Reverse Dungeon

Keith Moore was a calm and rational man.

But he had no idea how to respond to those words.

This man had saved him.

The emotion Keith ought to feel toward him was obvious: gratitude for a life-saving debt.

So why was this man saying such things?

Keith answered without showing his confusion.

“...Of course. I have no intention of harming any of your subordinates. Did you not save my life?”

His voice was sincere and gentle enough to make anyone believe him.

The other man did not even blink.

“Is that so? Then you must want to repay the favor of having your life saved. Will you swear not to leave this dungeon until you’ve repaid that debt?”

“...Of course. I will do so.”

Keith paused.

“May I ask how you see me?”

He asked politely, but he was bewildered.

People often regarded him with fear.

But he had never been suspected of being the kind of man who would refuse to repay a favor.

“What would you think, if you were me?” Ian said. “About someone who tried to kill you the first time you met?”

‘Ah.’

Keith understood the situation.

He wanted to explain calmly.

“The boy you were protecting at the time belonged to the betrayer’s bloodline. I now understand that you possess a heart broad enough to forgive even traitors. But back then, I was foolish and did not [N O V E L I G H T] know that, so I threatened you. The fact that I failed to harm you must have been God’s will. I apologize for the harm my foolishness caused you. If you allow it, I will kneel here and now.”

But sincerity did not always reach its intended target.

Ian frowned.

“No, forget it. What are you even talking about? How would you know whether my heart is as broad as the sea?”

“Did you not save me, even after I threatened you? I wish to atone with my life for the sin of doubting the Agent of God.”

Keith was deeply regretful.

‘If only I could kneel...’

With an arrow aimed at his throat, he could not move an inch.

He wanted to show this man his heart.

He wanted to prove his sincerity and beg forgiveness.

Their first meeting had been terrible enough that suspicion was only natural.

But to Keith, the moment this man appeared had been proof of God’s existence.

At the moment he had yearned for God most desperately, God had sent His agent to save him.

The doubts he had carried melted away like snow, replaced by shame and gratitude.

Keith wanted to worship God.

He wanted to kiss this man’s feet, swear to follow him forever, and devote himself to his service.

While Keith was overcome with emotion, the other man spoke.

“Who’s the Agent of God? Don’t slap weird labels on me.”

“Pardon?”

“You’re the Agent of God. My heart is as narrow as a teacup. I don’t need your life. I need your oath.”

“What sort of oath are you referring to?”

Keith was confused. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

The man furrowed his brows.

“I’ve been saying it from the start. Don’t try to dodge it. Swear by God’s name. You won’t harm my subordinates, and you’ll serve under me until you’ve repaid your debt. That’s all.”

Keith had already sworn it.

At least, he had thought they were saying the same thing in different ways.

What difference was there between swearing to God’s messenger and swearing by God’s name?

Keith was puzzled.

“...I swear.”

“Properly.”

“...I swear by God’s name.”

“Good. Break that, and you’re just scum.”

“...”

The man looked satisfied and lowered his arrow.

Keith could not understand what was “good” about it.

And what on earth did “scum” mean?

It did not sound like praise, which made him feel somewhat indignant.

However, since the actions of God’s messenger could not be wrong, Keith decided to let it pass.

He did what he had meant to do.

He got down from the bed and knelt on one knee.

The man looked down at him in surprise.

Keith saw the bandages wrapped around his neck.

Blood was seeping through them despite their thickness, making it painfully clear how much blood he had lost.

Yes.

This man would not say such strange things without reason.

Was he not someone who sacrificed himself to save others?

Keith was moved.

Who but God’s messenger could do such a thing?

Holding back tears, he said,

“I have waited for you for so long, messenger of God.”

The messenger of God replied,

“What are you talking about...?”

“......?”

“If you were God, would you send someone like me as your messenger? What kind of misunderstanding is this? I told you to stop slapping weird labels on me.”

There was not a trace of reverence for God in the man’s irritated voice.

“May I ask... do you not believe in God?”

Keith was utterly bewildered.

A messenger of God who did not believe in God?

The man scoffed.

“Why? Are you going to strangle me if I don’t?”

“How could I do such a thing?”

Keith was shocked.

As he said that, he looked at Ian closely and realized the man resembled someone he had seen before.

A man from the nearby forest who had begged for his life.

He could not remember the name, but he did remember the man introducing himself as “an heir to the kingdom.”

