Naya gently rested a hand on her stomach. After a long silence, she finally replied to the System.

Naya: "System… isn’t this a little inhumane?"

System: "There’s no ‘humane’ or ‘inhumane’ here. What’s in your womb is, frankly, just a cluster of cells—no proper egg shape, not even a membrane formed. It’s equivalent to the early cleavage stage of a human zygote. It isn’t a life."

Naya: "But… won’t it become one eventually?"

System: "Host, don’t burden yourself with morality. Elise implanted her genes into you without consent—that was her fault. You have every right to choose. Have you forgotten? You were once a man. You and your comrade vowed: slay the Dragon Sovereign, return home, and marry. Are you truly content becoming a dragon girl? Letting this absurd dragon egg form inside you?"

Naya lowered her gaze to her abdomen, then to the pronounced swell of her chest. Curiously, she cupped the soft flesh—it felt surprisingly heavy. Why were her pecs so exaggerated? She pressed her legs together. No familiar pinch from memory—just an empty, faintly hollow ache. Yet her body felt oddly accustomed to it. Only when recalling she’d been a man did awkwardness surface.

Oh right! She had a female friend—not quite a girlfriend. A priestess. In their party, Naya was main DPS, Leo secondary DPS and support, and a girl named Lina served as healer. Among them, Naya and Lina were closest. But because of Leo, they never acted on it—afraid of shattering their fragile triangle. So they quietly promised: after slaying the Dragon Sovereign and claiming glory, they’d go home and marry.

Had Leo discovered their secret? Jealousy driving him to betray her in that battle Lina missed?

Is Lina okay? That guy Leo… after I died, did he treat her well?

Naya: "System, can you check how my old teammates are doing now?"

System: "If the System could monitor them anytime, your previous System would’ve foreseen Leo’s betrayal. That tragedy wouldn’t have happened."

Naya: "System… sigh. You’re right. Why didn’t it see it coming?"

System: "Host, remember: your life was bought with your previous System’s sacrifice. Killed by the Dragon Queen, Elise. She is our mission target. Our enemy."

True. After amnesia, she forgot the quest, the System, its sacrifice. Seduced by Elise’s small kindnesses, she stayed, served… even became her wife.

If the System knew this would happen… would it still have turned her into a dragon girl?

Naya: "System—why did I become a dragon girl? Why did I lose my memories?"

System: "Estimated: your prior System altered your physique for survival. As Dragonkin, the Dragon Queen might spare you. Amnesia likely resulted from consciousness damage during disconnection. This System repaired your memories upon reconnection."

Naya: "Then how did you find me?"

System: "Its death resonance reached the Supreme Deity’s realm. This System received the signal, sought you. Five years passed. Only now—judging you can slay the Dragon Sovereign, Elise—did reconnection initiate."

Naya: "Why *now*? Even with my Holy Lance restored, I could only beat her first phase."

System: "Because Elise cares deeply for you. And her daughter—the future heir to the Dragon Sovereign—is in your hands. Use her as leverage."

Naya: "Impossible!"

Hearing this, Naya’s calm shattered into blazing fury.

Eliya… so young. How could she use Eliya? Her most precious daughter. Eliya was leverage against Elise—but also Naya’s reverse scale. Her absolute line.

Logically, this was her duty as Chosen Hero. But the thought of exploiting Eliya felt like a blade to her soul. She’d never allow anyone—*herself included*—to harm or use Eliya.

System: "Host, complete the quest. Become the world’s strongest Chosen Hero. The reward? Ascension to godhood itself…"

Naya: "Stop it!"

She hadn’t meant to snap. Clutching her head, every cold, persuasive word from the System carved into her heart like ice. Why did she care so much for Elise? She was the Chosen Hero—a human knight, enemy of evil dragons.

Naya: "Let me… just calm down…"

System: "Memory conflicts are understandable. But recall your original resolve. Remember the Hero’s Heart. Remember—you are human."

Naya took a deep breath. Ignoring the System, she sprawled on the bed, palm resting on the quilt’s lingering warmth. She rolled over, hugging Elise’s pillow. The familiar scent flooded her senses—memories of whispered closeness, tender moments…

Naya: "Ahhh!!!"

Naya: "What am I thinking?! How could I hurt my loved one?"

Naya: "Block System voice."

Silence. No more cold intrusions.

Forget "Chosen Hero" for now. Pondering past lives was frying her brain. But thinking of Elise’s face? Warmth. Sweetness.

Mm! Focus on today.

She folded the quilt neatly, gazing at the fiery sunrise. Time to wake Eliya.

The "Hero vs. Dragon" tale was done. What story tonight? Better prep ahead—no last-minute scrambling. Brain cells are precious!

*Clap!* Naya’s eyes crinkled into a smile.

Full memories restored… now she had *more* fairy tales for Eliya!

Regaining memories wasn’t all bad after all.