Chapter 102: You’re Done For, You’ve Fallen in Love

In the evening, Leon leaned against the balcony railing, gazing out at the temple’s back courtyard.
After Her Majesty’s passionate (manipulative) speech, the silver dragons’ enthusiasm for “having children” reached unprecedented heights.
Now, they were holding a party in the courtyard.
Of course, there was no causal relationship between “wanting to have children” and “having a party” – that would make it an orgy.
They were simply celebrating the silver dragon race’s survival of this crisis, and their commitment to march toward a better tomorrow under their queen’s leadership.
Leon watched the silver-haired beauty among the crowd in the courtyard.
She shone brilliantly among the people, the bonfire’s light dancing on her beautiful face as she smiled, linking arms with the maids and dancing the dragons’ celebratory dance around the fire.
Her publicity campaign was progressing smoothly and had achieved initial success, with the vast majority beginning to try being brave enough to fall in love with someone.
When Rosvitha first proposed this idea to Leon a few days ago, Leon had asked her whether it was for the tribe’s revival or if it was what she truly thought.
Rosvitha thought for a moment and said it was both.
In the past, Rosvitha would never have let her emotions influence her decisions.
But after spending so much time with Leon, Rosvitha had been quietly changing.
She was willing to embrace new ideas and implement them in her actual commands;
She was also willing to ‘lead by example,’ putting her relationship with Leon on display for her people, helping them better understand what true ‘romance’ really was.
Even after being queen for fifty years, she continued to progress.
What Leon admired most about her was this hunger and persistence for the unknown.
They were very similar people – besides each having exactly the other’s type of face, those beautiful qualities also deeply attracted each other.
Leon turned his gaze away, looking up at the night sky, letting out a slow breath.
He couldn’t drink much alcohol, so he hadn’t joined the silver dragons’ bonfire party.
Moreover… Rosvitha’s speech during the day had been so ‘touching’ that when Leon thought about it now, his toes would curl in embarrassment.
And look what was all over the courtyard ground?
All of General Leon’s goosebumps that had fallen off!
Thinking of this, Leon drew in a sharp breath, squinting at the mother dragon still singing and dancing there, muttering quietly,
“Did you really need to be that mushy… seriously.”
He shook his head, trying not to think about that mortifyingly embarrassing scene, turned away from the bedroom and went to Noia and her sisters’ room.
It was already late at night, and the children were all sound asleep.
Leon just peeked in from the doorway, not entering to disturb them.
After leaving the sisters’ room, Leon headed to the temple’s great hall.
Rosvitha’s new throne had been completed, and before tonight’s bonfire party began, Rosvitha had told Leon to wait for her here.
Being all mysterious, who knows what she was planning.
Leon’s gaze fell on the brand new throne atop the steps, and he secretly grumbled,
“She’s not going to show off her new workstation to me, is she?”
Put nicely, it was the queen’s throne;
Put bluntly, it was the queen’s work station.
No argument there.
Leon hesitated briefly, then stepped up the stairs, coming to the throne’s side.
“Wow, it really is built much bigger than before, big enough for two people to lie down.”
As Leon spoke, he carefully sat down.
The moment his bottom touched the cushion—
Mmm!
Divine!
General Leon closed his eyes, enjoying the wonderful feeling of his buttocks perfectly melding into the soft cushion. In that moment, he achieved enlightenment.
“No wonder it needed renovation – this isn’t just a throne anymore, it’s practically a VIP luxury recliner!”
Heh, Dragon Queen, you’ve gotten lazy!
As a workaholic, how could you use such a comfortable workspace?
I suggest moving the throne to my bedroom – you can just use a little stool instead.
Leon tried various positions on the throne.
Lying sideways, lying straight, feet in the air, flipping around, hanging upside down, standing on one leg…
“Holy crap, this is amazing!”
Even the well-traveled General Leon couldn’t help but give such praise.
The throne could support so many resting positions – it seemed the Dragon Queen had put a lot of thought into it.
