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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: cyno
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Tanya had a momentary vision—a hallucination of a figure descending from the air, clad in a black robe that completely covered their head, wielding a massive scythe.
Though the robe obscured all light, making its interior invisible, a pair of vividly glowing crimson eyes bore down on her, oppressive and terrifying. It was a gaze more dreadful than facing a high-rank monster she could never dare to challenge—a gaze that stirred the primal fear of humanity.
Tanya trembled in terror, unable to move. In her understanding, there was only one being like that—the Grim Reaper, who ferried the dead to the underworld.
‘Am I dead?’
Her sluggish mind struggled to process the situation. She had used the return scroll right before being attacked by the Dryad, and then… that security guard—the one who had contributed so greatly to protecting her chastity from monsters—had raped her.
Had she died after being raped by some lowly security guard, without even fulfilling her dreams? If she had known it would end like this, she should have listened to her father and settled for a political marriage instead of entering the dungeon.
Just as regret gnawed at her, she heard the Grim Reaper click their tongue.
—Tsk
The vision vanished along with the Reaper. What filled her sight now was the face of the security guard, pressing his hands against his ears as if his head were about to explode.
His face was a wreck. Blood streamed from his eyes and ears, and a nosebleed had stained his lips crimson. His lower lip was also bleeding, with bite marks from repeatedly clenching his teeth.
—SKREEEEEEEEE
A strange noise rang out, and for a moment, her mind went blank before snapping back. The security guard’s eyes were completely bloodshot, veins ruptured, making them appear as red as the Reaper’s from her vision.
Yet, despite his dire condition, he never stopped moving. Though she couldn’t see his body, she could tell from the way his hands kept pressing against her ears, loosening and tightening, and his shoulders shaking continuously.
Why is he moving so desperately? She began to think again, recalling what the security guard had said earlier.
‘The mandrake seed inside you can bloom once it absorbs enough nutrients.’
‘I can’t let that happen. If I allow this, not just you, but innocent citizens could be in danger.’
‘If my sacrifice can keep you and the citizens safe, then I can do it. That’s what it means to be a royal security guard.’
Honestly, she had thought it was just an excuse to rape her. After all, she hadn’t allowed the Dryad to take her virginity.
But what if she was wrong? What if there really had been a mandrake seed inside her, and the security guard had taken on the stigma of rape to save her?
—SKREEE…
“Ghk.”
As the metallic screech echoed, the security guard coughed up blood. The coppery scent filled the air, and only then did she fully regain her senses.
“Are you okay?!”
The security guard muttered something, but she couldn’t hear him. Even with her ears covered, she should have been able to make out faint sounds, but his voice must have been too weak.
‘Oh no, what do I do?’
Given the circumstances, the screeching was undoubtedly the mandrake’s scream. If she were in better condition, she would have helped him, but the exhaustion from the Dryad’s assault, the consecutive climaxes, and the mental weakening from the mandrake’s scream left her unable to move properly.
But Tanya had to do something. That foolish security guard could have just covered his own ears and let her die—but he didn’t. He was sacrificing himself to save her.
It was the kind of selflessness found only in ancient chivalry—as tender as maternal love, as noble as the morning star.
Tanya slowly raised her arm. It felt as heavy as waterlogged cotton, but surely not as heavy as the weight of the security guard’s sacrifice.
The mandrake’s scream rang out again, but she gritted her teeth and held on. She bit down so hard her teeth might shatter, the taste of blood filling her mouth—but it couldn’t compare to the pain the security guard had endured.
Finally, her hand reached his face. Trembling, her fingers brushed his cheek before moving up to his ear. Though she didn’t have the strength to cover it completely, she managed to press a single finger into his ear canal.
—SCREEEEEEE!!!
Blood spewed from the security guard’s mouth, splashing into her eyes. The stinging was unbearable, but Tanya didn’t close them. Through the crimson haze, she saw the security guard’s eyes burning with the will to live.
As long as he fought to save her, she would do the same. Finally, she covered his ear.
“……”
The security guard’s lips moved, but she couldn’t hear him. The blood in her eyes blurred her vision, but she thought she saw him smile.
Tanya wished with all her heart.
‘Even if it’s a small help, I hope it gives him strength.’
She closed her eyes, bracing for the next scream, teeth still clenched. No matter when it came, she would hold on.
But the scream never came. The hands covering her ears fell away, and something heavy and solid slumped onto her chest.
When she opened her eyes, she saw the security guard’s black hair.
“Did you get it?”
No answer came. Anxious, she asked again.
“Did you get it or not?”
Her heart sank. Don’t tell me he died…
‘To save me?’
Had he really died for a stranger he’d just met yesterday? No—she could still feel faint breathing against her chest. He wasn’t dead, but he was clearly in critical condition.
