After revealing the truth, Constantine quietly observed the man before him, watching the storm of emotions play across Leon's face.
It was no surprise that Leon found the news hard to believe or accept. As a fellow warrior, Constantine understood the shattering feeling of having one's faith collapse. So he refrained from any mocking comments, an uncharacteristic moment of restraint for the fiery dragon.
Besides, he was genuinely curious about what choice Leon would make next—would he continue to outwit the empire with careful strategy, or would he upend the board entirely and go head-to-head with the powers in charge?
After a long moment that stretched between them, Leon seemed to have absorbed the shocking information, his emotions settling into something more determined than broken.
"So that's the whole story?" he asked, his voice steadier than Constantine expected.
"It's all I know," Constantine replied calmly, crossing his arms. "Ever since I learned about the Far North operations, I suspected the empire had even deeper dealings with other Dragon Kings beyond what I was involved in."
Leon nodded slowly, the pieces finally clicking into place in his mind. "Regardless, thank you for telling me."
"We're hardly in a position to be grateful to one another, Cosmodeous. As you yourself said, the empire is a shared enemy right now. And you did stop an all-out war against my clan at the Dragon King meeting." Constantine paused, his crimson eyes studying Leon. "So, consider us even."
Leon's eyes flickered with understanding, but he left it at that.
"Nothing else?" Constantine asked, somewhat surprised by Leon's restraint.
Leon shook his head.
"Heh… thought you'd challenge me to a fight," Constantine remarked with a familiar, competitive smirk.
"I promised my wife I wouldn't."
Constantine blinked, then let out a deep, mocking laugh that echoed through the hall. "I see. So you're what humans call… ah, yes—under the wife's thumb."
Leon's composure broke for a second. "What?"
"Who's under the wife's thumb? Me? I'm the one who calls the shots at home!"
"Oh, so you're a male chauvinist then?"
"…Where'd you pick up all this human slang?" Leon asked, looking genuinely baffled.
"My curiosity about a Dragon King and human forming a family led me to pick up a few things," Constantine explained calmly before adding, "Since you've no further questions, there's something I'd like to ask you."
"What is it?"
"To you, what does battle mean?"
Leon was surprised by the philosophical question. But then again, Constantine was a dragon—a species born with an innate, almost untameable lust for combat. Given the rare opportunity to have a civil conversation with his longtime adversary, Constantine was probably curious to know more about what drove the man who had defeated him multiple times.
After a moment of reflection, Leon replied, "When I served the empire, it was about defending our land, protecting my country. Now…" He paused, thinking of Noah, Muen, Aurora, and Rossweise. "It's about protecting the people and things I care about."
That simple phrase, "protecting what I care about," bore a tremendous weight, far beyond what it sounded. From the moment he was forced into the vortex of this conspiracy, Leon had fought tirelessly against fate itself. He intended to save himself from the chaos, along with those he treasured.
His master had once told him that as a man, his shoulders must always be ready to bear responsibility. More people depended on him than he realized. As Constantine had put it, perhaps his master's words were indeed a touch old-fashioned. But for the people who relied on him, Leon would never stop fighting—not until he overturned the board and shattered this sinister scheme.
Constantine nodded thoughtfully and then, with a completely serious expression, offered his take. "Just as I thought. You're the kind of guy who fights… for love."
"…How did you interpret my noble, selfless goals as just 'fighting for love'?"
"No matter how grand the ideals, when you strip them down, it's about protecting the one you love."
"Hey, who's making unfounded assumptions here? For your information, Rossweise and I are only married in name."
"In name, huh? Yet you've still managed to have three daughters together? How many would you have had if you were a real couple?"
"…."
Somehow, after his transformation into that strange fused creature powered by primordial energy, Constantine's wit had also sharpened. The same dragon who would normally start a fight at the drop of a hat was now leaving Leon speechless with verbal jabs.
Amazing—an empire-endorsed enhancement that even improves sarcasm!
"Enough. I don't need to know about your marriage," Constantine said dismissively, as though he hadn't been the one bringing it up repeatedly. What was it with these dragons and their tsundere fascination with others' love lives?
"Anyway, if that's all, guards, see him out."
"Wait."
"What now?"
"You asked me why I fight. I'd like to know your reason."
