Reverse Dungeon

The elf rangers’ exceptional instinct for avoiding danger had backfired spectacularly.

They retreated before even reaching the chamber where Keith had been waiting.

As a result, Keith was left with nothing to do except toss the two captured elf rangers into the dungeon prison.

Before meeting the prisoners, Ian gathered his close companions for a brief discussion.

The central question was simple:

Why had the elves fled without even attempting a rescue?

“Didn’t you say rangers were so prideful they’d push through any dungeon no matter how dangerous it was?”

Sema stamped his foot irritably.

Genea nodded at once.

“Of course. Elves are prideful by nature, but ranger pride is on an entirely different level.”

“This isn’t the time to praise your own people,” Contacca cut in flatly. “Why do you think they retreated?”

Genea lowered her gaze in thought.

Then her eyes widened slightly in realization.

“Ah... I understand now.”

She nodded to herself.

“Elves are certainly prideful, but they’re also rational enough to place logic above pride when necessary. They must have realized this dungeon was far more dangerous than it appeared and concluded they could not rescue me.”

The others silently concluded that Genea’s pride in being an elf was effectively limitless.

Keith, who had been listening quietly until now, finally spoke.

“Because of you, the dungeon’s location has been exposed. And now we’ve gained more enemies.”

His eyes settled on Genea.

“What exactly is your plan to resolve this?”

Genea answered without hesitation.

“I intend to persuade the two prisoners we captured.”

At that, everyone turned toward Ian.

Ian merely shrugged.

“Alright. Let’s go meet them.”

Truthfully, Ian felt somewhat excited.

These were characters he had never encountered even during the “Genea Route.”

The leader of the elf rangers—

He had never met him before.

After all, in the original route, Genea usually died before ever escaping imprisonment.

—

The prison corridor echoed with furious shouting.

“You traitor to our people! You sold out the elves to humans, and you still dare stand before the protector of nature?! You are no longer my sister—nor even an elf! You are a disgrace to our entire race!”

The enraged voice of the elf ranger leader reverberated through the dungeon, followed by a stream of furious curses Ian couldn’t even begin to understand.

Mostly because Keith had firmly covered Ian’s ears with both hands.

‘As if that’s going to accomplish anything.’

Surprisingly, it helped more than expected.

Keith leaned down slightly and spoke in a low voice, openly frowning toward the prison cells.

“I would advise observing from a distance, Lord Ian.”

“Sure. Sounds fine.”

Not that Ian had intended to personally involve himself in the argument anyway.

Meanwhile, Genea remained completely unfazed by the barrage of insults.

“Moiken. So you got yourself captured after all. I warned you before that your recklessness would eventually cause problems.”

“If you hadn’t committed a crime and escaped imprisonment, none of this would have happened!”

“I was not the sole cause of the World Tree’s decline. I won’t claim I bear no responsibility, but there is another culprit.”

“So now you’re trying to shift the blame onto someone else?!”

“Listen to me.”

Genea’s voice remained calm.

“As the protector of the World Tree, I sensed a dark and ominous wind approaching the village. The moment I inhaled it, I lost consciousness.”

“Lies! Stop making excuses!”

“When I awoke, the World Tree had already begun to wither, and I had been imprisoned. That wind was unnatural. Someone caused it intentionally.”

Her expression hardened slightly.

“Just before I collapsed, I saw a shadow moving nearby. Thinking back now, that must have been the culprit. I had no choice but to leave the village and search for them myself in order to restore the World Tree.”

Moiken’s expression twisted with fury.

“I’m ashamed I ever took pride in you! If you still possess even a shred of elven dignity, then kill yourself immediately instead of disgracing our family further!”

“...Are your ears purely decorative?”

“Do you know how much effort I invested in raising you?! And this is what you became—a criminal!”

Genea let out a short sigh.

“Hah. Speaking to you is pointless.”

“......”

Ian blinked.

‘Aren’t they completely failing to communicate?’

At least Genea herself seemed aware that the conversation was going nowhere.

Even so, she patiently shifted her attention toward the other captured ranger.

