Waking Up to Normal

(Erza's POV)

Now I understood.

Truly, deeply—understood.

Why Yuuta had been sent to Earth.

Why he had been placed in that cold orphanage.

Why he had no memory of magic, of family, or even of the pain that shaped him.

It wasn't abandonment.

It was mercy.

A desperate act of love from a mother who had already lost her daughter and couldn't bear to lose another child chosen by her daughter.

Queen Aerisyl hadn't sent Yuuta away to forget him…

She sent him away to save him.

I felt like the ground beneath me had shifted. The weight of it pressed into my chest, thick and unrelenting.

Beside me, Grandfather remained quiet, his eyes still distant, as though pieces of the memory still echoed in his mind.

Then, slowly, he spoke.

"This is why I told you," he said softly, "that he deserves peace."

His voice wasn't lecturing this time. It wasn't firm or cold.

It was tired. Weighted with compassion and sorrow.

"The moment I looked into that boy's eyes, I knew he wasn't ordinary. But I never imagined…"

He trailed off, then sighed.

"He's suffered more than most do in a dozen lifetimes. And now, with you by his side—"

He turned to me, gaze gentle but serious.

"—he's being pulled back into that pain."

I looked away. I didn't want to hear it. But I needed to.

"Your presence, your aura, your dragon essence… it's disrupting the seal. Stirring the power that lies dormant within him. If it keeps happening…"

His voice softened, like a truth too painful to fully speak.

"He could lose himself again."

A silence fell between us. The kind that says more than words ever could.

And I hated it—because he wasn't wrong.

I had noticed it myself.

Yuuta's growing instability. The way his aura spiked without warning. The cold sweats. The confusion. The way he clutched his head, as if something inside it was trying to break free.

My magic, just by being near him, was weakening the very seal that had saved him.

But still… could I really walk away?

Could I leave him again, like everyone else in his life had?

The answer trembled in my chest, uncertain.

Just then, the memory around us began to tremble—gently, like a ripple in calm water.

A faint shimmer appeared before us: a fractured spell sigil, glowing dimly like a cracked mirror suspended in air.

"There," Grandfather said, stepping forward. "That's the breach. The spell's failing."

He lifted his hand and began to chant softly—reciting the same ancient words the Elven Queen once used. The exact syllables. The exact inflection. As if her magic still echoed within this memory.

Light spilled from his fingertips, and the crack began to mend, thread by thread, like gold poured into a broken vase.

The world pulsed once—then twice.

And then...

The memory unraveled.

Not in chaos.

But gently.

Like a storybook finally closing its last page.

I opened my eyes.

Slowly.

Blinking away the glow of fading magic.

Warmth met me first—the subtle orange light of early morning filtering through the windows. I sat up slightly, my heart still pounding from everything I'd seen.

Then I turned my head.

And there he was.

Yuuta.

Lying quietly beside me on the couch, chest rising and falling in steady rhythm. His expression was calm—no longer twisted in silent agony. No more pain etched into his features.

Just peace.

I reached out before I could stop myself and pulled him into a tight hug, my arms shaking.

"I'm so glad you're okay…"

My whisper cracked.

Yuuta stirred slowly, like someone waking from a dream they barely remembered.

"Ugh… why's my head feel like someone dropped a bookshelf on it…"

His voice was groggy. Confused. But alive.

Tears welled in my eyes. I smiled through them.

"Yuuta…"

His eyes blinked open, unfocused at first, then finding me.

"Erza…? Why are you crying? Are you hungry or something?"

I froze.

"You idiot!"

My fist met his forehead with a soft thud. He yelped, flopping back onto the couch dramatically.

"Ow! What was that for?! Physical assault!"

"That's for making me worry, stupid mortal."

He groaned and covered his head with a pillow.

"Next time just text me your emotional breakdown, lizard queen…"

I laughed—really laughed—and hugged him again, tighter than before.

"What now?" he muffled. "You're squishing me. I can't breathe."

"Just let me have this. Please…"

He paused.

Then, without struggling, he let me hold him.

A long moment passed.

