“Well, he might have heard and just laughed it off, figuring we were just imposters, so I’ll go ahead and tell him.”

I glared down at the crooked merchant with contempt in my eyes and jutted my thumb out in my own direction to accent my haughty self-introduction.

“I’m Naofumi Iwatani. I was summoned to this world as one of the four holy heroes—the Shield Hero. I entered your coliseum tournament for the express purpose of getting back the ridiculously overpriced Lurolona slaves.”

“I really would have rather you not introduced yourself. You’re going to hurt your reputation.”

Raphtalia was over there moaning.

“Reputation? Who cares about that? I didn’t have the luxury of being able to choose my methods if I wanted to get the overpriced Lurolona slaves back quickly.”

“What?! Hogwash!”

The crooked merchant blurted out in response, as if I had said something unbelievable. So what? A self-introduction wasn’t proof enough? What a hassle.

“If you think I’m lying, then how about I prove it for you? How about these? Air Strike Shield! Second Shield! Chain Shield! Shield Prison!”

I continued to change my shield repeatedly while showing off my skills.

“Surely you’re not going to try to say I’m faking it with magic, since I haven’t made a single incantation.”

“In that case, allow me to provide irrefutable evidence. Yes sir.”

The slave trader passed me a cluster of rucolu fruits. I guess I was supposed to eat one? I plucked one of the fruits off, dangled it in front of the crooked merchant’s nose to show him that it was the real thing, and then gobbled it up.

“Oh my!”

For whatever reason, Sadeena placed a hand on her cheek with a dreamy look in her eyes.

“Do you still not believe me?”

“I can’t . . . ugh . . .”

The crooked merchant hung his head in despair and flopped down onto the floor. Apparently, eating rucolu fruit, as if it were nothing, had become indisputable proof of identification as the Shield Hero. Then again, the method had still only really caught on in and around Melromarc and among a select group of merchants. There would be people that hadn’t heard the rumors, but this merchant didn’t seem to be one of them.

“So there you are. You ready to give up, now? Oh, and don’t think that I’ve forgotten about your little stunt with the forced exhibition match, either.”

“Wh . . . what do you want from me?!”

“Hmm, let’s see . . . There may still be Lurolona villagers out there, so you’ll notify me if you happen to come across any authentic ones. Whether it’s installments or whatever, I’ll pay for them. That said, I expect you to hurry up and crush this bubble and get the prices back to where they should be.”