Tachibana stared at me in utter disbelief, her pale lips slightly parted. For the first time since I had entered the room, the stubborn, defiant, sharp-tongued girl looked completely lost for words. Her chest heaved with shallow breaths as she processed what I had just said.

"You’re... lying," she finally whispered, her voice barely audible, cracking with suspicion and a strange mix of hope and fear.

"You have to be lying. No rich man would ever agree to that so easily. What’s your angle? You think saying yes will make me spread my legs faster? That I’ll become your obedient little wife out of gratitude? I’d rather die than be pitied or owned!"

She turned her head away, but her grip on the blanket had loosened just a fraction. "Master... he’s playing us. Men like him always do. They say whatever it takes in the moment."

"Tomorrow he’ll regret it and find a way to back out. Or worse—he’ll keep me as some trophy wife while sleeping with whoever he wants. I’ve heard the stories. I’ve seen the scars on other girls."

Akane gently touched Tachibana’s arm. "Tachibana... please. Just let him try. He healed your face. He can heal the rest. Don’t throw your life away because of pride or past pain."

Tachibana’s eyes glistened with unshed tears of frustration and exhaustion. "Even if... even if he’s serious... I’m broken. Inside and out. Why would anyone want to marry someone like me?"

"A violent, foul-mouthed kunoichi who’s bleeding to death in a dirty room? He’s insane. Or he has some twisted plan. Tell me the truth, Jack—if that’s even your real name! Why would you chain yourself to a dying stranger? What do you really gain from this?"

Her voice grew weaker but no less fierce. "Answer me properly this time. No vague hero talk. If you’re going to marry me, then say it to my face. Why would you burden yourself with someone who doesn’t even trust you?"

I held her gaze steadily, ready to respond as the tension in the room thickened even further.

Akane turned to me and then glanced at Tachibana, who was still breathing weakly on the bed. I looked at Tachibana first, then turned my gaze to Akane with a sincere, steady expression.

"Because... I don’t want to see your master in pain. She’s like a mother to you. Watching her beg and break down like that... it hurts. I can’t just stand by and do nothing while someone she loves dies in front of her."

Akane’s eyes softened, glistening with unshed tears as she looked at me, then back at her disciple. "Jack... thank you. Tachibana..."

Before Akane could finish her sentence, Tachibana’s breathing suddenly became erratic and disjointed. Her chest heaved violently, eyes rolling back. "Mas... t... er..." she gasped weakly, her voice fading into a broken whisper as she lost consciousness completely, her head falling limply to the side.

Akane panicked instantly. "Tachibana! Tachibana, no! Stay with me!" She rushed forward, hands trembling as she reached for the blanket. "Jack... please...! We don’t have any more time! She’s slipping away right now! Her pulse is barely there!"

I quickly grabbed Akane’s wrist, stopping her. "Wait... let me cover my eyes first. I made her a promise. I won’t break it even now."

Akane looked at me with a mix of overwhelming gratitude and desperation. Without hesitation, she tore off her black cloak in one swift motion. She folded the fabric and tied it firmly around my head as a blindfold, making sure it was completely secure.

I turned my face toward her. "I will use my ability now. Please guide my hand carefully to every wound... I can’t see anything like this, so I’m relying on you completely."

Akane nodded, her voice thick with emotion. "I understand. I’ll guide you step by step. Thank you, Jack... from the bottom of my heart."

I didn’t activate my AI Lens even once. Despite the strong temptation to see Tachibana’s body, I respected her boundaries. I didn’t want to hurt her dignity, even secretly.

I heard the soft rustling of fabric as Akane gently pulled the thin, blood-stained blanket completely off Tachibana’s naked body. A moment later, Akane took my right hand in both of hers and placed it on Tachibana’s left shoulder.

"She has a bullet wound here... it went straight through the muscle. It’s still bleeding internally," Akane said quietly, her voice shaking.

I activated Healing Touch immediately. A warm, bright white light glowed from my palm. I could feel the torn flesh and damaged tissue slowly knitting back together.

After nearly a minute, Akane moved my hand lower, carefully placing it on the side of Tachibana’s left breast, deliberately avoiding the nipple. The soft, warm, and supple flesh filled my palm as I felt the deep bullet graze there.

"She... she has another wound here..." Akane murmured, clearly embarrassed. "Please heal it thoroughly. It’s close to her lung."

I focused harder, sending stronger healing energy into the area. "Tell me if the light is strong enough," I said softly.

"It’s working... the wound is closing," Akane whispered in awe.

I made my own body start sweating heavily. My face turned deathly pale on purpose to show the high cost of using the ability.

"It’s healed there..." Akane said with visible relief. She then guided my hand across Tachibana’s flat stomach, where a nasty bullet hole was still leaking blood. "Here... this one nearly hit her organs."

I healed it slowly and carefully. Then Akane moved my hand down to her toned thighs—first the left, then the right—where bullets had torn through muscle and flesh. "These ones caused massive blood loss. She was bleeding so much..."

After the thighs, she guided me across Tachibana’s waist and lower back. "One more graze here... and here..."

Then Akane’s voice came hesitatingly, barely above a whisper. "This... this is the last and most dangerous one..."

She slowly moved my hand between Tachibana’s legs. My fingers brushed against soft pubic hair before finding the bullet wound dangerously close to her crotch. I poured extra healing energy into the sensitive area, making sure it was fully closed.

Akane let out a deep, shaky sigh of relief. "It’s done... All the external and internal wounds are closed. The bleeding has completely stopped. Her life is no longer in danger."