I'm Not Your Husband, You Evil Dragon!

Sister Mary stepped out of the War Hall and immediately looked down the long corridor stretching through the Agency headquarters.

The hallway was unusually quiet compared to the enormous chamber she had just left behind. Her footsteps echoed against the reinforced walls as she moved forward, while the blindfold covering her eyes remained firmly tied around her head.

"Your Highness?"

There was no response.

Sister Mary quickened her pace.

"Your Highness!"

Her voice travelled through the corridor, but once again only silence answered her.

Sister Mary stopped.

Her expression gradually became troubled beneath the blindfold. Ever since Erza had begun speaking inside the War Hall, something about the Queen had bothered her, although she hadn’t been able to understand exactly what it was at first.

Now she was beginning to recognize it.

Sister Mary raised one hand and slowly removed the cloth covering her eyes.

Her hidden eyes opened.

She immediately searched the corridor before moving forward again, checking every intersection and open passage she passed. She didn’t know where Erza had gone, nor could she understand why the Queen’s presence seemed so difficult to locate despite how overwhelming it had been only minutes earlier.

Something is wrong with Her Majesty.

Sister Mary’s pace became faster.

She knew that look.

She had seen something similar a very long time ago, although the memory remained distant enough that she couldn’t immediately place the person or moment. What she did remember was the feeling behind it, the expression of someone who was hurting yet refusing to allow anyone around them to see it.

Being strong was difficult.

Pretending to be strong when something inside you was already collapsing was considerably harder.

Sister Mary began running.

As she searched through another corridor, pieces of what had happened inside the War Hall replayed through her mind. Erza’s words to Fiona bothered her most, particularly the strange insistence that another woman should remain beside Yuuta if Erza herself couldn’t.

I genuinely considered you a great match for him.

Sister Mary’s expression tightened.

If I were no longer there...

Why was Erza speaking like that?

Why was she thinking about someone else marrying Yuuta, building a family with him and remaining beside him in her place?

Sister Mary didn’t know.

She had no idea what had happened between Yuuta and Erza before the Queen arrived at the Agency, and guessing without knowing the truth would accomplish nothing. Yet every instinct she possessed told her that Erza’s words hadn’t simply come from concern about an uncertain future.

There had been sorrow behind them.

Several minutes passed.

Sister Mary searched one corridor after another, checking the nearby command sections and adjoining halls, yet Erza was nowhere to be found. More troublingly, she couldn’t sense the Queen’s presence anywhere nearby.

Sister Mary finally stopped.

"Where did you go...?"

Her breathing had become slightly heavier from moving so quickly through the enormous headquarters. She looked around once more before suddenly remembering the Agency’s central intelligence system.

"Monday."

Her voice echoed through the empty corridor.

"Monday."

A calm artificial voice immediately answered through the nearest speaker.

"Yes, Holy Saint. How may I assist you?"

Sister Mary wasted no time.

"Can you trace the current location of the Supreme Commander?"

"Yes, Holy Saint. Please wait."

Sister Mary stood impatiently as Monday began searching through the Agency’s internal systems. Security feeds, access records and surveillance throughout the headquarters were checked in rapid succession while she waited for an answer.

Several seconds later, Monday spoke again.

"Supreme Commander located."

Sister Mary immediately raised her head.

"Where?"

"She is currently inside the Sanctuary Garden."

"Sanctuary Garden..."

Sister Mary repeated the name quietly before immediately turning toward the corridor leading deeper into the Agency.

"Thank you, Monday."

"You are welcome, Holy Saint."

Sister Mary was already moving before Monday finished speaking.

The Sanctuary Garden was one of the quieter sections within the Agency headquarters, deliberately separated from the busier operational areas to provide personnel somewhere peaceful to recover from the constant pressure surrounding their work. If Erza had deliberately gone there alone immediately after leaving the War Hall, Sister Mary’s uneasiness only became stronger.

She broke into a run again.

Her uncovered eyes remained fixed upon the corridor ahead as the same uncomfortable thought continued following her.