However, after enjoying it for a while, Leon suddenly realized something:
“Hmm… something’s not quite right. Given her personality, she wouldn’t renovate the throne this nicely without reason. She’s not one for wasteful spending.”
Leon ran his hand along the throne’s armrest, unable to figure out why Rosvitha would specially renovate this throne.
Though it was still called a ‘throne’, what dragon king’s throne was this spacious?
Spacious enough that Leon could do a full set of military exercises on it.
“I’ll ask her when she gets back. If this really is wasteful spending, I’ll have to teach her a lesson!”
Leon sat waiting on the throne.
Time passed, the courtyard bonfire died down, and the noisy crowds gradually dispersed.
Leon was starting to feel drowsy.
In his daze, he heard the crisp sound of high heels clicking against the floor behind the throne.
Without turning around, just from the rhythm of the footsteps, Leon knew who had returned.
“Little Lion~ My Little Lion~ Are you here?”
She was humming an unfamiliar tune, talking nonsense – she must have been drinking.
Leon stared straight ahead, rolling his eyes in exasperation, not intending to go greet her.
Coming back this late after drinking, did she even remember they had a home?
Only when the faint scent of wine entered Leon’s nostrils did he finally look up at her.
Rosvitha’s cheeks were flushed, her gaze unfocused, wearing a silly smile, with a half-empty bottle of red wine in her hand.
“Good morning!” Rosvitha greeted him.
“How much did you drink…?”
Rosvitha hummed for a moment, as if trying to remember.
Finally, she held up two fingers.
“You’re in this state after just two bottles? Don’t drink if you can’t handle it.”
“Two cases.”
“…”
Leon silently gave her a thumbs up.
Rosvitha squinted and smiled, then strode forward and unceremoniously sat on Leon’s lap.
She wasn’t some delicate lightweight – Her Majesty the Queen had a healthy, strong build befitting a queen. When she sat on Leon’s lap, he could clearly feel her substantial presence.
“You really make yourself at home, don’t you?”
Though Leon complained, he carefully steadied her waist to prevent her from toppling over in her drunken state. “This is the Holy Temple – what if someone sees us?”
“It’s fine, nobody will see us,” said Rosvitha. “I gave everyone the day off. Tonight, we’re the only two people in the entire Great Hall.”
Leon sighed, “So, why did you have me wait for you here? Don’t tell me you got too drunk to find your way back to your chambers and need me to take you there?”
“Of course not! I remember perfectly well how to get back to our chambers,” Rosvitha declared proudly.
Leon expressed his doubts, “Then which floor are our chambers on in the Holy Temple?”
“Ummm… third floor!” Rosvitha held up five fingers.
“It’s the fourth floor.”
“Ah! That’s what I was going to say! Yes, fourth floor!” She lowered two fingers, leaving three up.
This was clearly just nonsense!
Leon face-palmed.
Hopeless.
He lowered Rosvitha’s hand, sat up straight, and moved closer to face her. “Put down the wine bottle. Let’s go to bed.”
“No.”
“Why not? You’re already drunk.”
“It’s rare for us to be alone together. Going to sleep so early would ruin the mood, wouldn’t it?”
Leon snorted, “What mood is there between us? Let’s go to sleep.”
“I! Won’t!”
Rosvitha argued back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and her tail around his leg.
Her breath fell lightly on Leon’s nose tip, warm with hints of red wine.
One had to admit, Rosvitha was more charming when slightly tipsy.
That flushed face had an enchanting allure – just one glance made Leon’s heart flutter.
Unable to persuade her, Leon could only wait for her to sober up before taking her back.
She sat cross-legged on his lap, pressing close but seemingly deliberately maintaining a certain distance.
Her red lips teased near the corner of his mouth. She knew well that if she kissed him now, Leon wouldn’t refuse.
Yet she held back, teasing, letting the fire in both their hearts burn more intensely.
“How was my speech today?” Rosvitha asked.
“Want the honest truth?”
“Of course.”