"I don't know what happened," he murmured, "but… I feel lighter. Like… like a storm passed."

"It did," I whispered.

Behind us, someone cleared their throat.

We both froze.

Grandfather stood near the door, arms behind his back, one eyebrow raised.

"Lovely weather today, hmm?" he said with a sly grin.

Yuuta and I immediately jumped apart, awkward as a couple caught kissing in a temple.

"Y-Yes! Wonderful weather! Very… cloud-shaped."

"Uh-huh," Grandfather said, clearly amused. "Kids these days…"

He walked off, still chuckling to himself.

I looked at Yuuta.

He looked at me.

We both burst into embarrassed laughter, the kind that chases away shadows.

And for that moment—just for now—it felt like the world had given us a pause.

I look at him.

Yuuta he was holding his head.

(Yuuta's POV)

Ugh… my head.

It felt like someone had cracked it open, poured in lava, then stitched it shut with dragon claws.

Damn… I can't even remember what we were talking about last time with the old man. It feels like a whole month has passed. How long was I even asleep?

It was like waking from the kind of dream that doesn't end—it just spits you out halfway, like a bad joke with no punchline.

And then it hit me—

"Grandpa!"

I sat up too quickly and nearly passed out again. Everything spun like I was on a tilt-a-whirl.

Across the room, the old man—stoic, proud, and annoyingly smug—turned toward me, eyebrows raised.

Then he chuckled.

"You just called me Grandpa."

I blinked, realizing what I'd said.

"Ah—sorry, I mean… I didn't mean to overstep, sir—"

"None of that now," he said, waving a hand. "'Grandpa' is just fine, boy. Has a nice ring to it."

I scratched my cheek awkwardly.

"Right… thanks, Grandpa."

The word felt strange in my mouth. Heavy and unfamiliar. But… warm. Like a blanket I didn't know I needed.

Then it hit me—something far more urgent.

"Wait—what about that hot girl?!"

He raised a brow.

"Hot girl?"

"You know—the one with the sword and the deadly eyes and the cool suit? Long black hair? Absolutely terrifying but, like, in a good way?"

He stared at me.

And then burst out laughing.

"Oh my… you wake up from a nap and the first thing you ask about is a woman?"

He stroked his beard, eyes gleaming.

"Hmph… as expected of the man my Erza chose.

He waved off my panic.

"Don't worry, child. She's safe. I sent her near the port for now."

"Phew…" I slumped with relief. "That's good…"

But peace, as always, was short-lived.

A chill crept up my spine. That primal, unmistakable sense that I was being watched.

I turned.

And there she was.

Erza.

Arms folded across her chest. Eyes glowing just faintly. Mouth curved in a smile that could break bones.

"Hot girl with long black hair, huh?" she said softly. Too softly.

"I-I meant average! Totally unremarkable! Like, she could blend into a crowd of background characters! Probably allergic to sunlight!" I stammered.

"You pathetic, horny mortal," she growled, stepping forward. "I wept for you. I fought for you. And this is how you repay me? By thirsting over the first woman with a blade you lay eyes on?!"

"N-No, wait, you're misunderstanding! I didn't—!"

Too late.

Her leg rose.

And with divine wrath and perfect form—

WHAM.

Right in the ribs.

I folded like a paper crane. The sofa didn't even try to catch me.

"Ow—ow! Okay! I deserved that! Just—gah, not the spleen!"

The old man took a sip of his coffee, totally unfazed.

I dragged myself upright, groaning.

"So, uh… Grandpa. What exactly are you doing here again?"

He didn't hesitate.

"I came to see my Grand daughter. The one who ran away from her duties."

I blinked.

"Then why the attack on port? Why didn't you just knock on the door like a normal, possibly terrifying visitor?"

He looked at me like I'd asked why water was wet.

"I was curious," he said. "Wanted to see how capable your kind were in combat."

"…So you killed people. For fun."

"Please," he scoffed. "It wasn't 'fun.' It was research. And they were disappointingly fragile. In my world, a human wouldn't last three seconds in a real fight."

I didn't even have words.

In my head, a loud voice began screaming:

This man is going to end the world just because he was curious. Someone stop him.

