

The undead magic caster known as Satoru was on full guard. One moment he was reading a book about the old Greed Kings. The next, he was on full alert since Renner seems to have activated some kind of magical book.

He of course didn't waste time in shielding both her and Lakyus from the unknown danger. He immediately cast his 8th tier magical barrier [Magical Reflection]. Fortunately, it seemed to work since the light didn't manage to penetrate the barrier but limited itself to engulfing it.

As soon as the light disappeared, he immediately went fully on guard again as he noticed that they were no longer in the ancient library, but instead were inside a gloomy chamber. In front of him stood several hooded figures who seemed to be magic casters judging by the magical circle on the ground.

He didn't dispel his barrier and was ready to cast a spell as soon as any of them made any move against him.

"Oooohhhh! We did it! We summoned the heroes!"

"Thank God the four heroes are here!"

"Please heroes, save us!"

They said surprising Satoru. 'Heroes? What are they talking about? What is happening here' he asked himself, now completely lost.

"What is happening here?!"

A young voice next to him voiced his thoughts. He turned to see three boys next to him, but what made his eyes go wide were their clothes. He knew those clothes. They were very similar to the ones young men and boys wore in his old world. Everything just got more confusing.

"What do you mean heroes?"

Asked the dark-haired boy in a cold tone.

"We summoned you, the Four Cardinal Heroes, to save us from the Waves of Calamity that are approaching us!"

One of the magic casters explained. 'Summoned? So, we are no longer in the Empire? Where in the world are we now? This is a disaster! I must get back with Renner and Lakyus at once before this all become a big political mess!' he panicked inside; he was too busy to hear the other heroes demand to be sent back and before he could ask the same a voice called for his attention.

"Satoru…"

The young, cute, and troubled voice of Renner called him from behind. He turned to ask what was wrong. Behind him there stood the two girls he came to care for in the last year but something was wrong.

There, on Renner's right arm, was a small metallic shield with a shining green stone in the middle. The sorcerer and the witch locked eyes. This was going to be a huge mess indeed.

{Throne Room}

They were guided through the castle and on the way to the throne room, Satoru took the chance to look outside. It was no help. He couldn't recognize any mountain in the distance or any particular location.

'Maybe the king of this kingdom could help us. After all, it was them who summoned us here. He must have a way to return us' he thought as they entered the throne room.

There were many nobles and knights in the room and on the throne sat a bulky man in the middle of his fifties; beard and hair fully grey. They stopped in front of the king and Satoru slightly bowed his head in respect. Behind him his two young blond companions did the same.

Most of the nobles' eyes were fixed on Renner, Lakyus and Satoru. 'They probably didn't expect more than one? Or are they surprised by the fact they summoned a child?' wondered Satoru.

"Welcome heroes! My name is Aultcray Melromarc XXXII, current king of the kingdom of Melromarc. May I know your names?"

The king presented himself. He had a strong voice befitting his body. The first to speak was the dark-haired boy.

"Amaki Ren, 16 years old, student."

He presented himself with a cold tone.

"Kitamura Motoyasu, 21 years old, university student."

Followed the taller blond boy.

"Kawasumi Itsuki, 17 years old, student."

Finally said the green haired boy with the bow.

'These are all Japanese names… what is going on here?' wondered Satoru. Now he was conflicted about using his real name, but he didn't have much of a choice. The girls knew who he was and changing his name would seem quite suspicious.

While he was lost in his thoughts, Renner stepped forward.

"I am prin-"

But before she could present herself, she was rudely interrupted.

"Well then; Ren, Motoyasu, Itsuki; you-"

The king began to speak but then was interrupted by Lakyus stepping forward.

"How rude! Is this a kingdom that knows no courtesy?! Let Her Highness introduce herself."

She said loudly, silencing the room. The king glanced at her, his eyes as hard as stone, but that didn't make Lakyus step back and she stared back with the same intensity.

"Pardon me… please introduce yourself…"

The king finally said. Satoru recognized the strained fake smile on Renner's face before she spoke once more.

"My name is Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself, third princess of the Re-Estize kingdom; this one next to me is my handmaiden Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra, sole daughter and heir of Marquis Aindra; this fine gentleman here is Sir Satoru, the greatest magic caster of the Re-Estize Kingdom."

The princess presented all of them. The room was stunned in silence. Of course, no one expected to summon a royal princess as one of the heroes.

"I see… well Princess Renner, you are aware of your situation, right?"

Asked the king, who didn't seem to be so hard anymore. 'Her young appearance is always deceitful' thought Satoru as he glanced at Renner.

"Yes, your majesty. From my understanding, we have been summoned to this land as some kind of chosen heroes to fight something called the Waves, but you must understand that this forceful summoning could be almost seen as a kidnapping of a member of the Re-Estize's royal family. To avoid any more political damage, I would like to be sent back immediately."

She continued with her usual fake sweet tone; the king nodded in understanding.

"I am very sorry for this unfortunate turn of events, but I am afraid that this isn't possible. You see, following our legends, the only way a hero could return to their world would be after defeating the Waves."

The king explained. 'Wait what? What does he mean by our world? Does that mean we are no more in Renner's world? Wait wait wait… this is bad… so very bad… why does this stuff keep happening to me?!' Satoru panicked inside. Fortunately for him, his undead nature combined with his mask didn't allow any emotion to surface outside of his mind.

"This is a… problem… may I know what these Waves exactly are?"

Asked Renner once more. From there, the king proceeded to explain what the Waves of Calamity were and what they were supposed to do. Satoru didn't like any of it.

"Please now check your statuses."

Said one of the nobles next to the king. 'Status?' internally asked Satoru. Looking instinctively around for a icon, against all odds, he found one. It was small and was barely visible in the lower left angle of his vision. He tried to tap it and a screen appeared in front of him.

