"Think about it, Eve."
A moment later, Noelier continued speaking with a serious expression.
"We managed to get through the situation by acting as a married couple, but you never know when others might come looking for you again."
"So, if I go back before that...!"
"Of course, Eve is human, but."
"...!"
Human being!
That word left me speechless. I gaped like an idiot. Then Noelier smiled and continued.
"Of course, there is no denying that Eve is human. But I don't think others would agree."
"..."
"Besides, since Eve's magic cools my fever, they will be even more suspicious."
I nodded slowly.
Certainly, he made a point. After all, that chameleon had shown up suddenly as well.
Of course, although Rachel and Noelier, who followed him, spoke well, that won't smooth everything over.
A human living in the North—anyone can see that's strange.
Camel managed to deceive them, but there was no way the South was full of people as naive as the Dragon siblings.
So there was only one conclusion.
'The acting must go on.'
I glanced at Noelier. He was still looking at me with a warm smile. It felt like he would listen to whatever I said.
I cautiously began to speak.
"Then I'm sorry, but... can you help me more?"
Noelier immediately nodded.
'I didn't know he was such a kind and good dragon.'
Thinking that, I didn't miss the opportunity and quickly added.
"Then I'm sorry, but I'll call you my husband. No, wait. Would it be better to call you by a nickname?"
"..."
"Oh, and if it's urgent, I feel like I should hold hands too... so everyone was speechless."
"..."
Noelier blinked with a look of disbelief. It seemed as though I had made too excessive a demand of him, considering I had only offered to help him lie.
"I guess that was too much of a request, wasn't it?"
Noelier slowly shook his head.
"...No. That will certainly look more natural between a married couple."
That's a relief. I let out a sigh of relief.
"Then I'll call you Noel, or husband. Oh, and... can I ask you one more favor?"
"...Please speak."
Noelier answered a beat late. I continued speaking with a determined look on my face.
"Noel, no, husband, please treat me like your wife. Because the acting has to be perfect."
Noelier just kept mouthing the words without saying a word. Was he hesitating? I became extremely anxious.
"If you don't like it..."
"No. I don't dislike it."
Noelier shook his head firmly.
"But...."
Noelier slowly trailed off.
"It's too overwhelming for me..."
Noelier blushed as he said that. Seeing his troubled face, I felt anxious.
At this rate, aren't you going to say you really can't do it?
I racked my brains quickly. I had to make it impossible for him to refuse this offer.
"Um, if my hand touches you, Noel gets a little cooler, too."
"... Yes."
"So, how about you think of me as a living ice pack?"
"...."
"Or maybe a walking ice cream..."
Even I found it absurd. But the words didn't stop and kept pouring out.
"Hmm. How about thinking of me as being similar to that? Of course, it will be hard for Noel. I know. But I can clear up the misunderstanding, and Noel can cool down. I think this is a good opportunity for both of us."
"..."
"Um... I heard from my dad a while ago that there is a doll in the human world that people sleep with when it's hot. It has holes all over it like this, and they say it's so cool if you sleep with it..."
“Do you sleep in my arms?”
Noelia abruptly cut me off. For some reason, his eyes seemed to be sparkling. I gaped, my mouth still half-closed.
"Are you saying it's okay to hug Eve?"
"..."
As I stood there blankly like an idiot, Noelier bowed his face low, his face bright red.
"...I guess I asked a rude question."
"Ah. No, that's not true."
I waved my hand. I was flustered, but I didn't think it was rude.
Noelier parted his lips as if hesitating.
"Because of the heat inside my body, I sometimes lose my reason. I feel like if I hold Eve at those times, the heat will subside quickly..."
Noelier avoided my gaze as if he were ashamed.
"I'm sorry. I thought of this on my own..."
Noelier turned his head, clenching his fists tightly. Seeing his flushed face, a thrill surged from deep within my heart.
'Good heavens, look at this modesty!'
In any other novel, he would have forcibly taken me, saying, "So I’ll embrace you!" The novels I read in my past lives never once deviated from this route.
But look at this man in front of you.
Aren't you blaming yourself for daring to imagine such a thing?
How can someone be so pure?
I approached him, admiring his pure and innocent heart. Noelier was still unable to escape the prison of guilt.
