"Uhhh..."

She grabbed the front of Gray's torn shirt with both hands, yanking him forward so hard that his feet left the ground for a moment.

She pulled him right up to her face, their noses almost touching. Her golden eyes bored into his with a terrifying intensity, the divine power still faintly crackling around her. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"…Why did you kiss her?"

Her voice was ice-cold, each word laced with barely contained fury and hurt.

Gray looked straight into her eyes without flinching.

He decided to be completely honest.

"Because I knew that if I kissed her… you'd get enraged and get some kind of power-up that would help you defeat that demon."

Lyra's eyes widened for a brief second, surprise flashing across her face.

But the shock quickly twisted into coldness. Her golden eyes narrowed dangerously, the divine aura around her flaring brighter for a moment.

"And you really HAD to kiss her, huh?"

Gray gave a small, almost helpless shrug, still held firmly by his collar.

"I didn't think that a hug would have the same effect… but hey, you killed that demon!"

He even tried to force a cheerful smile and made a small fist-pumping gesture with his free hand, as if celebrating the victory.

"...…"

Lyra just deadpanned at him.

Her expression was completely flat, the golden glow in her eyes dimming slightly as she stared at him like he was the biggest idiot in the world.

The silence stretched between them, becoming increasingly heavy and uncomfortable.

'...Dammit,' Gray sighed inwardly.

Honestly, that little fist gesture was something Lyra liked doing herself and had even told him to do it with her sometimes.

She found it cute.

But he had always refused because he thought it was a little cringey.

He had hoped it might calm her down, at least a tiny bit, by reminding her of their lighter moments.

It didn't work at all.

Instead...

"You..."

Lyra's grip on his collar tightened until the fabric creaked.

She pulled him even closer, their faces mere inches apart. Her golden eyes bored into his with a terrifying intensity that made the air feel thick and heavy.

"Do you want me to imprison you?" she asked in a low yet dangerously sweet voice.

"Lock you away somewhere only I know about… so you never see the light of day again until I feel like it?"

Gray opened his mouth to speak, trying to explain.

"Lyra, listen... I only did it because I knew it would trigger your power. If I hadn't...!"

She didn't let him finish.

Her expression darkened further. The golden glow around her flared as she yanked him even closer, causing him to feel her breath hot against his lips.

"You think that excuses it?" she hissed darkly. "You kissed another girl right in front of me. In front of everyone. Do you have any idea how that felt?"

At those words, Gray tried again.

"It was the fastest way to make you angry enough to—"

Lyra's hand suddenly shot downward.

Grip...!

She grabbed his balls through his pants and squeezed hard, not enough to cause real injury, but more than enough to make him freeze.

Gray's eyes widened slightly, a sharp frown forming on his face as pain and pressure shot through him.

"Do you want me to cut your dick off?" she whispered, her voice dripping with obsessive menace.

Her fingers tightened threateningly, brushing slighly against his balls, but keeping the grip firm enough to scare him.

"I can do it right now. I'll make sure you never even think about touching another girl again."

Gray's breath hitched slighly, quickly intervening.

"If you do that… we won't be able to have sex."

Lyra raised an eyebrow, her expression not softening in the slightest.

She tilted her head, golden hair falling over one shoulder as she stared at him like he was a puzzle she was about to break.

"It's fine," she said calmly, almost sweetly. "If I want you to satisfy me, I'll just make you use your tongue or your fingers. That's more than enough."

Gray froze completely, his eyes widening in genuine shock.

'...This crazy bitch!'

"But… don't you want to have children?!"

Lyra's lips curled into a confident, almost serene smile, the kind that sent a chill down his spine.

"It's okay," she replied softly, leaning in so close their lips almost brushed.

"I can extract your sperm right now and keep it fresh. Then, when I want kids… I can just put it inside me myself. No need for you to be conscious for that part."

The words hung in the air like a death sentence wrapped in affection.

[...Damn. I should probably take notes from her...]

'Huh? Why the fuck would you?!'

[No reason.]

Gray stared at her, completely stunned.

The casual way she said it, as if discussing something completely normal, made the situation feel even more unhinged.

Lyra's fingers remained firmly around his balls, squeezing just enough to remind him who was in control.

Her golden eyes never left his face, filled with a terrifying mix of love, obsession, and absolute possession.

"You're mine, Gray," she whispered softly.

"And I'll do whatever it takes to keep you that way. Even if I have to lock you up… or take pieces of you… or make sure you can never leave me again."

She leaned in and pressed a gentle, almost loving kiss to his lips.

"But I'd rather not hurt you too much," she murmured against his mouth.

"So be good for me, okay?"

Looking at her sincere yet scary expression, Gray took a deep breath, letting his heart calm down a little bit.

"…What do you want from me then, Lyra?"

Lyra's golden eyes softened for a brief moment, but the obsessive glint never fully disappeared. She leaned in closer, her fingers still gripping his collar tightly.

"I want you to sign this," she whispered.

She waved her hand, and a glowing golden scroll materialized in the air between them.

A... Soul Contract.

Runes of divine binding shimmered across the parchment, each line promising absolute, unbreakable loyalty.

The conditions were absurdly strict:

1: Gray could never leave her side for more than 24 hours without her explicit permission.

2: He could never be alone with another woman for longer than 5 minutes.

3: If he ever felt attraction toward another woman, he must immediately confess it to her and allow her to "punish" him as she saw fit.

4: He must wear a special ring she would create, one that would alert her if he ever tried to hide anything from her.

The scroll hovered in front of him, waiting for his signature.

Gray stared at it with a strange expression.

Lyra smiled gently, almost lovingly, as if she were offering him the world instead of a cage.

"Just sign it, Gray. Then everything will be fine. We can be together forever. No more separations. No more secrets. You'll be mine completely… and I'll be yours."

She extended her hand toward the scroll, ready to guide his finger to sign.

But just then...

Swish…

A strange cyan mist suddenly appeared behind Lyra, swirling into the vague silhouette of a woman.

The figure was ethereal, its curves clearly feminine, radiating a strangely ancient and powerful presence.

"Lyra... It's time."

Lyra's eyes widened entirely.

The golden-red Soul Contract in front of her flickered once… then completely dissipated into golden particles.

Gray blinked in confusion.

"Lyra…? What's happening?"

Lyra let out a short, bitter laugh.

Tears were already forming at the corners of her eyes, but she forced a bright, heartbreaking smile.

"That power-up didn't come for free, Gray," she spoke in a soft and trembling voice.

"You getting me angry… it helped push me over the edge faster than I intended. But the truth is… I had already received an offer long ago. An offer to join a faraway Sect... a place where I could train properly, grow stronger, become someone who could truly protect you."

She took a shaky breath, tears now freely falling down her cheeks.

"I refused it for so long because of you. I didn't want to leave you. But to get the power I used today… I finally accepted. I'm leaving, Gray. Right now."

Her smile remained bright even as more tears fell.

"I'm sorry I couldn't make you sign that Soul Contract… but don't worry. When we meet again, whether it's in a year, or ten, or fifty, I'll make sure you sign it. I'll make sure you're mine… completely and forever."

She stepped forward and gently cupped his face with both hands, her golden eyes filled with love, obsession, and sorrow.

"I love you, Gray. More than anything in this world. Please… wait for me. And don't you dare fall for anyone else while I'm gone."

Swoosh…

Her body began to transform into countless golden wisps of light. Tears continued to fall from her eyes, sparkling as they hit the ground.

Drip… Drip…

Gray stared at the fading golden particles, completely frozen.

"…It's raining…?" he mumbled blankly, his voice turning almost hollow as he looked at the spot where Lyra had been standing just moments ago.

The golden light slowly faded away, leaving only silence and the faint scent of her.

Sect…

Those were organizations that only appeared in the middle-to-late stages of the story. Places ruled by beings who stood at the level of High Gods.

And yet… one of them had already reached out to Lyra this early.

Gray stood there, completely blank.

Then, slowly, his shoulders began to tremble.

"F-fuck..."

Tears, hot and bitter, welled up in his dull black eyes and spilled down his cheeks.

He dropped to his knees in the rubble, his fists clenched so tightly that blood dripped from his palms.

"…Why?" he whispered, his voice started cracking. "Why does everything I touch turn to ash the moment I try to hold it close…?"

He laughed bitterly through the tears.

At that moment, he couldn't help but remember words from a certain prophet he had met during his childhood.

A prophet that his mother had brought to see his future.

"Whatever your heart touches, shall disappear."

His voice rose, raw and filled with self-loathing.

"I'm sorry, Lyra… I'm so fucking sorry. I should have been better. I should have found another way. Instead, I turned the girl who loved me more than anything into someone who has to leave everything behind… because of me."

Tears continued to fall freely as he stared at the empty space where she had stood.

"Truly…"

He closed his eyes, letting the last tear roll down his cheek.

Good Times Don't Last Forever.