Vol. 2 Ch. 43

Leon’s plan was simple: sneak into the Flame Dragon Clan while its internal strife had calmed but external pressures were high, and find Constantine’s confidant.

At that point, the poor confidant, who had been struggling to survive in the chaotic aftermath, would never expect that the man who killed his boss would show up after four months like a ghost haunting him.

It was all about catching him off guard.

Rosvisser had no objections to Leon’s timing.

However, the method of entering the territory… that needed more thought.

“I’ll have Shirley drop me off near the Flame Dragon Clan’s territory, and I’ll head in on my own,” Leon suggested.

Rosvisser pondered this for a moment before shaking her head. “That won’t work.”

“Why not?”

“First, you’re going to the Flame Dragon Clan to find Constantine’s confidant and figure out which other Dragon Kings are collaborating with the human empire. But to Shirley or any of my other people, it would look strange for the Silver Dragon Prince to sneak into the territory of a defeated dragon clan by himself.”

Rosvisser began explaining her reasoning slowly.

“Secondly, Shirley wouldn’t just leave you to go in alone. Even if you told her to wait outside, she’d likely follow you. The same goes for anyone else I’d send with you.”

“And the confidant you’re after? If he knows about Constantine’s dealings with the empire, there’s a good chance he also knows your human identity. If Shirley’s with you, no matter how you interrogate him, he could expose your secret, and the fact that we’ve been hiding your identity would be out in the open.”

Rosvisser made a solid point.

Since Constantine had openly complained about his dealings with the empire in front of this confidant, it was almost certain—

No, not almost—it was *definite* that the confidant knew Leon’s true identity.

So, if Leon had Shirley or anyone else from the Silver Dragon Clan accompany him, the risk of exposure would be significantly higher.

Leon needed his identity as the “Silver Dragon Prince” as cover, allowing him to continue his investigation within the dragon society and coordinate with his master to uncover the empire’s conspiracy.

Moreover, the ‘fake’ family he and Rosvisser were building was becoming more and more real.

Noa, Moon, and Aurora all adored Leon, seeing him as the best father in the world.

But if they suddenly found out that their proud father was actually an outsider, a human…

The consequences were unpredictable.

Perhaps wise Noa wouldn’t mind, as long as her father still loved her and she loved him. Moon and Aurora would probably feel the same.

But—

What if things took a turn for the worse? How could Leon face that?

It was a gamble he couldn’t take.

All he could do was continue keeping this secret with Rosvisser.

Seeing Leon deep in thought, Rosvisser knew he had understood her point and considered the various possibilities.

“So how do I get to the Flame Dragon Clan?” Leon asked.

The dragon clans’ territories were far apart, and no matter how capable Leon was, he was still a land-bound creature with two legs.

Without wings or transportation, it would take months to travel from the Silver Dragon Sanctuary to the Flame Dragon Clan on foot.

By that time, Constantine’s confidant might be long gone, or the entire Flame Dragon Clan could be reduced to ashes by the revenge of the other clans.@@novelbin@@

Moreover, getting to the Flame Dragon Clan was just the first step—the most important thing was to ensure that no one accompanying Leon became suspicious.

Rosvisser, however, had a solution.

“I’ll go with you.”

Leon blinked in surprise.

Clearly, he hadn’t expected her to say that.

“The Silver Dragon Queen sneaking into a defeated dragon clan’s territory with her husband...” Leon stroked his chin and took a deep breath. “That sounds even more suspicious than me going alone.”

Rosvisser shrugged. “We’ll just say we’re inspecting the border. That excuse has always worked.”

She was right.

Border inspections had long been a convenient cover for more ‘private’ matters. Her sister Isha had even teased her about it, calling it a “perfect excuse for a work date.”

And it was indeed a good excuse, whether for a date or...

A mission deep behind enemy lines.

“If Shirley takes you, it’ll raise questions about your identity. In this case, it’s safer for me to go with you.”

“You’re not wrong. But… I don’t quite understand.”

Rosvisser tilted her head. “What don’t you understand?”

Leon met her silver eyes and, after a brief pause, said, “This mission is dangerous, and even if we take every precaution, it’s still my responsibility, my fight with the empire and my master’s battle. The conflict between the Flame Dragons and your Silver Dragon Clan is over. You don’t have to take this risk…”

Oh~

Rosvisser understood.

