Chapter 209: Mates, Boyfriends, and Other Human Nonsense

Surprisingly, Kael just looked at Riley with an unreadable expression, and the human began to worry.

“…What?” he asked carefully.

“Why?”

Riley blinked. “Why what?”

“Why do you not want me to mate with someone who won’t make it to next month?” asked the dragon, his tone calm, but his golden eyes intent.

“Huh?”

The mortal’s brow furrowed. Wasn’t that obvious? But with that expression, it was clear that to his boss, it wasn’t.

“Because I think it would be unfair if you had to go through something like that again.” Riley’s face softened. It was that look again, the one he had when he was one tap away from tears.

But this time, Kael was the one who paused, surprised to learn that it was because the twig actually thought it would be unfair for him, a dragon, to experience something like that again.

Kael looked away for a moment, then let out a short, strangled chuckle before turning back to the confused mortal.

“For someone who claims to have a problem with moral decay, aren’t you being too conscientious?”

“!!!”

“Hey!” The degenerate, who had earlier experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, jolted straight. How could he mention that now?!

However, he stopped because Kael’s expression softened, just slightly. “But maybe it would be better if you knew.”

“We’re aware. Even if the others think they live long enough, it’s just not the same…”

“But this life that so many yearn for comes with a price people seldom comprehend—to endure even beyond the end, merely bearing witness as every other light fades away. That is immortality.”

There was a faint distance in his voice, something detached yet accepting, and it surprised the mortal with its quiet weight.

“But because of that,” Kael continued, “to us, it matters little whether it lasts a month, a day, or a moment. What matters is that what is mine remains mine, even for the briefest flicker of time.”

Riley’s eyes widened. He didn’t know what to say. The words sounded heavy, beautiful, and terrifying all at once.

But just when he thought he had recovered, the ancient dragon spoke again.

“So I don’t know about this boyfriend title.”

“Huh?”

Kael’s tone was casual, but his eyes glinted with something else. “You’ve already told everyone about me being your possessive boyfriend. But even then, there was no registration. And with it being the same title, what would even change?”

“…What?” Riley’s brain stalled as the words sank in.

Then he remembered. That time with the elves. The emergency lies. His desperation.

And it clicked.

“Wait a minute! Back then was different!”

“You knew full well I had to say that because the situation called for it!” Riley protested, his voice climbing an octave. “It was just an agreement! A temporary solution because of the sigil and the news!”

“S-so, it’s only now that it’s legitimate!”

“…”

The ever-skeptical dragon didn’t look convinced. “If it’s legitimate now, then what about the registration?” he asked, his expression still perfectly calm.

“Registration?” repeated the confused aide, his head moving in absolute confusion. “What registration?”

Kael leaned back slightly, as though the question were obvious. “Official relationships, especially interspecies ones, need to be registered. Have you forgotten? So where is this boyfriend relationship registered, when it’s certainly not at the MBE?”

Riley froze.

Speechless.

He sat there, mouth open, eyes wide, while Kael continued looking at him with that same composed seriousness.

If anyone saw this scene without context, they might actually think Riley—an insignificant speck of dust—had just jilted the Dragon Lord at the altar.

Oh god.

So how does he even explain this?

“Uhm… Kael,” Riley began carefully, “people don’t normally register their boyfriends on official documents. Generally, to appear on documents, one must either be a recognized mate for magical beings or a legal spouse, in the case of us humans.”

The dragon blinked. Once. Slowly.

“What?”

Riley swallowed. “You know, boyfriend. It’s… a relationship status. Not an official one.”

“What kind of title is so dubious that it’s not even official enough to be registered?!” Kael’s voice rose slightly, sounding genuinely aghast.

No, actually—Riley was sure that the golden lizard was offended.

Riley tilted his head, curiosity winning out. “Wait. You’re serious? You really don’t know what boyfriends are?”

Kael’s eyes narrowed, his expression shifting between irritation and disbelief. “Of course, I know what it is. It’s obviously some kind of relationship term. Who wouldn’t be able to infer as much? But who even invented such a thing?”

Riley blinked at him.

The dragon continued, his words gathering speed like a brewing storm. “For thousands of years, there was no such word. It was simple. Either a mate or no mate. But then humans started inventing all sorts of things. Complicated things. Useless things. You people even invented something as disastrous as concubinage some seven hundred years ago!”

His tone sharpened, wings of outrage almost visible behind him. “Who would want to share?!”

Riley nearly choked.

Kael’s expression darkened further as he crossed his arms, muttering under his breath. “Boyfriends better not be the same thing as concubines. Because there is absolutely no way I would stand for that. It’s already enough that we are not ending up as outright mates.”

There was a pause.

A long, quiet beat as the dragon lord finally realized the twig wasn’t answering.

When he turned, the mortal was just staring at him.

Riley’s eyes were wide, bright, and sparkling with a mixture of disbelief and something dangerously close to fondness.

But how could Riley not stare at this, this being who was probably too busy to learn about the term that sure enough was coined just over 200 years ago?

Then, of all things, the dragon lord—ancient, feared, and terrifying—was actually sitting there, pouting about not wanting to be mistaken for a concubine.

And worse, he was serious about it.

Cute.

Dammit.

Riley felt his throat tighten as he clapped a hand over his mouth, because if he didn’t, he was going to start cooing.

“What?” Kael asked, suspicious. “What’s wrong with you?”

He looked genuinely concerned now, probably thinking the fragile human was on the verge of another breakdown.

Only this time, Riley didn’t answer.

He lunged.

Before the golden dragon could react, Riley grabbed his face and planted a flurry of kisses all over it—quick, uncoordinated, utterly ridiculous kisses that had the dragon blinking in startled confusion.

“Hey—!” The confused man being mauled managed to complain, his voice half protest, half bewilderment.

But it was too late.

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