CHAPTER 3

My eyes were wide open to Fabian's name, which suddenly popped out.

It was clear that Meyer openly mentioned Fabian.

'He must have noticed that I have memory of the first round.'

My head was more dizzy than when Meyer offered me to join the expedition.

I didn't know I was left with this…

Who's Fabian? Should I insist? The conflict soared for a moment.

However, it was questionable whether Meyer Knox, who was in front of me, would believe me easily.

'I think he's almost sure of that…'

His golden eyes, looking at me, flashed with confidence. Meyer lifted his lips and smiled.

"I hate wasting my time talking round and round. That's about enough time. Let's get down to business."

That short time out of the dungeon seemed to be the only time Meyer cared for me.

I sighed deeply.

He's a more difficult man than I thought. Sometimes there is a more complicated problem because it is simple. Meyer was such a man.

I asked half for abandonment and half for vigilance.

"… How did you know I had the first round memory?"

"The 1st round? That's an interesting expression. Is this the second round, as you put it?"

The game-style expression I used habitually was interesting, and Meyer repeatedly said that it was the first round, touching his chin again and again.

"How did I know you had a memory? I knew it just by looking at you."

"What?"

"You'd better not lie at all. I'm sure a child can trick me better than you can. I can see everything on your face, even though you're hiding it."

"…!"

No, I'm not that bad!

My face was blazing with the words of Meyer, who was obviously teasing me.

"… You're joking, right?"

"I was serious… Of course, as I knew that I wasn't the only one to remember the first round, I was able to quickly notice your strange attitude."

"No way."

"Yes, Fabian Ignis. He remembered the first round."

You've already noticed that Fabian remembers the first round?

It was amazing how he picked the three people who remembered the first round and noticed them. Is this the ability of the final boss?

I stiffened my face at Meyer's faster-than-expected understanding of the situation.

Whether I was nervous or not, Meyer went on absentmindedly.

"I thought I was crazy at first. The same thing in my memory repeats itself."

Meyer tapped lightly on his head with his fingertips.

"That's how everything in the world works, and Fabian Ignis alone is choosing a completely different option from the past. From then on, I was sure. Maybe I'm not the only one who remembers."

"…"

"Fabian, knowing you're in this dungeon, deliberately chose another dungeon. He abandoned you. So if you're waiting for Fabian, I'd say it's meaningless."

I had already guessed it.

But that didn't mean I wasn't feeling down.

I wore a bag inside to keep my composure.

No matter how vain I am, I can't show my heart. Or it'll get through Meyer's nose.

It was because it was difficult for me, who was betrayed, to go under him and expect to take revenge against Fabian.

Fabian is Fabian, Meyer is Meyer.

I talked back, trying as hard as I could to hit the wall against Meyer.

"He must have gone after Ignota Dungeon… To get the flame ring."

"That's correct."

Meyer seemed genuinely surprised.

"I don't know why you're so smart and don't accept my offer. How can you defend Fabian in this situation?"

Defending Fabian?

I can do as much as I can to avoid getting involved with you. You can just keep your head above water and curse alone.

I forced myself to smile.

"Well… It's definitely a good item. Fabian must have a reason."

I said something I didn't mean to say, so I took my tongue.

Unless you are a Buddhist who has reached the level of liberation, there is no way you can react like this.

I can't believe I can do this just to avoid Meyer. I thought I was strong.

Meyer's face was distorted, as if he didn't know I would reject it this far. His face fluttered with impatience.

"Are you a good person, or… Come to think of it, you were famous for being Fabian's dog. Is that why you're still loyal to him when you're abandoned?"

"You remember the unwelcome nickname."

I laughed bitterly. It was an insulting nickname, but I didn't have the strength to get angry.

Actually, it wasn't much wrong. It was surprising that Meyer knew the nickname.

Meyer said imploringly.

"Tell me the terms you want. I'll give you the best treatment."

"Should the Black Knight pick up and use what others have thrown away?"

"If the items discarded are more valuable than jewelry, I will use it as much as I can. I value efficiency over honor."

