Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

The group members watched in silence, and under everyone's gaze, only Tiona's calm voice rang out.

A moment later, she asked:

"Lene said she liked Berthe?... Don't you really feel anything at all?"

Both Tiona's question and Tione's speechless gaze were like a final warning.

The sound disappeared from the room in an instant.

After a brief silence, Bert scoffed.

"Unfortunately, I—hate weak women the most."

It's too late to say.

The twin sisters' figures flashed by in an instant.

Faced with Bert's usual mockery, Tiona and Tione became expressionless and took action.

The two men aimed at the young man and threw a left punch and a right uppercut kick.

Just as the girl group members couldn't help but let out soft screams, the two's severe punishment was stopped by a giant hand and a long spear.

That's enough.

"Grace...!"

"If this continues, it won't be a joke anymore."

"Commander...!"

The one who grabbed Tiona's arm and used the butt of her gun to block Tiona's kick was actually Grace and Finn, who had arrived at the restaurant.

Standing in front of Bert was Ais.

She extended an arm, bare-handed, to restrain Bert's attempt to retaliate.

Witnessing the first-level adventurers' sudden attempt to break up the fight, Lefia, like the other party members who were frozen in place, was caught off guard and gasped.

"Commander! Please don't stop me!! I'm going to get this bastard...!"

"As a faction leader, please exercise restraint. I think I've said this many times, Tione."

At this critical juncture, Tiony was on the verge of an emotional outburst, but seeing Finn's unwavering gaze, she could only bite her lip. Instead, she glared angrily at Bert.

Bert, who was also being held back by Ais, scoffed and abandoned his defensive stance.

"Sigh~, causing trouble so early in the morning... You guys are really hot-blooded~"

"Loki..."

Loki walked past Raphia and entered the room.

She gazed at the grand dining room, now seemingly spared from a potential conflict, and her crimson eyes snapped open to a slit.

"Bert, this is too much. Go outside and calm down."

"...Tsk!"

Upon hearing the God's unquestionable command, Bert clicked his tongue and obeyed.

He turned his back to Ais, who had lowered her arms, and walked toward the door.

At this moment, Rivera, who had been observing alone among the first-level adventurers, stood in front of him.

"What is it, old woman? Do you need something from me too?"

"Watch your tone, Bert."

The elven princess gave Bert a stern warning almost before he could finish speaking.

Even if you are only expressing your true feelings, you should not neglect to mourn your companions who shared joys and sorrows.

Upon hearing this, Bert immediately scoffed.

"Ha! If mourning them could change anything, I'd cry and scream my eyes out. But it's useless, isn't it?"

"..."

"They were weak, so they died. Am I wrong? No, I am. I will not take back anything I have said."

Then, finally, he looked around at the group of members gathered together and said disdainfully:

"You guys too, stop always dragging us down."

With those words, Bert walked past Rivera and strode away from the grand dining room.

Tiona clenched her fists tightly, and Tione cursed, "You bastard!!" kicking the chair in a fit of rage. The gun butt then swung down, striking her squarely in the back of the head, as Loki, Finn, Grace, and Riveria all sighed simultaneously.

"This is chaos. There's no guarantee that the factions won't split up internally."

"It's too late to say this now... but that kid is really a headache."

"Although I knew this was bound to happen sooner or later..."

Ignoring Tione, who was crouching on the ground clutching her head, Rivera went to Finn and Grace and joined them. She closed her eyes and surveyed the restaurant, noticing the other members' shoulders trembling uncontrollably. Raul and the others were also staring in the direction Bert had left.

"Okay! Let's not talk about this anymore, I'm hungry~ Lefia, fill my plate up a bit~"

"Huh! Ah, okay..."

Before long, Loki's calm voice easily dispelled the tense atmosphere.

"Time to eat! Time to eat!" The group members reluctantly obeyed the silly instructions from the main god.

"..."

Hearing the sound of food being slammed down like plates behind her, Ais watched the young man walk away down the corridor.

★

In addition to dealing with the aftermath of the artificial labyrinth (Knossos) incident and busy gathering information about the Ishtar Familia, which had been annihilated by the Freya Familia, the members were instructed to eat dinner separately.

Bert walked down the corridor, glancing sideways at the cityscape bathed in the glow of the setting sun through a window.

"...Tsk!"

As soon as Bert appeared, the other members immediately left their spots. They refused to speak to Bert, or even make eye contact. Whether in the corridor or the meeting room, the members silently distanced themselves from Bert.

Raul or Coss, who Bert often had with him, would also walk past him expressionlessly as soon as they noticed his presence when they brushed past him in the corridor.

"Ah... Mr. Bert."

Then, Bert met Rafia.

She looked up at Bert, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

"Let's go over there, Rafia."

"Miss Tiona, Miss Tione..."

But Tiona and Tione came over, grabbed her arms, and took her away from Bert's sight.

Even the two Amazons, whose first words to each other were always insults, wouldn't give Bert a second glance.

When a person's anger exceeds what is permissible, they may become oblivious to the object of their anger, completely ignoring it to deny its existence. This is the kind of treatment Bert received at that moment.

This is what is called sitting on pins and needles. The Lone Ranger (Bert) is not so sensitive as to be discouraged by this treatment, but he is not so dull as to be able to eat heartily.