At this, Constantine raised a brow. "My reason…?" He slowly lowered his gaze, staring at his right hand before clenching it into a fist. "Why do I fight? Simple. Because it feels amazing."
.
.
.
That evening, Leon returned to the Silver Dragon Sanctuary, the weight of Constantine's revelations still heavy on his shoulders.
As soon as Rossweise heard he was back, she gathered her skirts and hurried to the entrance, standing at the top of the steps and watching him approach. She'd been concerned he might have gotten into a fight with Constantine but didn't want to show it too openly. Watching him from this distance felt just right—close enough to see he was unharmed, but far enough to maintain her regal composure.
Fortunately, Leon was in one piece, clean and without a scratch. It didn't look like he'd been in any battles, exactly as he'd promised.
"Your Highness."
"Welcome back, Your Highness."
Leon calmly ascended the stairs, his pace unhurried as he stopped in front of Rossweise. Neither of them said anything at first. They simply looked at each other, the unspoken concern and relief passing between them in the silence.
After a moment, Leon lifted his hand, gently brushing back a strand of her silver hair from her face. Rossweise thought that perhaps he'd learned to be more tender after this difficult journey and was just about to say something to praise his growth.
But, of course—this was Leon.
"I was gone all day. You worried yourself sick, huh? Got sweat stuck in your hair and everything."
"…"
Some things never changed.
With an annoyed huff, Rossweise swatted his hand away. "Worried? Not a chance. It's hot out, that's all."
Leon narrowed his eyes playfully, shielding his eyes as he looked at the sky, pretending to ponder. "Hot? It seems pretty mild today. How could you be sweating?" He looked back at her with a grin. "Is admitting that you were worried about me that difficult?"
"As difficult as climbing a mountain, Cosmodeous."
She shot him a look, trying to think of something snarky to say, but as she opened her mouth, the words faltered. She hesitated, her brows knitting as she crossed her arms, then finally relented with a flick of her tail.
"Fine. I was worried, alright?"
Satisfied, Leon wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Hey, let go of me…"
"You're embarrassed? With so many people watching?"
Oh, so the problem wasn't that she didn't want to be held—it was that she didn't want to be held in public. Her modesty was endearing. After all, who didn't know that she and the prince were the model couple of the dragon clans?
They made their way into the sanctuary together, their arms wrapped around each other in a comfortable familiarity that had grown between them over the years.
In their private chambers, Leon recounted the day's conversation with Constantine. By the end of it, Rossweise looked genuinely shaken, her usual composure replaced by visible concern.
"I can't believe… that's what's really going on."
"Yeah." Leon's voice was heavy with the burden of truth.
Rossweise sat on the edge of their bed while Leon pulled up a chair to sit in front of her. Though the small gestures and humor had lifted his spirits slightly during their reunion, the grim reality of what he'd learned still weighed heavily on him.
There was no avoiding the magnitude of what they faced.
Rossweise pressed her lips together, then slowly reached out to hold his hand. Her fingers, always cool to the touch, felt warm and comforting in his grasp.
Leon looked up at her, feeling the pulse of her warmth in his palm, a steady anchor in the storm of his thoughts.
"Some things, you'll have to face sooner or later," she said softly. "Knowing the truth now is better than finding out later, especially with those power-hungry zealots trying to take you down every chance they get."
"You're not alone, though." Her grip tightened slightly. "You have your master, your comrades, the Lionsheart Society… and me."
"We'll all be here with you, fighting against this conspiracy."
"So don't fear what's to come, alright? Whatever happens, we'll face it together."
She was like a gentle, invisible current of water, always finding her way to the place in his heart that needed soothing the most. In the past, now, always—she had been his unexpected pillar of strength.
"…Thank you, Rossweise. I know."
"So what will you do now? Are you planning to officially declare war on the empire?"
Leon paused, considering the question carefully, then shook his head.
"We've learned the truth from Constantine, but we don't have enough proof to convince the empire's people. Declaring war outright would only make me the 'traitor' they've already tried to paint me as."
"If I want to truly expose the empire's corruption, end this dirty war, and free the people from their suffering, we'll need one final piece of the puzzle."
He met her eyes, his expression determined. "And I think it's going to have to come from my master and his allies in the Lionsheart Society. They've been gathering evidence from within the empire for years. With what Constantine told me today, we might finally have enough to expose the truth to everyone."