TRPSG 10

chapter 10

Kalion picked up branches and quickly built a frame, then took a wide cloth from his inventory and hung it over it to create a makeshift screen.

“I’ll stand guard at the entrance. Please don’t worry.”

In other words, he was telling me to feel safe—he wouldn’t look while I bathed.

Kalion’s attitude, full of protection and consideration, made my chest ache again, as if warm water had filled it.

He was so polite, so courteous, a living embodiment of knightly virtue… while that so-called “brother” of mine was better left unmentioned.

I slipped behind the screen and began unbuttoning my clothes.

It was a little embarrassing, undressing in a space where a man was just on the other side of a thin cloth.

Even though Kalion, like some ascetic holy knight, would never lift the screen and peek while I bathed…

‘Ha. Right. I’m going to die in less than a month anyway—what does embarrassment even matter? Just get washed.’

I expected the spring water to be cold, but it was surprisingly warm.

Looking closer, I saw small red mana stones embedded at the four corners of the tub, releasing faint heat and steam.

Come to think of it, Senes had also shattered red mana stones when lighting fires. So these stones must be what heated the water.

‘Mana stones… convenient. If I could take these back to my world, they’d be worth a fortune.’

Not that it mattered to me anymore.

Soaking in the warm water, I felt my mood soften.

Even though I’d already been relieved from fatigue thanks to Senes’s cooking, the healing effect of a bath was something else entirely.

As expected, humans needed tools—and civilization’s comforts were sweet.

After the bath, my body felt warm and relaxed, my tension melting away into drowsiness.

If I just dove into a blanket now, I’d probably sleep like I was boarding an express train to paradise.

I dried myself with the towel Kalion had prepared, then got dressed again.

My outer clothes were dirty with dust and leaves, so I shook them off and laid them over a rock. I only put my shirt back on.

‘Kalion… is he still there?’

I slightly parted the edge of the screen with my finger and peeked out.

Kalion was standing at the cave entrance, facing away from me. Outside, the sky had already turned dark. His pure silver hair shimmered in the moonlight.

Even his back was striking.

For some reason, my chest tightened again. It wasn’t simple gratitude or admiration—it was something different.

He had drawn water for me, set up a screen for privacy, and even stood guard while I bathed.

And yet, when I thought that he might only be doing this out of simple kindness—with nothing deeper behind it—I felt strangely disappointed.

‘We’ll probably reach the village tomorrow.’

Kalion had said he would escort me there. But he was a monster hunter—he’d likely leave again to hunt afterward. Then we’d probably part ways.

‘What does Kalion think of me?’

He had treated a suspicious stranger kindly, even risking his life to protect me from monsters. Could that really be explained by nothing more than a generous personality?

I remembered the night I had treated his wounds—his face flushed red, flustered beyond belief.

Maybe he was just inexperienced with women, not necessarily in love… but it didn’t seem like he felt absolutely nothing either.

‘He doesn’t seem to dislike me. And I…’

I was drawn to Kalion.

I wasn’t sure if this was love.

We hadn’t known each other long enough for anything emotional to properly form.

If I had to define it, it leaned more toward desire than love.

‘All because of that damn healing skill.’

Why did the guide marker have to appear in a place like that?

Back then, I had been too embarrassed and kissed the back of his hand. Now, looking back, I slightly regretted that choice.

I still didn’t have the courage to go any lower—but maybe I should’ve at least kissed his lips.

[Skill Acquisition Chance!]

Your ally [Kalion] feels a faint sense of affection toward you.

Try to capture his heart.

If his ??? exceeds its limit, you will succeed.

Success reward: Acquire skill [Charm]

Of course a quest would pop up at a time like this. What a mood killer.

‘Still… one thing is clear.’

It gave me the courage to try.

‘Harassment or seduction.’

If this really was a game, it would be the latter. If it was reality…

‘Then it depends on Kalion’s feelings.’

I made my decision and unbuttoned one more button on my shirt.

“Kalion. I’m done bathing.”

“Yes, Master.”

I heard him approaching, and the screen was lifted.

“Ah…”

The moment our eyes met, Kalion’s expression wavered slightly. He froze.

I looked up at him.

I had undone two buttons.

From the front, it might just look like I was loosening my clothes because I was hot. But the important part was that the shirt was fairly loose.

Which meant that when a tall man like Kalion—someone who had at least two heads of height over me—looked down…

He could see my cleavage.

