That's a non-negotiable!　Nong!　I'd have to say NO!
You...


　His wife looked at him as if he were looking at a troubled child, and then held his eyes as he gave her a resolute no. Then she puts her hand to the paper with the same information written on it that she gave to Korina the other day.

　There was detailed information about Xeno and several ways to operate him in the second army PT. In it, his wife pointed to Xeno's excessive vainness.


'There was one time on the ninetyth level when I made my condition look good to the healer and ended up going down without drinking a potion. Even on the level before that?　It's nice to be aware of God's Eye, but isn't it strange to do that to a fellow PT member?


　Zeno's problems that have been highlighted in the second army PT are mainly concentrated there. His confident words, actions and attitude born of unusual narcissism. However, he had the same attitude toward Corina, Amira, and others who had a bad impression of Zeno among the clan members. As a result, this deepened the rift, to the point where people questioned whether Zeno was really making an effort.

　The trust between the healer and the tank in particular is directly related to their problems as a PT. So first of all, in order to earn Corina's trust, he had to correct Xeno's attitude and his behavior of dressing up so much that he would lose weight and not report his injuries to the healer.


'But I am who I am,'
.........


　His wife looked up to retort to Zeno, but she choked up when she saw the look on his face, as if she didn't know what to do. In a complete change from his earlier antics, Xeno leaned his elbows on the desk and put his hand to his forehead as if he was pondering.


'Surely I must change, I suppose. But if it weren't for the current me, I can't imagine myself being able to keep up with that PT.... Because it's the only thing I can do.


　Pride is not the reason why Zeno cannot change his own attitude. His confident attitude was the armor of his mind, so to speak. It was something he desperately needed in order to inspire himself.

　Xeno was originally just one of the students who didn't have any experience of hiding in the outside dungeons and defeating monsters, and he was just one of the students who liked to find out about the divine dungeons in the academy in the King's Capital. And even though he was promised a future after graduating at the top of his class from the famous academy in the King's City, he kicked it off and went to the labyrinth city with his dreams and hopes.

　But what awaited him was a very harsh reality. A holy knight, who was considered to be an outlier job at the time, had a reality that was far removed from the ideal he had imagined in his mind. And in order to fight a terrifying monster, it was impossible to stand up to a normal mind.

　The tanks of the Infinite Circle often laugh during battle. Hanna is a mad dog, Garum, who has a blown-up mind that can take the risk of burning his own arm off without a care in the world. Daryl also has a smile on his face when he is able to do his job well, or when he sees his comrades doing a good job.

　And Xeno also smiled at Mount Golem and Winter General, but it was a false smile. An escapist smile that happens to disguise the fear that rises up from within the heart and inspire itself. Zeno's confident attitude was partly due to the narcissism that was there from the beginning, but there was also the aspect that he would not be able to keep his mind intact if he did not do so.

　His wife knew well the fear that Xeno felt. The frontline of God's Dungeon, the Infinite Circle, an abnormal clan where only those with outstanding talent, including Tsutomu, were enrolled. Anyone can understand the tremendous pressure he receives in that place, just by looking at his exhausted figure coming home from the Clan House.

　But even though we know him like that, we have to point that out. It was Xeno who made the choice to enter the infinite circle. He would not want to be whispered sweet nothings here.

　His wife gently wraps one of Zeno's hands in hers and speaks in a squeezing voice.


'I know the feeling. But ... but you can't keep going like this. If you continue to maintain that bravado here, you will never be able to play an active role in the current PT. Even if you're going to play an active role in the Infinite Circle, as long as you don't team up with Tsutomu, just like at the 80th level. But if you can't play an active role in the current PT, there's no chance you'll be able to partner with it anymore. So we have to change.


　Tsutomu is "Live Dungeon! Since he managed the tank's HP based solely on his own brain based on his knowledge and experience, it didn't matter if Zeno was fanciful and self-reported his injuries or not. Therefore, he was able to make the most of Xeno in parallel with the hate management.

　However, unlike Tsutomu, Korina doesn't understand the concept of HP to begin with, so Tank's own self-reporting of injuries is valuable information and a reference for his recovery. Furthermore, at the 90th level, the healer's hate management is also of high importance, so she can't afford to use her recovery skills unnecessarily.

　The sweet self-reporting of injuries due to Xeno's vainness and the slight support recovery bias due to Corina's emotions. Neither of those two would normally have that much of an impact on a battle, but in the ninety levels, this could be fatal.


