(Yuuta's POV)
Erza blinked, forcing her tone steady. "What a ridiculous dream you had, Elena," she said, trying to sound calm—but I caught that faint tremor in her voice.
My chest tightened.
"Ridiculous? What do you mean ridiculous, Erza?" I said from the doorway, brushing dust from my clothes. "Dreams like that aren't ridiculous. They mean something."
She turned toward me, irritation flashing across her face. "Oh, come on, Yuuta. Are you stupid? Dreams are nothing but imagination—just fragments your mind throws together while you're asleep."
I clenched my fists. "You really think a child would just imagine two people she's never even met? Do you honestly believe that's just coincidence?"
Her gaze sharpened. "Listen," she said, her voice low, edged with the kind of firmness that left no room for argument. "Dreams don't shape reality. They're nothing but illusions—pretty stories our mind tells us to escape. Reality doesn't bend to imagination. It's cruel. It's painful. And unlike dreams, you can't wake up from it."
I stepped closer, my voice rising. "You're wrong. Maybe you don't believe in signs, but I do. Elena's dream—her crying, the way she described everything—it wasn't some random fantasy. She felt something, Erza. Something real."
Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw something flicker behind them—guilt, maybe, or fear. But she quickly looked away. "You're letting your emotions cloud your judgment again," she muttered. "You always do."
"And you," I shot back, my tone colder now, "always act like nothing touches you. Like feelings are weaknesses instead of warnings."
The room fell into silence.
Elena, still clinging to Erza's leg, looked between us with wide, confused eyes.
Erza finally exhaled, her shoulders relaxing as she brushed a hand through Elena's soft hair.
"Enough," she murmured, her voice low but firm. "She's just a child. Don't make me the villain in front of her again."
I stood there, quiet for a moment. The tension still hung in the air, thick and heavy. Elena's small fingers clung to her mother's sleeve, her red eyes blinking in confusion, unsure whether to cry or laugh.
I sighed, lowering my voice.
"You're right," I said, my tone softer now. "It must've been a nightmare for her. Sorry… I got carried away, Erza."
For a second, she didn't say anything. Her eyes lingered on Elena, but I could see the faintest twitch in her expression — the kind she always tried to hide when she was secretly relieved.
"Hmph." She finally turned her head slightly, her long silver hair brushing against her shoulder. "Finally, someone's using their brain," she muttered.
Her voice was cold, but her tail betrayed her — it swayed gently behind her, curling at the tip like a satisfied cat.
I couldn't help but smile.
"You could just say you're happy," I said teasingly.
She shot me a glare sharp enough to kill a mortal.
"Don't push your luck, Mortal," she said, her lips twitching — almost a smile.
Elena ran straight into my arms, her tiny hands clutching my shirt as she looked up with teary eyes.
"Papa… do you believe me?" she asked softly.
I smiled, brushing her messy hair aside. "Of course, your dad believes in you. And if your dream ever comes true, then we'll help that poor man find his white woman—so both of them can be happy, alright?"
Her eyes lit up instantly. "Yah! Yah!" she squealed, bouncing in excitement.
Erza tried to hold back a laugh but failed miserably. Soon, Elena's giggles filled the room, and even I couldn't resist joining in. The air that once felt heavy now brimmed with warmth. For a moment, everything felt peaceful—like a small family finding comfort in something as simple as a child's dream.
However Grandpa stood there quietly, his expression unusually serious. The playful warmth he often carried was gone, replaced by something thoughtful — distant, almost heavy.
He didn't speak right away. His eyes shifted between me and Erza as if he were piecing something together in his mind.
Then, finally, he exhaled.
"So… it must have been done in order to fulfill my role," he murmured.
"Your role?" I asked, frowning. "What role?"
For a brief moment, he didn't answer.
Instead, he turned his gaze toward Erza. The look they exchanged wasn't long — but it was enough to tell me there was something between them, something I wasn't meant to know.
Her expression didn't change, yet her eyes softened, almost regretful.
I opened my mouth to ask again, but—
Then—ting! A message alert.
"Huh?" I blinked, patting my pockets. "Was that… my phone?"
When I pulled it out, I froze. My poor phone looked like it had been through a battlefield—the screen protector shattered into a spiderweb of cracks, and the device itself barely holding on to life.
"Damn it," I groaned. "It must've been that punch from Elga earlier! I swear, that woman's fists could demolish a car engine…"
Erza raised an unimpressed brow but said nothing, watching as I cautiously unlocked the phone. The screen flickered before revealing Elena's photo—her goofy smile and pizza-stained cheeks. It made me smile for a second… until my eyes caught the notification banner.
