Chapter 8: I’m Never Going to Work in This Lifetime

Fiora lay on the pile of hay, her body draped in the robe Leon had tossed her.
I can’t sleep…

She opened her eyes and turned to see Leon in a corner, sitting cross-legged against the wall, asleep while holding his weapon in his arms. She could see his firm, powerful chest rising and falling with the sound of his steady breathing.

His slightly long, glossy black hair covered his eyes, and through the gaps in his bangs, she caught sight of his long eyelashes. His features looked as though they had been meticulously carved by an artist—sharp angles, pleasing lines.

She could sort of understand why he was so popular with girls.

“Alright, I admit you’re handsome, even if your preferences are impossible to agree with,” Fiora muttered complainingly.

Recalling how Leon had refused the innkeeper’s request earlier, Fiora felt a strange flutter in her heart. She didn’t understand why this was happening, and even felt a slight urge to consider Leon a friend.

But she immediately shook her head, feeling like a stupid husky, ready to follow anyone who threw it a small bone!

This is a scumbag who wants to do those kinds of unspeakable things to me!
How could I possibly develop any good feelings for him?!

Fiora decided to push all the blame onto Leon, figuring it was part of his evil plan—a stick and carrot tactic to make her completely obedient. Therefore, she absolutely must not thank him. Besides, shouldn’t this kind of treatment be a matter of course?

She was the noble Ice Dragon King.

What was so strange about being taken care of by a human?

Right, why don’t I take this chance to escape?

Fiora stood up. The hay rustled loudly.

Leon’s eyebrow twitched.

Fiora flinched and quickly lay back down.
Damn bastard, he’s watching me even in his sleep!

She was out of options. Her heart grew more and more chaotic just looking at Leon’s face, so she simply rolled over to face the wall, closed her eyes, and decided that what she couldn’t see couldn’t bother her.

The next morning, Leon took Fiora to buy breakfast.

Fiora held a chicken wrap, her mouth covered in sauce as she ate.

“Is it to your liking?” Leon asked.

“Mhm, mmph… delishush…”

Fiora’s mouth was stuffed full, her voice muffled.

“That’s good. I thought the Dragon King would have a very picky palate.”

“I’m… not a picky eater…”

Fiora was easily satisfied. In this cold and heartless society of materialistic desires, only this chicken wrap could bring some warmth to her heart.

“That’s good.”

“Oh, right. There’s a festival in Donglin City today.”

“Want to go check it out?”

Fiora finished her wrap, licked her fingers, and looked at Leon. Although she was very interested in this world, she had basically never had the chance to understand it due to her status—and her social anxiety.

Her eyes, which had been sparkling with interest, dimmed after a moment of thought.

“Forget it.”

“I hate crowded places.”

“When people stare at me, I can’t breathe.”

“Oh, is that so… In that case, come with me.”

Leon looked around, spotted a mage supply shop, and led Fiora inside.

“So many things!”

Fiora saw the various magic supplies on display, finding them quite novel. As a dragon, Fiora was different from humans; she didn’t need a medium to cast spells, so naturally, she had seen very few of these items.

Leon went to the shopkeeper and said something. The shopkeeper nodded in agreement.

When he returned, he was holding a mage robe and a wizard hat, which he handed to Fiora.

She noticed the robe and hat were just her size.

“Put it on.”

“Is it for me?”

“Mhm.”

“You’re always so nervous and acting strangely, which could cause me a lot of trouble.”

“It wouldn’t be good if we were noticed by the patrol guards.”

Fiora put on the flax-colored robe and hat and stood in front of the mirror, finding it all very novel.

Under this attire, most of her exposed skin was covered. Her silver hair was wound up on her head and hidden by the hat.

The current Fiora was now quite inconspicuous.

And what’s more—she totally had the vibe of a little mage from an RPG world!

So cool!

“Are you satisfied?”

“Mhm!”

Fiora beamed a smile at Leon.

Leon stared, momentarily speechless.

“What’s wrong? Do I still look weird?!”

“No, it fits you well.”

“Let’s go.”

After Leon paid the shopkeeper, he asked Fiora again if she wanted to go shopping.

Now that she was outside and no one was paying attention to her, Fiora couldn’t contain her curiosity and decided to go take a look.

“Oh, right. Why don’t you go take the mage certification exam later?” Leon said.

“What’s that?”

“It’s the ranking test from the Human Nations’ Mage Association.”

“If you pass, you can get a mage rank assessment.”

“You should be able to become a top-level mage, and then you can go on missions with me—”

“Uh! We’ll see, maybe some other time!” Fiora said evasively.

So that’s why Leon suddenly wanted to give me mage attire, Fiora thought.
He was already planning how to make me work and earn money!
Don’t even think about making me work!
Working is impossible! I’ll never work in this lifetime!
Only by lying at home, lazing around, and waiting for death, can I sustain this lifestyle.

“Okay, then. We’ll talk about it when we get back to the capital of the Donghui Kingdom,” Leon said with a nod.

As the two chatted, they arrived at the festival grounds.

The flow of people suddenly increased.

All sorts of different races from this other world were gathered together, trading with one another.

Fiora saw all kinds of new and interesting things, which greatly broadened her horizons. She exclaimed in wonder at every stall, constantly asking Leon what everything was.

Leon was surprisingly patient, explaining everything to her.

“This… this world has dirty books too! And it’s a fan comic of Leon?! Sword Saint x Grand Prince?“

In front of a small bookstall, Fiora’s eyes were captured by a cover.

She opened it, flipped through it, and gasped in shock.

The owner of this stall was quite cunning, having snuck dirty books in among a large pile of normal ones.

“How is Leon the bottom… Holy crap, what kind of position is this, hanging upside down?!”

In her past life, Fiora had been exposed to a wide range of things, but she never expected there to be Fujoshi in this world too—and for the content to be so explicit.

Fiora’s face turned red as she looked, but her morbid curiosity kept her reading.

“What are you looking at?”

“Huh? Noth—!”

Leon, who had been at another stall for a moment, walked over.

Fiora was so startled she immediately slammed the book shut and put it back.

This time, when she looked at Leon, her gaze held a new hint of awe—leaving the Sword Saint completely baffled.