Redemption of the Villainous Noble

"WTF, what the hell is going on!?"

Greg couldn't understand why the second female lead had suddenly ended up in mortal danger, but he knew one thing: he absolutely couldn't let Sylvia die here.

Otherwise, the timeline might collapse before he even managed to leave this godforsaken place.

So he leaped straight into the raging underground river beside him. Icy water instantly enveloped him, but with [Underwater Adaptation LV3], the darkness and turbulent currents became familiar territory.

He cut through the current like a fish, chasing the pink figure slowly sinking below.

About five meters underwater, he finally saw what was happening.

An octopus-type monster had wrapped its tentacles around Sylvia's ankle. She had clearly reached her limit, her consciousness fading as her long pink hair spread through the water.

"So it's a Blackwater Octopus. No wonder it's number one on the Dungeon's list of unavoidable encounters for beginners."

Once Greg understood the situation, he quickly approached. The moment he touched her shoulder, Sylvia unconsciously opened her eyes a little, but they were already unfocused.

"No choice. I'll give her a breath first."

Greg cupped her face and pressed his lips against hers.

So soft.

That was the first thought that flashed through his mind.

But the next second, he breathed air into her mouth.

Sylvia's body trembled slightly. She opened her eyes wide in bewilderment, seemingly unable to understand what was happening.

Greg gave her no time to react. He turned toward the octopus monster and raised his right hand.

[Water Gun].

A compressed jet of water shot from his palm, striking the monster square in the head and killing it.

[Experience gained: 70]

[Additional experience gained: 7]

[Level increased to: LV16]

[Skill acquired: Tentacle Bind LV1]

What the hell kind of skill is Tentacle Bind!?

I don't even have tentacles!

He glanced at the notifications on the panel, then quickly returned his attention to reality.

After its tentacles released Sylvia, Greg immediately took her with him... and dove deeper toward the riverbed.

The reason was that he had spotted a basic magic gem dropped by the Shadow Octopus just now. This was the first item drop he'd gotten in all his days surviving in the Dungeon!

Only after picking up the gem did Greg bring Sylvia, who had already passed out along the way, back to the surface.

"Phew!"

Once he broke the surface, Greg gulped down fresh air. Just as his vision cleared, an immensely striking sight greeted him.

On the bank just a few steps away, a gray-haired girl was removing her last outer robe.

Pure white underwear hugged her shapely curves, gleaming with a soft, pearly sheen in the dim light.

Moisture and warmth rose in a hazy mist, tracing the breathtaking taper of her waist and the straight, slender contours of her legs.

She was Victoria, the protagonist of the original story-and the person who had killed him the most times in this world.

A drop of water fell from Greg's chin into the river with a faint plop. The two stared at each other.

Greg: "Nice body...?"

Victoria: "..."

For a moment, the atmosphere was painfully awkward.

But Greg quickly realized that she might not recognize him right now, since his dazzling long blond hair, soaked through, completely covered his face.

To keep the protagonist who had killed him the most times from inventing a brand-new 1,381st way for him to die, Greg changed his voice and said:

"I'm just a river god passing through. Please don't mind me."

With that, he placed the unconscious Sylvia on the bank and prepared to dive straight back into the water and leave.

However, the voice that came from behind made his entire body stiffen.

Its tone was cold and clear:

"Hey, Greg."

Victoria folded her arms, her gray eyes reflected in the water without a trace of warmth.

"How long are you planning to keep up this act?"

Victoria couldn't understand why someone who despised her so much, and whom she despised just as much, would willingly save her companion.

But judging by his previous behavior, he definitely had an ulterior motive!

"Tch. You saw right through me after all."

Seeing this, Greg simply dropped the act.

He braced one hand against the slippery rocks on the bank and vaulted neatly out of the water. With his other hand, he swept his soaked blond hair back, revealing a face whose good looks were undiminished by the water clinging to it.

"Come on, girl. I haven't done anything to you, and I even saved your companion's life."

He shook the droplets from his hair, sounding exasperated. "Do you really have to be so hostile?"

If they had been on the surface, Greg certainly wouldn't have dared speak so bluntly. But this was the Dungeon-his home turf.

With all his buffs, if they really came to blows, he might well be a match for Victoria now.

Most importantly, he wouldn't run into a bunch of inexplicable, malicious scripted deaths here.

"You haven't done anything to me?"

Victoria gave a cold laugh.

"Who tampered with the magic device during the entrance test, trying to get me expelled for losing control?"

"And who publicly declared on the first day of school that 'mere commoners don't deserve to set foot in Glory Kael Magic Academy'?"

She took a step forward, her voice low but every word clear.

"Don't think that being cast out by your family and hiding in the Dungeon wipes away everything you've done."

Fuck. Looks like everything in the prologue had already happened by the time I transmigrated here.

No wonder she's so hostile toward me.

Although Greg wasn't afraid of trouble, he didn't want to cause any either.

He had finally managed to transmigrate into a fantasy world. He didn't want to become genuine enemies with the protagonist because of all the stupid things this body's original owner had done.

He figured that since he had just saved her companion, mending his relationship with her shouldn't be impossible.

After some thought, Greg decided to play on Victoria's identity as the Hero, which only a handful of people knew about, as well as his own family, who sided with the demons despite being human.

"Have you ever considered..."

Greg raised his eyes and looked straight at Victoria. His voice was very soft, but carried a deliberately cultivated air of deeper meaning.

"...that I actually did it all on purpose, Hero Victoria?"

The moment he finished speaking, a panel appeared before Greg's eyes:

[Redemption of the Villainous Noble (unlocked): Clear the first floor of the Dungeon before the end of the story's first act.]

[Success: All three talents receive a comprehensive upgrade.]

[Failure: Receive a brand-new 1,381st death CG.]

Greg: ...Seriously? Didn't I already say, "I could never repay the great Dungeon's kindness"?

So... can't I just not repay it?