This man still had a conscience. He was thinking about her safety.

She felt a small sense of pride but didn’t show it. She decided to tease him a bit more, seeing if she could get him to say something even more straightforward.

“Well, what can we do? If your identity gets exposed, our family would fall apart too, right?”

She sighed dramatically, acting conflicted and sorrowful.

“I know it’s dangerous, and I’ve only just recovered from giving birth four months ago. My strength isn’t fully back yet. If we run into trouble with the Flame Dragon remnants, I might get hurt, and worse… I might not make it back at all...”

Her words were entirely false. Dragons recovered quickly after giving birth, their strength and resilience returning in no time.

After all, they were a savage race, born to fight and claim territory. Their warrior nature was ingrained in their very DNA.

But she said it to see if she could get a bit more of that genuine concern out of him.

“What? Not make it back… is it really that serious?” Leon was clearly rattled.

“Of course it is. You’re Cassmod the Dragon Slayer, fearless and unstoppable, frying anyone who crosses your path with lightning. But I’m not like you. I’m not good at fighting, and I’m still weak. If it weren’t for this family, for our daughters, I wouldn’t risk this with you.”

She looked fragile, delicate, as if a mere breeze could blow her over.

Had she been holding a handkerchief, she’d look like a fragile beauty straight out of a painting.

Leon wasn’t sure if she was faking it or not, but the idea that women became weak after childbirth didn’t seem entirely false.

He licked his dry lips, hesitated, then stood up awkwardly and nudged her shoulder.

“Alright, alright... we’ll think of another way. You don’t have to go with me.”

“Another way? What other way? At this point, the only option is for me to take you there,” Rosvisser said, pretending to be at a loss.

Out of Leon’s sight, her lips curved into a victorious smile.

“But… if you get hurt…” Leon mumbled.

“Hurt?” Rosvisser scoffed. “Now you’re concerned about me? Where was this concern before?”

Leon fumbled. “I—”

“You what?”

“I’m not *concerned* about you! I’m just… just worried our daughters would be upset.”

Ah, the old “it’s for the daughters” excuse again?

Oh, Cassmod, you poor fool. Today I’ll teach you that the same trick doesn’t work twice on a dragon queen!

“Really, Leon? So you don’t care about me at all? You’re just pretending? I was ready to risk my life to help you find your enemy, but you don’t even care! This is too much! I’m leaving tomorrow and going to stay with my sister—mmmph!”

Leon quickly clamped his hand over her mouth.

If she kept going, she might actually start talking about divorce.

He held her mouth shut, and since he was standing and she was sitting, her face naturally pressed against his stomach.

Leon looked down at her, and she glanced up with her beautiful eyes.

They stared at each other for a moment. Leon’s face turned red, and he mumbled, “Fine… I admit it, okay? I *am* worried about you. Alright? It’s not just about the daughters. I’d feel… really guilty if something happened to you.”

He hesitated before finally settling on the word “guilty.”

He could have used words like “sad” or “devastated,” but that felt too intimate for where he and Rosvisser were right now.

So, “guilty” felt safer.

After all, she could have stayed home, safe and sound, reigning as the Silver Dragon Queen. There was no need for her to take risks with him.

If she got hurt because of him, Leon really would be consumed by guilt.

This wasn’t about Rosvisser’s status—it was about having a partner willing to risk their safety for him. How could anyone not feel guilty about that?

Rosvisser listened to his words and tone carefully.

She was satisfied.

She pushed his hand away from her mouth, but her face remained resting against his stomach. In fact, she even leaned into him a little more.

Not quite clinging to him, but definitely testing the waters.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of myself,” Rosvisser said softly. “As for why I’m helping you… well, isn’t it only natural for a wife to help her husband?”

Leon lowered his head, his hand still hovering near her face.

He mustered the courage to gently caress her warm, soft cheek with the back of his hand.

To

his surprise, she didn’t pull away or stop him. She let him stroke her face.

Leon’s voice was low. “You’re really getting into this role, Rosvisser.”

She didn’t respond, simply closing her eyes and enjoying the feel of Leon’s hand as she leaned into him a little more.