The moment I saw it, I froze in shock.
This was an uninhabited place—there shouldn't be anyone here. Yet, there was something that looked like a person lying on the ground. If you suddenly come across a body in the middle of the wilderness, your first thought is probably that it's a corpse. That was exactly how it felt.
"Huh? No way…"
I was freaking out on the inside, but I forced myself to speak cheerfully. If I let the fear take over, I'd spiral into panic.
"Please don't be a drowned body…"
From what I could tell, it was human, but I couldn't see its face from this angle. It was lying face down on the sand, completely motionless.
"Maybe it's just a mannequin?"
I muttered hopefully, wishing that this wasn't some kind of crime scene. But that was just wishful thinking—whoever it was was fully clothed, which ruled out a washed-up mannequin. Those are usually naked.
Back in my parents' and grandparents' time, there were stories of smuggled bodies washing ashore every now and then. That was a long time ago, though. These days, things weren't supposed to be that dangerous anymore.
If this was a drowned body, it would be all over the tabloids. Ugh, I really don't want to be the one who finds something like that. Even as my mind wandered with useless thoughts, my body hesitantly moved closer.
"Hello? Are you alive?"
I wanted to keep as much distance as possible, so I leaned back as far as I could and lightly tapped its foot with my toe. It wasn't bloated, slimy, or sticky—none of those awful textures I feared. And there was no bad smell either.
For some reason, I had an odd feeling about it. A good feeling.
Realizing that it wasn't decaying calmed me a little.
I knelt down and placed my hand on its upper arm. It was warmer than the surrounding rocks. If it wasn't cold, that meant… it was alive. I wasn't scared anymore.
"Hey? Hellooo?"
No response. It definitely had body heat, so it had to be alive. Was it just… asleep? I checked for a pulse.
My fingers brushed against its neck, and I felt the steady thump, thump of a heartbeat. Good. That meant I wouldn't have to do CPR on my own. I'd practiced it in training before, but it was exhausting.
"…Ugh…"
The person stirred, rolling from their side onto their back. That was when I finally saw their face.
Wait.
Not a woman? A man?
A strange sense of unease prickled at me.
Were there even any men around here? No, forget this island—there were barely any in the entire country. I'd almost never seen one in person. The gender ratio in this world was absurdly skewed. Men were strictly managed, owned by the wealthy, and concentrated in major cities. They weren't found in remote tourist areas like this. And if they ever were, they'd be surrounded by guards.
If this was a man, then—damn, I missed my chance! If I'd realized earlier, I could've had an excuse to touch him while checking for a pulse. Maybe even CPR! That would've been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
…Wait, no. Bad thoughts. Very bad thoughts.
But also… when else would I ever get this close to a man?
I studied him curiously. His skin was smooth, unblemished by the sun. His eyelashes were long. His features—well, they seemed pretty good. Was that stubble on his chin? I'd heard that male facial hair was rougher than a woman's. I kind of wanted to touch it and see for myself… or even…
Nope. Stop. Not going there.
Still, there was no way a man would be here alone.
Where was his security detail? His entourage?
Men were supposed to be guarded like mother bears with their cubs. If anything happened to them, the people around them would react instantly.
I glanced around, suddenly wary.
The waves lapped at the shore. The sound of rocks shifting filled the air.
There was no one else here.
This place was nearly a sheer cliff, an isolated beach that would be swallowed by the tide soon.
And I was wasting time waiting for him to wake up?!
I quickly checked my watch, which had a tide indicator. Right now was the lowest point of the tide. If I didn't move now, I'd be stuck here until the next low tide. And today was a full moon—high tide would completely submerge this area.
The air might be warm, but the water was cold. If I got caught in it, I was screwed. I didn't have time to wait for him to wake up.
"Seriously, why the hell are you even here…? Wake up already!"
I shook him roughly, but he didn't respond.
The only way out was a staircase in the middle of the beach, and it was far. But I didn't have a choice.
I adjusted my position, laying sideways with my head against his stomach.
Weirdly, it felt… stable. Warm. The steady rise and fall of his breathing was strangely soothing.
…No. Focus.
"Alright… here goes…"
I slipped my arms under his legs and shoulders, using all my strength to roll him onto my shoulders.
A fireman's carry.
"Good thing I learned this in training…"
It was supposed to be an extra lesson, but it was paying off now.
"Alright. Let's go."
With determination, I started walking.
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This novel has been lovingly translated by https://www.patreon.com/Jenuinez_translation