[MashUp] Ch 31: Want a Cute Girl to Warm Your Bed?

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The morning air was damp and cold with mountain mist.

Tohru, the ugly green dragon, hadn't slept a wink.

Takuma's silhouette refused to leave her mind.

When he dispelled the divine curse, he was calm.

When he seized half her power, he was ruthless.

When he tossed her roasted meat, he was merciful.

And that coat—still carrying his warmth—that he'd draped over her battered form.

Everything about him was full of contradictions.

For the first time, Tohru felt something she had never known before: emotional chaos.

And today was the final day of their deal.

She had nothing left to give.

Would this end in salvation? Or in being discarded, once her worth was squeezed dry?

Tohru stared at the forest path, heart pounding with unease.

At last.

The lazy figure appeared, right on time.

He was even carrying several supermarket bags stuffed with groceries.

Her massive heart thundered out of control.

Meat!

He actually brought more meat!

Takuma strolled casually up to her massive dragon head, lifted the bags, and smirked. "Last day, Ugly Dragon."

He met her golden eyes with a mischievous grin. "Got your final payment ready?"

Judgment had arrived.

Tohru's dragon body trembled violently, panic flickering in her eyes like that of a cornered human.

"I… I have nothing left…"

"My treasures and artifacts meant nothing to you…"

"My power, I already gave you half…"

Her voice shrank smaller and smaller until it dissolved into a despairing cry.

"I… really… have nothing left at all…"

"So… could you… maybe…"

"Oh, I see."

Takuma's response was so cold it burned. "Since you're worthless now, our deal ends here."

The words shattered the last of her hope.

She closed her eyes, resigned to let the curse rot her body away.

Then—

Thunk!

A sudden, heavy sound jolted from her neck.

Tohru's eyes flew open.

The man who had just pronounced her death sentence was now standing at her side, gripping the very holy sword that had tormented her for endless nights.

He pulled it out in one motion.

The curse vanished like smoke in the wind.

Surging vitality, like a flood bursting through a broken dam, rushed back into her ruined body.

"Roooaaarrr!"

A cry of release and exultation shook the heavens, rattling mountains and turning the skies stormy.

"Alright, enough noise. You're deafening me."

Takuma tossed the so-called divine sword aside as if it were a fire poker.

Dusting his hands, he looked lazily at the ecstatic, stunned dragon.

"What you gave me yesterday was more than enough to buy your life."

"As for the food I brought today…" He paused, lips curling with amusement.

"Consider it a pity bonus. Free of charge."

Tohru's mind went blank.

Freedom and food crashed over her at once, making her whole body tremble uncontrollably.

In the next moment, light enveloped her.

When it faded, a tall blonde girl stood where the dragon had been.

Twin pairs of horns jutted skyward from her head, a green tail swished restlessly behind her, and her height—176 centimeters—came with a dangerously curvy figure.

She wore only an oversized men's coat, the very one Takuma had once placed on her.

The hem barely covered what it needed to. Her legs were left completely bare.

But her first action was to lock onto the grocery bags in his hands, throat audibly gulping.

"Th-those… that meat…"

Her hoarse voice carried the single question that mattered most to her.

"Is it… all mine now?"

Takuma smiled, unfazed by her shocking transformation.

"That's right. Feast time starts now."

He pulled out prime cuts of beef, glanced at the greasy pan nearby, and jerked his chin.

"There's a creek over there. Go wash it."

The natural command made her blink, then nod earnestly.

She'd wash it spotless. Nothing could be allowed to ruin the taste of food!

She grabbed the pan and took off on shaky legs toward the creek—

Crunch!

The expensive frying pan twisted like taffy under her dragon strength, reduced to useless scrap metal.

Tohru froze in horror.

Takuma pinched the bridge of his nose, walked over, and plucked the ruined pan from her grip.

"Forget it. Different method."

He speared chunks of wagyu onto sticks and roasted them over a camp stove.

Tohru crouched nearby, little nose twitching.

Before long, the soul-stirring aroma of grilled meat filled the air.

Her golden eyes glowed, fixed on the skewers. Drool pooled on the ground beneath her chin.

"Here."

Takuma handed her a finished skewer.

She devoured meat and stick in one bite, eyes squinting into bliss.

Then opened her mouth again, tongue lolling, staring at him expectantly.

He sighed.

"Oi. You've got hands, don't you? Or do you want me to feed you every bite?"

She blinked, as if only just remembering she had hands.

