Venis came back to consciousness slowly, like surfacing from deep water. First the beep—steady, mechanical, a heart monitor counting his beats. Then the sterile smell: antiseptic, faint bleach, and the metallic tang of medical tape. His throat felt raw, swollen, wrapped in layers of gauze and bandages that pulled tight every time he swallowed. Something plastic tickled the inside of his nose—oxygen cannula, thin tubes looping over his ears and feeding cool, steady air.
He blinked against the harsh fluorescent light overhead. White walls, white curtains, white sheets tucked around him. Hospital. Private room, small but clean. No windows, just a single fluorescent panel humming softly. His head throbbed dully, and when he tried to lift a hand to touch his neck, an IV line tugged at the crook of his elbow.
Where… am I?
Memory came in fragments: the doorbell, Charlotte's face in the hallway light, the sudden wet heat spilling down his chest. The scratches from the elf—reopened, deeper, tearing wider. Blood everywhere. Her voice screaming for help. Then nothing.
He exhaled shakily, the cannula whistling faintly. His neck was a thick collar of white padding now, secured with medical tape that smelled faintly of adhesive. No pain, exactly—just pressure, like someone had wrapped his throat in a too-tight scarf.
The door opened with a soft click.
A nurse stepped in—mid-twenties, maybe, with warm brown eyes and a gentle smile that reached them. She was pretty in a quiet way: dark hair pulled into a neat ponytail, a few loose strands framing her face, skin smooth and lightly freckled across her nose. Her scrubs were pale blue, fitted just enough to hint at a nice figure—curved hips, slim waist, breasts that moved softly when she walked. Nothing flashy, just naturally attractive, the kind of beauty that felt comforting rather than distracting. She carried a clipboard and a small tray with fresh gauze.
"Good morning, Mr. Pham," she said, voice calm and professional. "Or afternoon, technically. You've been out for almost twenty hours."
Venis tried to speak. His voice came out hoarse, cracked. "What… happened?"
She set the tray down and checked his IV drip, fingers deft and gentle. "The cuts on your neck—the ones from the gate incident—got infected. Badly. Necrotizing bacteria, probably from residual aphro-overflow residue in the wound. It spread fast, burst internally overnight. You were bleeding out from the inside when your friend brought you in."
Venis's stomach dropped. "Charlotte?"
"Yes. She carried you down three flights of stairs to her car, then drove like hell to get you here. The ER team said if she'd been even an hour later, you wouldn't have made it. They had to open the wound, clean it surgically, and start heavy antibiotics. You're stable now—no more internal bleeding, infection's under control. You'll be here another two days, maybe three, for observation. But you're going to be fine."
He let out a long, shaky breath. "She… saved me."
"She did." The nurse smiled again, softer this time. "She stayed until visiting hours ended last night, then came back this morning before her shift. Left that for you." She nodded toward the bedside table.
Venis turned his head carefully. A single card stood propped against the water pitcher—simple white envelope with "Get Well Soon" in elegant gold script. No envelope, just the card itself, handwriting neat and familiar on the front: Venis – You scared me. Rest. – Charlotte
Only one card. No balloons, no flowers, no stack of messages from the raid team. Not even a text from Jae or Kang. Nothing.
He stared at it for a long moment, throat tightening for reasons that had nothing to do with the bandages.
The nurse finished adjusting his drip. "Try to rest. I'll be back in an hour to change the dressing. Call if you need anything." She gave his shoulder a light, reassuring pat—warm through the thin hospital gown—then slipped out, door clicking shut behind her.
Venis was alone again.
He huffed softly, a tired sound that rasped in his chest. Of course it's just her. The others probably figured I'd pull through or not—either way, no skin off their backs. Jae's too busy chasing the next high-rank pussy. Min-ho's probably already bragging about some orc ass he railed. Kang… Kang doesn't do sentiment. And me? I'm the E-rank liability. Why waste a visit?
He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand—the one without the IV—trying to push the bitterness down. It didn't work. The room felt smaller, colder. He reached for the card, fingers trembling slightly as he opened it.
Inside, simple words in black ink:
Venis, I'm so glad you're okay. I was terrified last night. You're stronger than you think—don't forget that. Get better fast. I'll check on you tomorrow after my guild orientation. Charlotte
He read it twice, thumb brushing the edge of her name. Something warm flickered in his chest, small but real. She came. Twice. Stayed late. Came back early. For me.
He set the card back carefully, like it might break, and leaned against the pillows. His gaze drifted upward, unfocused.
Then the blue window appeared—crisp, glowing letters floating in his vision like always.
[System Status]
Host: Venis PhamRank: EPoints: 15Class: Eternal Conqueror (Mythic – Locked Progression)
Stats
Attack (Pleasure Output): 12 Defense (Endurance): 8 Stamina (Rounds): 6 Charisma (Seduction Aura): 4 Libido (Pheromone Potency): 10 Dominion (Control Depth): 3
Skills
Pheromone Whisper (Lv. 1) – Passive: Low-level arousal inducement in close proximity. Mark of Submission (Locked) – Requires first conquest milestone.
Daily Quest IssuedTask: Claim a Virgin's First TimeDescription: Guide an untouched partner through their initial sexual experience. Full penetration and mutual climax required for completion.Reward: +50 Points, Stat Boost (Random), Skill Unlock (Pleasure Echo – Allows remote sensation sharing with marked targets)Penalty for Failure: -10 Points, Temporary Libido Debuff (24 hours)Time Limit: 72 hours
Venis stared at the window, heart thudding harder than the monitor's beep.
This thing… it's straight out of those novels I used to read. The weak guy gets a cheat system, grinds quests, levels up, becomes untouchable. If I keep going, follow the tasks, rack up points… I could actually hit S-rank. No more being the joke. No more scraping by with fifteen points while everyone else laughs.
The thought sent a small thrill through him—power, real power, the kind that made guilds beg you to join, not mock you for showing up.
But then his eyes drifted back to the quest text.
Virgin's first time.
Where the hell do I even find one? In this world? Gates have been open for five years—most people lost it young, or in some desperate overflow fuck when the first waves hit. Virgins are rarer than clean sati coins these days. And even if I did find someone… how? I can't just walk up to a girl and say, 'Hey, the magic blue screen in my head needs me to take your virginity for points.' That's insane.
He rubbed his bandaged neck, wincing at the pull of tape. Still… seventy-two hours. That's three days. Plenty of time to figure something out. Maybe it doesn't have to be predatory. Maybe someone who wants it, trusts me. Someone…
His mind flickered to Charlotte—her gentle hands on his neck, her card on the table, the way she looked at him like he mattered.
No. Not her. She's not untouched. And even if she was… I wouldn't use her like that. Not for a quest. Not for anything.
He closed his eyes, exhaling slowly through the cannula.
One step at a time. Survive the hospital. Get discharged. Then… see what the world looks like with this thing in my head.
The heart monitor beeped on, steady.
Outside the door, faint footsteps passed in the hallway. Voices murmured. Life continued.
Venis opened his eyes, glancing at Charlotte's card again.
Tomorrow, she'd come back.
And maybe—just maybe—he'd find a way to be the man she saw when she looked at him.