The Christmas of the Shield Hero Conclusion  

The flying sled is on a coarse set for Melomark Castle.

Queen: “Wow… how unexpected.”

Trash and the Queen are on the Castle’s terrace. They seemed to have set up a romantic aura.

I guess even Royalty spends Christmas like this.

I feel bad for ruining the mood and turn to leave, but they call me back.

Naofumi: “I’m sorry for bothering you so late at night.”

Queen: “Were you distributing presents to the villagers?”

Naofumi: “Well, I had almost finished, but there someone who wished to corrupt the holy night, and…”

Trash: “I see…”

Trash nods with a knowing face. Well, his perceptiveness is his only good quality.

He had guessed the situation from looking at our faces.

Naofumi: “We’ll return by portal in a little bit.”

Trash: “No, no, take your time. Melty is already asleep, but you can at least look at her sleeping face.”

Naofumi: “Ah. I understand.”

Trash has changed a lot from back then. For some reason, he is trying to get me and Melty together.

Queen: “That’s right Iwatani, take your time.”

The queen also receives us warmly.

Trash: “Do you plan to give Melty a Christmas Present?”

What is this person saying.

I have no idea what sort of present to give her.

Naofumi: “Wait, Aren’t you, Trash, more fit to play the role of Santa for her?”

I mean, he has a beard and he’s around the correct age.

It seems he will look good in a Santa Suit.

Trash: “Your worry is undue.”

Naofumi: “I’m saying it’s ironic. Don’t salute me!”

I don’t really feel like dealing with Trash.

Naofumi: “And I’m not brash enough to take away the joy of a parent giving their daughter a present.”

Queen: “Well then, we have prepared a present to give her, so why don’t you and my husband put it by her pillow together?”

The Queen starts nudging Trash as if she had said a good idea.

It was a terrible idea.

And why do I have to help give it anyways?

Firo: “Firo wants to give Melty a present too.”

Naofumi: “……”

Perfect. This bird can go give Melty a Present, and I can make my leave.

I’ll leave this one to Firo.

Firo: “Wait. Master~?”

The queen effectively seals off Firo’s movements with a ribbon.

The Queen lifts up Firo, and begins to carry her off.

Queen: “Ok, Trash, you go give your present with that Hero. I’ll prepare my own present.”

Firo: “Eh?!”

Firo is looking to me for help.

I didn’t see anything.

Melty: “su~…….”

She’s sleeping quite peacefully. But if I make a wrong move and wake her up, it will be troublesome.

She works quite hard for her age.

I lightly stroke her forehead, and leave the box along with the Queen’s present.

Naofumi: “See you Firo. Play nicely with Melty”

Firo: “Yes!”

Naofumi: “Okay, let’s go, Trash.”

Trash: “Iwatani, why don’t you sleep with them as well”

Naofumi: “Surely you jest”

Why do I have to sleep with Melty?

I can imagine what sort of face she will make when she gets up

Trash: “But if Iwatani doesn’t sleep in the same bed as Melty, what meaning does Christmas hold?”

…Trash. It seems he has no plans of backing off.

Ku…Even here, there are people trying to corrupt my holy night.

But you have made some grave errors on your calculations.

Those would be the fact that I am a Hero that holds special power, and the fact that Rafu is here.

Naofumi: “Rafu!”

Trash: “What are you doing, Iwatani?”

I suddenly take out Rafu, who had been hiding. Trash is speechless.

Naofumi: “If you go any further, then your princess just might wake up…”

Trash: “GU…”

I stare at Trash in silence.

I don’t know if he gave up, but Trash left the room.

… or not.

Trash: “If you say that much, I will give up for now, but next time… I will have other plans.”

…As expected of a king. This much isn’t enough to make him give up.

Naofumi: “See ya, Firo”

Firo: “Cya, Good Night!”

Me and Rafu went outside, and used the Portal to return home.

Naofumi: “Ah… I’m tired.”

