MRPO :10

CHAPTER :10

Kallion gathered some branches and quickly put together a frame, then pulled a wide piece of cloth from his inventory to drape over it, creating a privacy screen.

“I will keep watch near the entrance. Please do not worry.”

He was telling me to wash up in peace, assuring me he wouldn’t sneak a peek.

At Kallion’s protective and considerate attitude, my heart swelled with warmth once again, tingling with emotion.

Kallion was such a polite, well-mannered man, the very epitome of a knight—whereas that jerk of a brother of his was… well, the less said, the better.

Stepping behind the screen, I unbuttoned my shirt and took off my clothes.

After all, stripping down with a man just a single sheet of cloth away was a bit embarrassing.

Of course, Kallion, who was practically the definition of an ascetic holy knight, would never pull back the curtain to peek at me bathing, but…

*Sigh, whatever. I’m going to die in less than a month anyway, so what does a little shame matter? Let’s just enjoy the bath!*

I thought it would be freezing since it was spring water, but it was surprisingly quite warm.

Looking closely, I saw hot steam rising from the small, red magic crystals attached to the four corners of the tub.

Come to think of it, Senes had also crushed a red magic crystal when lighting the fire. It seemed these red stones were what heated the water.

*Magic crystals are so convenient. If I could take these back to the modern world, I’d make a fortune.*

Not that any of this applied to me anyway.

Soaking in the warm, soothing water made me feel wonderful.

Even though Senes’s cooking had already washed away most of my fatigue, the therapeutic power of a hot bath was not to be underestimated.

Truly, humans must use tools, and the comforts of civilization are indeed sweet.

* * *

After finishing my bath, my body was warm and all my tension had melted away, leaving me feeling delightfully drowsy.

If I could dive into some blankets right now and fall into a deep sleep, it would feel like taking a one-way ticket straight to heaven.

I dried myself with the towel Kallion had left out and put my clothes back on.

My outer clothes were dusty and covered in leaves, so I shook them out and laid them over a rock, choosing to wear only my shirt.

*Kallion. Is he still standing out there?*

Parting the edge of the screen just a tiny fraction with my finger, I peeked outside. I could see Kallion’s back as he stood facing away near the entrance of the cave.

The sky outside was already painted black. Kallion’s pure silver hair shimmered under the moonlight.

How could a man look so stunning even from behind?

My chest tightened with a strange sensation. It was a feeling distinct from simple gratitude or admiration.

He was kind enough to fetch spring water for me, set up a screen, and even stand guard while I bathed.

But when I thought that this was merely kindness and nothing more, a wave of disappointment washed over me.

*We’ll probably reach the village by tomorrow, right?*

Kallion had said he would escort me to the village. Since he was a monster hunter, he would eventually have to leave to hunt monsters again. Would we simply part ways then?

*What does Kallion think of me?*

Being so kind to an utterly suspicious stranger, risking his life to protect her from monsters… Could someone really do all that simply because they possessed a gentle and devoted nature?

I recalled the night I treated him, remembering how his face had flushed and how flustered he had been.

It might just be that he had no immunity to women rather than actual romantic feelings, but it seemed he wasn’t completely devoid of attraction toward me either.

*He didn’t seem to dislike me. And I…*

I was attracted to him.

I didn’t know if this was love.

The time we had known each other was far too short to have formed any deep emotional connection.

If I had to define the nature of my attraction to him, it felt much closer to lust than love.

*This is all because of that damn healing skill.*

Why did the guide indicator have to appear in that exact spot, of all places?

I had been too embarrassed back then, so I kissed the back of his hand instead. But as time passed, I found myself slightly regretting that decision.

I still didn’t have the courage to shove my face between his legs, but I should have at least gone for his lips.

[Skill Acquisition Chance!]

Ally [Kallion] feels a faint attraction toward you.

Capture his heart.

Success when his [???] surpasses the limit.

Clear Reward: Acquire Skill [Charm]

Of all times, a quest had to pop up now. Talk about ruining the mood.

*But at least one thing is certain.*

Thanks to this, I had the courage to take the plunge.

*Seduction or harassment?*

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

*It would depend entirely on Kallion’s heart.*

Having made up my mind, I unbuttoned one more button on my shirt.

“Kallion. I’m finished with my bath.”

“Yes, Master.”

Hearing Kallion approach, I watched as the screen was pulled aside.

“Ah…”

The moment our eyes met, Kallion’s expression faltered. I looked up at him, frozen mid-motion.

I had unbuttoned two of my shirt buttons.

From the front, it was just enough exposure to look like I’d loosened my collar because of the heat. But the crucial detail was that the shirt was quite loose-fitting.

Which meant that when a tall man like Kallion, who stood nearly two heads taller than me, looked down… he would have a clear view of my cleavage.

“…….”

His face slowly began to flush.

His blue-silver eyes trembled faintly, like ripples disturbing a quiet spring.

“……Master, I… I apologize……”

Belatedly realizing he had been staring far too intently at the flesh peeking through my parted shirt, Kallion apologized and quickly turned his head away.

He covered his mouth, looking utterly flustered.

It was the raw, honest reaction of a man completely inexperienced with women.

