It's not unusual for her behavior to worsen when her mother is involved. However, this year... way too much. I just hope she'll be alright.

And in the end, luckily, I returned back to Zafferbridge earlier than I expected. Perhaps, even too early; the members hadn't left yet.

"Hm? You still haven't ventured inside the dungeon?" I asked Elizabeth, confused.

"There's been some problems," she replied with her usual calm demeanour. "We'll probably go tomorrow."

I nodded. "I see."

"Where's Argenta?" Crimson asked, her voice sharp and demanding as ever, her arms folded.

"She won't come back for some months..."

"Months?!" Crimson's outburst was swift; she stepped towards me with anger, and her hands gripped the collar of my cloak before I could even react. Our foreheads clashed. "Where is she?"

Her eyes were on fire, and fear quickly gripped me. "S-she's staying in her town for a while!" I stammered.

"Where is that?"

"T-the little town to the northwest!"

With that, she released me, pushing me backward. I stumbled, hitting the ground hard as she stormed out of the headquarters. Elizabeth helped me up. Now, as much as I disliked the thought of it... I had to inform Leonard...

... He rubbed his temples in frustration, heavy sighing while sitting at his desk. "I knew Crimson and Lady Argenta were going to make me lose my mind... but this is just... unbelievable."

A nervous chuckle escaped me. "I... I'm sorry."

He facepalmed, shaking his head. "This is not your fault, Joey... Crimson has always been like this, but I never thought she would run away from a dungeon, especially if this was the dungeon in question. The situation is dire..."

Leonard stood up from his chair; Herbaleon approached, some papers in his hand. "No use dwelling on it, Leonard. Even without Crimson and Argenta, the top three guilds together are more than enough to clear this dungeon," he said, meticulously sliding the papers in place with many others. He then cleared his throat. "Everyone shall join the dungeon tomorrow; one day is not going to make a difference at this point. Mika shall be our coordinator if required. Besides, Carolina's contact will also be joining it, so the members are also not a problem."

"I understand, Sir," Leonard replied before sighing. "I had only hoped this would work out for the best. If necessary, I shall act both as Guild Leader and coordinator."

"Don't overwork yourself," Herbaleon said with a reassuring smile. "Even if the best guilds will be clearing this dungeon, it will still be a challenge. I would also like to help, but we Guild Masters must stay behind. So, I'm counting on you, Leonard. Nobody knows just what lies beyond that entrance... Be careful."

With a flick of his index finger, Leonard pushed his glasses back into place. "As you wish, Sir. You can count on me."

Herbaleon nodded before glancing at me. "Joey, you said Argenta is staying back because of the anniversary of her mother's funeral?"

"Yes," I replied, shuddering at the question. "She needed some time for herself..."

Herbaleon's eyes narrowed slightly. "I see..."

I decided to let them do their business, and I silently headed back to the kitchen, since there was nothing left for me to do there. Elizabeth sat at the table with Rosemary on her lap. I joined her.

Rosemary was happily purring, intending to jump on the table, but every time she readied herself, with her paws carefully settled, Elizabeth's strokes made her reconsider, leaning against the gentle hand that continued to give her love.

"Is it just me or she's getting... rounder?" I asked, tilting my head towards her.

Elizabeth stifled a laugh. "I like her chonky. So I'm making her eat a lot."

"That sounds more evil than it should," I commented with a chuckle.

"She likes it, though. And now that I'll be gone for the dungeon, you'll be the one feeding her. She'll have a better diet," she said, turning her head towards me.

I nodded. "I'll take good care of her."

"Thank you."

"How are you feeling about this dungeon?"

"I won't be the coordinator, so I feel relaxed," Elizabeth murmured, lowering her eyes back to Rosemary, stroking her with both hands. "For the most part, at least... This dungeon has been there for quite a while now. And, while part of me is relieved Crimson ran off... without her as coordinator, it'll be harder."

"Hmm... But isn't this the second dungeon she's avoiding?"

"... Yeah," she replied, her lips twitching. "That girl shirks her duties and always finds a way to go unpunished. It makes me mad..."

"Hey guys!" From the side, Selena approached, waving at us with enthusiasm, alongside Jerald.

Elizabeth and I greeted them back, and they took their seats on the other side of the table.

"We just got back from house hunting! Our plans are going smoothly!" Selena said, clapping her hands together.

"House hunting?" Elizabeth asked. "Are you two planning to move in together?"

Selena energetically nodded. "We thought about it; now that we're third in position and we'll free Silveandria, we'll surely have far more opportunities with quests and such. We were already considering buying a house for ourselves, and this seems like a good opportunity since we'll also have more coins."

