Chapter 24

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Chapter 24: The Defeated Hero Is Still Happy

Thanks to Master Iris’s careful care, Naya was finally able to get out of bed normally.

Looking at the red marks on her body, Naya didn’t remember the details of last night, but she could guess that things had been pretty wild. Beast! Iris!

Actually, it was because of the magic potion’s effects. No matter how much, she kept crying that it wasn’t enough and asking for more. 

Iris, hearing Naya’s pleas, couldn’t resist and gave her exactly what she asked for, as much as she wanted. 

So, the sober Naya now had to take responsibility for the reckless version of herself from the night before.

And the source of all this?

It all came down to the system’s task.

“Iris, I’m really sorry about last night. The way I acted was because of the effects of a potion.”

Iris picked up the clothes from the floor and rummaged through them, pulling out the small bottle of purple potion and shaking it.

“This, right?”

“Huh? Uh, yeah…”

Naya was initially surprised that the potion had ended up in Iris’s hands, but when she remembered that she had only hidden it in her chest, she realized being found out was inevitable. She even felt a bit embarrassed.

“Where did you get it from?”

“I… I made it myself.”

Naya nervously clutched the blanket, while Iris gave her a deep look, seemingly not fully believing her explanation.

[System, if you don’t speak up, I’m going to expose your existence to Iris.]

[Host, please calm down!]

[Hmph, so what now? If Iris digs any deeper, how am I supposed to cover it up?]

[I’ll make you another bottle.]

[Oh right, you’re so smart, system.]

However, after staring at Naya for about ten seconds, Iris simply smiled softly.

“If you can make such a high-level potion, it seems that not only were you a knight and hero before, but also a skilled magic user.”

She didn’t press further.

Wait, was that a mockery?

“Iris, are you being sarcastic with me?”

“No, I’m serious. Judging by human standards, a potion of this level would be considered high-tier, almost super-tier.”

The human magic hierarchy was divided into five simple categories: low-tier, beginner, intermediate, high-tier, and super-tier.

[System, are you really that impressive?]

[Are you kidding, host? If I weren’t powerful, how could I have rescued you from Iris before?]

[What about Iris? What tier is she?]

[The dragon race naturally starts at high or super-tier. Think about what tier Iris might be. Comparing her to human levels is an insult to her.]

[My wife is so powerful…]

Suddenly, Naya felt a strange sense of pride in her heart, sitting up a little straighter.

[Have you completely lost your mind because of love? Have you forgotten how you were almost killed by Iris before?]

[That doesn’t stop me from loving her.]

[Sigh, my colleague really died in vain, saving such an ungrateful person.]

[System, will you one day also save me from dire situations?]

[I wish you’d hurry up and die so I can bind to someone else. You broke the record for the fastest hero to fall, and there’s no going back. I’m seriously impressed.]

[You’re so hurtful when you talk like that.]

Did I really fall so quickly?

I don’t even feel it.

It was all forced, wasn’t it? It’s all because Iris is too powerful. I was just going with the flow. Plus, the hypnosis effect made it unavoidable.

[But it’s okay. Even if you don’t protect me, Iris will.]

“Naya, what are you thinking?”

Iris’s voice interrupted Naya, who was too absorbed in her conversation with the system.

“Huh?” 

I snapped out of it. 

“Oh, nothing.”

“Were you thinking about something from your past?”

Naya nodded.

“Yeah.”

“So, would you be willing to share your past with me?”

Facing Iris’s eager gaze, her eyes glimmering with fiery sincerity, Naya pressed her hand to her chest, feeling the familiar softness and weight. She was no longer a man. She was now a seductive, mature dragon woman—and a wife.

“Iris… I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“I… I used to be a man, a hero. Does that not bother you at all? Do you not find my current appearance awkward?”

“How could I? The difference between your past and present only makes you even cuter.” 

Iris gently lifted Naya’s chin, her gaze playful yet emanating the pressure of a Dragon King. 

“Or… do you want to change back after regaining your memories?”

“I don’t.”

“That’s good. I can give you anything you want.” 

Her fingers glided from Naya’s chin to her neck, across the valleys and plains of her body, until…

“Except for that.”

Naya swallowed nervously and nodded.

It seemed that returning to her male form was forbidden.

But Naya was happy that Iris openly expressed her love for her as she was now. In truth, Naya didn’t want to go back.

Compared to her difficult past life, she preferred the stability she had now.

“Iris, don’t worry. I’ll always be your Naya.”

Perhaps this was what the system meant by “falling”.

But so what?

Why would someone deliberately make themselves unhappy?

She was already a winner in life. She had the strongest wife in the world and an adorable daughter.

Naya didn’t think of it as “falling”.

It was more like a wanderer finding their way home after years of drifting.

She had simply found a way to achieve happiness.

Even though she had lost her status as a hero and left behind her human achievements, she had gained something far more precious.

Because of this chance, she now understood what true happiness was.

Naya didn’t want to face a world of blood and battles anymore. All she desired was a simple life filled with ordinary comforts.

Grasping Iris’s hand, she felt the warm light streaming in from the curtains, casting a beautiful, messy glow over the scattered clothes on the floor.

And that warmth, which the curtains couldn’t block, filled her heart—just like her feelings for Iris wouldn’t be twisted by resurfaced memories. 

No matter how many layers of memories clouded her mind, whenever she thought of Iris’s name, that warmth would surge forth and embrace every inch of her being.

Of course, the fiery red marks on her body also served as a reminder.

The lifespan of dragons was measured in centuries.

One day, every corner of her body would carry the imprint of Iris’s touch, and by then, her memories would be filled entirely with Iris.

Looking toward the future, the twenty-something years of her previous life seemed utterly insignificant.

Holding Iris’s hand, Naya earnestly asked:

“Iris, now that I think about it, I barely know you. All I do is wait for you to come home every day. I also want to see the world through your eyes. Is that okay?”

Naya still felt like a hero, with the courage to face the Dragon King, Iris and confront this extraordinary love.

The Naya who had lost her memory had been too timid, always passively loving.

When Iris said she couldn’t leave the castle, Naya never dared to challenge that rule. She lacked the courage to seek out Iris’s true heart.

Iris smiled warmly.

“Are you saying you’ll agree to travel with me?”

“Yeah… you could say that. As long as you and Illya are there, anywhere is home.”

Naya gently stroked Iris’s hand, her thumb softly tracing her palm.

With almost three months left before laying eggs, it seemed like a good time to go out for a while.