Vol. 1 Ch. 172

He clutched his chest, trying to calm his racing heart. “What about the throne?”

“The throne is just a cage.”

She sounded like a neurotic little girl, suddenly passionate and then abruptly melancholic.

Rosvitha rested her chin in her hands, her silver eyes staring blankly at the ground below the steps.

“When you sit on it, your life no longer belongs to you.”

“…Rosvitha?”

“But I’ll stay in this cage and do all my work! After all, I’m the best queen in the world! Leon, tell me, am I the best queen?”

She nudged Leon’s shoulder gently, her previously melancholy face now full of expectation, seeking praise.

Leon smiled. “Yes, you are the best queen.”

“Yay~”

Got it. Before drinking, she’s Noia; after drinking, she’s Muen.

No wonder, considering his and Rosvitha’s personalities, how could they have a lively and spirited child like Muen?

It turns out that you have to unlock all the attributes of this dragon queen after she drinks.

“The best queen, paired with the best captive. Per~~fect~~”

“Do you have to use the word ‘captive’?”

“Why, aren’t you my captive?”

Leon didn’t want to argue with a tipsy dragon queen. “Mm, if you say so.”

After a pause, he added, “But it was this captive who saved your Silver Dragon clan from Constantine a week ago.”

“Yes, yes, that’s why I say you’re the best captive~”

It seemed there was no getting around the “captive” label.

Leon chose to go along with her.

“Um… actually, you’re really amazing. I always thought you were bragging.”

This was indeed Rosvitha’s true feeling. After the battle with Constantine, she genuinely believed Leon was incredibly strong, almost absurdly so.

Under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t praise him, lest his ego inflated too much.

But tonight, bolstered by the alcohol, she decided to give him some praise. Tomorrow, she could just claim she was drunk and that her words didn’t count, playing coy to see how he’d react.

Ah, I’m really clever! Rosvitha thought smugly.

Sure enough, Leon proudly puffed out his chest.

“Of course. Do you think I just gave myself the title of the strongest dragon slayer? It’s recognized by the empire~”

“Roar~~”

Rosvitha turned her head, leaning in closer, resting her small chin on Leon’s arm, and looked at him with her beautiful silver eyes.

“But you were captured by me three years ago, weren’t you? Tsk tsk tsk.”

Leon shrugged his arm, dislodging Rosvitha’s chin. “I was framed by an insider back then, or I would have—”

“Would have what? Hmm?”

“Would have…”

Strange, why couldn’t he get the words out?

I don’t think the dragon marks are glowing, so why isn’t my mouth listening to my brain?

Could it be… I have some sympathy for this dragon queen?

Ugh… How terrifying!

He pressed his lips together, unsure how to change the subject.

“Hmph, heartless man, no conscience,” Rosvitha said angrily.

“How am I heartless? We were enemies back then. Besides, three years ago, if I hadn’t used the blood enchantment on you, wouldn’t you have already gotten rid of me?”

“Back then, we were enemies?” Rosvitha latched onto the key phrase.

“Yes.”

“So, what you’re saying is… we’re not enemies now?”

Leon’s face turned awkward, and he looked away, muttering, “Still enemies, just temporarily co-parenting three daughters.”

Rosvitha let out a small, triumphant sound, clearly enjoying this exchange.

“Leon,” she said more softly, “even if we’re still enemies, can’t we… for the sake of the children… try to get along better?”

Leon sighed, realizing the complexities of their relationship, especially under the current circumstances.

“Maybe,” he said quietly, “we can try.”

Their conversation, though playful, hinted at the possibility of a deeper understanding and cooperation between them. The night wore on, the cicadas sang, and the stars twinkled above, as the unlikely pair sat together, bound by circumstances and their shared responsibilities.

Rosvitha got annoyed.

She grabbed Leon’s chin, forcing him to face her, and then squeezed his cheeks, squishing his face repeatedly.

“If the world ends one day, all magic disappears, and all creatures turn to ash, your mouth will still be perfectly fine!”

Leon wasn’t going to let her bully him like that. Naturally, he grabbed her cheeks in the same way.

The two of them, like squabbling schoolchildren, sat on the steps, pinching each other’s faces, neither willing to let go.

“What should I say, then? Hmm?”@@novelbin@@

“Say you’re my captive!”

“I won’t! Let go of me first!”

“I won’t let go! Say you’re my captive, and I’ll let go!”

“I won’t! You let go first!”

“No, you say it first!”

“…”

After a while of this, Rosvitha finally gave in. “I’ll count to three, and we’ll let go at the same time.”

Leon’s eyes shifted slightly. “Alright.”

“Three… two… one!”

…

Leon: →_→

Rosvitha: ←_←

The sudden silence was the most awkward part.

Leon looked down at the delicate hand still pinching his face and then at his own hand squeezing Rosvitha’s cheek. He chuckled, “I know you too well, dragon queen.”

“This time for real, three, two, one, let go.”

Both of them paused for a second, assessing each other’s sincerity.

“Three… two… one!”

With a mix of hesitation and determination, they finally released each other’s faces at the same time. They both rubbed their slightly sore cheeks, glaring at each other with a mixture of annoyance and amusement.

“Happy now?” Leon asked, his tone mockingly exasperated.

“Very,” Rosvitha replied, sticking out her tongue childishly before breaking into a smile.

Leon couldn’t help but smile back. Despite their bickering, there was a genuine camaraderie between them, a bond that had formed through their shared experiences and responsibilities. The night continued peacefully, their earlier playfulness softening into a comfortable silence.

“Alright.”

“Three… two… one!”

Finally, the couple released each other.

After rubbing their reddened and slightly warm cheeks, Rosvitha took another sip of beer.

Taking a deep breath, Rosvitha looked at Leon. “But since we just mentioned you being framed by the insider… it seems like we’ve never really talked about it, have we? So, should we talk about it now?”