The forest was singing again.
Every morning, the leaves hummed in tune with the wind, animals whispered greetings, and the rivers sparkled with magicules like stardust. I had learned to listen to it all — every heartbeat, every flutter, every breath of life.
But even in a world this beautiful, peace never lasted long.
"Father," Akame called from behind me, her voice calm but firm. "You let the slimes eat the spirit fruit again."
I winced. "They looked hungry…"
"They always look hungry," she replied, expression unchanging, though I swore her tone hid amusement. "And now the entire grove is glowing green. Again."
I scratched my cheek awkwardly. "Well, glowing means healthy, right?"
Akame sighed — a quiet, resigned sound that somehow felt like home.
It had been fifty years since we awakened in this young world. Time didn't flow the same for dragons or cursed humans, yet somehow, our days together felt simple and human.
She trained her swordsmanship beneath the waterfall while I grew forests and purified corrupted lands. Together, we built a small sanctuary — a hidden valley of crystal trees and emerald skies.
For the first time, both of us belonged somewhere.
---
The Arrival
It was on one of those peaceful days that the wind suddenly… shifted.
The forest stilled, birds fell silent, and even the air trembled.
> A presence approaches.
I could feel it — radiant, noble, divine. The magicules around us bowed like grass before a storm.
Akame gripped her sword instinctively. "A demon?"
"No…" I said quietly. "Something else."
The sky split like a mirror, and from it descended a figure bathed in silver light.
Long silver hair flowed like moonlight, her eyes sharp yet calm, her white gown trimmed with gold. Her aura was powerful — beautiful, but dangerous, like the edge of a blade.
She landed gracefully, her feet barely touching the moss.
"I finally found you," she said. Her voice was soft, melodic, but it carried command.
I blinked. "Uh… me?"
Her gaze focused on me — piercing, assessing. "You are Enkidu, yes? The True Dragon of Nature?"
"Y-Yeah," I said, scratching the back of my head. "Sorry about the mess — the forest kind of grows on its own sometimes."
Behind me, Akame facepalmed.
The woman's lips curved slightly. "You're… different from what I expected."
Before I could ask, a familiar voice echoed through the forest — deep, resonant, amused.
> "Sylvia El Ru, my most trusted creation. You have met him, then."
"Veldanava…" I whispered. His presence filled the air, light spilling from the heavens like dawn.
The woman — Sylvia — knelt respectfully. "As you commanded, Lord Veldanava. I have come to confirm his existence."
> "Good. Enkidu will need guidance… and restraint."
"Restraint?" I muttered. "I haven't done anything wrong."
> "Yet," the god said teasingly.
Sylvia rose, turning to me once more. "Lord Veldanava has declared that I will serve as your companion — and, by his will, your future fiancée."
I blinked once. Twice. "Wait—what?"
Akame tilted her head slightly, as if saying, 'I saw this coming.'
Veldanava's laughter echoed faintly across the skies.
> "You are too trusting, my son. Sylvia will ensure you remain balanced. Together, you will watch over this world until its next era begins."
The light faded, leaving silence.
I turned toward Sylvia, utterly lost. "So… you're my fiancée now?"
She folded her arms. "Apparently."
"…Do you want to be?"
That question seemed to catch her off guard. For the first time, her expression softened — just slightly.
"I don't dislike you," she said after a moment. "But I don't know you either. Veldanava's will is absolute, but… we'll see."
Akame stepped between us, hand still resting on her sword. "If he tries anything improper, I'll cut him."
"Akame!" I groaned.
Sylvia chuckled quietly — the sound was rare and surprisingly gentle. "You're protective. I like that."
---
Evening Under the Trees
Later that night, the three of us sat beneath a giant spirit tree, its branches glowing faintly in the dark. Fireflies drifted around us like tiny lanterns.
Sylvia was polishing her silver gauntlets while Akame prepared tea with her usual precision. I leaned against the trunk, watching the stars.
"So," I began, "you really don't mind being here? It's quiet. Peaceful. Maybe a little boring for someone like you."
Sylvia glanced at me. "You speak like peace is a weakness."
"I used to think it was," I admitted. "Back when I was human, people said I was too soft — too trusting. But… peace feels right here."
She studied me for a moment, then looked away, her tone softening. "Naïve, perhaps. But genuine. That's rare — even among dragons."
Akame poured the tea. "He gets that from his old world," she said. "He trusts anyone who smiles at him."
Sylvia smirked. "Then I suppose someone must keep him from being manipulated."
I laughed quietly. "Guess that's your job, fiancée."
She nearly choked on her tea. "Don't call me that so casually."
"Why not? It sounds nice."
Her cheeks turned faintly pink — just for a heartbeat — before she turned away. "You truly are hopeless."
Akame watched us with the faintest ghost of a smile, and for a while, the night was calm.
---
The Promise
Before dawn, Sylvia stood beneath the rising light, gazing toward the distant horizon. I joined her quietly.
"You can feel it too, can't you?" she asked. "Something's coming. The world is… changing."
I nodded slowly. The air was thicker, heavier with power. Somewhere far beyond, new beings were awakening — angels, demons, the threads of creation weaving toward something vast.
"I'll protect it," I said quietly. "This world, this life… both of you."
Sylvia turned, meeting my gaze. "You say that like you already expect to lose something."
"I just don't want to make the same mistake twice."
She looked at me for a long time — and then, softly, smiled.
"Then I'll make sure you don't."
The first rays of sunlight filtered through the trees, bathing us in gold. Akame appeared at the edge of the clearing, her sword at her side, her crimson eyes calm.
And for a brief moment, under the silver and green dawn, I thought — maybe this was what it meant to live again