Rino

Rino (ライノ), also known as Lyno, is a minor character in The Rising of the Shield Hero introduced in a side story of Volume 1. She was a small-time adventurer who was a part of Motoyasu's party before being enslaved by Malty. Later she was freed by Queen Mirellia and joined a unit of spies that answered directly to her.

Appearance
Rino is a pretty, blue-eyed young girl in her twenties with a medium build, being around the stature of Malty. She possesses long, curly golden hair with an ahoge on top.

Personality
Rino is a nice, enthusiastic, but naïve girl. When the Spear Hero, Motoyasu, flirted with her she responded enthusiastically and was even more enthralled when he revealed his identity. She ultimately took up his invitation to join his party.

Unlike other girls in Motoyasu's party, Rino genuinely wanted to fight alongside the Hero. She was quite shocked by their attitudes and couldn't quite understand why they chose to cheer Motoyasu on instead of helping him during battles. She also was too gullible and was easily tricked by Malty's lot and sold as a slave.

After being released from slavery, she developed a thirst for revenge against Malty and found pleasure in tormenting her the first chance she got, much like Naofumi. Nevertheless, she still retains her basic personality and has a great deal of insight and patientce, being able to wait for the right moment to enact her revenge and help his allies.

Powers and Abilities
Rino is proficient which allowed her to become Motoyasu's companion until she was betrayed. After her betrayal, she was shown to have strong subterfuge abilities - as shown when she joined Malty's group as a spy for Queen Mirellia. She is able to think quickly and use her environment to her advantage.

Magic
Rino has some magic support abilities, however she hasn't been seen using it often.


 * Zweite Heal「ツヴァイト・ヒール Tsuvaito Hiiru」

Magic that quickly mends the target's injuries.

Increases the speed of the targets of this spell.
 * Drifa Boost「ドライファ・ブースト Doraifaa Buusoto」

Vassal Whip (Temporary)
After betraying Malty, Rino was able to steal back the Vassal Whip which was suppressed by one of the Third Army's accessories. After using the whip, she broke the accessory which allowed it to go to its rightful place.

The user turns the Whip into a Morning Star and crushes his opponent with a powerful impact. Causes the Vassal Whip to split into multiple lashes which all fly towards the target.
 * Gigantic Star「ギガントスター Giganto Sutaa」
 * Dimension Whip「ディメンションウィップ Dimenshon Uippu」

Background
Rino was a small-time adventurer in Melromarc and one of the many, many women Motoyasu flirted with and invited into his party, she accepted this invitation, which ultimately decided her fate.

Volume 1
Rino joins Motoyasu's party after he flirts with and invites her. She agrees, but quickly realizes that she's expected to be a cheerleader rather than a true comrade, and was surprised to find the other girls were okay with this arrangement. Finally, Malty tricked her and sold her to a slave shop, telling Motoyasu that she left because she felt that she didn't fit in.

Sometime later, Motoyasu passes a brothel where he hears Rino's voice, but because he tunes out anything that would give a negative image of his surroundings, he could not accept that his party would've sold her as a slave. Instead, he assume's she's a random prostitute rather than his former ally. Rino cries out for help, but even that doesn't change Motoyasu's mind: he assumes the cries are her simply acting out someone's fantasy and leaves. Her fate after which remained unknown.

Volume 19
Rino is revealed to be the spy of Melromarc's that followed Malty between worlds. At some point after Queen Mirellia returned to Melromarc, she tracked down the victims of her daughter, Rino among them, and freed them from their slavery. Later, the victims were given the opportunity to join the ranks of her personal Shadows, and Rino was among those who accepted. After Spirit Tortoise incident and the escape of Malty, she and the other Shadows victimized by Malty - now renamed Bitch - formed a special unit to hunt their hated enemy to make her pay for all that she did. After Takt was defeat, Rino was able to follow Malty, leaving a note of where she was going. She eventually worked her way into Malty's favor and became her companion.

Trivia

 * Rino helps allude to the possible fates of the men and other women who "didn't fit in" with Motoyasu's party according to Malty, with her own fate serving to imply that they're either dead or worse if they did not choose to willfully leave the party before Malty got rid of them.
 * In the epilogue of volume 19, Aneko Yusagi revealed that the queen found out about Rino situation because Elena had informed her about it.