'Wait, I'm Supposed to Become a Goddess?! But I'm a Guy!'

The wind carried a soft hum as Mize ascended the staircase, his dress fluttering gently with each step.

It wasn’t the height that made him pause, it was the view.

Emerald fields stretched endlessly behind the walls, rolling hills and golden plains basking under the afternoon sun.

Even from here, the town’s outline was visible in the distance, a testament to just how high this wall stood.

Mize inhaled deeply, his lashes fluttering shut for a brief moment as he took in the fresh, untainted air.

Unburdened by pollution.

Unmarred by steel and smoke.

For now...

"I wonder..." His fingers lightly trailed the stone railing as he walked along the wall’s edge. "Do all Lords have walls like these? Or is Liam’s territory just… different?"

His voice drifted with the wind, casual, absentminded.

The maids and butler followed close behind, their steps quiet.

From afar, the image they painted was almost surreal, a regal young lady strolling with her entourage, untouched by the world.

But Mize wasn’t paying attention to the scene they created.

He was captivated by the world beyond.

Scooting closer to the toothed barricades, his fingers brushed the cool metal, his body leaning slightly forward onto the platform designed.

And there, in the distance, something stood out.

His gaze narrowed.

"Is that?"

He leaned in further, hand pressing flat against the railing, his eyes narrowing.

But before he could get another word out.

A hand wrapped firmly around his waist.

"Who?!"

Mize stiffened. The sudden touch sent a jolt through his body, muscles coiling instinctively.

Who dared?

But then.

A familiar warmth. A familiar scent.

And before he could react, soft lips pressed a featherlight kiss against his forehead.

Mize froze.

His breath hitched, heart stumbling over itself, and he didn’t need to turn his head to know who it was.

"Me"

Liam’s voice was a quiet murmur, smooth, amused. His arms tightened, one securing Mize’s waist, the other shifting lower, fingers curling possessively around his thigh.

Mize flushed instantly.

His head turned sharply to the side, avoiding Liam’s gaze, though his hands gripped instinctively at the fabric of Liam’s chest.

"...I should have expected it was you."

The words grumbled out, his voice quiet, laced with embarrassment.

But his body betrayed him.

The pink hue spreading down his neck, the faint tremor in his fingertips, the way his lips parted ever so slightly before pressing shut again, all of it.

Liam chuckled.

"If anyone else had tried, their heads would have already rolled to the ground" he said, his tone light. Somewhere along the wall, unseen shadows shifted, following the two silently.

Mize swallowed, a shiver creeping down his spine at the quiet menace laced beneath those words.

But Liam? He was unbothered. His golden eyes gazed lazily toward the distant horizon.

but his hands?

They tightened their hold.

"Nice dress," he mused, thumb grazing over the delicate fabric.

Mize hummed, a small, barely-there sound.

"And quite the long hair… I like it"

His fingers brushed through the strands, letting them slip like silk between his knuckles.

Mize hummed again.

A quiet, wordless response.

Because really, what else could he even say?

The wind carried the scent of sun-kissed grass, crisp and wild, as Liam tilted his head towards the distant horizon.

"And that thing over there," he gestured casually with a nod, directing Mize’s attention toward a shimmer in the distance.

"It's a"

"Brand new, refreshed resource point."

Mize cut him off smoothly, his head cocked slightly to the side, lips curling into a small, pleased grin.

Liam’s brows lifted in mild surprise.

"Correct…" His smile deepened, intrigued by just how fast Mize was picking things up over the past few hours.

"You are learning quick... "

Their gazes met, held for just a moment too long. A quiet intensity flickered in Liam’s golden eyes, but before it could settle into something more, Mize quickly averted his head, feigning disinterest.

A soft chuckle rumbled from Liam’s chest.

And then, a kiss.

A single featherlight peck against Mize’s flushed cheek.

Heat bloomed instantly.

The delicate pink dusting Mize’s face deepened into a furious red, his fingers instinctively clenching against the fabric of Liam’s robes.

"S-Say… w-why exactly did you call me here?"

His voice wobbled, just slightly.

The breeze curled around them, cool against fevered skin.

"Ah, yes. That."

Liam hummed in amusement, seemingly taking his time as he savored Mize’s reactions.

"What is it?" Mize blinked, still attempting to recover from the lingering warmth of Liam’s lips against his cheek.

"Just follow my lead."

Liam’s fingers tightened firmly around Mize’s waist.

"…And don’t cry."

Mize frowned.

"Cry?"

He blinked again, mind stumbling over the vague warning.

And then.

Swoosh!

"Arghh?!"

The world disappeared beneath them.

Without so much as a second of preparation, Liam had jumped.

Not a single word of warning.

Not a chance to resist.

Just, a freefall as the maids and the butler panicked on the back.

Mize’s stomach dropped violently, his breath caught in his throat as the rush of air roared past his ears, clothes whipping wildly in the wind.

"LIIIAAAAMMM!!!"

He screamed, fingers gripping onto Liam’s chest for dear life.

The ground raced towards them.

Faster.

Closer.

His body braced instinctively.

And then.

…Nothing.

No impact. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

No crash.

