Leon chuckled. "Yeah, that is true. Go on."
"My thought is, since one dragon mark stores enough magic for about ten minutes of output, what if we had two dragon marks? Wouldn't that double the combat time and intensity?"
At those words, Leon's eyes lit up with excitement. "Two… two dragon marks? I thought you could only have one."
"Who said that? Dragon marks are essentially a type of magic circle. You can have as many as your body can hold."
Rossweise paused, biting her lip slightly. "But…"
"But?"
"But if you have too many, the sensations they bring will also double. Remember a long time ago, when I planted a dragon mark on your Black Gold Armor and made you wear it while we… you know? Do you remember?"
Leon thought back. That was indeed a long time ago. Rossweise had taken him to her private treasure vault in the mountains, and he had put on the Black Gold Armor for the first time in two years. He had not expected the tough, iron shell to have been thoroughly "marked" by the dragoness. He had spent over an hour in ecstasy under the influence of two dragon marks, an experience that had nearly cost him his life. Just thinking about it now made him shudder.
"Yeah… I remember."
"That intensity was just from external dragon marks. If you engrave a second one directly on your body, the sensations will be even stronger." Rossweise said, "But theoretically, the magic you can store will also double."
"True… but that is a method for me to get stronger, right? Did you not say you wanted to get stronger too?" Leon asked.
Rossweise nodded. "Exactly. So… I am also going to engrave a second dragon mark on my body, just like you, using them to accumulate more magic power."
Leon scratched his forehead. "This method sounds simple, but if dragon marks are this versatile, will others not be able to do the same? Will we not lose our advantage?"
Rossweise smiled faintly, clasping her hands behind her back as she slowly stepped forward. She leaned slightly, the neckline of her dress dipping to reveal her fair skin and the existing dragon mark on her chest. She took Leon's hand and gently placed his palm over it.
"For most dragons, dragon marks are shackles, restraints. They are symbols of pure love, the chains of loyalty. Because over a lifespan of hundreds or thousands of years, who can guarantee they will only ever love one person?"
"But we…"
"You and I, Leon, we will be together for a lifetime, will we not?"
.
.
.
"We will be together forever, will we not?"
The queen's words fell into the silent sanctuary, where only the sound of their breathing could be heard. Rossweise stood on the lower steps, looking up at the half-naked man on the throne. Their silver and black eyes locked, sparks flying in the air.
Seeing Leon's strange expression, Rossweise quickly added, "When I say together… I mean living together in a practical sense, not… not in that way." Her voice grew smaller, and she averted her gaze to the polished floor. "Do you understand what I mean?"
"I understand."
"Good, as long as—"
"You mean you want to grow old with me."
Rossweise: "?"
"You understand nothing!"
She stomped up the steps angrily, standing before Leon with her hands on her hips. "Who wants to grow old with you? I will not let you see what I look like when I am old."
Leon was taken aback. "So, the reason you do not want to grow old with me is that you do not want me to see you as an old woman…?"
"That is none of your business! Anyway, 'growing old together' is… inappropriate." Rossweise thought for a moment and came up with another explanation. "You are my captive, bound to my side for life, and together we will develop the functions of the Dragon Mark. Is that not only natural?"
Clap—clap—clap—
Leon could not help but applaud. "Brilliant, Your Majesty. Whenever you cannot find a suitable excuse, you always bring up me being your captive. This trick works every time!"
Rossweise could not be bothered to argue further. The more she explained, the worse it sounded. She was just repeating what he had made her say earlier: We will be together for life. What was so ambiguous about that? So cheesy? Did it imply they were deeply in love? Honestly, it did not mean anything! This annoying man just kept going on about it. She had been way too nice.
Rossweise took a step forward and sat back down on Leon's lap. In this position, her gaze was slightly higher than his, and she looked down at him, her arms wrapping around his bare shoulders.
"Stop talking nonsense, idiot. If you are okay with the method I mentioned, then we can imprint the second Dragon Mark right now."
The existing Dragon Mark only allowed Leon to fight at full power for ten minutes. In that time, he could take down six dragon kings, but that was his limit. After such a battle, he would be extremely weak, barely able to walk without Rossweise's support. The battlefield was unpredictable, and enemies would not always let him retreat unscathed. Increasing his magic reserves was necessary.
Leon nodded. "No problem, I am in."
"Oh? Accepting it that easily?"
Rossweise gently scratched the back of Leon's neck with her finger, her silver hair falling forward. "I have to remind you, though, that the desires brought by two Dragon Marks are doubled. Do not go clinging to me all day, or you will ruin your image as the mighty dragon-slayer."
