You stood in a well lit room, watching over the bandaged figures of Melty, Filo, and Raphtalia. They were still burned from Naofumi's cursed flames, and had fallen asleep under your watchful gaze. Naofumi was also asleep, albeit suffering from the physical drawbacks of the Wrath Shield. The sun was rising, making way for a new day.

With a last glance and a nod of confirmation, you pushed a chair into the center of the room, before exiting. You still needed to see Mirellia again, regarding the spear that currently rest on your back.

When the sun finally reached Naofumi's eyes, he slowly opened them, lifting a hand to block out the light. He blinked a few times, shaking his head as he noticed a number of bandages on his body. Despite the ease with which he blocked all those attacks, he still suffered damage after all.

"Good morning, Good Hero." His eyes snapped forward in shock as he sat up, alert.

"Naofumi? Is something wrong?" He heard Raphtalia speak up, sounding concerned. Looking around, he noticed Raphtalia and Melty sitting beside his bed, both awake and waiting for him, while Filo was messing with...

"Is that...?" Naofumi knit his brows, studying the familiar looking life sized doll. While Filo played with her fingers, seeing them move, Naofumi looked into those lifelike eyes, somewhat concerned.

"That doll has been here since we woke up. Y/n wasn't here either, but I think that thing is... watching us." Raphtalia shivered at the sight of it.

"The doll is quite pretty, though. If it was based off of someone, that someone must've been stunning when they were alive." Melty admitted.

"She was." Your voice startled all four people present.

"That Doll was made by my old mentor, modeled after one Maria of the Astral Clocktower. She was a beauty among hunters, I will admit. It was shame that she went mad, and I had to cut her down." You lamented.

"Well, she barely looks like a hunter." Melty pointed out.

"Thats because this doll is not Maria, nor will she ever be. This Doll is someone entirely different now. The closest thing to an heirloom I own, really." You stated, resting your hands on the rest of the chair the doll sat on.

"I am not here without reason, anyhow. Naofumi, your audience is requested." You told the Shield Hero.

"Requested?" Naofumi asked. From behind you, regal footsteps echoed as the queen of Melromarc entered the room, putting everyone present on edge.

"...I am truly glad you are out of danger." Mirellia stated, walking past the doll, and towards the bedside of the Shield Hero.

"Mother... I mean, your majesty!" Melty scrambled to appear more formal in front of her mother, an attempt that left you smirking.

"Allow me to introduce myself once again, as our previous predicament left quite the..." Mirellia looked at you, then the spear on your back.

"...situation to deal with." She finished.

"That's right. Y/n, what the hell-" You silenced the Shield Hero with a raise of your hand.

"Worry not about that, Naofumi. All will be explained shortly. First... well..." you nodded towards Mirellia, prompting her to continue.

"Thank you. I am the Queen of Melromarc, Mirellia Q Melromarc." Mirellia introduced herself.

"Thank you for bringing us all here to recover!" Raphtalia chimed in.

"It was the obvious thing to do, especially with Iwatani. He is one of the four Cardinal Heroes, someone who defends the world from the Waves of... you call them Scourge now, do you?" Mirellia asked.

"Taken from the scourge of beasts." You explained.

"Either way, even if I'm a hero, this country seems to really hate the Shield." Naofumi pointed out.

"Even from before I was framed." He continued.

"Yes... I will tell you everything." Mirellia promised.

You, having already known the majority of this information, stood at the door of a balcony while the Queen and Shield Hero spoke in private. You were silent, arms crossed as you carefully watched any person to pass you by.

The conversation between the two was, once again, stuff you had explained to you when you were first bright into Melromarc. The four heroes were supposed to be summoned in different countries, but King Aultcray and Princess Malty ordered a... hasty progression on that topic. To stop them, Mirellia had put a lord she trusted in charge. The very same lord of Seyaette that had passed away in the first wave.

Naofumi's discrimination and humiliation at the hands of the country were, as you already knew once again, done by the king holding a vendetta against the shield hero's title. But Mirellia would not act without purpose, and as such, Naofumi's name would be cleared, even at the cost of...

Well... that was to be saved for tomorrow.