She still didn’t know what had happened.

She didn’t know what Erza was hiding.

But she recognized that kind of sorrow.

And she couldn’t leave Her Majesty alone with it.

While Sister Mary hurried toward the Sanctuary Garden in search of Erza, another part of the Agency had become considerably more frantic.

__________________________

Liebus Agency — Emergency Medical Ward

Loid lay motionless upon a hospital bed.

Dark fingerprints were clearly visible around his neck where Erza’s hand had crushed into him, while an oxygen mask covered his mouth and nose to help stabilize his breathing. Several monitoring devices surrounded the bed, their rhythmic sounds filling the room as the medical team carefully examined the damage left behind by the Dragon Queen’s grip.

Outside the emergency room, Fiona waited alone.

Her hands were clasped tightly together as she silently prayed.

She had been sitting there for several minutes, yet her body still hadn’t stopped trembling. Every time Fiona closed her eyes, she saw Loid hanging helplessly from Erza’s hand again, his face turning red while his movements gradually became weaker.

Then she remembered Erza’s eyes.

Fiona slowly looked down at her own hands.

These were the same hands that had killed demons, protected civilians and carried her through battles that would have terrified ordinary people. She had spent years becoming stronger because she had believed strength would ensure that she would never again experience the helplessness she had felt as a child.

Yet against Erza, none of it had mattered.

Fiona had been completely powerless.

Her fingers slowly curled into fists.

The memory of the Phoenix Residence returned without warning. She remembered the blood covering the grounds, the bodies of people she had known since childhood and the demons mercilessly slaughtering almost everyone she considered family.

Only she and Loid had survived.

That day, Fiona had made herself a promise.

She would become stronger.

She would never stand helplessly again while someone she loved died in front of her.

Yet today, despite all the strength she had accumulated and despite becoming one of the five captains of the Liebus Agency, she had nearly watched the only person who had survived that nightmare beside her die before her eyes.

And she hadn’t been able to do anything.

Fiona’s teeth clenched.

She had attacked Erza’s decision with words, threatened her with a sword and even tried using Yuuta’s future against her. None of it had mattered. In the end, the only thing Fiona could do was throw away her pride, kneel upon the floor and beg.

That realization frightened her almost as much as Erza herself.

Fiona had also begun understanding something else about the Dragon Queen.

Friend or enemy didn’t seem to matter as much to Erza as Fiona had once believed. Sara could kneel before her, Fiona could earn her acceptance, and thousands of Agency personnel could place their trust in her, yet none of those relationships appeared to carry the same weight as the tiny circle Erza truly considered her own.

Yuuta.

Her children.

Her family.

Everyone outside that circle seemed frighteningly easy for Erza to discard the moment they crossed a line she refused to tolerate.

Fiona lowered her eyes.

Perhaps that was what frightened her most.

A woman possessing that much power could smile at Yuuta, speak about giving humanity peace and promise to protect thousands of soldiers, yet moments later she could hold someone’s life between her fingers without the slightest hesitation.

The door suddenly opened.

Fiona immediately stood.

A doctor stepped out of the emergency room, and Fiona rushed toward her before the woman had even finished removing her gloves.

"Doctor!"

The doctor looked toward her.

"Captain Phoenix."

"How is he?"

Fiona’s words came quickly as she glanced toward the room behind her.

"Is something wrong? Is he going to be okay?"

The doctor noticed the fear in Fiona’s voice and gave her an immediate answer rather than making her wait any longer.

"He’s out of danger."

Fiona froze.

For several seconds, she simply stared at the doctor.

Then her shoulders dropped.

A breath escaped her that she hadn’t realized she had been holding.

"Thank God..."

The doctor nodded, although her expression remained serious.

"However, his condition isn’t something we should underestimate. His neck suffered significant compression, and his breathing was severely compromised by the time he reached us. He came dangerously close to dying."

Fiona glanced through the small window in the door.

Loid remained unconscious beneath the oxygen mask.

"He won’t be participating in any missions for the next few days," the doctor continued. "He needs complete rest and continued observation until we’re certain there are no further complications."

