[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-saya-and-the-dragon":3,"chapter-saya-and-the-dragon-saya-and-the-dragon-chapter-203":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Saya and the Dragon",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1705012,2177,"Chapter 196: Pedicure & Pyromania","saya-and-the-dragon-chapter-203",203,"\u003Cp>I prop my heel on the edge of a rock, spit on the pumice, and start scrubbing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like I’m trying to erase the trail of ex-lovers from the soles of my feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dragon’s watching me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pretending not to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pretending he’s more interested in the fire, or the smoke, or whatever celestial hemorrhoid is currently aligning with Mars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I know he’s watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You missed a spot,” he says finally, without looking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t pause. “Do you want a turn?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He snorts. “I have claws, darling. I exfoliate naturally. You, however, look like you’re trying to sand yourself down to the bone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These feet,” I say, switching legs with a satisfied hiss, “have walked across half the continent. Climbed out of slave pits, danced on altars, kicked two princes and a goat. They deserve some love.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean pity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I flash him a grin. “Jealous?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He huffs, puffing a little smoke into the air. “Of your blistered hobbit hooves? Absolutely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still watching, though. I can see his eye tracking every motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I take my time. Scrub slow. Let the steam of the cauldron kiss my ankles. Dip a toe in the basin and let the water spill down my calf like a temptress in a wine ad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you want to lick them?” I ask sweetly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nearly chokes on his own breath. “By all the gods—no.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then stop staring.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turns away, offended, scandalized, dramatically affronted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For about five seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You really take this seriously.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glance at him, surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s still not looking directly, but his voice is softer now. Curious. Almost reverent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course I do,” I say. “These feet carried me out of every cage I was thrown in. They’ve bled for me more than any man ever has. So yes, I scrub them. I oil them. I make them smell like victory and stolen rosemary.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, gruffly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You missed a spot between the third and fourth toe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scrub it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And from the corner of my eye, I catch it:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One slow blink of golden admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The smallest curl of smoke from his nostrils.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flicker of pride he’ll never admit out loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because my dragon may be a hoarder of gold,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But tonight—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he’s watching me polish the real treasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I finish the last pass with the pumice and blow on my foot like it’s hot soup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then I stretch—leg fully extended, toes pointed like I’m in some half-nude ballet for deranged pirates—and admire the results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look atthat,” I declare, wiggling my toes. “Smooth as a baby priest’s conscience. I could seduce royaltyjustby stepping on them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dragon grumbles something about standards in decline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I twist around to flash both feet at him, soles up, ankles crossed like an invitation and a threat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He flinches slightly, because Iaimthe pose. Like a weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go on,” I say. “Admit it. You’re impressed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He doesn’t answer immediately. Just snorts. But it’s that thin-snorted one he does when he’s trying not to give me the satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grin wider. “All I need now is some dye. Berry juice, henna, crushed beetle shells,something. These toes are begging for color.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He eyes my feet like they’ve insulted his lineage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ll ruin it,” he mutters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I blink. “Ruinwhat?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That.” He nods, begrudging. “The polish. The effort. The—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He waves a claw vaguely. “Foot craftsmanship.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I raise a brow. “Is that praise, old man?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pretends to scratch his snout. “It’s… commentary.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mmhmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I rotate my ankle, admiring the gleam. “They deserve it. They’ve kicked gods, lovers, and three types of nobles. These toes havehistory. They should be celebrated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looks like he’s going to gag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smirk. “I’m thinking a deep red. Something slutty, something regal. Blood and rubies. You know—‘kiss me or die’ vibes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another huff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then, softer:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I think the bronze would suit you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I blink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He doesn’t meet my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just lays his big head down on his claws and mutters,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not that I care. Obviously.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smile into the firelight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Obviously,” I echo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And mentally add “Dragon-approved” to my list of victories for the day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shifts again, watching me flex my freshly scrubbed foot like it’s giving a lecture on divine elegance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, with that trademarkancient beast baffled by modern trashtone, he rumbles:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t even know humans spend this much time… pampering themselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I snort. “Most don’t. Just theimportantones.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lifts a brow ridge. “Ah. So all it takes to be important is narcissism and a rock.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grin. “That, and excellent arch support.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then I lean back on my elbows, letting the firelight gleam off my calves like a walking sin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll have you know, I wastemple trainedin seduction.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He makes a choking noise. “You got kicked out for offering ‘private blessings’ behind the altar.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes,” I say proudly, “butbeforethat, they taught posture, scent layering, toe flexing, oil ratios, nipple glitter—allthe sacred arts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He groans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And,” I add, “the henhouses I was indentured to? They ran tighter routines than most royal courts. You think you can charge extra for a half-hour if your cuticles look like goat hooves? Please.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He eyes me sideways. “You were indentured tofivedifferent establishments, Saya.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. And I left each one with better skin and a longer client list.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s a pause. Then, grudging:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Your callousesareunusually symmetrical.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I flash him both soles like a saint blessing her followers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s temple precision, baby.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He mutters something about scandalizing the gods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I blow a kiss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They can get in line.\u003C\u002Fp>",917,"2026-06-06T14:39:25.900Z",1,"novelbin.me","d9e597946268ced3489cf3549872c08cba67fe8f629c62a88578d57b672eb90e","saya-and-the-dragon-chapter-204","saya-and-the-dragon-chapter-202",228,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsaya-and-the-dragon-cover.jpg"]