Even if there was a storm, it would have been more moderate than this.

My mind was in complete ruins. I don’t know what I had been thinking about since then,

The next thing I knew, I was already in the dungeon.

Wow, I really seem to be busy.

It’s as if a film has been cut, and I don’t remember what my life has been like these past few days.

I was dismayed when I recognized the situation around me a step late. It was fortunate that I noticed it when I was resting a bit.

As a matter of fact, I was wondering if I looked strange recently, and the special unit gathered to talk.

“It seems you’ve been really busy lately, Vice Commander.”

“Even if you can’t concentrate for sure… you can’t listen with one ear and spill it out the other… What happened?

“Yeah. You were kind of stuck in the dungeon before we got there.”

“Is there something big going on? Priest August… Can she get treatment for her mental health?”

“Magic for the mind can only be used on a curse.”

I can hear everything, I can hear everything.

But it seems that I’ve been outside of the box so much that I didn’t even notice it until now. I guess it was pretty long.

Without knowing that I had come to my senses, the special unit continued to chat.

“Even in the midst of that, look at how the support magic is accurately stuck. As expected, the Vice Commander is not a person.”

“That’s right. I’m a dehumanized person when I see something like that… Is that what happens when you become elite? His Excellency, the Flame Mage, and Priest August…”

“I’m just an honest priest.”

“… Actually, the priest seems to be the least normal.”

Sebby shook his head and rolled his tongue. You’ll be able to talk like this if you’re rolled around a bit in the dungeon… Even if you’re out of your mind, your body automatically moves to live.

But, as usual, my mind was too complex to allow me the luxury of a beak of a story like that. I sighed deeply.

Is it true that he likes me?

But to doubt his true intentions, his every word and action revealed sincerity intact.

‘No wonder he was warier of the people around me than I was…’

Meyer’s confession was not an easy proposition to swallow.

More than anything…

My biggest problem was that I was glad that Meyer had confessed.

Meyer wasn’t bad either. No, he was good.

Sometimes it was annoying when he was stubborn and tight when it came to listening to me, but even that looked cute like a puppy biting off slippers because he was jealous.

‘That’s because he’s so handsome. My annoyance would subside just by looking at his face. Of course, not at all times.’

If I was misunderstood as Meyer’s lover, my life would be tough, so I tried so hard to avoid him, but it was tolerable as a real lover.

However, I didn’t think that Meyer would like me, so I just memorized the [1]sour grapes chant without thinking about it.

What on earth does he like about me…?

Did I make his empathy of remembering the first round together bigger than I thought? Or was it that he likes a capable partner?

Considering Meyer’s personality, if it was a love that could be easily broken, he wouldn’t have confessed.

When I thought of Meyer alone, my heart suddenly beat tremendously.

If it wasn’t too early.

At times like this… I chewed on my lips.

Since Meyer said he doesn’t want to hear the answer right away anyway, should I reserve it as it is?

Then, do you have to keep lukewarm like this?

It’s not bad to enjoy being confessed to.

However, the problem was that I didn’t have that personality. I felt awkward as if I was half-heartedly putting off my work.

In particular, when I was busy during the exam period or when I was busy at work, I would give an immediate answer. It was to quickly kick it out of my head and focus on my work.

Besides… To shelve it so much would be like torturing Meyer with hope, wouldn’t it?

He himself said that the answer was to take care of the Demon King, but if you think about it, he would be nervous about me…

I’d be in trouble if Meyer neglected dungeons because he was worried about me.

I ruffled my hair.

I knew I couldn’t go on like this. Because I can’t make up my mind more than anything else.

‘Who confesses and feels refreshed by themselves? For whom?’

I clenched my teeth and made a decision. Then I jumped from my position and shouted.

“How long do you have to rest? The demons will be here soon! Nova, manage with aggro!”

“Ah, yes!”

When I suddenly came to my senses, the special unit quickly stood up.

Looking at the troops completing the ranks in an instant, I decided to attack this dungeon quickly.

***

“We’re going to stop by the castle for a bit.”

