"Wow. Last time you called me pervert, and now icy pervert?" Selene muttered, her silver eyes narrowing as she stood there, arms crossed, clearly unimpressed. Her long hair shimmered faintly as she tilted her head at me.
I stiffened and kept my arms out in front of Akari and Rei, shielding them like some kind of brave hero. My knees were shaking a little, but hey — points for effort, right?
"You're always everywhere," I shot back, glaring at her. "Don't act like you didn't plan this whole thing just to feed us to a giant snake for dinner!"
Selene's lips twitched, though it was hard to tell if it was a smirk or just annoyance. She let her icy sword dissolve into mist and began walking toward us.
"Do you really have a problem with perverts?" she said coolly.
Her calmness was somehow scarier than the giant snake. I swallowed hard and stepped back, planting my feet between her and the girls.
"Stay away from us!" I barked, trying to sound fierce but probably just sounding squeaky.
Then Rei tapped me on the shoulder.
"Uh… Rin?" she said, her voice sounding almost amused.
I glanced back at her, confused.
"Don't worry, guys. I'll protect you at any cost!" I declared, puffing out my chest dramatically.
Rei raised an eyebrow and muttered, "From who exactly?"
She gestured at Selene casually. "She killed the giant snake and, you know, saved you from being digested alive?"
"What?" I blinked and stared at Selene as she folded her arms, her cold gaze locked on me.
Both Akari and Rei nodded solemnly.
"She saved us," Rei added.
Did… did she really save us? Why would she save us? Isn't she supposed to be the villainess? The icy queen who tries to kill these two lovers? My head spun just thinking about it.
Before I could protest, Rei gently nudged me aside and stood straight. Akari stepped forward too, and suddenly the two of them lined up like disciplined soldiers.
"Hey, what—" I began, but Rei shoved my head down into a bow.
"Thank you, Queen Selene, for saving our lives. We owe you one," they both said in perfect unison.
My eyes went wide.
QUEEN?!
Wait.
Queen? Her? Since when? I don't remember any chapter in the manga where she was called Queen. What is happening here?!
Selene's lips curved just slightly into a faint, unreadable smile.
"No need for thanks," she said coolly. "Just remember… don't trust people so easily. You never know what kind of mask they're wearing."
Her words sent a chill up my spine, even though her tone was quiet.
We all straightened up slowly.
Then Selene glanced at us, her eyes softening — just barely — as she offered,
"I can give you a ride back to your respective homes, if you'd like."
Rei raised a finger proudly.
"Apologies, I have my dragon."
Selene's brows arched slightly, and she gave a sharp laugh that sounded almost like ice cracking.
"A water… riding a fire dragon? Is that even possible?"
Rei blinked and lowered her finger slowly, her cheeks pink.
"…Oh. I didn't think about that."
Akari giggled behind her hands.
I clapped my hands together and started walking toward the exit.
"Okay, everyone! Let's just get out of here before more weirdness happens—"
Except I slipped on something wet and fell flat on my back with a loud splat.
"Ahhh! Dammit, snake slime!" I groaned, waving my arms around as I tried to stand up.
Akari and Rei burst out laughing behind me, their hands clutching their stomachs.
Selene, on the other hand, just stared down at me, her silver eyes glinting with something I couldn't quite read.
"Well," she finally said, stepping closer and offering her hand. "Looks like they'll have to walk… and I'll give you a ride home."
I froze, staring at her hand like it was a snake itself.
My stomach twisted with a weird heaviness as I reluctantly reached for her hand.
This icy pervert… no, icy queen… she was way more complicated than I'd ever imagined.
The ride home was quiet. Too quiet. The air felt thin and cold, almost biting, but also strangely peaceful. For a moment I forgot to breathe as I glanced down. The entire village stretched below us like a painting — golden lights dotting the streets, soft smoke curling from chimneys, the rivers glinting under the moonlight. It was… beautiful.
I shifted a little to keep warm and caught her watching me out of the corner of her eye. Just for a second. Her silver gaze flicked back to the horizon before I could say anything.
Then she moved slightly and draped something over me.
"Here," she said simply.
I looked down to see she'd handed me her robe.
"I'm fine," I mumbled, trying to push it back toward her.
She ignored me completely, as if she hated the very idea of being refused, and quietly wrapped it around my shoulders anyway. Her fingers brushed my neck, cool but firm, and she didn't even look at me when she did it.
I just sat there after that, holding the edges of her robe and staring at the huge dragon beneath us.
Wow. Just like the author drew it.
The dragon's entire body glimmered like carved crystal, its wings a translucent blue, its breath leaving frosty wisps behind. Selene's first living creature… pure ice and power.
Then realization hit me like a hammer.
Wait.
I've been sitting… on her hair this whole time.
I stiffened and peeked down, noticing the silvery strands coiled under me like a soft cushion.
Oh no.
Please don't let her notice. Please don't let her notice and throw me off this dragon.
Thankfully, she stayed quiet.
When we finally landed, I expected her to just drop me off and vanish like usual, but instead, she extended her hand and shaped the ice itself into a slide leading from the dragon's back to my bedroom window.
I blinked at her.
She just stood there, completely deadpan, waiting.
Well… okay.
I sat down, pushed off, and zipped down the icy slide with a whoop.
The cold air whipped my cheeks, and for a split second, I actually grinned.
It reminded me of the last time I'd gone to Fun Land with my parents. That same rush, that same laughter caught in my throat.
When I landed with a soft thump in my room, she floated down beside the window like nothing happened, her hair still swaying gently behind her.
"Okay then," she said coolly. "I'll take my leave."
I turned toward her, still clutching the robe.
"Okay… thanks, I guess," I muttered awkwardly.
But then it hit me.
Wait.
Rei and Akari. They're still out there. Alone. Together.
What if this was her plan all along? To separate me from them so she could…
"Wait, Selene!" I blurted out, reaching forward and grabbing her cold hand before she could leave.
Her head tilted slightly, and those silver eyes locked on mine.