I succeeded in defeating the 18-story boss monster, but sometimes I was fighting near the entrance of the hierarchy, and it was a long way to walk to the next level.

As the sun goes down, the party starts to prepare for the camp.

As he was removing the equipment he needed for the camp from the item bag, the party was back to the earlier battle.

"That's why I'm reflecting!

"Really?

Erin's voice roughened and Roslia's eyes provoked. It's an instant sight as usual.

"Challenge your boss to fight on your own. That put Sophie in danger. If you are reflecting, prepare for me instead."

"So, why are we preparing for you! You're saying it's crazy!

"I can't see the color of reflection. Is it the reverse guitar?

"It's in order! At least we'll get Sophie ready!

Fighting the boss earlier. So Erin didn't think about it later and cut the fire of the battle toward the dragon.

As a result, there will be chaos between the inner boss and the surrounding fish monsters.

The turmoil broke people to deal with monsters other than the boss, leaving Erin to fight the boss alone.

That's all I can forgive, but after deciding she couldn't handle an enemy attack in anger mode by herself, she threw the boss's range attack at the other members.

And Sophie, who was forced to deal with the range attack, was injured by the overcapacity.

For these reasons, the trial against Erin was open.

The accused has admitted his innocence in full. The color of reflection was also shown.

The opposing prosecutor was demanding a harsh sentence in light of the defendant's admission of guilt.

I really don't know which is right.

"So, how about helping Sophie and me out?

"'What do you think? It's not like that! Nothing's wrong with you! I'm complaining about Sophie not being unprepared, but about having to do your share!

"Think about it. If Sophie hadn't been hurt, I would have let Sophie help me prepare myself by now. That made it difficult for Erin to do it. Is it natural to take responsibility?

"Why would you let Sophie help you prepare yourself! Whether you're injured or not, take your share!

Erin is perfectly right. Justice belonged to Erin.

Defendant's Suit. What a reversal of justice.

Later, we'll charge the prosecutor with pressuring people to help us.

"Don't worry about me. Because I'll do the preparation for both of you."

"Hey."

Could the victim not come out here? Because it's getting complicated.

Saying such a thing ─ ─.

Well then, please.

"Please!

It was Erin who roughed up her voice.

"That's how I can't take Whihoi! Roslia's going to be fine! Sophie doesn't have to do anything today! I'll do it. Take a rest."

"Well then, my share too ─ ─"

"You're not going to do it!

Erin drinks to Roslia.

It was Erin who bothered Sophie in the earlier battle, but nothing offensive happened to her.

Instead, he was so concerned about Sophie that he just couldn't see his surroundings in the battle against the dragon.

It's just Erin who's not as smart as usual.

"The injury has already healed. I don't need a break."

However, the kindness didn't seem to have been conveyed to Sophie at the time, showing the poor subtle relationship.

"Rest for a while, whether it's healed or not."

"It's okay. Don't play my part."

"Why are you so stubborn?

"I am only penetrating my way. Is that a bad thing?

If it heats up any more, it's going to be a fight, so I'm going to arbitrate.

Why do we have to argue when we're supposed to be speaking for others? I was full of feelings that made me want to be amazed.

"Let's get ready to stay. We'll talk later."

"Okay."

Erin exhaled and dropped her shoulders. Sophie stared at us silently.

"Is Sophie okay?

Yeah, no problem.

"Okay. Well, I'll need your help, but can I do a light job? I want to assign the heavy work to the two of you as punishment."

That's what I pointed to Erin and Roslia with my hands.

Erin nodded convincingly, but her eyes were round.

"Why am I doing the same!?"

"Punishment for trying to force Sophie to work."

"Why!? Attempted!?"

Well then, correction. Punishment that used to push Sophie into chores. "

"Gu... I can't escape that..."

Roslia has a bitter face as she bites her lips.

"If you skip any more chores, the favoritism from Notebook is likely to decrease, so should I take care of it here?"

"I don't think there's any point in saying that..."

Speaking of which, Roslia will do her job as well.

Roslia's roots aren't that bad. Maybe...

"Is this it?

Throw it at Sophie. She stared at us with a convincing, unspoiled expression.

"Well...."

Dedication may be praised, but Sophie's is too much. As in the boss battle earlier, it was too late to get in the way of the fight.

I thought so. I called Sophie that night.

Waiting alone by the river away from the tent, a shadow of the girl appears.

Sleepy eyes. Dark hair that melts into the darkness of the night. Unique armor like maid clothes.

It turned out in one shot that it was the person I was looking for.

"You're here."

Throw it at her from the shadow of the trees.

The stars in the night sky and the girl illuminated by the moonlight opened her mouth.

"What confession?

……

I was going to have a serious discussion with him, but he breaks my back brilliantly.

Surely, if a man summons a woman this evening, it may not be impossible for him to think so.

It's about Sophie. She wasn't a joke type, and she really seemed to be mistaken.

"I'm sorry, but I don't see the notebook as heterosexual. I don't think I will see it in the future. Honestly, I don't want to be confessed."

"Um...."

"But I owe my notebook to you for putting me into this party. I have to repay the favor. I hate to talk about it, but I'm reluctant to go out with you."

"Because it's different...."

"Really?

"Yeah... it's a completely different matter..."

"That's right...."

A man who had suddenly been shaken by a party member even though he had not confessed, and a woman who had shaken the party member harshly with a complete mistake.

There is awkward silence between the two.

Even Sophie, who usually doesn't know how to read the air in the field, is now out of control and is stepping on his feet with a distraction.

"I'm sorry...."

"I'm sorry to mislead you....."

The two of you apologize, but the awkward atmosphere is not wiped out.

He summoned Sophie to have a serious discussion, but that was the form of total vengeance.

I wouldn't have made such a mistake if I had called someone else, and I might have been able to get rid of it right away, even in a awkward atmosphere.

However, even if I lose to awkwardness here and remain silent, the situation will not improve, so I decided to cut out the reason for calling.

"Hey, does Sophie regret being in The Arrivals?

"Regret?"

She seemed confused by the sudden question.

"Yes, I regret it."

Still, I chose to keep talking.

"When I invited you to the party, I forced Sophie into it. I think it's hard to say no. Take the form of a favor. Still, I didn't really want to enter the" Arrivals "and explore the dungeon...."

Sophie is a man who values his gratitude above all else.

The same goes for the exchange we had earlier. I didn't look at it as a heterosexual person, and I don't want to see it in the future, but I was reluctant to go out with it.

If you can socialize with someone you don't like, it should be as easy as entering an unfamiliar party and taking on a dungeon strategy you're not interested in.

"Why do you think that?

Sophie asks. When I tried to read her thoughts, I could not see any kind of emotion from her black eyes.

"I don't know. Is it correct to say that sometimes it seemed like it was spicy?

Open your mouth while choosing a word.

"I still know it's not fun. As for Sophie, I've just started a dungeon strategy, and I don't think I know right or left. Because it's not fresh just because you're diving back in the hierarchy that you once experienced as the" Arrivals ". That's why I'm totally convinced that Sophie isn't having fun."

No matter how many words she spins, no emotions come to her face.

Is what I'm saying right or totally wrong? I don't even know. It's like walking around in the dark at night.

"I can see you're distancing yourself from everybody at the party. I just got in. Everyone has a strong personality, so I can convince myself that I want to get involved."

I want a reaction because it's just a gavel. But all I can hear from her tympanic membrane is the roughness of the forest and her breathing.

"But that's not true, right?

Still, I decided to step into Sophie.

"Sophie thinks it's hard to live in the 'Arrivals'. It feels like that."

"... I don't think so. On what grounds?"

For a moment, I felt my eyes shaking in the dark.

Even if we fail to find that slight sway, it is equally true that we are confessing to asking for evidence in this situation.

"Sophie has shown me a devotional behavior since he arrived at The Arrivals. He said he could take on miscellaneous tasks from Roslia or sacrifice himself to prevent attacks from monsters."

That's what everyone at the party admits.

Take the lead in sharing chores that are close to pushing from Roslia, or making sweets for Neme.

And in the earlier battle with the 18-story boss, he chose to defend the entire Reacher (Albers) at Erin's request, even though he was full of handling a flock of junk monsters.

Dedicated behavior that seems to be those anomalies.

"Why would Sophie do that?

"That's because I'm grateful ─ ─"

"I don't think so. Thank you so much."

That's the suspicion I felt. It was the discomfort that I had with Sophie.

"I still know I'm going to do my best for you. You told me before, didn't you? It was Reifa who reached out to me when my parents died and I lost all my status as a nobleman."

It's an episode I heard from Sophie's mouth when he was imprisoned under Reifa.

That's how she answered the question of why she did what she could to the brutal princess.

"That's why I understand Sophie's behavior before. You've imprisoned me, you've attacked me in the rain. Sophie was making a serious pledge of loyalty to Lady Rayfah."

……

Sophie answers silently. Her loyalty remains alive, even if she is left alone by the Lord, who swore allegiance. Silence spoke eloquently.

"But what we did was like a match pump. We just gave Sophie a place called The Reacher (Albers) where we could no longer live with our followers. It's nothing compared to the thanks Sophie received from Rayfah."

Nothing serious has happened to Sophie.

Neither hatred nor loyalty.

"Sophie actually told you when she entered this party. I will dedicate myself to dominating the dungeon. Sophie didn't swear allegiance to the Arrivals themselves. I just said I'd help you conquer the dungeon in return."

That's a big difference.

Sophie vowed to dedicate herself to dungeon domination.

However, when she reached out to something unrelated to dungeon domination, she showed obedience because she was grateful.

"Dungeon strategy alone should add up to zero favors. And yet Sophie buys help from other members and goes out. Didn't I?"

It's about her who's twice as sensitive to being thankful. I'm not unaware of this difference.

Because Sophie is not just an obedient knight. He is a knight who is obedient to the favors he has received.

