I'm Not Your Husband, You Evil Dragon!-Chapter 23: "A Night of Unexpected Moments"

I scoffed. Loudly.

"Uff. Puny human. Don't hold yourself so high just because you can mix salt and fire. Cooking doesn't make you royalty."

She turned slowly. The grin on her face could've challenged a dragon for dominance.

Then she laughed—no, cackled—like a little villain in a soap opera.

"Ahahahaha! Poor Erza, queen of Witch but a disaster with a frying pan!"

That's it.

I was just about to summon a flame spell and roast that smug face (politely, of course) when—

BZZZ... BZZZ...

Her bag lit up. Not glowing. Not vibrating. Pulsing.

She blinked. Her smile vanished.

She dashed toward it like her life depended on it, grabbed it, and without a single word, bolted toward the door.

"Wha—hey!" I called after her. "Where do you think you're—?"

SLAM.

The door shook on its hinges. Silence.

I stood there, dumbfounded.

"...Wait. What just happened?"

I stared at the door, then back at the still-warm pot on the stove.

She left her book behind.

Something in that bag made her run. And not in the oops-I-forgot-my-laundry way.

No... she panicked.

I narrowed my eyes. A slow grin curled on my lips.

"Suspicious mortal... what are you hiding?"

The room was quiet except for the soft rustling of the curtains, swaying gently in the evening breeze. The golden glow from the lamp wrapped everything in a warm, sleepy light.

Yuuta stirred beneath the blanket, groaning like some wounded animal.

"Huh... Am I dead yet?" he murmured, eyes still half-shut.

I rolled mine. "Unfortunately, no. You're still alive, though your hair looks like it fought a tornado and lost."

He blinked, dazed. "Still... alive, huh?"

"Barely," I muttered. "Thanks to my magic. And soup."

"Soup...?"

"Yup!" Elena's head popped up from beside him. "Fiona made dinner! And Mommy helped! Kinda!"

"I heated it up," I corrected quickly. "Which counts."

Yuuta blinked slowly. "Wow... the Queen of Dragons touched Rival food. This is serious."

"Say another word and I'll feed it to you through your nose."

Elena giggled, then proudly lifted a small spoonful of soup. "Say 'ahhh', Papa!"

Yuuta smiled, weak but warm, and opened his mouth. "Ahhh~"

She carefully guided the spoon in... only to accidentally dribble a bit on his chin.

"Oops!" Elena squeaked, then started wiping it with her sleeve.

"Hey—hey, it's okay," he said with a laugh, catching her little hand. "You're doing great."

Watching them like this—my daughter's laughter, Yuuta's smile even through a fever—something tugged at my chest.

This wasn't my palace. This wasn't my world. But here... it felt like home.

Elena offered another spoonful, but this time I took it gently.

"I'll handle it, hatchling. Your technique's... questionable."

"Hey!" she pouted.

Yuuta chuckled again, though his voice was raspy. "Erza? Feeding me again ? What happened? Did I die and go to the weirdest afterlife ever?"

"Hmph. Consider this a royal favor. One-time only. And if you die now, I'll resurrect you just so I can kill you again for wasting it."

His lips twitched into a smirk, but when I raised the spoon, he leaned forward obediently, taking a careful sip.

"...It's really good," he said softly.

"...I know," I replied. Even though Fiona made it.

I sat beside him as Elena snuggled up under his arm, humming some made-up bedtime tune. The wind blew gently through the half-open window, and the moonlight shimmered on the floor like silver threads.

And for a rare moment, everything felt right.

Not perfect. Not peaceful forever.

But right.

Yuuta, Elena, and me... sharing soup, warmth, and something that felt suspiciously like love.

Ugh.

How annoying.

And yet... I didn't want it to end.

As soon as Yuuta and Elena finished their dinner, the evening's peaceful atmosphere settled over us like a soft blanket. Both of them quickly fell asleep, their exhaustion taking over after a long day. I cleared the table quietly, stacking the plates and bowls, trying to keep the room calm and undisturbed.

The sound of water running in the kitchen was the only noise breaking the silence. I finished washing the dishes in a steady rhythm,

but my thoughts kept drifting back to the two of them—Yuuta, lying peacefully in bed, and Elena, snuggled up against his side. It was a comforting sight, but it left a strange restlessness inside me, a quiet ache I couldn't quite place.

When I finished, I took a moment to just stand there, looking back at the two of them. The dim glow from the bedside lamp made the room feel warm, like an intimate little bubble in the world.

I couldn't remember the last time I felt so at peace, so... grounded.

I entered the bedroom, quietly walking over to the bed. Yuuta's breathing was slow and steady, his face relaxed as he slept. Elena, nestled against him, had a soft smile on her face, her little hands curled up close to her chest.

I sat down beside him, unable to look away. He looked so... innocent when he slept. So different from the bumbling fool he was when awake.

"Tch. Useless mortal." I muttered under my breath, folding my arms.

I leaned back against the wall, letting out a long, exhausted sigh. The quiet of the night seemed to stretch on, and I found myself lost in my thoughts.

I still remember the first time he barged into my chambers, a completely idoit human, so stubborn and foolish.

My plan had been to drag him back to my kingdom, to force him into my world, and yet... here we were, in this little room, in this strange world, and I was still here, sitting beside him.

I never imagined it would feel so... right.

My gaze drifted to the window, and I found myself staring at the moon, the soft glow lighting up the dark sky.

"I hope the kingdom's doing alright without me," I whispered, a faint smile tugging at my lips. The night felt so still, so calm. I almost wished I could stay here forever.

"Oh, fallen star... can you hear a dragon's prayer?" I said quietly, as if the moon might actually answer.

They said that if you made a wish on a shooting star, it would come true. I had never believed in such things, but tonight, I couldn't help myself.

I closed my eyes and whispered my wish, soft as the night around me.

"I wish... I could stay with him forever."

Before I could even open my eyes, I felt something warm slip down my cheek.

Wait...

Tears? How pathetic.

I quickly wiped them away and turned my attention back to Yuuta, trying to ignore the small wave of emotion threatening to overwhelm me. The moonlight spilled across his face, making him look almost... handsome.

My heart skipped a beat, and my face flushed.

He's asleep, right?

I leaned closer, heart racing, and for a moment, I allowed myself the thought that I could do something I'd never dared before. A small kiss, a tiny thank-you for everything he had done for us, for me.

Just a brief moment. One breath, one heartbeat.

Then—

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[Yuuta's POV]

I blinked awake, my senses blurry at first, but something was off. There was a weight on my chest. I could feel warmth so close to my face, and my mind immediately registered the terrifying realization.

Wait...

I opened my eyes, and there, just inches away, was Erza's face—her lips almost touching mine. My heart skipped a beat as panic flooded my system.

Is she... trying to eat me?

To be continue...

[End of Chapter]

Credit Scene

Elena shuffles into view, her little face lighting up with excitement.

"Hi, Reader! It's me, Elena!" She giggles, her tiny hands reaching out as if asking for attention. "Guess what? You can see my cute face now! Please, please check it and tell me... How do I look? Do I look cute?"

She pauses, looking eagerly at the reader, her little hands clasped together in anticipation.

"Okay, I'm waiting! Please leave a comment, okay? I wanna know! Bye-bye for now! See you again soon!"