Chapter 9: Who’s in a hurry?

“Letia, then what do you think we should do?”

Liz forced herself to stay calm, but the restlessness inside made her fidget anxiously.

“If Red joins the Blood Legion, their progress would surely speed up,”

Bethany interjected abruptly.

“But didn’t he cancel his adventurer license? He can’t join Brian’s team anymore, right?”

Letia caught the subtle change the moment Bethany’s words fell—the tension in Liz’s shoulders almost imperceptibly eased.

Was that relief from knowing Red wouldn’t be joining any other team after all?

Or was it simply gratitude that the Blood Legion wouldn’t advance faster because of him?

Maybe it was both?

Seeing Liz like this, Letia couldn’t help but speak up.

“Maybe you should apologize to Red; he might come back then. You know, he’s a really kind person and usually doesn’t stay angry.”

Of course, that was a lie.

Even if Liz did apologize, it probably wouldn’t mean much.

From what Letia had seen, Red wouldn’t be coming back.

“Impossible!”

Liz abruptly stood up, her raised voice startling everyone sitting around.

“Don’t get so worked up, Captain,”

Letia spread her hands helplessly.

“I’m just saying. It’s not like this is your fault anyway, right?”

“No… no, it’s not.”

Hearing Letia’s words, Liz sat back down.

She didn’t understand.

She really didn’t.

What was Red angry about?

Had she made some mistake again?

Why wouldn’t he come back?

All these questions tangled in her mind, growing more painful the more she thought about them, and her expression grew increasingly sour.

Letia watched silently beside her, sensing that pressing further wouldn’t help.

If this young lady couldn’t figure out why Red left… then she’d just have to endure it.

Letia wasn’t about to remind her.

“Let’s find a new team member,”

Letia rubbed her temples.

“It’s been two days; there must be plenty of applicants. If Red won’t do it, someone else will take his place…”

Though unsaid, Letia noticed the urgency in Liz’s voice.

“When he realizes his mistake, he’ll surely come back obediently.”

“No one out there wants him…”

Faced with Liz’s expression, Letia had nothing more to say.

Still in denial, huh?

Who was the one so anxious earlier?

Such a mystery.

“That’s it for the morning meeting. You’re all free to do as you please, but remember to be back by nightfall.”

Liz’s gaze involuntarily flicked to Letia halfway through.

Letia shrugged nonchalantly at the silent scrutiny.

Given the current circumstances, she knew she’d have to leave Dawn’s Edge someday soon.

Of course, that all depended on surviving the Twenty-Fifth Floor as the script dictated.

If she could dodge it, maybe she’d get to see how the story unfolded.

Following the script at least gave her some idea of what was coming.

Deviating meant dying without even knowing how.

“Well then, I’m heading out to have some fun.”

Letia stood up and, under everyone’s watchful eyes, walked out.

At the same time, Red returned to the Rainwind Bridge.

He stared blankly at the empty stone bench where he’d been waiting for a long while.

The White Priestess hadn’t come back.

“What am I thinking? Just a passing acquaintance,”

he muttered.

Though he said it, a vague emptiness lingered inside him, prompting a sigh.

Truth be told, Red had considered retreating to a quiet place, opening a small weapon shop, finding a pretty wife, and living out a simple life.

But after spending so long in the dungeon, letting go entirely was impossible.

Still, recalling the past, Red couldn’t help but ask himself.

“Did they really see me as a comrade?”

Comparing Letia, Liz, and the others, he realized just how vast the gap was between people.

Now that the initial enthusiasm had faded, Red felt increasingly out of place within the team.

Being the only man in the party meant he bore more responsibility and was used to taking the blame.

He had endured hardship since childhood; a little more wouldn’t matter.

But after all his efforts, all he got back were empty words.

“This is what you’re supposed to do.”

That tone left Red questioning the point of staying on the team at all.

“Hey, you’re here.”

At that moment, a familiar voice called out.

Red looked up to see none other than one of his former teammates—the Priest of the Holy Church.

“Letia?”

Red was taken aback.

“What are you doing here?”

“This is a public place. Why can’t I be here?”

Letia replied casually.

“Just out for a walk, happened to run into you. Don’t think too much of it.”

“Is that so…”

Hearing that, Red’s tense heart eased a bit.

“What, you think I’m here to beg you to come back?”

“I don’t have that kind of clout,”

Red chuckled dryly.

He and Letia weren’t particularly close, but not enemies either—just the kind of familiar strangers.

Still, their relationship was better than with anyone else on the team.

Of course, there was some friction.

Not to mention Letia owed him quite a bit of money, had dumped a lot of blame on him before, and constantly shirked laundry duty—leaving him to wash everyone’s clothes until Liz caught on and Letia took off faster than anyone.

But compared to the others, this priestess at least acknowledged his efforts.

“Liz’s really angry,”

Rit began slowly.

“From how she looks, she’s planning to find someone better to replace you.”

“I’m not surprised by that outcome, but I’m not going back.”

“I see.”

Letia’s indifferent tone made Red glance at her sharply.

He had experienced the gentle warmth Letia could give before, but now, facing an old teammate again, that cold sting crept across his body once more.

If it had been Liz instead, he would’ve felt even more miserable.

Seeing the priestess show no sign of holding him back, Red asked the question that had been gnawing at him.

“In your eyes, am I really a member of Dawn’s Edge?”

After asking, he recalled the Twenty-Third Floor, when he had stayed behind alone to hold back the Magic Beast Horde, covering for his teammates’ retreat, nearly dying in the process.

Instead of concern when he returned, he was met with Liz’s harsh scolding and accusations, and the others’ cold indifference.

So in the end, he couldn’t help but add,

“If I died fighting as a member of Dawn’s Edge, would any of you feel sad or regretful?”