"I'm not exhausted." There it is—a sharp edge to his voice, one that almost only comes out with his own Ren. His own Ren, with the Palace.

But he deflates. He knows he's doing too much. That he ought to be in the Metaverse once a week, not every day or even twice a day. Yet what option does he have? He doesn't have his team. He needs to build another, yet how is he to lead it, as piss-weak as this?

He picks up a large bowl, fills it with water and sets it down by her with some potatoes. "Forgive me, Amamiya-san. You can help me with these, if you really want. If you weren't all talk, that is." It's a bit of shadowed teasing.