The second round of the competition was a word chain game.
Considering the outstanding performances of Leon and the woman in the trench coat in the previous "Jump Seven" game, they were clearly in a league of their own.
The shop owner, fearing they would use obscure words to end the game instantly, chose another contestant to start. He hoped this would prolong the competition.
However, reality proved that the shop owner had underestimated Leon and the mysterious woman's cunning.
No matter how simple the starting word, when it reached them, they consistently conjured extremely obscure terms, making it impossible for the next person to continue and thus eliminating them.
As the shop owner watched one contestant after another leave the stage, he couldn't help but feel a sense of resignation:
Are you two here to stock up on my goods? Is this all about efficiency?
The first round of "Jump Seven" had lasted about five minutes. This round of word chain was over in a mere two.
Under the relentless "slaughter" by Leon and the mysterious woman, only the two of them remained on stage.
The shop owner felt weary, but seeing the growing crowd of spectators, he decided against further delays and moved directly to the third round.
"The final round is simple. It's called 'I Have, You Don't.' Both sides take turns stating something they have or an experience they've had. If the other side doesn't have it, you score a point."
"The one with the most points when time runs out wins the Jade Dew Dragon Fruit."
"Please both adhere to the rules. No lying allowed~"
"Now, if you're ready, let the competition begin!"
Leon and the woman in the trench coat stood facing each other, a small table with a scoreboard between them.
The spectators focused intently on this final match. Even though they were no longer in the running, the games were entertaining enough to hold their attention.
In the VIP seating area, only Rossweise remained among the wives. She crossed her arms and glanced around, murmuring, "Did that woman's husband not come…?"
Perhaps she was only here for fun? Rossweise thought.
Yet, it had to be admitted, the woman in the trench coat was impressive to match wits with Leon in this game of cunning.
As the final round began, Leon tilted his chin slightly. "Ladies first."
The woman in the trench coat curled her lips into a smile. "Thank you. Then I won't hold back."
After a pause, she said, "I have a whole room full of high heels."
"… "
The first move left Leon speechless. She was not only quick-witted but also knew how to leverage her advantages. If Leon, a grown man, claimed to have a room full of high heels, everyone would think he was a pervert.
Though he had many retorts in mind, Leon remained calm on the surface. "Hmm, I don't have that."
The woman smirked triumphantly and marked a point on her scoreboard.
It was Leon's turn.
She had used her gender advantage, but in doing so, she gave him an idea.
Only you can play dirty?
With a slight shift in his thoughts, Leon, his chin propped on his hand, glanced around the stage and the audience before settling his gaze on Rossweise.
Then, with a confident smile, he said, "I have a wife."
The Queen: 😐
I knew you wouldn't come up with anything good!
The spectators behind Rossweise erupted in cheers. Rossweise lowered her head, silently covering her burning cheeks, wishing she could rush up and shut his mouth!
The woman in the trench coat opposite was visibly taken aback by Leon's answer but quickly regained her composure. "Interesting. You have a good relationship with your wife, I assume?"
Leon shrugged. "Very good indeed. So, do I get a point?"
The woman nodded, and Leon added a point to his scoreboard.
"Then… I have a sister at home," the woman said.
A sister at home.
Leon frowned. He didn't have one. He only had a donkey at home.
Leon gestured a "please," indicating she could add a point.
It was Leon's turn again. Since family was the theme…
He considered saying, "I have two daughters." But upon reflection, while dragons weren't particularly prolific, it didn't mean the woman in front of him absolutely didn't have two children. So, he decided to be more specific.
"I have a pair of twin daughters," he said.
The woman didn't seem surprised. Instead, she nodded slightly, as if to say, "I see."
"Well, I don't, so you get a point," she said.
Leon added another point.
After several rounds, they were neck and neck, each carefully considering their statements. Both were clever; at this rate, they might not determine a winner for hours.
Fortunately, the round had a time limit.
With just ten seconds left, Leon was trailing by one point. His mind raced. "I've nailed horseshoes for my donkey."
[Donkey: You better have a good reason, Cosmodeous, or I'll kick your filthy face.]
Rossweise sighed. "Ah, he still can't forget about that donkey."
The woman in the trench coat paused. It was clear she hadn't had such a down-to-earth experience. She shook her head.
Leon smiled and added a point, tying the score.
As the final seconds ticked down, Leon thought they might be headed for overtime.
