Reverse Dungeon

Once the group decided to head for the elf village, one major hurdle remained:

Convincing Genea.

“What? You want us to relocate the village?”

“Yes.”

Ian hadn’t handed Genea the divine tree merely to clear her name.

If something is given, something should be received in return.

What Ian wanted from Genea was an alliance with the elves.

And not some shallow, symbolic alliance, either.

He wanted a fully operational one.

‘If it can be fortified too, even better.’

As the World Tree’s level increased, additional dungeons could be designated as second and third territories. In the game, strategically placing those dungeons to create monster-free zones was commonly known as fortification.

Or, to put it another way:

SimCity.

Unfortunately, Ian had already used his third dungeon designation elsewhere. He’d spent it exactly where it needed to be spent.

‘If I hadn’t used it back then, I’d already be dead.’

Destroying the coliseum and forcing the Vatican’s early purge remained some of the greatest achievements of Ian’s entire gaming career.

Still, he didn’t consider the dungeon designation wasted.

Fortification itself wasn’t essential for Ian anymore. This wasn’t his first or second day playing the game. He’d long since moved past the beginner stage where dungeons became impossible to defend without defensive structures.

But what if allied forces could be incorporated into those defenses?

What if he could directly command them himself?

Ian was not a man who believed in restraint.

‘With the reality patch affecting the game world, there’s definitely potential here.’

At this point, Ian was already imagining himself as a defensive commander.

Offense, naturally, belonged to Keith.

As a true gamer who despised auto-play, Ian found enormous appeal in the idea of personally controlling an entire defensive force.

‘The devil’s in the details, after all.’

Whether or not the saying fit the situation perfectly didn’t matter.

Everyone knew details were important.

If he could personally design strategies, set traps, and establish an optimized defense meta—

That would be perfect.

And if the forces involved happened to be elves?

Even better.

Suppressing his excitement as best he could, Ian spoke calmly.

“The perpetrator you saw—the shadow, or whatever it was—already knows where your village is. What exactly do you plan to do once another World Tree is planted there? Just wait for it to be destroyed again?”

“...!”

Genea’s eyes widened as if struck by revelation.

“That... makes sense.”

“Yes. It does.”

“The perpetrator already bypassed our elite rangers and sabotaged the divine tree. That means they must possess extraordinary skill.”

“Exactly. So what’s stopping them from infiltrating the village again?”

“True. Perhaps it would be wiser to capture the perpetrator before the divine tree is threatened another time.”

‘Sharp, isn’t she?’

Crossing his arms, Ian slowly shook his head with deliberate seriousness. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

“No. There’s no guarantee when the culprit will be caught. What matters most is preserving lives. You need to think about the elves in the village first.”

“Indeed! That’s very wise.”

Genea nodded immediately once again.

‘Maybe Genea’s actually just a ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) really good person?’

Ian smiled faintly as he looked at her.

In-game, she’d seemed like the type who’d be endlessly irritating, but seeing her in person was an entirely different experience.

She practically looked angelic.

Ding!

[Genea thinks you are a righteous lord.]

Ding!

[Genea believes you are a strategist of exceptional character.]

She was even increasing his reputation.

Truly, what more could a good subordinate ask for?

Just as Ian was feeling satisfied, Genea suddenly rose to her feet.

“Then I’ll return to the village and persuade the elves using the divine tree you gave me.”

“Where are you going?”

“To the elf village.”

“By yourself?”

“Ah.”

Genea nodded naturally.

“I’ll bring Moiken and the other rangers with me.”

“No, stop saying ridiculous things.”

“...Excuse me?”

‘Is she actually not very bright?’

For a moment, Ian pictured her getting mobbed and collapsing before she even reached the village.

Or worse—getting killed by the very Moiken he’d released.

“We’re going together.”

And just like that, the group was finalized.

Actus joining them, however, had not been part of Ian’s plan.

“You’re abandoning me again?”

“Stop biting! It’s going to rip! Hey!”

Actus was desperately trying to tear apart Ian’s precious cape.

Even weakened, a dragon’s strength was monstrous.

In the end, Ian had no choice but to compromise, making Actus promise to “stay small and behave himself” before allowing him to come along.

Reduced to the size of a small dog, the dragon happily climbed onto Ian’s head.