The Ferencz Kingdom had sought aid from the Vatican.

Among its heirs, there had been only one male sibling.

Keith sighed in realization.

“I remember now. You are Lord Ian of the Ferencz Kingdom. Born with black hair and black eyes, the king’s son... You must have left the castle with the king when he abandoned his people. The fact that you and those under your command survived while all others perished must also be God’s will, do you not think?”

Keith once again marveled at God’s arrangement.

Ian, however, seemed to think otherwise.

He said dismissively,

“Looks to me like a king who abandoned his people also abandoned his bastard child. I survived because of my own ability. And if you want to live, lie down and sleep. Listening to you is getting on my nerves, and I’m starting to want to hit you.”

“...”

Keith was a patient.

He had never seen a priest who would hit a patient, so he could not tell whether Ian was serious.

The very fact that such words could be spoken at all was shocking.

He felt as if he had fallen into some strange world.

What... is this man?

Keith stared at Ian.

No matter how he looked at him, Ian did not fit the image of a “messenger of God.”

And yet, when Keith had sought God, this man had appeared before him.

That could not have been a coincidence.

Therefore, Keith believed.

After all, faith belonged to the realm of emotion, not logic.

He steadied his wavering heart.

“Whatever you say, I believe you are God’s messenger. Therefore, I will protect you.”

Ian, who had looked exhausted until that moment, suddenly brightened.

“Is that an oath of loyalty?”

“Pardon?”

“Then I’ll accept it. Protect me for the rest of your life.”

“...”

Keith had no words.

‘This person...’

What was he, really?

He was a type Keith had never encountered before.

Suddenly, Keith grew curious.

“Lord Ian, do you know the Lord’s Prayer?”

“No. Would you swear loyalty to me if I did?”

“No.”

“Then why ask?”

“...”

Keith was already a servant of God, so he could not swear loyalty to someone else.

Was that not basic knowledge about Holy Knights?

And yet this man seemed completely unaware of it.

For some reason, Keith did not feel like explaining.

Since the other man only said what he wished to say, Keith decided to do the same.

“You are God’s messenger,” Keith said, as if affirming it to himself.

And he would protect him.

Ian grew irritated.

“Stop putting that label on me. That’s you. ‘Agent of God’ Keith. That’s you.”

“It does not matter what foolish people call me. From now on, ‘Apostate’ will be added to my name, because that is what the Vatican has declared. But that is fine. My faith is true. What does the judgment of others matter?”

Keith spoke sincerely.

Ian firmly rejected it.

“What are you talking about? Reputation is everything. If you’re the Agent of God, people will believe you. If you’re an apostate, they won’t.”

“By public judgment, are you not a debauched bastard?” Keith protested.

“That’s true.”

“......?”

There was no need to explain that “Ian” really was that kind of person.

Every time Ian interacted with Keith, he noticed his ‘Savior’ reputation creeping upward.

Ding!

[‘Agent of God’ Keith considers you a savior.]

Ding!

[‘Agent of God’ Keith strongly believes you are a savior.]

Would this kind of reputation gain not end up dragging him in front of the Demon King later?

It was irritating, but Ian continued talking to Keith because another stat was rising alongside it.

Ding!

[Keith’s loyalty increases.]

[Loyalty: 36%]

Ding!

[Keith’s loyalty increases.]

[Loyalty: 37%]

.

.

.

For some reason, it was climbing little by little with every exchange.

It had already passed 30, the minimum threshold for obedience.

‘Maybe he was loyal from the start...’

In any case, it was strange.

But the fact that loyalty was being displayed at all meant the system had already processed Keith as having sworn loyalty to Ian.

‘A glitch?’

If it was that kind of glitch, Ian was more than happy to accept it.

Taking advantage of game glitches was a skill in itself.

Once Ian realized that, he soon understood why Keith’s loyalty had increased.

“...I apologize. I was disoriented, and my greeting came late. Thank you for saving my life.”

Keith bowed his head.

Then he looked up at Ian as though dazzled.

A knight kneeling on one knee and looking up at him was like something out of a fairy tale.

Ian was almost overwhelmed by his solemnity before something occurred to him.

‘Ah, so that’s it?’

The key to obtaining Keith’s loyalty was saving his life.

Keith had been used by the Vatican since childhood, then thrown away like a worn-out tool.

Now that Ian had saved him, could Ian use him instead?

Ian liked that idea very much.

He smiled broadly.