TCGAD 8

A screeching, spine-chilling noise suddenly rang out, causing me to stop speaking abruptly. Startled, I whipped my head around. Bulkan’s fork had veered off the plate, scraping the table.

“Why, why so suddenly?”

Shocked, I grabbed Lemon’s arm and pulled him closer, worried that glass might shatter and hurt him. But the moment my hand touched Lemon, sparks flew in Bulkan’s eyes.

“This kind of thing!”

He raised the fork high and then stabbed it into the floor. Ting, the fork trembled violently. Still not satisfied, he swept half the table with his arm. Crash! The plates in front of him shattered mercilessly. In an instant, the scene turned into a mess.

“…….”

He ate the bones barehanded in the wake of his violent outburst, tearing into them aggressively, as if venting his anger. It was clear something was deeply bothering him.

“Why on earth….”

I was so bewildered that my lips trembled, unable to form words. Lemon gently pushed my hand off his arm.

“Priest, even so…. He usually doesn’t like it, but he was eating it quite well yesterday, wasn’t he?”

His forced smile twitched at the corners, as if malfunctioning. He kept repeating similar things, almost as if he was trying to coax a compliment out of me.

What if, just maybe, Lemon was trying to appease him? If what Bulkan wanted from me right now was indeed praise, I quickly opened my mouth.

“Well, um…. You know, I usually don’t eat raw food and don’t like it.”

I had no other choice. I couldn’t afford to cause more trouble for Lemon, who was working so hard for me.

“This meat feels really good. There’s no gamey smell at all, and it’s so tender and delicious.”

I slathered my lips with saliva, picked up the fork that had fallen to the floor, and neatly placed it back on the table.

“If this guy’s muscles were alive, it’d probably be super fast. Must’ve been hard to catch.”

I desperately hoped this meal would end peacefully. I shoved raw meat into my mouth and chewed it thoroughly. I could barely tell if I was eating with my mouth or my nose anymore.

“Ah, d-delicious….”

I swallowed hard and gave an awkward smile. His pitch-black eyes stared straight at me, glinting sharply as if trying to gauge the truth of my words.

“Didn’t take much effort. I’m very strong, after all.”

It was an utterly arrogant statement. The hair framing his thick neck was slightly tousled. He seemed to be in a slightly better mood than before. Man, how could someone have such a foul temper? Cold sweat ran down my spine, but I was grateful for the fragile peace I’d managed to patch together and diligently moved my fork.

Why was he acting like this? The inexplicable behavior suddenly reminded me of something I’d learned in biology class.

Some animals, they say, court females by offering them food…. I don’t know why that came to mind, but no matter how generously I tried to see it, this couldn’t be called courtship. It was just plain abnormal.

I slowly rolled my tongue. Bul.

“Kan….”

The last syllable burst like air in my throat.

He might be sitting at the table now, wearing a human exterior, but if you looked at his true nature, he was far closer to a beast.

His essence was raw, unrefined, practically the embodiment of instinct.

…Well, in a way, it wasn’t entirely incomprehensible. I quietly rolled my eyes.

The surroundings were nothing but dark stone walls. A cave where sunlight barely reached, completely cut off from civilization, with hardly any visitors.

“No need for that stuff. I was born strong. I learned to hunt prey and tear flesh with my jaws.”

He’d even said he grew up alone as a child. A figure too isolated in this dim, sunken place, consistently and unchangingly so.

Maybe it wasn’t so strange that Bulkan had suddenly taken an interest in me. In a swamp like this, no new life could be born. In a place as stifling as this well, what could he have seen?

Lost in thought for a while, a natural silence settled over the table like a lid on food.

“Both….”

Lemon, shrugging his shoulders beside me, suddenly poured out a rush of words.

“Seeing you two sitting across from each other like this makes Lemon so happy. The baby that’ll be born soon will be so, so adorable, right?”

It seemed he was trying to break the silence.

“I hope they take after the priest, with soft cheeks and bright, moist eyes. What color will their eyes be? I’d be happy with black or brown.”

“…Haha.”

I laughed awkwardly, glancing subtly forward. Unfortunately, my eyes locked with Bulkan’s. Isn’t it polite to look at the person speaking?

Why was that beast staring at my forehead like he was trying to bore a hole through it? It was as if he’d never even learned basic manners.

