Warning! This is a lemon chapter!
Naofumi stood on the hill, his eyes darting around the terrain as he searched the last of the pack of balloons he was hunting. Suddenly, the sound of a woman's scream could be heard from a short distance. The shield hero ran towards the sound of the scream, which he recognized as that of his lover, Raphtalia. He arrived at the location the said woman was at, seeing the familiar orange spherical monster gnawing at her arm.
Naofumi ran at his lover, then slammed the shield on his arm straight into the balloon's face, immediately eliminating it. "Are you okay?", the young man asked his lover. She looked at the bite marks on her arm.
"I'm fine. Not too much damage." Naofumi offered Raphtalia his hand and lifted her up, where the demi-human saw the tired look in the shield hero's eyes. "Naofumi, have you gotten any sleep?" "Yeah. Why wouldn't I have?" Unfortunately for Naofumi, he just contradicted himself with a yawn. One that lasted a little longer than it was supposed to. "I don't believe you", said Raphtalia, crossing her arms and giving a stern look.
"I did get sleep. Honest", said Naofumi. Raphtalia still glared at him. "Okay, I didn't sleep long. I got to bed late because I was tracking down a dire wolf the whole night. I had to get up early too because of a wave. Other than that, I haven't had a lot of time to sleep." Raphtalia puffed her cheeks, then grabbed her lover's arm. She dragged him along all the way back to Seyaette. "Raphtalia", spoke Naofumi, trying to explain himself.
"I'm not hearing it", said Raphtalia. "You push yourself too hard. You deserve to take a rest every once and a while." "Raphtalia, I'm the Shield Hero. My duty is to protect everyone in this world." "And has there been any reason for you to do that recently?", Raphtalia asked her lover as she looked over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow. Naofumi wanted to say something, but couldn't.
It is true that lately there hasn't been much dangerous tasks to be fulfilled by one of the Four Legendary Heroes, let alone by the Shield Hero. "So when we get home, you are going to sit back, relax, and do nothing else except that. Got it?" Naofumi sighed. "Yes, Raphtalia." "Good", said Raphtalia as she continued to drag her lover along back to their home.
The couple arrived at Seyatte, where they were greeted by any citizen passing by until they arrived at their house. Once inside said home, Raphtalia helped Naofumi undress from his hero clothes into more comfortable clothes. "Now go do whatever you want." Naofumi turned to walk away, before being stopped by his girlfriend. "And no training." "Yes, ma'am."
The young man made his way to a particular room of his home. One where there was a pool of warm water in the center for him to wash himself in. "I haven't taken a bath in a while, have I?", he thought. He took a whiff of his armpit, then retreated his head once a sweaty smell shot into his nostrils. "Yep. Definitely need a wash." Naofumi took off his clothes until he was bare, then climbed into the bath.
The warm feeling that enveloped his body forced a content sigh out from his mouth. "This is nice", he said to himself. "Way better than that fight in the river...." Naofumi shook his head. "No. I shouldn't do that. Raphtalia told me to relax, so that's what I'll do. No thinking about past missions, and definitely no thinking about any future ones." Naofumi rested his hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling, entering a relaxed state. "Is it just me, or did Raphtalia actually look cute when she was strict?", he thought.
Meanwhile, outside of the room, Raphtalia was making her way to the bathroom. "I wonder what Naofumi would like to eat?", she thought as she approached closer to the door, with intent to ask her lover what food he was in the mood for. Her hand took the knob and opened the door. "Naofumi, is there anything you want to...." Raphtalia's eyes widened when she saw her boyfriend standing up out of the bath, revealing his entire naked body. The young woman's face practically radiated a crimson light.
