“Hmm~ Hmm~”

A soft, melodic hum danced through the air, graceful and sweet, like a lullaby echoing in the dimming room.

Each note Liyana sang seemed to blend with the subtle flicker of magic lightstones floating gently into place.

The room gradually came alive, bathed in a soft, warm glow—just bright enough to feel comforting, yet subdued enough to remain intimate.

She took a step back and placed her hands proudly on her hips, admiring her handiwork with a twinkle in her eyes.

“Now it’s perfect~” she chimed, smiling with satisfaction.

The lights.

The delicate trace of perfume that lingered in the air.

The arrangement of cushions, curtains, and faint, lingering magic—everything had been crafted with one thought in mind:

Riley.

What would he like?

What kind of atmosphere would ease his mind after a long day?

What scent would linger on his clothes after he left?

She had thought of it all.

“It’s a shame I’m banned this time~ But oh well,” she mused, twirling a lock of her silvery hair as she swayed on her feet. “I already had my fun anyways.”

Her chuckle was light and content, but not without a hint of mischief.

Now that she had established a connection with her darling… somehow, the rest of the world didn’t feel as important anymore.

Her status.

Her duties.

Even the jealous whispers of the others.

It all faded into the background.

Riley was hers.

Not in name, perhaps.

Not in exclusivity.

But in a way that felt deeper.

Quietly threaded between moments no one else saw.

Of course, the idea of sharing him still didn’t sit right with her.

It scraped at something primal inside her chest, something old and jealous and possessive.

And yet—

Somehow, this strange arrangement had started to feel unique.

Foreign, yes.

Unnatural, even.

But it brought with it an unspoken intimacy.

A feeling she couldn’t quite describe just yet.

Well, whatever it was… she was satisfied. For now.

She moved to the edge of the room and slowly sat down, one hand gliding gently over her belly as if cradling something fragile, something precious.

A soft glow flickered behind her eyes, her expression slipping into something quieter, something uncertain.

“I wonder if we made Laura this way…?” she whispered, almost in disbelief.

Her fingers lingered on her skin, as if she could still feel Riley’s warmth—the ghost of his presence, his touch, his essence—echoing in her body.

The dreamlike realm they had found themselves in… it was foggy now, the details slipping through her grasp like fine grains of sand.

“It’s a shame I can’t recall most of my memories from that dream-like place…” she murmured.

Even though it had been some time since she’d awakened from that surreal, vividly real dream, the important parts stayed.

The unforgettable pieces.

The laughter.

The embraces.

The whisper of his voice against her skin.

The love.

And the anger.

And the pain.

The way her heart had ached in that place… not from loss, but from a kind of yearning that pierced deeper than any blade.

That was what she had been trying to recreate.

The warmth.

The feeling.

The love.

But no matter what she did, it never came back.

Not completely.

Her heart still beat in her chest, but the rhythm felt off.

Hollow. Like an echo instead of a voice.

She was satisfied—but not whole.

This reality was different. It was heavier. Slower. Restrained.

In the dream, everything was raw and untamed. Now, there were boundaries.

There were eyes.

There were rules.

And still…

She touched her belly again, closing her eyes.

If what she felt in that place had even the slightest chance of becoming real…

Then maybe—just maybe—it was worth chasing, no matter how fragmented or confusing the path may be.

Giving a soft, satisfied smile, Liyana took one final step toward the bed, her bare feet silent against the enchanted floor.

She crouched down gracefully, the hem of her robes trailing behind her like a shadow as she traced her fingers across the mattress—eyes half-lidded, mind focused.

Then, with a fluid motion, she began embedding draconic runes into the room.

Delicate at first—barely visible to the naked eye—until the shimmering inscriptions began to snake their way across the bedding, the walls, even the air itself.

They clung to the space like a second skin, invisible to all but those born with draconic blood… like her.

Though she was willing—generous enough—to let Riley and the other girls have their share of fun tonight… it didn’t mean she’d let it happen on their terms.

Not in her territory.

This room belonged to her.

This space was claimed, shaped, owned.

What occurred within its walls would be real—but only in the way she allowed.

A subjected reality, born from her will, where the boundary between illusion and truth could be bent at a whim.

As the last rune settled into place with a faint, silent flicker, Liyana’s smile deepened.

Her red eyes narrowed, pupils sharpening into thin vertical slits—reptilian and ancient.

Her chaotic dragon blood stirred within her, amplifying her senses and control, reinforcing the enchantments she wove so carefully.

Even the most perceptive mage or sacred familiar wouldn’t sense the magic here—not unless she allowed them to.

Just like how she had grappled with Riley’s heart yesterday—not with force, but with slow, deliberate coils of affection, seduction, and inevitability.

What would happen tonight…

It wouldn’t be real, not in the truest sense of the word.

But it would feel like it.

It would taste like it.

And that was enough.

Because perception was power—and Riley’s heart, like all hearts, responded to the emotions he believed were true.

Liyana nodded to herself, satisfied, and with a twisted glint in her eyes, sat back down on the bed.

Her fingers reached for one of the pillows—soft, familiar—and she pulled it close, burying her face into it with a quiet inhale.

Riley’s scent.

Warm, faintly spiced, unmistakable.

Except… this time, it wasn’t only his.

There were other traces now—subtle, recent, not fully familiar.

The scent of other girls.

Their emotions.

Their skin.

Their love—mingling with his.

The edge of her smile twitched, her eyes half-closing as she exhaled slowly through her nose.

“Well, whatever the case… This whole charade will end soon enough.”

She sat back up, tilting her head toward the ceiling with a dreamy, almost amused look in her eyes.

