SPG Warning:The following content may contain themes, language, or situations that are inappropriate for younger audiences. It includes mature elements such as implied romantic tension, subtle flirting, and other situations that may not be suitable for all readers. Discretion is advised. Viewer and reader's judgment is recommended.At his bold comment, I crossed my arms and wriggled in his grip. "Excuse me?" I said, glaring at him. "Should I just walk away and leave you here alone?"Instead of letting go, he pulled me closer, smirking. "Do you really think I'd let you do that?"I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the heat rising to my face. "Let go already."He tightened his hold even more. "If I do, you'll just run away."I raised an eyebrow, trying not to smile at how silly he sounded. "Didn't you just say I smell? Shouldn't you want me to leave?"His smirk disappeared for a moment, replaced by a slightly flustered look. Then, with an exaggerated wave of his hand, he said, "It's not like that! You smell like those filthy human, and it's annoying." He wrinkled his nose. "How dare that awful scent cling to you?"I couldn't help but laugh. "Wow, thanks. That's so nice of you."He waved his hand again, and suddenly, I felt... lighter, like something heavy had disappeared. "There," he said proudly. "I fixed it. No more human smell.""Great," I said, raising an eyebrow. "So, will you let me go now?"He smiled mischievously. "Are you really planning to leave?""Yes! I need to get back to Frasha and help Sir Denise," I said, trying once again to wiggle free."Then no," he replied simply, holding on tighter.I let out an exasperated laugh, shaking my head. "Why are you like this? You've never been so... clingy before!""What do you mean?" he asked innocently. Before I could answer, he picked me up effortlessly and carried me toward an enormous bed that looked like it belonged to royalty.The room was stunning—marble walls with gold accents, soft white fur rugs, and a massive bed piled high with fluffy pillows. It was the kind of place you'd expect royalty to live in, not a dragon. Seriously, who knew they had an eye for interior design?Before I could think too much about it, he dropped me onto the bed like I weighed nothing. I barely had time to catch my breath before he leaned over me, his arms boxing me in. His black hair fell around his face in messy strands, and those dark, reptilian eyes—so cold and sharp they felt like they could see straight through me—locked onto mine. My pulse spiked. I wasn't sure if I should push him away or stop breathing altogether.For a moment, neither of us said anything. Then, out of nowhere, he flopped down beside me with a loud sigh, burying his face in a pillow. I laughed—he was way too heavy for this kind of behavior!Muffled by the pillow, he mumbled, "I feel like I can't breathe when I don't..." The rest of his words dissolved into incoherent sounds.Even though I couldn't make out exactly what he said, the sentiment made my heart stumble. Of course, the way he flopped around like a dramatic starfish kind of ruined the moment.I sighed, tapping his shoulder as I tried to muster a levitation spell to get him off the bed. Nothing happened. Not even a wiggle."You didn't know?" he asked, turning his head to look at me, his voice a soft, deep rumble near my ear. "Magic doesn't work in a dragon's lair unless the dragon allows it.""Of course it doesn't," I said, rolling my eyes, though my pulse had already started to pick up. "So, why did you bring me here?"He shrugged like it was no big deal, then wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close as if I belonged there. "No real reason," he murmured. "I just... like..."The words hung in the air like a spell, and I felt my breath catch. My chest tightened as my heart raced, each beat pounding like a drum in my ears. I couldn't move, couldn't speak. His face softened as he tucked his nose into my hair, inhaling deeply, like he was trying to etch the moment into his memory.My mind reeled. The warmth of his breath against my skin, the way he held me so effortlessly—it was overwhelming, electric. Every nerve in my body screamed at me to react, to pull away or to lean in, but I was frozen in place, caught between the weight of his words and the firestorm they'd ignited inside me.Before I could reply, my eyelids started to feel heavy. Just as I was drifting off, I felt his warm breath near my ear."I won't let it end like this next time," he whispered. "So... wait for me."-I slowly opened my eyes, only to be met with a blinding light. I quickly snapped them shut and started fumbling around the bed, trying to orient myself. To my left, I felt something hard and long, and—wait, what? My brain took a quick, embarrassing detour. I immediately pushed those thoughts aside. Focus, Anya.Then it hit me—Oh right, last night... Dragon's lair. What exactly happened?I snapped my eyes open. I was in the room Sir Denise had lent me, and next to me was the staff I had sent to the boys' room the night before. They must have returned it here, thinking they'd accidentally taken it to their room. Oh my god. What did I do last night? I could feel my face heating up. Maybe I was just being overly sensitive, but it felt like the Dragon was chuckling from the other end of our contract. I shook my head and closed my eyes, trying to refocus.The monster invasion! That was it.I went into the bathroom attached to my room, took a quick bath, and changed into my new clothes. I grabbed the sleeping staff too. I had no idea why it was still asleep, but judging by the water dripping from its head, I had to