Reverse Dungeon

Sema asked, “Lord Ian. Did you hear that?”

“Yeah.”

“How are we supposed to survive?!”

He grabbed Ian by the arm.

At least, thanks to the dragon, the people seemed to have forgotten about protesting against the tyrant.

“Before the dragon wakes up... should we capture it?”

Louis asked, an arrow clenched between his teeth.

Ian wondered how he could even come up with something that recklessly brave.

“Stop talking nonsense. Where did you come in from?”

“Huh?”

“I can’t see through all the dust. Where’s the entrance we used?”

“......”

Louis pointed toward a corner. That part of the ceiling had collapsed during the battle between the two monsters.

Ian nodded.

“We can’t kill that thing. We run.”

“What if it follows us?! Are we just going to die?!”

Sema asked a question that was utterly destructive to morale.

Ian wanted to ignore him, but everyone was looking at him with the same expression. He had no choice but to answer.

“You passed out after the last battle.”

“I didn’t pass out. I just fell asleep!”

“Exactly. After fighting such a tough opponent, the dragon will want to sleep too.”

“I think so too.”

“Then what happens if a few bugs start crawling around in front of it?”

“It squashes them?”

“Right. But what if those bugs leave the house on their own?”

“It lets them go! Ah! I get it! We need to run!”

Everyone understood and picked up their tools.

Even Louis, still half-doubtful, rolled up his sleeves and began clearing away the rubble.

Ian covered his nose and mouth with one hand and sat down wherever he could. He was dizzy.

But there was something he needed to do.

Everyone else might have understood it that way, but Ian certainly was not planning anything as pathetic as “let’s run away like bugs in front of the dragon.”

Put the dragon to sleep.

Ian had a way to do that.

He could feel demonic energy leaking from somewhere, slowly draining his HP.

It was coming from the Demon Archduke’s corpse.

The dragon was reacting to it with a hostile growl.

Normally, the body of a high-ranking demon had to be purified and then disintegrated before its demonic energy contaminated the surrounding area. Without someone like Ian, an entire territory would have to be designated as a non-burnable landfill zone just to bury the corpse.

But right now, he could not crawl in front of the dragon and purify the Demon Archduke’s body.

For the time being, the dragon’s nest would have to serve as that landfill zone.

Still, if they kept inhaling demonic energy alongside the dragon, they would die before they could escape.

So Ian used his skill.

.

“Ugh.”

Blood flowed from Ian’s nose and mouth. It spilled over the fingers covering his face and dripped down his chin.

His nose burned, and his vision blurred.

I’m going to die...

Did it even make sense to vomit blood just because his HP was dropping?

Whatever this was—a dream, a possession, or something else entirely—it was absolutely awful.

Ian glanced at his status window.

Half his HP remained.

I’m still fine.

He used again.

Then he coughed up a clump of blood.

“Cough!”

Just kill me already.

His mouth was full of blood. The iron taste made his head spin.

As the demonic energy scattered, the air around them cleared.

Low-level did not produce any grand effect. It simply stirred the air with a faint breeze, like an air purifier.

The people working, unaware of whose efforts were keeping them alive, kept moving stones while muttering things like, “Where’s this wind coming from?” and “Must be my imagination.”

The entrance they had used widened enough for one person to pass through at a time.

“Lord Ian! Please come!”

Sema whispered loudly.

Because of the darkness, he did not seem able to see Ian’s face properly.

Ian wiped his face with his sleeve and walked toward him.

He staggered, and Sema caught him.

“What’s this wet—Lord Ian?! Lord Ian! What is this?!”

“Be quiet.”

“This isn’t something I can just ignore!”

“Then carry me.”

Ian was dizzy.

Without hesitation, he grabbed Sema by the neck and climbed onto his back.

Caught off guard, Sema let out a startled “Huh?” but still hoisted Ian up and began walking.

Ian ignored the way Sema’s body trembled violently beneath him.

Instead, he activated his skill once more.

.

Whoosh!

A fresh breeze swept through their hair.

At the same time, blood from Ian’s nose and mouth stained Sema’s shoulders and back.

Sema’s terrified breathing reached him from below, while a shrill ringing screamed through Ian’s head.

Fortunately, before Ian’s HP hit rock bottom, a heavy thud sounded behind them.

Thud!

It’s asleep.

Ian was certain.

That dragon would sleep in an environment that had not been fully purified of demonic energy. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

He had confirmed that fact by dying countless times.

Later, when he expanded the dungeon down here, it would become a problem again, but...

I’ll think about that later.

No matter how confident Ian was, he still had to check.

“Sema. You... cough. Learn... cough. One new spell.”

“Lord Ian! I’ll learn anything! I’ll do anything you tell me! I won’t even call you a tyrant in my head anymore. Please don’t die!”

Sema burst into tears.

“Lord Ian is dying?”

“What? What are you talking about?”

The front of the line grew noisy.

Ian did not even have the strength to hit Sema.