Fiona immediately nodded.

"I understand."

There wasn’t even a trace of hesitation in her response.

"I’ll make sure he rests."

The doctor gave her a small nod.

"I’d appreciate that, Captain."

Fiona remained silent for a moment before looking toward the door again.

"Can I see him?"

The doctor followed her gaze toward Loid.

"Yes."

Fiona’s expression immediately changed.

"But don’t force him to speak if he wakes up," the doctor warned. "His throat and neck have been through considerable trauma. Let him rest, and if he experiences difficulty breathing or anything changes, call us immediately."

"Yes. I understand."

Fiona bowed her head slightly.

"Thank you, Doctor."

The doctor stepped aside.

Fiona slowly opened the door and entered the hospital room.

The quiet sounds of the monitors immediately surrounded her.

She closed the door gently behind herself before turning toward the bed.

Loid was there.

Alive.

For several seconds, Fiona simply stood near the entrance and stared at the only person who had survived that terrible day with her all those years ago.

Then she slowly walked toward him.

Loid continued breathing through the oxygen mask, each breath quiet but steady beneath the soft rhythm of the medical equipment surrounding him. Fiona had barely reached the side of the bed when his fingers moved slightly, followed by a faint twitch beneath his eyelids.

Fiona immediately stopped.

Loid’s eyes slowly opened.

His vision remained blurred for several seconds, and the bright medical lights above him made him blink repeatedly before the figure standing beside his bed finally came into focus.

Fiona.

His lips moved beneath the oxygen mask.

"Fiona..."

The sound was so weak that she almost didn’t hear it.

Loid instinctively tried to raise himself from the bed, but pain immediately travelled through his damaged neck. Fiona’s eyes widened, and she quickly leaned forward before he could force himself any further.

"No, no. Don’t get up."

She carefully placed one hand against his shoulder.

"You don’t have to move. Just rest."

Loid stared at her for a moment before allowing his body to sink back against the pillow. Even breathing remained uncomfortable, and whatever medication the doctors had given him left his body feeling unbearably heavy.

Fiona pulled the chair closer and sat beside him.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Loid quietly studied her face.

He could see the redness around her eyes and the faint traces of tears she hadn’t completely wiped away. He didn’t understand exactly how he had survived, because the last thing he clearly remembered was Erza’s hand around his throat and the horrifying certainty that he was going to die.

Yet somehow, he was here.

And Fiona was sitting beside him.

Fiona lowered her gaze.

"Why?"

Loid blinked.

Her fingers slowly curled against her knees.

"Why did you do that?"

Loid remained silent.

Fiona looked at him, and another tear gathered at the corner of her eye.

"Why are you so stupid, Loid?"

Her voice cracked.

"You knew how dangerous she was. You knew something wasn’t normal about her, and you still attacked her by yourself."

A tear escaped and rolled down Fiona’s cheek.

"Do you have any idea how scared I was?"

Loid’s eyes softened.

"I almost lost you."

Fiona quickly wiped her cheek, but another tear followed before she could stop it.

"You stupid idiot..."

Her voice became quieter.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why would you do something that reckless?"

Loid tried to answer, but the moment he moved his throat, pain made him wince.

Fiona immediately noticed.

"Don’t force yourself."

Loid remained quiet for a moment before slowly reaching toward the oxygen mask. Fiona helped move it just enough for him to speak without forcing him to lift his head.

"I’m... sorry."

His voice was barely more than a whisper.

Fiona stared at him.

"I thought..."

Loid paused to breathe.

"I thought the entire Agency was under her control."

"I know."

Fiona’s expression tightened.

"I know you misunderstood what was happening."

She leaned closer, frustration mixing with the fear still lingering inside her.

"But even if that had been true, why would you attack her alone? You saw Chief Sara kneeling. You saw the captains following her. If you genuinely believed someone powerful enough to control all of us was standing there, why would you charge directly at her?"

Loid remained silent.

"Why would you risk your life like that?"

Fiona’s voice trembled again.

