TRPSG 4

chapter 4

Calion said he would look for a safe zone again and told me to wait, but I said I wanted to stay with him.

If I just stayed alone in a supposedly safe place, something like what happened earlier was bound to happen again, and I absolutely didn’t want to die from tripping while trying to escape.

Even if I ended up trailing behind him like fish droppings stuck to a goldfish, it was still best to stay with Calion until we reached the village.

Though there was also the question of whether that village was even safe.

“I understand, Master. Please don’t leave my side.”

From Calion’s perspective, it wouldn’t be strange if he found me—someone with no strength or abilities but insisting on following him—annoying. But unexpectedly, he agreed without hesitation. The collapse of the cave must have been a shock even to him.

He had left me in what he thought was a safe place, but it turned out not to be safe at all, and I had nearly died because of it.

If I had actually died, he would likely have felt even more guilt, so he probably judged that keeping me directly by his side was better.

Just from seeing him cut down that horrific monster in a single stroke, I could tell Calion was strong.

If I added my “screaming buff” from the side, maybe we could at least make it to the village safely.

…That prediction turned out to be wrong.

We planned to avoid the monster habitat and return through the gorge, but unfortunately, that place was full of monsters that had wandered out of their territory in groups.

The gorge had only one path, so there was no way to escape—we were cornered.

True to his title as a monster hunter, Calion managed to take them all down, but in the process, he suffered a deep wound to his chest.

“Calion, stay conscious!”

If I had been alone, I would have distracted the monsters and escaped or hidden, but because he was protecting me, Calion had to face them head-on and defeat them all properly.

If my “screaming buff” had worked on myself too, I would have sprinted away at full speed. Truly, I was not helpful at all.

‘It’ll get dark soon.’

We needed a place to hide and rest for the night.

I desperately looked around.

There was no cave, but I found a large boulder.

It was wrapped in huge tree roots on top, and the gaps were wide enough—it looked sufficient for sheltering for a night.

‘But if I stay here, won’t it collapse?’

Should I leave Calion and go somewhere else? But where? If I climbed a tree and the branch snapped and I fell to my death, that would be a problem too. Should I just crouch somewhere and sleep under leaves?

Even a righteous person is still human—it would be nice if they could sleep a bit comfortably.

“Master. Please come this way… it’s dangerous outside.”

Calion stopped me as I tried to go out. His face looked unwell.

He insisted he was fine and that his injuries weren’t serious, but clearly he was just trying to reassure me.

‘I can’t just leave an injured person. The system will probably allow this much.’

If I caused the boulder to collapse again… I’d be a total piece-of-trash system user, trash status window, trash quest—triple crown!

If there’s any conscience at all, just let me leave the patient alone, please.

Cursing the system internally, I moved beside Calion and crouched down.

The space was narrow, so even while crouching our bodies slightly touched.

“Sorry, Calion.”

“…Why are you apologizing?”

“You’re protecting me, but… I’ve just been screaming the whole time. I thought it might’ve been annoying.”

In truth, I was trying to apply my buff through screaming, but from Calion’s perspective, it must’ve looked like I was just a useless woman screaming for no reason.

But since Calion couldn’t see my system window, even if I explained that my screaming helped him act faster, he probably wouldn’t believe it.

“That is not true. Because of you, I was able to defeat the monsters.”

Huh?

“The moment your voice echoed, the monsters’ movements slowed down.”

Apparently, what I experienced as a speed-boosting buff was perceived by him as slowing down the enemy.

Since speed is relative, that wasn’t entirely wrong.

“It feels like your voice has the power to suppress monsters.”

No, it’s an ally buff—it doesn’t work on monsters.

But I couldn’t explain the mechanism, so I just smiled and let it pass.

“Haa…”

Calion exhaled deeply and leaned against the rock. Sweat beaded on his neatly set forehead.

‘It must hurt.’

Even a small cut stings and burns with fever; a wound that deep must have been painful just to stay conscious through.

“Calion. Does it hurt a lot?”

“I… am fine…”

He looked like even speaking was difficult, which made me feel uneasy.

I wished he would just fall asleep, but Calion, wary of another monster attack, kept asking me to talk so he wouldn’t doze off.

‘If they were going to give me a skill, they should’ve given me healing.’

Why doesn’t this place even have basic healing skills?

At that moment, a system window suddenly appeared.

[Virtue of the Sacrificial One]

Will you consume your life force to heal ally [Calion]’s injuries?

Yes / No

What is this. Healing was possible?

I thought I was just a support type with only one buff skill, but maybe I was actually a healer.

‘Consume life force to heal…’

Could it be that I save Calion here and die?

I thought for a moment.

I didn’t know how much life force would be consumed per heal, but Calion couldn’t fight monsters in his injured state. Without him, escaping this place or finding the village would be impossible.

‘Anyway, I only have 30 days left to live.’

Dying crushed by a cave collapse or torn apart by monsters was unacceptable, but saving Calion and dying… somehow felt okay.

‘If I die after saving someone, surely it won’t be painful, right?’

Having made my decision, I looked at the system window.

Without even clicking, it seemed the choice was made by my intent alone—the “Yes” button was automatically selected, the window disappeared, and a blue light point appeared over Calion’s body.

[Healing will begin]

Please press your lips to the blue guide mark.

The closer to the wound and the stronger the contact, the greater the healing effect.

Guide mark [V]

Linked with charm skill (inactive due to lack of acquisition)

Why did a healing skill suddenly turn into a sexual harassment event?

I shifted my gaze to Calion.

The blue marks appeared on his forehead, lips, injured chest, and left hand.

And then there was an unbelievable place glowing faintly blue—so bright it couldn’t be an illusion.

‘Why… why is his left thigh glowing?’

I thought this was a survival game without morals, but could this world I reincarnated into actually be a dating simulation game?

‘Even if it is a romance game, how am I supposed to… touch a man I’ve only just met?! Am I insane?!’

A romance game is supposed to be about exciting, fluttering love experiences, right?

This was just harassment. From Calion’s perspective, this would be a disaster.

I couldn’t possibly do something like that to someone I had only exchanged names with.

He was injured protecting me—there had to be limits to ingratitude.

Even if I was prepared to die after healing him, I didn’t want to be misunderstood as a pervert who repaid kindness with indecency.

I averted my eyes from Calion’s most brightly glowing lower body.

I am, after all, a rational person who lived in a lawful democratic society. Not some lust-driven creep who molests the sick.

‘The most reasonable place is…’

His hand.

Kissing the chest wound would likely be most effective, but I didn’t have the courage to throw myself onto his chest.

They said being farther reduced effectiveness—not that it wouldn’t work.

Morality, reason, and logic aligned. My choice was his hand.

‘Now the question is how to do this naturally…’

I checked Calion’s expression. The blue markers floating over his handsome face were distracting.

“Remove guide display.”

I muttered inwardly, and the checkmark in the system window turned off—the blue marks disappeared. I had memorized their locations anyway.

“Calion.”

“Yes…”

“I’m sorry for the late introduction. Thank you for saving me. Truly.”

Calion blinked. He probably thought it was a sudden statement. But gratitude is never enough no matter how many times you say it, and this was the perfect opportunity for contact.

With trembling eyes, I looked at him and gently took his left hand.

‘I’m trying to save you right now. Not do anything strange!’

To avoid being misunderstood as a creep, I tried my best to look pitiful.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of help. If only I could take your pain away…”

“Ah…”

Calion seemed about to say something. If he refused and pulled his hand away, everything would be ruined.

Quickly, I held his hand with both of mine and pressed my lips to his hand.