<strong>*Aurora*</strong>


    Leon found some clean clothes, and after breakfast, they each took a shower one after the other.


    They didn''t bathe together because they wanted to avoid strenuous activity after eating—bad for digestion, after all.


    After washing off the exhaustion from thest five days, the couple finallyyfortably on the bed.


    Their n was to take a nap to recharge.


    However, fatigue and drowsiness are two different things. Though their bodies were tired, they weren''t feeling the least bit sleepy.


    Perhaps it was because of their recent "short separation," but neither wanted to spend the first few hours of their reunion sleeping.


    On the bed, the couple''s posture was surprisingly synchronized.


    They leaned against the headboard, hands resting on their stomachs, with onerge and one small stuffed bear ced between them.


    Rosvisser''s bare feet dangled as she stared at her own delicate toes, asionally curling them, almost as if to pass the time.


    Or maybe she was waiting for Leon to start a conversation.


    Minutes ticked by, and Rosvisser nced at the clock on the wall—it was already 9 a.m.


    If no one spoke soon, the whole morning would slip away.


    She looked at the dragon yer beside her, who was also staring at feet—except not his own, but hers.


    Alright then, expecting him to initiate conversation was clearly hopeless.


    Rosvisser stretched her leg out and gently tapped Leon''s with her cold foot.


    "What are you doing?" Leon askedzily, though his eyes never left her feet.


    "Foot fetishist."


    "...I’m not."


    "Then why have you been staring at my feet?"


    "What else am I supposed to look at?" Leon shrugged helplessly.


    Fair enough.


    Rosvisser’s room was minimalist to the extreme, devoid of any superfluous decor.


    Leon was exhausted but unable to sleep. Instead of staring at the dull, monotonous room, admiring his fake wife''s feet seemed a better way to pass the time.


    Is that a foot fetish?


    No, it’s called spending time wisely.


    Rosvisser snorted lightly and lifted her leg, cing it over Leon''s.


    Her soft calf wasn’t as cold and felt smooth and pleasant against his skin.


    But Leon wasn’t falling for it.


    He simply moved his leg out—then ced it over hers.


    Rosvisser raised an eyebrow, giving Leon a side-eye before turning over and draping her other leg over his in a pincer-like move.


    Oh, getting serious now?


    Naturally, General Leon was ready to match her move for move.


    He turned over as well, facing her, and stacked his other leg on top of hers.


    Now their noses were almost touching, their breaths mingling, and their chests pressed together while their four legs were entwined like a pretzel.


    Leon smiled smugly. “I win. My leg’s on top.”


    Rosvisser scoffed. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. Who said it’s just about legs?”


    Leon blinked. Surely she didn’t have another trick up her sleeve?


    Before he could react, her silver tail whipped up behind her and smacked down hard on his uppermost leg.


    Leon winced in pain, while Rosvisser burst intoughter, shaking with amusement.


    She cupped Leon''s face with her hands, pretending to look at him lovingly. “See, hubby? Isn’t it handy to have a tail? How about I give you one too?”


    Leon shook his leg free from the tangle and rolled over onto his back. “No need.”


    “Fine, suit yourself.”


    Rosvisser turned back as well, cradling her tail, happily flicking its tip with her fingers.


    After a moment, Rosvisser asked, “So, when you escaped from the Empire, it was toe back to me, right?”


    “I’m lying in your bed right now. Isn’t that obvious?”


    “I don’t want your rhetorical answers. I want you to say it directly.” Rosvisser sat up straight and looked at him. “Did you go through all that trouble escaping just toe back to me?”


    Leon thought for a moment and then firmly replied, “No.”


    The queen frowned. “Then what for?”


    “For my daughters.”


    The next second, arge stuffed bear was mmed down onto Leon’s face.


    “One of these days, I’m going to turn your mouth into the toughest armor in the world!”


    “And I’ll forge the weapon to match it with your mouth!”


    The two of them started yfully wrestling on the bed.


    After a while, Leon removed the bear from his face and said, “Actually, your earlier guess was correct. The Empire is indeed working with Constantine.”


    Upon hearing this, Rosvisser wasn’t particrly surprised. She sat next to him, hugging a stuffed bear, and said softly, “So that crazed dragon really did cooperate with humans, huh…”


    Leon nodded. “Yeah, and the reason he attacked your Silver Dragon Sanctuary was actually to get rid of me. The Empire knows I survived that assassination attempt three years ago, and if I returned, I might discover their secrets, so they want me dead.”


