I woke up feeling like I'd been run over by a truck. My chest was heavy, and every breath felt like dragging air through fire. Worse, I couldn't even move—my whole body was burning up.
I turned my head slightly. Elena was curled up beside me, snoring softly. Erza was on the other side, fast asleep, her arm draped over my waist.
My face flushed, but not from embarrassment. It hit me then—I was sick. Really sick.
Fever? Yeah, definitely fever.
But even so… if I don't get up and make breakfast, these two might actually starve to death.
I tried to sit up, pushing against the mattress with whatever strength I had left—only to flop right back down like a broken doll.
So much for being the responsible one.
Sleep claimed me again before I even realized it—my body just shut down. I couldn't move, couldn't speak. Breathing felt like dragging air through thick syrup.
Then, a small voice tugged at the edge of my consciousness.
"Mama…"
Elena.
"Hmm?" Erza mumbled, barely conscious.
"Papa didn't wake up yet."
Still with her eyes closed, Erza sighed dramatically. "Tch. This lazy mortal can't even wake up on time."
A moment later, she sat up and casually slapped my forehead like she was hitting a snooze button.
I didn't react. I couldn't.
"…Huh?" she blinked, now fully awake. Her hand hovered again—this time, gentler.
I summoned all the strength I had left. "Good… morning… Erza…"
She froze. Her eyes widened as her fingers brushed my neck. Then, her expression changed completely.
"You're burning up," she whispered.
Her hand trembled as she touched my cheek. Then she leaned closer, checking my temperature the dragon way—face to face, skin to skin. It was kind of embarrassing, but I was too close to death to care.
That's when Elena started crying.
"Mama… is Papa dying…?"
Erza didn't answer right away.
Her lips tightened. "…I'm not sure," she finally said, and my heart skipped a beat—not from emotion, from sheer terror.
Erza's inner voice:
This fever… It's the plague spreading in the human realm.
Dragons like me can burn it out in hours, but humans… humans are fragile.
What do I do? I don't know human medicine… What if he… No. No, no, no—there has to be a way!
Erza stood up so fast the bed shook.
"Elena," she said, voice suddenly sharp, "stay with Papa. Don't leave his side, no matter what."
"Where are you going?" Elena cried.
"To the only place that might have a cure," she said, her eyes burning with resolve. "If I have to burn down half the city to save him… then so be it."
And just like that, my dragon wife bolted out the door in her pajamas.
…She forgot to wear pants.
The door slammed shut behind Erza, and silence returned.
My body still felt like it was melting from the inside, but somehow… the warmth of Elena's little hands on mine kept me grounded.
"Papa…" she sniffled. "Don't die, okay?"
I turned my head slowly toward her. Her big eyes were already glistening with tears.
"Why… would I die?" I whispered, trying to smile. "I still haven't taught you how to cook rice properly…"
She pouted. "I can cook rice! I just… forget to add water sometimes."
"That's boiling," I corrected gently. "You boiled dry rice last week, remember?"
Elena blushed and wiped her eyes. "You still ate it…"
"Because you made it." I gave her fingers a weak squeeze. "It was… crunchy love."
She giggled through her tears, climbing up beside me and snuggling into my side. Her small hand pressed gently on my forehead, copying what Erza did.
"You're still hot," she whispered.
"So are you," I said without thinking.
She blinked. "Ehh?"
I laughed weakly. "I meant—your temperature. Don't take after your mother's weirdness…"
We both giggled for a while until the front door suddenly burst open like it owed someone money.
I chuckled, or at least tried to. My throat was dry, my body felt like it had been hit by a truck, and I was about five minutes away from melting into the bed. "Go watch TV for now, okay? Let Papa rest, my sweet Elena."
She nodded like a responsible little dragon-human hybrid, flapped her wings in excitement, and bounced off the bed. "Yes, Papa!"
She grabbed the remote and, in true toddler fashion, mashed all the buttons at once.
The TV lit up. Not cartoons. Not some colorful magical girl show. No—of all things, she landed on the news.
"Breaking news! Dr. Roy, one of the world's most famous international doctors, has mysteriously gone missing! Authorities suspect a possible terrorist attack. He was last seen heading toward the city hospital when a sudden missile like object struck the highway. His car vanished, and no body has been recovered..."
I gasped. A missile?!
I didn't even need to guess. I knew exactly who was responsible.
"STAND BACK!" came Erza's voice like a battle cry. "I HAVE OBTAINED A HEALER!"
I weakly turned my head.
Erza stood triumphantly in the doorway, hair wild, cheeks flushed, and behind her—
—was a terrified-looking man in a white coat, tied up with enchanted rope and floating mid-air.
"Elena," I whispered, "I think your mother just committed a felony."
She nodded solemnly. "She said she was gonna 'borrow' someone. That's kidnapping, right?"
"Technically."
Dr. Roy hovered mid-air—unconscious, limp, and about as useful as a sack of potatoes.
With one arm, Erza flung him onto the couch like trash day came early. Thud!
Then—WHAM!—a swift kick to his stomach.
"You fool," she said, her voice cold and regal. "Wake up already."
The poor man groaned, one eye half-open. "Ugh… am I… dead? Why do I see… an angel?"
SMACK!
