Rising of the Shield Hero Re-Rise

The huge, three-headed dog leapt out of the ocean and turned to face us.

It howled. It cornered us against the cliff, so that we had nowhere to run.

"Grrr…"

The three-headed dog leapt at us, its claws out.

My father managed to bat away the claws with his magic, but then a

shower of blood sprayed from his shoulder. Huh?

"Dear, are you all right?"

"I'm fine… But…"

We were up against the cliff. The other villagers were all already in the

ocean, but more than half of them had been… had been…

"Ahhh…"

I was so scared. I held onto my mother's back.

Everyone below was swimming to save their own lives, but the current

was strong, and they kept getting pulled further out to sea. They were going

to drown.

"If we don't take care of this thing, he'll follow the villagers into the sea

and kill them all."

"I know…"

"'I'm sorry, honey…"

"I was prepared."

They finished talking and both turned to me.

"Raphtalia."

"Wh…What?"

She was rubbing my back, trying to calm me down.

"Don't forget to smile. Be nice to the others."

"She's right. When you smile, everyone smiles."

Father rubbed my head.

"Raphtalia… Things will be hard for you. If you aren't careful, you

might even die."

"But still… Even still, Raphtalia, we want you to live. So please, forgive

us for our selfishness."

My heart started pounding… It was like… It was like I wasn't ever

going to see them again.

"Nooo! Mommy! Daddy!"

I didn't want to leave them.

My mother pushed me, hard, and I flew from the cliff, through the air,

and fell into the ocean. All I could see were bubbles popping violently here and there.

I hurried

to get my head above water.

And then… I saw it. I saw the exact second that the three-headed dog

leapt at my parents.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

The current took me, but I kicked the whole way.

When I finally found myself on the shore, the sky was already dark.

Huff… Huff…

There were other survivors from the village there too. But some of the

dead villagers had washed up as well.

The sky had already returned to its normal color.

I had no idea what had happened.

But I wanted to see my parents again, more than anything. I hurried back

to the cliff where I had left them.

There were bones lying all around. It looked like reinforcements had arrived from the castle to drive the monsters off.

When I arrived, I found strips of flesh, and the skeleton of that monster.

Knights and adventurers were carrying it off.

I was able to piece together what had happened.

"Well, good thing it had already taken a beating…"

"Yeah, otherwise we probably couldn't have beaten it."

The adventurers and knight were bantering when they noticed me there

"What's with the brat? Should we grab her?"

"Wait. We are in demi-human territory."

"What are you talking about? The area lord is dead, didn't you hear?"

"Oh yeah?"

"Anyway, leave her alone. You know what would happen."

They all split and made room for me to pass.

Then I walked to the edge of the cliff and saw what had become of my

parents. I started shaking and sobbing.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

How much time had passed?

By the time I knew what I was doing, I had already made graves for my

parents.

"Don't forget to smile. Be nice to the others."

"She's right. When you smile, everyone smiles."

"Right…"

They had given their lives to save the other villagers, and they had entrusted the survivors to me.

I'd show them… I'd be good to everyone! I wouldn't let their deaths be

in vain… If I just stayed there crying, my parents would be upset.

"I won't cry any more. I'm going now…"

I started walking back to the village.

"Uhuuuuhh…."

"Daddy… Mommy…"

The villagers that had run for the ocean had formed a crowd. There were

many more children than adults.

"Is that Raphtalia?!"

"Yes."

"Did your parents make it?"

An old man who had been our neighbor asked me. He looked concerned.

I tried as hard as I could not to cry. I shook my head.

"Oh… That's…"

He was unable to find any words. He must have known that anything he

said would make me cry.

"It's okay. My parents told me to cheer everyone up."

"Did they? You're such a strong girl."

"Hee, hee."

Was I laughing?

It's fine. If I cried, my parents would be upset.

"Everyone!"

I shouted to get everyone's attention, and all the eyes of the crying

children were on me.

"I know that you are all sad. I am too. But would our parents and

brothers and friends want us to stay here and cry?"

Everyone seemed troubled by my words. They were twisting their faces

up.

I put my hand on my heart and stepped forward.

"To all of you that think our loved ones haven't died, I ask you how

would they feel if they came back to our village and found it like this?"

Right. This was everyone's village. We couldn't just leave it how it was.

My dad, and the lord, had always said that the village was a family that

we all made together.

"I know how sad you are. Believe me, I know. But that is all the more

reason to rebuild. I mean, we're a family!"

Yes, father had always said so. He said to treat the rest of the village as

if they were part of our family.

So I would do it. I would take care of them all, just like father had said.

"Right? Please?"

I did all I could to summon a smile.

"Raphtalia…"

"Raphtalia, aren't you sad?"

"Why are you smiling? Your father died!"

My smile weakened at their exclamation. I wouldn't cry… If I started crying, I'd never be able to stop…

"Right… I'm… not… sad."

I can't cry. If I started to cry, no one would be able to comfort me.

"Oh…"

"Look at how hard this girl is trying! Come on everyone. If she can do

it, we can do it!"

"Yeah!"

"Okay!"

"You're right, Raphtalia! I'll do my best too!"

Keel had been crying, but he turned to me, invigorated.

"Yes!"