“I hope the heir becomes good friends with ‘Happiness’….”

“Sit in front of me right now.”

A heavy, commanding tone cut through. Lemon’s cheerful voice stopped abruptly.

“Huh?”

I asked, dumbfounded. What was that all of a sudden?

“I said, sit in front of me with your legs spread. I want to make you conceive.”

A long sigh escaped my throat. What kind of vulgar nonsense was that in the middle of a meal? If I could, I wanted to shut his mouth to stop him from saying such strange things.

“…I hope they become good friends. ‘Happiness’ means happiness, you know? Sounds weird, right? Well, I’ll quickly take my leave now! Bye!”

Lemon stood up from his seat like a robot. With a cheerful farewell, the door slammed shut. Now, it was just him and me left in the room.

“I told you to come here and spread.”

At the command from the end of the long table, I reluctantly stood up, dragging my heavy legs.

“H-here I am.”

I managed to sit in front of him, but spreading my legs was too much. I wasn’t even wearing underwear. If I opened my knees even slightly, everything would be fully exposed.

“Ugh….”

As I hesitated, the impatient beast thrust his hand between my thighs. He roughly pried them open, spreading my legs like scissors.

“Wait a second….”

A cold breeze rushed in below, and my face flushed hot. I hurriedly grabbed at the flesh, mortified by the lack of supporting underwear.

“Move your front paws!”

The beast growled, clearly irritated. He grabbed my ankles, propped my knees up, and stared intensely between them.

“Ugh.”

Then he suddenly grinned wickedly. He began fondling the obviously swollen perineum. He kneaded it like dough, and when I couldn’t hold back a moan, he found it amusing, his expression softening as he chuckled again.

“…Ah.”

By the way, it was already so sensitive from being swollen. Being touched like that was driving me insane. The constant pressure at the tip of my urethra felt so strange, like I needed to pee or like ants were biting me.

“This looks delicious.”

He lowered his face and started sucking below. His tongue, unusually large and rough with bumps, made my inner walls itch uncontrollably every time it brushed over sensitive folds. When he sucked the entrance tightly, my hips jolted upward.

“Tastier than tender meat.”

He licked his lower lip with his tongue. Seeing his glossy lips, as if he’d eaten greasy food, filled me with intense shame. My toes curled inward. My inner walls trembled, my penis twitched upward, and a weak spurt of precum dribbled out.

“Oh-ho?”

His blue eyes gleamed sharply. The intense light in his dark eyes sent a wave of unease through me.

“…Ugh!”

My cock was suddenly grabbed. His fierce grip clamped down on it, making my hips tremble. Tears welled up from the pain.

“It hurts….”

I thrashed, begging him to let go, but he growled, scratching his throat.

“I’ll touch it if I want to!”

He was clearly annoyed that I wasn’t letting him do as he pleased. No matter what, he wasn’t listening.

I trembled, terrified my cock would be ruined. Held in his massive hand, it looked like a water balloon, and I was scared it would burst if he applied even a little more pressure.

“Then at least be gentle…. It feels like it’s going to tear off.”

With tears welling in my eyes, I pleaded for him to be gentle. Then, didn’t the beast’s bulging crotch swell even more?

I stared blankly, tears streaming down. He eagerly undid his lower garments. The thick cock that sprang out, as always, left me stunned.

His strength flipped my body over. My hips were grabbed, and I thought, no way.

“Ah, ahh…!”

He immediately thrust inside, piercing my walls. The massive glans felt like it would reach my navel.

“Ah, haa, ugh….”

He pounded as if he’d pierce through my navel in one go. There was still no control over his strength, just a reckless drive to unleash his boiling lust, wildly thrusting his hips.

The lower hole was for expelling, not for taking in. No matter how much I strained to push out the intruder, the beast clinging to my back was relentless.

Clunk, clunk!

“Ugh!”

While thrusting, he kept touching my cock. His hand was too large and hot, its surface rough and bumpy. Having only masturbated a few times while living with my grandmother in a small house, this was overwhelming.

“Hngh.”

My legs trembled as if I were about to pee. At first, it felt like unbearable pain, but a strange sensation crept up from my ankles to my calves and waist, making it even more torturous.

“Ah, ngh, I’m going to die….”