Name: Satoru Suzuki

Classes: Overlord/Eclipse

LV: [Error: incalculable level, no further levelling allowed]

Age: 28

Max HP: 60.000

Max MP: 120.000

Stats:

Attack: 30.000

Magic: 90.000

Physical Defence: 70.000 (Note: natural immunity to low level attacks)

Magical Defence: 95.000 (Note: natural immunity to certain elements)

Dexterity: 15.000

Equipment:

Otherworldly items

World level item

Satoru looked baffled at the profile before quickly closing it. He didn't want to risk anyone seeing it in case it was indeed visible to other people.

He turned toward the two blond girls only to see a puzzled look on their faces. He showed them how to access their statuses and was relieved when he wasn't able to see them. That meant that no one saw his either.

"Well then, if everything is in order, we have prepared rooms for you to rest in; tomorrow you may depart for your quest alongside your parties."

The king said; they all quirked an eyebrow at his words.

"Parties? Aren't we going to be all on the same party since we need to fight back the Waves?"

Asked the dark-haired boy.

"Yeah, if we are going to cooperate, it would be a good idea to work as much as we can together."

Joined the green haired boy, while the blond only nodded in agreement.

"Unfortunately, legends say that the Holy Weapons repulse each other and do not allow heroes to be on the same party. Otherwise, they may lose their holy power."

The king explained. 'Good. I don't want them on my team anyway. I don't trust them' thought Satoru, glancing at them 'still… a party mechanic? Isn't this too much like a game now?' he wondered.

"Excuse me your majesty, how does this party function exactly work?"

The undead magic caster finally spoke for the first time since he entered in the throne room. The king seemed reluctant for a moment but then decided to speak.

"It is quite simple. You only need to think about sending an invitation to another individual and if that individual accepts, you two join forces."

The king explained.

"Thank you, your majesty."

Satoru said, bowing his head once more, before retiring alongside his two young companions and the other three heroes.

{Dining room}

After finishing their dinner, the three heroes began to speak among each other. Satoru remained there, simply listening. Their conversation ended up being quite enlightening. They were indeed from Japan as he initially suspected, but they were from different versions of Japan. Not one of them seemed to be the rotten world Satoru came from.

"What about you three… where are you from?"

Asked the blond hero looking at the three of them. Satoru coughed lightly before turning toward the three Japanese.

"My name is Satoru, magic caster of the Re-Estize Kingdom; this is princess Renner of the Re-Estize kingdom and this one is her handmaiden, Lakyus the daughter of a marquis."

He explained.

"So… you come from a fantasy world too…"

Said the green haired boy; Satoru faked confusion at his words.

"Your name sounds rather Japanese though."

Noted the dark-haired boy, Ren, Satoru shrugged.

"A coincidence, I assure you. I never heard of your land, and from what I heard you say before, I am sure our native lands are very different."

He explained in a calm tone.

"So you are a… magic caster… can you show us some magic?"

Asked the blond boy now grinning. Satoru nodded as he summoned a small flame in his gloved hand.

"This is pretty basic but considering the… destructive nature of my magic, I would prefer not to cause any damage with more fancy spells."

He said as the three nodded in understanding.

"Excuse me… Satoru right? I was wondering if you could take off that mask. I don't mean any offence, but it is pretty unnerving to look at."

Requested the green haired boy.

"Unfortunately, my enchanted mask is an important artifact for my order; you see, after we receive our masks, it is forbidden to take them off in front of others. If we do so, we are forbidden from ever using magic again."

He explained to the dumbfounded heroes.

"How harsh…"

The blond one whispered.

"Well, it is rather late. I think I will have to bring these two to their room. If you could excuse me."

He said, before standing up, followed by the other girls.

"Sure, see you tomorrow!"

Said the blond one in a cheerful tone.

{Bedroom}

As soon as they entered the room, Satoru locked it and cast a silent anti-information and anti-spying spell.

The pleasant smile on Renner's face disappeared, replaced by a blank expression.

"What a mess…"

She mumbled as she sat on the bed; Lakyus didn't say anything but she seemed very troubled judging by her expression.

"Lakyus, come here. I need to test something."

He called the young swordswoman; she immediately went to him.

"[Discern Entity]"

He cast his spell; now he could see her stats, but they were still the stats of Yggdrasil. Very different from the stats he saw before in the throne room.

"Can you check your status?"

He asked; she nodded and opened her status.

"Swordmaster level 1, max HP 421, max MP 230."

She began. Immediately something obvious clicked into his mind 'Of course, how stupid of me, they don't actually understand what these are…' he said internally.

"From my understanding, the first is your class. You could consider it some sort of title that gives you power. The more your level goes up, the more powerful you will be. The second is your health; the number indicates how much damage you can sustain before… well… dying… The third is an evaluation of how much mana you have; that is of course self-explanatory."

He tried to explain in terms she could understand. Her eyes immediately widened in wonder at his explanation.

"Is that so? You are so smart Satoru! How did you manage to understand it so quickly?!"

She praised him. He simply laughed lightly and patted her head much to the irritation of a certain princess.

"Go on, what is the rest?"

He asked; she nodded and continued reading.

"Attack 521, magic 54, physical defence 75, magical defence 35, dexterity 217."

'Well the dexterity I did expect. After all, she trained with Gazef and Brain. The defence is probably due to the fact that she isn't wearing any armour… but what is it with that attack?' he wondered. As if reading his thoughts, Lakyus put a hand under her dress and pulled out something quite big. It was a short sword; the blade was made out of blue metal while the hilt was black with a ruby encased in the middle of it. Satoru immediately recognized the sword.

"My high attack is probably due to this… I made a habit of hiding it under my dress while going around… you never know when you many need it."

She explained blushing as she said the last part. Satoru nodded in understanding.

"What about you Renner?"

The princess just shrugged.

"My stats are very low apart from my physical and magical defence that is around 40. That's probably the shield. My attack is just 1 though."

He could swear he almost saw her pout for a moment. 'What did you expect? You can only attack with your fists' Satoru thought before he decided to test something.

"Let's test this, try to give your sword to Renner."

Both girls looked at him in confusion.

"I would like to test how the stats work; Lakyus has experience with a blade and could of course cause more damage with it. I want to see if the stats take that into account while calculating the numbers."

