"Run!"
I twisted the doorknob and dashed into Lucian's office, the same office where he'd once thrown a pile of papers at me on the very first day I transmigrated here.
"I should lock the door, right?" I hissed, glancing at Maya, who floated beside me without a hint of concern. Of course she wasn't panicking, she could vanish anytime she wanted. But me? I was still very real… and naked in this damn office.
"Even if you lock the door, Miss," Maya said in her usual calm tone, "I'm sure the security team can still open it in just ten seconds."
"Ten seconds?" I hissed, fumbling with the lock anyway. "That's not even enough time to find a curtain to hide behind!"
Maya's screen flickered, the smile emoticon popping up again. "Then perhaps you should prioritize speed over fashion."
I glared at her glowing screen. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Enjoyment is not part of my function," she replied, her tone suspiciously cheerful. "But if I may suggest, the second male lead often keeps spare clothes here for overnight work."
I blinked. "Where is it?"
"Inside that door on your left," Maya said, blinking her little holographic square toward the corner. "Not a secret room, technically… just his private rest area. He uses it when he refuses to go home like a normal person."
"Oh, of course," I muttered, rushing over. "Because why would a dragon CEO need sleep like the rest of us mortals? Maybe he hibernates there too?"
Maya tilted her screen, her tone perfectly serious. "Hibernation is not listed in his behavior patterns, Miss."
"I was being sarcastic, Maya!" I hissed as the siren blared again, louder this time.
I twisted the handle and slipped inside, my heart racing. The room was pitch dark, the air freezing enough to make my teeth chatter. Figures. The man probably kept the temperature set to glacier mode.
"Maya," I whispered, "is there any heater in here? I don't want to freeze to death again."
Maya's blue light flickered, her emoticon turning into a blinking question mark. "Miss… you are a phoenix."
I blinked, hugging myself tighter. "And what does that even mean right now? Because my butt is literally freezing."
"Technically," Maya began, "you should be able to regulate your body temperature using your internal flame."
"Okay, great," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "But before I accidentally burn this entire office down, just tell me where Lucian keeps his spare clothes."
"I'm not really sure… but you could try opening that wardrobe," Maya replied quickly.
"Perfect," I exhaled, rubbing my arms. "Once I stop turning into an ice cube, maybe I'll try that whole… internal flame thing."
Maya flickered, her light dimming slightly as if uncertain. "Please proceed carefully, Miss. The temperature in this room is well below human tolerance."
"Yeah, no kidding," I muttered, my breath puffing out like smoke. My fingers trembled as I reached for the wardrobe handle. The metal was so cold it bit into my skin. "He really is part reptile, isn't he?"
"I believe the accurate term is dragon," Maya replied matter-of-factly, still not quite used to my way of talking.
"Same difference," I grumbled, tugging the wardrobe open. A faint chill rolled out, but inside, neatly hung and perfectly centered was a single white shirt.
I stared at it for a good five seconds. "You've got to be kidding me. The guy could probably buy the entire factory that makes these, and he only keeps one?"
Maya went silent, her holographic light flickering as if buffering. "That… was not supposed to happen, Miss. In my data, the second male lead usually keeps several sets of attire in case of emergencies."
"Never mind," I sighed, grabbing the shirt and slipping it on. It was oversized, the hem brushing halfway down my thighs, but still not enough to keep me warm. I hugged myself tightly, shivering. "Okay, now teach me how to heat my own body."
Maya's emoticon blinked. "Understood. Step one: activate your inner flame."
I frowned. "What the heck is inner flame? Can you say that again… but, like, in a way that makes sense to someone who's not a walking fire hazard?"
"It's… the source of your body heat," Maya explained slowly, as if that would help.
"Body heat?" I repeated. "You mean… like metabolism? Or are you saying I'm supposed to literally light myself on fire?"
"Technically, yes."
I froze. "Technically, what?" I frowned at every word that I found hard to understand, "And can you please stop using the word 'technically'?"
Maya's expression remained calm, probably ignoring my words. "You are a phoenix, Miss. Generating fire from within is part of your natural process."
"Yeah, well, newsflash… I was human two days ago! The only thing I ever generated was caffeine dependency."
"Then perhaps start with a small attempt," Maya suggested. "Visualize warmth. Maybe you'll feel a flicker."
I sighed, tugging the oversized shirt tighter around myself. "If I explode, I'm haunting you first."
I closed my eyes, trying to imagine warmth, sunlight, fire, anything that didn't involve dying first. For a fleeting moment, I felt it… something faint stirring beneath my skin. Heat pulsed weakly through my veins, as if tiny sparks were testing their strength. My fingertips glowed faintly, steam rising where the frost had clung to my arms.
"Maya, I think it's working—"
Then her voice began to lag.
"Good… you're… doing… we—"
I frowned, glancing at the flickering blue hologram. "Maya?"
Her light glitched, bursting into erratic flashes that sliced through the darkness. The emoticon twisted into unreadable symbols.
"Miss… you… need to—"
"Maya?" I stepped forward, but the temperature plummeted, cold slithering across my bare legs. Mist curled along the floor like smoke from invisible fire.
Her blue light flickered violently, casting sharp flashes across the dark room. The emoticon on her screen distorted into random symbols, like a system in distress.
"Maya, what's wrong?" I whispered, taking another step closer.
"Miss—"
Before I could react, her image blinked out completely. In that final flicker, her voice came through… glitchy but clear enough to send a chill down my spine.
"The ice dragon is here."