    “And… why would they form this partnership? How long has it been going on?”


    “That, I’m not sure about. My master says we need to uncover the Empire’s conspiracy, but we can’t all stay in the Empire. I need to return to the dragon tribe. This way, not only will I be safe, but I can also start uncovering the truth.”


    Leon continued, “My master will investigate inside the Empire while I gather intelligence from the dragon side. Every three months, we’ll exchange information at the cave he’s using as a hideout.”


    As Leon outlined his and his master’s n, Rosvisser raised an eyebrow. “This exchange n and location… I take it you didn’te up with this yourself?”


    Leon grinned. “We’re family—no need to divide things into yours and mine.”


    A blush spread across Rosvisser’s face, and she lightly smacked Leon’s chest with the stuffed bear. “Shameless. Who’s family with you?”@@novelbin@@


    After a brief pause, Rosvisser’s face quickly cooled as if realizing something, her expression turning indifferent.


    “Oh, I see. So if it weren’t for uncovering the Empire and Constantine’s conspiracy, you wouldn’t havee back, right? Is that what you’re saying?”


    Leon blinked in confusion, thinking, *Hasn’t the nine-month pregnancy phase passed already? Why is she still splitting hairs with me over words like this?*


    He nced at Rosvisser, whose beautiful silver eyes were filled with mncholy.


    Leon’s heart stirred. He tentatively asked, “Queen, could it be… you actually missed me?”


    If Leon had to fill out a resume and list his top three skills, they would probably be:


    1. Dragon-ying.


    2. Stubbornness.


    3. Asking obvious questions.


    But, as they say, you can’t share a bed without somemon ground.


    When it came to stubbornness, Rosvisser was just as bad.


    “Hmph, me miss you? It’s just the daughters who missed you. No matter what excuse I came up with, they’d eventually see through it. That’s the only reason I wanted you back. And now you have the nerve to suggest I missed you? Ridiculous.”


    Leon’s mouth nearly twisted upward to the heavens. “Fine, fine. It’s all for the daughters.”


    After bickering a bit more, Leon noticed that her mncholic look hadn’t fully faded. Realizing he should give a more serious answer to her earlier question, he said:


    “If everything was settled after I dealt with the traitor, I think… I still would havee back.”


    After a pause, Leon quickly added, “Ah, but don’t misunderstand me. Just because I said I’de back doesn’t mean I’d stay forever. I’d still need to visit the Empire sometimes to see my master and his wife… and my donkey. But… as long as it doesn’t make the daughters suspicious, right?”


    He sounded like an awkward teenager in love, trying hard to exin his actions but not wanting to reveal the deep emotions burning within him.


    Because that wouldn’t be “cool.”


    Rosvisser gazed at Leon, watching him struggle to express himself while maintaining his pride.


    *Sigh,* she thought, *you’re still so young. I’ll let this one slide.*


    “Oh, I get it,” she responded calmly.


    “Get… what?”


    There it was again—the dreaded “I get it.”


    Leon couldn’t help but think, *Please don’t “get” it wrong!*


    Rosvisser chuckled lightly and leaned in closer, supporting herself with her hands as she brought her face near Leon’s, looking into his dark eyes. She spoke softly,


    “To put it simply… you just can’t let go of me, can you?”


    The dragon yer’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly grabbed the nearby stuffed bear, cing it between them.


    “Ridiculous! Me not being able to let go of you is even more absurd than you not being able to let go of me!”


    “Oh really? Well, you better hold it together. Don’t go identally opening your heart to me or sharing your feelings… or, you know, confessing to me. Because if you do, I’ll—”


    “You’ll?”


    “Reject you, of course~. Imagine how heartbroken you’d be, crying after I turn you down~.”


    Leon narrowed his eyes. “Just wait, Queen. Even if the world ends, even if everything is destroyed, you’ll never hear me open up to you, let alone confess.”


    _____________________________


    <strong>TL NOTE</strong>: Please don''t skimp on the stars for the trantion - I''d really like to see how far Leon goes and how far we can increase the number of chapters. Thanks~!


    If you want to buy me a coffee /santos_28