A soothing heat, warm like a midsummer evening post a misty rain, enveloped Indu. Her hands clutched a soft, smooth article that easily rolled between her fingers. It almost felt like…fur? She had always wanted a fur blanket and had recently made the request to her father. It would arrive in a few days, and she couldn’t wait to wrap herself in its comforting embrace while the autumn chill permeated the air once she got home from her monster search…

“The monster!” Indu abruptly shot straight up and yelled, which she instantly regretted. A wave of vertigo caused her to sink back down. Her eyes frantically inspected her surroundings, which seemed to be a cave.

Its ceiling reached ten meters in height. Bits of mosses and ferns lined the walls like little arrows pointing up. A dim light shone somewhere in front of Indu, but she couldn’t see it while lying down. It shone in a way that emphasized the dreariness of the cave walls. Thankfully, the cave’s end rested right behind her, putting a partial rest on her anxiety.

Indu sat up very carefully this time, letting her back lean against the wall. Her eyes remained closed while doing so, and now that she was sure no dizziness would ensue, she opened her eyes.

Indu first noticed the dazzling silver wool blanket covering her neck to toe with plenty of space to spare. She blushed. She had thought it was a fur coat, only for it to be something completely different. It was stupid of her. She couldn’t even identify the material she slept in. How worthless was she that she couldn’t identify something as simple as that?

A fire blazed a few meters before her, enough to warm her but far enough to prevent excessive heat. It seemed so natural too. Was her savior an experienced adventurer?

The hazy cave entrance lay so far ahead that, combined with the fire, she felt no chill despite the autumn night.

“This place is cozy…” Indu pulled herself up using the wall as an aid, and the blanket fell. Promptly, she became aware of something when a chill caused goosebumps across her skin.

{Where are my clothes!}

“Oh, you’re awake?”

Only then did she notice the giant mass a little ways ahead of the fire. It yawned with a hand to its mouth as it rose.

“Kyaa!”

Indu screamed and tried covering herself in the blanket, but her legs promptly failed her. Her knees buckled, and she fell forward, her blanketing falling to the ground.

Something blurred in her side vision. A rough hand grabbed her waist with its meaty, veiny forearm – a sturdy pillar she grasped with a deathly grip.

“For a woman with such a small frame, your grip is deadly.” His smooth, husky voice tickled her ear, and a wave of heat rose in her face. She released her grip, only to see deep, bleeding nail marks on his forearm. The tips of her nails were also stained with blood, and she gasped.

“I’m so sorry; are you okay!” She immediately grabbed the forearm, but the man chuckled.

“This wound is nothing. Watch.” He squeezed his forearm muscle, and the nail marks healed at a rate visible to the naked eye.

“Amazing…” Indu was in awe. She had never seen such dramatically fast healing speed before. Only in books and stories did she hear of legendary mages healing themselves at a preposterous rate – never had she imagined she would get the chance to witness something so spectacular.

“Wait, no!” Indu hurriedly pushed herself away from him, but she couldn't escape his grasp because there was only a wall behind her. Shame overwhelmed her like a tidal wave. She was naked, in an unknown man’s embrace, at god knows where. Moreover, she threw herself at him. Was there anything more shameful?

“You know, it's not like I had a choice.” The man suddenly said. Indu looked up, about to ask what could possibly force him to change her, but her eyes widened at the face lit up by the crackling fire. The words at the tip of her tongue dissolved like salt in water.

Black hair curled over his broad shoulders, accentuating his light brown skin. His lips, pursed in a smile, betrayed the amusement in his dark-brown eyes.

He was a masterpiece. He had a pretty face and luscious hair, and as Indu’s gaze traveled further down, his bulging, veiny muscles greeted her. His broad shoulders utterly obscured her vision, plainly showing the difference between their frames. Combined with his bulging chest, which, embarrassingly, was bigger than her own, it made for delicious eye candy. Indu couldn’t stop looking at him.