Seeing him like that sparked a playful curiosity in me.

At the same time, a sudden surge of unfounded confidence welled up.

“Kallion.”

I gently took his hand in mine.

His body shuddered noticeably.

His closed eyes flew open, and he stared at me, his face filled with shock.

Through his slightly parted fingers, I could see his open mouth.

Beneath his trembling long eyelashes, his blue-silver eyes grew watery, and the corners of his eyes flushed a deep crimson.

*Holy crap. This is…*

To put it vulgarly, I was turned on.

So this is what it feels like to be genuinely aroused.

Heat bloomed deep inside me, sending a wave of electric tension through my entire body.

The look on his face was like that of a pure holy knight struggling against temptation—unable to look away even though he knew he should…

*If you don’t get turned on looking at a face like that, you’re not human.*

It was true that the quest window had nudged me, but if I were my old self, I would never have been this forward.

If this were real life, I would have hesitated, keeping my reputation, social norms, and morals in mind. I wouldn’t have thrown myself at a man I’d only met a few days ago.

Seducing someone recklessly could easily lead to complications, and it would be a disaster if I couldn’t handle the fallout.

But I had already died once and come back to life, and this wasn’t the modern South Korea I used to live in—it was another world. Maybe even a game.

I cast a sidelong glance at the system window displaying my remaining lifespan.

[Time Remaining: 23 days]

I didn’t doubt the numbers on the screen. The skills, the descriptions—everything else had been real, so there was no way this was a lie.

*I’m going to die in less than a month anyway.*

They say people change when their time is near. If anything, it makes you bolder.

I felt like I finally understood why terminally ill patients suddenly underwent personality shifts, sought out estranged acquaintances, or threw themselves passionately into dreams they had long abandoned.

Knowing that the end of my life was set in stone and rapidly approaching, a courage I never knew I possessed began to surge within me.

A desire to do everything I wanted before I died.

“Master. I……”

His face flushed an indescribable shade of crimson, Kallion darted his gaze frantically around the room.

Seeing him tremble like a newborn fawn…

…only made my more wicked desires bubble up like a geyser.

*Seriously, why is he being so shy? It only makes me want to tease him more.*

Honestly, if Kallion were truly an innocent, naive soul who didn’t know any better, he wouldn’t have reacted to this kind of temptation.

The fact that he was blushing and fidgeting meant he knew exactly what I was trying to do.

And yet, he wasn’t pushing me away?

*Which means Kallion is interested, too.*

I took another step closer to him.

The moment our bodies touched, Kallion flinched, instinctively drawing his hips back.

The contact was brief, but there was no way I could miss the heavy, solid sensation pressing against my lower abdomen.

*Whoa.*

His size was certainly something else.

I looked up at him, narrowing my eyes. I thought about closing them to seductive effect, but it would be a shame to miss his expression.

His long eyelashes fluttered, yet he couldn’t tear his gaze away. Those trembling, blue-silver eyes of his were incredibly clear.

Below his flushed cheeks, his slightly parted lips let out a quiet exhale before tightening into a firm line. He was clearly trying to hold himself back.

My mouth went dry.

Seeing him struggle so hard to endure…

…only fueled my desire to snap his thread of reason.

“Master. Please… step back a little.”

“Why?”

“I-I don’t think I can……”

“What can’t you do?”

When I asked with a playful smile, he looked as if he were on the verge of tears.

This was bad.

Seeing him look so tearful made me genuinely want to make him cry.

Who was it that said human nature makes you want to do exactly what you’re forbidden from doing?

“We… we haven’t known each other long enough yet—*ah*.”

I had only leaned forward, letting my chest lightly brush against him, but it was enough to cut his sentence short.

Honestly, if he really hated it, he could just push me away. Why keep making excuses? What a cheeky little fawn.

“The amount of time we’ve known each other doesn’t really matter, does it?”

Actually, time did matter.

Though that didn’t mean emotions only deepened after knowing someone for a long time.

It had only been a week since I met Kallion.

If we were Romeo and Juliet, a week would have been more than enough time to fall in love at first sight, throw a dramatic fuss over life and death, and decide on a double suicide to end our brief lives.

Meaning, it was the absolute prime window to let emotional impulses take over and make a reckless move.

I could only pull something like this because we’d known each other for seven days. If we’d known each other for seven years, I wouldn’t have dared to be this bold.

Looking up at Kallion, I silently mouhed the words without making a sound.

*Come closer.*

“……!”

Kallion’s eyes shook violently.

Yet, there was no resistance or rejection to be found in his trembling gaze.

His long eyelashes fluttered closed, and his head tilted slightly.

That’s it. Come closer.

My little fawn. There’s nothing to worry about. I won’t bite.

Forcing down my pounding heart, I stood on my tiptoes, bringing our faces even closer.

The warm breath brushing against my lips felt almost sorrowful.

What was this man made of, that even his breath tasted this sweet?

A wave of nervous tension tingled up from my toes. By the time it reached my chest, it had morphed into a desperate longing, squeezing my heart tight. My breath hitched, and my ears burned hot.

Parting my lips as if begging for air, I slid my tongue out.

A meltingly soft sensation washed over me.