Lullaby at Dawn

Lullaby at Dawn is the fourth episode of The Rising of the Shield Hero anime.

Synopsis
A party is being held to honor the success of the heroes in subjugating the waves. Motoyasu came to know of Raphtalia being a slave of Naofumi and challenges him to a duel for her freedom. Naofumi is being forced to participate in the duel. Will he able to keep Raphtalia as his comrade ? or will Raphtalia part away from the Shield Hero?

Plot
After the previous wave the Heroes and the Companions are being thrown a victory celebration inside of Melromarc's castle. Naofumi curses for being there but had to, for he wanted to receive his promised payment. He scrolls through his menu and learns of teleporting a register members to the wave and was considering it for next wave. Naofumi also sees the knight captain bragging about defeating a huge monster when he actually done nothing.

Motoyasu was surrounded by Noble ladies who enquirers about his love life which was interrupted by jealous Myne. Motoyasu sees Raphtalia and tries to talk to her, before which Myne tells Motoyasu Kitamura that Raphtalia is forced to be Naofumi's slave and that he should save that poor girl. Raphtalia is trying to get Naofumi to eat some of the food but he claims he's not hungry, not seeing much point in eating delicious food when he can't taste it.and he focus on reading the help menu to fight the next wave. Motoyasu challenges him to a duel for her freedom. The other heroes are also shocked to learn Nafoum having a slave as a party member

Naofumi wasn't interested in taking part in a duel that he gets nothing for winning and attempts to leave, but Aultcray Melromarc XXXII forces him to anyway. Myne reminds Nafoumi that a shield hero can't win much to sneer of the crowd. After getting another painful reminded that he can't use a sword Naofumi is escorted to the courtyard where he meets Motoyasu.

Motoyasu maintains that it is morally wrong for someone, especially a hero, to take a slave. Further more Motoyasu mocks Naofumi with the tale about the all penetrating spear and the unbreakable shield and wonders which one is stronger. Naofumi soon proves his mettle, making use of the shield he unleashes his powerful attack but the cool down time started. Nafoumi begins to take advantage by using the hidden balloon monster and various shield unlocked. Motoyasu calls him for using the monster but was now attacked by Two-Headed Black Dog to his shield to counter attack, knocking Motoyasu down with air strike shield, and siccing Balloons on him.

Then, on the cusp of victory, Naofumi is suddenly blown away by wind magic fired by Myne and Motoyasu regains his second wind and his cool down time being ended unleashed a savage attack to beat down on Naofumi. Declaring the fight in Motoyasu's favor the King congratulates the hero and that his daughter choose wisely revealing that Myne is the Princess Malty Melromarc. Every noble member of audience begins to demean Nafoumi. Naofumi, realizing that he was set up from the very beginning and everyone was in on the conspiracy against him, sinks even further into his despair and rage.

Naofumi's deep, intensive, festering rage unlocks the cursed series, as he watches Raphtalia (in her child form) have her slave crest removed and begins to hallucinate the child Raphtalia leaving him. Meanwhile the newly freed Raphtalia rewards her would be savior with a smack to the face and tells him that she never asked to be freed. She starts lecturing the spear hero on the things that Naofumi has done for her while he trembles unable to defend himself and still tries to stick to his ideal of done the right thing.

Raphtalia finishes by telling Motayasu that if he wants to help a slave so badly he should go out and buy one, for which he couldn't answer. Unable to stand it any further, Malty demeans Raphtalia for being a demi-human and raise her hand to slap her. Just then Ren and Itsuki points out the foul play done against Naofumi and tells Motoyasu that he lost the duel. In the meantime Raphtalia goes over to Naofumi who is continuing to rage against the world and his shield.

Eventually Raphtalia calms Naofumi down and finally neutralizing the curse series Naofumi confuse to see a grown up woman in-front of him and ask who she was. Raphtalia answers him and tells him that she will follow him till the end and will always defend him against the false rumor. Naofumi breaks down in tears while she hugs and calms him down of his sorrow. Dissatisfied by the result the King, Myne and noble members of the audience leave the courtyard.

Motoyasu was downcast for his action and trembles in shame, but still tries to weakly defends his action that heroes are not to have slaves and that Raphtalia could be brainwashed. Both Ren and Itsuki were surprised by his words, as anyone who witness them can say that it was not the case. Nafoumi falls asleep on her lap in the courtyard throughout the night.

The very Next morning, and after a night's rest Naofumi wakes up and realizes that Raphtalia was indeed an adult. Raphtalia explains that Demi-Humans share a unique biological quirk with monsters: Children rapidly age in proportion to their level, and this is one of the main reasons why they're considered the same as monsters and discriminated in Melromark. Raphtalia scrounges together the leftovers of the feast in the kitchen for the two of them with Naofumi realizing that he can taste the food.

Characters

 * Aultcray Melromarc XXXII
 * Naofumi Iwatani
 * Raphtalia
 * Motoyasu Kitamura
 * Malty Melromarc
 * Ren Amaki
 * Itsuki Kawasumi
 * High Priest