Erza's palm met his cheek in a thunderous slap that could revive the dead.
"I'll take that as a no," he coughed, fully awake now, blinking at her with the terror of a man who'd just seen a dragon.
"Who—who are you?! Why did you kidnap me?!" he shrieked, clutching his face.
Erza pointed at me, still lying almost dead beside her. "Treat him."
"W-Wait, wait! I don't think you understand who I am!" Dr. Roy puffed up. "I'm the top medical professional in the entire country! If I report this, you're all going to jail for life!"
Erza didn't move.
Instead, she leaned in, her eyes glowing with quiet fury. "Listen, puny human… I don't care who you are. If you don't save him,
I will burn this entire city down to ash. Don't test me."
Dr. Roy froze. You could practically see the ctrl+alt+delete in his brain.
He dropped to his knees.
"P-Please! I'm treating him! Right now! See? Look—thermometer, stethoscope—real doctor stuff!"
He scrambled over, took my temperature, checked my pulse, and made me breathe like a fish on land.
And then he said.
"His fever was high, but nothing too serious—a dose of medicine and a bit of rest, and he'd be back to normal in no time."
Erza folded her arms. "What is this nonsense? Where's the healing spell? The holy blessing? Are you even a real healer?"
Dr. Roy looked like he was about to cry. "Ma'am, I'm a doctor, not a wizard! This is the real world! I work with medicine, not magic!"
"Then bring your potions, herbs—whatever your kind uses."
"I can! But it's expensive! Very expensive! I don't do charity!"
Silence.
Erza blinked once, then grabbed his collar and dragged him to the window. She opened it with a casual flick and let the air in.
"Would you still charge me," she said with a warm smile, "if I dropped you from here?"
Dr. Roy looked down.
Third floor high.
He nearly passed out again.
Dr. Roy, shaking with fear, stammered, "It's... It's free for you! Please, just let me go! I'll give you the medicine, I swear! Just let me live!"
Erza didn't flinch, her expression as cold and unreadable as ever. With a flick of her wrist, she yanked him back towards her, her grip unyielding. "Where is it?"
The doctor, now visibly sweating and trembling, handed her the vial, his voice shaky. "This... this is the medicine."
Erza eyed the bottle with disdain, her lip curling in contempt. "What is this? Are you trying to play me for a fool?" she growled. "This is trash."
Dr. Roy's eyes widened in panic as he rushed to explain. "Ma'am, this is just the outer casing! The real medicine is inside...
Please, I've done what I needed to! Can I just go?"
Erza's eyes narrowed dangerously. For a moment, she said nothing, then, with a chilling calm, she nodded once. "You can go."
As Dr. Roy turned to make his escape, he felt a cold presence behind him, and then her voice—low, lethal—whispered in his ear.
"If you so much as speak a word about me or my husband, no matter where you hide... I will find you. And when I do, I'll make sure you wish you never spoke."
Dr. Roy froze. The weight of her words sank into his chest like ice, his breath catching in his throat. He quickly looked over his shoulder, but Erza's eyes, burning with silent fury, told him everything he needed to know.
Dr Roy Nodded so fast his neck cracked, then bolted out the door barefoot, screaming, "I SAW NOTHING!"
Without another thought, he bolted for the door, tripping over his own feet in his haste to flee. His heart pounded as he stumbled into the night, praying he would never have to face her wrath again.
Silence returned.
Erza looked at me—still passed out—and sighed.
"You humans are so fragile."
She stared at the medicine in her hand like it was some ancient relic. Then her cold, emotionless eyes turned to me.
"How does this work?" she asked, her voice flat, almost robotic.
I coughed, barely finding the strength to respond. "Twice a day… after breakfast and dinner…"
A long pause.
Her brows drew together slightly. "That means… I have to make breakfast for you?"
Silence.
A chill ran down my spine — and not from my injuries.
She wasn't joking.
I widened my eyes slightly in horror. No. Not again. Not another culinary tragedy.
Her first attempt — and last until now — was still burned into my memory… and my stomach. Raw chicken, With egg shell.
This was her second try.
In her entire life.
And she was going to cook alone.
I felt my soul slowly begin to ascend.
I whispered a prayer to the heavens, "Lord… if this is how I go, let it be quick. But if I must suffer, please let my body be strong enough to endure whatever… dish… she makes."
She stood without emotion and walked to the kitchen. "Wait here. I will return with food."
I could already hear the cold determination in her footsteps.
This woman once burned down a dragon cave. But she can't make toast.
I heard the fridge open. Then close.
"There's something wrapped in a newspaper," she muttered. "Looks edible."
Newspaper? Oh no… she's using expired meat.
The clanging of pans echoed through the apartment. Something metallic hit the floor. Then a sudden hiss, followed by…
"…That's strange. Why did the fire turn blue?"
I sat up straight in bed, pale as a ghost.
I stared at the ceiling.
Dear grandma, grandpa… I can see your hands reaching for me. Wait for me. I'm almost there.
And just when I thought things couldn't possibly get worse, she called out:
"Yuuta. Do humans eat eggs with the shell or without it?"
I froze.
She was serious.
Cold. Unshaken. Completely unaware she's about to commit a war crime in the kitchen.
To be continued.....
[End of chapter]