My jaw wouldn’t stop trembling. With my mouth open, I let out high-pitched moans. Suddenly, my blurry vision met his eyes. Out of nowhere, he grabbed my jaw painfully and tilted my head.

A massive piece of flesh forced its way into my mouth. At the same time, an unfiltered, wild scent flooded my throat. Unable to swallow, he sucked up the saliva pooling in my mouth.

Slurp, slurp, slurp….

His tongue licked my uvula, scraped my palate, and thrust into my throat.

“Hngh, mph.”

It was less a kiss and more like eating. He didn’t give me a moment to breathe, my throat filling with air.

“Mph, mmph!”

Even when I pounded his shoulders with my fists, he was like a cement wall, unmoving.

When I reflexively opened my eyes, I met his fierce gaze. He hadn’t even closed his eyes. It seemed he didn’t know what a kiss was, just instinctively sucking on my tongue.

As we locked eyes, mixing tongues, something unbelievable happened. The cock filling my hole began to grow even larger, swelling and contracting repeatedly.

“Ugh, hngh, hah…!”

I trembled in agony. Then, biting my neck, the beast came. I shuddered, my cheek pressed against the table. He continued thrusting in and out, savoring the afterglow.

“Urgh, ugh….”

Each time the massive glans scraped the entrance, intense sparks flashed before my eyes. An indescribable, electric sensation gripped my sides. It felt like the back of my head was being torn apart.

“Hah, huff.”

As I struggled to catch my breath, his rugged cock regained its strength. It protruded rudely between coarse pubic hair, as if he’d never heard of body wash, swollen grotesquely between his penis and balls. It looked like a clenched fist was attached there. Staring in shock, his cock, fist and all, shot upward and then crashed down, splattering sticky fluid onto my philtrum. Damn, what the hell was that?

“What, what the hell is that….”

All the blood drained from my body.

No, whatever that was, it wasn’t the point right now. A red alarm blared in my head. Crimson fear adorned my mind. If he put that inside me, my body might tear like tissue paper.

“No, please, stop….”

I desperately crawled across the table on all fours.

“Hah, haa.”

My arms and legs, gripping the table, trembled like aspen leaves. Thick semen dripped down my thighs. Like a snail leaving a trail of slime, a narrow, white puddle formed along my path.

But I knew he wouldn’t let it end like this. I expected him to grab my ankle fiercely, but surprisingly, he left me alone. It was a small mercy amid misfortune. Seizing the chance, I crawled forward frantically. Then, I heard heavy footsteps behind me.

“I’m thirsty.”

Splash, he grabbed a bottle of wine. Tilting his head back, he shoved the bottle into his mouth. Gulp, gulp. He drenched his throat with wine.

“I.”

Then, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he grinned.

“I love the chase!”

A hand shot out from behind, seizing my ankle. I summoned every ounce of strength, trying to hold out for even a few minutes, but it was a laughable thought. I couldn’t last a few seconds before collapsing like a domino.

“Ugh!”

My trembling wrist twisted, and I was dragged back pathetically. Squeak, squeak, screech, my skin scraped against the table, producing a chilling sound.

“Ugh.”

Thankfully, the swelling between his cock and balls had subsided, but the relentless pounding of his hips was vicious, like grinding garlic. It felt like my insides were being mashed into a filthy paste.

“Ah, ahh, please, stop…!”

Bulkan was determined to push me to my limit, acting viciously. As if he’d held back for too long, he growled deep in his throat, savagely devouring my body. My fuse blew and reset multiple times.

Amid the splashing sounds, my moans of “huff, ugh” occasionally broke through. Slowly opening my eyes, I found myself submerged in bathwater, naked. A hot, equally naked body held me. His cock was still inside me.

“…Ahh.”

He gripped my waist tightly, thrusting inside. The water acted as a lubricant, and after several ejaculations, my entrance was softer than usual. But his cock kept swelling more ferociously inside, and the unbearable pain made me black out multiple times.

“…Hngh, it hurts too much.”

I clutched my lower abdomen. My stomach felt tight and constricted. The snake-like cock burrowed deep inside, slithering through my walls, causing my navel to bulge like a hill.

Despite my gaunt frame, my lower belly protruded oddly. I worried my body would break or tear like this.

