Now that all three of Leon's beloved daughters were officially students at St. Heath Academy, they were embarking on their rigorous studies—preparing for the day they might have to defeat dragon slayers just like their father.
For some reason, every time Leon thought about this, a wave of inexplicable sadness washed over him.
He had thought that teaching Aurora everything she knew, only for her to turn around and outshine him by taking first place in the exam, was the peak of a daughter's unintentional betrayal.
But then it hit him: years from now, when his daughters graduated, they might very well use their own father as their final practice target...
Ah, well. So be it.
In the end, despite all the twists and turns, his daughters were learning invaluable skills. That, at least, was a undeniable comfort.
Today was Monday. All three daughters were away at the academy.
He wouldn't see them again until Friday night.
Five whole days. The only other time Leon had been apart from his daughters for this long was when he returned to the Empire to deal with the traitors.
Apart from that, he had seen them nearly every day.
Now, with his daughters suddenly all out of the house, Leon found it hard to adjust.
That evening, he lay on the balcony lounge chair, staring at the quiet night sky and wondering if his little girls were also getting ready for bed.
After a while, he heard light footsteps approaching from behind.
Rossweise walked over slowly and placed two cups on the small wooden table.
Leon glanced at them. "I'm not really in the mood for alcohol tonight."
Alcohol was useful for forgetting worries, but Leon wasn't interested in numbness tonight. He didn't mind sinking into his thoughts of missing his daughters.
"It's not alcohol. It's tea."
"Tea? I thought you never drank tea?"
Rossweise held a pot of hot tea, pouring the steaming liquid into the two cups. A rich fragrance filled the air. Even to someone who wasn't a connoisseur, it was clearly top-quality.
"It's part of this year's model family reward. Vice Principal Wilson specially requested it from Principal Olette."
"...Alright. I guess trading public humiliation for a good bag of tea isn't the worst deal."
Rossweise's eyes sparkled as she raised two fingers. "Correction, it wasn't once—it was twice."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Twice?"
"Did you forget? A few days ago, after the interview, you kissed me in front of everyone to prove to the vice principal that you loved me. Doesn't that count?"
"..."
The Queen smiled lightly and took a graceful sip from her cup. It was indeed fine tea.
"Rossweise, why do I feel like you're not only unfazed by the public embarrassment but actually... enjoying it?"
Rossweise looked out at the night view, the starlight reflecting in her silver eyes. She smiled slightly. "Am I?"
"How could you not be?" Leon's suspicions were confirmed. "Even at the entrance ceremony, when I kissed you, you didn't even think about resisting!"
Rossweise slowly turned her head to meet his eyes. "Why, Leon? Were you hoping I'd resist your affectionate gestures?"
"Uh..."
"Well, fine. From now on, don't touch me. Not even hand-holding."
"N-no, that's not okay..."
"Hmph, idiot."
She said the word "idiot" perfectly, then took another sip of tea while enjoying the view.
There was a moment of silence before Leon spoke again. "I think I get it now."
"Oh? What do you understand?"
"You just wanted to show off our love in front of others, didn't you?"
"Did I?"
"Yes," Leon nodded firmly.
"I won't admit it. Hehe."
"Hey, you!—"
Leon had guessed her intentions correctly, but of course, she wouldn't admit it. Naturally, Rossweise wasn't trying to hide this little thought of hers. She wanted Leon to figure it out. And then she would stubbornly deny it.
That way, she could enjoy the look of frustration and helplessness on Leon's face. It was just too adorable—she could never get enough of it!
Leon's mind quickly caught up, realizing the Queen's intention.
"You've got three kids, and you're still this devious?"
"Hah, this isn't being devious," she replied.
"Then what is it?"
"It's called fun."
Leon's mouth twitched at the explosive word. "F-fun..."
"Yes, fun. Couples need a bit of fun, don't they?"
She turned slightly, propping her chin on her hand and looking at Leon. Her silver eyes blinked playfully, paired with a seductive smile that could mesmerize anyone.
"Even if it's a fake marriage, we still need fun," she teased.
"...Immature."
She didn't deny it. After a long day of being the responsible Queen, what was wrong with being a little immature at night? Besides, Leon wasn't an outsider. She didn't mind being a little silly around him.
"Now finish your tea. We've got more fun waiting."
"More fun?"
"Of course. The night is long, little lion. We've got plenty of time to kill."
