Only one key figure remained to be recruited: the legendary and notoriously stubborn Constantine. Leon was determined to secure his alliance as soon as possible.
But first, he needed to ensure his master and mistress were stable.
After saying a temporary goodbye to A-Donkey, Leon and his companions went to Tiger and Charlotte's resting quarters. The elderly couple still looked somewhat frail, but they were visibly stronger than the day before, which eased Leon's mind considerably.
He laid out his plan to formally declare war on the Empire for Tiger.
As it turned out, Tiger had been thinking along the same lines.
"I had planned to take you back to the Empire after this intelligence handoff, topple that despicable emperor, and clear your name for good, but—cough, cough—"
Tiger was cut off by a fit of coughing, his hand pressing against his chest. Even with the life-saving power of the Heartguard Dragon Scale, his body still needed time to fully heal.
Charlotte, seated beside him, gently rubbed his back. Tiger turned and patted her hand softly, a silent gesture to say he was okay.
He then continued speaking to Leon.
"Who would have thought that elite strike team would track us? I was careless. I did not prepare adequate counter-surveillance measures."
For years, Tiger had met Leon in the mountain cave to exchange intelligence without ever being detected, relying on the formidable anti-tracking skills honed over his long career. As a former veteran of the Imperial Dragon Slayer Corps, Tiger was highly skilled in scouting, tracking, and evading pursuit.
But age had dulled his edge, and the constant vigilance of his youth was harder to maintain. Rebecca, for all her enthusiasm, was still young and inexperienced, unable to fully compensate. This oversight had led to the recent crisis.
Leon patted his master's shoulder reassuringly. "This was not your fault, Master. From now on, your only task is to focus on recovering. Leave the rest to us."
Tiger undoubtedly wanted to fight in the final battle against the Empire, but he knew his current condition would only be a burden to Leon. After a moment of quiet reflection, he accepted this reality and nodded in agreement.
"Alright. Once you are inside the Empire, Rebecca will take you to the Lionheart Society. They are all staunch supporters of yours, and many have suffered personally under the Empire's corruption. With their help, your work there will proceed much more smoothly."
"Yes, I understand, Master."
"Then your mistress and I will wait here for your good news."
Leon nodded, his resolve firm. Charlotte then approached, taking both of Leon's hands in hers.
"My dear boy... It has been so long since I last saw you, and now, after just two days, you are leaving again..."
Leon clasped her cool, familiar hands, feeling a deep sense of grounding and purpose. "It is alright, Mistress. Once I have dealt with the Empire, we will have all the time in the world, just like in the old days."
"Please be careful."
"I will, Mistress."
Charlotte looked past him to Rebecca. "And you, if you find yourself in any trouble you cannot handle, do not try to be a hero. You go straight to Leon, understand?" she reminded the younger woman.
The normally wild and independent girl nodded with unusual seriousness. "I understand, Mom."
Charlotte lowered her gaze, her fingers gently brushing over the old scars on Leon's hands. "All of you... you must come back safely. You must."
It felt as if time had rewound to years ago, when a young Leon had just graduated from the Dragon Slayer Academy and was about to set foot on the bloody battlefields for the first time. Before every departure, Charlotte would hold his hands just like this, always repeating those same words: "Come back safely."
Leon had never found it annoying. He understood that in those war-torn years, every pre-battle goodbye carried the weight of a potential final farewell—a harsh, unavoidable truth of war.
But Leon's mission this time was different. It held the potential to change the very dynamic between humans and dragons, to expose a terrible truth and liberate countless people from needless suffering.
Finally, Charlotte reluctantly released Leon's hands, wiping a single tear from her cheek before offering him a brave, loving smile. "Go on, my children. Go and do what you must do."
"Yes, Mistress."
With their goodbyes said, Claudia led the group out of the magnificent underwater palace. The four of them split into two teams.
Rebecca and Claudia would travel to the Empire first, using the Lionheart Society's network to infiltrate and prepare. Meanwhile, Leon and Rossweise set off to recruit their final, most formidable ally—and seize the chance to check on their daughters.
By the time the couple reached the borders of the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan's territory, night had fallen. They located the forward outpost manned by the Silver Dragon Clan's scouts.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness," Shirley greeted them with a formal bow.
"Any recent activity from Constantine?" Rossweise asked, getting straight to the point.
"None, Your Majesty. He has remained within the core of his territory and has not ventured out."
So, the old fire-breather was home.
Leon and Rossweise exchanged a glance, a silent understanding passing between them. They both nodded.
Shirley observed their determined expressions, sensing that the Prince and Queen intended to do more than just observe. But as a loyal attendant, she asked no questions, simply stepping aside to clear their path.