A new message.
I opened it. Read it once.
And froze.
My eyes widened. I blinked again just to make sure I wasn't seeing things.
Then it hit me. "WHAT THE—WHAT THE HELL?!"
The room went dead silent.
Erza instantly covered her ears, glaring daggers at me. "YOU! Why are you screaming like an idiot!?"
Elena jumped in surprise, clutching my sleeve. "Papa, what happened?"
My hands were trembling as I turned the phone toward them. "We're… we're rich!" I stammered.
"…Pardon?" Erza asked slowly, her calm tone hiding a hint of suspicion.
"I'm not joking!" I said, nearly shaking. "Someone just sent me—oh my god—look at the number of zeroes! I don't even know how many there are!"
Erza narrowed her eyes. "Mortal, if this is one of your ridiculous pranks, I swear—"
"It's not!" I pointed at the screen. "Check for yourself! We're seriously rich!"
Elena's eyes went wide with wonder. "Does that mean… we can buy all the ice cream in the world!?"
I almost choked on my own excitement. "Forget ice cream, Elena—we can buy the whole factory!"
Erza exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Honestly… of all the reasons to scream, this might be the most idiotic."
Still, curiosity got the better of her. She leaned closer to glance at the screen—and for the first time in a while, even Erza's calm face twitched.
"…Wait," she murmured. "That's… a lot of zeroes."
I grinned ear to ear. "Told you!"
Erza's brows drew together as she leaned closer to my phone, her voliet eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Who in the world sends you a hundred million dollars out of nowhere?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"I don't know!" I said, still staring at the glowing screen like it was made of gold. "But I really, really hope it's not some kind of bank glitch. If they take it back, I'll actually die."
Without a word, Erza snatched the phone from my hand.
"Give me that. Let me see it myself."
"Sure, sure," I muttered, handing it over like a kid giving up his favorite toy. Then I turned to Elena, who was watching with curious, sleepy eyes.
"Elena," I said, grinning as I scooped her up and lifted her high into the air. "Do you know what this means?"
She blinked. "Papa's rich?"
"We're rich!" I declared, spinning her around. "Papa's rich! Mama's rich! Even Grandpa's—well, maybe not rich, but spiritually blessed!"
Elena burst into giggles, clapping her hands. "Yay! Papa is dancing again!"
While we twirled around like lunatics, Erza stood silently in the corner, scrolling through my phone with a calm, calculating gaze.
After a long pause, she finally said, "Oh… so that's how we got a million dollars."
I stopped mid-spin, nearly losing my balance. "Wait—what? Did you just say 'that's how' like you expected it?"
Erza looked up at me with a small, knowing smile. "Don't be too surprised. It's my money."
I blinked once. Twice. "Your… money?"
She nodded, her tone casual, almost amused. "Yes. It's the reward for ending the Demonic Era. I told Sara Venom about the bounty on Allen. Since I was the one who defeated him, the World Government must've processed the reward. But since I don't have any human identification, they transferred it to your account instead."
I stared at her, completely stunned. "So basically, t's your money."
Erza crossed her arms, puffing her cheeks in mock annoyance. "What's that supposed to mean? My money? It's our money, you idiot It's also belongs to you too."
For a moment, I just stood there, staring at her as if she'd said the most unbelievable thing in the world.
Erza… was serious.
She actually allowed me to take her milion dollar from my bank account.
I know it sounds simple, but for someone like me—born broken orphanage, raised broke, and still occasionally fighting over discounts at grocery stores—it felt like witnessing a miracle.
This wasn't just about money. It was about financial freedom.
With this, I could finally do it—open my own café, expand it into a chain, maybe even build the kind of life I used to dream about while scrubbing tables. And if things really went well, maybe we'd buy a small island someday. A quiet place where Erza and I could grow old, drinking coffee every morning while our Elena and my other children ran barefoot through the sand.
The image alone made my chest warm.
Then I immediately dropped to my knees dramatically, lifting my hands toward her like a worshipper at a temple. "Oh, greatest goddess of Atlantis! Blessed be the day you descended into my poor, miserable life!"
Elena giggled, copying me. "Blessed be Mama! Greatest Goddess Mama!"
Erza rolled her eyes, but her lips curved into a reluctant smile. "Stop it already, you two idiots."
Our laughter filled the room again—warm and full of life.
But amidst all the joy, I noticed Grandpa sitting silently in the corner.
He wasn't laughing. His eyes were fixed on Erza, an unreadable sorrow shadowing his face—like he saw something none of us could.
(Erza's POV)
I couldn't help but smile as I watched them.
