Are they here to return her? That was the first thought, the immediate fear, running through both Auguste and Elaine's minds when Gertrude was presented before them. Perhaps they had their hopes up far too high. After all, Gertrude was a bottomless well in which everything goes in but nothing comes out.

"We took her in from Lilia, from now on, she's a member of our party. I thought you should hear from me directly. Your friend is in good hand, this I promise."

With Albert's explanation, Auguste and Elaine breathed a stealthy sigh of relief. Sure, they had felt sorry for Gertrude, but their sympathy was overpowered by the endangerment of their own survival. At the same time, however, Auguste felt a throbbing in his chest, suffering from an ache he could not immediately explain.

At some point, Albert and the rest of his party joined in on the table. It made things a little awkward at the start, as all of the sudden, the Henrietta Company was the center of attention, but as they began small conversations here and there, the tension was all but forgotten. Albert had a way to make people comfortable in his presence, a friendliness that was as welcoming as it was reassuring. He could lead a conversation as well as listening to others, capable of giving praises where it mattered as well as gentle critique where there need be. It's almost as if he could see into the hearts of others at times, a thought that was somewhat discomforting for Auguste.

Still, after having sat with him, Auguste was thoroughly impressed by the man all over again and was struck with shame at the thought that he had ever compared himself with the likes of Albert. However, such thoughts only made the weight of his heart grow, sitting on his stomach like a cluster of lead, making him lose his appetite.

"Is it me or is it getting a little bit crowded in here?" Auguste spoke up.

"It certainly is. I suppose it *is* lunchtime." Albert remarked, not losing a single bit of his cheer despite the increased gawking directed his way.

"Oh, don't even pretend to be humble. You know they're here for you," Zeke couldn't help but chime in, taking pleasure in every moment he got to call Albert out for perceived falsehood.

"Zeke, Albert isn't like you," Helena retorted in Albert's place. "Not everyone thinks they're the greatest in the world you know. In fact, you're about the one I can know of who thinks in such a way.

"Shuddap! Who asked you anyway!?" Zeke bursts out, sending pieces of food in his mouth flying everywhere. "And what are you gawking at, you bastards! Can't a guy get a quiet meal, huh!?"

"I think I'll go get some fresh air. This crowd is suffocating me."

Without waiting for anyone to respond, Auguste got up from his stool and headed straight for the exit.

Auguste gave up a heavy sigh upon escaping into the crude streets of the Dungeon Town. He was quite upset, not at anyone in particular and not entirely at the crowd. He was upset that Gertrude ended up in Albert's party of all places.

Of course, he knew that she had the raw strength to match them, and putting the huge burden of sating her appetite aside, if one were to pick between Auguste and Gertrude, Gertrude would be a clear choice, without question. Still, this was an issue for him, as Auguste knew Gertrude. If it had been someone unknown, then Auguste likely wouldn't have thought much of it, but since it was Gertrude, someone he knew, someone that while he had never beaten, had never beaten him in return, all but for that one single time. He wasn't her equal in any way, but once upon a time, he thought that he was close. And though he had said to Henrietta that he doesn't think he'll be winning if he and Gertrude were to come to blows after seeing how much stronger Gertrude had become in raw strength, Auguste didn't think that he would lose either. He thought that he'd manage, tire her out and force the match to a draw. However, that meant nothing at this point. Seeing her in Albert's party, seeing her sitting with them, Auguste felt left behind all over again, first by Helena, this time by Gertrude.

Gladiolus had once said to him that he didn't seem to know where to go, that Auguste just seemed lost in the world. That might not be quite true, perhaps it's just that no matter where he tried to go, he would just find himself stuck around the same spot. Perhaps he had subconsciously felt that it'd be pointless for him to try and go anywhere if he'd just wound up going nowhere at all.

Thinking that it's going to be strange if he stayed away for too long, Auguste decided to return after making a single round of the streets.

The streets of the Dungeon Town were crude and messy. With the sole exception of the main street paved at the beginning, there was hardly any differentiation between streets and alleyways. As this was the first town built within a Dungeon, there had been no set principles and rules. Land ownership was on a first come first serve basis for whoever capable of making it down there and buildings were simply erected wherever there was space with minimum planning.

Walking about and musing at the unshapely streets, Auguste wound up at something of a dead end. It was a path far too narrow for anyone to cross, caught between two buildings built uncomfortably close to one another.

Still, it was hardly a problem, all Auguste had to do was turn around and find another way. As a Dungeoneer, his sense of direction was at least good enough to find his way back with ease. If he couldn't even do that, then perhaps continuing the career of dungeoneering would be inadvisable.

"Um..."

From behind, a voice called out to Auguste. In response, Auguste turned towards the direction of the voice, wondering who else had wandered into this fateful little corner of the town.

"...!"

When Auguste met the eyes of the one behind him, he found himself looking at a young man, around his age perhaps, letting out a silent shriek. He had a distinctive bob-cut, his black hair curving ever so slightly inwards at the ends. The young man was staring at Auguste, eyes widened in what appeared to be terror.

"What?" Auguste asked, his tone came out harsher than intended, likely due to his bad mood earlier.

The young man cried out and fell over, his knees giving way to fear.

"D-don't mug me, I don't have anything on me of value other than my life. N-no, I mean, d-d-don't take my life either. I beg you."

Auguste felt offended, he had no intention of mugging anybody. Why did the young man have to be so afraid? Did he look that much like a thug?

"I'm not mugging anyone. I'm just looking for my way back," Auguste explained, this time in a calmer tone.

Hearing that, the young man calmed down slightly.

"So... You're lost too?"

He wasn't, but Auguste couldn't be bothered to explain.

"Good lucking finding your way back," Auguste said curtly before leaving.

"Wait! I-ah-I mean, two heads are better than one, right? Let's try and find our way together."

Auguste was about to tell him that they're probably not even heading the same way, but the young man was just one step quicker in offering his suggestion.

"Let's find our way to the main street, I'm sure we'll find our way back from there."

"I'll be fine on my own," Auguste decided to just tell it to him bluntly.

"B-but..."

The young man was about to say something, but his voice seemed to fade away along with his will. That being said, he still followed quietly along behind and Auguste had no heart to try and shake him off. In the end, he just wound up leading the young man back to the front of the tavern.

"This... I think this is the place. You actually found the way back. If it's from here, I should be able to find my way around."

It seemed like they were in fact, heading towards the same place after all.

"That's great... I'll be going now, I guess."

"Oh, hold on! I, uh, I'm called Pehr. What's your name?"

"Auguste. Well met, I guess..."

"Yes, well met indeed," Pehr smiled brightly, a stark contrast from how he was almost to tears earlier.

"Well, then, hope I see you around," having said his quick farewell, Auguste proceeded inside the tavern. Pehr waved at him as he left before going his own way sometime after.

***

End of Chapter 55