He explained; the noble did as he asked and passed her sword to the princess but as soon as the princess grasped the sword, it jumped out of her hands and landed on the floor. 'What just happened?' wondered Satoru.

"Something just appeared in my vision… it says that I can't use any weapon while I have equipped a Holy Weapon."

Said Renner. 'Well, good to know. Not that Renner would ever need a weapon in the first place…' he thought before approaching her.

"I see, let's try to remove this shield then."

He said as he grabbed the shield on her arm and pulled. It definitely opposed more obstinately than Satoru initially anticipated, but in the end it came off nonetheless. Before he could do anything, the shield disappeared from his hand and reappeared on Renner's arm. 'What?'

They continued to try and remove the shield from Renner but nothing worked. It always returned.

"Well, I guess we are stuck like this then."

At his words, Renner groaned. He never saw her so frustrated before. She almost seemed like a different person. 'How could I blame her? She is just a child and what she went through today would be enough to demoralize anyone' he thought.

"Well then, before we go to sleep, I would like to test just one more thing… let's try that party invite."

He said, attracting once more the attention of the girls.

"Try to send me an invite Renner."

At his words, Renner's eyes fixed on him and she seemed to deeply concentrate. A second later something popped up in Satoru's view; a message asking him if he wanted to enter Renner's party. He tried to intensely think 'yes' and an instant later he saw something appear on the left upper angle of his vision. Both his and Renner's HP and MP where visible in the form of bars, as well as their levels. She of course was level 1 while his level was scrambled and not visible.

In the following minutes they explained the procedure to Lakyus and she joined the party as well.

"Why is your level like that Satoru?"

Asked the blond wannabe adventurer; Satoru just looked at her.

"No idea. Maybe I'm just too high of a level."

He joked. That actually made the two laugh a little.

"I hope that's the case. So, once we repel these Waves, we can finally go home."

Said Renner.

"Well, now I think it is time for bed; we have a long day ahead of us. Rest fully."

And with those words their experimentation and evening came to an end.

{?}

A cloaked figure emerged from the darkness of the castle's corridors and stopped in front of a window. They glanced up at the moon.

The Shield Hero was not what they expect them to be, but it wasn't a big problem. She seemed young and insecure, an easy target to manipulate.

But first they needed to get rid of the other two; starting with the strange mage. As a man, it would be easy to get rid of him. As for the other girl… she could have an unfortunate accident. No one would mind.

Yes, this was it, the perfect plan! 'The throne shall be mine finally!' the figure thought as they slipped into the darkness of the corridors once more.

{Next day}

{Throne Room}

{Renner's P.O.V.}

Once again, they found themselves in front of the king. For Renner, it was strange how lightly they were taking her kidnapping. Weren't they aware that this could cause a war? Or were these Waves just that terrifying that all other matters passed onto a secondary level of importance?

'It doesn't matter. The only important thing is that I'm with my Satoru' she thought as she smiled internally.

Right now, they were hearing the king explain how those adventurers in front of them would choose one of their groups to join; she didn't care, she was sure Satoru would be enough to protect her. She didn't want unknown people in their party and judging by Satoru's tense stance, he was of the same mind as her.

Then it was a fortunate when all the adventurers avoided them as if they were cursed. She could swear that she saw Satoru nod in satisfaction.

As they were preparing to leave, someone stopped them.

"Shield Heroine, it seems like no one wants to join your party… this is troubling."

The king said. 'What is this? Am I supposed to believe this fake tone? It sounds more like a mockery to me… this king… does he think I am stupid?' the princess thought in annoyance before putting up one of her innocent smiles.

"Not at all, your majesty. I have very capable people with me; Satoru is the most powerful magic caster I know and, while it may not appear so, Lakyus is more skilled with a blade than most members of the royal guard."

She said gently. No one seemed to want to argue with her until one of the girls from the Spear Hero's party rose her hand to attract their attention.

"I am willing to join the Shield Heroine's party!"

She said cheerfully 'wait… am I supposed to believe this fake… I saw theatrics more credible than her… what a poor liar…' the princess refrained from facepalming at how bad the girl was acting.

"A-Are you sure?"

Asked the king with a worried expression 'does he know her?' Renner wondered.

"Yes!"

The girl said with the same fake cheerful tone, but before Renner could retort, someone precipitated her.

"There is no need. We are fine as we are. No more members are required, but I appreciate the offer."

The one to speak was none other than Satoru. His deep voice and the finality in his tone didn't allow for anyone to retort. For a moment, the expression on the red-haired girl faltered. Renner almost laughed out loud. 'What is this? She can't even sustain her own act when something doesn't go her way… I was a better liar when I was four… but then again… I have always been superior to anyone around me… just like you my Satoru…' at those thoughts the flames inside her heart began to burn once more in passion for the man next to her.

"A-Are you sure, Sir? You are only three and… well… two members seem far too young for fighting…"

One of the nobles finally dared to retort; at his words, Satoru simply raised his hand. A light blue magic circle enveloped her and in that moment, Renner felt a shiver go down her spine. Judging from the heroes' and adventurers' own reactions, they must have felt the same.

"Uhm, sorry for any discomfort I caused you, but I just analysed all your statuses… and judging by your stats, I can see why you were forced to summon someone else to deal with these so called Waves. No offence intended of course… but let's just say that based on stats alone, young Lakyus right here could take on all of the adventurers in this room on her own."

At Satoru's words, many nobles began to mumble among themselves.

"If you are sure, I guess we can leave it like this."

Said the king, while glaring at them.

"A question, if I may, your majesty; is there a way to check how much time we have until the next Wave arrives? And usually, how much time is there in between each Wave?"

Satoru asked.

"As for your first question, it is possible to visit the Church and check the remaining time through the Dragon Hourglass located there; as for the second question, it isn't a fixed time. It could take months for another wave to appear."

Explained the king, stunning all of Renner's party. 'Months? This isn't good! How much time do we have to waste on this cesspit of a kingdom?! We can't stay for that long. Who knows what could happen in our absence?' For the first time in her life, Renner felt actual panic rising inside her; she grabbed Satoru's gown with her right hand to seek security from him and managed to calm a little.

