The atmosphere in the cave, which had been heavy with dramatic intensity, slowly began to ease.
Even after living with Leon for so long, Rossweise still found these sudden shifts in human mood somewhat baffling. She uncrossed her arms and leaned slightly toward Rebecca, whispering,
"What are they doing now? Why do they suddenly look so... tragically heroic?"
Rebecca chuckled softly, patiently explaining the dynamic to her beautiful sister-in-law.
"Sis, where do you think the Captain got his flair for the dramatic and that hero complex? His master is the original model!"
"So you're saying a lot of Leon's personality comes from Tiger?"
"Of course! Like master, like disciple. The old man raised him from childhood—of course some of his traits rubbed off."
Rossweise narrowed her eyes, gazing thoughtfully at her "husband."
At the same time, Rebecca's words—"like master, like disciple"—echoed in her mind.
She couldn't help but imagine: what if Noah grew up and also developed this kind of exaggerated, dramatic flair...?
It would be one thing if she remained the cool, collected big sister she was now. But if she turned into some overly passionate, dramatic firebrand, Rossweise felt she might genuinely lose her composure!
However...
She shook her head, dismissing the random thought, and sighed quietly. Her gaze drifted back to Leon's profile—resolute, handsome, the scars on his face only adding to his rugged charm.
A moment later, a faint smile touched the queen's lips.
"Dramatic or not, hero complex or not... he's still rather endearing."
Rebecca only caught the last part of the muttered sentence—"endearing."
Grinning, she looked up at Rossweise. "Sis, are you calling me endearing?"
Rossweise glanced down and playfully pinched Rebecca's cheek. "In dragon culture, calling someone 'endearing' is an insult~"
"Tch~"
At the table, Leon and Tiger continued their discussion. The information Tiger brought was as voluminous as Leon had anticipated. Fortunately, Leon had come prepared with writing materials and was able to jot down all the key points.
While most of the news was troubling, it was still better than being blindsided by an enemy attack.
"That's about everything," Tiger said, concluding his report.
"Yeah... I've got it all down."
Tiger observed his disciple closely. "You seem... preoccupied."
Leon offered a wry smile and shook his head. "As long as the Empire exists, I doubt I'll ever know true peace, Master."
"A valid point."
Tiger also sighed. "Our position is becoming increasingly precarious. We need to uncover the truth quickly and expose the conspiracy between the Empire and the renegade dragons to the world."
Leon's mind raced. "You're right... it's time we seized the initiative."
"Seize the initiative? What are you thinking?"
"I haven't figured out the details yet, especially since I didn't expect such a pile of bad news before we even met."
Leon sighed. "But after I return, I'll start formulating a concrete plan."
"Understood. Rebecca, Martin, and I will gather as much intelligence as we can for you."
Leon smiled and bumped fists with his master. "Thank you, Master."
Tiger returned the gesture firmly. "I've only got one disciple. Of course I'll do everything in my power to help you."
"Speaking of help, Master, last time I asked you to look for some books on Primordial Magic for me... any progress?"
Tiger grinned, a hint of smugness in his expression. "Funny you should ask. I managed to track down one."
He pulled an ancient, weathered book from his bag and handed it to Leon.
Hearing the term "Primordial Magic," Rossweise glanced over, her curiosity piqued.
Leon accepted the old tome. The cover was worn, but he could still make out the title written in the ancient universal script of Samuel.
The continent was home to many races. Some, like humans and dragons, were often at odds, while others coexisted symbiotically. However, cultural differences frequently created barriers, which was why a common script had been developed in antiquity.
Leon had studied this ancient universal language at the Dragon Slayer Academy, so he could decipher the book's title.
"'Primordial Magic: Soul... Termination...?' Is that the right translation, Master?"
"Close," Tiger corrected. "It's 'Primordial Magic: Soul Judgment.' I had to call in a lot of favors to get this. Take good care of it and make sure you put it to use."
"Of course, Master! Thank you!"
Leon carefully stored the book away, then turned and sneakily winked at Rossweise.
Her cheeks flushed instantly.
Fine, fine, you win this round. Looking so pleased with yourself.
"Sis."
"Y-Yes?"
"Why is your face so red?"
"...It's a little hot in here, that's all."
Rebecca looked down at her own thick jacket, wondering how it could be hot enough to make someone's face flush inside a cool mountain cave... Dragons really did have different body temperatures than humans.
Leon and Tiger continued talking for a while longer. After about half an hour, the two men stood up to say their goodbyes.
"All finished, our heroic saviors?" Rebecca teased as she walked over. "You took so long I thought you were plotting to conquer the world."
"If I ever do conquer the world, my first decree will be to ban all gunners from running their mouths."
"Tyrant!"
Leon chuckled and ruffled Rebecca's hair. "Take care of yourself, you crazy girl."
"Yeah, yeah, I will."
"Send my regards to Martin."
"Got it."
Leon and Rossweise exchanged a glance, then headed for the cave exit.
"Bye, Sis!"
"Goodbye, dear," Rossweise replied with a warm smile.
"What a sickeningly sweet pet name."
"I like it, so what? If you have a problem with it, you can fly back on your own."
"Wife, I was wrong! Hehe."
A real man knows when to admit defeat!
Rossweise snorted, rolled her eyes, then spread her magnificent wings and took flight, carrying Leon into the sky.
As the silver dragon soared through the clouds, Leon sat securely on her back and opened the ancient book his master had given him.
"'Primordial Magic: Soul Judgment'—this sounds like the name of a specific spell."
"So... this isn't a general guide to Primordial Magic, but a detailed record of one particular spell, right?" Leon mused.
"That appears to be the case," Rossweise replied.
After a brief pause, she added, "The Silver Dragon Clan has a history spanning thousands of years, and yet we've never managed to acquire a complete book on Primordial Magic. But your master found one in just three months..."
"Simple farmers have their ways. Maybe he dug it up while planting crops," Leon joked.
Rossweise ignored the quip and said, "Check the author's name."
"Alright."
Leon turned to the first page. The author's name was written in the same ancient script. As he deciphered it, his eyes widened in shock.
Rossweise noticed his sudden silence. "What's wrong? Is there something unusual about the author?"
"Yeah... there's a big problem."
Leon swallowed hard and slowly read the name aloud:
"Claudia Poseidon."