Bert refused to change his words and actions in front of the group members, sowing the seeds of future trouble. He was also aware of this.

"—Bert, even we can't protect you like that."

About an hour ago.

After Finn finished his work, he summoned Bert and told him this.

After Finn finished his work, he summoned Bert and told him this.

"No matter what I, Rivera, or Grace say, Raul and the others probably won't listen right now. I don't want to cause internal strife, but no matter how much I try to persuade them, it will only backfire."

In the office where only the two of them were, Finn sat in his chair and shrugged at Bert.

"If we defend you, we'll be the ones who incur resentment this time. Unfortunately, right now, I absolutely cannot become the target of public criticism."

Finn expressed his unwillingness to incur the resentment of others, his audacity bordering on smug. Bert, however, wasn't angry at his attitude. His statement wasn't merely a desire to avoid becoming a target, but rather a reflection of his objective understanding of the situation. Finn and his group, as leaders, risked incurring the resentment of the members, severely impacting the morale of the [Family]. To deal with the underground organization led by the eccentric and the remnants of the dark faction, everyone needed to work together without time for internal strife.

Bert was well aware of this, so he didn't interrupt Finn's statement.

"I'm giving you a break for now. You're not allowed to return to headquarters until things calm down. And maybe I'm being nosy, but I'll give you some money first, so find a hotel to stay in."

Seeing the bag full of gold coins on the table between the two, Bert returned it to Finn, saying, "No need."

With just one trip to the dungeon, he could have as much money as he wanted. Just as Finn had feared, Bert insisted he could take care of himself. Only the pitying look Finn gave him as he left the room remained etched in his memory.

Today, there is no place for Bert in the "Twilight House".

"...Tsk!"

Bert clicked his tongue again and walked toward the front entrance of the mansion.

Without anyone watching him leave, Bert let the maroon sky look down upon him as he departed from the base camp (headquarters).

The tavern "Flame Bee Pavilion" is located in Orario's fifth district.

It's one of many pubs in the bustling southern part of the city, and Bert's favorite. Just look for the bright red bee sign hanging on the wall in a back alley off the main street.

The bright red mead, resembling a ruby ​​liqueur, is the tavern's signature dish, attracting many regulars who return again and again due to its intense, burning sensation in the throat and abdomen. Even as the sun has completely set, ushering in night, "Flame Bee Pavilion" remains bustling with business.

Bert usually visits with Raul and others, but this time Bert naturally had no drinking buddies to drink with all night.

Tonight, I'll be all alone, quenching my thirst with alcohol... That's how it should be.

"...Hey, what are you doing here, Ais?"

"...Just browsing?"

The blonde, golden-eyed girl tilted her head slightly and sat across the two-seater table from Bert, causing Bert's lips to curl into a strange smile. Ais, who seemed to have followed him all the way from the mansion, was now sitting at the same table as Bert.

The table was in the very center of the tavern, surrounded by the noise of drunken patrons, but the awkward atmosphere between the two men made this seat stand out from the rest of the tavern.

"You've been following me?"

"……Um."

Why would you do something like that?

"...Because you look lonely?"

"Who says I'm lonely!"

As Bert continued talking to Ais, who was always speaking haltingly, he couldn't help but slam the wine glass he was about to drink onto the table. Seeing the young man's reaction, Ais tilted her head slightly once again.

The others around Bert were completely unaware of his situation or state of mind, and continued drinking and having fun without a care in the world.

Today, the tavern was filled with dwarven adventurers, humans, and orcs, but Amazons seemed to be the most numerous. The dwarven waitress was busy running around, diligently serving drinks and dishes.

Some of them didn't enjoy the banquet, their gazes fixed on Bert and his companions. No, it should be said that there were more of them. After all, they were the "Wolf" and "Sword Maiden" of the Loki Familia; first-class adventurers were always a spectacle, no matter where they were in the labyrinth city. Especially Ais, the stunningly beautiful girl, whose rude stares never ceased. However, as soon as Bert glared at them, the surrounding demi-humans would quickly turn their faces away, daring not to look at them again.

Sitting at the same table is fine, but the two of them can't have a single conversation.

The girl didn't order anything, but gazed at Bert with graceful movements, making him look even more uneasy than when he was at the mansion.

The wine was mistakenly placed in front of Ais, and Bert picked it up and drank it down in one gulp.

"Ah!" Ais exclaimed, but Bert had already finished his drink.

"...So what are you doing in a place like this? Did Finn send you to see me?"

"Finn...? No, Finn has nothing to do with this..."

"Then why?"

"Because...I'm thinking about Bert."

"—Gah!?"

Bert choked on his drink, startling Ais.

At first, she was at a loss. When she saw the werewolf, she said, "Damn it, this airhead, damn it..." She suddenly understood something and was filled with resentment, which confused her greatly.

(So ​​far, I haven't spoken to Bert more than a few times...)

Ais didn't notice that Bert was drinking faster because they were alone together. She thought to herself: This is the first time we've been alone together like this, apart from fighting.

Like Tiona and the others, Bert was a convert from another faction to the guild. Bert joined about six years ago, earlier than Tiona and Tione. When they first met, Bert didn't even take Ais seriously, but after witnessing her fighting prowess in the dungeon, he no longer looked down on her. Ais felt that Bert now treated her differently.

He previously belonged to the [Veda Clan].