"That... uh, how did Luo Sa and Aefina meet anyway?" Norma suddenly leaned in beside me as we sat around the campfire that evening, eating dinner.

Though she’d "leaned in," her voice carried loud enough for everyone to hear. All eyes snapped to me—even Aefina’s. *Seriously? Even you, Aefina? Curious how I’ll spin this?*

"Hm? Why ask that all of a sudden?" I turned to Norma, deliberately slowing my speech.

"Mmm... just curious." Norma crunched into an apple. "You two barely talk, yet you always look so... *together*. It’s almost awkward to interrupt. So how *did* you meet, with such strong feelings?"

Her words came out perfectly clear despite the apple in her mouth. I’d always wondered how she managed that trick.

*(Side note: The fruit Norma was eating wasn’t an Earth apple—it had another name, and its skin was green. But since it tasted and felt like an apple, I called it one.)*

"Well... I suppose I could tell you. It’s not exactly a secret." *Yep. Dragging this out on purpose.*

Refusing outright would be rude, but our real meeting story was off-limits. I needed to invent a flawless tale on the spot—and weave in recent details I’d slipped, like Aefina’s family owning a land dragon. Thankfully, as an isekai’d Earthling, I’d devoured enough novels to spin lies like breathing. A few seconds of stalling was all I needed.

Here’s the story I cooked up: I was a wandering adventurer. Aefina? A small-town girl with insane talent, studying at the capital’s academy. (She’d mentioned the capital’s name herself—real place, higher credibility.)

One peaceful afternoon during her academy break, monstrous beasts attacked her town. The assault was brutal; the town fell. Aefina’s family died under claw and fang. I just happened to be passing through and pulled her from the fight.

Her dying father begged me to take her to Oranda’s capital—our true destination. Her mother was descended from a noble house there. With the right token, they’d protect her. (I’d "borrowed" Aefina’s fancy dagger as proof—looked legit enough to pass as a token.)

The story was wild, but logically airtight. Over-the-top tales often *feel* more believable—why invent something so needlessly dramatic if lying? Claiming Aefina’s mother was capital nobility was safe too. Norma’s crew operated near Aegros; with this world’s travel limits, they’d never been to the capital. And Grey? He was provincial nobility—not capital.

*Key fact: To capital nobles, all other nobles were country bumpkins. Their snobbish superiority made it nearly impossible for outsiders to join their circle—about as hard as a commoner becoming nobility.*

That meant provincial nobles like Grey knew almost nothing about capital families—just surnames and titles. My story held water.

Later, as we lay in bed, Aefina’s voice brushed my mind via Mind Speech: *"Luo Sa... you always lie."*

"Calling me a liar again? I have no choice. They’re friendly now, but if they knew you were a Great Dragon..." I softened my tone. The girl in my arms trembled slightly—I held her tight. She’d faced this before. Too many times.

*(Side note: Aefina’s Mind Speech carried tone perfectly. For expressions? Well, skin-to-skin contact meant I could just... look at her face.)*

*"...No. Luo Sa is different from liars."* She dodged the dragon question, focusing on the lie. She hadn’t called me "liar" in a while—not since we first met.

*Different? I’m not just "a little" different—I’m nothing like them!*

"Human lies always hurt others," she continued. "Their eyes turn... ugly when they lie. I’ve seen countless. But Luo Sa’s lies... they don’t wound. And your eyes... stay beautiful. Not human at all."

*Flattered? Or is she calling me inhuman?* I’d never been complimented on my eyes before. Back on Earth, people called them "lifeless corpse-eyes." If I were Hachiman from *Oregairu*, fine—but I see *nothing*, yet get that label? Unfair.

But deeper than my eyes or species: Aefina’s hatred for humans ran bone-deep. Why "experience human society" with me if she despised them so much?

This needed fixing. Not erasing her distrust of humanity—but ensuring *I* wasn’t lumped in. *Proving I’m not human. Only me.*

"Aefina, lies are lies—whether mine or anyone else’s." She stayed silent. My words had stung.

"Don’t doubt me. Whether it’s me or others, lies serve *ourselves*. We lie to gain something. Some lie for gold. Some lie for status. All lies are tools to take."

"And what do *you* gain by lying, Luo Sa?" Her tone was icy. *She’s angry.*

"You think I’m... *huyou* you?" I slipped in the Chinese term—she wouldn’t understand.

*"...*

Silence. She didn’t get it but was too proud to ask.

"If they knew you were a Great Dragon, they’d reject you. Hate you. That pain... I lied to Norma to spare you that."

"But then Luo Sa gains noth—"

"Seeing you hurt *hurts me*. I avoid it." *Last time I tried flirting, timing sucked. Maybe now...?*

"Words can be weapons—truth or lies. You say lies only wound? That’s just *one* use. Those humans chose to hurt. I chose not to. Like your dagger: in others’ hands, it kills. In mine? It chops vegetables. Lies can protect too."

*"...You’re protecting me?"* Her voice dripped skepticism. *Damn. Should’ve named myself Luo Aotian.*

"I can’t shield you with strength. So I guard your heart instead." *Swollen pride? No. This is flirting.*

*"Mmm..." Luo Sa used Flirt on Aefina. (Seemingly) Critical Hit! Aefina is stunned by overwhelming emotions! (Not really.)*

"I’m with you. Method doesn’t matter. Your happiness is enough for me." I buried my face in her long hair, nuzzling her neck. Her scent was intoxicating. *Never thought I’d say something this cheesy.*

The position was... intense. My pulse raced like a feather teasing my heart.

Just as I fought the urge to bite her neck—

Aefina twisted suddenly. Her slender arms coiled around my neck, pulling me close. Like an elegant white cat pouncing, she sank her teeth into my throat.

*Holy crap! I was still debating whether to bite—and she strikes first?!*

She held me in that scandalous pose, her small teeth pressing just enough to sting, not hurt—like a mother cat carrying her kitten. Worse: her tongue flicked teasing strokes over the spot she’d claimed. *Scratch that feather metaphor. Her tongue’s the real tease.*

I ached to howl, unleash Berserk Mode, pin her down with my near-5,000-point strength... but I knew I’d lose. Even berserk. So I let her bite. *(Don’t overthink that word.)*

Since we used Mind Speech, she could talk while biting:

*"Still so weak... If you want to protect me, prove it. Fail... and I’ll discard you."* Familiar words—from Chapter 1.

*Weak? Let go and I’ll show you strong!*

As if hearing my silent scream, she finally released me. "You promised it’d be fine," she murmured, rubbing her forehead against my cheek. She loved doing that.

I barely heard her.

All I could think about was that double room back in Aegros.