Leon leaned back on the sofa, while Rossweise knelt in front of him. The soft purple glow of their interconnected dragon marks began to flicker, a clear sign the couple was slowly syncing into a moment of deep connection.
Leon's face was flushed. Trying this new method for the first time, he felt completely out of his depth. Rossweise was no different. Since it was her first attempt at the "Ear Encircle" technique, she was still unskilled, fumbling several times in a row.
"...Maybe we should try something else?" Leon suggested gently.
But Her Majesty the Queen was not one to give up easily. Tonight, she was determined to master this new position!
"No, I can do it," Rossweise said stubbornly, lifting her soft chest and trying once more. But, as before, she failed.
"Weird... Could it be that my chest is too small?" The queen, with her ample E-cup figure, began to doubt her own assets.
As Rossweise pondered how to make it work, Leon asked curiously, "By the way... where did you learn this move?"
Though they had been married for five years, their intimate life could generally be described as "traditional." Their encounters were passionate and could last until dawn, but they mostly stuck to conventional methods. The simple reason was that they were each other's first love. With no prior experience, they had relied on instinct, which didn't leave much room for creativity. At most, they had experimented with some role-playing.
So, Rossweise's sudden attempt at this "advanced technique" was quite a shock to Leon.
"Um... I read it in a book," Rossweise admitted.
"...All those late nights in the study, were you reading this kind of thing?"
"N-no way!" Rossweise protested, her cheeks reddening. "It was in some romance novels... that had descriptions like this."
Leon knew she had a habit of reading romance novels. But had they really shifted from writing about sweet love stories to including such provocative content? Then again, adding popular elements to sentimental scenes wasn't necessarily a bad thing. If it's what readers loved, then it was good content!
"I feel like you've been reading romance novels more frequently than when I first met you," Leon observed.
Rossweise was silent for a moment before nodding. "Yes, I've definitely spent more time on novels than I did before I met you."
Leon blinked, catching the key phrase: Before I met you. So, Rossweise's increased interest in romance novels began after she married him.
She sat quietly, her silver tail resting naturally on the carpet. Looking at her cool, delicate face, Leon suddenly understood why. Just like their cautious approach to intimacy, neither of them had really known how to be a true husband or wife. Rossweise must have read all those romance novels to learn how to better maintain her relationship with him. It was a childish, almost cute approach, and utterly unexpected from the mighty Silver Dragon Queen. It was probably the most discreet and low-key method she could think of.
She certainly couldn't just go up to her older sister, Queen Isha, and ask, "Big sister, can you teach me how to be in love?" Isha would likely have replied, "Sweet sister, I've been single for five or six hundred years myself. I wouldn't know a thing!"
Leon's thoughts snapped back to the present. He reached out and gently stroked Rossweise's silver hair. The queen looked up, her cheeks flushed, meeting Leon's dark eyes. For a moment, their gazes locked, and the light from their dragon marks grew even more intimate.
Then— "Ah! It's standing up!" Rossweise let out a small exclamation of success before seizing the opportunity, lifting her chest and pressing forward.
Leon paused, then shook his head with a resigned smile. As expected, she was as determined as ever!
This time, fortune favored the persistent—Her Majesty succeeded!
When passion runs deep, everything becomes smooth and natural. Their earlier failures hadn't been due to a lack of connection or desire. They were just a little out of practice after many days apart. But now, thanks to Rossweise's tireless efforts, the "little lion" was finally roused!
The sensation was unfamiliar to both of them. Usually, one was actively engaged while the other embraced with love, each fulfilling their role. This new position was thrilling and intense. Both of their faces were flushed red. Due to the angle, they could see each other's most sensitive areas more clearly than ever before.
Rossweise moved with a steady rhythm and soon mastered the technique. Leon, after the initial tension, began to relax into the experience. He sat up a little, gently holding Rossweise's head, pulling her a bit closer. Her soft breath tickled his abdomen, sending pleasant shivers through him.
"How... is it?" Rossweise asked softly.
Leon's bangs fell over his eyes as he whispered back, "Mm..."
"Do you want it... faster or... slower?"
"Anything's fine."
"Then I'll... go with my instincts."
"Alright..."
