After a long day out on their "procurement mission," Leon and Rossweise finally made their way back toward the Lionheart Society's clock tower base in the slum district, their bags heavy with recording stones.
In the slums, people turned in early. Though it was only eight in the evening, and the middle district would still be alive with light and noise, the streets here were already deserted, silent save for the occasional scuttle of a stray cat or the distant cry of a baby.
Walking leisurely down the empty, unpaved road, Leon and Rossweise strolled right down the center without a care. There was no need to watch for carriages; few here could afford such luxuries.
Rossweise, still in her heels, had been walking all day and was now carrying one of the heavier shopping bags. Despite her formidable dragon queen physique, even she couldn't completely ignore the persistent ache in her ankles.
Leon noticed her slight, almost imperceptible limp and immediately moved to her side. "Here, let me take that."
"Oh, it's fine, I can—" she started to protest.
But he had already gently taken the bag's strap from her hand, slinging it over his own shoulder alongside his.
She rotated her sore shoulder with a soft sigh, murmuring, "Thank you."
Leon caught a glimpse of her profile in the dim light before looking ahead, a grin tugging at his lips. "You know, you look pretty satisfied with yourself."
"Hmm? Do I?" she replied, a note of amusement in her voice.
"Oh, definitely."
Leon's tone softened as he continued, "No matter how exhausted you are, you usually keep that perfect, regal mask on, not showing a hint of what you're really feeling. But today, after wandering around all day and carrying a bag full of stones, you don't have that icy look. In fact, I caught you sneaking a few smiles on our way back."
He shrugged. "So... I'd say you had a pretty good day."
Rossweise didn't deny it. She simply nodded, a quiet contentment in her expression. "You're right. Today was... very satisfying."
"Because you fulfilled your little wish?" he asked gently.
"Little wish?"
"Yeah—to walk where I've walked, to see what I've seen."
She smiled gently, tucking a loose strand of the black wig behind her ear. "It was more than that."
"Oh? What else?"
They didn't often have moments like this to talk so openly. Usually, by the time Rossweise returned from her duties, she was drained, seeking only a hot bath and the solace of sleep. Leon would often join her, and in those quiet, steamy moments, they would simply hold each other or share soft, undemanding kisses, savoring the closeness before succumbing to exhaustion.
Afterward, conversation was rare, often reserved for "serious matters"—Constantine's latest antics, the girls' progress at St. Heath Academy. Personal talks were a luxury.
It was only when they stepped away from their titles and responsibilities, like now, anonymous in the Empire's slums, that they could talk about themselves and admit to feelings they usually left unspoken.
With about half an hour still before they'd reach the clock tower, they had time to talk freely.
Rossweise walked with a lighter step, swinging her arms slightly, her voice thoughtful. "What else made me happy today? Well... I suppose that would be... you."
Leon raised a brow, matching her relaxed pace. "Me?"
She glanced sideways at him, a faint, genuine smile playing on her lips. "Yes, you."
"Shopping with you, playing with those cats, trying all that strange human street food—oh, you call those 'street vendors,' right?"
Leon watched as she counted their activities on her fingers, one by one. Finally, he laughed, a warm, open sound. "Yes, we call them street vendors."
"They were... questionable in hygiene," she admitted with a slight wrinkle of her nose, "but the flavors were intriguing... very authentic."
Leon smirked. "But eating from street vendors doesn't exactly fit the image of a queen, does it?"
"When I'm out with you," she said, stopping suddenly and turning to face him, "I'm not a queen."
She reached up and removed the black wig, shaking out her magnificent silver hair. It cascaded down, catching the pale moonlight and seeming to glow in the darkness, its radiance reflected in his dark, attentive eyes.
Looking directly at Leon, she finished her thought, her voice firm yet soft, "I'm your wife."
A gentle night breeze drifted down the street, making the lone streetlamp above them hum softly. A faint meow echoed from a nearby alley.
Her silver hair stirred in the wind, partially veiling her slightly flushed cheeks.
For a long moment, they simply looked at each other, until Rossweise broke the silence, her composure returning like a shield.
"Oh, I mean, I'm technically your wife," she added quickly, retreating from the vulnerability of her own words.
The Silver Dragon Clan prized speed, and Rossweise was a master at creating distance from her own honest emotions. Their "arrangement" was always the perfect fallback.
Leon understood her completely. He never pressed her with pointless questions like "Do you even care?" He didn't need to. Whether she cared was written not in her words, but in her actions—in her willingness to come to this human land, to stand by his side. Otherwise, how could the proud Queen of the Silver Dragons have allowed herself to be so captivated by a mere human?