"If she doesn't use them for purses, that's it," Jerald said, smiling as he crossed his arms.

Selena pouted, looking away in embarrassment as a soft red colored her cheeks. "But purses are essential..."

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"I thought you two already lived together," I admitted; I'd never seen them coming down the stairs of the headquarters.

"I do have a little place nearby," Jerald replied. "She spends most of the time there, but it was my parents' house. Now we're actually thinking about getting one for ourselves."

"Oh, that is great news! I'm really happy for you guys!"

Selena shook happily in her chair, her shoulders shimmying up and down as she beamed, rubbing her hands together. "You two shall be the first ones to admire it once we've made our decision! We were considering getting one at Goldenovum, but here it's definitely better. Right now, the prices are kinda going up since Silveandria fell, but I'm sure they'll reserve a good price for the heroes who are gonna free it!"

Elizabeth nodded with a smile, and I followed.

"What about you two? Some tea to spill? About the dungeon or anything?" Selena then asked, her enthusiasm unchanged.

"Hmm, tomorrow you'll be going. Argenta is not joining, and most likely Crimson as well," I shared.

"Huh, how come?" Jerald asked, his eyes widening at the news.

"Argenta wants to be alone for a while, in her hometown, and it would seem Crimson is on her way to her."

Selena gasped, cupping her cheeks. "Oh! ... This... this is one of my books!" She shook her head, covering her face. "Oh, the bad bitch chasing her damsel hoping to win her over... so romantic!"

I chuckled at her theatrics, while Jerald shook his head with a smile. Afterward, the conversation proceeded smoothly, until Jerald came up with an idea.

"I was thinking, now that Laura is not a member anymore, the guild has to find another one," he said, rubbing his chin with a grin before glancing at me. "Joey, what do you think of becoming an official member now?"

While I was happy he asked about it again, I would unquestionably be just a hindrance to these people! "Jerald, thanks again but I don't really think I'm cut out for it."

"With all the training you're doing, you'll definitely be good. I can see you're putting on muscle," he proudly remarked, and I simply scratched my cheeks, unsure what to say.

"Oh!" Selena suddenly exclaimed. "I have to remember to take my magic box before we embark on the dungeon."

"Where did you leave it last time?" Jerald asked her.

She touched her cheek with her fingertip. "Hmm... inside a purse."

Jerald sighed with a smile. "See? It's always about purses," he said jokingly, shaking his head.

She laughed. "Oh, sweetheart! I shall have a room just for purses and heels! You shall see! So I'll always remember where I put them. Actually... now that I think about it, I don't remember in which purse I left the box... so I better go look for it right away."

Selena rose from her seat, still smiling, and headed out the door.

"It's better if I lend her a hand. See you guys," Jerald said, going after her, patting my shoulder on his way out.

Elizabeth and I waved them off, and the room became quiet once more, save for Rosemary's soft purring, while Elizabeth displayed a faint smile.

"Is everything alright, Elizabeth?" I asked, leaning forward.

"Yes. I was just thinking about Selena, I'm happy for her..." she murmured, slowly raising her head, looking at nothing in particular. "It must be nice... to have someone by your side... someone to come home to, who shares the same home. Living together, sharing the same dream..."

I mimicked her actions, directing my head forward, lost in introspection.

"Joey," she called softly, pulling me out of my thoughts, "do you... have a dream?"

I tilted my head. "A dream?"

She nodded. "Yes, a dream. Something you truly desire."

"Of course I do," I replied with a smile. "And you?"

She hummed in response, her eyes falling to Rosemary as her smile faded. "My dream is... a little strange, though."

"Strange?"

Elizabeth's hands stroked Rosemary more tightly, before resting them on her fur. "I'd like not to have to deal with anything like this... I would have liked to be a traveler, to tell the truth. To have my own little place, where I could return whenever I wanted, and not be alone in it. A cozy space where I could feel at ease, just like everyone else..."

"Hmm..."

"You know... I'm actually a little jealous of you," she continued, looking away.

"Of me?"

Without returning my gaze, she nodded. "Not in a bad way. I'm glad that you feel comfortable here. It's just... I'd like to feel part of that comfort too."

"You can, Elizabeth," I reassured her, slightly leaning forward. "You deserve to."

She still refused to meet my eyes. However, she graced me with a soft, half-hidden smile. "Joey, can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course you can," I replied.

"Once I'll be back from the dungeon, could you... make me my favorite dish?"

A laugh escaped me at that request; it sounded like something far more serious. "That's all?"

She turned even further away, and nodded.

"I will. I'll be waiting for you, Elizabeth."

"Thank you..."