Chapter 3

"Um, Sir Hero? What are you doing here so early in the morning?"

"I want to share this moment of our party's advancement with my core members! Rejoice, Aria, it's finally time to challenge the A-Rank Dungeon!"

"Hmm... An A-Rank Dungeon, huh?"

"This is a great step forward for our hero party! Why don't you be more excited?"

Aria's reaction was different from what I had predicted. I thought she would be happy about the party's progress, but instead, she looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"Um, A-Rank is quite dangerous. We should consult with Senior first."

"Huh? Why do we need to consult that failure?"

At my words, Aria frowned, her well-shaped eyebrows knitting together.

"Are you still saying that? It's pointless, where is Senior?"

The intensity of her gaze made me feel intimidated.

"Ishua... ran away. When I told him we were going to challenge the A-Rank Dungeon, he fled without even packing his things."

In reality, I had banished him on my own, but I lied.

That guy, I hope he's disappointed.

Since he's not here, I can manipulate his image however I want—

"Such... Could it be that Senior...?"

Aria held back her breath, but the words that came out of her mouth were not what I had expected.

"Did... did we get abandoned?"

"One incompetent person who feared the A-Rank Dungeon and ran away like a coward. But that's not the point—"

"It's because of you that Senior abandoned us!!"

Aria glared at me with teary eyes. Her intensity left me speechless.

"I'm going to look for Senior. Without his magic supply, this party can't function. We're finished without him!"

"At a time like this, what kind of joke... Wait! We should be discussing the strategy for the A-Rank Dungeon—"

"Save your nonsense for your sleep!"

Aria said firmly. Then, ignoring my protests, she ran into the forest alone.

"It's noisy early in the morning. What's going on?"

"I'm still sleepy. I can't move without receiving magic from Sir Ishua."

Unfortunately, the Great Sage and the Magic Sword Knight had woken up. In their conversation, Ishua was mentioned as if he were still part of the party.

—But Ishua is no longer in this party.

"Ah, there was just a little trouble. There's no need for you to worry about it."

"Got it. No secrets, right?"

"A, ah. Of course..."

(But I can't tell them the truth about Ishua's banishment)

(I have to hide it!)

So, I repeated the same lie to Aria to the other party members.

Even though the expulsion of a party member is a major event, it's not something that can be easily hidden.

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