I Want to Retire

(Yuuta's POV)

"She's flying..."

I whispered without realizing it, watching Elena wobble through the sky, wings flapping like an overexcited duckling trying to be majestic.

But she was doing it.

My daughter was flying.

High above the grasslands, beneath a sky so wide it looked like it could swallow the world, Elena soared—clumsy, laughing, and free.

Beside me, Erza lay stretched out on the grass, arms folded behind her head, eyes closed as if the moment meant nothing to her. She was pretending to nap, but I knew she was secretly watching too.

I stayed silent.

Didn't want to ruin the moment.

But then... something warm rolled down my cheek.

"Tch. Weird mortal," she muttered without even opening her eyes. "You're crying over such a simple thing? Elena just flapped her wings."

"Huh?!" I panicked, quickly wiping my face. "N-No, it's not like that! I just… remembered something, that's all."

She cracked one eye open and stared at me like I was some wild, ancient creature she couldn't comprehend.

"I used to dream of flying," I admitted, softly. "Back when I was a kid. I thought maybe if I had wings, I could escape everything. Orphanage. Sad Life. Loneliness. The whole boring human world. But…" I laughed awkwardly. "Guess I was just unlucky to be born human."

Erza stared at me for a moment longer… then sat up.

"Fine. I'll let you fly."

I blinked.

"…pardon?"

"I said I'll let you fly," she repeated, already dusting herself off. "You're my husband, aren't you? I don't like seeing you cry over silly things. So let me fulfill that pathetic little dream."

I looked at her like she'd grown a second head.

"…Wait, are you sure you're my Erza? Since when do you care this much about m...—"

WHACK!

She punched me in the head, not too hard, but enough to remind me who wore the queen's crown in this relationship.

"Knock it off," she muttered. "Do you think I'm some cold-hearted woman?"

"Yes," I said in my head.

Of course, I'd never say that out loud.

You all know what would happen if she ever heard that thought.

Erza stood up with the grace of a lioness, stretching her arms to the sky. Then—without warning—

She unfurled her wings.

Even after all this time, I still can't get used to it.

Those wings weren't just wings—they were art.

They shimmered like moonlight poured over obsidian scales, edged with crimson that glowed when the sunlight kissed them just right.

And when she flapped them, the wind shifted like the whole world paused to take a breath.

It was so beautiful...

I-I could honestly just lick them—

COUGH!

Sorry. I got carried away.

Dear readers, please don't think I'm a pervert. I'm just… an innocent, curious man with a very scientific admiration for dragon anatomy.

"What are you mumbling about now?" Erza asked, her sharp eyes narrowing as she placed her hands on her hips.

"N-Nothing!" I snapped back to reality, straightening up like I hadn't just had questionable thoughts.

She rolled her eyes, then beckoned me forward with one finger. "Come here."

I hesitated. I knew that tone. It was the you-have-no-choice-mortal tone.

I shuffled forward like a man walking to his own execution. Slowly. Cautiously.

"Hold my waist," she said calmly. "Tightly."

I froze. "N-No way. You'll hit me again."

"What?" she frowned. "Why would I hit you for following orders? Just hold my waist, Yuuta."

"Promise?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to fly or not?"

That was enough for me. I stepped forward… and in my nervousness, I might have accidentally grabbed the wrong place.

SMACK!

Her fist met my face like a meteorite.

"You idiot pervert mortal!" she roared, face flaming. "I said waist! Why the hell did you grab my chest?!"

"I-It was an accident!" I yelped from the ground, clutching my nose. "I panicked!"

She groaned and grabbed my collar, yanking me upright like I weighed nothing. She took my hands, guided them exactly to her waist, and looked at me dead in the eye.

"There," she muttered. "Now don't let go. Unless you want to fall and become human pancake."

"…Understood."

Being this close to her felt… strange.

Her waist was warm. Firm. Strong.

Her hair carried the faintest scent of wildflowers and ash—sweet, but powerful.

I couldn't help but stare.

Do all women smell this good? Or was this just... her?

Before I could get lost in that thought, she bent her knees slightly and said:

"Hold tight."

Then—she took off.

Wind howled past my ears. My feet left the ground. Gravity disappeared.

And I—

I screamed.

No shame. No pride. Just raw, high-pitched fear.

I clung to her waist like my life depended on it—because it literally did.

"W-Why are we flying so fast?!" I yelled.

Erza sighed. "You begged to fly, and now you're acting like a terrified duckling. Open your eyes. You'll miss it."

"I'm fine keeping them shut, thank you very much!"