“Wait, it’s too deep, that spot….”

The glans seemed to reach places it shouldn’t, pushing my organs aside.

“Have my child, ugh.”

“…Ahh.”

Each time Bulkan thrust his hips upward, the bathwater sloshed wildly.

Ah, hah, ahh. My high-pitched voice echoed off the cave walls. As his enraged cock battered my insides, my mind grew hazy. It felt like I was being forcibly pushed somewhere. Though held in strong arms, I felt like wings would sprout from my back, carrying me to some unknown place.

“Hah, ngh.”

The first wave of pleasure was closer to torture. Something I’d never felt before blinded my eyes, devoured my brain, and shattered my body. It was as if something was strangling me from behind. I desperately wrapped my arms around Bulkan’s neck, burying my nose in his thick nape.

“Damn, ugh…!”

Finding it hard to thrust, Bulkan laid me on the edge of the tub. Hot water touched my back. My legs rested on his shoulders.

“Hah, ugh! Too d-deep!”

I could feel my hole swallowing his shaft as he thrust harder and deeper.

“Haa…!”

Finally, my vision went white. Lightning struck down my spine. A strange pleasure, like releasing long-held urine, washed over me. My body trembled uncontrollably.

Grunt, Bulkan bit my neck savagely. Slurp, slurp. His cock swelled massively inside again.

Amid overwhelming pleasure and searing pain, I stiffened. I couldn’t withstand the waves crashing over me.

“Have my child…!”

In excruciating pain, I thrashed wildly. Even as I pounded his body with my fists, the cock plugging my entrance refused to leave.

“Let go, ugh, huff, let me go!”

After a frantic struggle, I slipped into the water with a splash.

Then a strange dream followed. My vision went white, and soon the white paint filling my sight began to take shape.

It was a sleek, long-legged beast with two horns on its head. Its eyes were calm, its long neck alluring.

The beast cautiously approached me. Up close, it resembled a fawn. Was it a mother deer? The thought crossed my mind.

The next moment, the mother deer opened its mouth.

<<…….>>

The voice echoing in my head made my eyes widen. It was no ordinary dream—I woke with a start.

The room was filled with the gray waves of dawn. The beast lay on me, crushing me as he slept. I stared into space with my mouth slightly open. The dream I’d just had replayed before my dazed eyes.

…What was that just now? A chill ran through my body. My trembling hand instinctively clutched my lower abdomen.

<<You’re now like me.>>

A faint voice echoes in my head. Like fog, a hazy afterimage lingers…. What kind of dream was that? I’ve had my share of weird dreams, but did it really drain my spirit this time?

“…Haa.”

I rubbed my cheeks roughly, washing my face with dry hands. The room was filled with a suffocating silence. The sound of breathing from behind seemed to grow louder in my ears.

As much as I could, I squirmed and moved to get as far away from Bulkan as possible. Then I pressed both hands tightly over my ears.

<<There’s something you must protect….>>

I hoped desperately to erase even the somber voice lingering in my ears.

☀️

Even as I languished in this cave like water pooling in a puddle, time marched on diligently.

There’s no television here, not even a single book to read. There’s nothing to pass the time. Staring out the window at the outside world is my entire daily routine.

In the meantime, the trees have become entirely covered in green. The breeze caressing the wind was warm. Still, it feels somewhat desolate for a true spring. There are no flowers, no butterflies, and hardly any birdsong. By now, the place I used to live would be bursting with blooming flowers….

Lately, memories of the past have been filling my head. It’s strange. I didn’t leave anything behind there. I didn’t have friends or family, really…. For a moment, a face flashed before my eyes, but I quickly shook my head to forget it. That person probably doesn’t even know I’m gone. I thought living like this, I’d never miss the past. I really believed that.

“Haa.”

I was starting to miss my old life more and more.

The walk home after a part-time job. Stopping by a convenience store to buy instant noodles to fill my stomach, or the small joy I felt thinking about sharing market-bought fried chicken with my grandmother after getting paid.

“Oh, right.”

The boss at my part-time job must be furious, right? It was almost payday. I belatedly regretted not getting that paycheck. It’s money I can’t even use here, so why was I missing it? A late pang of regret hit me.

Looking back, all my memories are worn and tattered, yet they keep coming to mind for some reason. They say memories get romanticized, and it’s exactly like that.