Every so often, the reptilian tail dangling before Ian’s eyes blocked his vision, forcing him to swat it aside like an annoying fly.

Still, he never actually pushed the dragon away.

Keith silently watched the entire exchange.

This place had always been strangely harmonious.

He’d felt that way from the very moment he first joined Ian’s command. Ian’s subordinates had accepted him with surprisingly little hostility. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

Ian himself, however, had remained wary of Keith.

Thinking about it now, that was understandable.

Foolish as he’d been, Keith had nearly harmed Ian during their very first encounter.

But wasn’t that elf the same?

Ian treasured a wizard who had taken him hostage and threatened his stronghold.

‘What’s the difference?’

Why does he open his heart to her so easily...?

‘No.’

Keith quietly rotated the beads of his rosary through his fingers.

Counting each bead one by one, he sought inner peace.

This line of thought was improper.

God’s love was equal toward all beings. There could be no distinction in who received more or less love.

Jealousy was one of the seven deadly sins.

Protecting the weak was simply Ian’s nature.

Genea was weaker than Keith, and so Ian treated her more gently. Keith’s role was different. He existed to walk alongside Ian on God’s path and shield him from every obstacle.

Gradually, Keith’s thoughts settled.

His fingers stopped moving across the rosary.

Then Ian suddenly spoke to Genea.

“About earlier... sorry. I acted too hastily.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I touched your... ear.”

Ian sounded slightly awkward.

‘Has Lord Ian ever apologized to someone before?’

Keith unconsciously halted in place.

Genea brushed aside her long, silky hair, exposing the distinctly elongated ears beneath.

“You mean my ears?”

“Yeah. I heard somewhere that elves consider that kind of contact offensive, and I forgot for a moment...”

“Ah! That custom disappeared about a thousand years ago. Lord Ian truly is both merciful and knowledgeable about elven history. How intellectual.”

“A thousand years ago?”

‘Lord Ian really does enjoy flattery.’

That elf again.

Keith frowned faintly.

Ian had a tendency to quietly accept praise directed at him rather than deny it. Keith did not consider that a particularly admirable trait in either a ruler or an apostle of God.

Though, admittedly, Ian’s silence in the face of praise wasn’t entirely undeserved...

‘Perhaps I should advise him against keeping flatterers close.’

From the very beginning, Genea had constantly showered Ian with compliments, calling him a righteous lord at every opportunity.

Keith could list countless virtues Ian possessed.

But “righteous lord”?

That part remained questionable.

‘Using empty praise to win her master’s favor.’

Keith came to a realization.

He genuinely disliked that elf.

Not out of jealousy.

Certainly not.

Simply because weakness did not automatically make someone virtuous.

Lord Ian needed to understand that.

‘I should say something...’

Unfortunately, Genea’s latest attempt at flattery appeared to have completely failed.

Ian seemed distracted.

Without thinking much of it, he casually flicked aside the dragon’s tail hanging before his face.

Actus, exhausted from crying earlier, muttered sleepily.

“Mom... Mom... don’t leave me...”

“Agh! Okay, enough already!”

Keith promptly lifted the dragon off Ian’s head and placed it onto his own shoulder instead.

Actus immediately tried to bite him.

Even without his helmet, Keith effortlessly avoided every snapping attack.

Afterward, he gently healed the reddened marks left on Ian’s forehead.

Ian glanced back in confusion.

“I healed your injuries.”

“Ah. Right.”

Ian casually patted Keith’s arm in praise.

A strange ticklish sensation spread through the spot Ian touched.

But that was impossible.

“Let’s go!”

And so they departed for the elf village.

Each carrying their own thoughts.

When they finally arrived—

The village was already under attack by monsters.

“......”

Swamp creatures flooded through the settlement in violent waves.

Terrain-type monsters surged forward while releasing hordes of subordinate creatures into the air above the village.

The deafening buzz of mosquito swarms sent chills down the spine.

Beneath the swamp, unseen creatures writhed and moved, every subtle sound radiating life.

Together, all of it formed an overwhelming terror that tightened around the village like a noose.

‘...Isn’t this the opening of Genea’s route?’

Ian realized instantly.

The timeline had become completely distorted.

At that moment, one of the elf rangers spotted them.

His face twisted in anguish as he screamed:

“Genea! How could you do this?!”

“!?”