"So, the queen decided to let you keep that?" Itsuki asked. You nodded, holding the Ultimate Weapon in your hands, in its sword form.

"The only other way it could be taken care of is complete destruction. I was told to consider this payment from you guys in exchange for helping you with the fight the other day." You sheathed the dull blade, shrugging your shoulders.

"Weak logic, but I think the Queen simply wanted me to keep an eye on it." You admitted.

"In any case, I'm a bit nervous for what's coming." The Bow hero admitted.

"By the way, how would you even have enough mana to use that thing?" Beside Itsuki, in the castle hall, was Motoyasu.

"All will be explained later today. For now..." you looked at Ren, who only silently nodded at you. He seemed to have your... secret figured out already, something he kept silent about.

"We simply await my dear comrade." On cue, several pairs of footsteps began to ascend a nearby staircase. A minute later, Naofumi came up in his usual attire, joined by Filo and Raphtalia.

"Ah, Naofumi, good to see you." Itsuki greeted. This was clearly his most friendly way of meeting the shield hero... ever.

"Oh, now that you're here... has anyone seen Myne?" Motoyasu asked, looking around.

"I haven't seen her since that day." He stated.

"Oh, I'm sure she's arranging a surprise party for us!" Itsuki states.

"Ah, I see. That's gotta be it!" Motoyasu held a fist up in determination. The poor, poor soul.

From a side entrance of the throne room, an accountant emerged, head bowed.

"Four Cardinal Heroes. Please, come this way."

"Y/n, you may come stand beside me." Mirellia spoke calmly. You bowed in place, before standing and walking forward. When you reached her, you tipped you hat to Melty, who bowed her head to you as you stood at Mirellia's right, in between her throne, and the empty king's throne.

"Now..." Mirellia cleared her throat, looking up.

"I thank you for coming, Four Cardinal Heroes." She greeted.

"Where's Myne?" Motoyasu, as usual, got straight to the point.

"I don't see the king either." Itsuki added. Mirellia glanced at Melty, before giving her next order.

"Bring those two in."

The front doors of the throne room were opened, revealing Aultcray and Malty, in chains.

"Myne!" Motoyasu shouted out, surprised.

"Motoyasu! Help me!" The redhead screeched, almost lunging forward if it weren't for the bindings keeping her in place.

"Even the king's in chains? What's going on?" Ren asked.

"It is as you see. The two standing before you are criminals." Mirellia's words drew shocked reactions out of all but Naofumi.

"Now, let us begin... the trial of the foolish king consort and the firstborn princess!"

"Mama! You're being too cruel!" Malty cried out.

"My queen, what brings you to commit such an outrage?" King Aultcray asked, keeping his regal posture.

"This isn't like you." He tried to step forward, only for crossed spears from two knights to stop him in place.

"With the Four Cardinal Heroes in attendance, this trial seeks to punish the ones responsible for shaking the country to its core. And I, the queen, am it's judge and executor." Mirellia announced.

"Don't tell me... did the Devil of the Shield brainwash you, too-" with a flick of Mirellia's hand, King Aultcray was stopped in place by crystals of ice freezing around him, leaving only his head unfrozen.

"The Shield Hero has no such ability. That should have been obvious." From beside her, a servant approached Mirellia, holding a tray of familiar materials.

"W-what is that?" Myne asked, scared.

"In order to insure a fair trial, you will be given a temporary slave crest." Mirellia answered. As Mirellia pricked her finger to mix with the black liquid, two knights forced Myne onto her knees, as she watched her mother in shock.

"M-Mama!?" She let out, almost too shocked to speak.

"How can you do this to her!? She's your own daughter!" Motoyasu asked, turning his head to face the queen with panic in his expression.

"It is necessary, because Malty is a pathological liar." Mirellia insisted.

"No way!" Myne shouted out.

"You know I'm an honest, good girl!" She gasped in fear as a robed man approached her, holding Mirellia's prepared items for the slave crest.

"Stop this, Mama!" You could only smirk under your mask as the crest was drawn, and Myne threw her head back, letting out a scream of pain. She lurched forward, almost limp when the crest was finished.