Yuuta's grin was wide and foolish, the kind that always made me want to laugh no matter how annoyed I pretended to be. Elena danced around him, her small hands flailing in joy, her laughter bright enough to melt even my cold heart.
All this happiness… from a simple message about money.
"Papa, we're rich!" Elena shouted, twirling until she nearly tripped.
Yuuta caught her mid-spin, lifting her up high. "Rich, huh? Guess we'll need a bigger kitchen now!"
This stupid excitement… just from a little wealth.
I folded my arms, suppressing a small laugh. If they ever saw my true kingdom… my mountains of gold, my rivers of diamond light… they would both faint on the spot.
My smile lingered as my gaze drifted to Yuuta. His laughter, his messy hair, the way he spun Elena around—it all stirred something deep inside me. Something warm, yet painfully fragile.
Then, from the corner of my eye, I noticed Grandpa.
He wasn't laughing.
While Yuuta and Elena's laughter filled the room, he stood apart — silent, unmoving, as though he was seeing something no one else could.
There was no joy on his face, only a quiet weight that settled in his eyes.
Our gazes met. For a moment, the noise around us faded.
Then, slowly… he raised his hand.
Two fingers.
I blinked, confused.
"What…?" The word almost slipped from my mouth, but the answer struck before I could finish it — clean and sharp, like a blade through my chest.
Two.
The first wish — financial freedom.
The second — safety.
And that meant only one remained.
My smile began to falter. The laughter in the background felt distant, unreal — like echoes from another life.
A chill ran down my spine as the truth settled in.
The final wish was waiting.
Bond.
The word echoed in my head, soft yet heavy — a reminder, a promise, and perhaps… a curse.
A cold chill crept down my spine. I looked at Grandpa again; he lowered his hand, his face filled with quiet sorrow. There was nothing either of us could do. Fate had already moved its pieces.
My vision blurred. I blinked, but tears gathered faster than I could stop them. The sight before me—Yuuta spinning Elena around, both laughing like fools—suddenly felt unbearably beautiful.
Because soon… I might lose it all.
My breath caught. My smile slipped away.
Grandpa's eyes softened, full of sorrow. He knew. He knew as well as I did—there was no way to stop what was coming.
The realization sank deep.
My heart ached as I looked away, pretending to adjust my hair, but my hand trembled. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes.
Yuuta and Elena were still spinning, their laughter echoing off the walls. It was such a beautiful sound… it hurt to hear it.
They looked so happy. So unaware.
I bit my lip, trying to hold it in—but a tear slipped free, warm against my cheek.
Elena stumbled mid-spin and giggled. "Papa, again! Again!"
Yuuta laughed breathlessly. "Alright, alright, last one! My back's not rich enough for more spins!"
Their laughter swirled together like sunlight and wind, wrapping the room in warmth.
And yet… to me, it felt like a farewell.
Then Yuuta turned toward me. He froze when he saw my face.
The joy in his eyes faltered.
"Erza," he said softly, concern creeping into his tone, "are you… crying?"
I blinked, startled. "No," I said quickly, brushing the tear away before it could fall. "Just the light—it's too bright, that's all."
My voice trembled. Even I could hear it.
Yuuta didn't move.
He just stood there, staring at me with that puzzled look again — the kind that always made me feel like he could see straight through my armor.
His eyes searched mine for an answer I wasn't ready to give.
Then, in that typical Yuuta tone, he broke the silence.
"You lizard queen… don't tell me you're changing your mind after seeing the money."
For a moment, I almost laughed. Almost.
Instead, I smiled faintly, stepped closer, and gave him a heavy blow smack on the head — the kind of hit I'd given him a thousand times before.
"You really think I'm greedy?" I said softly. "And when did you get so comfortable calling me lizard queen, you idiot mortal?"
"Ouch! I'm sorry!" he groaned, half-laughing, half-rolling on the floor as if I'd truly injured him.
His exaggerated whining only made Elena giggle from the corner, her laughter filling the room like sunlight.
For a brief second, everything felt normal — warm, alive, almost perfect.
But that moment didn't last.
I turned away, pretending I had something to do, but the truth was… I didn't want them to see my face.
My eyes burned, my chest felt heavy.
A single tear escaped, and yet a small smile still curved my lips — that same broken smile I'd worn too many times before.
As I walked back to my room, I whispered to myself,
"If there's a God up there… let me die the same year my mortal does in his old age. Let me be reborn as human — so next time, we can live a simple, happy life."
I stopped by the doorway, wiping my eyes, then let out a quiet laugh.
"So… the last wish is bond, right?"
To be continued…