{ELSY}
In the end, it was my win and we went into a dungeon.
Even one of the strongest adventurers couldn't do anything about the guild law.
I, however, was secretly rejoicing. Walking behind Rain felt like a dream. His lean frame, broad shoulders, tapering waist, and those long legs . . . goddess, even his back was handsome.
Of course, I was nearly sprinting to keep up with him. He strode like the dungeon owed him money.
Every so often, I swore I heard him mutter curses under his breath—probably about me.
But I didn't care. This was my first dungeon, and I was already with Rain!
We were in a fairly easy dungeon—Hana had insisted I get acquainted with dungeon runs first before Rain dragged me into something far more dangerous and unstable.
Rain radiated frustration like a stormcloud, but me? I was positively glowing. I was sure I'd used up a lifetime of luck just to walk behind him.
Then I noticed something odd.
Rain's pace . . . slowed.
Wait. Was he . . . slowing down for me?
My heart somersaulted. "Uhm! My name is Elsy. I forgot to introduce myself earlier. I'm a Rank-D healer. I, uh, rented a small house outside the citadel, and I'm an elf, and I came from—"
"Shut. Up."
The sharpness of his voice sliced the air. I froze.
Only then did I notice his breathing—ragged, uneven, strange. His face was red, flushed. Sweat clung to his temple despite the chilly air.
"R-Rain?" I whispered.
"I don't care who you are or where you came from," he snapped, though his voice cracked halfway through. "Just shut your mouth and let me do my thing. I'll pretend you're not here, so act like air. Understood?"
I nodded quickly, but worry gnawed at me. His eyes were unfocused, his chest rising too fast.
Was it hot? No, it was freezing down here. Then why did he look like he was burning?
"Rain . . . are you really okay?" I darted forward.
Before he could answer, his knees buckled.
"Rain!" I caught him—well, I tried. He was too heavy. We both tumbled to the ground, his full weight crushing me.
I was small, barely reaching his chest.
The impact knocked the air out of me. When I opened my eyes, his face hovered inches above mine, his hot breath ghosting across my lips.
My cheeks exploded in heat, steam practically puffing from my ears.
"G-get off me . . . ," he hissed, his voice weak.
"Uh . . . technically you're on top of me," I squeaked.
For once, Rain didn't have a comeback. With visible effort, he rolled off and slumped against the wall, his back sliding down until he was sitting. He looked like he'd run ten battles in a row.
I scrambled up and crouched in front of him. "Rain, you're burning!" Without thinking, I pressed my hand to his forehead. His skin was scalding.
He swatted my hand, though it was a feeble attempt. "Fuck off."
"No way! You're sick!" I pressed both hands against his cheeks this time, ignoring his glare. "You're literally melting in front of me!"
His teeth clenched, his jaw tight. He hated showing weakness, but his body betrayed him.
And me? I couldn't stop staring. Even flushed, sweat-drenched, and clearly suffering—he was stupidly handsome.
Was this really the time to be swooning? Probably not.
"Eh?"
The sudden holographic text blinked in front of me.
Ever since I awakened my powers, this bizarre system had been tagging along. Nobody else could see it—just me, like some secret game window glued to my vision.
"Curse . . . ?" I muttered, peeking nervously at Rain.
He was leaning against the dungeon wall, glaring at me with eyes that looked far too weak for his usual terrifying self.
His sharp, handsome face was flushed red, sweat dripping down his jawline, making him look both dangerous and . . . unfairly attractive.
"Go away," he rasped, voice low and strained.
Of course I do! My finger twitched like I was about to hit a "YES" button in midair.
|| CURSE IDENTIFIED ||
The love of your life has been afflicted by the Lewd Curse, bestowed by the Goddess of Lust, Eryndis. This curse cannot be healed by normal means. Only the system can remove it.
|| EFFECTS ||
Heat Surge – A wave of unnatural lust burns through the victim's body. Skin becomes unbearably hot, hypersensitive to touch. Their stamina drains rapidly until collapse. Relief can only be achieved through . . . release.
"Release . . . ?" I choked out. My ears burned.
Rain clenched his jaw, trying to sit upright but failing, his back sliding down the wall until he nearly toppled. His broad shoulders trembled, and the usually cold, untouchable man looked like he was—oh no—suffering.
"D-don't look at me," he hissed, but the huskiness of his voice betrayed him.
I slapped my hands over my face. "W-what do I do?! I don't even know how to do that! I'm a v-virgin!"
The system chimed cheerfully, as if mocking me:
|| Mission Generated: Relieve Rain's Heat ||
Assist Rain in achieving release before his stamina reaches zero.
Failure: Target collapses. Consequence . . . Death by exhaustion.
|| E N D ||
"WHAT?!" I screamed so loud my voice echoed through the dungeon corridors.
Rain groaned, tugging at his collar as sweat soaked his shirt, clinging to his body. His chest rose and fell heavily, every breath fanning against his lips like he was holding back something.
His eyes met mine, glazed and unfocused, and for the first time ever, he didn't look like the coldest man alive—he looked desperate.
And me? My heart was thundering like crazy.
This was bad. This was really, really bad . . .