Meyer stared at me with longing eyes. His desire to get hold of me was conveyed.

Standing in front of him makes me feel like I'm a shameless person.

No, no, no. I was almost shook.

I made a quick decision.

An unwavering mind, calm mind…

As I swallowed all his words with no anger or wavering, anger flashed on Meyer's face, which had been relaxed so far.

"If I hadn't come to save you, you'd be dead. But do you still keep your loyalty to Fabian?"

"… You came to save me on purpose?"

Meyer Knox came all the way here to save me?

It's as shocking as the fact that Fabian abandoned me.

It's amazing that Meyer knew who I was in the first place, but why…

My evaluation in the first round is close to the bottom. Meyer, on the other hand, was a celestial being that everyone wanted to go under.

Meyer and I had no connection.

So there was no reason for Meyer to visit me.

I got a little bit of information off Meyer's face and fretted, but it was pointless.

"Yeah. It was an unexpected income that you remembered the first round, but…"

Meyer smiled around his mouth as if he was pleased that I had shown a little positive response to him.

If Meyer had intended to bring me to the Black Knights from the start, it would be almost impossible to reject his proposal.

Since he gave up the by-products of other dungeons and went all the way here, he would want to go back with the achievements in his hands.

"I want you that much."

It's a perfect word to be mistaken.

Especially when he looked at me seriously with such a handsome face, he was like an obsessed man from an abandoned novel.

But the reality is headhunting…

"My goal is to get my hands on you somehow. Your refusal rather burns me up."

"That's meaningful…"

"Fabian is a hero who has failed in the end. You chose the wrong person to be loyal to."

You're the reason for the failure? If the time had not come back because of the core inside you, the demon king would have died!

I had a lot to say, but there was nothing I could say.

Meyer persuaded me again while I swallowed the complexity.

"But that's not your fault. It's all Fabian's fault. You don't know from what you've been through. Fabian Ignis failed in the War of the Demon King. Maybe this time it will be the same. He can't kill the Demon King."

Meyer's voice gave me confidence. I felt uneasy when I heard that Meyer said.

Of course, it is you, not Fabian, who kills the Demon King… Isn't it meaningless to kill the Demon King and become the Demon King?

'I know the future of you being the Demon King, so why would I go under you?'

It would have been better to beg Fabian to take me back than to go under Meyer.

And I was seriously thinking about it.

I don't have pride?

Of course there is pride. But more than that, Fabian's presence was significant.

Fabian was the main character.

The only possibility to defeat the Demon King.

So of course, it can't be easy to give up Fabian. It was all the more so because it was a reality, not a game.

Among the many possibilities, there is a sure way to be happy in the future, and it cannot be ignored.

'But I can't tell Meyer that this is the world in a game with a set ending, and Fabian is the main character.'

How should I get out of this situation? I ruminated on something that might be an excuse.

'Of course, although Meyer Knox specs aren't Fabian's… Wouldn't it be better if I look at attack power alone? It's a problem if he got defeated by the Demon King.'

Meyer is recognized as a member of the Demon King's family, and Meyer's attacks do not work at all until the Demon King's stamina drops to some extent.

Since his properties are the same as the Demon King, his magical attack power itself is also inefficient, but there is a limit to attacking with physical attacks.

Considering that the main attacker of the Black Knights is Meyer, if you fight with the Demon King from the beginning, you have no choice but to lose 100%.

After Fabian's expedition team debilitated the king's physical strength, Meyer's last hit worked.

Unless you convert the dark attribute to the opposite attribute…

'Oh?'

Come to think of it, to me… There was a speed conversion skill, right?

I hurriedly checked the details of the skill window.

[Transforms the attributes of the specified opponent into opposite attributes for a period of time.]

To be honest, the attribute conversion skill was a total scam in terms of the setup alone.

However, except for a few special dungeons, the monsters in the dungeon were mostly non-attribute, or dark attributes.

In short, you don't get a lot of attributes. So, the attribute conversion skill did not see much light.

But Meyer was the opposite.

'The opposite attributes of the dark property… Wait, does this work for Meyer, too? Then… It's worth a try.'