Shield Hero With Barrier Magic

(The next day)

(Hiro's POV)

And we are back to Riyute not through teleportation but through carriage. Filo is possessive of her carriage and I can't teleport large objects like carriage using the portal shield.

Villagers: "Did you bring some more monsters, Hiro? You were back just yesterday, right?"

Hiro: "Ah, yes. But I decided to take a break since I will be raising another monster here."

Villagers: "Oh, what monster is it?"

Hiro: "A dragon this time."

Villagers: "Oh, so it will be a cute dragon girl this time."

Seriously, the villagers too ?!!

Hiro: "Umm... I am raising a dragon. And we don't know it's gender yet."

Villagers: "Hahaha, stop joking, Hiro. Everyone knows that everything you raise will become a cute girl."

I give up. It looks like the whole world is against me on this. We went to the inn and took separate rooms for all of us. Since we won't be traveling for most probably the next 3 days. We gathered on a table to discuss what we need to do these 3 days.

Hiro: "Alright, as we will be staying in Riyute, shouldn't we give Aunt Elaria and Uncle Erhard a visit?"

Eclair: "Yeah, I want to meet them too."

Raphtalia: "But we need to be careful this time."

Well, the disaster already took place though.

Filo: "Papa, you mean that couple which is playing with ropes and candles at that time? When are we going to play it?"

Sakura: "I am interested in that play too."

There was a moment of silence after that.

Rino: "We have to make sure that your dragon daughter doesn't go through the same thing."

Hiro: "So, we are going to visit them today."

Eclair: "Why today?"

Hiro: "I need an incubator for the egg. So, it looks like I have to meet the slave merchant. Thought I could meet them as well."

It seems that normal dragon eggs take a lot of days to hatch. And it seems that Gaelion's dragon lover died about 2 months ago. So, with an incubator, I guess the egg will hatch today itself.

And we teleported to Melromarc and entered the slave tent. The slave trader Beloukas was surprised by my sudden visit. But made a creepy smile at once.

Beloukas: "Welcome, Shield Hero! Are you here to take in more slaves? You can take one from the ones you made me keep here."

Well, while we are in our travels, we are not just healing people and selling accessories. We are also secretly murdering the slave hunters involved with Seyaette. And once they are killed, a shadow will give info to Beloukas so that he can come and pick up those slaves. Until then, another shadow will keep looking after those slaves and we will leave that town.

Hiro: "Well, no, I want an incubator. I got a monster egg that I want to raise."

Beloukas made a displeased face.

Beloukas: "If you want another monster, I could have given you."

Hiro: "Well, we didn't buy this. We got this from a dragon for free."

He looked at Filo and Sakura who are in their human form.

Beloukas: "Umm... Where did you get those angels from, Shield Hero?"

Hiro: "Oh, you don't recognize them? They are Filo and Sakura. They came from the egg that I bought from you. Girls, turn into filolials."

They turned into their filolial forms.

Filo: "So, you are the one who sold Filo to Papa! Thank you, Old guy!"

Sakura: "Even though it's your business, you are a reason that I am with Dad. So, Thank You, Merchant."

Beloukas gawked at them with his mouth open for some time.

Beloukas: "Shield Hero, I am thinking of cutting off the discount I give you every time."

Hiro: "Come on, dude. You can't cut it off just for that small reason?"

Beloukas: "Small? Do you think it's small ?! First, you take an almost dying slave from me and you turn her into this!"

He says while pointing to Raphtalia.

Raphtalia: "I am glad that Daddy picked me."

Beloukas: "And you take one egg. At first, you said it has two birds in it. Fine. I didn't get any loss but no profit either. Now you turn them into this! You are an enemy to all the slave traders and monster traders! Turning everything into cute girls and making them your lovers!"

The calm Beloukas who kindly receives his customers is gone.

Raphtalia: "If only Daddy could accept that easily..."

Beloukas: "You are still a v.i.r.g.i.n ?!"

Raphtalia: "Of course. Daddy didn't accept my love yet."

Rino: "Oh, Hiro-sama made me his lover, by the way."

He glared at me.

Beloukas: "You come here to show that the slave I sold you is still a v.i.r.g.i.n and you bring the girl who I didn't sell as your lover. Is that your way of mocking me, Shield Hero? Do you want to show your trophies ?!"

Eclair: "Whoa whoa, calm down, Slave Trader."

Beloukas: "How can I calm down? If you just want an incubator, you could have just come alone !! And here you come with your girls and showing how excellent they turned into!"

Hiro: "Beloukas, you can stop the act. I get it, I will buy more goods from you."

Everyone looked at me with a 'huh'. Beloukas's irritated expression was replaced with his creepy smile. I smiled back at him.

Beloukas: "I am very lucky to have such an understanding customer."

Eclair: "Wait, that was an act ?!"

Hiro: "He tried to use a simple method. It actually pissed him but he isn't the type to show his anger on his customers. But this time, he decided to show the anger. By doing so, we will try to calm him down by offering something which will give him an upper hand in negotiation. With this, he has two profits. First, he can get more from the customer. Second, he can vent out his anger. Simple but effective method."

Beloukas's smile broadened making it more creepy.

Beloukas: "You are something else, Shield Hero. I am happy to be your ally."

Eclair: "Why do I get fooled that easily?"

Because you believe in others without proof which is something I can't do. I am a little jealous because of that, Eclair.

Raphtalia: "Don't worry, Mommy. I think most of the readers also got fooled along with you."

Eclair: "But I was really surprised when Beloukas acted against his character."

Hiro: "That's the biggest hint, Eclair. A character isn't something that changes just over something this trivial."

I turned to Beloukas who is still creepily smiling at me. He is waiting for my order.

Hiro: "Let's see. I want you to get claws for Filo the next time I come here. And I want you to put a monster seal on this egg."

Beloukas: "As you wish, Shield Hero."

He answers with his creepy smile.