With only his fingers, he flipped through the system window and invested all of Sema’s experience points into “Learning Skills.”

Suddenly, a skill book appeared in Ian’s outstretched hand.

Is this really not a dream...?

If this was not a dream, then it was truly horrifying.

Ian handed the book to Sema.

Every character could learn skills according to their growth tree.

Since Sema was a “Mage — Water Attribute,” he could learn skills related to that attribute.

In the game, there were two ways to acquire skills: spend experience points, or find skill books.

Now that the game had been strangely patched into reality, it seemed that “spending experience points” caused a skill book to appear, but Ian did not want to think too deeply about it.

He did not have the strength.

“Learn it now.”

“Huh? What is this... a skill book? Lord Ian, have you taken an interest in magic? Why this book...? No, this isn’t the time! Lord Ian, close your eyes! No, don’t close them! You can’t die! Ack!”

In the end, Ian hit Sema on the back of the head.

The sudden loss of balance sent them both pitching forward.

Damn it...

Then cheers came from the front.

“We escaped! We’re out!”

“Lord Ian! Look, Lord Ian! There’s light!”

“Are you all right, Lord Ian? Are you still shaken from earlier?”

“Bring Lord Ian here! Priest, please look at Lord Ian!”

Ian saw the light too.

They had escaped the long passage and returned to the dungeon entrance.

We’re alive...

Relief made ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ Ian’s mind go hazy.

Then a hand shook him.

“Lord Ian! Lord Ian! No!”

Sema clung to Ian, crying.

“I’m fine, so... learn the skill...”

“Are those your last words? No, I won’t learn it!”

Ian struck Sema with the skill book.

Only then did Sema stop shaking him.

“Lord Ian. You’re okay.”

Sema looked relieved.

Ian wanted to curse, but he knew that if he opened his mouth, blood would spill out.

“Lord Ian, I’ll heal you.”

The depressed priest began casting a not-very-effective healing spell on Ian.

While the people quietly prayed for Ian’s recovery, Sema checked the skill book Ian had given him. He wiped away his tears and read the cover.

“?”

[Skill]

Water Mirror

Reflects the image of the target one wishes to see upon water.

The success rate decreases against targets with powerful magic or high vigilance.

Why would he want me to learn this spell?

As a mage, Sema questioned why Ian had such a grimoire.

Of course, he was not doubting Ian, but...

Could it be that he wanted to spy on the kingdom’s beauties?

No, no way! He’s not that kind of person!

Sema shook his head.

Despite all the rumors about Ian chasing beauty and causing scandals, the Ian he knew was violent, but not that kind of man.

Right. He’s broad-minded enough to accept a child of the Traitor Clan...

Sema unintentionally glanced at Louis, and his eyes widened.

Under the light, Louis looked like a dangerously handsome young boy. In a few years, he might even be listed in the .

No way, right? ...Right?

Sema learned the skill anyway.

His intention was to prevent this skill from ever falling into Ian’s hands.

He did not care if his master caused scandals, but a scandal involving a boy could become problematic in far too many ways.

Ian was unaware of Sema’s completely unnecessary thoughts.

He only checked that a new skill had been added to Sema’s status window.

Ding!

[Character]

‘Mage’ Sema (★★★☆☆)

[Reputation]

Incompetent, Mage, Clumsy, Weak-hearted

[Skills]

Water Ball: LV.2

Liquid Property Manipulation: LV.4

Water Mirror: LV.1 (+NEW)

When did his title change?

In any case, Ian beckoned Sema with one finger.

“Try the skill. Target the dragon underground.”

“Ah!”

Sema’s face brightened, and he used the skill.

“!”

After twenty-seven attempts, the image of the dragon appeared in the water pooled across the cave floor.

The dragon was curled up, fast asleep.

“Lord Ian was right!”

“Long live Lord Ian! Long live!”

“Woooow!”

The people cheered and hugged each other.

Sema reflected on his doubts.

He had never imagined the skill would be used this way.

It was not that he had disbelieved Ian’s words. But Ian had allowed everyone to see the dragon’s condition with their own eyes in order to reassure them.

Could there be another master like him?

He was an amazing person, even if he was a tyrant with some mental issues and an extremely frail body.

Sema reaffirmed his resolve to follow Ian faithfully.

Of course, Ian had made Sema learn the new skill for reasons entirely different from what Sema assumed.

Ding!

[Han is impressed by your actions. Loyalty increases.]

[Loyalty: 50%]

Ding!

[Peter admires your strategy. Loyalty increases.]

[Loyalty: 47%]

Ding!

[James is touched by your consideration. Loyalty increases.]

[Loyalty: 56%]

Loyalty-increase indicators appeared above each person’s head.

The immediate crisis is over.

The Tyrant title debuff would not trigger again for a while.

In that case, now would be a good time to secure the Traitor Clan.

Let’s grow the dungeon.

Ian confirmed that his HP bar was half full, then stood.