“……”

His face slowly began to flush.

His calm, ocean-blue eyes trembled like ripples across still water.

“…M-Master, I—I’m sorry…”

Only then did he realize he had been staring too openly at the skin visible through my shirt. He hurriedly apologized and turned away.

He covered his mouth, flustered beyond belief.

A man completely unaccustomed to anything like this. His honest reaction made a small curiosity stir within me.

And at the same time, an irrational boldness welled up.

“Kalion.”

I lightly grabbed his hand.

His body visibly trembled.

His eyes snapped open wide, staring at me in shock.

His lips parted between my fingers.

Under his fluttering long eyelashes, his blue eyes were damp, and his ears had turned red.

‘Wow… this is…’

Frankly speaking, it was arousing.

So this was what “being moved” felt like.

Heat rose inside me, tension spreading through my entire body.

Even though I knew I should look away, I couldn’t.

That expression—like a pure knight struggling between desire and restraint while trying not to look at me…

‘If that face doesn’t do it for someone, they’re not human.’

The quest window might have pushed me forward, but even without it, I probably wouldn’t have been this bold.

If this were reality, I’d worry about reputation, social norms, morality… I wouldn’t be acting like this toward a man I just met days ago.

But I had already died once and come back. This wasn’t modern Korea anymore—it was another world. Maybe even a game.

I glanced at the system window showing my remaining lifespan.

[Time Remaining: 23 days]

I didn’t doubt it. The skills, the explanations—everything else had been real. There was no reason this would be a lie.

‘Less than a month left to live anyway.’

People change when they’re told they’re going to die. They become more reckless, more honest.

I understood now why terminal patients suddenly changed—why they sought out old connections, chased abandoned dreams, or acted with sudden passion.

When you believe your end is fixed and near, courage you never had begins to surface.

If I was going to die anyway, I might as well do everything I wanted before then.

“Ma-Master…”

Kalion’s face was completely red, his gaze wandering helplessly.

Watching him tremble like a newborn fawn…

Something even darker rose inside me.

‘Seriously, why is he so shy? That just makes me want to mess with him more.’

If he truly didn’t understand anything, he would’ve pushed me away.

But he wasn’t rejecting me. He understood exactly what I was doing.

Which meant—

‘Kalion has feelings too.’

I stepped closer.

Our bodies touched, and Kalion flinched, pulling back his waist.

It was brief, but I didn’t miss the solid heat against my lower body.

‘Whew.’

That was definitely… impressive.

I looked up at him, narrowing my eyes. I briefly considered closing my eyes, but I didn’t want to miss his expression.

His long lashes trembled, yet his gaze couldn’t leave mine. His blue eyes were shaking, bright and clear.

His lips parted slightly, then pressed together as if restraining himself.

My mouth went dry.

Seeing him endure like that…

Made me want to snap that restraint myself.

“Master… please, step back a little.”

“Why?”

“I… I don’t think this is right.”

“What’s not right?”

I smiled as I asked, and Kalion looked like he might cry.

This is bad.

That tearful expression made me want to make him cry even more.

They say humans want what they’re told not to do.

“We… we’ve only just met. Ugh.”

As I leaned forward slightly, brushing against him again, his words broke off.

If he didn’t like it, he could just push me away. So why all the excuses? This shy little deer.

“Time doesn’t matter that much, does it?”

Well… actually, it does.

But that doesn’t mean emotions only grow with time.

We had only known each other for a week.

If this were Romeo and Juliet, it would’ve been enough time to fall madly in love and die together in dramatic tragedy.

But it was also the perfect amount of time for impulsive feelings to explode.

Not seven years—seven days was exactly the kind of timing where things like this happened.

I looked up at him and silently formed the words with my lips.

“Come closer.”

“!”

His eyes trembled violently.

But there was no rejection in that gaze.

His lashes slowly lowered, and his head tilted slightly.

Good. Come closer.

My little deer. It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.

Suppressing my racing heart, I rose onto my toes.

Our faces drew nearer.

His warm breath brushed my lips, fragile and intoxicating.

What was he made of, that even his breath felt sweet?

A tight tension spread from my toes to my chest, turning into something aching and heavy. My breathing caught, ears heating up.

I opened my mouth slightly, as if begging for air—

And let my tongue slip out.

A soft, melting sensation spread between us.