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CHAPTER 05…………………………..
[Healing in progress.]
The hourglass spun again, and a loading bar slowly began filling one segment at a time.
It was painfully slow. Probably because I was far from the wound site.
Still, I was glad it was the hand.
If I had to go through this agonizing wait while kissing some other place—like his lips or something—I wouldn’t have been able to die in peace even after death.
I didn’t want to die in such an embarrassing way after saving someone.
“Ugh…!”
I heard Calion let out a faint groan.
But he didn’t pull his hand away.
Even though he was far stronger than me, he could have easily withdrawn if he wanted to.
I felt my strength draining away.
Is this what dying feels like?
Fortunately, it didn’t hurt.
If death felt like falling asleep… then I guess that was a blessing in misfortune.
[Healing complete.]
Reward: Increased life recovery rate proportional to number of allies.
Huh? I’m not dying?
I was confused at the message, when I heard Calion call me in a slightly troubled voice.
“…Joo-in.”
I lifted my head, pulling my lips away from his hand.
The wound on his chest had healed.
Not even a scar remained. It was completely clean.
Wow. So it really works.
The hand-kiss was already embarrassing, and the slow loading had been humiliating enough that I thought I might die of shame—but seeing him healed so perfectly and not dying made it worth enduring.
“Calion! Your wound is completely hea—!”
I tried to tell him how relieved I was, but I couldn’t.
As I tried to straighten my back, all strength left my body and I collapsed into his arms.
At least his wounds were healed—otherwise I might’ve reopened them.
“Joo-in!”
A sudden wave of dizziness hit me, and I frowned.
Fortunately, the “increased recovery rate” wasn’t a lie. The ringing in my ears and pounding headache quickly subsided.
“Ugh… Calion… sorry…”
Just as my vision cleared, I looked up—and couldn’t finish my apology.
Calion’s face and ears had turned bright red.
Even his neck.
W-why is he so embarrassed? I only kissed his hand. It’s not like I touched anything weird!
Seeing him so flustered made me tense up as well.
I quickly checked my hands.
He looked like he’d been assaulted or something, so I wondered if I had touched his thigh—but thankfully both my hands were on his chest.
…He had a wider chest than I expected.
“J-Joo-in…”
He called my name in a trembling voice.
A huge man at least two heads taller than me, looking at me with eyes like a startled deer—it was almost too surreal. My chest felt strangely overwhelmed.
“Joo-in. Why did you… do that?”
“Huh? Ah—no, I didn’t mean anything weird! I just wanted to heal your wound!”
I quickly pulled myself out of his arms.
I had placed a hand on his chest when I collapsed, but I swear I hadn’t groped him. And during the healing, I only touched his hand.
This should be within the acceptable range for strangers, right?
I did heal him, after all!
“To heal you, I had to make contact. So…”
Should I have warned him before kissing him? But explaining that in the middle of that situation would’ve been difficult. I wasn’t even sure it would work, and if it failed halfway through, it would’ve been disastrous.
“Calion… your wound is really healed, right?”
“…Yes.”
He answered quietly and turned his head away. Through his hair, I could see his ears still red.
Maybe he was just extremely sensitive, or easily embarrassed—but the holy-looking handsome man was even more breathtaking when flustered.
His profile alone was art. Those trembling long eyelashes, too.
His slightly parted lips exhaled a soft breath before he bit them gently as if holding it in, and it looked so…
Why am I out of breath when I didn’t even do anything?
Even my own face felt hot, so I turned away and fanned myself.
“….”
“….”
An awkward silence filled the space.
If anyone saw us, they’d probably think we had kissed passionately or something.
It was just a firm press of lips onto his hand—but why did it feel so ticklish?
But… if I had actually kissed him… I don’t think I would’ve been pushed away.
The thought came out of nowhere.
If this really was a game world, and the genre was… an adult—no, a romance game—then this would be the kind of moment where relationship progression events happen.
The guide marker appearing there was proof of that.
In games like this, physical contact can escalate quickly if the trigger is right.
Maybe I should’ve just gone for it while I had the chance.
I had already kissed his hand after only meeting him a few days ago, which was embarrassing enough—but now I strangely felt regretful.
As I unconsciously smacked my lips, Calion flinched and suddenly bowed his head.
“I apologize for the delayed greeting.”
“Huh?”
“Thank you for healing me, Joo-in.”
“Oh, no—it’s nothing compared to how much you’ve helped me…”
“Even so.”
He took a slow breath, as if steadying himself, then spoke in a calmer voice.
“Please do not do something like that again in the future.”
Why?
Was he upset?
It didn’t seem like he was angry because I kissed his hand without permission.
I tilted my head, and he pointed at his now-healed chest.
“People with healing abilities like yours are extremely rare. If others discover your ability, it could put you in danger.”
“Oh.”
Right. Healers are always rare in parties.
Seeing how a serious wound had healed instantly, my healing ability was clearly valuable.
“When you reach a village… even if you settle there, it would be best to keep your ability to heal through contact a secret.”
Since it uses life force, it probably isn’t something I can use endlessly.
I had already felt dizzy enough to lose balance earlier.
And without allies nearby, I wouldn’t get the recovery buff either, meaning it could take a long time before I could even function properly.
It was useful—but dangerous if I couldn’t protect myself.
“Okay. I’ll keep it a secret.”
I nodded, and Calion looked visibly relieved.
He looks younger when he smiles.
Come to think of it, I hadn’t asked his age.
From a distance, I had assumed he was a tall, strong man in his late twenties—but up close, he looked surprisingly young.
His fair skin made him look almost downy-soft, like he could pass for just twenty.
Considering Westerners age faster after adolescence… no, still, he couldn’t be a teenager, right?
“Calion, how old are you? I’m twenty-six.”
Well, technically twenty-six in Korean age.
I answered in international style just in case—this was basically a Western fantasy setting anyway.
“My age… I haven’t counted it in so long that I don’t remember.”
He hasn’t counted it?
That suggests he’s lived a long time.
Is he non-human?
Some kind of spirit or half-divine being that lives for centuries?
Honestly, his face was beautiful enough that I wouldn’t be surprised.
“By the way, Joo-in… why are you asking about my age?”
“Huh? Well…”
I had just been trying to make small talk and ease the atmosphere. It probably sounded like an interrogation.
“I just thought you’ve been living as a monster hunter alone for a long time. I wondered if you were lonely.”
“….”
Instead of ending the topic casually, Calion’s expression subtly changed.
His eyes were slightly red—but not from embarrassment this time.
It looked more like… he was moved.
“Calion?”
When I called his name, he startled slightly and quickly composed himself.
“You should rest.”
“You should rest too, Calion.”
“I’m fine thanks to your healing. You should sleep. We have to walk tomorrow.”
Unlike Calion, my stamina was terrible, so if I didn’t sleep, my physical ability would drop drastically.
I couldn’t afford to become even more useless than I already was.
Fine. I’ll sleep.
Calion took a small blanket—apparently from his “inventory”—and gently placed it over my lap.
I was honestly amazed at how much stuff that tiny pouch could hold.
“Please rest, Joo-in.”
“Okay. You too, Calion.”
After a polite goodnight, I closed my eyes.
Sleep came quickly.