Leon glanced down at the cup of tea on the table. Could drinking tea make you drunk? If not, why was this Dragon Queen starting to heat up again?
Well, the daughters weren't home. He might as well humor her and see what she was planning.
Leon picked up his tea and drank it all in one go.
"Come, back to the bedroom."
Rossweise got up, slipping into her dragon-wing slippers, and walked toward the bedroom. Not knowing what was happening, Leon followed her inside.
When they reached the bedroom, Leon reached to turn on the main light, but Rossweise stopped him.
"Wait, don't turn on that light."
Instead, she found another switch. The room was instantly filled with a warm, amber glow. The light was dim but atmospheric, one might even call it... romantic. This kind of lighting was typically used for dates.
Leon leaned against the doorway with his hands in his pockets, eyeing her with amusement.
"You call this a fun trick? Please, we've been together for so long. How about some surprises?"
Living with this Dragon Queen for so long, General Leon had seen it all. Did she really think dimming the lights would do the trick? What a joke.
"Don't be impatient," Rossweise said as she walked over to a phonograph.
She turned it on, and soft music began to play.
"What kind of music do you like?"
"Whatever, I don't have an artistic side."
Leon truly didn't have any artistic leanings, though he had heard quite a bit of music growing up. His master's house had a phonograph, and his mistress loved listening to music, so they had plenty of records. Most of them were obscure symphonies that only the royal family or nobles could appreciate. Leon never understood why his mistress liked those highbrow pieces, but whenever she listened, he listened too.
"Hmm... Let's try this one," Rossweise said, switching the record.
The music was solemn and heavy, with a strong, forceful rhythm. It was another symphony. Leon thought it sounded familiar. After a brief moment, he realized, "Isn't this from one of the Empire's famous composers?"
"Yes, I'm impressed you recognized it."
Leon shrugged. "It's not that hard."
"Hmph, then try this one," she said, swapping the record.
Leon immediately recognized another piece from the Empire. As she continued changing records, Leon guessed every single one correctly, without fail.
"Rossweise, are you trying to play a game of 'guess the composer'? That's too easy. If you're trying to challenge me, you're doomed to lose."
Rossweise raised her elegant eyebrows, amused. Ah, the man was once again seeing this as a "competition" between them. Hmm... fine. She loved nothing more than knocking Leon down when he thought he was winning. That was something that hadn't changed since the day she met him.
"Alright, it seems I can't stump you. I only have one record left. Let's see if you can recognize this one."
"Bring it on. I'm unbeatable!"
"Oh? Such a strong desire to win. That's not a good thing~"
"We're the same. You only say that when you're about to lose, right?"
"Hehe... Well, how about we make a little bet, like before?"
Confident and certain, General Leon said, "Sure, what are we betting?"
"Simple. Just one request, like always."
"No problem."
Rossweise smiled, then put on the last record.
As soon as the intro began, Leon's brows furrowed. This piece was completely different from the previous ones. It was more cheerful and lively, not a symphony but... more like a dance track. Leon racked his brain. He had definitely heard this somewhere before, but it wasn't from his master's phonograph. Where was it from...?
"Can't remember, little walking music library?" Rossweise teased.
"Hold on, let me listen a bit more."
But by the time the music ended, Leon still couldn't recall where he had heard it, let alone the composer or title.
Click—
Rossweise turned off the phonograph, crossing her arms as she leaned casually against the table. She tilted her head, her silver hair falling gracefully to one side.
"This teaches us one thing, doesn't it? Never boast before you've won, right, little lion~?"
Leon's expression darkened. Damn it. He had been tricked by this Dragon Queen again. How did she manage to pick such an obscure piece? He'd definitely heard it before, but couldn't place it.
Just as he was thinking, Rossweise slipped off her shoes and walked toward him barefoot, her smooth, pale feet softly padding across the floor. She stood before him, lifting her slender arms to gently wrap them around his neck.
"So... what's your request?"
"No rush. Before that, let me help you remember the song."
Moonlight poured in, casting a glow over the Queen's long hair, like a galaxy spilling across her back.
"At the Empire's Dragon-Slaying Academy graduation ball, you accepted a dance invitation from a senior. She was the only girl you hesitated to refuse out of all the ones who asked. You liked her appearance, but after a short interaction, you realized she wasn't what you wanted. And the dance you shared with her at your graduation... was to this very song. Seems like the impression that senior left on you was stronger than the song itself~"
"So... dear husband, are you ready?"
"I'm about to get serious."