I'm Not Your Husband, You Evil Dragon!-Chapter 24: Elena Wants to Go to School?

The kiss.

My breath caught in my throat.

"Wait... no way."

I blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

Any more and I'd be sending Morse code to the ceiling.

My fingers hovered over my lips like they were expecting to find proof—burn marks, divine symbols, a note that said "Thanks for the smooch – Love, Dragon Queen."

Warm.

Still warm.

Still mine.

Last night... Erza kissed me.

No. No, no, no.

That can't be right. She doesn't kiss people. She incinerates people. She glares at me for chewing too loud.

She once threatened to turn a guy into ash for calling her "Miss." possibly this moron (Aaron Muru).

And yet—

She kissed me.

Not a dream. Not a hallucination. Not one of those weird lucid dreams where I also somehow become a magical talking potato.

A real kiss. From Erza. The Erza.

And then, as if nothing happened... she curled up beside Elena, arms gently wrapped around our daughter, and fell asleep.

Like it was the most normal thing in the world.

My heart slammed against my ribs. I rolled to the side, eyes locking on her sleeping form.

I blinked groggily, still lying beside me. She was turned away from me, blanket pulled loosely around her shoulders.

Her silver hair spilled over the pillow like moonlight, wild and untamed.

Her breathing was soft, steady. Peaceful. Too peaceful for someone who kissed me,

last night and like it was nothing and then fell asleep like nothing happened.

I stared at her for way too long. Then, like a moth drawn to a flame—or maybe just a dumb guy asking for trouble—I inched closer.

Slowly.

Carefully.

"She kissed me first," I muttered. "This isn't weird. Just... affectionate reciprocation. Yeah."

I leaned in. Barely an inch away. Just a soft kiss on the cheek. Nothing more. Maybe she'd smile in her sleep. Maybe—

Her violet eye opened.

Dead center. Locked on mine.

I froze mid-air, lips trembling, one breath away from execution.

"...What do you think you're doing?" she asked, voice low and husky with sleep, but laced with that dangerous edge only she could pull off while half-awake.

"Uh..." My mouth went dry. "Mewing, my Queen?"

She blinked at me. Once.

"You dare approach royalty without permission?" she murmured.

No My Queen it's just mouth Exercise. I said

"Do what you want. But if you try anything like that again without permission...

She turned slightly toward me. Her expression blank, but her voice? Ice-cold.

I'll skin you alive and roast marshmallows over your bones."

"...Yes, my Queen," I whispered, retreating like a scared raccoon.

She rolled over again, facing away from me like the last thirty seconds had never happened.

I collapsed back onto the mattress, staring at the ceiling like it could give me answers.

"Unbelievable," I grumbled under my breath. "Last night she kisses me like we're in a romance movie. This morning, I try to return it, and suddenly I'm on her hit list. Absolute lizard logic."

I dragged myself toward the hallway.

"I swear, I'm gonna write a book one day. 'How to Survive a Tsundere Dragon Queen.' Chapter One: Don't. Even. Breathe."

I wandered the hall, toward the balcony, letting the cool morning breeze wrap around me.

Then, I stopped.

The balcony door was open—just slightly.

A soft creak echoed as the wind nudged it.

That's when I saw her.

Elena.

She stood on a little plastic stool Erza had bought from the convenience store. Her tiny fingers curled around the balcony railing. She was leaning forward, peeking out at the world below.

She didn't notice me.

Not right away.

I leaned quietly against the doorframe and watched her.

She looked so small in that moment.

So still.

Usually, she'd be humming, pointing at clouds, or babbling about the shapes they made. But not today.

I crept forward, ready to scoop her up and scare her for fun—

But then...

I saw what she was really looking at.

Down below... a line of children marched past. Kindergarteners, maybe.

Their bright backpacks bounced with each step.

Laughter echoed through the streets, unfiltered and pure.

They clutched lunchboxes, clung to each other's hands.

So loud. So alive.

And Elena...

She wasn't smiling.

She wasn't laughing.

She just stared.

Her small, glassy eyes followed them with quiet longing.

Like a bird watching other birds fly—wings she hadn't yet been allowed to test..

Her eyes followed them like someone seeing something they'd never been allowed to touch.

I stayed frozen in the doorway.

My smile still sat on my face. But inside...

Inside, I broke

My breath caught.

I don't know why—but my knees gave out.

