CHAPTER 14

***

It was tea time in the afternoon. Mary came over with tea and a set of refreshments.

"Did you finish what you were doing?"

"Yes. I'll have lunch and dinner at the cafeteria below for a while from today."

I've been locked up in my room for the past few days to organize my information. Thanks to that, I was able to finish the work earlier than I thought.

It's not as good to die as wandering around in a dungeon.

Having enjoyed my leisure for a while, I went out for dinner earlier than usual.

It's been a while since I went out.

Looking at the sunset sky, it reminded me of the time when I studied all night at the central library and took consecutive tests until 5 p.m.

The sky was like that.

When I first entered Nokentoria Castle, and the rumors were so full that I reappeared, it was noisy here and there.

Seeing the people navigating without coming to me, I only sighed.

'I knew it would be counterproductive.'

It would've been better if I had come out to eat sometimes.

However, it was annoying to come down to the cafeteria while I was working.

It's definitely more efficient to concentrate when you do work.

I turned away from their eyes and headed to the restaurant without hesitation.

I wanted to go to an executive cafeteria, but even though I was already being treated as a vice commander, I remembered that I hadn't even been appointed yet.

I just headed to the expedition restaurant.

The cafeteria was a meal service. Although the cafeteria is for the general expedition, the quality of the meal was quite good.

'Well, he's not the kind of person to save money in this place like this. As long as the expedition is efficient.'

Sitting alone at the table, I ate tomato soup with bread.

Perhaps because it was still early to eat dinner, there were not many people in the restaurant.

In other words, people's conversations were particularly easy to hear.

I listened, wondering how the rumors about me had spread.

They were going to say something like 'How can a support-type wizard become vice-commander.'

However, the reality always exceeds expectations.

"Is that the woman? The vice commander that Your Excellency chose?"

Hey, to choose. Isn't that expression strange!

However, choice was only a precursor. There were not only one or two points that I wanted to refute in the gossiping that followed.

"It is not enough that Your Excellency recruited her himself, she's the vice commander…"

"Looking at her gray hair, she must be a supporting wizard… Since when did she join the Black Knights?"

"By any chance… she might have used a suspicious trick on Your Excellency."

"Suspicious trick?"

"She seduced Your Excellency with her body or something like that."

What?

At that moment, the tomato soup almost came out of my mouth.

I tried not to show that I was listening to them as much as I could.

Fortunately, they were focusing more on our conversation than on my response.

"But Your Excellency isn't interested in such a thing. No, he'd rather loathe it…"

"Well, because there are a lot of original body exceptions, everything related to her."

"That's right. Even if Your Excellency is just focused on breaking the dungeon, wouldn't it be reasonable to conclude that she's Your Excellency's lover?"

"To be honest, it doesn't make sense unless she's a hidden lover. This special treatment. What's the use of a support-type wizard…?"

"That's right. She was with him on purpose even when she came to the castle."

"I saw him then. Your Excellency's expression on his face was no joke. He laughed a lot, too."

"Your Excellency laughed?"

"Yes! Besides, he couldn't take his eyes off as if he was in love…"

He's not in love, he's in talent. It's not common to have talent like me…

I thought it was counterproductive for Meyer to take me everywhere.

Maybe Meyer didn't expect this to happen.

"What did the expedition members say?"

"They say she's good… but she's already in line. Now, she's the vice commander, and later, she's a woman who might be the Grand Duchess."

"Isn't that what she's been up to lately, too, With Your Excellency…."

I can't believe my life is so distorted. It's a sight to hear that.

I'm a hidden lover?

Meyer Knox was famous for his iron walls. All he cared about was closing the dungeon. I'm sure they all know.

Meyer Knox and I, what, what the hell?

'No matter how much Meyer has never recruited talent himself…'

It was surprising that there was more credibility that Meyer Knox, was bewitched by a woman and gave her a position, instead of that she was more reliable than a support-type wizard and was useful.

'That's how much supportive sorcerers are at the bottom.'

The corners of my mouth trembled because it was so ridiculous.