Holding onto the stinging pain in my heart, I spoke as if to soothe him.
"I'm fine. I would have thought the same thing."
"..."
"Right, if it's hard, you can hug me as much as you want. I'm fine. Okay?"
Then, Noelier slowly raised his head and met my eyes. His jewel-red eyes were trembling violently.
"Really... Is it okay?"
"Yes. Noel helped me, didn't you? I want to help too."
Only then did Noelier's face relax. It seemed as though he had managed to let go of some of the guilt he had been carrying.
Noelier smiled, folding the corners of his eyes prettily, and said.
"Then I will also do my utmost to help Eve."
“Really?”
He nodded quietly.
Done!
I cheered inwardly.
The contract was finally concluded.
I had a bit of trouble persuading him since he's so naive... but I eventually succeeded.
I smiled with satisfaction.
“Come on, husband.”
At my call, Noelier smiled brightly and spoke shyly.
"Yes, Eve, no...Madam."
Noelier still seemed embarrassed by this title.
I wanted to devour him, but I knew that if I did, he would surely shed tears.
Making someone cry is a bit much. I couldn't harbor such ulterior motives toward someone who was helping me.
After suppressing my wolf instincts, I reached out my hand toward him.
"Then, shall we hold hands first?"
"...Your hand?"
"Yes. We should practice just in case."
Noelier gazed blankly at the outstretched hand and nodded.
"Yes. I look forward to working with you, Madam."
Then he smiled shyly.
***
“Hitch!”
Hopper sneezed hard. The chill that had been welcome for a brief moment had now turned into bone-chilling cold.
The sweat that had gathered on his forehead froze. His body trembled from the cold he had never felt before.
The problem was that he hadn't prepared thick clothes because he had come in such a hurry. The cloak he brought was nowhere near enough.
Contributing to the Northern economy was annoying, but he had to buy clothes first. Hopper pulled on the cloak he had prepared in advance and headed to the square.
He glanced at the passersby with a very cautious look.
There were wolves here and there. He couldn't let his guard down. Otherwise, he didn't know what might happen to him at the hands of these enemies.
Of course, there is no way this Southern minister Hopper would lose to a wolf like that...!
“Hitch!”
His confident demeanor ended with a single sneeze. Hopper composed himself and sniffled.
'I guess I need to buy some winter gear first...'
Hopper looked around. In the distance, he saw a shop selling thick clothes. He quickly ran toward it.
Hopper packed a thick cloak, hat, scarf, and gloves. It was then that he was fumbling in his pockets to pay.
‘Ah!'
He didn't have a single penny in his pocket because he flew here in such a hurry.
Hopper had to trudge out of the store empty-handed.
It felt as if the dragon's flames were dying down in the biting northern wind. Even if someone poured cold ice water over him, it wouldn't be this bad.
'This isn't going to work. I'll have to go back for now.'
Hopper ran into a dark alley. After confirming that no one was around, he opened his hand.
However, perhaps because the cold was so severe, the phoenix did not appear. Only a very small flame came from his hand.
"Hey! Come out!"
Hopper slapped his hand hard. But the flame, smaller than a match ember, quickly died out.
The phoenix, born and raised in the warm South its entire life, could not withstand the Southern cold.
“Hitch!”
Hopper rubbed his arm as he sneezed. Then. It was just as he was about to leave the alley to find a light.
"..."
"Mister, are you cold?"
A child wearing a black cloak was looking at him with shining blue eyes.
It was difficult to tell because he was wearing a mask, but when he heard his voice, he sounded like a boy.
What a curious wolf cub.
Hopper narrowed his eyebrows. He was not the type to like children.
“...Go away.”
He waved his hand lightly. But the boy trotted along after him.
"But it looks cold."
"I'm not cold! Me, this kind of cold...!"
"Would you like my scarf?"
Hopper's footsteps came to a sudden halt.
"I have scarves and gloves too! Oh, but I can't give you a mask. My older sister scolds me."
As the boy approached Hopper, Hopper flinched.
He hated the child. Because such a pure heart made him endlessly weak!
Hopper squeezed his eyes shut and stepped back.
"That's it. That's it! No matter how cold it is, the child's things...!"
Hopper could not finish his sentence. It was because of something warm and comforting that he could touch.
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