Transmigrated Into a Cannon Fodder Phoenix, Stuck With the Ice Dragon-Chapter 125: A Stupid Deal

Lucian’s smile faded, "Ah... That?"

Seraphina narrowed her eyes. "That? Tell me."

He sighed and shifted, pulling her comfortably against him before he spoke.

"It’s because of my aura," he said. "Ice dragons... especially my bloodline... we disturb illusion magic. Anything that mimics form or voice freezes around us."

Seraphina blinked, "Freeze? Like literally?"

"Yes." Lucian pinched the bridge of his nose. "Her ’system projection’ wasn’t real magic. It was an illusion mixed with soul manipulation. My presence naturally disrupts it. Illusions can’t stabilize near me."

"So she glitched," Seraphina said slowly, putting the pieces together.

"Because you were basically... crashing her magic like a frozen laptop?"

Lucian frowned. "Laptop?"

"Hm," Seraphina said confidently, "laptop."

Then she blinked because she remembered, belatedly, that the word didn’t exist here.

She whipped her head around, scanning the room until her eyes landed on the sleek, rune-inscribed device sitting on Lucian’s work table, the world’s equivalent of a high-tech notebook.

She pointed at it quickly, "That. Like that thing."

Lucian followed her finger.

"The arc-brace tablet?"

"Yes! That... Laptop." She nodded as if the matter were settled.

Lucian stared at her. "That is absolutely not what it’s called."

"It is now," she said with full confidence.

"It is not." He looked personally offended. "It’s a synchronization tablet. A precision tool. A—"

"Laptop," she repeated firmly.

Lucian exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing in the way a man does when he realizes arguing is pointless.

He pressed a hand to his forehead. "Yup. To answer your earlier question—yes. I suppose that’s one way to put it."

Seraphina brightened smugly, but Lucian continued, pointing a finger at her for emphasis.

"But don’t compare my aura to malfunctioning equipment ever again." He narrowed his eyes. "Any other questions?"

Before she could answer, he tightened his embrace around her, pulling her securely against his chest as if daring her to wriggle away.

Seraphina huffed, poking his ribs once.

"You say that like you’re prepared for me to interrogate you all night."

Lucian lifted a brow. "I am."

She blinked. "You are?"

"I told you," he murmured near her ear, his voice lower now, "ask anything."

Seraphina pursed her lips, suddenly unsure which question to throw next.

Her fingers played absently with the collar of his shirt.

"Well..." she began slowly, her mind returning to something that had bothered her at the start, "since you’re offering..."

Lucian hummed, encouraging her.

"Elyndra once told me, something like a deal..." she said, tilting her head up at him, "have you ever made one with her? I mean... a deal."

Lucian’s body went rigid, like the word itself punched through his ribs.

"Seraphina..." His voice lowered, strained.

She waited.

He finally met her eyes and there was a flicker of something raw there. Shame. Regret. Fear she might misunderstand.

"There was... one moment," he said quietly. "But it wasn’t a real deal. It wasn’t something I ever intended to keep."

Seraphina frowned. "What happened?"

Lucian took a breath, steadying himself.

"It was the day Luna collapsed," he said, voice tight. "I found out Elyndra caused it. She pretended to help her... but she was draining her instead."

Seraphina’s breath caught.

"My anger—" Lucian shook his head, jaw clenching. "I lost control. I froze her entire body. Shattered the chamber around us. I was ready to crush her then and there."

His fingers curled slightly. "But Elyndra... even at that moment, she laughed."

His eyes darkened. "She said she’d outlive the curse. That she’d return."

Seraphina’s heart thudded painfully.

"And then?" she whispered.

Lucian swallowed hard.

"She said, ’If I survive... and appear before you again... you will be mine.’"

Seraphina’s eyes widened.

"And I..." Lucian forced the word out, "I was so furious, so certain she would die, that I said yes. Not literally... more like... sarcasm."

He finally looked at her, guilt bare and unfiltered in his eyes.

"I never believed she’d survive my frost," he said quietly. "Never believed she’d crawl back... and demand I fulfill the deal."

Seraphina stared at him, her expression hovering between disbelief and offended astonishment.

A beat passed.

Then she whispered, "You... what?"

Lucian exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck like the memory physically pained him.

"I didn’t think she’d live," he muttered. "Her body was already cracking under the freeze. I thought it was over... I thought she was seconds away from shattering. And she knew it." He swallowed. "That’s why she forced my answer then."

Seraphina blinked slowly.

"So," she said, her voice dangerously calm, "you made a sarcastic deathbed promise to a fairy."

Lucian winced. "When you put it like that—"

"How else am I supposed to put it?" she snapped. "You basically told her, ’If by some miracle you survive being murdered by me, sure, come claim me like a prize.’"

"It wasn’t exactly like that—"

"It sounds EXACTLY like that."

Lucian opened his mouth, closed it, then sighed deeply. "I admit it was stupid."

"Stupid?" Seraphina repeated, eyebrows shooting up. "Lucian, that’s not stupid. That’s— that’s legendary-level idiocy!"

He coughed, cheeks reddening. "I wasn’t thinking straight."

"No," she said dryly, "you were thinking not at all."

Lucian’s shoulders slumped, "I regret it," he said softly.

Seraphina huffed, folding her arms. "Honestly, a deal and a promise shouldn’t be taken lightly... you know?" She shot him a pointed look, "Even if you promise something small, it’s still a promise."

Lucian flinched just a little, like her words hit a spot he didn’t expect.

"I know," he murmured. "Trust me, I’ve been reminding myself of that for years."

Seraphina shook her head in disbelief.

"You... sarcastically... promise yourself to a fairy. A fairy, Lucian. Those creatures treat verbal oaths like divine contracts."

Lucian winced harder. "Yes. I learned that."

"You should’ve known that."

"I was grieving."

"You were stupid."

"Yes," he admitted.

She sighed heavily, rubbing her temples.

"I mean, who does that? Who sarcastically agrees to belong to someone while killing them?"

Lucian raised a shaky hand. "Apparently... me."

Seraphina bit her lip. "I’m being serious right now..."

"I am too..." Lucian replied. "I promised you—"

Seraphina instantly slapped her hand over his mouth.

His eyes widened.

"You should learn to think before you mutter those words," she scolded, leaning closer. "Promises can’t be taken back. Not here. Not ever. Even if you say it as a joke, even if it’s sarcasm—it still counts."

Lucian blinked against her palm, both guilty and slightly offended.

Seraphina narrowed her eyes. "So stop saying that word so casually."

He slowly reached up and wrapped his fingers around her wrist, gently pulling her hand away from his lips.

"I didn’t say it casually," he said softly. "Not with you."

Seraphina froze.

His thumb brushed lightly over her knuckles.

"When it comes to you..." he continued, voice lower now, "I think before I speak. Always."