"Now, let us truly begin the trial." After Myne's slave crest was drawn, the heroes were escorted to a side of the room, as two podiums were prepared for the defendants. The thawed out Aultcray took the left one, and Myne the right.

"That said, your crimes will be laid bare for all in the country to see. You can't work your way out of them." The queen informed the two.

"We don't know that yet!" Motoyasu insisted.

"What crimes did they commit, anyway?" In response, Mirellia began her first questioning.

"First, let's address the recent events. Using a fake holy weapon, the Pope of the Three Heroes Church tried to murder the world's heroes, but he was defeated in the act. Any members that were not present in the attack are being rounded up as we speak."

"So what!?" Motoyasu was doing his best to defend his party member, something Mirellia simply waved off.

"Appallingly, the king and the firstborn princess were colluding with the church." Mirellia revealed.

"W-what?" Motoyasu almost stepped forward, before Mirellia stepped forward.

"Are there any objections to this charge?" She asked.

"W-Why would I ever conspire with the Three Heroes-" Malty's crest began to spark, before it flashed with purple electricity, bringing a symphony of joyous, pained screams to your ears. Murmurs echoed around the room as the crest faded, letting Malty breath.

"To think she would try to overthrow the state." Mirellia lamented.

"No, I would never! Forget the Shield, they even tried to kill the other three heroes!" Malty protested.

"And the royal family, too! I would never get involved in such a terrifying plot!" After a moment of silence, the crest did not react.

"See? Myne really didn't do anything wrong!" Motoyasu tried to smile, to pass off what he was seeing.

"Y/n, you were with Melty much of the time I was absent, no? Would you care to bring up Malty's attempts on her life?" Mirellia asked.

"Gladly." You stepped forward, in front of the two podiums.

"You would never get involved in a plot to kill the royal family, but what about the time you tried to assassinate Melty, heir to the throne, and frame myself and the Shield for it?" You asked.

"Well?" By having Mirellia ask the final question, she could force a response out of Malty, instead of your blood entering her body.

"S-seriously, I didn't do any of tha-" Purple light flashed across the room as another chorus of pained screams echoed. You sneered as more murmurs echoed across the room.

"M-Malty, is it true?" King Aultcray asked, slowly losing his previous stature.

"N-No, it's not true, Papa!" She barely got the words out before lurching backwards, screaming even more from the pain her crest was doing to her.

"You conspired with the church, and attempted to kill Melty so you could become heir to the throne yourself." Mirellia accused.

"To that end, you framed the Shield Hero and my most trusted hunter for the crime of kidnapping her, and even set fire to a forest Melty escaped into." At the reveal of your 'title,' a few more murmurs rippled across the chamber.

"Am I wrong?" She questioned.

"Melty is my dear sister! Of course I would nev-" Myne's shrieks harmonized quite well with the sound of her crest shocking her.

"Yeah, it really did seem like she was trying to kill the crown princess." Ren pointed out.

"We saw it with our own eyes." Itsuki added.

"M-Malty, how could y-" King Aultcray's dread filled words were interrupted by his wife instead addressing him.

"And you worked with the church to summon all of the four Cardinal Heroes while I was away." She accused.

"We absolutely needed the heroes to counter those horrifying Waves!" He insisted.

"But the Shield and his Hound committed the gravest sin possible against my daughter!" He shouted.

"That's right! Naofumi and Y/n assaulted Myne!" Motoyasu interrupted.

"Let me ask Malty then." As expected, Mirellia kept her form, continuing without so much as any emotion in her words.

"Were you assaulted by the Shield Hero, or his only other companion?" Mirellia asked.

"Th-That's right! The Devil of the Shield and his Hound nearly rap-" Her screams were delightful, truly the most pleasing sound you heard in a very long time. After the shock built up for a moment, it released in an especially brutal burst, knocking Myne backwards onto the ground from the pain of it.

"N-No way! That can't be right!" Motoyasu objected as Ren and Itsuki only watched in shock.

"Then, Spear Hero, would you like to form a slave pact with Malty yourself?" Mirellia offered.

"F-Fine! I'll prove Malty's innocence!" Motoyasu agreed.