Erza, still glaring at me (probably still thinking about sword girl), crossed her arms and addressed him directly.

"You wrinkled fossil. You clearly passed through the portal. Why are you here again?"

He shrugged, completely unbothered.

"I was going to return to Nova. But halfway through I ran out of mana. You know how it is—interplanetary travel burns through energy like fire through dry leaves. I wasn't about to get stranded in the void."

I stared at him.

"So… how long until it will take to recover your mana?"

"About a week," he said, sipping his coffee again. "After that, I'll head back."

"Why?!" I blurted out.

Both of them turned toward me.

"I mean—awesome! Yay! One more week with Grandpa! What a treat!" I said quickly, giving them a shaky thumbs-up. "I totally wasn't about to say our tiny apartment's about to explode with two dragons inside. Haha… nope."

I looked up at the ceiling.

Dear God, I thought. Please save me. Either smite me or smite him. Whichever is faster. I don't care anymore.

Erza sighed, muttering something about "flimsy mortals" under her breath.

Grandpa chuckled like this was all a delightful sitcom.

And I just curled up on the floor, wondering if this was the beginning of the end—or the start of the weirdest week of my life.

To be continued....

[FAMILY DRAMA — CREDIT SCENE]

Yuuta:

"Well… first of all, thanks to everyone who's been with me through all the chaos and drama. Seriously, I appreciate all of you. I really do."

I scratched my neck sheepishly.

"My life's been rough, no sugarcoating that. But right now? I'm good. I've got my family, and that's what matters."

Erza glanced at me from the corner of her eye, voice cool as ever.

"Hmph. You always say the dumbest things."

Elena, who'd been quietly watching, suddenly pouted, crossing her arms like a tiny storm cloud.

"Papa! It's not fair! I didn't get to shine at all! Almost six chapters and I was totally ignored!"

Her big eyes welled up with tears, looking like she might burst into a meltdown any second.

I quickly smiled and waved my hand.

"No, no, don't cry! You're definitely not forgotten. Look—checks tablet—the fandom ranking says you're still number one. The absolute top!"

Erza grabbed the tablet with a frown, scrolling through the list.

"What the hell is this? Why am I only third?"

I grinned, feeling like a total genius.

"Well… I mean, I'm the hero here. And this novel is called I Am Not Your Husband, You Evil Dragon—so clearly I'm the star."

Her eyes went dead serious.

"How dare you call me an evil dragon?!"

I raised my hands, grinning wider.

"Hey, it's the title of the novel! I'm just stating facts."

Erza's face twisted in fury.

"Facts? You idiot! I'm your wife!"

Before I could say another word, her hand shot out — SMACK! — a solid slap across my cheek that echoed through the room.

"Ow! Okay, okay! That hurts, you cold-hearted lizard queen!"

Her voice dropped to a dangerous growl.

"Get out. Right now."

Before I could protest, she grabbed me by the collar, yanked me up, and threw me out of the apartment like I weighed nothing.

I landed on the landing with a loud THUD, blinking like I'd just been hit by a truck.

"Fine! Fine! I'm out! But you're the evil one!" I shouted back, rubbing my cheek and glaring up at the door.

Erza's voice carried from inside, dripping ice.

"And don't come back until you stop calling me evil dragon."

Elena, standing nearby, giggled and clapped her hands.

"Papa got kicked out! Haha! You're so funny, Mama!"

Erza shot her a warning glare, but even the queen of dragons can't stay mad at a toddler for long.

Just then, Grandfather appeared in the doorway holding a camera like he was the director of this entire madness.

"Huh? Why am I suddenly the cameraman here?" he muttered, clearly amused.

He looked at the readers and smirked.

"Anyway, everyone, don't forget to add this chapter to your collection.

Bye Readers

Ohhh.,,

"By the way, everyone—please check out Our new novel, Colourless Rainbow."

He took a sip of his tea, then winked.

"Because of that, this chapter got delayed. Sorry about that!"

Erza rolled her eyes from the window.

"Typical."

Yuuta just groaned, rubbing his forehead.

End of chapter.