I sat in front of the bed with my knees drawn up. As usual, a heavy silence hung in the air. It hadn’t been long since I ate, but my eyes started to grow drowsy.

I don’t know why I’ve been like this lately. After eating, I feel sleepy, my body strangely languid…. Leaning my cheek on my propped-up knees, I tried to take a short nap.

“Bulkan nim is here.”

Lemon’s voice rang out. Startled, my body trembled. I hurriedly got up from my seat, but a cramp shot through my calf, and I lost my balance, sliding to the floor.

“Ah…!”

Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around my stomach. It was another unconscious act my body did on its own. Moreover, a strange sensation brushed through my belly for a moment. It was as if a pendulum had been hung inside, something swaying within.

“…Priest nim.”

Lemon called me. He looked at my face with startled eyes.

“You have a nosebleed.”

A nosebleed? I wiped under my nose, and sure enough, bright red blood smeared my hand.

“Oh, I’m fine. I’ve always gotten nosebleeds when I’m tired….”

I waved my hand, saying it’d stop with pressure, but Lemon’s face turned pale.

“You look really unwell. My goodness, that radiant skin….”

“It’s just because I was startled for a moment.”

“Lemon will quickly fetch a doctor!”

Beyond Lemon’s frantic figure, I saw a large silhouette standing outside the door. It was Bulkan, his shoulders nearly as wide as the doorframe. The cave was so dark that his sunken eyes were completely black. I couldn’t tell what expression he was making.

Step, step, he approached and stood in front of me. A large hand wiped under my nose. He looked down at the bright red blood. His eyes were strange.

“Is this your blood?”

His low voice rang in my ears. Immediately after, twitch, twitch. My lower belly spasmed. It felt like someone was playfully clenching and unclenching a fist inside.

“…Ah.”

I clutched my lower abdomen. He looked at my stomach with an odd expression. The next moment, a thought of doom flooded my mind.

Doom? What the…? What had my instincts realized to make me feel such despair? My intuition was sharply on edge, but my mind couldn’t keep up, leaving me frustrated.

The doctor Lemon brought was truly the first “human” I’d seen in a long time.

“E-excuse me.”

A trembling hand lifted my eyelids. The doctor was shaking like an aspen tree.

He was a perfectly normal person, with two eyes, one nose, and one mouth, just like me. Of course, due to racial differences, his nose was much larger, and his eye sockets were deeply sunken. Still, I was so fascinated that I kept staring at him.

“Phew, haa.”

Even during the examination, the doctor was sweating profusely. It was because of Bulkan, who was glued to his side, not blinking once, as if he wouldn’t miss a second.

The doctor, swallowing a sob, touched my wrist next.

“Should I kill you?”

At the sinister voice, the doctor finally collapsed flat on the floor. Trembling, he begged desperately for his life.

“G-great Bulkan nim…. It, it seems Priest nim needs to see a doctor in the village.”

“What?”

Bulkan’s eyebrows furrowed fiercely. Who was it that said his understanding was as vast as the sea? My heart pounded just being near the rampaging Bulkan, who was like a wild dog. I wished someone would stop him.

Lemon, in the room, was staring blankly into space.

“W-well, that’s….”

A foul smell began to spread from the doctor.

“B-Bulkan nim….”

I reached out, trying to stop him myself. But the voice that followed made me freeze.

“Of course, there’s a difference between animal and human bodies…. Since Priest nim has conceived Bulkan nim’s seed with a human body….”

“What…?”

This time, the word burst from my mouth. What did he just say?

“Uh, I’m a man, though?”

Even though I’d promised to get pregnant and bear a child to ensure a peaceful life for my grandmother, deep down, I might’ve held onto a seed of relief.

In a world with gods ruling the earth, dogs becoming humans, and horned monsters, I’d still doubted that I, a man, could conceive a child.

“Yes, that’s true, but there have been cases before where men, blessed by the gods, became pregnant. They gave birth to a child with the head of a cow.”

I clamped my hands over my gaping mouth. If I didn’t, I felt like I’d vomit from the shock.

“The doctor who delivered that child is in the village. It’d be best to visit there.”

Bulkan commanded without changing his tone.

“Then bring them to me right now.”

