I opened the door to leave.

“Ah, geez.”

And flinched at Boss standing in front of the door. She simply glanced at me.

“Did you also come to speak with the Ironblood Duchess?”

Boss only glared in silence. She was quite tall for a woman and felt daunting today.

Why is she so upset? Did Jain tell her I would withdraw from the martial tournament?

Boss stood for a while before stretching her arm past me. I felt startled, but didn’t mind. Then she grabbed the doorknob behind me. KOONG— And completely shut the half-opened door.

“Boss? Aren’t you coming in?”

“Just now.”

Boss’ lips slightly quivered and she mumbled a question as if speaking to herself.

“Just now. What did you do inside?”

“Huh?” I tilted my head.

“You did something inside.”

Boss repeated. I quickly realized what she meant. She probably witnessed the strange scene just a moment ago.

“Ah, that was nothing. Wait, were you peeking on us?”

Boss’s shoulders slightly trembled as she frowned.

“Peeking? That’s no way to speak to your boss.”

I simply smiled. “Then why did you come here?”

“What you did just now—“

“She’s my centurion.”

Tomer interrupted Boss and opened the door. Then she softly smiled at Boss.

“Welcome.”

“… Yes.”

Boss greeted her in an unusually brusque manner.

“I’ll have to listen to your report later. I have something else to do.”

Tomer simply walked past us. Boss felt slightly disgruntled as she watched her disappear.

“…”

“Hmm… Boss, how's your sparring with Tomer going?”

I tried asking. Some time had passed since we arrived on the 8th floor, but their relationship remained the same. Things would be different if she won at least once.

“We’re now evenly matched, on-par, equal.”

She said several phrases...