“You heard everything, didn’t you? Could you perhaps speak with Moiken and help clear up this misunderstanding?”

“...Huh?”

The other ranger looked utterly dazed.

His eyes lacked focus entirely.

He was still mentally shattered from nearly being eaten alive by a giant rabbit.

The protector of nature—

Nearly devoured by a rabbit.

Well... technically it had been a mamool.

Still.

Almost becoming rabbit food?

Had he died there, he would probably have gone down in elven history as the first elf ever reduced to rabbit droppings. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Watching the scene unfold, Keith finally spoke.

“This Genea is proving entirely unhelpful.”

His cold gaze settled on her.

“Wouldn’t it be more practical to negotiate with the elves by handing her over?”

Other than the two prisoners, the remaining rangers had escaped.

Now that they knew the dungeon’s location, there was no telling what they might bring back with them next time.

Keith believed he understood Ian’s motives for helping Genea.

‘Integration with the elves.’

Ian had previously shown kindness to wandering elf merchants as well, though Keith assumed that had simply been because he wanted to recruit them.

Genea’s case felt different.

During his travels beside Ian, Keith had gradually uncovered signs of a vast conspiracy engulfing the continent itself.

Every race seemed to be suffering beneath the influence of some hidden darkness.

Keith believed Ian intended to help Genea in order to uncover the truth behind whatever was targeting the elves.

Even so, Keith did not believe cooperation with an elven criminal was truly necessary.

And yet, the moment the thought crossed his mind, guilt followed immediately after.

Was he seriously considering sacrificing someone for convenience?

But Ian, as always, viewed things differently.

“That’s not an option.”

Ian answered immediately.

“If we hand her over now, she’ll simply be thrown back into prison and treated like an even greater criminal.”

His gaze remained steady.

“Genea hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“......!”

Keith’s conscience twisted painfully.

‘What was I thinking?’

That was right.

A righteous cause did not justify dishonorable methods.

Lord Ian—someone who never abandoned those who sought his protection—would never resort to such cowardly behavior.

How could someone like that ever stand before the divine?

Then Ian casually added:

“Besides, what if she starts disliking °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° me?”

“...?”

Ian walked toward Genea.

‘I’ve given her enough time.’

Without warning, he gently covered her long pointed ears with his hands.

Unlike the elf merchants, her ears were easier to grab than properly block.

“......?!”

Genea flinched slightly at the sudden warmth.

“Why are you wasting time with this nonsense? Step back.”

“But this is a matter between elves—”

“You asked me for help, didn’t you?”

In other words—

Leave it to him.

Ian intended to settle the matter cleanly.

And, while he was at it, secure himself a four-star elf hero.

One completed quest and she becomes mine?

That deal was far too good to pass up.

Especially since this quest overlapped with another objective he already needed to complete anyway.

Double rewards.

Who could resist that?

Ian stepped in front of Genea and kicked the prison bars.

Bang!

“......?!”

“Hey.”

“...What, human? Do you think you can intimidate me? No matter what threats you make—”

The prisoner stiffened instinctively.

Ian turned toward the hallway.

“Momisia. Toss me a gag.”

“Right away, Lord Ian!”

From somewhere nearby, Momisia enthusiastically threw one over.

For reasons Ian could not understand, Contacca had both his own face and Momisia’s covered with his hands.

‘...Why does she even have that?’

Then Ian remembered the restraint gear previously used on Genea.

That had also been Momisia’s work.

Naturally, she would never omit a gag from a complete “prisoner restraint set.”

Without hesitation, Ian shoved the gag into the elf prisoner’s mouth.

Schlick.

Click.

The restraint locked firmly into place.

At last, silence.

Well—

Close enough.

The elf could only glare upward while muffled protests escaped him.

Looking down calmly at the struggling prisoner, Ian spoke in an even tone.

“I can see the future.”

The dungeon fell quiet.

“Your village is heading toward destruction.”

Ian smiled faintly.

“So. Would you rather cooperate with me and avoid that fate...”

His gaze lowered toward the furious elf.

“...or continue throwing a fit until everyone dies?”