The doctor burst into tears, slamming his head on the floor. He sobbed, his face pressed into a puddle of his own urine.

“W-with all due respect, that doctor is blind and… has many patients. If they leave even for a moment, many will suffer.”

Bulkan strode forward menacingly. His armored boots splashed through the urine puddle.

“So?”

A large hand grabbed the doctor’s hair. The doctor’s eyes rolled back as if he might faint.

“So what am I supposed to do, I asked.”

“It, it would be best for Priest nim to visit the village hospital. For the mother’s sake, and for the heir to be born….”

Maybe I’d had those doubts from time to time. The changes in my body—could they be because of that?

As expected, the chilling suspicion never missed the mark. Stumbling to my feet, I grabbed Bulkan’s arm. It was so thick my hand couldn’t properly grasp it.

“You can come with me, right?”

At my weak touch, his head immediately turned toward me. He hated the idea of me leaving this place. His possessiveness was so strong he didn’t even want sunlight to touch me.

“If you come with me….”

Taller than me by far, he leaned down toward me. It was a threatening movement. I couldn’t help but step back.

“You’ll need a dog to watch you.”

His grim voice echoed softly in the cave. From one side, I heard the doctor’s panting.

☀️

Bulkan vanished somewhere deep into the night. I’d assumed he’d come with me, so it was a bit surprising.

Lemon, reading my confusion, provided an answer.

“There’s a monster under this cave that needs guarding. If Bulkan nim leaves, this hell will fall into chaos.”

I washed my body thoroughly. Dressed in white clothes, I covered my face with a soft red veil. As I prepared to go to the hospital, doubts kept swirling in my mind.

A restless feeling stirred in my chest. I still couldn’t believe it. Me? Really, there’s something in my belly? I wished this were all just a horrible nightmare….

“Let’s go. We’ll arrive soon.”

Lemon led me outside. Biting my lower lip tightly, I slowly walked toward the cave entrance. For the first time in a while, sunlight fell on my head.

The sky was endlessly dark, but the single ray of sunlight that reached me felt warm and comforting.

It was so fascinating and welcoming that I looked up at the sky. Then, something caught the corner of my vision. Something was racing toward me at a terrifying speed from the horizon.

At first, I thought it was a large black beast. Only as it got closer did I realize what it was.

It was a pitch-black carriage. And a three-headed dog was holding the reins.

As it reached me, it screeched to a halt, its front paws gripping the sand. The black dogs, muzzled, snorted and glared at me.

“They’re the bastards guarding the gates of hell.”

Bulkan, riding on the back of the black beast, leapt down. His movements were sleek, like a large feline, without any wasted motion.

“I brought them to watch you closely and keep your intentions in check.”

The process hadn’t been smooth, it seemed, as all three heads looked dejected. They couldn’t meet Bulkan’s eyes, their tails tucked between their legs, unable to lift.

“Rawr.”

But when their eyes met mine, their pupils suddenly glistened oddly. Their whinnying cries sounded strangely eerie.

“I’m supposed to ride this?”

Why did I have to ride something like this? Wasn’t there a normal horse-drawn carriage? Hesitating because I didn’t want to get on, Bulkan grabbed my waist and hoisted me onto the carriage.

“Don’t do anything foolish.”

His black eyes glared at me. What kind of foolishness? Setting this to watch me?

“Yes.”

I nodded slightly, acknowledging him. Then, with a bang, the carriage door closed. A threatening voice came from beyond the door.

“If you covet him, I’ll strangle you to death.”

Clunk, clunk! The carriage began to shake wildly. It was moving incredibly fast. I was tossed about, feeling nauseous. I must be getting motion sickness.

“Ugh!”

I couldn’t vomit in here. I forced myself to look out the window. The scenery outside flashed by quickly.

How far from civilization was this place? After a long stretch of dark woods, we crossed a large hill, and a village came into view through the window.

“…Wow.”

It looked incredibly peaceful. Small houses were clustered together like barnacles. A few people in unfamiliar clothes stood still, looking at me curiously.

The carriage stopped in front of a dilapidated, crumbling house.

…Is this the place?

I’d assumed a renowned doctor would have a decent facility, but it looked no better than a stable. I cautiously stepped out of the carriage.

“Grrrr.”