Even after five years of marriage and countless moments of intimacy, their conversation now sounded like that of young lovers experiencing a forbidden first time. Rossweise attempted to increase the pace slightly. As Leon had suspected, while he was in a weakened state, Rossweise took full control. Yet, despite his passive role, he didn't feel "overpowered." It must be because of this new method. His stubborn yet endearing wife always found ways to surprise him.
.
.
.
As they neared the end, the reaction of their dragon marks intensified. Rossweise was fully immersed now, her silver tail coiled around Leon's uninjured leg, her fair skin tinged pink, her movements becoming faster. Due to her motions, the "little lion's head" would occasionally bump against her chin. Leon watched her tender, flushed lips, resisting the urge to ask for more. This is enough... This is enough... Don't get carried away...
"Rossweise... You—you can stop now, I—"
"It's alright... like this... it's fine..." She didn't loosen her grip, even increasing the pressure slightly.
"But... I'm afraid I'll make a mess—"
"It's fine... it's fine..."
With those words, Leon stopped resisting. A moment later, the long-suppressed "little lion" finally broke free, releasing a warm torrent onto Rossweise's chest, neck, and hair.
Even though Rossweise's body didn't receive the "nourishment" it usually would, the feedback through their bond was no less satisfying for her. With the amplified effect of their dragon marks, even a kiss could be blissful—let alone this new, intimate act.
She leaned back slightly, quietly savoring the lingering warmth. The trail of their passion trickled from her chest down to her flat stomach, and she reveled in the sensation.
After a moment, Rossweise stood up, awkwardly covering herself as she blushed, looking both bashful and shy. "I-I'll go wash up..."
"Okay..."
As the passion faded, both felt a bit embarrassed by the state of the sofa. The sound of running water came from the bathroom, and soon after, Rossweise returned, wrapped in a towel.
The couple exchanged glances from a few meters apart before looking away simultaneously. Rossweise walked briskly to the bed and sat down, waiting for her hair to dry naturally.
After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Leon spoke first. "Rossweise..."
The queen looked up. "Hm?"
"Thank you."
She blinked, as if recalling something, and then a warm smile spread across her face. "It seems to me that you've been saying 'thank you' a lot more lately. Especially after... we're done."
Leon paused. "H-have I?"
"Yes." Rossweise brushed her damp hair behind her ear, speaking seriously. "You used to say it rarely, or never. But since Aurora was born, almost every time, really almost every time, you've said 'thank you' after we're done." She paused, then added with a mischievous glint in her eye, "What's this? Is the mighty dragon-slaying hero feeling soft-hearted for his dragon queen?"
Leon smirked. "Tch, don't flatter yourself. I'm just... just..."
"Just what?"
"Just... being polite! Yeah, I'm just a polite and well-mannered gentleman."
Rossweise rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, Mr. Gentleman, then you can sleep on the sofa tonight."
"Why!"
"How can a gentleman take advantage of a lady? Isn't that right?"
"But you're my wife."
"Fake wife."
"A fake wife is still a wife!"
Leon couldn't take it anymore. Balancing on one leg, he hopped over to the bed. Rossweise watched his clumsy move, which resembled an angry penguin's waddle. Just as he was about to reach the bed, he lost his balance and fell forward. Luckily, Rossweise was quick and caught him.
"I meant to do that," Leon said, straightening up.
"I know," she played along, a smile tugging at her lips.
They looked at each other and then burst out laughing at the same time. Amid the laughter, the queen couldn't resist teasing him. "Who are you kidding? You almost tripped for real!"
"Yeah, yeah, I almost tripped just walking. Are you really going to make me sleep on the sofa?" Leon retorted.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Rossweise teased, raising an eyebrow.
"It has everything to do with it! I just want to sleep on the bed."
Rossweise let out a soft laugh and cast him a playful glance. "Alright, alright, come on. You can sleep on the bed."
Leon grinned and slid under the covers, turning off the bedside lamp. Both of them lay there, staring up at the ceiling in the dark.
A thought suddenly crossed Leon's mind: Rossweise had said she learned the new technique from romance novels. So...
"Rossweise."
"Hmm?" She turned her head slightly to look at him in the dim light.
"When are you going to read more romance novels?"
Rossweise blinked, taken aback, before she caught his meaning. Her expression shifted into one of playful accusation. "You greedy man!"
Leon couldn't help but chuckle softly in response. The warmth of their shared laughter settled comfortably between them as they slowly drifted into a peaceful slumber, wrapped in the newfound closeness of the night.