“And when it does… darling will realize he only has me in his life~”

Her voice trailed off into a gentle hum again.

Not a threat.

Not a promise.

Just a fact—at least, in the reality she was preparing for him.

….

“Here’s the fee….”

The old coachman blinked as he stared down at the pouch of coins I placed in his hands.

“Young lord, this is… too much,” he said quickly, looking between me and the gold coins now weighing down his fingers. “Even a single coin would’ve been more than enough—”

“It’s fine,” I cut him off with a small smile, stepping out onto the cobbled path. “You can consider it a winter bonus. Keep the horse well-fed too.”

He opened his mouth to protest again, clearly conflicted, but finally lowered his gaze and tipped his fedora in a deep bow.

“…Thank you for your generosity.”

I simply nodded, shutting the carriage door behind me as I stepped fully into the cool winter air.

The familiar scent of home greeted me—crisp snow and polished wood.

The road was dusted lightly in white, not enough to hinder the public carriages, thankfully.

The snow hadn’t turned to slush yet, which meant I wouldn’t need to replace my boots anytime soon.

As I walked up the path, I heard a high-pitched screech—not quite audible to the average ear.

“Masteeeeer!”

A small blur of light came barreling toward me.

“Whoa—” I instinctively raised my right hand, catching her mid-flight just before her tiny body slammed into my face.

“What are you doing, Lavine?” I asked with an arched brow as I let her settle onto my palm.

The little creature—currently in her miniature human-like form, just the size of a teacup—sat there sniffling, her wings fluttering nervously behind her.

Seeing four wings behind her back now instead of the subtle two she had from time to time.

‘She’s really going full time fairy now huh…’

“Master! Master! I’m so glad you’re back!” she squeaked, practically vibrating in my hand.

“Wait… are you crying?”

My voice softened slightly.

It wasn’t every day you saw a being like Lavine—an old creature of age and wisdom, sealed in this tiny form—openly bawling.

Even if she looked younger than me right now, I knew better.

Her tiny cheeks puffed up in indignation.

“You… just thought of something rude, didn’t you, Master.”

“Not at all,” I said, eyes glancing aside.

“Liar,” she huffed, crossing her arms. “Anyway! We’re in trouble. No, you’re in trouble. Wait—maybe we are?”

I frowned. “Can you get to the point already?”

“I can’t enter your room!” she blurted. “Something’s wrong! And—your fiancée—I’m pretty sure we made eye contact! W-What do we do now, Master?!”

“…Liyana saw you?”

Lavine nodded gravely, her little legs kicking nervously.

Damn. That was troublesome.

I had warned her—repeatedly—to keep her camouflage and stealth magic at full power around Liyana.

That woman’s senses were dangerously sharp, especially when it came to anything involving me.

I guess even someone like Lavine, maintaining invisibility around a world ending dragon with an obsessive streak was… well, bound to break down eventually.

“I told you to be careful,” I muttered, rubbing my temples. “How much do you think she saw?”

“E-Everything we’ve been compromised now master!” Lavine buried her face in her tiny hands. “She stared right at me, Right into my soul! I felt my magic waver… like she was squeezing the air around me… I barely got away!”

…Yeah. That sounded like Liyana, alright.

“She even chased me around trying to capture me—along with some of your girls…! We need to escape now, Master! I used up most of the remaining mana I got from you just to break out of the cursed cube they trapped me in! Hurry! Let’s get out of here ASAP! Please!!”

Chased?

And some of the girls got involved too?

…Great. So much for trying to set up Lavine as a future trump card.

I let out a quiet sigh “First of all, calm down. We’ll head inside before you explain—”

“NO! We shouldn’t!” Lavine practically shrieked. “She’ll eat me!”

“…While that is within the realm of possibility,” I replied with a shrug, “do you really think I’d let you get eaten?”

“I-I don’t know! You hesitated just now!”

“Fair point.”

“Still! It’s really dangerous in there!” she wailed, clutching my thumb tightly. “It’s full of squeeze-sucking monsters! I’m too young to be milked dry of mana!”

“My~ my~ calling us monsters is a bit mean, no?”

The teasing, musical lilt of that voice sent a chill down even my spine.

“EEEEEEEEK!!”

Lavine screamed like a little girl, instantly diving behind my collar and burrowing between the back of my neck and cloak like a terrified squirrel.

Her tiny form trembled, wings fluttering madly as tears pooled in her glowing eyes.

I almost chuckled at the absurdity of it—if not for the fact that the temperature around me dropped ever so slightly. That was when I knew the situation wasn’t exaggerated in the slightest.

Because standing just a few feet away from the doorway… was her.

“Liyana,” I said flatly, turning my eyes toward the pale-haired woman now lounging casually against the doorframe.

Her crimson eyes glimmered with an unreadable gleam, her long lashes casting thin shadows under the soft golden glow of the mana-lamps she’d lit.

A half-smile curved her lips, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Welcome back, darling~” she said sweetly, stepping lightly down from the threshold, her bare feet leaving delicate prints on the light snowfall. “Did you finish your talk with Papa?”

“…Yeah.”

“Seeing you’re still in one piece, I assume everything went smoothly, hmm~?”

“It went… well enough.”

“Then~ come inside already.” She smiled wider, holding the door open. “The snow’s getting heavier, and the others are waiting. We even warmed the place for you.”

Her voice lowered into a coo.

“Also~ you need to explain why that mysterious, cute little figure flying around has traces of your mana all over her, darling~ fufu~”

Lavine squeaked again behind me, yanking on my hair like a panicked child pleading for her father to run.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep