Extra's Path: The Eternal Frost Monarch

Slowly, she turned her head toward him.

Because Noah’s chin was still resting on her shoulder, their faces were suddenly only inches apart.

Akari’s cheeks gained a faint pink hue.

"T-That was a very bad joke."

Noah’s smile only widened.

"Was it?"

Before she could respond, his arms casually slipped around her waist from behind, settling over the obi wrapped around her kimono.

Akari stiffened.

"No-Noah..."

"Hm?"

"I’m cooking."

She sounded embarrassed, but she made no genuine attempt to push him away.

Noah gently rubbed his cheek against her shoulder.

"I know. Sorry for bothering you."

His arms remained around her for another moment.

"I’m just bored sitting alone over there."

Akari sighed.

"You know you can talk to me normally while I’m cooking."

"I know."

"And preferably while maintaining some distance between us."

"...Fine."

Noah reluctantly released her.

Akari immediately returned her attention to the food, although the faint blush on her cheeks remained.

Noah leaned comfortably against the wooden wall nearby.

For a while, he simply watched her work.

Then his expression became more thoughtful. "If we really manage to get out of here..."

Akari glanced toward him.

"Hm?"

"It’ll only have been around a month and a half in the outside world."

"Approximately, yes."

Akari’s expression became slightly complicated.

"For you."

Noah understood immediately.

"For you, it’ll have been more than twelve years since you disappeared."

"Yes."

Silence settled between them for several seconds.

Noah eventually asked, "What will you do when we get out?"

Akari’s hands slowed.

"Me?"

She thought for a moment.

Then a gentle smile appeared on her face.

"First..."

Her blue eyes softened.

"I’ll find my daughter."

Noah remained quiet.

"I’ll hug Ophelia."

Akari’s smile grew warmer.

"I’ve missed far too much of her life already. I want to see her properly. Talk to her. Hear everything that happened while I was gone."

Then her smile suddenly became frighteningly pleasant.

"And after I’ve finished hugging her..."

Noah raised an eyebrow.

"...I’ll give her a very serious scolding for what she did to you."

Noah’s eyes immediately brightened.

"Oh?"

He straightened slightly.

"Now that’s wonderful news."

Akari chuckled.

"Don’t look so delighted."

"How can I not?"

She shook her head helplessly before returning to the soup.

"After that, I’ll meet Lionel."

Noah’s expression became curious.

"And?"

"I’ll officially sever whatever remains of our marriage."

There wasn’t much emotion in her voice when she said it.

"And then I’ll return to my father’s territory in Raigamine."

"Hmm..."

Noah rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"With your current strength, you could probably become the Duchess of the East yourself."

Akari glanced toward him with amusement.

"You think so?"

"Of course."

Noah smiled.

"You’re already at the peak of the Sovereign Core. If you successfully awaken your bloodline completely, you’ll probably become even stronger."

He folded his arms.

"Having you as the Duchess of the East would also mean I’d have another incredibly powerful person backing me besides my own family."

Akari stared at him for a second. Then she laughed softly.

"So that’s what you’re thinking about?"

"Obviously."

"You really are calculating sometimes."

Noah grinned.

"I’m simply appreciating how fortunate I am."

Akari shook her head.

"You certainly are."

---

Later that night.

"Noah."

"Hmm?"

"You’re doing it again."

"I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about." Noah said sleepily.

"Tch."

Akari stared at him with narrowed eyes.

The two were lying beside each other in the room they had shared for months.

And, as had increasingly become his habit, Noah had moved closer after lying down and wrapped an arm around her.

Akari had initially tried to maintain some distance.

As usual. And, as usual. She eventually gave up.

"Sigh..."

Her arm reluctantly wrapped around him.

Noah immediately smiled.

Akari noticed. "Don’t look so pleased with yourself."

"I’m not." He replied immediately.

"You are."

"Hehe~" He can’t help but giggle.

Akari’s eyes narrowed.

"Now sleep. And don’t do anything strange. Understood?"

"Of course."

Noah settled comfortably against her, resting his head against her soft huge chest as his body finally relaxed after another exhausting day of training.

Akari looked down at the young man nestled against her.

Six months ago, she would never have imagined allowing someone to cling to her like this.

Yet now it had somehow become normal. Her expression softened.

She gently placed a hand against the back of Noah’s head, holding him closer as his breathing gradually became slower.

Soon, he was asleep.

Akari watched him quietly for a few moments. Then a faint smile touched her lips.

"Spoiled child."

Despite her words, there wasn’t the slightest trace of annoyance in her voice.

She rested her cheek gently against his snow-white hair and closed her eyes.

Outside, the forest remained peaceful.

And inside the little wooden house, the two slowly drifted to sleep in each other’s warmth.

---

Two Days Later

Noah stood atop a massive rock formation, his blue eyes fixed on the lone figure several hundred meters away.

Akari stood in the center of a vast clearing.

They had deliberately chosen this place because there was nothing nearby except forest and empty land. If Akari lost control, their wooden house would at least remain safe.

More importantly, Noah needed distance. This wasn’t going to be like her previous transformations.

Today, Akari intended to awaken her dragon bloodline completely.

Noah tightened his grip around the sword in his hand.

"If she loses control..."

His expression hardened.

He wasn’t strong enough to defeat Akari. That much was obvious. At her current level, she could probably crush him before he even understood what had happened.

His role was simple.

Observe her from a safe distance and intervene only if something went terribly wrong. If she completely lost herself, Noah would try to distract her long enough to help her regain consciousness—or run if there was truly nothing he could do.

Several hundred meters away, Akari slowly inhaled.

Then exhaled. Her eyes closed. The entire forest seemed strangely peaceful.

No birds chirped. No animals moved through the bushes. Even the wind gradually disappeared.

Noah narrowed his eyes.

Akari’s hands slowly clenched.

"It’s time..."

She stopped suppressing it.

THUMP!

A powerful heartbeat echoed through the clearing.

Noah’s eyes widened. He had heard it. From hundreds of meters away.

THUMP!

The ground beneath Akari’s feet cracked.

Dark sapphire scales began spreading from her neck, crawling rapidly across her cheeks and down beneath her kimono.

RUMBLE—!

The sky darkened. Massive storm clouds gathered overhead as blue lightning flickered between them.

Noah instinctively took a step backward.

The pressure descending upon the forest was suffocating.

Then Akari’s eyes snapped open. Brilliant blue lightning burned within her vertical pupils.

And she roared.

ROOOOOAAAARRRRR—!!!

It was no longer the voice of a human.

---

[A/N: guys the duchy belonging to Akari’s father is name as Raigamine. I used raiko or something like that name before I guess.. because I thought I haven’t name it. My bad.]

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