Arnold, along with the other Monitors, had arrived.
"Is this the difference between a field monitor and a special-class?"
"No! This is definitely god-class, right?!"
"Eek! What the hell is that eerie black hole?!"
Their voices bounced around like a chaotic volleyball match—exclamations of shock, awe, and absolute confusion.
I exhaled and unmerged from Legion.
Right on cue, the CONSTRUCTORS and exploration-class Monitors arrived to "fix" the city.
Literally.
They'd restore everything—erasing all damage, tampering with citizens' memories, and ensuring any media leaks were neutralized.
That's the Monitor Agency for you.
Ah, before we forget…
"Uhm, Legion, what was it you wanted to tell me about?" I asked, stepping closer to the ever-feminine man.
But instead of answering, Legion's face turned pink. He clutched the hem of his shirt like a shy maiden, avoiding my gaze.
…Where was all that badassery from the battle?!
How cute. Now, propose to me!
His voice wavered, lower than usual. "Uh… I was saying… I won't cause you any trouble as a human, and I'll strive to m-make you happy, just like… any human you'd love would…"
He hesitated, his darting eyes meeting mine, only to flick away again.
"Hana…"
Here it comes! I can feel my single life crumbling to dust!
Legion inhaled sharply and—
"Please, can I continue living with you as a human?!!"
"…"
Ahahaha! That wasn't… what I was expecting.
He practically shouted it, like the adorable little creature he was, completely unaware that he'd just drop-kicked my expectations into oblivion.
But wait—
He wasn't done, though. "I want to keep sleeping next to your room, eating with spoons and such at the dining table with you, and… and showering like humans. In fact, I want to be human now! So… so…"
Oooooh, this is it! This is the part where he confesses!
"Please… don't get a lover…!"
"…"
"…"
Huh?
That's what he was leading up to?
Not a confession of undying love? Not a kneeling proposal?
Instead, he was asking me not to get a boyfriend? Did I hear that correctly?
What an absurd request.
Here I thought he hated human activities, yet now he wanted to fully embrace the race?
No wonder I can't find his horns, tail and serpentine slit, which I love so much.
I sighed, but cheerily responded, "Well… of course, Legion. It doesn't matter what form you take. You'll always be Legion to me, okay? We'll always stick together."
His eyes lit up.
Of course, we'd never be apart. And if he wanted to walk around in human skin, he didn't need my permission in the first place.
I narrowed my eyes, closing the distance until our noses almost touched. "So…" I said sweetly, "what was it you really wanted to tell me?"
"Eh?" He blinked. "I already said it all."
"Ahahaha, oh, Legion, you're so funny! Jeez, it's getting really late, so tell me!"
"…Uh, Hana, you're scaring me."
I realized my eyes were bloodshot at this point. Legion had gone visibly nervous.
…W-Wait… was that really all he wanted?!
He just wanted permission to live like a human? And to make sure I didn't get married??
Maybe he thought a partner would take my attention away from him…
Argh! Dammit!
And here I thought he was about to confess!
Why did I even try so hard in that battle, then?!
Tsk! Looks like I'll have to take the lead. Again!
As Legion cringed, inching back, I snatched his arms and locked eyes with his golden irises.
"Legion!!" I declared.
"Y-Yes?"
"I love you!!"
"...…Eh?"
"I love, love, love, love, love you… in a romantic way!!"
Legion froze. His mouth opened and closed, his face turning red as he desperately searched for a response. "Eh? Wa-wait… I… I…"
I took a deep breath and pressed on.
"I-I want to marry you and make you mine forever! I want to start a family with you, Legion! And I promise, my work as a Monitor won't clash with my family needs. You don't have to worry about anything—I'll work hard to support us. So… what do you say?!"
I squeezed his small hands within mine. They were warm, but my own were trembling.
Wh…What if he said, "But I'm a dragon, we can't do something like get married."
The silence was agonizing. Legion didn't speak, and the suspense was ripping me apart.
My cheeks burned.
On second thought—
"Ah! You don't have to answer right this instan—"
Then, something soft and warm pressed against my lips.
Supple. Gentle. A soft fleshy membrane—
…My first kiss.
Legion quickly covered his mouth, mumbling something like, "I believe this is how humans do it… from what I've seen on television."
Our eyes met.
His face turned beet red. He scrambled to cover it with the back of his hand, his entire posture radiating shyness.
C-CUTE!!!
"…Idiot…" he muttered, voice barely above a whisper. "I wanted us to be like father and daughter, but… I think husband and wife can still work…"
He sheepishly gripped the hem of my dress.
And… Wait. Is Legion even smaller than me?!
"I l-love you too, Hana. I'd love to… marry you."
"…"
…Happiness…
It comes in many forms.
But what does it truly mean to be happy?
Joy… Bliss… Gladness…
It goes by many names.
I've experienced both happiness and sorrow in equal measure, so I know—there's only a thin line between them. And one thing binds them together… Tears.
Warm droplets welled up in my eyes, spilling over my cheeks. It felt like I'd won the greatest battle of my life—and not even defeating Gihon felt this victorious.
Clap, clap, clap, clap!
Applause erupted through the air—our Monitor comrades cheering, celebrating.
…Oh. I completely forgot they were here.
Without thinking, I snatched Legion and pressed my lips against his. (Well… I basically just placed my lips on his—I haven't kissed before, okay?) Then, in a sweeping motion, I bridal-carried him.
Wait. Wasn't this all backward?!
I'm the husband here now?!
"I swear by Hachiman," I declared, holding him close, "You won't regret your decision!"
With that, I sprouted dragon wings and took off into the night sky.
The moon was breathtaking tonight. It reminded me of that first time… when Legion died because of me.
I never thought we'd be here like this.
