The sign read, "No demihumans." I'd almost forgotten it was there, but looking back now it stood out clearly in my mind. The first time we'd been here together, the night after we met, he'd brought me here for a meal, and when I'd hesitated to come in he'd barked sharply at me to follow. As scary as he'd been to me at the time, somehow the memory seemed wonderfully nostalgic right now.

Squaring my shoulders, I pushed my way inside, the familiar sights and sounds washing over me as I passed the threshold.

"Welcome-" The owner called as I came in, then cut himself short as he saw me. He hesitated as we both looked at eachother, uncertainty written on his features.

Of course he recognised me. It was probably unusual of me to be here without Mr Naofumi, but the owner had watched me grow up over those first few months I spent grinding levels and completing basic quests in Melomarc.

I returned the look he gave me, smiling at him somewhat sadly as I did. Please, if only for old times sake...

After a long moment he nodded and beckoned me over. "Alright, but only because I know you."

"Thank you." I bowed my head slightly, a mannerism I'd picked up from Mr Naofumi in those rare moments when he was trying to be polite and respectful. Apparently it was basic courtesy in his home country.

I wonder if he's happy now he's there? Happy without me…

My steel sword wrattled in its sheath as I walked over to the bar, and with practiced ease I put one hand on the hilt to make sure it didn't rattle against anything as I sat down. "One meal, and one ale." As my coins clacked against the stained wooden counter, I noticed a handful of new chips and pits in its old worn surface that I didn't remember being there. Idly, I took off my gloves and rubbed one callused finger against the marks.

The ale was brought over right away, but the meal would take a few minutes of preparation. The ale of this bar was actually a new taste to me. Mr Naofumi hadn't really let me drink until after our journey to Cal Mira, and thus I'd never had the brew of this rundown part of Melomarc before. I found it a little sour, but not enough so to overpower the sweetness of the alcohol.

As I sipped at the foam, I noticed a human family in the back of the hall watching me. The boy was staring openly at my sword with great interest, while the mother looked frightened and my the father looked on with a weary concern. Despite myself I couldn't help but feel a little guilty for ruining their meal. Mr Naofumi would have told me I hadn't done anything wrong, so I had nothing to be ashamed of, and he was right, but still. I just didn't like upsetting people.

I turned to face back towards the front just as my meal was served. When I saw it I blinked slightly in surprise and looked back up to the owner.

"Wasn't this your usual?" He grunted. "Or did you want something else?"

"...It's fine, thank you." I picked up the knife and fork and tucked in. It tasted exactly as I remembered it, and I was finished quickly.

I had another ale before I left, a little paper flag twirling between my thumb and forefinger with a small red thumbprint in its center.

Melomarc wasn't the safest city even at the best of times for a demihuman, but I wasn't very worried. Between my high level, unique class up, magical weapons, and countless other improvements, I was a match for the sword hero let alone any random grouping of thugs. Perhaps it was arrogant of me to say, maybe even a little bit unhealthy, but some part of me hoped for a reprieve from the mundanity of adventuring.

With Naofumi gone, and Filo as Queen of the Filioals, doing whatever that entailed, I had been left to continue living as an adventurer. A good one, with a clean an honest reputation, known for my ability to handle difficult jobs solo that most would send a group to deal with. After the waves I was honestly a bit overqualified to do this sort of work, but it was really all I knew how to do.

I could travel to one of the demihuman kingdoms, and no doubt find work as a lords personal bodyguard, or perhaps even join the royal guard of a king, but doing that seemed I'd be…

A cool evening breeze caught the flag in between my fingers, and I gently let it go, watching as it blew down the street and away to join a trash pile somewhere. As it passed by an alley, it was briefly illuminated by a green light before disappearing behind a merchant's stall.

Curious about the cause of the eerie illumination spilling out between two buildings, I approached before peeking my head around the corner. There floating in the air was a green orb, its surface glowing bright enough in the dark that it hurt my eyes a little to look at it.

Cautiously, with one hand on my sword hilt, I approached before coming to a halt before it. Scooping down, I grabbed a small piece of chipped stone and tossed it at the things surface. It disappeared, only to clatter down on the other side of it unharmed.

An illusion then…

Wondering what it was hiding, I approached, pulling the gloves back onto my hands before reaching out to touch its surface. Finding no resistance, my arm disappeared without feeling through its surface, and I took another step forwards to put my face and shoulder inside it. Nothing. Just green.

Leaning back I… I couldn't lean back. Trying to pull out was like pulling against solid stone and instinctively I put my other hands against the orbs surface to try and find purchase, only for it to enter the orb as well. Panicking, I tried stepping back only to feel my feet leave the ground as I somehow tilted forwards, seemingly losing my balance. I should have fallen to the alley floor, but somehow it felt like I fell much farther than that, the green light only growing brighter and more piercing.

AN: I've seen the anime, and read the manga. Currently working my way through the eng translated novels. Obviously this portrayal of Raphtalia is going to be outdated by canon, let alone whatever the ending of the series will turn out to be. But the gist of this version of her is the four heroes won, returned to their respective worlds, and Raphtalia was left behind.

Sad, I know.