Like some budget drama protagonist, I sank to the floor in slow motion, the invisible pressure of guilt pressing me down like an overcooked rice ball.

My heart stopped.

My hands trembled.

Cue tragic violin music.

I clutched my chest like I'd just been stabbed by my own incompetence.

"What kind of monster am I...?!"

The room echoed with the anguish of a man who realized he forgot to let his kid touch grass.

"She's just a child... and I—I kept her hidden away like some kind of... caged dragon!"

Thunder rumbled in the background.

Probably imaginary. Or maybe Erza sneezed.

I slammed my forehead against the balcony railing with just enough force to be dramatic but not enough to require ice.

"I should die!

Right here!

Let Elena turn me into charcoal!

I deserve nothing less!"

A gust of wind blew past me, rustling my shirt like I was in a soap opera. Somewhere, a hawk probably cried.

"I never thought about it!

She's a kid!

She should be in school! Making friends! Trading ugly stickers!

Eating chalk for no reason!"

My voice cracked like a teenager confessing to his crush for the first time.

"I robbed her of it!"

I dramatically leaned over the railing like some tragic prince from a fantasy opera.

"Other kids... they play tag... they fight over who gets the red crayon... they cry because someone stole their pudding!"

I sniffled.

"And she gets... none of that. Just us. Just this cramped apartment.

Just..."

I paused for effect, a single imaginary tear glistening on my cheek.

"Just instant noodles for lunch every day!"

A pigeon landed nearby, stared at me for a second, then flew away. Even it couldn't handle this level of melodrama.

Behind me, Erza watched my performance with sleepy, deadpan eyes.

Toothbrush in one hand. Cup in the other.

She sighed. "Oh come on, moron. It's 7 AM."

"Papa?"

Her voice was soft.

I looked up.

She had turned around and was staring at me with wide, curious eyes. Not scared. Just confused.

I forced a smile.

"Good morning, sweetheart."

She stepped down from the stool and padded over to me in her socks. "Why are you sitting on the floor?"

I ruffled her hair. "Because I'm feeling something I don't quite understand."

She giggled.

"Is it a stomachache?"

"Kind of. But in the heart."

She climbed into my lap without asking. Her small hands reached up and held my cheeks.

"You look funny."

"I feel funny."

I hesitated for a moment.

Then I said it.

I turned to her, tears still clinging to my pride. " I just... I should've asked. Do you want to go to school?"

Her eyes lit up like a supernova. "C-Can I? Really?"

"Of course! Why not? You're smart, curious, and adorable!"

She gasped. "But what if they find out I'm... y'know... a dragon?"

I ruffled her hair. "Then we'll say you're cosplaying. Or have a rare condition called 'awesomeness.'"

WHACK!

Toothbrush to the back of my head.

"OUCH!"

Erza spit into her cup. "You want to put our daughter in a building full of loud, sticky, fragile humans?"

"She wants to learn!"

"She already knows seven languages and can summon lightning. What's school gonna teach her? Glue stick management?!"

I stood up dramatically. "It's not about knowledge! It's about experience! Field trips! Group projects! The horror of cafeteria food!"

Erza stood still. She hadn't moved an inch since I brought it up. Her eyes were distant, but her jaw was locked tight.

"No."

One word. Firm. Final.

I stepped closer, cautiously.

"Come on, Erza... It's just school. She needs to be around other kids. Learn, grow, smile."

I tried to sound hopeful, but even I knew it sounded weak.

Her eyes snapped to mine.

"No means no."

Her voice wasn't loud—but it cut deeper than a scream.

"Why not?" I pushed, trying to keep my voice calm.

Erza turned her back to me, her long whige hair flowing in the wind like a cold wind.

Then she spoke.

"Listen, you stupid mortal."

The chill in her voice was enough to silence the air itself.

"We're being watched."

I blinked.

"Watched? By who?"

She didn't turn around.

"I don't know. That's the problem."

Her voice was sharper now, barely restrained.

"Recently, someone's been observing us. Tracking our movements. I can feel it in the air, in the way time bends when we walk. You don't notice because you're blind—no magic, no instinct. Just... human."

My chest tightened.

"You could've told me—"

"And then what?!" she spun around, finally facing me, her golden eyes blazing.

"What would you do, Yuuta? Punch the air? Throw a rock at a shadow?!"

She stepped closer, the temperature dropping with each word.

"You don't understand how fragile everything is. I won't take risks. Not with Elena. She's happy here. She's safe."

