Two worlds, one shield

Chapter 27: Friends

After resting for some time before the nightly banquet from the Queen, Naofumi and Garfiel were in one room with Raphtalia and Filo being in the other. 

While there was time to speak in private, Naofumi took the opportunity to question Garfiel about his world.

"The world you're from, what can you tell me about it?"

"Well...whatcha' wanna know?" Garfiel crossed his arms at hearing Naofumi's question.

Since the only real thing he knew about was the Sanctuary and just barely had been going with his captain and Brotto around to different parts of Lugnica, he won't be able to really say too much about his world.

Naofumi looked at him before shifting his gaze elsewhere. 

There was a bunch he could ask since it was a whole different world he could learn, though what Garfiel had mentioned in the past had been on his mind for quite some time.

"That captain of yours, last we discussed about him was something in regards to being a fighter despite being weak."

"Yea, Cap'n is someone t'rely on when 't matters most. He ain't th'toughest 'f th'princess's camp yet he's still someone I'd follow t'th'very end."

"Then that brings me to this question, if he were here, who would you follow, him or me?"

"..."

Garfiel paused when he heard this, seeing the intense gaze the Shield Hero was giving him. He recognized the unspoken challenge: Naofumi wanted to know the full depth of his loyalty. 

Despite their growing bond, the Shield Hero clearly feared that should this 'captain' suddenly appear and challenge him, Garfiel might side with his old allegiances. 

Garfiel sighed before saying:

"F'yer thinkin' th't I'll betray ya, then drop it. I'm loyal t'both 'f y'all fer different reasons. I ain't gonna start pickin' sides."

"That's not an actual answer." Naofumi spoke, annoyed by how Garfiel was attempting to sidestep the question by remaining neutral. "I—"

"Ya know, th'Cap'n ain't that type 'f guy t'pick fights fer th'hell 'f it. 'F anythin', he knows when t'fight. Ya both are kinda alike in that regard."

Naofumi raised an eyebrow when this was said.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that th' reason I follow th' Cap'n is because he was able t'let me be free."

"Be free? From what?"

"From myself. Ya see, Cap'n wasn't an ally at first fer my amazin' self. I kinda gave him and th' princess a hard time when we first met. Viewed them as a threat t'th'Sanctuary and its people."

"Sanctuary, huh? Is that like...a village?" Naofumi asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"Yes, it's an important village t'me. Th'place I grew up from, though it was also a prison 'f sorts."

Naofumi didn't respond right away since he was processing one specific word that had his attention—prison.

'A prison? What kind of village was it then?'

"Go on," he finally said, quieter than before.

Garfiel could tell that the Shield Hero was trying to decipher the meaning of what he meant of his home being a prison, prompting an in-depth explanation.

"Mixed bloods who go into th'Sanctuary are stuck there fer good. They can go in, though nobody can go out 'f th'barrier once inside."

"Wait, then how did you get out? Did your Captain have something to do with it?"