"You could have died."

Loid looked at her tears.

His heart began beating faster.

The monitor beside him reflected the change almost immediately, its steady rhythm becoming noticeably quicker. Fiona glanced toward it in confusion before looking back at him.

Loid swallowed painfully.

"Because..."

His voice struggled to escape his damaged throat.

Fiona leaned closer.

"What?"

Loid looked directly into her eyes.

"Because I love you."

Fiona froze.

For several seconds, she genuinely wondered whether she had heard him correctly.

"What?"

Loid breathed slowly through the pain.

"I love you, Fiona."

Her eyes widened.

The confession was quiet, almost painfully so, but there was no hesitation in his expression. Loid looked exhausted and could barely speak, yet the way he stared at her made it impossible for Fiona to dismiss what she had heard.

She slowly stood from the chair.

"What did you just say?"

Loid’s eyes followed her.

"You..."

Fiona pointed toward herself as though she needed to make absolutely certain there hadn’t been some misunderstanding.

"You love me?"

Loid gave the smallest nod he could manage without hurting himself.

"Yes."

Fiona stared at him.

"I love you... a lot."

Her mouth opened slightly.

Loid closed his eyes for a moment as another wave of pain travelled through his throat, but he forced himself to continue.

"When I saw everyone kneeling before her... and nobody was acting normally..."

He breathed carefully.

"I thought she’d done something to all of you."

Fiona remained completely still.

"I thought you were in danger."

His eyes opened again.

"And I couldn’t..."

Loid struggled with the next breath.

"I couldn’t just stand there."

Fiona’s expression slowly changed.

"I didn’t want to lose you."

His voice became softer.

"How was I supposed to walk away when I thought something had happened to you?"

Fiona couldn’t find an answer.

"I thought I was saving you."

Loid looked away for a moment, shame appearing in his exhausted expression.

"I was wrong. I know that now."

He slowly looked back at her.

"But when I thought you were in danger... I didn’t care what happened to me."

Fiona’s heartbeat began increasing.

"I just wanted you safe."

Silence settled between them.

Fiona remained standing beside the bed with complete disbelief written across her face. Loid had been beside her for so many years that she had stopped questioning what their relationship actually was. He was simply Loid the boy who had survived with her, trained with her, argued with her and remained beside her after nearly everyone else had disappeared.

He was family.

But now he was looking at her differently.

Fiona slowly shook her head.

"Wait..."

She pressed a hand against her forehead.

"How?"

Loid blinked.

"How what...?"

"How do you love me?"

Fiona looked genuinely confused.

"And since when?"

She stepped closer again.

"We’ve known each other since we were children. You never said anything. You never even acted like..."

Her words gradually disappeared as memories began surfacing one after another.

Loid enduring her father’s training.

Loid following her into dangerous missions.

Loid always appearing whenever she needed help.

And that stupid seven-year-old boy sitting beneath a tree with a swollen eye, stubbornly insisting that he would become a Demon Slayer for one reason.

So I can protect you, Ayaka.

Fiona’s eyes widened.

She slowly looked at him.

"Loid..."

Her voice became considerably quieter.

"How long have you felt this way?"

Loid remained quiet for several seconds.

"Long ago."

Fiona frowned.

"How long is ’long ago’?"

Loid looked directly at her.

"Before your father wanted to adopt me."

Fiona’s expression changed.

Loid took another careful breath before continuing, his damaged throat forcing every word to come slowly.

"I told him I didn’t want him to adopt me."

Fiona stared at him.

"Why?"

Loid’s exhausted expression softened.

"Because I told him I was in love with you."

Fiona’s eyes widened.

"And that someday..."

He paused, visibly embarrassed despite everything that had happened.

"...I wanted to marry you."

Fiona stared at him in complete disbelief.

"Are you serious?"

Loid gave a faint nod.

"We were seven years old!"

"I know."

"Seven, Loid!"

"I remember."

Fiona placed both hands against her head as though the absurdity of the revelation was becoming physically painful.

"You told my father you wanted to marry me when we were seven?"