……

She answers silently. The faceless mask had already been peeled off, showing a disturbing color.

I can hear you swallowing your spit. The silence of the night forest was pushing her even further.

"It seemed to me like it was punishing me. Not for the favor. I was acting like I shouldn't be happy."

I was convinced of the fight just now. I felt the sign from the beginning, but I was convinced in the battle with the dragon.

At that time, Sophie appeared and chose to protect the whole party.

But the act must have been a mistake. If I sacrifice myself to prevent a range attack, then the junk monsters I've been receiving will come at me.

As a result, the formation could collapse and be hit by monsters.

The correct course of action in that situation was to assign Sophie to me and Roslia the handling of the Weedfish Monster in order to take on a range attack.

Calm Sophie couldn't think of that.

At the battle reflection meeting at the shallow level, Roslia was constantly confronted with her opinions, and she probably didn't hesitate to force others to deal with the fish monster.

Yes, it was an act that was totally close to suicide.

I threw away my optimal solution as a party token and ran into my own self harm behavior.

That's why I thought it was punishment.

Maybe, but do you feel sorry for Mr. Reifa for getting into The Arrivals? I really don't want to help us, the enemies of Reifa. But we owe you, too. I promised to conquer the dungeon. Aren't you suffering from that plank?

"... no"

"If that's the case, don't push yourself and throw away our promise. What Sophie really cares about is loyalty to Lady Rayfah, right? I can prioritize that."

"Because it's not!

"I invited Sophie to this party because I wanted her to be a little happy. If you're making me regret it, I don't have an ex or a child. If you want to punish yourself, you don't have to help me fight the dungeon."

"It's really different!

Sophie shook her shoulders and screamed. An explosion of emotion that doesn't resemble her.

He was holding his fist as he closed his eyes.

"Indeed, I was about to punish myself, as Notebook says. I thought I should suffer."

It was a confession. The daily mood in "The Reacher (Albers)" is first spoken from her mouth.

"But the end is different. I feel sorry for Lord Reifa, but I didn't feel guilty about it."

Well then, why ─ ─

Words out loud. However, Sophie did not answer the question and shook her head.

"I don't want to say."

Clear rejection. Expression of intention not to be stepped in any further.

It is unusual for Sophie to express her wishes so directly. I'd like to respect you anyway.

But if you don't step in here. If you pretend not to see her suffering, nothing will change.

As always, only an unhealthy form of loyalty remains as a party member.

That's why I won't stop eating.

"I understand what you don't want to say. Then tell me why you don't want to tell me."

……

She looked around lost and opened her mouth.

"That's because I'm not as beautiful as Notebooks think I am."

Beautiful. She says to supplement the intent of the word.

"I have ugly feelings too. Do you want to be liked or hated by someone? Because I'm an ugly person ruled by feelings I'm supposed to hate."

Then I took a big breath and said.

"If you knew what I was hiding, you would hate me. I'm afraid of that."

I didn't think Sophie was living in the "Arrivals" with that in mind.

Everyone lives with trouble, suffering and weakness. Me, Erin, the Force, Jin, Meya.

It was the first time I knew that I was going to do a dungeon and face people from the front.

The fact that Mia abandoned her, abandoned herself and did not want to get deeply involved with others.

I thought I was the only one who was unhappy back then. I thought a blessed man was generally happy.

But happiness and unhappiness are not visible from the outside. For a while, we'll decide on a two-part letterhead.

I'm sure that's wrong. Everyone lives with happiness and misfortune. Happiness and misfortune are not conflicting emotions.

That's what I can tell the girl in front of me ─ ─.

"I may be surprised, but I didn't hate the life of the 'Arrivals'. Somehow I thought it was fun. Because this is the first time I've ever had such a thing. After your father and mother died and Lord Rayfah picked me up, I thought I was going to finish my life under His Majesty's loyalty."

Sophie follows suit and reveals her feelings.

"Because I didn't mean to spend time building equal relationships with people of the same generation. It was fun because it was fresh. So it was hard at the same time."

I must have stuck a letterhead on her as an unhappy girl without knowing it.

The point is, I didn't know anything about Sophie.

I pretended to care about her all the time, but I didn't even face her.

What she thinks and what she thinks. I did not understand at all.

For I am guilty. I'm hiding something important from you. "

And Sophie looked me in the eye and said,

"I really don't want to say it. I don't want to be hated. But I didn't think I could hide it forever. I thought I'd find out one day. Because I know best that the daily routine I want won't last forever."

I have a fever in my eyes. It looked like I was about to cry.

"If there is an end, I will finish it with my own hands. If you want to know, I'll tell you everything."

But she doesn't cry. I tried not to cry and opened my mouth.

"My name is Sophie Deanlak. You know what I mean?

I don't know, I shake my head with that kind of meaning.

"Well then ─ ─" she whispered.

"The daughter of a nobleman who was at your party when Jin killed his parents. And he's the bad guy who sent an assassin to Jin."