The Virgin Hero Who Fought in the Dungeon for 20 Years Returned to the Surface Only to Find the Population of the World Has Dropped Drastically, with a Male-to-Female Ratio of 1:1000 - 31

Chapter 31: Scar That Won’t Disappear

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“What an incredible appetite.”

While she was taking a shower, Sayaka pondered about how Ryuuto had devoured the fried rice with astonishing speed.

As expected of a hero. 

These days, herbivore men were becoming more and more common, and even someone as out of touch with worldly affairs as Sayaka knew that men these days tended to have small appetites. If she hadn’t been warned in advance by Ryuuto’s sister—Kazuki, who had strongly pushed for Sayaka to be assigned as his personal bodyguard—that “My little brother eats a lot,” she might have been caught off guard at how big Ryuuto’s appetite was.

Watching Ryuuto devour the large serving of fried rice in the blink of an eye, Sayaka felt her heart race. Her body got a bit excited at the sight. Thinking back, she realized she barely had any memories of eating with her family. Of course, she had sat with them at formal gatherings, but only her younger sister stayed at the center of her parents and grandparents’ attention. She didn’t have any place even during those formal occasions. Sayaka absentmindedly stared at the water droplets dripping from her wet hair, bringing her momentarily detached consciousness back to reality.

I’m always like this. 

A colleague had once pointed out to her that she looked like a ghost. Sayaka would sometimes don a completely vacant expression when she unconsciously recalled painful memories from the past, perhaps as a form of a defense mechanism for her heart. Stepping out of the bathroom, she stood before the mirror. If her face looked monstrous, she might end up scaring her master, Ryuuto. She had to maintain a proper expression for her master. 

As she dried her hair with a dryer, she inspected her body. Thanks to her daily training, she had a toned body without an ounce of unnecessary fat. No bruises, no insect bites. She had heard that men were sensitive creatures, easily put off by even minor imperfections. For now, she decided everything was okay.

Will Ryuuto-sama take an interest in my body?

Stripping down to her underwear, Sayaka focused her senses on the intense pounding of her heart as she made her way to Ryuuto’s private room.

What if he rejects me? What if I get rejected… Again?

“Ryuuto-sama? Are you still awake?”

Whether fortunate or unfortunate, the door was not locked. That meant one less excuse to retreat. No light seeped through the gap in the door—it was proof that the room’s lights were off.  

Tonight, I hope he will hold me. 

If Ryuuto actually preferred someone with a more boyish body like her previous master, then this would be the end of her story. In that case, she would resign from her position as his male protection officer, return to her military post, and spend the rest of her life killing monsters that crawled up from the dungeons while avoiding making deep connections with anyone.

Negative thoughts swirling in her mind as  Sayaka opened the door—only to find Ryuuto on the bed, wrapped in a blanket from head to toe, staring straight at her.

“Ryuuto-sama…?”

Even after realizing that the intruder was Sayaka, Ryuuto, who was kneeling on the bed, did not loosen the tension in his body in the slightest. The moment their eyes met, Sayaka felt an overwhelming pressure, as if something had been shoved down her throat. His eyes gleamed in the darkness like those of a beast. Sayaka had endured grueling military training—so severe it had made her literally cough up blood and even caused her monthly cycle to stop—but the moment she saw the man before her, all that hardened resolve evaporated.

“…Sorry. Sometimes when I think of weird things, I just can’t seem to get a good night’s sleep.”

“Ah-Ah… I see…”

“It’s just a habit, you know? Even when I know everything’s fine, I can’t let my guard down. It’s especially bad at night.”

At least, he could still hold a proper conversation. Sayaka barely remained standing, feeling like her knees might give out at any moment.

What good would it do to be scared here?

“Ryuuto-sama, may I come closer to you?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

He gave her the permission to come close. Sayaka climbed onto the bed and without any spontaneous movement, she moved next to Ryuuto. Once she was closer to him, she realized that Ryuuto’s body was burning. His body was as hot as fire. Even though it was almost early winter, his body felt like it was burning. Then it hit her—Ryuuto was trembling.

“Ryuuto-sama, are you feeling unwell…?”

“No, I want to sleep, but I just can’t seem to calm down. Well, there’s no way I could sleep soundly back when I was trapped in the dungeon after all.”

Sayaka gasped at that. As she tried to control the bubbling emotions and suppress the trembling excitement, Ryuuto suddenly leaned his body against her. Before she knew it, sweat was dripping down her face. It was a different kind of intense tension from undergoing combat training. She felt as if she couldn’t breathe. She had studied the proper etiquette and how to serve her master, but she didn’t know if she would be able to perform her duty properly. 

Ugh, whatever happens, happens!

“Ryuuto-sama, I—”

“Ugh-!”

“Huh?”

Ryuuto’s body suddenly collapsed onto Sayaka’s lap. Sayaka immediately caught him out of reflex. Unexpectedly enough, she ended up holding Ryuuto in the safety of her arms. The weight of Ryuuto’s body felt unbearably real to her. Sayaka stayed in that position for a while. She didn’t know how much time had passed, but she finally steeled her resolve and turned on a small light by the side of the bed.

“He’s asleep.”

Ryuuto had fallen asleep with a peaceful expression on his face, like a child seeking comfort from their mother. Sayaka gently lifted his head and carefully positioned it onto her lap. She felt embarrassed at herself. 

What a fool I am…

She had never truly thought about how Ryuuto, who had wandered in dungeons for 20 years, would feel.  had always assumed he was a hero—someone who was strong, unshakable, and immune to pain. She had decided that image to him without knowing what he was like. But now,looking at his peaceful face as he slept on her lap, she finally saw a different side of him. 

Then, Sayaka began to think about his hellish struggles over the past 20 years.

I’m a beast of desire. 

She had been consumed by lust, acting without thinking about Ryuuto’s condition. How could she do that to him? Sayaka only wanted to get closer to him, even just for a little bit, but Ryuuto had instinctively recognized that she wasn’t an enemy. He had entrusted himself to her. 

That means… He trusts me, even if it’s just for a little, right?

The moment she thought that, a strong feeling of affection, different from lust, welled up in Sayaka’s chest. She never knew she had such a maternal instinct within her. She hugged Ryuuto tightly. Then, she ran her fingers through his long hair, which spread across the bed like the beautiful night sky.

“Mmm… Mnnh..”

His long eyelashes cascaded from under his closed eyelids. Upon closer look, she noticed small old scars beneath his right eye and on his forehead. Sayaka gently pinched Ryuuto’s nose and he furrowed his brow and puckered his lips like a child.

“Heh. What a funny face.”

I will protect you.

Sayaka could now proudly say this was the reason why she had lived up until this point. Though he was invincible in the dungeon, who knew what kind of difficulties might arise for him on the surface? She had decided to fight for Ryuuto. While chuckling softly, Sayaka continued to gaze at her master’s peaceful face, sleeping serenely while basking in the dim light of the moonlight. She never felt tired no matter how long she watched him sleep.

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