Now you're getting it. Yes, of course I believe in the metaphysics. And the epistemology, ontology and of course the ethics.
So do secularists but they're usually either too dumb or dishonest to admit/see it.
They use words like best, good, progress, sufering without realizing that these are massive metaphysical claims. They want these words to do the load-bearing of their worldview without any metaphysical justification.