Then,_

I feel like, I am floating in sky but scared to open my eye.

"Yuuta…" her voice was calmer now. Almost gentle. "Trust me."

I opened one eye.

And then both.

It was like a dream.

We were soaring above the clouds.

The sun was dipping over the horizon, setting the sky ablaze with colors I couldn't even name—deep gold, soft lilac, burning orange.

The clouds below us were thick and glowing, like floating islands of light.

I couldn't speak.

My throat tightened. My chest felt heavy. My eyes... burned.

Tears welled up before I could stop them.

"…It's beautiful," I whispered.

She glanced back. "You're crying again?"

I smiled, still watching the endless horizon.

"I never thought I'd see something like this… not in this lifetime."

Then I looked at her.

And with all my heart, I said—

"Thank you, Erza". It's was my heart word, I never imagine World was this Beautiful "I'm really so glad… you're my wife."

She turned away quickly, but I saw it—her ears were glowing red.

"Y-You're such a dramatic idiot," she muttered. "Crying over a sunset. Are you sick or something?"

I laughed softly.

"I said nothing. Because…

You'll never understand."

And maybe, just maybe,

That made it even more special.

Flying with Erza felt like stepping into a dream I'd forgotten I had. The sky stretched endlessly around us, clouds floating like cotton islands. Her wings cut through the wind with ease, and all I had to do was hold on and enjoy the ride.

For once in my life…

I felt like I was free.

I rested my head lightly against her back, closing my eyes, letting the wind kiss my cheeks. I wanted this moment to last forever.

Then, out of nowhere, I heard it—

"Papa! Mamaaaa!"

My eyes snapped open.

"…No."

I turned my head slowly, and there she was.

Elena.

My tiny daughter.

My chaotic, adorable, occasionally demon-like daughter.

Flapping her wings, flying like a confused butterfly, and—oh God—heading straight for us.

"Elena!" I shouted. "No! Slow down! We are literally in the sky!"

But she just smiled.

Like I was her favorite toy about to be tackled.

"NO, ELENA—DON'T YOU DARE—"

THUMP.

She jumped right onto my leg.

Everything stopped for a second.

And then…

Gravity remembered I existed.

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

I slipped.

Hands slid off Erza's waist. My feet swung upward.

My entire body flipped like laundry in a washing machine.

And I fell.

With Elena still cheerfully clinging to my leg like we were at a playground.

"ELENA, THIS ISN'T A GAME!" I screamed.

"WE'RE FALLING! THIS ISN'T BUNGEE JUMPING! THIS ISN'T EVEN SAFE!"

She was giggling.

Just. Giggling.

Like we were on a family vacation and the roller coaster just started.

Above us, I heard it.

A loud, terrifying voice filled with pure rage.

"You absolute IDIOT!" Erza roared, her wings flaring as she dove.

I looked down.

The ground was not a concept anymore.

It was a reality. It was detailed. I could see individual ants.

"This is it," I mumbled. "I'm going to die. Who's going to finish my novel? Who's going to feed the cat I don't have?!"

I closed my eyes tightly. "Just make it quick, Earth."

And then—

"Open your eyes, idiot."

I blinked.

She had me.

Erza had me.

Her arm hooked my shirt, hair whipping in the wind. Her face was calm. Almost bored.

"I… I'm alive?" I whispered.

"I'M ALIVE!"

She glared at me. "Barely. You dropped faster than your self-esteem."

"I WASN'T READY FOR A CHILD MISSILE!"

But then—

rippppppp.

I froze.

"Wait. What was that sound?"

I looked down.

My shirt.

The buttons.

They had given up on life.

"Erza… my shirt—!"

Too late. The last button popped off like a champagne cork, flying into the distance.

"I told you to grab my waist," she muttered. "Not do whatever that was."

And then— I fell again.

Thud.

I hit the ground.

Well—I hit the ground not too height.

Erza, graceful as ever, landed perfectly. Elena fluttered down next to her like a little feather.

Me?

I bounced twice and landed face-first in the dirt. Shirt ripped. Pride annihilated.

I lay there for a moment, mentally planning my funeral.

Elena leaned over me, smiling brightly. "That was fun, Papa! Can we do it again?"

Erza crossed her arms. "Next time, I'm tying both of you to a rock."

I groaned and stared up at the sky.

"…Cursed day."

I let out one final dramatic sigh and closed my eyes, ready to ascend to whatever afterlife accepted failed husbands with dragon-related trauma.

To be continued…

"Dear Diary, today I flew, fell, nearly died, and lost my shirt. In unrelated news, I love my family."