I opened my mouth to argue—but before I could say anything, a small, shaking voice cut through us like a dagger.

"Mama..."

We both turned.

Elena stood there. Her big, bright eyes filled with tears. Her tiny fists clenched at her sides.

"Mama... Elena hate you!"

Then the sobbing came. Raw, uncontrollable. The kind only a child could make when their little heart is breaking.

She turned and ran inside the bedroom, leaving behind a trail of sniffles and shattered trust.

Erza didn't flinch. Her eyes stayed fixed on the door Elena had just disappeared behind.

I stepped closer, fists clenched.

"Do you even hear yourself?"

My voice cracked.

"You just broke her heart."

Erza didn't respond. But her aura wavered. Just for a second.

"You're not wrong to be cautious," I said softly, still trying to calm my racing heart.

"But she's not a weapon. She's a little girl. She wants to be normal, to laugh, to make friends. Don't take that from her."

Silence stretched between us. The kind that hurt your lungs.

Erza closed her eyes. Her voice came out lower this time, strained.

"Do you think I don't want that too? Do you think I enjoy being the villain in her eyes?"

She finally looked at me again.

"I'd rather she hate me and live... than love me and die."

I had no answer for that. Because somewhere deep down... I understood.

But I also knew this couldn't end like this.

I took a deep breath.

"Then let me make a deal."

She raised an eyebrow, the glow in her eyes slowly starting to rise.

"If anything happens to Elena... I'll take full responsibility."

I stared her down, my heartbeat deafening.

"If anyone hurts her again... I'll kill them."

Silence.

Then... it came.

A storm.

Her magic flared so violently, the air cracked. The floor beneath us trembled. I dropped to one knee, my lungs suddenly tight. Her aura—cold, unrelenting, ancient—it wrapped around me like a noose. I couldn't breathe.

Even as someone untouched by magic, I felt it.

Terror. The kind that doesn't just shake your body, but your soul.

She stepped forward, every footfall echoing like thunder.

Her voice—colder than death—cut the air.

"You know what you're saying, Yuuta?"

I was shaking. My hands, my legs... everything trembled. But I didn't look away.

"Yes."

Her eyes... they weren't the eyes of a queen. They were the eyes of a mother on the edge.

"If something happens to Elena..."

She raised her hand slightly, and I saw the frost gather in her palm.

"I will freeze this world."

She leaned closer.

"I will kill every last human. Burn them. Shatter them. Erase them from history and then I will leave you in this whole dead planet alone. You understand me?"

I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.

But I nodded.

"I understand."

A few seconds passed. Maybe a minute. Her aura slowly faded, and the frost in the air began to melt.

She straightened her back, exhaled once... and finally said:

"I allow it."

I collapsed to the ground, coughing, gasping for air like I'd just surfaced from drowning. My hands were drenched in sweat. My shirt clung to me. My legs had gone numb.

But I looked up.

"Thank you..." I whispered.

"For trusting me. Even if just a little."

Then, from behind us—

"YAYYYY!"

Elena's voice shattered the tension like a hammer through glass.

She spun in circles, hopping like a wild bunny.

"Elena's going to school! Elena's going to school!" she sang, again and again.

I couldn't help but smile, even as I struggled to stand.

And at that moment, watching her giggle and spin—

I understood exactly why Erza would burn the world.

And why I would too.

To be continue.....

[Scene Credit One – Thank You Message]

Elena:

Yah! Hello, everyone! Thank you soooo much for reading our story! We just hit 180 collections! You guys are the best!

Yuuta:

Seriously, thanks a ton, everyone. Your Power Stones, collections, and those handsome votes? You're carrying us!

Though... I didn't expect to get more votes than Erza in the fandom ranking. Kinda wild, right?

Erza:

...

(crosses arms, eyes narrow)

How exactly did a plain-faced mortal like you get more votes than me?

Yuuta:

Uh... maybe they like my personality?

Erza:

Your personality is mediocre at best.

This fandom clearly has poor taste—or they haven't seen what true elegance looks like yet.

Yuuta:

Ouch. That's cold.

Erza:

Th𝓮 most uptodate nov𝑒ls are publish𝒆d on ƒreewebηoveℓ.com.

Good. Stay frozen.

Elena:

Hehe~ Mommy's mad again. Anyway! Thank you, everyone! Let's reach 200 collections next!

Yuuta:

And maybe Erza will finally smile for once?

Erza:

Unlikely.