It took a minute for the new pact to be made, before Motoyasu gave his companion a warm, hopeful look.

"Okay, Myne. That night, you were assaulted by Naofumi and Y/n, and came to me for help, right? Right!?" He was sounding more desperate with every word.

"I was so scared! I could only turn to you..." The only reason Malty was off the ground was the knights carrying her as she screamed, moving her head side to side as pain wracked her every living cell.

One by one, lie by lie was revealed, laid bare for all of Melromarc to witness. The Shield Hero was innocent, and the ones guilty of the cardinal sins this whole time, were Malty and Aultcray Melromarc.

"Now you see... despite being royalty, they used the dirtiest of tricks, tried to eliminate those that opposed them instead of doing what was best for the nation, and sought to obtain power for purely selfish reasons." In response, Malty weakly tried to push herself from the floor...

"N-no, I..."

... she was immediately forced back by another electric shock from her crest, her cries now growing old.

"Perhaps my actions were unbecoming of royalty, but I did it all for the sake of my beloved country and family!" The king shouted out.

"That's why I tried to get rid of the Shield! The Shield is the Devil! It will surely bring about the calamity my family once fell prey to once again! I will never let it happen again! Never!" He emphasized his words with a fist slammed against his podium. After a moment of silence, and a sigh, Mirellia spoke again.

"I hereby hand down my verdict."

"I find Aultcray Melromarc XXXII and Malty Melromarc guilty of high treason and conspiracy, and strip them of their status. And I sentence them..." she threw her hand out, pointing a folded fan at the two guilty members of the royal family.

"To Death!" As people around you tried to speak in protest, Mirellia only continued.

"These two were supposed to keep the country safe, but instead took part in a power struggle. Even after the Waves came, they did nothing to help their subjects. Who knows how many people were hurt or killed by them? They cannot ever be forgiven or forgotten!" She announced.

"Their execution will be carried out immediately! Send these sinners to their deaths in front of all our people!" Mirellia ordered.

It was hasty, but the two were brought to the very same area you and Motoyasu had battled before. And just as before, the Lesser Amygdala watched in bland curiosity as two people were brought in front of guillotines, their hands held behind their backs as they struggled in vain. You watched from Mirellia's right side as she hesitated, before speaking up.

"These criminals will now face beheading. Those who turn against the country and its people deserve death, especially if they're royalty. We will prove it right here, right now!" Two struggling heads were forced in the holding planks of the guillotines.

"No, no, no!" Malty cried out, tears forming in her eyes.

"Help me! Help me Motoyasu! Motoyasu!" She cried out. The spear hero couldn't even lift his gaze to meet her eyes.

Mirellia lifted her hand, ready to order the drop of the blades. Similarly, a knight raised his sword, read to sever the rope holding up the wicked sharp blades.

"..-/n." you looked down at Malty, at her slowly moving mouth. Time seemed to move in slow motion as her first tears hit the ground.

"Save me..."

"SAVE ME Y/N!"

The words echoed in an endless void, before Malty's surroundings shifted for a split second. Instead of facing immediate death, she was facing something much worse, something she couldn't even comprehend.

Something she wouldn't remember, unlike her mother.

In the dream, Mirellia fell to her knees, gripping the ground.

"You wish for me to save your daughter's life, no?" You asked. Mirellia's shoulders shook for a moment, before she stood up again, catching her breath.

"I... I must bargain with Iwatani as well, but it would only make sense to ask you first." She let out, her words heavy.

"I understand. I hold no qualms against your husband. He may go free all you wish, I do not care. Your daughter, however... I very much wish to see in my fields." You stated.

"Please, I'll pay any price." Mirellia begged.

"Even one that ultimately favors me?" You asked.

"Yes, please." Mirellia continued. Her voice was wavering, betraying her attempts at a calm demeanor.

"Hm... very well then. Would you like to hear my price, or would you rather live unaware of what you're doing to your daughter by doing this?" You asked.

"I... I don't think I could live without knowing what you plan for my dear child." Mirellia lamented.

"Very well, Mirellia. Your daughter's price, for her own head..."