Chapter 1082: Tachibana: Will You Marry Me?

Akane turned to me and bowed deeply, her forehead nearly touching the tatami floor, her shoulders trembling with desperation.

"Please... save her, Jack. I’m begging you. She’s like a daughter to me. I’ve already lost too many... I can’t lose Tachibana, too."

I quickly stepped forward and held her shoulders firmly, stopping her from lowering herself any further. "Don’t do that," I said gently but firmly, pulling her back up to her feet. "I already told you I’ll help. You don’t need to kneel for this."

From the blood-stained bed, Tachibana suddenly raised her voice in anger, though it came out weak, raspy, and broken by pain:

"Master...! You don’t need... to bow... to him! Stop it right now!" She coughed violently, fresh blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. "Anyway... I know my own injury better than anyone... It’s pointless. Just let me die in peace."

Akane still looked ready to kowtow again. I kept my hands on her shoulders, holding her tightly so she couldn’t sink back down.

"Don’t worry, Akane. I’ve got this," I reassured her, my voice steady.

Tachibana’s pale, sweat-drenched face twisted with frustration and defiance. Even on the verge of death, her spirit burned fiercely like a cornered wildcat.

"Master... don’t bow down to him! He must be fooling you with those smooth words!" She turned her dull, hazy eyes toward me and glared weakly, her breathing labored. "Tell me... Why are you really here? What do you want from my Master? Speak clearly, you bastard! Money? Power? Or just another pretty girl to add to your collection?"

I looked at both of them calmly and replied, "I need to see her injuries first before I can do anything properly."

Akane moved closer to the bed, her hands shaking as she gently tried to pull the thin, blood-soaked blanket down. Tachibana immediately grabbed it with what little strength she had left, clutching it tightly against her chest like a shield.

"Master... don’t! Don’t you dare!" Tachibana cried out hoarsely, her voice cracking with panic and rage. "Don’t be fooled by him! I don’t know what sweet lies he whispered to you... But I’d rather die than let some rich bastard see my body and use it for his sick fantasies! You know what they’re like, Master. They smile kindly, then they destroy everything!"

Akane sighed deeply, looking utterly exhausted and heartbroken. "Tachibana... don’t be so stubborn. Just see him as a doctor. Nothing more. He’s here to help."

Tachibana shook her head stubbornly, more blood leaking from her mouth as she spoke. "I know all those rich guys, Master. Every single one of them. They’re all the same—predators in fancy clothes."

"This must be one of his perverted fetishes. That’s why he’s really here—to see a dying girl naked and vulnerable. I’d rather die with dignity than be tainted by someone like him. My body is mine. No man gets to look at it just because he has money and a healing quirk!"

Akane turned to me with an apologetic and deeply embarrassed expression. "Jack... please don’t listen to her nonsense. She’s not herself right now. The pain, the blood loss, and the fever are making her say these crazy things. She’s always been wary of men, but this is worse than usual."

I nodded understandingly and smiled softly. "It’s okay. I understand her distrust. She doesn’t know me at all, and she’s fighting for her pride."

Even while dying, Tachibana still held the blanket in a death grip against her chest as I stepped closer to the bed.

"Don’t come any closer!" she warned hoarsely, her voice cracking like brittle glass. "Stay back, you pervert! I swear if you touch me I’ll... I’ll bite your hand off even if it’s the last thing I do!"

I ignored her protests for a moment and gently placed my hand on the side of her face. The moment my palm touched her skin, I activated Healing Touch. A soft, warm white light spread from my hand across her cheek and temple.

"What are you doing—?!" Tachibana started angrily, but her words died in her throat the instant she felt the soothing warmth. Her eyes widened in shock.

The small scar near her temple, the ugly bruises, and the cuts on her face slowly faded away, disappearing completely as if they had never existed. Her skin regained a healthier glow almost instantly, and some of the pain lines on her forehead smoothed out.

Akane’s eyes widened in awe. She quickly pulled out her phone, turned on the camera, and held it up so Tachibana could see her own reflection. "Look, Tachibana... The scar on your face is completely gone. And the bruises too. Do you see it?"

Tachibana stared at her reflection in utter disbelief, her trembling eyes filling with confusion and a hint of fear. "...How is this possible? What kind of trick is this? Witchcraft? Drugs? No... this can’t be real. Master, don’t fall for it! He’s probably just showing off to lower our guard!"

She looked back at me, shocked and confused, but her stubbornness refused to crumble. "No... Master, I still don’t want this. I don’t want to be tainted. Even if he can heal a little, I will not be able to live with myself if I let a man see my naked body."

"It’s better to die with honor than to become some rich boy’s plaything. I’ve seen what happens to girls who trust men like him. They end up broken, discarded, and wishing they had died instead."

Akane looked pained beyond words. She spoke softly, almost pleading, her voice thick with emotion: "Tachibana... Jack is not like the other rich men you’ve met before. He is the brother-in-law of your senior sister, Yuko. He’s family. Why don’t you trust him just this once...? For my sake? I can’t bear watching you suffer like this."

I was genuinely surprised by how unyielding Tachibana was. She was literally on death’s door, bleeding internally, yet she clung to her pride and distrust like a lifeline.

I let out a small sigh and said gently, "If it makes you feel more comfortable... I can blindfold myself while treating you. You can guide my hands if needed. I won’t see anything."

Tachibana stared at me for a long, heavy moment with her weak, hazy eyes. The room was silent except for her ragged breathing. Then, out of nowhere, she asked in a deadly serious tone laced with bitter sarcasm:

"...Will you marry me?"

The entire room fell deathly silent.

I looked at her in genuine surprise. Even Akane was stunned into speechlessness, her mouth slightly open.

Tachibana let out a weak, depressed chuckle that turned into a painful cough. Blood flecked her lips as she turned her head toward Akane.

"See, Master... look at him. All men are the same. The moment responsibility is mentioned, they freeze or run away. He’ll never agree. They never do. They just want the thrill, the body, the conquest. Then they disappear when it gets real. Pathetic."

"I will," I said clearly and without any hesitation, my voice calm and resolute.

Tachibana froze completely. Her dull eyes widened in complete and utter shock, as if I had slapped her back to life.

"I will marry you," I repeated calmly, meeting her gaze directly. "Legally. In front of witnesses, with papers, everything official. I will take care of you as your husband. I will never hurt you, never abandon you, and I will protect you with everything I have. If that’s what it takes for you to let me save your life... then I accept. No tricks. No games. I mean it."