"I will go alone," Leon stated. "You should wait here for me."
"And if I insist on coming with you, will you give me the same excuse you used last time?" Rossweise challenged, one eyebrow raised.
Leon could only offer a wry chuckle, which was as good as a 'yes.'
Rossweise had long since learned that once Leon's mind was set on a course of action, he was immovable. Not even eight powerful donkeys could drag him back.
"Just be careful," she relented. "If he refuses, we will find another way. There is always another way."
"Got it."
With that, Leon turned and headed into the dark, foreboding woods.
It was his third time visiting the Crimson Flame territory, so he knew the path well. Before long, he stood at the edge of the Crimson Flame Dragon's sanctum.
Just as before, several hulking Crimson Flame Dragon guards emerged from the shadows, blocking his path.
Leon paused, scratching his head thoughtfully. "Oh, good. This saves me the trouble of knocking."
Half a minute later, the main, heavy doors of the Crimson Flame Temple were sent flying inward as two unconscious guards crashed back into the grand hall.
"Constantine—" Leon began, his voice echoing in the cavernous space.
"You have come to bargain?" a deep, rumbling voice interrupted him from the shadows atop the central throne.
Leon's face broke into a grin. "Well, look at you, cutting straight to the point."
Sitting on his imposing throne, Constantine held his head in one hand, his expression a mixture of profound exasperation and weary amusement. He could say with confidence that the biggest mistake of his long life was not his temporary alliance with the Empire—it was accepting the contract to "eliminate Leon Cosmodeous."
"Alright," Constantine sighed, the sound like grinding stones. "What do you want to talk about?"
"You," Leon said plainly. "I want you to help me destroy the Empire."
Constantine's other eyebrow joined the first in a skeptical arch. "Excuse me?"
"Think about it. Five years ago, the Empire wanted you to kill me. Now, five years later, I want you to help me destroy the Empire. It has a certain poetic symmetry, don't you think?"
"In that case, I have a better idea," Constantine replied, his voice dripping with dry sarcasm. "How about you and the Empire just fight it out directly and wipe each other out? Wouldn't that be much simpler for everyone else?"
Constantine's witty retort conveniently glossed over one embarrassing detail: five years ago, despite the Empire's orders, he had not only failed to kill Leon but had ended up as a stitched-together, resurrected abomination. He had absolutely no intention of risking another horrific transformation for Leon's sake.
"Perhaps I was unclear," Leon clarified. "I meant you would join me, and together we would take the Empire down."
This finally piqued Constantine's interest. "Help you?"
Though he bore a deep, burning grudge against the Empire, he wasn't about to agree so easily. He waited, curious to see what leverage or persuasion Leon would attempt.
"Give me one compelling reason why I should help you," Constantine demanded, leaning forward.
Leon shrugged as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Isn't it clear? You want revenge on the Empire for what they did to you—betraying you, torturing you, turning you into their puppet. I need to tear down their corrupt leadership to clear my name and end their conspiracy. We have different motivations, but we share the exact same goal."
Constantine leaned back lazily on his throne, his sharp eyes scrutinizing Leon. "That is the same old rhetoric. Do you not have anything new to offer?"
Same old rhetoric? Leon narrowed his eyes. He recognized the challenge. If Constantine wanted to be difficult, Leon was prepared to apply a little strategic pressure.
"Do not forget," Leon said, his tone shifting, "you owe me a favor."
"You mean the secret Dragon King summit? I repaid that debt by giving you the intelligence about the Empire's conspiracy with the renegade dragons. You left with that information, completely satisfied. The ledger is clean."
Leon paused. Constantine... had a point.
Seeing Leon fall silent, Constantine let out a disdainful huff. "If you have no compelling reason to offer, then I suggest you leave. My patience is not infinite."
Leon's mind raced as he watched Constantine prepare to dismiss him. At that critical moment, an idea struck him—a mental lightbulb flashing to life.
"How about this," Leon began, a new confidence in his voice. "If you agree to help, I will grant you access to a full library of texts on Primordial Magic."
Constantine's dismissive posture shifted almost imperceptibly. "Hmm... I will consider it."
"Not just a few scrolls," Leon pressed, seeing his opening. "An entire library. Full of ancient, forgotten texts on Primordial Magic."
"When do we leave?" Constantine replied without a moment's further hesitation.
Back in his Dragon Slayer Corps days, Leon's mentor had deliberately kept him away from politics and leadership intrigue. But despite that, Leon had mastered one essential skill on the battlefield, a skill that was now proving invaluable for recruiting allies:
He knew how to sell the dream.