As the cool breeze fluttered our hair and clothes, I caught Legion staring at me, smiling.
I felt my face warm up. "What are you staring at?"
"Hehe." He closed his eyes, looking completely relaxed in my arms—what a maiden. "So you finally learned how to sprout wings without fusion? I knew you'd been trying."
"Tch. Took you long enough to notice."
"Hmm…" His smile softened. "I'm becoming useless by the day."
I tightened my hold on him. "No! Just being close to me is golden."
Then, without thinking, I added—
"While I like it when you're inside me, I love being able to see your face like this too."
…Hold up. That sounded kinda dirty.
Legion's face turned scarlet. I could almost hear his soul leave his body.
We soared toward the clouds, heading for Nowhere to retrieve that awful Imp, Karane.
…Actually, forget that creepy baby. We'll grab her tomorrow.
Right now, there's something I'll like to do at home.
"Uh… Hana?"
"Yes, darling?"
"The clouds are up there. Why are we heading down?"
"Because we're going home first."
"…I see…"
"…"
"…"
"Legion, have you heard of Sex Education?"
"HELP ME, SOMEBODY!! MY CHASTITY IS IN JEOPARDY!!"
And we lived happily ever after!
The End.
*****
***
*
A rift of severed space tore open amid the ruined landscape, its edges humming with violet energy.
Amid the wreckage, figures scurried about, repairing what could still be salvaged.
From the gaping portal, a man and a child stepped through.
"Ah, Director, good evening."
"Arnold," the man sighed, rubbing his temple. "Haven't I told you already? Call me Uncl—"
"Yes, yes." Arnold waved a hand, cutting off the middle-aged—yet strangely good-looking—man before him. "Captain Takeko just left not too long ago. She defeated Gihon, just as you predicted."
"Naturally! My sister wouldn't lose to some vermin beneath god-class."
Arnold's gaze flickered to the tiny girl perched on the man's shoulders. "Right, Miss Karane." Then, returning his attention to the Director, he added, "But Gihon was stronger than expected. Did you foresee that, too?"
The man rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "The amount of power Hana-chan used… you didn't see it, did you?"
"No. It happened in a hastily constructed pocket dimension."
"Exactly. So you don't know just how much stronger Hana-chan has become." Nico sighed, shaking his head. "Honestly, if they had fought without restraint, Hokkaido would've been wiped off the map—a headache I'd rather avoid."
Arnold let out a wry smile. 'So even this level of destruction isn't god-class yet? Terrifying.'
"Well then, carry on." Nico adjusted Karane on his shoulders. "I have some business to attend to."
"Of course. Good night, Miss Karane. Good night, Direc—"
"Hm?!"
Arnold let out a quiet sigh. "Good night, Uncle Nico."
"That's more like it."
With that, Nico and Karane strode off, heading for the dense forest beyond the ruins. Waiting for them in the darkness were two figures.
"So…" Nico's easygoing tone betrayed no tension. "How did Hana-chan fare?"
The first figure, a naked man riddled with slowly regenerating holes, let out a chuckle. "She's a beast. She never even took me seriously."
"Naturally. You didn't expect to win, did you?" Karane scoffed from her perch. "She's my sister, after all."
Gihon turned his sharp eyes on the child. "Isn't this the one who wiped out my third division captain and vice-captain two years ago?"
Nico laughed sunnily. "Yeah, Karane's been a menace since birth, literally."
The fourth figure finally spoke—a striking, muscular man with rose tattoos sprawling across his bare chest.
"What a reckless gamble, Gihon. What if you hadn't realized in time that you were being isolated into another dimension?"
Gihon, still calm despite his injuries, shrugged. "Then I wouldn't be speaking to you right now." He turned slightly. "Apologies for your black box, though."
The tattooed man exhaled. "It's nothing. I was curious to see how strong Hanako was myself. She's terrifying."
"Hmph! Naturally, she's my sis—"
"Would you give that a rest?!" The tattooed man snapped.
Karane raised a tiny brow. "Oh? You're ordering me, Pandore? Or should I say… Pandora?"
Pandore sighed, rubbing his temples. "It's Pandore! And I have no interest in fighting."
His gaze shifted to Nico. "We had a deal, Nico. I assume you'll honor it and let us go this time?"
Nico, smiling like a cheerful grandpa, nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Nobody died. And you'll hold off on your world-ending schemes until Lukas grows up, right? Everybody's happy!"
"Hm? A lot of people died, though."
Nico ignored Karane's aside and turned to Gihon, whose wounds were nearly gone. "And you—stay put until Lukas is of age."
"Understood." Gihon inclined his head. "As long as I'm allowed to continue my experiments here in the east, we have a deal… But of course, that only applies to me. Other Moonyrs will still come for you as usual."
"We'll crush them where they stand," Karane declared. "Moonyrs make great punching bags, after all."
"Well then, bye-bye!" Nico chimed, tossing a crystal to the ground. A door of shimmering energy split open before him.
Just as he was about to step through, Pandore called out, "Why? Why don't you just finish us, Nico?"
Nico paused, his ever-present smile turning enigmatic. "If you'd seen what I've seen… tasted the fruit of knowledge of good and evil…" His voice trailed off before he waved a dismissive hand. "Well… never mind. I just like playing the observer… and put 'Uncle' when calling me."
"Huh? Wasn't that just for people close to you, like family?" Karane chimed.
"Ah, you're right! Pandore, you can call me just Nico, then."
With that, he and Karane vanished into the portal.
Pandore stood in silence for a moment before murmuring, "Who even is the man called Nico?"
Gihon exhaled, watching the rift close. "It doesn't matter. He's not an enemy."
His eyes flickered toward the empty space where Karane had been, a frown painting his expression. "The real question is… who is that baby?!"