“Gah! These stupid suits are so stuffy!” Rex shouted to no one. He was in the middle of trying on the outfit he had just bought. The Annual Winter Ball was quickly approaching. There wasn’t time to be having problems like this, but all of his thoughts were focused on the irritating apparel. Why did all of the outfits have to be complicated? Whatever happened to the classic suit and tie look? No, it was all tights, vests, and robes these days. The classic look was still too modern for this world. That was why Rex was in his current predicament. To make matters worse, he sent away his butler for both privacy concerns and to show that he could put on the outfit himself.

Rex’s hotel room was as grand as it ever was, but its space was now cluttered. Loose articles of clothing that were apparently supposed to go together lined the floor. Several different expensive accessories cluttered the small table. Rex was told to wear some, if not all, of them to show off his wealth to the nobles. The armor he usually wore was also tossed aside, mostly out of frustration. It was one of the few things that Rex fling around without worrying about it breaking. It made for a good form of stress relief, especially when a pillow was inserted for that extra feeling of hitting something. Living among the upper echelon was not what he expected.

Rex sat back in his chair. Everything about the high life revolved around appearances. It didn’t matter what he did. It mattered what people thought about him. Rumors and gossip ruled everything. It was…insufferable. He couldn’t wait to get back home and return to his simple life. Of course, that also meant he’d eventually go back to that crumby tavern. The Feral Tomcat was nothing compared to Quarters De Royal, but it did have its charms. Rex hung his head over the back of his chair. He let out a heavy sigh as footsteps approached him.

“I told you I can handle it myself,” Rex said with an irritated voice. How many times was this now? He’d sent away his butler numerous times, yet the man kept coming. It was suffocating. Rex just wanted to spend some time alone. He leaned forward and pinched his brow. A speech was brewing within him about personal space and boundaries. Even if this was the butler assigned to him, they didn’t need to be together at all times. Rex moved to say something, but the intruder spoke first.

“I’m not so sure about that,'' a familiar voice said. The joke they said sounded like it should have come from a member of his team. No one else would talk to him so casually. That hint of sarcasm only came from people that understood him. The Unnamed Team tried to be equals with others, but their roles as heroes had drawn a clear line in the sand. Rex turned his head. He got ready to throw back some witty banter, but his words were immediately caught.

It was Emma.

She had finally gotten used to The Unnamed Team. Their constant shenanigans and relaxed attitudes had whittled down her previously tense demeanor. She was finally seeing them for who they truly were. They were a group of friends that constantly found themselves in odd situations either by their own doing or something out of their control. They just so happened to also be world-renowned heroes on top of that. That was what made The Unnamed Team approachable. Emma still held them on a pedestal, but it was now of a much lesser degree.

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“Oh, hey. What are you doing here?” Rex said. He was surprised to see Emma, of all people, in his room. She seemed to be giving the team some distance and only ever spoke to Robyn if she chose to at all. Most of what she said was short or in awe of something they did. This was different. It was nice. Their conversation was finally able to flow without issues.

“I just finished getting my dress for the ball. Now, I’m taking a break. It’s kind of exhausting to be looked at by all the nobles.” Emma said. She was also basking in a spotlight of her own. After all, she was a guest of The Unnamed Team. Who wouldn’t be interested in that? Many people were curious as to why they invited her specifically. Of course, they weren’t aware of her relationship with the team, so all that spread were rumors. Emma tried to put a stop to them but to no avail. Onlookers watched her wherever she went in the city and criticized her from the sidelines.

“Tell me about it. You go from a commoner one day to the person everyone’s talking about the next.” Rex said. He knew exactly what Emma was going through. It was especially worse in the capital. Most people in the city were nobles or other wealthy individuals. They were the type who had enough money to sit back and judge others. It was exhausting to dance for them, but The Unnamed Team had to put on a good show to maintain relations. It was why they listened to most laws rather than just running away like they would in the past.

“So, this is what your team went through?” Emma asked. She felt a bit guilty. It wasn’t long ago that she was watching them as well. She’d view every move they made with eyes full of wonder. She always tried to contemplate what was going on in their mind. Now, she knew better. There was hardly anything running through the team’s mind.

“Yeah. Then, something bigger happens that gets us even more attention.” Rex said. Every event was built off of the previous one. Each grew more and more bizarre. He wouldn’t be surprised if their story ended by them saving the world, or accidentally destroying it. Battling gods didn’t seem that far of a stretch compared to what The Unnamed Team was doing now. All of these actions made the public more conscious of the team. More eyes to watch their every move.

“I can’t imagine anything bigger for me than simply being your guest,” Emma said. She was, and always would be, a commoner. She wasn’t adept at magic. Her swordplay was pathetic. Archery was far from her reach. It was why Emma decided to become a receptionist for the Adventurer's Guild. If she couldn’t stand on the shoulders of giants, she’d watch as other people did so. She was content with her life and how minor of a role she played. Her friend, on the other hand, didn’t follow that line of thinking…

“I can. How about we go to the ball together? I think we’d make good partners.” Rex said. He wasn’t sure on the right way to bring up this topic. It was rather sensitive and could potentially ruin their relationship. Emma had just gotten used to the team, and Rex risked scaring her away. He regretted his question and tried to brush it aside, but his new dance partner stopped him before he could.

“I…Yes. I’d love to.” Emma said with a smile.