A look of anger and anxiety appeared on Melusine's face. Her teeth trembled with fury. Those damned fairies always swarmed around Aslan whenever she wasn't around. If she weren't a dragon, she probably wouldn't be able to deter these bold little creatures who got unusually brave in the face of beauty.
But now, in just the brief moment she had gone back to her room to pack, it wasn't just fairies—why was even a nightmare getting involved?
Wait—nightmare?!
Aren't nightmares male?!
Oh, right, nightmares don't care about gender at all. They only care about the soul they perceive… Got it!
"You bastard! Get lost! Stay away from my Aslan!!"
Before Aslan could react, Melusine had already dashed forward at an unimaginable speed. Merlin's expression instantly turned serious as he swiftly raised his staff horizontally in front of his chest, while his other hand rested on the hilt of a sword embedded in the staff.
As a flash of cold light drew near, the clash of metal and the spark of impact flared right before Aslan's eyes.
Melusine was now clad in a set of blue armor—armor Aslan had crafted based on his memory of how she looked, using materials from her own body: her scales and dragon teeth.
Melusine was somewhat surprised that this nightmare could block her attack. She took great pride in her speed—what kind of swordsmanship would it take to fend her off like that?
Impressive! This nightmare might be the toughest opponent she'd faced so far.
Even so, there was no way she would just hand Aslan over like that! Especially not to a male—absolutely out of the question!
Even if she had to lose him to a fairy, or a bewitching witch, or even a surviving god—never to a male!
"The battle begins now. Aslan, back up a little—don't get caught in the blast. I'll handle this guy. I'll finish it in a single strike!"
Hearing this, Merlin raised an intrigued brow, a mischievous smile curling at his lips. Anyone familiar with him would know that smile meant trouble.
"So confident, huh? Hmm… I see, a dragon, is it? Well, I suppose some arrogance is warranted. But big brother here isn't that easy to deal with, you know. I am, after all, the phantasmal floral magus.
And as for who met Aslan first—shouldn't that be me?
Ah~ Could it be that even knowing my relationship with Aslan came before yours, you're still trying to butt in? That's quite unexpected."
Melusine lowered her head slightly, her voice strained and repressed. "Oh? So you're saying you've got guts, nightmare?"
Still unfazed, Merlin nodded with a grin. "Well~ big brother here certainly thinks so."
The aura around Melusine rapidly surged. The magical pressure stirred the wind, rustling leaves violently and even stripping bare a few nearby branches. Meanwhile, the knight's sword concealed within Merlin's staff slowly began to draw itself.
"I'll kill you! You're already mine—every drop of blood, every scrap of flesh—I won't let a bit escape. I'll drag you down into the deep, dark abyss!"
The sword she drew radiated a dazzling blue light, like aurora, like starlight reflecting off a lake. The [Aurora Dragon: Right Wing] blade was no less mighty than the [Unbroken Lake's Light], and now it was about to unleash a Noble Phantasm-like attack.
Merlin's staff also began to glow brightly as he gripped his sword tightly. If no one intervened now, these two would definitely clash in a full-on battle.
"Melusine, wait! You too, Merlin! What are you two stirring up again?! If you're chasing thrills, could you not do it right in front of me?!"
Melusine, who had been about to lop off the nightmare's head in a single strike, froze when she heard Aslan's voice. Even so, the burst of magic and her explosive speed caused a shockwave like a blade, tearing the ground and leaving a deep scar.
A few strands of Merlin's hair were sliced off by the wind pressure, making him exhale in relief. Truth be told, he had no intention of actually fighting this dragon—if Melusine really charged at him, he'd have teleported away immediately.
Anyone who stirs up trouble as often as he does always has an escape plan.
Merlin's best incantation? "Time to run~"
While Merlin was sighing in relief, Melusine immediately withdrew her sword, and her armor vanished. She turned sharply, raising her head to look at Aslan with disbelief and a hint of tears shimmering in her eyes.
"Aslan… don't tell me… you actually have feelings for this nightmare? You're mine… my contract partner… my lover! What's so great about this nightmare?!"
Seeing that the danger had passed, Merlin returned to his usual shameless self. "How can you say that~? If Aslan wants, I can take on any form~"
Aslan let out a deep sigh, took a breath, and straightened his back. He walked right up to Merlin, grabbed the smiling magus by the collar, and swiftly swung his blacksmith's hammer.
With a sharp clang of metal meeting skull, Merlin was sent flying with a huge bump on his head. Aslan tossed him aside, then embraced Melusine.
"How could I have feelings for that nightmare? Melusine, believe me—there's no one in my heart but you.
That guy was just being nosy. He only came over to help us move after hearing the news.
Next time you see him, feel free to land a good, solid 'friendship-breaking punch' before he even opens his mouth. Maybe the pain will knock some sense into that constantly-twisted brain of his.
If you really don't like him, just ignore him."
Melusine finally looked up and smiled at his words, nodding in affirmation.
She really was a master of planning—Aslan had taken the initiative to hug her again.
And as a dragon, she really appreciated the warmth of a body pressed close.