Rafu and I, who had warped back to my house, sit down and sigh.

Sadina? She was drunk and collapsed at the village entrance.

I look to the sky, and wonder if she’ll be okay… No, she’ll be just fine, let’s leave her be.

I mean, she’s really, REALLY strong against the cold.

Rafatalia: “Good work.”

The door to my room opens, and Rafatalia comes out.

Naofumi: “You should go to sleep. Santa won’t visit you.”

I have the last few present inside of my sack.

I planned to put one by Rafatalia’s pillow, but…

Rafatalia: “Of course I know Santa isn’t real, Naofumi was doing Santa’s role this year, correct?”

Naofumi: “Say what?”

Rafatalia: “There’s no way I wouldn’t know”

Naofumi: “Hmm… That’s true, but I still hoped you hadn’t figured it out.”

I wanted Rafatalia to remain as a dream-filled child.

Like Female Knight.

Naofumi: “Your actual age is quite low, isn’t it? Act your age, dream more.”

Rafatalia: “What sort of logic is that…”

Rafu: “Rafu~”

Naofumi: “Oh I have one for you too, Rafu”

I take out Rafu’s present from the sack and hand it to him.

By the way, Firo’s present was the dinner and the task of delivering presents in itself.

Rafu didn’t really want anything, so I arbitrarily picked something out for him.

Rafu: “Rafu~!”

Rafu, who had already opened his present, was admiring the Plush animal I had made of him.

Yes, Pets should behave cutely like this.

Naofumi: “And for Rafatalia is this.”

And with that I have given away the last present.

Inside is clothing. I thought Rafatalia would look good in Japanese clothes, so I had them made.

I had placed the order a long time ago, but this and that happened, so I was only able to pick them up recently.

Which is why I am presenting them to her now.

Rafatalia: “Ah, thank you”

Naofumi: “Then, should we go to sleep?”

Rafatalia: “What about you?”

Naofumi: “Me? Why would I give a present to myself?”

Rafatalia: “I see… then…”

And Rafatalia hands me two boxes.

The first one is quite big.

Naofumi: “This is…?”

Rafatalia: “It’s a present from everyone, and a present from me.”

The big one contained a letter, and materials used to repair and upgrade equipment

I guess the villagers had noticed. Recently my equipment had been getting worn down, and I was divided on whether or not to send them in for repairs.

The letter contained words of thanks towards me.

As for Rafatalia’s… It’s a plush doll of Rafatalia and me. It is the perfect scale to go as a set with Rafu’s plushy.

Naofumi: “Thank you very-.”

I honestly thanked her.

Before I noticed it I had spoken my mind. I force a smile

“Now then, Let us go to sleep. There’s still the Christmas present I have to prepare for tomorrow.”

It’s the monster’s requests of ‘Play with me’ that I still have to fulfill.

Rafatalia: “Okay.”

Rafu: “Rafu~!”

Naofumi: “Tonight is cold, so let’s sleep together”

Rafatalia: “Y-yes!”

Naofumi: “However, we won’t be corrupting this holy night, or the perverted women will take me away.”

…

…?

When I get up, I find something on my pillow.

I start to get up to check its identity.

Lying there is a present I don’t remember seeing when I went to sleep.

Who could it be from?

I look inside to make sure it isn’t a present I forgot to deliver.

Inside is a single photograph.

It’s a photo of my former world. I am in the center and around me are Rafatalia, Atlas, my family and my old friends.

It’s quite a lively scene.

There aren’t many people who would be able to obtain such an item

For me to be able to make this sort of face… I guess this a present from myself.

It’s probably from the me in that world to the me in this world.

It looks like I’m having fun over there as well.

It’s not like I have any intentions of returning

I had long thrown away such ambitions.

Kiel: “Niichan, Niichan!”

I hear the sound of the children running around with their new toys.

That’s right, right now I’m living a happy enough life that the me over there would be jealous.

Is what I think as I get out of bed.