assume it had a good night.I opened the door, still trying to shake off the embarrassment. Waiting for me outside was a soldier who looked like he was barely 10 years old. His Knight armor was way too big for him, and from his stance, it looked like he might get lost just by moving an inch. Despite all that, he had the biggest grin on his face."Lady Anya, I was sent by Commander Denise to call you for breakfast," I just nodded, not trusting myself to speak, and followed him out.We turned a corner, and there they were, Rhian, Eli, Nine, and Tafi, standing there, looking at me.Tafi, all cheerful as usual, practically skipped up to me. "Lady Anya!!" he exclaimed with his signature enthusiasm. But then he stopped, sniffed the air dramatically, and took a step back."Lady Anya, you smell," he said, furrowing his brows.Then Rhian—who usually kept his cool, stoic vibe—walked over, sniffed the air, and stared at me with eyes so wide, I thought they might pop out of his head."You smell like a Dragon," he said, his voice filled with complete horror.Oh no. My face turned bright red. Was there any way to casually explain the whole white dragon thing without it turning into a million questions? I decided to just move on.I pushed through the awkwardness and headed toward the dining hall, hoping food would be the perfect distraction. I should've known better.As soon as I entered, there was Sir Denise, kowtowing again. Really? Was this his new thing?"I do not know what you did, Lady Anya, but the number of monsters has decreased significantly this morning! Thank you!" Sir Denise exclaimed, his voice cracking with awe as he bowed deeply.I raised an eyebrow, trying to hide my smirk at his over-the-top dramatics. "Get up, Sir Denise. Let's eat first, and then we can talk about the next steps for Frasha."He straightened up, still looking at me with a mix of admiration and confusion. "But... how did you manage it? The monsters were relentless last night. We thought for sure—"I waved him off nonchalantly, playing it cool. "Oh, you know. Just a little... distraction magic. I lured them into a trap with some enchanted fireflies, led them through a maze of illusions, and then... poof!"Sir Denise, Rhian, Nine, Eli, and even Tafi blinked, their jaws slightly dropping in unison. "Illusions and fireflies?" Sir Denise repeated, looking between my friends, who were clearly trying to mask their concern. "But how did you...?" His voice trailed off, bewildered.I leaned back in my chair, taking a bite of my breakfast as casually as I could. "Easy," I said, acting like it was no big deal. "I made them believe things. It's not as hard as it sounds. You'd be amazed what a few carefully placed whispers and shadows can do."Sir Denise, still clearly processing, opened his mouth but hesitated. "But... Lady Anya, you went in alone?" He shook his head, a concerned frown tugging at his lips. "Without anyone to back you up?"Rhian leaned forward, her brow furrowed with worry. "You didn't think that maybe it was too dangerous? You could've—" He trailed off, shaking his head, unable to finish the thought.Tafi shot me a sharp look. "What if something had gone wrong?""Or worse," Nine added, his voice quiet but heavy with concern.I waved off their worries with a light laugh, trying to ease the tension. "I'm fine, really. I knew what I was doing. Besides," I said, offering them a teasing grin, "how else would I have been able to test my new spell work?"Eli, still clearly uneasy, crossed his arms. "Testing? Alone? With monsters lurking around?""Monsters are overrated," I said flippantly, trying to downplay their anxiety. "I have everything under control. Trust me, I've got this."They all exchanged nervous glances but wisely kept quiet, though I could see the worry still flickering in their eyes. They followed me to the table, the atmosphere a little heavier now. We dug into the breakfast spread, the weight of their concern lingering."You don't think they'll return, do you?" Sir Denise asked, his tone more cautious now, as he sat down.I gave him a reassuring smile, leaning back in my chair. "Not unless they get smarter, and considering how easily they fell for my tricks, I doubt that'll happen anytime soon. But we'll need to keep an eye out, just in case."Rhian glanced at me, her voice laced with lingering worry. "Next time, at least let one of us go with you. I don't care how confident you are. You're not invincible."I rolled my eyes but couldn't suppress a small smile. "Fine, fine. I'll bring backup next time."Just like that, it seemed the problem of Frasha village was starting to sort itself out, one monster at a time—thanks to a little creative thinking and some very questionable decisions on my part.-As time passed, we decided to stay in Frasha a little longer, just to be on the safe side in case the monsters decided to return. But to our relief, that never happened. Slowly, the area around the village grew safer. With that sense of security restored, the local economy began to improve, businesses reopened, and trade resumed. It wasn't long before everything started returning to normal—perhaps even better than it had been before.The real change came when the old lords—the ones who had abandoned their territories and left the civilians to fend for themselves—were brought to justice. The laws of the land were clear, and their betrayal didn't go unpunished. They were executed for their cowardice, their crimes against their people too great to ignore. The villagers didn't mourn their loss. If anything, there was a quiet satisfaction in knowing that those who had failed them were now gone. It served them right.