A second later, she reached straight for a skewer still cooking—

Smack!

Without looking up, Takuma rapped her hand with the discarded sword.

Tohru cradled her hand, confused and wronged.

Didn't he say she could take it herself?

"Not done yet," he said flatly, turning the skewers.

He grabbed one cooked perfectly and passed it over.

"This one's yours."

Lesson learned, she carefully accepted it, blew on it, then took a bite. A muffled moan of joy escaped her throat.

And so the meal went on—half feeding, half teaching her the strange rules of humans.

…

"Alright. I'm leaving." Takuma stood, packing up.

"Farewell."

He'd barely taken a step when—

Riiip!

A pale hand clutched his shirt, tearing off half the back.

He turned, expression flat, scratching at the skin now exposed.

"What the hell?"

"Take… take me with you!"

"…Reason?"

Takuma arched a brow, curious what nonsense she'd invent.

"..."

Tohru inhaled deeply, thrust out her chest, and tried to look serious.

"Ahem! According to the supreme dragon law passed down through generations—'The Binding Ordinance of Equivalent Exchange and Meal Tickets'—"

She declared solemn nonsense.

"You freed me from my curse, then fed me food that was… unspeakably delicious!"

"This debt, I cannot yet repay!"

"So!"

She hammered in the conclusion, as if it were flawless logic.

"I must stay by your side until I can make it up to you!"

"Until then, you are my… my temporary food… friend!"

Takuma stared, deadpan. "Translation: you want to freeload."

"Not freeloading!"

Her face turned scarlet, stomping her foot in panic.

"I have value! My scales can be made into robes! My claws into weapons! One breath of dragonfire can melt a vault door!"

She rattled off her worth like a bumbling salesman.

Takuma chuckled. "None of that matters in this world. I'll ask again: what human things can you do?"

She panicked, brain scrambling.

"I… I can breathe fire to cook meat!"

"Don't need it."

"I can fly… buy you meat!"

"Not interested."

"I… I could…"

Her cheeks burned as she stammered.

"I could… use my body… to warm the meat?"

Takuma: "…"

Unbelievable.

Expressionless, he stared at the dragon girl whose brain clearly contained only meat.

"You realize everything you're thinking slips right out of your mouth."

With a sigh, he dropped the idea of keeping her.

"I don't need a troublesome pet."

He turned and walked away without hesitation.

Tohru froze, watching his back vanish, the light fading from her eyes.

An emptiness she'd never felt before swallowed her whole.

---

Takuma strolled down the mountain, relaxed.

He checked his phone: Mai's bank card balance showed 5,000,000 ¥.

"Nice."

He smirked.

Then spotted a strange figure lurking nearby.

A tall girl in an oversized men's coat, clumsily hiding her face, only golden eyes peeking out.

His steps halted.

A moment later, she stiffly walked up to him, bowed deeply, and spoke in a trembling voice like she was reciting lines.

"S-sir… would you… like a homeless cute girl… to warm your bed tonight?"

Takuma: "…"

Veins throbbed at his temple. He yanked Tohru, staring at her like she was insane.

"Where the hell did you learn that?"

"There!"

Tohru's eyes lit up, pointing excitedly.

"I saw a human female chant those exact words! Then a mighty steel beast with red and blue lights appeared!"

"A uniformed male got out and immediately approached her! It must be this world's advanced ritual to quickly bond with powerful mates!"

Takuma turned to look.

By a patrol car, a policeman was scolding a schoolgirl.

Words like "too young," "home address," and "call your parents" floated in the air.

Takuma felt his worldview crack.

Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply.

When he opened them, Tohru was staring up at him with a face that screamed: 'I did good, right? Praise me!'

And he realized.

If he left her here, one morning he'd probably wake to find the world destroyed for no reason.

His carefully built life of cozy teachers and doting idols would be gone.

Better to keep this walking disaster under control than leave her loose.

He exhaled heavily, making a painful decision.

"…Fine."

He grabbed her wrist. "You can come."

Tohru's golden eyes lit up instantly.

"Yay!"

She cheered with all her heart.

Then, as if remembering her role, her cheeks flushed red. She leaned close, whispering expectantly.

"Um, s-sir… should I… start 'warming' you now?"

Takuma: "…"

His blood pressure spiked hard.

He said nothing, face darkening as he dragged the clueless dragon girl off at full speed.

Because if they lingered any longer—

He'd be the one answering to the cops.

.

.

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