Loid almost smiled.

"He wasn’t very happy about it."

Fiona stared at him for another second before shaking her head.

"This is ridiculous."

Her expression suddenly became more serious.

"Besides..."

She hesitated.

"I have Yuuta."

Whatever faint amusement had appeared in Loid’s eyes immediately disappeared.

He stared at her.

Then irritation crossed his face.

"Oh, come on, Fiona."

She frowned.

"What?"

"Snap out of it."

Fiona’s expression hardened.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

Loid tried to raise his voice, but pain immediately forced it back into a strained whisper. Even so, the frustration behind his words was unmistakable.

"You don’t love Yuuta."

Fiona froze.

"What did you just say?"

"You don’t love him."

"Don’t tell me how I feel."

Fiona’s voice immediately became defensive.

"I love Yuuta."

Loid stared at her for several seconds.

"No."

Fiona’s eyes narrowed.

"You were afraid of losing him."

Her expression changed slightly.

Loid continued before she could interrupt.

"You were afraid of losing the Aesthor stone. You were afraid of losing his power and everything connected to it."

"That’s not true."

"It is."

"No, it isn’t!"

Fiona’s voice rose enough that she immediately glanced toward the door, remembering the doctor’s warning. She lowered her voice again, but the anger remained clearly visible upon her face.

"I love him, Loid."

"Then answer me."

Fiona stopped.

Loid looked directly into her eyes.

"When Yuuta proposed to you..."

Fiona’s body stiffened.

"...why didn’t you say yes?"

Her lips parted.

Nothing came out.

Loid continued.

"If you loved him as much as you keep telling yourself you did, why didn’t you accept him?"

"That was complicated."

"Why?"

Fiona looked away.

"It just was."

"That’s not an answer."

Fiona’s jaw tightened.

Loid breathed carefully through the oxygen mask before continuing.

"And Yuuta didn’t love you either."

Fiona immediately looked back at him.

"You don’t know that."

"I watched both of you, Fiona."

Loid’s voice remained weak, but there was no hesitation behind it.

"You were both holding onto each other for completely different reasons."

Fiona stared at him.

"You were terrified of losing what Yuuta represented to you."

His eyes softened slightly.

"And Yuuta..."

Loid paused.

"He was terrified of being alone."

Fiona’s expression gradually changed.

Loid continued carefully.

"Think about what happened afterward."

Fiona didn’t respond.

"Yuuta got married."

Her fingers slowly curled.

"He built his own life. He had a family. He kept moving forward."

Loid looked directly at her.

"Does that really sound like a man who spent all those years desperately in love with you?"

Fiona’s lips parted.

"That’s..."

She stopped.

"You both needed something from each other back then."

Loid’s voice softened.

"Maybe you cared about him. Maybe he cared about you too. I’m not saying everything between you was fake."

Fiona remained silent.

"But caring about someone isn’t always the same as loving them."

That sentence lingered between them.

Fiona slowly lowered herself back into the chair.

Her mind immediately tried to reject everything Loid had said, yet for the first time, the answer didn’t come as easily as it normally did.

I love Yuuta.

She had said those words countless times inside her own mind.

She had believed them.

Hadn’t she?

Fiona looked down at her trembling hands as Yuuta’s proposal returned to her mind.

She had supposedly loved him. She had waited for him, wanted him close and feared losing him for years.

Yet when Yuuta finally proposed...

she had hesitated.

Fiona’s brow tightened.

Why?

Her memories shifted to only minutes ago, when Loid had been hanging helplessly from Erza’s hand. The moment Fiona realized he might die, there had been no hesitation and no thought of her pride, rank or even her own safety. She had thrown away her sword, fallen to her knees and begged Erza to spare him.

Fiona slowly looked toward Loid.

She had always called him family, and perhaps that was all he was. Yet the difference between those two moments left behind a question she suddenly couldn’t ignore.

Did I really love Yuuta...?

Her fingers slowly curled.

Or was I simply afraid of losing what came with him?

To Be Continued...

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