''Well no, but that would still be tasteless.


　However, Xeno seemed to be more than a little afraid to tell the PT members about his vanity. This weakness has been confided in by none other than his wife. I'm not going to be the only one who can do this, but I'm not going to be the only one who can do it.


''Talking about your weaknesses won't mean you'll leave the clan. In fact, I think it will boost your reputation.
'But you know what ... yes. How about this then?　Mr. Tsutomu and I are teaming up.


　As if he really didn't want to reveal his weaknesses to the PT members, Zeno made a suggestion that was an escape from reality. I knew that, but my wife went along with him and said back.


'I told you it's impossible. Xeno won't be chosen if he can't play in the second army PT in the first place.
"Send a gold seal...
She makes dozens of times more than you do. If bribes work, people aren't hard to come by.
'Then it's love!　Love saves all!
What?　Do you want me to go for it?
No, I'll go!
''Well it's true that rumors about Tsutomu being a male color have circulated before, but they were quickly dismissed. And even if that was the case, even Garum wasn't chosen for the first team, so you would never be able to do it.
You don't know the result unless you try!　Maybe it will work, so we'll decide tomorrow!
'Yes, so much for escaping reality. Come on, let's wrap up the conversation for tomorrow.
Ggggggghhhh...


　When the conversation was pulled back after everything was denied, Zeno plopped down on the desk with a pained voice. But after a while, he finally made up his mind and began to discuss the matter with his wife face to face.


　â€


So, you see...
..........


　The next day, Zeno confided in the PT members that he had been vain. He promised that from now on, he would not make himself look good to the PT members.

　Even Garum, who had been talking to him to some extent, didn't seem to know about his surprising revelation and wondered what was going on. Corina also looks completely incomprehensible. That's probably true, too. It's a good thing that the man who up until now has been nothing more than a goody-two-shoes who can't read the atmosphere is now talking with a serious face in front of me.


(How do you say, it's all coming together so well...)


　And Amy was thinking about it with her arms crossed while she had illusions about her wife in the background of Xeno.

　To confide one's weaknesses to others may seem like a weak person, but it's actually not so surprising. Those who turn away without admitting their weaknesses are the true weaklings, and the stronger the person, the more they admit their weaknesses.

　That's true for me, and it's true for Tsutomu, too. He is especially well aware of his own weaknesses. Tsutomu's strength as a healer is unmatched by anyone else, but for that, even the female Korina loses in interpersonal combat. He understands this well, and so he bows down to Diniel and Leleia and asks for his own protection, without regard to male pride or anything else. It was certainly a weakness of Tsutomu's, but his spirit was strong enough to acknowledge it and act on it.


'I am weak. But that's why, Korina-kun. I need you to help me.''


　Zeno's confession that he was being flippant and his suggestion to rely on Korina is just that.
　He admitted that he was being flippant and that he would improve in the future, but still rely on Korina. But that's not enough to solve the PT's problems. If Korina couldn't fix the bias in her support recovery after that, Xeno wouldn't be able to make use of it.


''Well that's something I'm going to work on improving, too.


　However, Corina seemed to have changed her perceptions after talking to Xeno's wife. She thought that at least his wife was decent and was ready to change her bad feelings towards Zeno.

　And if Zeno himself showed her this attitude first, she would lose her desire to refuse. Although he still looked incredulous, Amy thought that perhaps this rift could be repaired in the near future.


(First, huh?)


　The rift between Corina and Xeno was a major problem in the ninety levels. But other than that, it was really minor. It had happened due to a minor misunderstanding, so it would be quicker to repair that.

　But the rift is not just between the two of them in any way. The same is true for Amira and Leleia, and there is probably a rift between Diniel and Tsutomu as well. And there are two people who haven't yet encountered a fatal problem, but there is a definite rift between them.

　That may not be a problem on the ninety levels. But it could be a problem in the future at some levels, and perhaps in the hundred levels that exist. It could also conceivably affect Tsutomu's recruitment to the first level.

　Amy stared at Garum in the foreground as Corina was still conversing with Xeno, who was still unaccustomed to the situation. The rift that had even become a long-standing causal relationship would no longer be filled quickly. But because of that, it's possible that he'll fall into the first round of selection again.

　Amy was thinking about this as she looked at her dog like a stray cat.