I said, as the special unit that had closed the gate was in the process of dressing for their journey to the next dungeon.

Nova, who was counting the number of supplies, was surprised and asked.

“What? We still have supplies left.”

“Right, it’s only been 2 weeks?”

Sevi and Julieta also opened their eyes wide. I was surprised, too.

It’s already been 2 weeks since I was out of my mind?

Then August beckoned at me with a serious look.

“…Come here for a second, sister.”

“Why?”

“I thought you might be cursed.”

“What are you talking about?”

Speechless, I shed my eyes at August.

August admitted that I was normal only after using the mental magic.

“If it’s the supplies right now, we can go around for another month or two.”

Nova said, looking around as if he thought they didn’t manage the supplies properly while I was busy.

Then Jeanne and Anasta were surprised this time. Anasta asked carefully.

“In two weeks… Isn’t it time to go back to filling the supply? We should take some time off…”

“Our supply is different from other expeditions, so it’s easy for a month or two.”

“That’s how we closed the dungeon for six months by supplying it regularly. Constantly. No rest.”

Sevi said spookily. It was a little bit of a dominant tone. It was clear that he secretly enjoyed pretending to know as a senior.

Jeanne’s complexion turned white and pulled Anasta’s skirt hem.

Anasta also realized that the place they rolled into was the dungeon hell, and her smile hardened. Julieta quickly comforted them.

“But I think she cares about Priest Anasta and Jeanne. That’s why we’re going back to the base early.”

“That’s right. It seems that the Vice Commander has finally decided to have a human heart.”

“If I weren’t human, what would I be?”

I nibbled and asked Sevi, who scared Anasta and Jeanne.

Sevi didn’t even know I asked, and he rambled.

“The dungeon is like a secret weapon, isn’t it? I thought the vice commander was under a brainwashing spell at first. We can’t go back until we’ve closed all the dungeons we’ve been given. Something like that.”

“Aha, that’s how it is.”

“Hyuk, Vice Commander! No, I didn’t mean it with a weird intention!”

Sevi, realizing a step too late, bounced back.

Nova and Julieta shook their heads as if they had expected this to happen.

Although they both acted as if they were taking a step backward, when you get right down to it, they were nothing more than accomplices, since they knew that I had secretly interrupted them, and they had allowed Sevi to speak on his own.

I pretended not to know and laughed and teased Sevi.

“Hmmm… I can’t believe that’s what Sevi thought, it somehow motivates me to do something in response to your faith…”

“Ah, Vice Commander!”

Sevi hung over my feet.

He was so desperate that his foolish attitude in front of Jeanne and Anasta, who had newly joined the group, had completely disappeared.

Everyone laughed at the sight of Sevi. It was a short break in the middle of a grueling schedule.

When we entered Nokentoria Castle, the Black Knights all looked at our troops with wide eyes. Their expressions were very incredulous.

“It’s only been 2 weeks since the special forces went to the dungeon? Why did they come back already?”

“Is there a problem with the unit?”

“But everyone looks fine.”

“Everyone should be fine because there is Priest August. It’s a supply problem or equipment problem.”

In this way, the Black Knights speculated about the early return of the special forces.

They all asked in unison, “Why are they coming back so fast?”

It’s not like I was holed up in a dungeon for six months every time, and it only happened once…

As we walked towards the main castle, Axion, who was passing by, spotted us and had a shocked look in his eyes.

“Jun, are you hurt by any chance?”

“…”

“No, the muscle priest went with you, so you wouldn’t get hurt. Why did you come out already?”

Oh, really.

It hurt my mouth to make excuses one by one. After shaking off Axion, I disbanded the special unit members.

The special unit ran to the unexpected freedom, humming lululala, and I headed to Meyer’s office with a solemn face.

When I suddenly came into the office, even Meyer was surprised and asked.

“…Jun? You came out earlier than I thought. I thought I’d have to wait half a year.”

I couldn’t concentrate because of someone else and had to return earlier!

1. (T/N: “Sour grapes” used to refer to an attitude in which someone adopts a negative attitude to something because they cannot have it themselves.)