“T-this…” The young Puji’s pink cap trembled as she darted her gaze about. “What do we do? If they’re assassins…”

“Then you’re dead.”

“Eh? Isn’t there any hope of winning?”

Seeing Inanna still clinging to fantasy, Lin Jun cut her down coldly:

“Think about it. We’re trapped here, unable to climb even a floor. They, meanwhile, descend easily from above. The difference in power should be obvious.”

“Then… what should I do?”

“Always be ready to detonate your crystal.”

“Go down together?”

“At least you’d die with dignity.”

“…Makes sense…”

So when the Silverthorn party reached the Garden’s center, they found a pink Puji standing proud—A-rank crystal blazing atop her cap, magic rippling around her, flanked by two attendants.

A bomb ready to ignite.

One explosion here would be far worse than the one at the entrance.

Night Owl’s instincts screamed to strike first, end the threat—

【Shadow Bind】

A spell coiled about her, stopping her dead.

Ivan’s voice followed: “Calm down, you brute.”

She froze only then, realizing Captain Nova was staring wide-eyed at the pink Puji.

He gripped his locator crystal—it pulsed in perfect resonance.

There was no doubt. This mushroom was their target: the Duke’s daughter, Inanna St. Clair.

Nova dropped to one knee in a flawless noble’s bow.

“Lady Inanna, we are adventurers sent by your father, Duke Alamar, to rescue you. Forgive us for frightening you.”

He even shot Night Owl a glare, silently commanding her to follow suit.

Relief washed over him—if she had cut this creature down, the Duke’s wrath would have been the least of their worries. The Guild itself would have hunted them to the ends of the earth.

Night Owl shivered under his gaze, muttered, “How was I supposed to know…” and awkwardly knelt as well.

Lin Jun, watching, finally relaxed. Their intentions were clear.

Inanna nearly burst with joy, bouncing in place, crystal still glowing dangerously. Lin Jun hurried to calm her—if she triggered an explosion now, it would be her own funeral.

“Father… Father really sent them for me!”

She had believed the traitors—that the Duke had no means to save her. Worse, she had feared this party was sent to silence her.

Now, joy nearly overwhelmed her—though mushrooms had no tears, her heart was weeping with relief.

“Boss! Did you hear that? We can go outside!

We can grow mushrooms in my family’s private forest.

Father will agree, I know it.

We can… we can…”

“…Boss? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Lin Jun?”

Another Puji approached her, balancing a slightly smaller A-rank crystal.

“Rookie, you’ve done well these days. This is your bonus.

Don’t mention me to them. I wish you luck.”

At last he answered—but his words left her reeling.

“You don’t want to leave too? Why?”

“…”

A new voice spoke directly in her mind.

“Lady Inanna—can you hear me like this?”

She turned. The halfling mage, Ivan, met her eyes, lips unmoving. Telepathy.

“…Yes.”

“Thank the heavens you’re safe. We know you were fixed under a Transformation spell. Do not fear. Once we’re free of the Dungeon, we’ve prepared a reversal ritual. Please endure just a little longer.”

“…Mm.”

Ivan noted the shy, quiet tone—not matching the reports they’d gathered. But trauma explained much.

He pressed gently, “Can you tell us what you’ve endured?”

“…I… I don’t want to talk about it.”

Remembering Lin Jun’s warning, she chose silence rather than invention.

Ivan, surprised, then softened. “That’s fine. No questions.”

Of course, he suspected the Garden hid secrets. Otherwise, how could she have survived here? And clearly, she had grown close with the Pujis.

But the reward for returning the Duke’s daughter outweighed curiosity.

Even if she spat spores on Night Owl’s face, he’d force the rogue to smile and bow.

Certainly he wouldn’t pry about a Garden of mushrooms.

“We’ll be returning soon. Is there anything you want to bring?”

At her gesture, Ivan boxed the new crystal for her. The large one, however, she insisted on wearing. Ivan only replaced the flimsy mycelium cord with a durable silk ribbon.

Then, after a short exchange, Night Owl lifted Inanna in her arms. The team began their retreat.

Step by step, the link of the fungal network weakened.

Cut off from Lin Jun’s mind-web, Inanna felt again that same isolation, that same fear she had when first turned into a Puji.

Loneliness. Terror.

Watching the adventurers vanish into the tunnel, Lin Jun guided his strongest Puji from hiding.

Of course, he would not walk beside Inanna.

He knew she spoke from the heart. But he could not trust adventurers, nor the Duke.

If there was even a chance he carried something worth coveting—then as a “pet,” he’d be slaughtered without hesitation.

No, he would not gamble his life on their mercy.

But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t follow.

He would shadow them from afar, let them clear a safe path upward.

Beneath the Super Puji’s armor, he tucked away his treasures: a shard of Sunstone, and a gleaming S-rank crystal.

He summoned his last forty combat Pujis.

Then, turning one last time to the Garden—the home that had sheltered him, fed him, and raised his army—Lin Jun whispered a farewell.

It had served its purpose.

Following the faint thread of Inanna’s mycelium signal, Lin Jun marched into the tunnels.