If I had the same mind, I wanted to hold my stomach and laugh.

If it's a little plausible, he'll get mad. Meyer Knox and a dating rumor!

'Wow, I thought I got used to being treated like a dog, but this is fresh again….'

But I couldn't just wait and see.

I knew my rumors would spread, but it was a scandal, not a rumor…

"I can't do this."

I had a strong idea that I should do something. The easiest way is…

As soon as I glared at the table, organizing my thoughts on what to do, someone called me gladly.

"Oh, Jun! Long time no see."

"Axion."

Why is someone who can go to an executive restaurant here?

I put the plate in front of me and asked him as he sat down.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came here because I thought someone who looked like you was passing by. Is the chipping over now?"

"Yes. Roughly."

I gave a nod of my head. When Axion approached me, the murmurs disappeared.

Axion asked, wetting the bread with the tomato soup.

"Jun, why did you come here? Your Excellency opened an executive cafeteria."

"That's true, but I haven't joined yet…"

"That's kind of uptight. Are you a principled person, vice ?"

"I just want to get rid of the things that come to be said. They talk a lot besides that."

"If it were me, I'd be talking a lot anyway, I'd just let them say one more thing."

Then Axion pushed the munching bread into his bowl.

I wanted to say it was easy, but when I saw the blatant face staring at me, Axion seemed to be enough.

Well, he's the type who lives on his own, so he won't have to dwell on other people's opinions.

He was obviously a powerful fire wizard.

I added with a sigh.

"It's just a lot of talk, I don't think it's on the right level."

"That's the fate of a popular person. Get used to it, Jun."

"…"

It's not like you're fanning the fire.

I got a little disgusted with myself, expecting to get some advice from Axion.

Axion suddenly looked around. People were surprised for nothing and avoided his eyes.

He laughed and said.

"Your job is definitely fun gossip. It would be interesting to see what happened after a long time of training. But it's because people who are more cubic than others like that only have that interest. Eventually, they will be cut off. So don't worry too much, Jun."

"That's cool."

"We need to be cool."

That's right.

We had to be cool-headed, as one moment's judgment could take our lives in the dungeon.

Especially when it comes to evaluating the other person who will take charge of the back.

Beyond Axion's glasses, his eyes shone bluishly.

"But…. Your Excellency, not anyone else, is trying to attack Dungeon with his personal feelings. They're scornful to satisfy their interest. For the Black Knights, it's unforgivable."

He told them what it was like with a knife in their mouth…

I guess he was dissatisfied with Meyer being dragged out regarding my rumor.

It was an ugly momentum, as if they were told not to pay attention to them in the front, and then they would sleep in the back.

I can't forgive myself here. It was impossible to know what would happen if we ran into each other. I spoke in a soft manner.

"Well… you didn't understand at first either."

"It's a different matter if you don't understand and throw up on your orders. Even though I was unconvinced of you, Your Excellency's orders are as good as iron."

That's true.

I decided to watch Axion's condescending attitude with his neck pulled out.

"Well…. At this point, I will definitely think that Jun is an 'us' person."

"… I don't think it's clear so far."

"Haha. It's a big deal if you run before you even become the vice commander."

"I guess that's a word you can hear that makes you run away."

"That's sharp."

"So, what is it? A secret that you can run away from?"

I asked plainly.

I was not very curious about it because I already knew such information, even if it was classified information that was only circulated inside the Black Knights. But I have to be moderate.

Is that enough, or is it better to say what I want to say than my reaction? Axion was excited and laid the foundation.

"Last time I told you that Your Excellency has never hired a talent other than you…"

"Yes, I think it's more than that. Is it because I'm a supportive wizard?"

"It's not that it doesn't have much impact, but… I think it's because of Your Excellency's usual disposition."

"Usual?"

"Your Excellency is extremely uninterested in anything but closing the dungeon. Just closing the dungeon is his life's mark."

Oh. This is it.

Meyer was famous in the dark for being a madman because of his aversion to demons.

The closing of the dungeon itself is a social-recommended virtue, so it just didn't come out much.

'It's not normal.'