"I see…"

Said quietly Satoru; to most people, his tone could seem cold and indifferent, but after more than a year together, Renner could clearly see the annoyance and anger behind those words.

"Now we will distribute the funds for each hero. Accept this money as a starting point for your quest."

Four people came forward with bags full of coins, but Satoru didn't accept the one offered to him. Instead, he looked at the woman in front of him.

"Please, give our share to the other heroes. We have no need of it."

Said Satoru to the astonishment of everyone present. Even the other heroes looked at him confused.

"Besides being a magic caster, I also am one of the most rich and influential merchants in the whole Re-Estize Kingdom. Money is not a problem. I would still like to know the exchange rate though."

The arcane magic caster said as he took out a far bigger bag of money from under his gown, opening it and revealing many gold and silver coins.

"I-I see… I will do as you asked me, as for the exchange rate… 100 copper coins are equal to 1 silver and 100 silver to 1 gold…"

The woman explained before dividing his coins among the other heroes.

"Thank man!"

Said cheerfully the blond one as he received his money.

"Your gesture is appreciated."

Said the black haired one.

"You could have taken the money and said nothing. You are clearly an honest person."

Finally said the green haired boy. 'Fools all of them' thought Renner 'to accept money so freely from someone you don't know and giving him leverage against you… you are all a bunch of fools, ahhhh… what would I do without you, my Satoru? How dull would the world seem without you?' she continued her mental rambling.

"If that is all, we shall take our leave now."

Concluded Satoru, before turning and leaving the throne room, followed by the two young blond girls.

{Lakyus' P.O.V.}

The heir of the Aindra family did not know what to think of her current situation. On the one side, she was worried sick about what would happen to the kingdom and everyone she cared about now that they were gone; on the other side, she couldn't deny the fascination and attraction she felt for such an adventure.

It was selfish of her to think such things, but still, she couldn't help herself. A mysterious land full of wonders and battles, not even talking about their goal to basically save the world. It was almost like a story out of a fairy-tale.

Their first stop after leaving the castle was the Church, a magnificent structure, maybe even grander than the Temple back in the Kingdom. It went well enough, though she could swear she saw some people glance strangely at Renner. The Dragon Hourglass was an artifact to behold. It took them some time to figure out how it worked. In the end, they discovered they needed to use Renner's shield to activate and read the Hourglass. They had just barely more than 3 weeks before the next Wave.

After that, they asked around for a blacksmith shop. Not that they needed it, but Satoru was curious about what kind of weapons existed in this world and to be honest, Lakyus was too.

They were directed toward one of the shops rumoured to be the best in the city when it came to weapons and armour. To say that Lakyus wasn't impressed when she entered was an understatement. The shop looked average at most, but maybe she was just too used to Satoru's own shop, which is a spectacle to behold on its own.

"Good morning."

Saluted the bald man behind the counter. He was tall and bulky; clearly a blacksmith.

"Good morning, sir."

Saluted back Satoru before approaching him.

"I will not waste your time and get to the point; I would like to see the best weapons you have here."

The blacksmith looked at Satoru for a moment before moving toward the back of the shop and disappearing from their field of vision.

He returned in less than a minute, a bunch of weapons in his arms; there were spears, axes and swords. Nothing out of the ordinary.

"Magic Steel weapons at their best, I assure you!"

Said the blacksmith with a smile.

"Magic Steel. Never heard of it before… is it an ore of its own or is it enchanted steel?"

Asked Satoru. The man looked at him strangely before seeming to notice the shield on Renner's right arm. His eyes widened.

"Wait! Are you summoned Heroes?"

He asked in surprise, Satoru nodded.

"Just young Renner here got summoned as a hero. We just came along. Don't ask me why."

He summarized.

"Ah! As for your question, it is an ore. I never heard of enchanted weapons outside of the ones from legends."

Said the man.

"I see… so how would you evaluate this?"

The magic caster said as he took out a dagger from his gown. The blacksmith took it in his hands to examine it.

"This is… very similar to Silver Iron, but still not the same…"

He mumbled as he examined the short blade.

"That is a dagger made out of platinum and enchanted by me with ice magic."

Satoru explained. The blacksmith's eyes widened in wonder. He used the knife to lightly cut his wooden counter and noticed that the blade indeed left behind some ice after he used it.

"This is a magnificent weapon, sir; you say you enchanted it? I never heard of mages capable of such things. Considering this is a unique piece I can appraise it at 10… no…. even 12 gold coins."

He said. 'that much? I am no expert but I saw cheaper swords in Satoru's shop before.

"I see, well, if you are willing to answer some more questions, I would be glad to leave that knife to you."

Satoru continued.

"That's quite a deal… are you perhaps a merchant?"

Asked the blacksmith.

"You got it; I am the most important magic items seller in the Re-Estize Kingdom, not that you would know of that kingdom since it is on a different world."

He said as the conversation dragged on.

{3 hours later}

After eating at a tavern, they decided to go and test their power against some local monsters. By again asking around, they discovered that there were some monsters just outside the capital near the forest. 'Who in their right mind would leave monster groups to roam around their capital?' Lakyus asked herself. She heard that the king was also known as Wise King but now the nickname seemed more of a mockery than a compliment.

They were currently marching through the green plains outside the capital. Their first encounter with the monsters of this world has been quite strange.

While walking, they saw some orange balls floating and bouncing toward them. The balls had two yellow eyes and a mouth almost as large as their bodies. The three of them stayed there watching the strange creatures until one tried to bite Satoru. The magic caster of course grabbed it before it could bite his gown and squeezed it in his hand until it exploded.

Lakyus was the next victim as one of the strange balls tried to bite her arm. She grabbed it and squeezed it, imitating Satoru. It took her a little bit more time but the orange ball exploded in her hands nonetheless.

These were not the monster she expected. These things were not even close to being comparable to goblins or imps; they were just pathetic. They didn't even seem to have a mind of their own as they just attacked everything aimlessly that wasn't them.