“It's quite rude to stare at a person, you know?” His smile grew bigger as her face grew hot.

“I-I-I was just…your face and body are too big, so that’s the only thing I could look at!” Indu squeezed her eyes shut and yelled. How could she rudely stare at him like a hillbilly country girl? Oh wait, she was a hillbilly country girl. Even then, it didn’t excuse her behavior!

Booming laughter filled the cave from the man’s cackling. Indu slowly opened her eyes, even more embarrassed by his laughter. What was so funny about what she said? He was practically a giant! What else was she supposed to see with his body squished against hers?

“Aren’t you too small?” The man’s eyes gazed over her like a predator looking at its prey.

“D-Don’t stare at me!” Indu immediately dropped down and picked up the blanket while covering what she could with her arms.

“Tsk.”

“You didn’t answer my question! Why did you take my clothes off!” Indu realized that if he had changed her, he most likely saw her scar. Despair overwhelmed her senses. The man was probably disgusted but hiding it behind a kind façade. Nobody stared at a scarred person, much less a woman, without disgust. But what truly terrified her was him being unable to stand her ugly face and leaving. If he left now, she would surely die here. Her expression was terrified, but the man seemed unfazed.

“Your clothes were soaked in blood, and not just any blood, but troll blood. Extended contact with it can vaporize your skin and melt your muscles into goop. Did you think I’d leave you to die like that?” He pushed her against the wall, bringing his face close to hers and staring straight into her eyes.

A surge of heat rushed to her face, making it redder than she had thought it could be. The words “leave you to die” resonated in her head, triggering a faint memory from long ago.

“It's not like me to leave you to die.” A hazy memory said, but Indu was snapped back into reality by the man pulling away from her. She subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

“T-Thanks for that, then….” Indu awkwardly chuckled, embarrassed by her yelling. The matter had been quite serious, and if it weren’t for him, she would be dead now.

“Also…thanks for saving me from the troll.” Indu flashed the cutest smile she could muster.

“With pleasure, my lady.” The man gracefully pulled her fingers and kissed the back of her hand.

Indu shivered. This was the first time a man other than her father kissed her. Not only that, but he had also changed her and brazenly pushed her against the wall. Never had she felt such rough manhandling of her body, and thinking about it made her blush furiously.

“But...what can I wear now?” She looked away from his immaculate figure and thought about something else in an effort to cool her heat. There was nothing in the cave besides rocks and the fire. She couldn’t even see the remains of her clothes, which she hoped to salvage something out of.

“My clothes, of course.” He picked up a black bundle lying on the side of the fire opposite Indu. It unfurled into a giant black robe. He slapped it roughly, shaking the dust off it. “I know it's dirty, but please bear with it for now.”

“Oh no, I can’t possibly take it!” Indu hurriedly shook her hands.

“Then what will you wear? You can’t possibly be thinking of walking down the mountain wrapped in that blanket?”

“I...” He was right. Her only options were wrapping herself in the blanket or leaves. Either way, both options were terrible.

“B-But what will you wear?” He wore baggy black pants and boots while his upper body remained bare.

“My pants.”

“But your upper body...”

“Ah, that’s your concern. Don’t worry; the outside chill is like a warm breeze to me. I only wear clothes because society forces me to.” He curled his arm and flexed his bicep, giving it a kiss. “Why would I want to hide this stunning figure of mine?”

Indu’s mouth hung open. How was she supposed to respond to that? She highly valued clothing and modesty. To think such a shameless and crude man existed on the planet! Even her father wasn’t as bad as him!

“T-Thank you then, mister...”

Wait. What was his name? Indu’s eyes widened as she realized. The man had risked his life to save her, and she didn’t even know his name. Well, it wasn’t like I was given the chance to know his name.

As if realizing her dilemma, the man threw his head back and laughed, his laughter booming across the cave. Once he finished laughing, he spoke.

“Axer. My name is Axer.”