Speaking of "meeting the parents," it seemed it was not an easy task for Little Rose and her brother-in-law.
The Melkvey family background was somewhat unique. The two sisters had never seen their parents since childhood and were raised single-handedly by their grandmother.
After bringing the sisters to adulthood, their grandmother left under the pretense of traveling the world, often not contacting them for decades.
Even when Rossweise got married, her grandmother could not return to meet her granddaughter's husband.
As for her brother-in-law, Isha did not know much. She had only heard from Little Rose that he came from a small, disbanded tribe and had technically married into her Silver Dragon Clan.
Isha was half skeptical of her sister's explanation.
After all, the Crimson Flame Dragon King Constantine had been killed by this seemingly harmless brother-in-law of hers.
Someone with the strength to defeat Constantine would not likely fall to the point where his tribe disbanded, forcing him to depend on another clan for survival, right?
Could it be that Leon married Little Rose to avoid enemies hunting him down?
Or perhaps they had reached some kind of deal?
Isha had pondered this question more than once, but Little Rose firmly believed Leon was reliable and trustworthy.
As for the reason, Little Rose did not elaborate.
So what could she, as an elder sister, do?
Of course, she had to trust her sister.
Bringing her wandering thoughts back, Isha looked at her sister.
"Well, I have delivered the message. Grandmother did not specify when she would return, but I need to prepare well in the coming days to avoid being caught off guard if she suddenly appears."
Rossweise nodded. "Yes, me too."
"Then, there is nothing else."
Isha stood up, took a deep breath, then looked over at Leon, who was tending to the children. "Finally, I can spend some time with my little niece."
Leon also stood and handed Little Light over to Isha.
"Leon, come with me to prepare dinner," Rossweise said.
"Okay." Leon lowered his head and patted Muen's head. "Mom and dad are going to prepare dinner. Muen, be good and listen to Auntie."
The little dragon girl nodded obediently. "Mm-hmm, Muen knows!"
Leon smiled and walked to Rossweise's side. The couple left the bedroom one after the other.
Closing the door, the two walked side by side down the corridor. Dinner was already being prepared by the maids; they had just found an excuse to talk privately. They had this unspoken understanding.
"Does your grandmother really only return once every few decades?" Leon asked.
Rossweise nodded. "Yes."
"For so long, are you not afraid the family will grow distant?"
Rossweise shook her head. "Dragons have long lifespans. A few decades is not much. Besides, most dragons do not place great importance on family relationships."
Leon blinked. "So, your grandmother is also not the type to value family ties?"
The queen shrugged. "From her infrequent visits, it is clear she does not prioritize family much. But my sister and I could feel her love and care when we were young."
As they chatted, the couple arrived at the temple's backyard and continued strolling along the shaded path.
"Intelligent beings are complex. You cannot judge them based on just one aspect," Rossweise said. "Just like how outsiders perceive dragons as cruel and ruthless, prioritizing strength and showing little regard for bonds and emotions."
"But living with me for so long, you should have noticed that while dragons may not care much about emotions initially, once they establish a connection with someone, they remain unwaveringly loyal."
"This loyalty extends not only to marital relationships but also to family and friendships."
"Like that newlywed couple we met during our vacation at Cloudstream Valley. Their relationship seemed quite good."
"And also—"
Rossweise, who had been speaking confidently, suddenly stopped.
Her steps faltered. There was a subtle shift in her gaze as she looked at Leon.
After two seconds of eye contact, Rossweise averted her eyes and quickened her pace slightly, as if trying to cover something.
"Cough, you understand what I mean." Rossweise, realizing that continuing might sound ambiguous, decided to cut the conversation short.
Leon looked bewildered. "I do not get it. Did you have something else to say? How am I supposed to understand if you do not finish your thought?"
He genuinely could not grasp what Rossweise was trying to convey.
He understood her initial point about not judging intelligent beings by one aspect. After all, he had taught Muen the same principle regarding the intellect of young dragons.
Back then, the little dragon girl had given him a lesson too, saying that if there are dragons known for fierceness, there must also be dragons yearning for peace.
Leon had kept his daughter's words in mind, neither denying nor confirming them, slowly seeking the true answer through his own observations.
Now, when Rossweise mentioned loyalty once feelings were recognized, Leon listened attentively. But just at the crucial moment, the mother dragon cut the conversation short.
It felt like reading a novel, reaching the climax, only for the author to write, "To know what happens next, stay tuned for the next installment."
Could he not be anxious?
To the queen, General Leon's curiosity felt like teasing.
Damn him.
He clearly understood what she was about to say, right? He knew she found it difficult to speak about their ambiguous relationship, yet he pretended to be clueless!
Was it fun?!
The queen snorted coldly, crossed her arms, angrily flicked her tail twice, quickened her pace, and left Leon behind.
Leon stood there bewildered. A breeze swept past, blowing away a few leaves.
"No, how… how was everything fine just now, and then suddenly she is angry?"
A woman's heart is an ocean of needles.
Even after living together for over a year, Leon sometimes could not figure out what Rossweise was thinking.
More and more little temperaments and moods.
When discussing serious matters, she was fine. Her emotions were stable, maintaining the dignity and elegance of a queen.
But in everyday life, she was like a walking pufferfish. A single sentence could provoke her, causing her to puff up with anger.
General Leon had fought on battlefields for years and had never encountered an enemy that gave him a headache.
Rossweise was the first.
But this enemy, he could not fight, could not scold—actually, he just could not bear to.
So what could Leon do?
Just make do with it. Was divorce even an option?
"Hey, wait for me!"
Leon quickened his pace, waving as he ran toward Rossweise.
Though Rossweise did not turn back or respond, she noticeably slowed her steps.
Leon caught up, looking at her sulking profile. He opened his mouth, not knowing where to start.
Rossweise glanced at him and snorted lightly.
"What was the human girl calling you in the cave?" Rossweise asked.
Leon thought for a moment before realizing she meant Rebecca.
"Um… Captain," he replied.
"No, the other nickname."
Rossweise looked at him and said slowly, word by word, "Stupid! Egghead! Straight! Male!"
Indeed, God is fair to everyone.
From marching into battles, strategizing against spies, slaying dragons, and caring for children to completing various tasks, General Leon excelled in everything.
Except for knowing how to coax his wife.
Do not be impatient.
Leon Cosmodeous had legitimate reasons for thinking he could not coax his wife.
"Damn it, they never taught this at Dragon Slayer Academy!"
Conclusion: Leon Cosmodeous is a product of rigid exam-oriented education. Sad.