Just, silence.

Mize’s fingers trembled slightly, his heart hammering furiously against his ribs.

Five seconds…

Ten seconds…

Why was it so quiet?

Cautiously, he cracked an eye open.

And instantly, his breath was stolen away.

"...Huh?"

They weren’t falling anymore.

Liam had already landed gracefully.

But Mize barely noticed, because his mind was still struggling to process what lay before him.

The flags on the poles billowed gently in the still air.

The earth stretched vast and shadowed.

But it was neither of those things that had frozen him in place.

It was the army.

An ocean of black-clad soldiers, their armor swallowing the sunlight in an endless tide of obsidian-like steel.

Ranks upon ranks.

Thousands upon thousands.

Standing at perfect attention, waiting for the Lord's command.

Mize’s lips parted, no words came.

"This is…" Liam’s voice stirred him from his daze.

His arm shifted, his fingers intertwining with Mize’s, pulling him forward onto the towering stone platform that overlooked the vast formation below.

Mize followed in a daze, too overwhelmed to resist.

"This," Liam murmured, his voice carrying through the quiet tension of the plains, "is my army."

Mize’s ruby-red gaze scanned across the battlefield, the weight of Liam’s words settling in.

"The flags…"

His breath was unsteady, the full realisation came in waves.

Liam’s lips quirked.

"The Serpentine Army," he whispered, a rare touch of admiration lacing his voice..

And then.

Liam’s expression shifted.

His hand lifted, palm outstretched over the silent plain.

The wind held its breath.

And then.

His voice rang out.

"Before you stands your Queen."

Mize stilled.

"The first and the last."

The army stirred.

"The only wife of your King."

The moment the final word left Liam’s lips.

BOOM!

The very earth shook with the force of tens of thousands of armored fists slamming against their chests in perfect unison.

"We heed the call of the Lord"

WE GREET HER MAJESTY!"

The voices thundered throughout the plains.

Mize’s breath hitched.

His fingers curled instinctively around Liam’s hand.

And for once, just once.

He had no words.

"L-Liam… what is this?"

Mize stood there, stiff as a board, feeling incredibly out of place before an army that looked like it was ripped straight out of a war epic.

Tens of thousands of soldiers.

All staring at him.

The sheer weight of their presence made his legs go a little weak. Like a public shock but worse...

This… definitely wasn’t on his list of things to experience today.

He shot Liam a look, one that screamed betrayal.

"I—" Mize gulped, awkwardly shifting his weight, his eyes flickering between the sea of black-clad warriors and the smug-looking culprit standing beside him. "I think I'd prefer to be back in your arms, Liam…"

Squeezing out a shaky smile, he shifted closer, his posture all wrong, his shoulders tense.

Liam, of course, only found the whole thing adorable.

"No need to worry."

And just like that, he pulled Mize back into his arms.

Mize all but disappeared into the warmth of his embrace, curling up instinctively, burying himself under Liam’s hold like a kitten hiding behind its owner.

He peeked out warily from behind Liam’s chest, scared, yet curious.

"Our army, of course," Liam murmured again, his voice lower, softer, but carrying the weight of absolute certainty.

"I… I know that," Mize muttered, squirming a little. "I can see that, obviously."

"But… is this the only reason you called me here?"

"No," Liam admitted easily.

"In fact, we’ll be going on an expedition shortly after this."

Mize’s heart skipped a beat.

"We?"

"Yes." Liam nodded, completely serious. "You and me" he pointed slowly.

His hand lifted, gently patting Mize’s head.

"And don’t even try to come up with an excuse to bail, Mimi." His tone was casual, but absolute.

"It’s best for you to see the true nature of a battlefield as soon as possible."

Mize pouted.

"But it’s barely been a day!" He groaned, hugging Liam’s waist tighter, like that alone would save him from being dragged into whatever chaos Liam had in mind.

"I’m not ready! Not mentally, not physically, and definitely not... Uhhh"

"Spiritually?" Liam finished for him.

Mize immediately turned red.

"I-I was about to say that myself!"

Liam chuckled.

"A-anyway!" Mize huffed, looking away in a clear attempt to regain some dignity. "I’ll participate in this expedition, fine. But! You have to follow certain rules."

Liam raised a brow, amused.

"Oh?"

"Yes!" Mize straightened up, finally lifting his head to glare up at him.

And that was when he made his first mistake.

Because Liam was tall.

And the way Mize had to crank his neck all the way back to meet his gaze only made the delicate lines of his neck and collarbone stand out.

Liam’s golden eyes flickered downward.

And then.

A pause.

A realization.

'Ah… it's flat.'

Mize froze.

Something about that look on Liam’s face rubbed him the wrong way.

His instincts screamed, it was bad.

Very, very bad.

"Hey! What’s with that look?!"

WHAM!

Mize kicked his shin.

Hard.

Liam, despite being a powerful summoner with monstrous strength, still flinched.

He didn’t even get a chance to defend himself before Mize, still blushing furiously, turned his back with a huff.

Whatever that gaze was just now.

He just knew Liam was thinking something bad about him.

"I didn't even say anything"

"Shut up"