Shield Hero With Barrier Magic

(Hiro's POV)

Haa... It's time finally starting traveling. I took the parchment from the governor which would allow me to avoid all the taxes from local governors.

We are inside the inn in a room to have one last discussion before we start our journey. Rose is also present. She is in her shadow form except her face part isn't covered.

Rose: "Let's see... Your first stop will a village in the south-west, degozaru."

Hiro: "That's right."

Shadows can keep track of me but Rose has to make trips back and forth between Queen and us. So, for Rose to keep track, we will be waiting in the village we decided according to our travel. If by emergency, we had to go from that village, one of the shadows will be staying in that village to tell Rose about our position. And if the Shadows themselves lost our track due to emergency, Rose has to go Riyute. I would be teleporting to Riyute and then back to the current position along with Rose.

Rose: "But in these villages, meeting you directly would be tough, degozaru. Some of these don't have proper inns. And common people shouldn't find a shadow with the Shield Hero, degozaru."

Hiro: "Then, disguise yourself as a normal person as you did back there in the party after the Wave."

Well, that's right. That day, she didn't observe me in like a Shadow but she disguised herself as a noble and attended the party.

Rose: "How did you know, degozaru?"

Rose's face is still expressionless but she is surprised for sure.

Eclair: "Wait, you did ?!"

Raphtalia: "Really? I didn't find her though. Ah, I know. Daddy must have heard her voice or heard her saying 'degozaru'"

Wow, my daughter's smart. But the Shadow system would be a complete failure if the voice or the way of speaking gave them away.

Rose: "You are wrong. I changed my voice and didn't use the word 'degozaru' even once at that time, degozaru."

Rino: "Seriously? Who was she disguised as?"

Hiro: "Well, she was disguised as a noble-woman with a red dress, pink gown, and blonde curly hair till her shoulder, blue hair clip. She sat at the second table right to ours. That was a nice disguise, Rose. You have a very good fashion sense."

The room was completely silent for some time.

Rose: "I am a failure as a Shadow, degozaru."

Eclair: "Nah... It's Hiro we are talking about. The whole Shadow system will be a failure against him."

Raphtalia: "How did you find out, Daddy?"

Hiro: "Well, I can be considered as a living scanner. I have a photographic memory. Simply put, if I see it once or sense it in any manner, I can remember it. All the patterns like body structure, fingerprints, iris pattern, smell, identification marks, etc."

Rose: "May I know what gave me away, degozaru?"

Hiro: "Well, you were far. So, I couldn't see fingerprints or iris but your body structure remained the same. You have a funny habit of holding the spoon or fork between your index and middle finger."

And the whole room was silent. Everyone is completely speechless including Rose. Filo is the one who broke the silence.

Filo: "Is there a specific way to hold a spoon?"

Rino: "Of all the questions..."

Rino face-palmed at our daughter's curiosity. But Raphtalia answered Filo's question.

Raphtalia: "Yep, Filo. There is. As a person who is trained in table manners, remind me to teach it to you someday."

Sakura: "Hmm... holding a spoon huh."

Eclair: "Haa... To think I failed to notice such a simple thing."

Rose: "I see... I have to change that habit, degozaru."

Hiro: "Well, if you don't me to recognize you, you have to change a lot of things. Like that time when you guys appeared before Bitch as Shadows. You were the one on the right-side, the behind one."

Raphtalia: "Wait, you were able to tell who she is from them?"

Rose: "You destroyed the whole purpose we wear the same attire and put on masks, degozaru."

Eclair: "How did you tell her apart from them ?!"

Hehehe... Don't underestimate me. I was able to tell who is the bride in Quintessential Quintuplets just after the first chapter.

Hiro: "Well, the same. Her body structure and also Rose tilts her head a little bit left when she bows. And when she appears out of nowhere, she crouches in front of others and holds her knee instead of putting the weight of her hand on it. Well, the list will go on if I keep talking. Anyway, what I am saying is that there are specific habits for every person which they wouldn't notice themselves. I try to notice them. Every person is unique. And Shadows are just people. So, you are unique too, Rose. I will find you even in a thousand Shadows."

Rose: "I... I see. I will take my leave then."

And she disappeared as she got her answers.

Rino: "So, an illusion is useless against Hiro-sama huh. I am glad."

I can understand her statement. She is glad that she got to have s.e.x with me as her plan of 'drugging me and make herself look like Eclair to have s.e.x' plan wouldn't have worked on me.

Raphtalia: "So, Daddy is the same as Aunt Elaria."

Hiro: "Nope... I can only see the external features. Aunt Elaria is like an X-ray. How the hell does one even measure the size of a v.a.g.i.n.a? And how does one say the size of a p.e.n.i.s from the outside?"

Raphtalia: "I see... So, you can easily say the three sizes of girls then."

Hiro: "Hmm... Pretty much."

Raphtalia: "So, that means Daddy is scanning the three sizes of every girl he has seen since he came to this world. And Daddy scanned my three sizes too."

Hiro: "Umm... I have nothing to say against that claim, your honor."

Raphtalia: "Hehehe... I don't mind, Daddy."

Eclair: "Hiro! You cheater! How dare you ogle at other woman's b.r.e.a.s.ts ?!"

Hiro: "I assure you that never once did I have perverted thoughts at them if they are not my loved ones. They are just information for me to identify."

Eclair: "Oh, that's fine then."

Raphtalia: "I am fine if you look at me like that though, Daddy. Hehehe..."

When Raphtalia's being bold like that, somewhere, it still stings.

Hiro: "Alright then. Let's go."

When we went out of the inn, people of the Riyute came to send us off. Filo is still in her loli form.

Filo: "Alright! I will be pulling the carriage!"

Sakura: "If you are tired, just say so. I can ride in your place, Filo."

Sakura doesn't like to be in her filolial form but it seems that she doesn't want only Filo to do all the pulling.

Filo: "No way! I am not giving my carriage to you!"

Everyone around us laughed. Her filolial instincts kicked in.

Hiro: "Hahaha... You don't have to do it as you don't like it, Sakura. Filo will be in charge of the carriage and will be doing all the pulling."

Sakura: "Okay, Dad."

Filo: "That's right! I will be using my body to please Papa as much as possible!"

And everyone became silent at once. Rino, Eclair, and I facepalmed at once. No one said anything from then. We silently entered the carriage. Filo turned into her filolial form and pulled the carriage. The villagers just smiled and waved at us. And that was how our journey began.