The young woman's breathing came shallow and uneven. She shifted weakly, whispering through clenched teeth,
"My name… is Aria."
"I'm Ken." He nodded. "What happened to you?"
" I was out… Gathering herbs when something… Bit my ankle."
Ken frowned. "A snake? Or was it a spider? Something else?"
She shook her head, then winced. "I don't know. It came out of nowhere. I panicked… Fell down the ridge. Sprained the other ankle." She said, letting out a dry chuckle. "Just my luck." She added and tried to lift her leg, grimacing in pain. "And now… I think it was… Poisonous or something. I can't move."
Ken crouched by her side, peering at her feet. "Venomous, yeah." He muttered, staring at the two neat puncture wounds that gleamed red. Drops of blood were trickling down those wounds. The skin around them had already swollen, reddened, and was burning hot.
"Must be a snake bite," he muttered, nodding. "Looks like."
Aria's lips trembled. "Is… Is there anything you can do? If I can just get back to the village… Our healer…"
Ken took a deep breath.
"I can suck the venom out for now." He answered with a nod.
"Suck it out…?"
"Yeah."
"Isn't that… Dangerous?"
"Normally, it would be. But I'm used to this sort of thing."
"A… Re you sure?"
"Yeah, I know what I'm doing."
He raised her foot gently, locking eyes with her. "Alright, ready?"
Aria pressed her lips together, slowly nodding.
As his face approached her ankle, her face seemed to redden further.
"Are you… Sure that it's safe? If the two of us… End up…"
"I told you, I'm used to this sort of thing."
This was obviously a lie. However, Ken, having caught a glimpse of his Status Window before the Angel could wipe it off, knew that it would be absolutely safe for him.
Two Skills in particular had stuck in his mind. Poison Immunity, and Venom Immunity.
"Then… Please… I'm counting on you…"
He nodded and, a moment later, his lips kissed her ankle.
Aria gasped, her fingers curling into the grass. 'Why… Am I reacting like this?'
All he was doing was sucking out the venom. Yet, a strange heat was starting to rise from her body.
She tried to hold back the sounds in her throat, but every pull of his mouth sent sparks running through her.
"Hhh… ah…" she whimpered, trying to steady her breathing. 'It's the first time… That a man has his lips… On my body…!'
Ken spat a mouthful of tainted blood into the dirt. "That should be most of it." He muttered, raising his gaze towards her face. However, seeing her face covered in sweat and blushing like that, Ken was unable to maintain eye contact. Her facial expression was simply… Too lewd. "Just to make sure." He gulped, before diving back in.
His tongue grazed against her skin, and she shivered, fighting the urge to squirm. "T-This… feels…"
"Good?" Ken muttered, pulling back slightly.
"W-W-What do you mean?"
"Venom is leaving your body. It's natural for it to feel good. In fact, it would be worrying if the venom leaving your body didn't feel good, as that would entail that it's too late for this." He explained, his hands gently around her calf and foot.
Aria gulped. "Y-Yes…" She muttered, her gaze lowered. "It feels good…"
Ken nodded, and headed back in.
By the time he pulled back, wiping his mouth with his sleeve, the swelling had started to fade. Aria lay limp, cheeks flushed, chest rising and falling in uneven breaths.
"Feeling better?" He asked.
"Y-Yes!" She answered, her voice raised a bit too much, as if caught by surprise. "Th-Thank you. I already feel way better." she nodded, her voice trembling slightly.
"Good. I can't do much more than this. We'll need to get to your villager and healer." Ken said as he turned around, giving her his back. "Hop on, Aria."
She blinked, dazed. "E-Excuse me?"
"I'll carry you to the village. Come on."
Her face burned red again. "Y-you don't have to… I'm sure I can manage… Agh!" She tried to place her foot firmly against the ground, but the pain kept her from rising off the ground.
"Just let me help you, alright?" He said gently. "If you feel weird about being helped by a stranger, your village can repay me later or whatever.
Slowly and hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and let him lift her. Her soft warmth pressed against his back.
A shiver went down Ken's spine as her hot breath tickled his ear.
"W-Which way?" He asked, shaking his head.
Aria raised a trembling arm, pointing deeper into the woods. "That way."
Ken adjusted his grip and started walking.
The walk took a while and was mostly silent. It was Aria's first time being carried by a man like this. It was also Ken's first time carrying a woman like this.
Eventually, the treeline broke.
"Good thing I found you, huh? Being so close to your village yet unable to get there… Must have felt terrible."
"It sure did." Aria nodded shyly. "I can't thank you enough for finding me, and helping me…"
A moment later, Ken could see roofs in the distance. Relief washed over him, until he saw a familiar golden-haired figure standing in the village square.
'That bitch.' It was the Angel.
Not only had she made it to the village before him, but she was carrying a bundle of fruits, wildflowers, and herbs, proudly showing them off to the crowd. The villagers were pleased. The stranger in need of shelter had brought gifts. To them, it was a beautiful sight.
Not to Ken. 'Opportunistic Angel.' He clicked his tongue. 'I'm supposed to be bringing those gifts, aren't I? What kind of System steals from its User?'
Sighing as he walked closer, her disappointment would slowly vanish.
After all, the moment the villagers noticed him.
"The chief's daughter! Look!" one of them cried. "It's Aria!"
The villagers immediately rushed forward, abandoning the Angel where she stood.
'What?!' The Angel complained internally, shocked to be left like this despite the gifts brought.
The villagers swarmed Ken, swiftly helping him carefully lower Aria to the ground. Tears and relief filled the air.
"You stormed off so suddenly! We feared the worst!"
"Thank the gods you're safe!"
Ken blinked. 'The chief's daughter?'
Hands clapped his shoulders. Smiling faces surrounded him.
"You saved our beloved Aria!"
"Come, come! I'm sure you must be hungry!"
Moments later, Ken and Aria were brought to a table, seated next to each other, and served plates of fruit.
'BUT I'M THE ONE WHO BROUGHT THE FRUITS!' The Angel screamed internally. 'WHAT THE HELL?!'
"Quick! Someone call Laos, and Chief Aran!"
Ken assumed that Laos was the village's healer.
"Here, please, have some more!" The villagers were begging him to eat.
He turned towards the Angel, standing a good distance away and all alone.
'Guess that's a pretty good beginning.' Ken thought to himself while smugly grinning in the Angel's direction.