Reverse Dungeon

To ease his guilt, Ian spoke first.

“I keep telling you, it wasn’t my first time...”

“...It wasn’t your first time?”

Keith looked genuinely shocked.

Did he think Ian was a virgin?

The truly surprising part was that Keith had ever believed someone branded as “promiscuous” could be a virgin in the first place.

“Didn’t you hear about my reputation?”

“I did... But those are only rumors, aren’t they? You’re not the kind of person the rumors make you out to be.”

He said it with complete seriousness.

Ian wondered what had made Keith trust him to that extent. It felt strange. Whether they knew Ian or Jeong Yiwon, no one expected him to be a decent person. It would have been even stranger to expect decency from someone who had gone by “crazy dog” in his school days...

Ding!

[Keith thinks you are pure.]

Ding!

[Keith is convinced that was your first time.]

No, not like this.

Was that what he had become convinced of?

Ian knew he hadn’t exactly handled it with skill, but honestly, wouldn’t it have been more impressive if he had acted like an expert the first time he was with a man? In that sense, it had definitely been Jeong Yiwon’s first time.

......

As for Ian himself, he couldn’t be sure. Men, after all, had been included in the ...

“Whether I’m like the rumors or not, anyone would’ve ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) reacted that way in that situation...”

“I’m sorry.”

Keith looked ready to condemn himself all over again, so Ian changed tactics.

“...It could have happened. But stop punishing yourself for no reason. You said your body belongs to me, didn’t you? Then don’t mess with it. Anyone would’ve reacted like I did in that situation.”

Should I really be saying this?

Ian did not particularly want to preserve his reputation for promiscuity. But if he didn’t, Keith might start talking about purity again. Maybe it was better to let himself be seen as promiscuous after all...

“What I’m saying is, no one could’ve done that smoothly in that situation! Anyway, I don’t want to go through that again, so you’d better come get purified by me every day.”

Keith bowed his head.

Ian was not the type to ramble. When he talked this much, it was only because he was flustered or in trouble.

And he was not troubled because of himself.

He was troubled because of Keith.

Was he piling on all these words because he was afraid Keith would suffer even more, believing he had violated Ian’s purity?

Keith had known from the beginning.

Despite his harsh words, Ian was an exceptionally kind person. He would rather sacrifice himself than force someone else to do the same.

It made Keith’s heart ache.

Painfully.

But what about Keith himself?

Ian seemed to think he had accepted Keith because he had wanted to... but Keith remembered the moment his reason had returned in the middle of it.

At that moment, he had known very clearly that he was no longer under any demonic influence. The curse did not summon what was not already there.

Keith did not speak carelessly.

The words he had uttered during that shameful act had never risen to the surface of his conscious mind only because his reason and emotions had sealed them away, insisting, You mustn’t do this.

But if that, too, was truly a part of him, then how lewd and wretched was he?

Did he deserve to follow the Agent of God?

Would God forgive him?

The answer was already before him.

The Agent of God had forgiven him.

God always forgave human failings.

Even so, Keith was afraid of himself.

He had learned something he should never have learned.

For Keith, sex and desire had always belonged to a realm entirely unrelated to him.

He knew such things existed, but he had neither need nor reason to involve himself with them.

His heart had been free of temptation. Though he always thirsted for proof of God, nothing of the world had ever been able to hold Keith back.

But...

Is that still true now?

Keith remembered the terrible pleasure of the previous day. That warm, blissful sensation, as if his very brain were melting.

He had an ominous feeling that the memory would remain branded into him until the day he died.

Could he still faithfully carry out his duties as a servant of God?

And above all...

How far would Ian forgive him?

Or would he have forgiven anyone else, too?

That temptation made Keith’s heart hurt.

Is he crying?

Keith stayed silent with his head lowered, making Ian uneasy. Ian looked down at him.

Keith’s golden eyelashes were not wet. Ian remembered how he looked when he cried, so he quickly realized there was no sign of tears now.

Keith stared up at Ian and asked in a grave voice,

“You are too kind. It worries me. If another man clung to you while pretending to be weak, would you forgive him too?”

Ian froze in shock.

“Are you still under the curse’s influence?! Stop spouting nonsense!”

“You should be as firm in your actions as you are with your words. I’m worried.”

“Hey! Get purified already!”

Ian grabbed Keith by the collar and used his skill. Keith could have resisted, but he let it happen.

What if Ian, weakened as he was, collapsed?

“What are you two doing?”

In the middle of their argument, Fairy Yura arrived.

Seeing Ian practically on top of Keith, the fairy wondered whether she had come at a bad time.

Following the Fairy Queen’s orders, she had stayed away from the battlefield while the fight raged.

After the monster’s head was severed, she had wanted to fly to the heroes at once, but she had held herself back. The Fairy Queen had ordered them to wait until the heroes returned on their own.

But when the heroes did not return right away, anxiety began to spread through the Fairy Kingdom.

Someone suggested they might have been injured after defeating the monster, and the mood darkened.

Another fairy said they should give the heroes time to collect themselves, while another proposed waiting until the next morning and going to search for them if they still had not returned.

The Fairy Queen accepted that plan.

That was why the fairy who had guided them set out as soon as day broke.

Was there no need for me to come? the fairy thought.

She knew they were lovers, but she had not expected them to spend time so passionately right after defeating a monster.

Especially not in a thicket like this...

“Humans these days are so bold!” the fairy exclaimed.

“No, it’s not that.”

“Not that? Did I not interrupt something nice? I can come back later. I only came because the Queen was worried. Should I go tell her there’s no need to worry?”

“No. We’re getting up.”

The dark-haired hero answered quickly.

The blond hero’s reaction was more ambiguous.

“Yes...”

“Let’s go right now.”

“Are you sure? It may be hard for you to walk... Perhaps I should carry you.”

“Shut up!”

Watching the two start arguing again, the fairy was nearly bursting with questions.

She was desperately curious why the dark-haired hero had no clothes on, why he was wearing only the blond hero’s cape, and why that cape was covered in leaves and dirt.

But it was proper not to pry too deeply into lovers’ affairs. The fairy was mischievous, but even she knew that much.

They returned to the Fairy Queen.

The Fairy Kingdom was in a festive mood. The fairies, who had prepared fish, dark clothing, pollen, and petals, now understood it was time for the latter. They scattered petals through the air and cheered with joy.

The Fairy Queen herself came out to greet them, her thick curls fluttering as she flew. She clasped her hands together and gazed up at the heroes with tearful eyes.

“Heroes...”

“We are honored to meet you, Your Majesty.”

The two heroes bowed.

“Please, don’t be so formal with me, heroes. I am not worthy of such respect. I was so worried after sending the two of you away, but you have answered that worry magnificently. You saved our Fairy Kingdom.”

“It was merely our duty,” Ian replied.

Got the items and hogged all the experience points. Nice.

He kept his inner thoughts to himself.

“I will give you the item I intended to offer earlier.”

Ian handed the branch of the World Tree to the Fairy Queen.

“Ah... The World Tree has returned to this land.”

The Fairy Queen let out a breath of wonder.

Six fairies quickly flew up to share the weight of the World Tree branch. Perhaps because it was heavy, they staggered a little in the air.

Too cute...

Ian wondered if he could steal one branch without the Queen noticing, but the kingdom was too small. He would probably be caught right away.

Just then, the Queen dismissed the surrounding fairies and spoke in a solemn voice.

“There is something I must tell you both.”

Could it be a special quest?