The days flowed by, and the shadow of the war slowly lifted. For the Silver Dragon Clan, things seemed to be looking up.
But for Leon, life had not changed much. If anything, his little daughter kept him a bit busier. Other than that, everything was the same—
Until he noticed that Rossweise's mood seemed to be sinking lower each day.
At first, it was she who had suggested lifting the clan's spirits, even organizing a bonfire banquet for that purpose. Thanks to her efforts, the Silver Dragons gradually regained their morale, and the clan's operations began to return to normal.
Yet Rossweise, who had made it all happen, seemed out of step with the hopeful atmosphere.
Leon could tell her sadness was not from work pressure. Something else was bothering her.
Over the past few days, her mood had worsened. Sometimes, she even avoided Leon on purpose, which left him confused.
Had he said something to upset her? That did not seem right. They knew each other too well, knew where the lines were, and would step back if they came too close.
Besides, if Rossweise was truly angry, she would either settle it right away or confront him directly. She would not brood for days like this.
After thinking it over, Leon decided to talk to her.
In the evening, with some time before dinner, Rossweise finished her work for the day and sat alone on the backyard swing.
The setting sun stretched her shadow long and thin. Her silver hair swayed gently in the evening breeze, her beautiful face filled with sorrow.
The swing moved slightly, the iron chains and wooden board creaking softly, a quiet sound.
Her silver eyes were fixed on the ground, her thoughts drifting to the past.
"I have one request for you. Do not let Leon return to the Empire for a year."
That was what she and Tiger had agreed upon when they first met. Back then, Rossweise had not even considered letting Leon go. A year? Even ten or a hundred years—she would keep him by her side, a captive for life. It was her punishment for the arrogant human who had dared to offend her.
But so much had happened since then. Her relationship with Leon had slowly changed.
Neither of them had tried to use the other to understand their respective races; one person could never represent an entire species. They only sought to understand each other.
And the more time they spent together, the more the image of Leon in Rossweise's mind shifted from what it once was. Before, she saw only an enemy, a scoundrel who would mock her even with death at his door.
But as their daughters grew, as she went through ten months of pregnancy, and as their last precious child was born, Leon's better qualities began to show.
Responsibility, integrity, and courage.
Of all the people Rossweise had met, Leon embodied these three traits the most. He was an excellent father without a doubt, and as a pseudo-husband, he was quite capable too.
His love was pure; when he gave his whole heart to someone, that person would be the happiest in the world.
From the very start, he had never looked down on their daughters for being half-human, half-dragon. Instead, he loved them unconditionally, holding nothing back.
The youngest was still too small to tell, but Noah and Muen were deeply wrapped in Leon's profound love.
Rossweise could clearly see the difference between her two daughters and other young dragons.
They enjoyed life more, loved it more, and had a much stronger sense of "family" than other dragon children. This was a feeling most dragons could not grasp.
Rossweise knew it was all because of Leon. If it were just her, her daughters might still be awkwardly calling her "Mother Empress" even now. He had long since evolved from a mere captive to a real part of this "family."
And after the battle with Constantine, too many mysteries had surfaced, all strangely tied to the agreement with Leon's master.
She had a feeling that in the distant human empire, a silent war was waiting for Leon. Logically, he needed to go back to solve these mysteries. Emotionally, Tiger's plans might also need Leon's help and support.
Now, the one-year mark of her agreement with Tiger had passed. This was the reason for her gloom these past few days.
Even though she had already made up her mind, she was still stuck here, doubting herself pointlessly.
What was the use of staying silent? How long could hiding the truth really work? Leon would find out eventually. He would leave here eventually.
"Sigh…"
It was hard to say how many times she had sighed today, each one heavier than the last.
Creak… creak…
Suddenly, a light push came from behind, and the swing began to sway. She did not need to look to know it was Leon, with his broad, slightly cool hands.
She had been so lost in thought she had not noticed him approach.
"Is it fun, Your Majesty?" Leon asked, still pushing the swing.
Rossweise gripped the iron chains on either side, her silver hair floating in the air. She kept her eyes down, feeling the rhythm of the swing. Her voice was low. "Why are you here?"
"I noticed you have not been yourself lately. Is something wrong?"
"No."
Her reply was a little cold. It was well known that when a girl said she was not angry, it did not always mean she was not. Until she exploded, that anger was like a cat in a box—you would not know if it was alive or dead until you opened it.
"Come on, talk to me. Is it… postpartum depression?"
"No, it has nothing to do with the baby."
"Oh… then it is about me, is not it?"
Rossweise closed her eyes. Sometimes she wished he was not so sharp.
Seeing her stay silent, Leon knew he had guessed right.
He gently held Rossweise's back, slowly stopping the swing, then stepped around to stand in front of her, crossing his arms.
"Come on, Your Majesty, tell me. What did I do to upset you?"
Rossweise sat on the swing and looked up. The setting sun shone behind Leon, lighting up Rossweise's face.
He stood tall, his gaze higher than hers. Their eyes met, neither looking away.
The scene reminded Rossweise of three years ago in the dungeon, when Leon had looked at her the same way. Only now, the cool evening breeze was much nicer than the dungeon's damp air.
He was still as ruggedly handsome as ever, his scars full of masculine charm.
Rossweise opened her mouth, thinking she should take this chance to tell him about the one-year agreement with Tiger.
But just as she was about to speak, Muen's voice came from far away.
"Mom, Dad, it is time for dinner! Big sis said not to dawdle, or we will not wait for you!"
Leon turned his head and called back, "Tell Noah if she keeps spying on Mom and Dad, Dad will not teach her any more magic!"
As soon as he finished, Noah popped out from the bushes next to Muen, holding a scroll, her tail straight up. She shouted to Leon, "That is absolutely not allowed, Dad!"
Leon chuckled, then looked back at Rossweise. "Let us go, time for dinner."
[The queen is depressed, afraid her captive will leave her forever. Sure, the captive has been promoted—from Rossweise's captive to her husband, not just in name but in her heart. But our queen is too much of a tsundere.]