As more of those strange balloon monsters arrived, Satoru sighed and raised his hand.

"[Chain Lightning]"

From one of his gloved fingers erupted a lightning that went from balloon to balloon making them all explode as soon as they made contact. In an instant, there were no more balloons around them.

In that moment something popped up in her vision.

Level Up: Swordmaster level 2

"My level got higher!"

She exclaimed attracting the attention of the other two.

"Mine too."

Added Renner.

"Umu, I see. It seems like your level gets higher by killing monsters, and probably since we are in the same party it doesn't matter who kills them."

Said Satoru, while putting a hand under his chin as if he was thinking about something.

"Did your stats go up?"

He finally asked; Lakyus immediately opened her screen.

"Yes, not by much but they went up!"

She answered. Now that she thought about it, she felt quite good and more fit than usual.

"Me too."

Added Renner.

"I see, let's continue then. Let's see how much more we can get."

Declared Satoru as the other two followed him toward the next group of balloons.

{That evening at the inn}

After dinner, the three world travellers retired to their own rooms, or at least that was what most believe since they rented two different rooms. In reality Satoru made very clear he had no intention of leaving Lakyus' and Renner's side for the whole night.

Lakyus was no expert at reading people, but even she knew that Satoru felt responsible for their security, and not knowing the land they arrived in, probably put him on edge.

At the moment, all of them sat at a table in Renner's and Lakyus' room. The princess and magic caster were currently speaking among themselves and Lakyus was not too interested in their discussion.

She was far more focussed on what happened today. At first, as she levelled up for the first time, she didn't feel all that much different, but as she levelled up more thanks to Satoru's help, she began to feel stronger and stronger. It was strange, to gain something like strength this way, as if her own body was constantly evolving on its own.

In the past months since she began her training with Gazef and later Brain, she felt a gradual increase in strength based on how much she trained, but this was different. She didn't have to move a muscle. Strength just came to her without reason.

She didn't know how to feel about it; she was sure that her second teacher would have called this method worthless and accused her of being a weakling for gaining strength through it. She couldn't blame him for it; while she felt stronger and faster, she surely didn't feel like a better swordswoman. That was something that only practice could help improve.

She looked again at her status; both her and Renner were level 6, all thanks to Satoru's magic of course. He probably killed around 200 or 300 balloon monsters that afternoon outside the capital.

"…kyus! Lakyus!"

Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice calling her name. She immediately turned her head toward the princess.

"Yes?"

She asked.

"Please pay attention about this. We are deciding where to go next; Satoru said that those monsters are just a waste of time and neither you nor me could get better with those."

The princess explained; Lakyus nodded.

"I was proposing going to the nearest dungeon, as the locals call it; it is basically a nest of monsters to exterminate. This should be good training for the Waves to come."

Added Satoru as he pointed to a location on the map, they laid on the table some minutes ago.

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Those monsters surely weren't worth the time we spent on them."

The noble agreed, giving voice to her previous thoughts.

"But first we have to do something about your defences; we can't risk sustaining avoidable damage."

The magic caster said, before his hand disappeared into a dark void. The two girls didn't even flinch. They were used to it by now. From the void the magic caster extracted a full set of light shining white armour. He placed it in front of Lakyus.

"This is a full set of enchanted armour. It is one of the best I have currently on me. The armour is light but very resistant to physical damage. It is also enchanted with resistance against most elements. It is still pretty weak against negative energy magical attacks or cursed weapons, but I'm not seeing us encountering any of that any time soon."

He explained as Lakyus grabbed the armour and scanned it. It was indeed very light. This was good. Her agility would not be affected much by it, and the additional protection surely made up for the little bit she would lose. 'Satoru is always so thoughtful. No wonder he survived all of his adventures…' she thought with a hint of fondness at the memory of his crazy stories.

Said magic caster turned toward Renner next as his hand disappeared once more in the dark void. But this time what came out of that strange portal like thing was not what Lakyus expected.

The first thing was a long light blue elegant gown, not as fancy as the clothes the princess usually wore, but still pretty elegant and it surely offered mobility; the second thing that came out was a pair of white gloves, and the third and final thing was an elegant silver ring with a sapphire encased in it. Satoru placed the items in front of the princess.

"Renner, since I clearly can't give you armour, I thought about this as a substitution. Not that you are expected to fight in the first place, but just in case things go south I hope these items will be of use."

He began before taking a small pause.

"This gown is enchanted with a physical nullification against non-enchanted weapons and is fairly resistant against most elements. The gloves are enchanted too. They boost your overall defence, which combined with your shield, should make you pretty resistant to most attacks. The ring is only to be used in case of emergencies. It allows you to use the spell [Flawless Invisibility] two times per day. This is a last resort if you should need to get out of a dangerous situation."

He explained all the items and their function; once more Lakyus felt her jaw fall. Who knew Satoru had such powerful items hidden on himself? Could he even be caught by surprise? Who knew what else he was hiding in that void of his? But then something stupid and simple just came to her mind. 'That is the way of a warrior, magic or not. You must be prepared for all kinds of situations no matter how unlikely may they seem… not being prepared is what kills most adventurers. Not their lack of skill, but their lack of equipment… is this the message he is trying to push on the adventurers by opening his shops? Are we all so blind that we couldn't see such an obvious problem?... the princess was right all along. Satoru is really something else…' as those thoughts invaded her mind, her respect for the magic caster went even higher than before, if that was even possible.

"Well, that is enough for today. Rest well. Tomorrow is going to be another long day."

Finally said the magic caster.

"I will rest here. I am not comfortable leaving you all by yourself in this place. Who knows what could happen… rest well."

And with those final words he moved his chair to a corner of the room before sitting once more while both her and Renner went to their beds.

"Good night Lakyus."

Said the princess.

"Good night Renner."

Answered the noble before blowing out the candle and plunging the room into darkness.

{Next day}

{Renner's P.O.V.}

Renner was awoken from her sweet dreams by someone banging at their door. She jumped up in alarm, but before she could realize what exactly was going on, Satoru already reached the door and opened it a little.