"So, if you're technically my wife..." Leon said, taking a deliberate step toward her.
Instinctively, Rossweise took a half-step back. "What are you doing?"
Before she could retreat further, he closed the distance, wrapped his arms around her, and pressed a soft, firm kiss to her forehead.
"Then I'll give you a technical kiss—"
"Ugh, disgusting! I don't want it!" she protested, though she made no move to push him away.
Leon blinked, feigning offense. "Then give it back!"
"Fine! You think I'm scared?" Rossweise stood on her toes and quickly pressed a returning kiss to his forehead.
"There! We're even!" she declared, her face now decidedly flushed.
Then she spun on her heel, her high heels clicking decisively as she hurried down the street toward the distant shape of the clock tower.
Apparently, even twenty minutes of heartfelt conversation was too much. The moment either of them showed their true feelings, it took mere minutes to send both their hearts racing.
This was no good! There was a war to plan!
Shaking his head with a fond, exasperated laugh, Leon adjusted the bags on his shoulder and jogged to catch up with her.
When they finally arrived at the clock tower, a few dedicated members were still working the night shift.
Rebecca and Nacho were among them, looking up as the couple entered.
Leon dropped his bag of recording stones onto the long table in the center of the hall with a heavy thud. Several other bags, collected by different members throughout the day, were already there. Combined, it looked like enough to achieve the widespread resonance effect he had described.
"Oh, Captain, you actually did buy recording stones," Rebecca remarked, sounding genuinely surprised as she peered into the bag.
"What? Going out on a field mission was precisely for buying recording stones, wasn't it?" Leon replied, raising an eyebrow.
"I thought you'd just been on a day-long date with Sister-in-law," Rebecca said with a mischievous grin.
"Why can't it be both?" Leon retorted smoothly.
Rebecca's eyes lit up with amusement. "So that's the legendary time management of a married man? Impressive."
Leon waved her off, ignoring the cheeky comment, and turned to Nacho.
Nacho, hands in his pockets, glanced through the newly acquired stones and gave a nod of approval. "This is a good haul. Tomorrow, we just need about a third of this amount again for backup, and we should be set."
Leon nodded, agreeing with the assessment.
"But we have a new problem," Nacho continued, his expression turning serious. "Using resonance to spread the message will work, but the real issue is logistics. How do we actually get the recording stones inside the lanterns during the festival itself?"
It was a significant hurdle.
Leon frowned, running a hand through his hair. It was a tricky problem indeed.
After a moment of thought, he asked, "Do any of our members have family or contacts in the lantern-making business?"
He thought of Carolyn and the orphanage, but he knew their output would be a drop in the ocean compared to what they needed.
Nacho shook his head grimly. "No one here has those ties. Lanterns are a seasonal trade—no one makes them year-round. The established workshops are all licensed and watched."
"I see..." Leon's mind raced. "I can secure a batch of lanterns, but it won't be nearly enough." He was thinking of the order he'd placed with the orphanage.
Nacho ruffled his own hair in frustration. "Alright, we'll think of something. Let's all get some rest for now and tackle this with fresh minds. Rebecca, wake me at dawn."
He gave a tired wave and headed toward his quarters.
"Why the early night?" Leon asked.
Nacho waved a dismissive hand without turning around. "That brat Will was after me again today—drove me up the wall."
With that, he disappeared into his room and closed the door.
"Who's Will?" Leon asked Rebecca.
"Oh, he's a street kid from the middle district," Rebecca explained, hopping off the table she'd been perched on. "He's heard some wild rumors about the Lionheart Society and has decided Nacho is the leader. Now he pesters Nacho every chance he gets, begging to join."
"Why not just let him join?"
Rebecca shrugged. "First, he's too young—not even an adult. Second, he's clever and has sticky fingers. We haven't been able to verify his background, so Nacho decided it's too risky to bring him into the fold."
"I see..." Leon filed the information away.
Rebecca stretched. "You two should get some rest as well. We'll tackle the great lantern dilemma tomorrow."
"Good night, Rebecca."
"Good night, Captain. Good night, Sister-in-law!" Rebecca chirped. Then, a hopeful glint appeared in her eyes. "Oh, by the way, Captain, can I sleep with Sister-in-law tonight?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Your sister-in-law has social anxiety," Leon deadpanned.
"Hmph! Stingy married man!" Rebecca stuck her tongue out at him before skipping off toward the women's sleeping quarters, leaving Leon and Rossweise alone in the main hall, the weight of their next challenge settling over them.