Leon chuckled, raised his hand to grip her wrist, leaned in close, and whispered against her ear, "Then you had better be careful, Melkvey. I will make you faint, just like when you woke up from the Blood Charm Enchantment."
"..."
Misjudged. And thoroughly countered.
Rossweise shoved his shoulder, pressing him back against the throne. "Stop boasting. I am the noble Dragon King. Do you think your frail human body can conquer me? You are two hundred years too early!"
"I~ am~ the~ noble Dragon~ King~" Leon mocked her in a sing-song tone before adding, "Sorry, Your Majesty, but your noble Dragon King body is already shaped by this human of mine—"
"Ah, shut up!"
Rossweise could not take it anymore. She punched his arm, both embarrassed and furious.
Leon stopped teasing her, his expression turning serious. "Let us start then. Do I need to do anything to cooperate?"
Rossweise shook her head. "No, just like when I first imprinted the Dragon Mark on you. You just lie down and do nothing."
"Okay."
Lying down to get an enhancement—this was destined to be his fate. Although there might be debuffs afterward, it was overall a buff. Leon obediently leaned back on the throne.
Rossweise slowly raised her right hand, silver magical light swirling in her palm. "Where do you want the mark?" she asked.
"Oh, I get to choose the location?"
"Of course, our dragon magic is very user-friendly."
"Hmm…" Leon pretended to think, then grinned. "How about on my butt? That way, it will not be easily seen."
Rossweise rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Be serious, idiot! Where do you want it? Hurry up."
"Just below the current one."
"You mean… on your lower abdomen?"
"Yeah."
"Hmm."
Rossweise clicked her tongue, shaking her head in disbelief, her expression reading I cannot believe you are that kind of guy.
Leon blinked, confused. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You are such a closeted perv," Rossweise muttered with a sigh.
Leon was even more baffled. "What? How does that make me a perv?"
"You just are! Now be quiet, I am going to mark it. The lower abdomen, right? Confirmed?"
Leon opened his mouth, then shut it, deciding not to argue. "Yeah, confirmed."
"Alright, here it comes. It might feel a bit hot."
"Mm."
Rossweise gently pressed her glowing palm against Leon's lower abdomen. A faint burning sensation spread across his skin, but it was not painful. Silver light flashed, and when she lifted her hand, both of them froze.
There was no Dragon Mark on Leon's abdomen.
"W-Where is the mark? Did the magic fail?" Leon asked.
Rossweise had never encountered this situation before. Then again, most dragon couples would not be as bizarre as them, imprinting two marks on each other. Her eyes flicked to Leon's bare right arm. There, the Dragon Mark had appeared!
"It is… it is there…" she pointed.
Leon turned his head. Sure enough, a silver Dragon Mark coiled around his arm. Given his muscular build, the mark looked well-proportioned, powerful, and a bit flashy.
"Looks cool, but why is it here? Did you not mark my stomach?"
Rossweise was equally puzzled. "According to the books, you should be able to choose the location. Why is it off target…?"
Leon thought for a moment. "Maybe the first mark is free to place, but the second is… random?"
The queen nodded in realization. "That makes sense."
Leon snorted. "Just now, you were bragging about how user-friendly dragon magic is. Now it is all random."
Rossweise poked him in the chest. "Being user-friendly also includes the 'anticipation and excitement of the unknown,' understand?"
"Tch…" Leon scoffed. Then he asked, "Now it is your turn. I am curious where your second mark will show up." He paused, grinning wickedly. "If it ends up on your tail, you will have to keep it hidden when you go out."
"Hmph, what is so embarrassing about that? The Dragon Mark is proof of our love as husband and wife. Why hide it?"
"Who is your husband?" Leon asked smugly.
"You!—"
Rossweise cut herself off, no longer indulging him. "Alright, enough. I need to focus." She began gathering magical energy in her hand once more, silently praying, Please do not appear in some weird place!
She pressed her palm to her own abdomen. The familiar burning sensation came and faded. Once the imprinting was complete, she let out a sigh of relief. She tugged at her collar and looked down—
"Is it done?" Leon asked.
Rossweise blushed and turned away. "N-no…"
"Huh? Not done?"
"Not that, it is just… my chest is too big, I cannot see my belly."
"…That is a reason I did not anticipate." Leon was a little surprised.
Rossweise sighed and stood up, clutching the hem of her skirt a bit nervously. "Could you help me take a look?"