"The mage Satoru?"

Asked a voice she didn't recognize loudly.

"Yes, and you are being very rude by coming here in such a manner."

Retorted Satoru, but the other man ignored his comment. Now that Renner was a little more awake, she could she the armour on the body of the man. 'A guard?' she asked herself, her mind still half asleep. She felt something near her moving and turned to see that Lakyus was awake too.

"We are here to arrest you, do not oppose resistance and follow us to the castle."

That were the words that fully awakened Renner. 'Arrested? What is happening here? It doesn't make any sense!' she raged inside at her inability to understand what the situation was.

"On what charges?"

Asked Satoru. His deep tone was still as calm and collected as Renner remembered it. The guard didn't answer but his lance shifted in his hand. 'He is nervous' noted Renner. Satoru sighed.

"I understand. I will come. Just give us a moment for the girls to get dressed and we will come to the castle with you peacefully."

The guard seemed satisfied, and with that Satoru closed the door leaving her and Lakyus by themselves.

"Come on Lakyus, put on your armour! Don't forget your sword for if the worst comes to be!"

Ordered Renner as she put on the items Satoru gifted her the previous evening. Lakyus nodded and began to put on the white armour.

In less than 5 minutes, they were all ready to depart. Outside the inn there was a carriage prepared for them. It looked quite uncomfortable and was more similar to a cage than a carriage. 'How dare they?! Parade us like some common criminals… you will pay!' inside her head Renner fumed in rage but still tried to maintain a dignified expression on her face.

Once they reached the castle a new group of guards joined them and escorted them through the various corridors, as they reached the throne room the guards pointed their lances at the three of them to try and force them to enter but then Satoru stopped, instantly glancing at the guard nearest to him.

"I said I would have come willingly, but I assure you, if you dare point your stick at me again, you will not like what is going to happen next."

Renner could feel the chilling ice of his tone in every word and even the guard shuddered, realizing he crossed a line he shouldn't have. From there, the lances retreated and they proceeded into the room.

The throne room was full of nobles and guards, even the other three heroes were there and the king sat on his throne as he did the day before.

Once the three of them reached the centre of the throne room, the guards indicated them to stop. Satoru gave a small bow of his head toward the king in respect as Renner and Lakyus did the same.

"May I ask why I have been summoned here?"

Asked Satoru. The king scowled at him.

"Silence criminal! The trial shall now begin!"

The king spat those words at Satoru who didn't seem affected by them.

A man next to the king, probably a noble, judging by how he was dressed, came forward.

"The man before us stands accused of attempted rape."

The court began to mumble among themselves. Satoru just slightly inclined his head, probably as confused as Renner was in that moment.

"Can the victim repeat her version of the events that transpired last night?"

After the man continued a woman, that Renner immediately recognized as the one who tried to join her party the day before, came forward.

"T-the companion of the S-shield Heroine came to m-me last night, w-when I was returning to my room a-alone and tried to s-seduce me… when I r-refused he got forceful a-and pulled me in his r-room… he r-ripped off my c-clothes and while he was d-distracted I hit him… I managed t-to gain just e-enough time to flee the r-room and ran away… and t-then… a-and then…"

She didn't continue and just fell down crying using the Spear Hero to sustain herself. Said hero glared at Satoru. 'What a bitch…' thought coldly Renner piercing the red-haired girl with her gaze.

"That is impossible. First, I don't even know who that girl is. Second, I spent last night in Renner's and Lakyus' ro-"

As Satoru was speaking the king stood up.

"SILENCE YOU SCOUNDREL! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR A WORD FROM YOU!"

The man roared. Satoru shifted a little under his gown, he was getting annoyed, or at least that was what Renner thought. 'What is this farce anyway? She is lying pretty poorly even for a beginner and no one is saying anything… just who is this girl? She can't just be some random adventurer… maybe I should…' but before she could voice any objection Lakyus took a step forward.

"WHAT KIND OF BARBARIC KINGDOM IS THIS?! YOU ACCUSE A MAN WITHOUT PROOF APART FROM THE APPARENT VICTIM'S WORDS AND DON'T EVEN GIVE THE ACCUSED THE CHANCE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES?! I HEARD OF TROLLS WHO HAD TRIALS FAR MORE CIVIL THAN YOURS!"

She roared back at the king. Some nobles shouted in outrage at her words but she didn't back down and continue to glare back at him.

In that moment a guard came forward.

"After checking the rented room of this man, we found this under his bed."

He said presenting some female undergarment; the redhead let out a pained cry at the sight and cried even harder.

"YOU BEAST!"

Shouted the Spear Hero at Satoru. Renner noticed the magic caster's hand clench in a fist.

"As I was saying before being rudely interrupted… I spent the whole night guarding both Princess Renner and Lady Aindra in their room. If someone wanted to frame me, they just had to enter in my empty room and put that there… I never saw that woman before and I don't even know her name… but I don't think you would care since this is clearly a setup to fra-"

Once again Satoru couldn't finish as the Spear Hero pointed his spear at him.

"IF YOU DID NOTHING, WHY IS MYNE CRYING LIKE THIS?!"

He screamed enraged, but before Satoru could say anything, Lakyus came to his defence.

"BECAUSE SHE IS A FUCKING LYING SACK OF HORSESHIT! THAT'S WHY! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT KIND OF PERSON SATORU IS! YOU KNOW NOTHING OF WHAT HE DID FOR THE KINGDOM OF RE-ESTIZE AND YOU STILL FEEL LIKE YOU CAN JUDGE HIM ON NOTHING BUT THE FALSE WORDS OF A LIER!"

As the noble girl screamed those words, Renner noticed the king's right eye begin to twitch 'Ohhhhh… is that girl someone important to you… well, well, well… now I think I understand…' she thought maliciously.

"Princess Renner make your servant behave!"

Shouted the noble next to the king. The room calmed down as they all looked at her, waiting to hear her words.

"Lakyus stand down."

