Chapter 97: Pat Pat You

At the border of the Silver Dragon territory.
Several months of continuous warfare had left this place barren, with traces of magical bombardment everywhere.
It would take some time to restore it to its former state.
The couple walked slowly through the forest.
Rosvitha took the initiative to hold Leon’s hand.
Because the earlier topic about the heart-protecting dragon scale seemed to have made him somewhat unhappy.
Having been together for so long, they had their fights and quarrels, but most of the time they were very honest with each other despite their daily competitive nature.
Especially regarding important matters, Leon and Rosvitha never kept secrets from each other.
That’s why Rosvitha concealing the heart-protecting dragon scale matter… made Leon so concerned.
Of course, Rosvitha knew Leon’s concern wasn’t just because she hadn’t told him about this promptly.
Another major reason was that losing the heart-protecting dragon scale was very dangerous for Rosvitha.
He didn’t want anything to happen to her.
Moreover, Leon had learned from the future that Rosvitha fell into a coma due to lacking the dragon scale’s protection, which made him even more confused about why she would put such an important scale in a so-called ‘safe’ place.
And then speak to him in riddles about it.
Along the way, Leon had no interest in chatting, just walking silently with his head down.
So Rosvitha thought she should try to cheer up her fake husband.
To prevent their daughters from noticing anything amiss when they got home.
She tried holding Leon’s arm.
Seeing that Leon didn’t reject her, she grew bolder, slowly sliding her slender fingers into his broad palm.
Finally, their fingers intertwined tightly, fingertips resting lightly on each other’s hands.
They greatly enjoyed kissing each other;
But rarely held hands while walking together.
Not because hand-holding was less exciting than kissing, but because this kind of intimate contact while being completely clear-headed… was somewhat unfamiliar to them.
Kissing inevitably triggered the dragon mark’s resonance, making the couple dizzy with pleasure as they enjoyed entangling with each other.
Even without triggering the dragon mark, the hormones and dopamine secreted by the brain would put them in a somewhat intoxicated state.
In short, their minds weren’t very clear, only wanting to immerse themselves in their forbidden intimacy.
But holding hands wasn’t like that.
Having intimate physical contact while maintaining absolute clarity.
This feeling was… strange to them.
So the couple rarely held hands.
Even when alone, they would only brush shoulders.
Rosvitha’s palm was initially quite cold, but after holding hands for a while, their palms exchanged warmth, and her small hand quickly warmed up.
Leon suddenly thought of something and asked, “Is your cold hands and feet also related to losing the dragon scale?”
Rosvitha paused slightly, lowered her gaze, and nodded.
Leon opened his mouth, but in the end could only hesitate to speak.
Rosvitha wanted to explain jokingly, saying that cold hands and feet weren’t a big deal, they had hand warmers at home, and worst case she could create some dragon flame~
However, just as she was about to speak, she felt the hand holding hers increase its pressure slightly.
As if trying to lock more warmth into her palm.
“What are you… doing?” she asked softly.
“Until you get that damn dragon scale back, I’ll grudgingly take better care of you.”
Tch.
That must be so difficult for you, Casmode, so difficult your face is red.
The queen chuckled lightly, a blush spreading across her fair cheeks.
“Whatever you say.”
Rosvitha gently swung their joined hands, “Then what will you do if my dragon scale never comes back?”
“I’ll chop off my hand and strap it to your wrist.”
“…I thought you’d say something more romantic.”
Oh well, never mind.
Right now they weren’t drunk and there were no external threats – getting Leon Casmode to say something like ‘grudgingly take better care of you’ was already quite good.
Rosvitha understood her fake husband’s personality, and was naturally very content.
The couple continued walking towards the forest exit.
About half an hour later, they reached the territory’s border.
Beyond this point was no longer Silver Dragon territory.
Leon stood near the border, looking around.
“Are you looking for something?” Rosvitha asked.
“Where’s my medal?”
Rosvitha raised an eyebrow, “What medal?”
“Constantine’s head.”
Just as murderers have a habit of returning to the crime scene to admire their work;
General Leon naturally had a habit of repeatedly admiring his medals after achieving merit.
“Oh, you mean that.”
Rosvitha said, “A few months ago, when the Empire and other dragon tribes jointly attacked this place, they took Constantine’s head away.”
Leon was puzzled, “What use would a dead dragon’s head be to them?”
Rosvitha shrugged, “Dragon tribes don’t have a habit of collecting heads. I guess the Empire probably took it back, maybe to use as a prop for dragon slayer army recruitment?”