“It was! Too! Mushy!” Leon dared to speak frankly, “It gave me goosebumps all over.”
“How was it mushy? Didn’t you see how much my people approved of us?” Rosvitha said. “It proves our daily acting has really convinced everyone – they all think we should be that loving. I used this to promote the revival of live birth. Hmph, you fool who understands nothing.”
Leon’s thoughts stirred as he held her waist tighter, then asked:
“Then those words in your speech… were they from your heart?”
Rosvitha raised her elegant eyebrows,
“What do you think? Of course they weren’t from my heart.”
She leaned down, resting lightly on Leon’s shoulder, playing with his earlobe as she spoke lazily, “It was all just to make everyone believe in love. Of course I had to make it sound touching. You… you didn’t take it seriously, did you?”
“Yes, I did take it seriously. Will you take responsibility for that?”
Hearing this, Rosvitha suddenly sat up straight, her tipsy face flashing surprise and joy, before huffing, “Then you’re in trouble, because I won’t take responsibility. Everything I said was fake – if you took it seriously, that’s your problem, not mine.”
“Is that so, Rosvitha?”
The hand at her waist slowly moved to the base of her tail, his fingertips gently stroking.
Rosvitha softened, but kept her stubborn front, “O-of course! I don’t love you at all… not one bit.”
She slumped against Leon’s chest, her fingers unconsciously gripping his collar.
Rosvitha bit her lip as alcohol clouded her mind, an inexplicable feeling of ‘unwillingness’ surging in her heart.
Finally, she grabbed Leon’s collar, suddenly sat up, looked into his eyes, and righteously denied what she’d just said:
“I like you! Everything I said this morning was true! I’ve fallen in love! I’m doomed! So what!”
Leon had long guessed the little dragon queen was being contrary, and with some wine in her, the truth would come out sooner or later, so he hadn’t been in any hurry.
“What are you smiling about! Listen here, I’m only saying this because I’m drunk.”
“Tomorrow morning when I’m sober, I won’t admit to any of this!”
“Got it? Say something!”
She playfully pushed at Leon’s shoulder.
Leon kept smiling gently.
He slowly sat up, one hand still gently stroking the base of her tail, the other wrapping around her smooth, delicate back.
“Say more, Melkvi.”
“I won’t.”
“Didn’t you say that since you’re drunk now, nothing you say counts, and you won’t admit to anything tomorrow? In that case, saying a bit more wouldn’t matter, right?”
Coaxing a drunk dragon queen was as simple as coaxing a child.
As it happened, General Leon was quite skilled at handling children!
Sure enough, Rosvitha was tempted.
She turned her eyes away, her face completely red, and said in a mosquito-like whisper,
“What do you want to hear?”
“Say you want to be with me forever.”
Rosvitha pouted, “No… ah~ Don’t pinch my tail, you meanie…”
She made a token effort to push away Leon’s hand, but her tail remained firmly in his grip.
“Say: you want – to be with me – forever.” Leon pressed on.
The blush spread to the queen’s ear tips.
She pursed her lips, wanting to speak but too embarrassed to open her mouth.
Being together forever… even drunk and not clear-headed, it was still embarrassing to say!
This rascal of a man, always taking advantage of situations.
“I want… I want to be with you… forever!”
After speaking, Rosvitha immediately buried her head in Leon’s neck like she was hiding from someone.
She curled her toes tightly, even her tail tip perked up – she finally understood how Leon felt during her speech this morning, embarrassed enough to get goosebumps all over.
Only when she heard Leon’s laughter did Rosvitha raise her head and poke his chest,
“Satisfied now?”
“Yes.”
“You better enjoy your triumph while you can, Leon. Tomorrow I won’t admit to any of this.”
Leon unhurriedly caressed her burning red cheek, then slowly moved to her neck, gently grasping it and pulling her towards himself bit by bit.
Looking into those enchanting, hazy silver eyes, he said softly,
“Then let’s make tomorrow come later, Melkvi.”