She ordered; the blond girl glanced at her with a surprised look on her face. The king and most of the nobles seemed satisfied by her choice but then she turned her gaze toward them and they froze. She had an innocent expression on her face, but her eyes, her eyes were as cold as the coldest winter night, and the look she gave them promised nothing but pain.

"As for you… what kind of farce is this?! You send guards to take us by force from our beds, then parade us around your city like some common criminals and then baselessly accuse us of some crime? And we are supposed to save you? I should let you all die just for this."

She said. All were stunned by her words and the coldness in them. The only one who managed to gather some courage was the king.

"Rape or even attempted rape is punishable by death in this country! Do not step out of your boundaries Shield Heroine! You may be a princess, but you cannot order us around!"

He spat at her venomously. 'Well then… let's see how much you care about that girl then…' she smirked inside.

"If you put it like that then in the Re-Estize Kingdom accusing someone of Sir Satoru's status like this with almost no base or proof is punishable by death as well! Lakyus! Bring me that lying whore's head!"

She ordered as her handmaiden gave her a surprised and terrified look. The guards all around them prepared to attack but she already got what she wanted.

"HOW DARE YOU THREATEN MY DAUGHTER! YOU DAMNED DEMON!"

Finally exploded the king of Melromarc. 'Got you! You imbecile!' one of her true smiles threatened to come out as the third princess finally reached her goal.

"There you have it! The king of this kingdom is allowed to judge accusations launched baselessly by his daughter and sentence to death whoever the poor accused is… your justice is a disgrace for all of humanity and-"

"SHUT UP! GUARDS SILENCE THEM!"

The king snapped at Renner. The guards stepped forward but then the world froze. Everything stopped moving, or to be more specific, couldn't move anymore. The pressure that now filled the room was unbearable. Even Renner felt chills go down her spine 'Is… is this fear?…' she wondered as she glanced at the cause of this pressure.

The magic caster known as Satoru has always been a collected person, rarely giving in to emotions like anger, and Renner always imagined that his enraged state would be something to behold… but this, this was too much even for her. Satoru was simply terrifying. But in a strange way, that made him even more appealing for her. That aura he emitted not only caused unspeakable fear but also excited her like never before… the wonders he could do to her…

"I think that's quite enough… you may accuse me all you want… you can be as rude as you want toward me… but! When you threaten someone dear to me… there will be nothing holding me back from cutting you open like the pig you are."

As the magic caster said that, a myriad of giant ice spikes erupted all around them, impaling all the guards who surrounded them. For Renner, it was a spectacle to behold, but it wasn't the carnage or blood that fascinated her. What truly got her attention was the power she was feeling by simply standing next to Satoru.

He didn't even have to call out the spell. Magic just obeyed him like it was a natural law. Her little body shuddered in excitement.

Then a mischievous idea came into her mind. She looked directly in the king's eyes.

"This is what you get when you try to destroy us… this is the punishment for this senseless farce of a trial you put up to achieve your goals, whatever they may be… this is what happens when you falsely accuse my betrothed of such actions… as if he would betray me with that whore of a daughter you have… Listen well, King of Melromarc… the next time you dare try something like this it will be your head on the spike alongside all your family and this rotten kingdom's nobility… stay out of our way."

She said, as Satoru and Lakyus glanced at her. The first in confusion, the second in shock.

"Come on, my future husband, let's go."

She said, winking at Satoru, who simply raised his hand and cast a spell; the next instant they were gone.

{Next day}

{Satoru's P.O.V.}

"Betrothed, eh?"

He asked himself, thinking back about the day before. He didn't particularly mind that word. The fact that Renner claimed they were going to marry just further solidified his innocence and their relationship as a group in the eyes of those people.

Not that it mattered much now. After all, they already had a bounty on their heads, courtesy of the king of course. He wasn't the most collected man when insulted.

Without going into much details, let's just say that the sum was enough for any person to buy their own land, title and live comfortably the rest of their life.

'What a mess… this got even worse than before… we may have to leave this kingdom now…' thought Satoru. That was exactly what Renner proposed. Surely there were better countries out there. Maybe some at war with Melromarc. That would be the best option.

He currently was under an illusion spell and was buying supplies for the trip. He wasn't sure how much they would have to walk after all, and thanks to the king, he and his young companions could not show their faces in public.

After finishing his shopping, he returned to the alley where he left the two girls, only to find them in the company of three not so friendly middle aged men. By the time he reached them Lakyus had already made quick work of one of them by stabbing him with her sword.

A simple lightning spell did the rest and the other two were no more a problem. He quickly used a weak fire spell to burn the corpse of the first man to cover their tracks.

In that moment, he heard the sound of applauses coming from behind them. He turned, only to see a fat elegantly dressed man with a large grin on his face half hidden in the shadows of the alley.

"A magnificent job, good sir, my lady. I see that the rumours about you were indeed true; ruthless and efficient."

He said with a small bow.

"Who are you? I don't think you are here to collect our bounties. You don't seem like a good fighter."

Said Satoru, the man just shrugged.

"Of course not, good Sir. I am nothing but a humble merchant, hoping to make trade with the famous Shield Heroine and her dangerous companions. My name is Beloukas."

He said with that strange tone of his. To be honest, Satoru considered him a total creep and would rather avoid him, but their party leader was Renner and he would accept her decision.

"What do you offer?"

The princess asked. The man's grin just got larger.

"That is a surprise my lady, but I assure you, you will not regret giving me some of your time."

He said with another bow.

"What do you think, Satoru?"

She asked him. The magic caster thought for a moment.

"If you want, we can have a look but if he tries anything, I will strike him down."

He finally said. The princess nodded and gestured for the man to guide them.

It wasn't a long walk. Just a handful minutes and they were in front of what seemed to be a circus tent, but Satoru was quite sure it was something far more sinister in this situation.

As they entered, his hunch was confirmed. All over the place were cages with what seemed to be demi-humans and creatures he had never seen before inside them.

"Are these…"

Began Lakyus.

"Yes, slaves. These are all slaves for sale. The best of Melromarc!"

The short man said as he guided them through the cages.

"What would we need slaves for?"