Cerberus growled at me. Scared, I hurried my steps. Carefully clenching my fist, I knocked on the door. Thud, thud, the wooden door rattled.

“Is anyone there?”

Creak, the door opened, and an old woman with a hunched back appeared. Her eyes gazed into the void. Oh, she’s blind, as they said.

“Uh, excuse me….”

Having knocked, I had to state my purpose. My ears burned. If it were just a simple cold, it would’ve been fine, but the reason was so embarrassing I couldn’t open my mouth.

“You’re carrying something non-human in your womb, aren’t you?”

But she saw through my condition perfectly. For a moment, I wondered if she was a shaman possessed by spirits rather than a doctor.

“Come in.”

Following her inside, I saw other patients already waiting, staring at me. The claim of many patients wasn’t a lie—people of all ages and genders were lined up tightly.

“Look at that guy….”

“Who is he?”

Even those chatting happily among themselves looked at me like I was a curiosity. I turned my back to them and followed the doctor.

“Lie down here.”

I entered an inner room and lay flat on a very old bed. The doctor placed two fingers on my wrist. She hummed, then placed her palm on my stomach. Then she clicked her tongue.

“The child is strong and vigorous, so it should be fine. But I’m not sure if the mother can handle it.”

A cold chill ran through my spine. Everyone kept saying the same thing—that I was carrying a child in my womb.

“To give the child flesh and bone, you’ll need to eat diligently. Sleep well, too, so you’re not overwhelmed by its energy. …How did you end up carrying a monster’s child?”

Her words, though perfectly reasonable, felt strangely unfamiliar. Being one of the few normal people I’d met here, my nose stung for no reason.

“Well, …due to some circumstances, I ended up marrying a monster.”

The doctor clicked her tongue again.

“Wait a moment.”

She left the room to get something. Meanwhile, children peeked in, staring at me. Their grimy faces looked at me like I was a monkey in a zoo.

“Everyone, get out.”

When the doctor returned, waving her hands, the children squealed and scattered. She handed me a bundle.

“This medicine will help expand your womb. Take it well and prepare your body. Childbirth will bring immense pain, so steel your mind and come back to me.”

“About the payment….”

I quickly pulled out the money Lemon had given me for the visit. But the doctor waved it off, saying it was fine.

“No need.”

“But you examined me.”

I tried a few more times, but she firmly refused. Saying she was busy, she shooed me out, so I carefully got up from the bed.

“…Thank you.”

I opened the door and trudged outside.

Villagers had gathered near the carriage. Too scared of the three-headed dog to get close, some whispered with fear, others with curiosity.

“Who is that? Why is Cerberus pulling the carriage?”

“I know! I heard Bulkan nim got a bride…!”

I stared blankly at Cerberus. All six eyes were fixed on me.

“…….”

Drooling from its mouths, it arched its back as if ready to pounce. Most shocking was the organ visible under its belly. Swollen red, it looked like a club, pointed directly at me.

I wanted to run away. I even took a few steps back. Cerberus, sensing my intent, growled.

Its gleaming eyes. I realized in an instant what I was trying to escape from—what was behind this beast.

I rushed into the carriage and slammed the door shut. I collapsed onto the seat, burying my face in my hands.

How could a beast lust after a human? How could a man conceive a child?

The deer’s voice from my dream echoed faintly in my ears.

<<You’re now like me.>>

<<You have something to protect, your offspring.>>

<<It’s truly a painful thing.>>

This insane world. This maddening place. Everything I believed in was breaking, shattering, and crumbling into dust at my feet.

☀️

As soon as I got out of the carriage, nausea surged. I gripped the cave wall, bending over.

“Ugh…!”

Retching, food surged up my throat and spilled onto the ground.

“Huff. Ugh….”

My vision blurred. The scattered puzzle pieces in my mind slowly came together.

I understood why I craved raw meat I’d never eaten before, why my senses—sight, sound, smell—were so sharply heightened. Bulkan’s booming voice echoed in my head like thunder.

“What preparation? Obviously, to carry my seed in your dark belly! You can feel something growing in there, can’t you?”

From that exact moment, strange signs had started appearing in my body. Why, you ask? Because of the seed of that monster, Bulkan, planted in my womb.

“…Haa.”

As I wiped my mouth with my palm, I felt a shadow fall over my legs.