Leon sneered and lightly bumped the dragon mother’s shoulder, “You really have quite an imagination. But what you say makes some sense, the Empire does have many methods for recruiting dragon slayers.”
“How did you decide to serve in the dragon slayer army back then?”
The couple sat down on a huge rock at the forest exit.
“It was my master.”
Leon said, “My master was a retired old dragon slayer. After adopting me, he always trained me according to dragon slayer standards. When I was old enough, he naturally sent me to the dragon slayer academy for further studies, and I enlisted right after graduation.”
Rosvitha’s eyes flickered slightly, and she asked, “Then if… your master hadn’t made you join the dragon slayer army, what would you have wanted to do?”
Leon sat on the huge rock, one hand supporting his body, the other holding Rosvitha’s hand, looking up at the sky.
Several birds flapped their wings as they flew past, and the breeze rustled through the leaves making a swooshing sound.
“I probably… would have saved some money, then moved to a remote countryside.”
“Start a ranch, raise some cattle, sheep and such.”
“Oh right, and donkeys too.”
“Then marry a woman who’s neither beautiful nor ugly as my wife.”
“Have a cute daughter.”
“Finally wait for time to slowly make me wither away. I think, if possible, that would probably be the life I wanted.”
When Leon woke up from his two-year coma, he had also imagined such a life.
This thought had always been buried in his heart, he had never mentioned it to anyone.
It wasn’t really a shameful secret, just that it sounded somewhat… like a foolish fantasy.
Born in the wrong time, living in an era of war, how could someone of his talent live a peaceful life?
Rosvitha rested her chin on one hand, while the index finger of her other hand lazily traced circles on Leon’s hand.
After a moment, she said,
“Then after the next Silver Dragon King ascends to the throne, let’s live like you described.”
Leon was stunned, “What?”
“Move to the countryside, start a ranch, raise some cattle, sheep and donkeys, take our daughters, and live there.”
After a pause, Rosvitha added, “Though ‘marrying a woman who’s neither beautiful nor ugly as your wife’ might not be possible anymore.”
Leon turned his head, looking at Rosvitha’s delicate profile, and smiled as he picked up her hint, “Because the woman playing my wife is beautiful beyond measure.”
“Hmph, smooth talker.”
“You clearly led me to say that, how did I become a smooth talker?”
“I don’t care, you are a smooth talker. Always flattering me, who knows what schemes you’re plotting.”
Rosvitha said teasingly.
“Mm, you’re right, I’m always plotting to usurp power, to steal your Silver Dragon King position.”
After the couple bantered for a while, Leon changed the topic,
“Speaking of my master… you must have gone to see him and Rebecca during this time, right?”
Rosvitha nodded, “Mm. After learning about the spatial rift, they also started looking for ways to bring you back within the Empire.”
She paused, then continued, “Last time we agreed to meet in three months, so until the next meeting there’s still… twenty-some days? Perfect timing, I’ll take you along then, to put your master’s mind at ease.”
“Good.”
Though Leon agreed verbally, his expression seemed somewhat distracted.
Rosvitha blinked her beautiful eyes and leaned closer to ask, “What’s wrong? What are you thinking about?”
“Ah… remember what I told you yesterday, about how in the future, without us around, our daughters’ abilities were taught by Claudia Poseidon of the Sea Dragon tribe?”
“I remember. But my Silver Dragon tribe never had diplomatic relations with the Sea Dragon tribe, there’s no reason for Claudia to take care of our daughters, let alone teach them abilities.”
“Mm. And the ‘Nine Hell Gates’ book my master gave me was also written by Claudia, and she even taught this technique to Little Light.”
Leon narrowed his eyes slightly, “Though this might be too much of a leap, but do you think… my master might have some connection to the Sea Dragon tribe?”
Rosvitha pondered thoughtfully, “We can’t rule out that possibility. However, two dragon tribes can’t casually interact – it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings. So we can only wait twenty days to ask your master about it first.”
Leon nodded, “It’s strange… I only recently learned that my master is a powerful dragon slayer, and now he might have some connection to the sea dragon tribe… I wonder how many more things this old man has kept from me.”
Rosvitha smiled gently, tilting her body slightly to rest her head on Leon’s shoulder.
“Even elders might have their reasons for not being completely honest.”
“Are you using my master as an excuse for yourself?”
“You caught me.”
Leon chuckled, letting Rosvitha lean against him.
A breeze swept through the forest as sunlight fell warmly on his lover’s shoulders, creating a peaceful moment.