Asked Satoru. The man just shrugged.

"Well, anything really. They can be good additions to a small party like yours! And with the guards and all of Melromarc hunting you down, you should need all the help you could get I guess."

That would indeed be the case if Satoru wasn't there, but with him, there was no way anyone could ever touch the girls. Also, the magic caster found slavery quite barbaric as a practice. He would not partake in it.

The man brought them face to face with a giant of a wolf demi-human.

"This is the best specimen I possess! A level 70 wolfman!"

At his words, Satoru didn't waste time and scanned the demi-human. In his Yggdrasil information, it was just a level 31. 'not even a challenge for a Death Knight… what a waste of time…' he thought. He was about to tell the man he wasn't interested when Lakyus went to one of the cages and moved away the cloth covering it to reveal a human looking child with brown hair, animal ears and tail.

"Oh, that one is a racoon demi-human! Unfortunately, she is sick and suffers often of panic attacks in her sleep. She will probably die soon. Her previous owner enjoyed torturing demi-humans but returned her after he got bored. I would not suggest her as a party member."

At the slave trader's explanation, Lakyus gritted her teeth as her fists clenched.

"This is a child! She is basically human. How can this be allowed?!"

She raged.

"I don't make the rules, young lady."

Replied Beloukas, never losing his grin.

"How much for her?"

Asked the blond noble, attracting both Satoru's and Renner's attention.

"I would advise against it, but if you insist… 50 silvers."

The short man said, Satoru sighed as he took out his money bag.

"Can you exchange these for this country's currency? You can melt them and sell them as silver and gold; you only need to give me 95% of the total value in gold and silver, the rest you can take as compensation for your service."

The man accepted the big bag of money with a giant grin.

"Of course, good Sir. It is a pleasure doing business with you. May I ask if you are a merchant yourself?"

He inquired; Satoru nodded, there was no point in hiding it.

"Yes, I am… I own the whole magic items market back home and I am one of the leaders of the Merchant Guild back in my kingdom."

He explained, as the short man bowed a little.

"I see, I see. It is indeed a pleasure to meet such a talented and experienced merchant."

Beloukas said as he calculated the value of the silver he gave him. In the meantime, Lakyus helped the child get out of the cage, but in doing so, the demi-human coughed up blood.

"Satoru can you help her?"

Lakyus begged desperately. The magic caster didn't want to waste his precious Yggdrasil potions, but at that moment, he remembered buying some of the local healing potions, hoping to test their quality out. This was the perfect occasion. With a quick movement, he took a healing potion out of his gown, giving it to Lakyus who helped the child drink it. The effect was almost instantaneous. It healed most of the physical damage of the girl but he didn't know if her illness was still there or not.

"What is your name? I am Lakyus."

Sweetly asked the noble of the girl who now looked up at her in wonder, fear, and a little bit of awe.

"R-Raphtalia."

She said in a weak tone. Lakyus nodded and used her cloak to cover the girl, shielding her from the cold. Satoru's attention was taken away from the sweet scene when the slave trader called for him.

"Here! All done. Would you like me to apply a new slave crest on her before you take her away?"

He asked, as he gave the money bag back to Satoru.

"Slave crest?"

The magic caster asked intrigued at the new magic he never heard of.

"A spell that forces slaves to obey their master. Otherwise, the curse inflicts pain on them until they do so."

The explanation only seemed to infuriate Lakyus further while Satoru found the magic intriguing and would like to test out its limitations. He made a mental note for it. Surprisingly, it was Renner who spoke first among the three.

"No. If we are taking her, we are not taking her as a slave. Remove any crest she may still have on her."

She ordered. Lakyus glanced at her in gratitude while Raphtalia looked surprised.

"That is going to cost a little, but that is okay for you I guess."

Said Beloukas, as he glanced at Satoru's full bag of money.

"The name…"

Said Lakyus in a dark tone.

"Pardon?"

"The name of the noble who did this."

She asked again. The man just inclined his head a little.

"Now, now, young lady I can't go around giving out names of my clients."

He said, as any experienced merchant would. Lakyus sent him a glare that could kill but said nothing as she hugged the child closer to her.

"If you remove the crest and give us the name, I will lower our previous deal to 90%."

Satoru said. The slave trader seemed to think a moment about it, before nodding.

"That is a good deal, the name is Idol Rabier, a noble."

Beloukas revealed as Satoru passed him his bag once more so he could take his payment.

"Thank you for your patronage!"

The short man's grin was almost inhuman as he accepted the money.

{That night}

{Renner's P.O.V.}

They departed that night from the capital using the advantage of darkness to their favour.

She looked back at the capital behind them with a hateful glare. 'They will all pay… they will all pay for what they have done… I will see that man and that harlot hanged gasping for air until death takes them… maybe cut your lying tongue too before that…' she mused inside.

They would regret making an enemy of her and Satoru, and when they are done, Melromarc would regret that the Waves didn't take it. That she swore on her love for Satoru.

But that aside, she quite enjoyed acting as his betrothed. Calling him darling or future husband gave her exciting goosebumps.

One of her true smiles appeared on her face as she looked at the moon above them. 'It is indeed a beautiful night' thought the witch as her shield shone under the moonlight.

A.N.

And done! 11K words, oh my god! I never thought about writing more than 6k/7k, even if this was a special. I guess I went a bit overboard.

Well, no turning back now, but still… I didn't even start writing the next chapter of TWTS yet! This one took me too much time and I'm gonna miss my schedule, damn it!

Still hope you all enjoyed this One-Shot special to celebrate TWTS' first anniversary! Make sure to leave a review! I need a lot of those to recover from this writing session… God my fingers hurt…

Also, on a side note, if you notice a bit of lack of detail on certain scenes, it is because I was trying to get it over with since I didn't want this to go on even more than what it already had. Also, Renner may not seem the genius she is on certain scenes, but you have to take into account that she just entered into a new world she knows nothing about so you can't expect her to understand stuff out of nowhere (still a deadly politician as you saw, and she is barely 8…)

Well, have a nice day and stay safe! Until next time!