Tanya had been given many things in her life—her parents’ love, her older brother’s affection, the respect of her family’s servants, the goodwill of the people in her territory.
She was used to receiving, but the weight of a life given by someone who owed her nothing—someone she had only taken from—was entirely different.
In her life, no man like this had ever existed. Her first kiss, her first time, the first to sacrifice himself for her.
In every way, this security guard had taken her firsts. She couldn’t let him die now. A strength she hadn’t felt even when being raped surged within her. (It was actually the curse of the mandrake’s scream wearing off, but Tanya interpreted it differently.)
‘If I want to save him, I have to push myself.’
She was the only one who could help him now. Carefully, she shifted the security guard’s body aside and climbed off the desk. The crushed remains of the mandrake lay beneath his foot.
Nearby, scattered clothes and the potion the security guard had given her yesterday rolled on the floor. The potion! If she could get him to drink it, he might recover.
“Drink this. Quick.”
She swiftly uncorked the potion and poured it into his mouth. But he couldn’t swallow. The liquid spilled out, running down his cheek.
“You idiot! Why can’t you drink it?! This is all you need to live, why can’t you drink it?!”
If he couldn’t drink it himself, someone else would have to help. Tanya had never studied emergency medicine, so she didn’t know the proper techniques. But she did know one thing even an amateur could do.
She took a mouthful of the potion and pressed her lips to his. Pushing air into his mouth, she prodded with her tongue. Slowly, the potion in his mouth diminished.
‘It’s working! He’s drinking it!!’
Overjoyed, she continued transferring the potion mouth-to-mouth until the bottle was empty. Finally, a miracle happened.
“Tanya?”
“You’re alive!!”
She hugged him tightly. He coughed in response.
“Ghk. Hey, that hurts. You’re gonna break my ribs.”
“Is that important right now?! You’re alive!”
“Yeah, yeah. I barely survived, and now you’re gonna kill me. Let go.”
How could he be so insensitive? She pouted but quickly composed herself.
This security guard had played the villain to extract the mandrake seed. Maybe his blunt words were just his way of easing the guilt.
When she pulled back slightly, she saw his ruined face. He wasn’t out of danger yet. The potion from yesterday wasn’t the only one. She uncorked another bottle.
“Why are you drinking that? A low-grade potion won’t do much. We should go to a healer—”
Tanya silenced him with her lips. The potion passed from mouth to mouth, their tongues tangling. Unlike before, a single exchange emptied the bottle.
Even so, their tongues lingered a little longer before parting. For the first time, Tanya saw the security guard’s dumbfounded expression. He can make a face like this too?
If his efforts to protect her had been cool, this face was… adorable. Maybe even in a different situation, seeing this expression would have made her fall for him. No—she definitely would have.
“…Thank you.”
“It’s nothing compared to what you did.”
“Hey, look at that.”
He pointed at the crystal, its color now changed.
“Someone’s gonna come in soon. You wanna show them your naked body?”
Only then did Tanya realize her state of undress.
“Eek! Don’t look!”
“We’ve already done everything there is to do. What’s there to be shy about?”
“I said don’t look!”
She quickly dressed, pulling the fabric over her chest and securing the makeshift underwear.
The security guard was also getting dressed while watching her. It was embarrassing, but she didn’t say anything. As he said, they’d already done everything—and besides, he was her lifesaver.
The moment they finished dressing, someone emerged from the dungeon.
“Whoa. Another refreshing day—Security Guard! What the hell happened here?!”
“I’m about to die, so go call another guard.”
A blond, tanned delinquent sprinted outside. Through the open door, the gazes of passing citizens lingered.
As she waited for another guard to arrive, Tanya suddenly remembered something and asked:
“Hey, what did you say to me earlier?”
“When?”
“When I covered your ears.”
“Just… ‘Good job.’ Thanks to you, I survived.”
‘Thanks to me?’ The one who really survived was him.
“No. Thank you. I survived because of you.”
“I was just doing my job as a guard. Don’t overthink it.”
How could he say something so annoyingly humble? But she didn’t dislike it. Even his exhausted form, leaning against the wall, looked cool.
She wanted to be that wall for him. Tanya subtly supported him. The weight of his body against her shoulder was heavy—but warmer than anything else.
—
Almost died. That damn mandrake bastard. Thought I could just step on it, but it kept rolling around like an idiot.
And Tanya, that bitch, if she’s a hunter, she should’ve snapped out of it sooner. I screamed at her to wake up, but she only came to right before I died? Almost slapped her.
Well, whatever. I’ve framed it as her owing me her life, so she won’t refuse if I ask for something. Got myself another house. Nice.
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