However…
"I've had my first kiss."
In the very last second, the woman in the trench coat played her decisive card.
Leon was dumbfounded.
Come on, isn't this a maternity store event? What's a mother dragon like you doing talking about your first kiss?
Apparently, she really was just here for fun.
"Um… sir, you just mentioned you have a wife and adorable twin daughters, so I suppose your first kiss… is no longer available, right?" the shop owner asked.
Leon glanced at the shop owner and sighed helplessly. "Well, I guess I don't have my first kiss anymore."
As time ran out, the woman in the trench coat led by one point, securing the final victory.
According to the rules, the shop owner handed the Jade Dew Dragon Fruit to her. As the runner-up, Leon received a coupon valid for ten years.
"Well, welcome anytime to the shop for your purchases. The event is now successfully concluded," the shop owner said with a bow before hurrying inside to attend to the growing crowd.
Leon looked down at the coupon, then at the Jade Dew Dragon Fruit in the woman's hand.
Darn it!
So close!
Regret washed over him. Rossweise approached the edge of the arena, leaning slightly forward, resting her chin on her hand, and looking up at Leon with a playful, squinting smile.
"Where's my champion? Where's my dragon fruit, hmm? Leon?"
"…Second place isn't so bad," Leon murmured, before turning his attention back to the woman in the trench coat.
Without the Jade Dew Dragon Fruit, he was destined to become Rossweise's personal stress reliever. He couldn't accept that. He had to try again.
"Ma'am, could we have this dragon fruit? My wife is pregnant."
The woman in the trench coat tilted her head slightly, glanced at Rossweise, then back at Leon. "Didn't you just say you already have a pair of twin daughters? How… is this possible?"
"Third child. We're expecting our third child."
"Oh? It's not common to see second pregnancies among Dragons," the woman remarked casually.
Leon chuckled. "We just want to contribute a little to the population growth of the Dragons, right, honey?"
Rossweise rolled her eyes at him impatiently but played along. "Well, we both like children, so we decided to have a third one."
"Yeah, and besides, ma'am, you're only here for fun, right? So the dragon fruit shouldn't mean much to you," Leon pressed. "We can exchange the prize. If you feel it's unfair, we can make up the difference."
"I did come for the fun of it. The Jade Dew Dragon Fruit doesn't mean much to me," the woman conceded.
"But I still want to ask you and your wife, are you really expecting a third child?"
Leon was puzzled by the stranger's intense interest. He glanced at Rossweise, who gave a slight, imperceptible shake of her head.
After a moment's thought, Leon replied honestly, "Yes, we really are."
"How far along?"
"Um…"
"Do we really need to ask that?" Leon scratched his forehead. "Two months."
"Oh, I can tell. You really care about your wife. Just two months along, and you're already trying so hard to get the Jade Dew Dragon Fruit to nourish her."
Beneath the aloof exterior seemed to beat the heart of a consummate busybody.
But to get the dragon fruit, Leon had to play along.
"Well… I do love my wife a lot, after all."
"How much do you love her?"
"…A lot. A whole lot."
"Wow~~ So romantic~~ I envy you, I really do."
Seizing the moment, Leon rubbed his hands together and smiled. "Well, ma'am, about this dragon fruit—"
"In consideration of your profound love for your wife, the dragon fruit is yours." The woman in the trench coat generously offered it.
Leon reached out and accepted it as if it were a treasure.
After all the twists and turns, wasn't the champion still him?!
A virtual champion is still a champion, and a future champion is not a champion yet? It all made sense.
Finally, Leon remembered his manners. "Would you mind telling us your name?"
"My name, huh…" The woman in the trench coat raised her hands.
With one, she removed the hat from her head. With the other, she took off the sunglasses.
A cascade of fiery red hair tumbled loose from under the hat, like a blooming rose. The vibrant red eyes beneath the sunglasses were particularly striking, shining as bright as rubies.
She shed her disguise, and under the utterly astonished gazes of Leon and Rossweise, she spoke her name in a calm, measured tone.
"Isabella Melkvey. So, what did you just say, brother-in-law? You… indeed have a third child, don't you?"
The air grew still. Isabella's ruby-like eyes held a glint of knowing amusement, her gaze shifting pointedly from Leon's stunned face to her sister's slightly pale one. The playful competition was over. Now, a different kind of game had begun.