"What is this, a love letter?" Leon flipped the envelope over, examining the contents with a critical eye. Besides the cryptic poetry and clumsy, overly florid phrasing, there didn't seem to be anything particularly significant.
"We initially thought it might be a love letter from the Queen to this 'Shadow' figure," Nacho explained, lowering his voice. "Some even speculated that Canter was unknowingly cuckolded by his own wife. But what's strange is that we scoured the entire Empire and questioned every information minister and noble. We even used memory-scrying magic on key personnel, yet no one knew anything about a 'Shadow.'"
"It's like he appeared out of thin air," Martin added from beside him, his expression grim.
Leon carefully pocketed the mysterious letter. "But there's no way a calculating woman like Queen Elizabeth would write this kind of letter to someone who just 'appeared out of thin air.'"
"Exactly," Nacho agreed. "I believe Queen Elizabeth's disappearance is directly related to this 'Shadow' character. Our next phase of investigations will focus entirely on uncovering his identity."
"Thank you for your efforts," Leon said, his tone serious. "I'll also keep my ears open within the Dragon Clan. Such a powerful conspirator likely has connections on both sides of the war."
"This is your first time hearing about this 'Shadow,' Captain?" Rebecca asked, rejoining the conversation now that the tense moment had passed.
"No, it's not the name itself," Leon clarified, his mind working. "Nobody of significance would be known simply as 'Shadow.' It's too vague, too theatrical."
"So, you suspect it's a codename," Nacho deduced. "And given his apparent connection with Queen Elizabeth and the fact we found this in her study, it's highly probable he was a key architect in the Empire's schemes with the renegade dragons."
Just as Leon had expected, exposing Canter and toppling the corrupt Empire wasn't enough to eradicate all the lurking dangers. To maintain peace in this chaotic world, constant vigilance was the price.
Leon and Nacho discussed the 'Shadow' a bit further, but with so little concrete information, they couldn't get to the heart of the matter. Soon, they returned to the more immediate and tangible issues of the negotiation.
Nacho glanced at his wristwatch. "Just a couple more minutes, and we can formally conclude this."
Leon nodded, a slight, knowing smile touching his lips. "Right."
Seeing that Leon had finished the serious talk, Rebecca seized the moment. "By the way, Captain, how are Old Man Tiger and Mom Charlotte doing?"
"They're doing well, recovering nicely," Leon reassured her, his expression softening.
After attending the secret meeting in Sky City months ago, Leon had traveled with Claudia to visit the Sea Dragon Clan, where his master and his wife were convalescing. Both looked much improved. Especially Tiger, who, after receiving the protective Heartguard Dragon Scale, no longer suffered from the chronic aches and pains that had plagued him.
However, similar to Leon's own initial experience, his master was currently unable to use magic, as the scale needed a continuous supply of ambient magical energy to fully synchronize and complete the healing. But unlike Leon and Rossweise, who used powerful dragon marks to store excess energy, Tiger and Charlotte didn't have that luxury. Given Tiger's still-delicate condition, such a method would be too strenuous.
"That's really good to hear," Rebecca said, her voice filled with genuine relief. "So, has Old Man said when he'll come back to see us?"
Her tone then softened, tinged with a hint of sadness. "Or... maybe he won't return at all..."
To Rebecca, who had lost her parents at a young age, Old Man Tiger was like a second father. He had led her onto a righteous path she might never have found otherwise. Without his guidance, she'd likely still be in some stinking alley, fighting with lowlifes over scraps. She missed him dearly.
"Of course, he'll come back," Leon assured her, his voice firm.
Rebecca's eyes lit up with hope. "Really?"
"Yes. He told me himself. Once he and Charlotte are fully recovered, they'll come to visit all of you."
Leon wasn't just making this up to comfort her. The old man had indeed expressed his eagerness to return to the Empire and see his "kids," though he acknowledged he needed more time to regain his strength fully.
Rebecca let out a small, happy cheer. Leon then glanced back at the waiting dragons and prepared to take his leave. "Time's up. I have to go now. The administrative phase of the agreement will be handled by someone you can trust."
"Understood," Nacho said with a nod.
"If anything urgent comes up, you can contact me through the messenger dragon we designated."
"Got it."
After their final exchange, Leon turned and walked back toward the gathered dragons. Nacho watched his retreating figure, hands in his pockets, and murmured to himself, "Your captain always finds a way to surprise me. Just when I think I have a handle on who he is and what he's capable of..."
"When do you think we'll see him again?" Rebecca asked, a touch of melancholy in her voice as she watched Leon rejoin the powerful beings who now saw him as a leader.
Nacho gently patted her shoulder, but his gaze remained fixed on the horizon, his expression turning grim. "I have a feeling... this 'Shadow' will bring us trouble that's no less dangerous than what Canter caused. Our work is far from over."
As Leon, hailed as the "Light of the Dragons' Future," returned to the dragon gathering, they watched him with a mixture of admiration and renewed respect.
"The negotiations concluded smoothly," he announced. "The human representatives have agreed to return the specified ancestral lands to the displaced tribes and have accepted our offer of resource compensation in exchange."
"In just a few minutes, you managed to settle such a crucial matter with the humans," Morgan, the Golden Sand Dragon King, remarked, impressed. "I must say, Leon of the Silver Dragons, not only are you valiant in battle, but you're also remarkably skilled in diplomacy—a true blend of both mind and might."
Leon offered a modest smirk. Well, it's considerably easier when I'm essentially negotiating with myself on the other side, he thought wryly. How much time could that possibly take?
Morgan chuckled, raising his thumb in genuine admiration. Nearby, the other Dragon Kings joined in, heaping praise upon Leon, each trying to outdo the last in their compliments. After Leon had publicly defeated the legendary Constantine and stabilized the Silver Dragon Clan's borders against all incursions, his reputation had soared. Now, even the most ancient and prideful Dragon Kings regarded him with seriousness, making the flattery and attempts to curry favor an inevitable part of his new reality.
Leon, who had never been fond of excessive praise, held a polite smile but internally wished he could escape the spotlight. Fortunately, Rossweise, perceptive as ever, came to his rescue.
"Everyone, thank you for your kindness and support," she announced gracefully, stepping forward and linking her arm with Leon's in a show of solidarity. "My husband has been preparing for today's negotiations for days without rest, and he is truly exhausted. We appreciate your accolades, but please, allow him some well-deserved reprieve now."
The Dragon Kings took the hint and began to disperse with respectful nods. Odin, who had been standing at the forefront observing Leon in silence the entire time, was the last to approach.
"Thank you, Lord Odin, for recommending my husband as the representative in these negotiations," Rossweise said, offering him a respectful nod.
"No thanks are needed," Odin replied, his voice a low rumble. "One who possesses such abilities deserves the recognition and the responsibility." He then turned his penetrating gaze directly to Leon. "Do not forget our agreement, Silver Dragon Prince."
Leon met his gaze steadily and nodded. "I won't forget."
"Very well. Until we meet again." With those final parting words, Odin spread his massive, leathery wings. In a shimmer of potent magic, he transformed into an enormous, dark blue dragon and, with a powerful beat of his wings, led his clan away into the sky.
One by one, the other tribes followed suit, offering their farewells before taking flight and disappearing toward their respective territories.
Once the last of them had vanished from sight, Rossweise turned to Leon with a puzzled but fond look. "You made a private deal with Odin? What sort of agreement?"
"Yes," Leon confirmed, watching the empty sky where the Thunder Dragon King had departed. "I promised him that we would have a sparring match sometime soon."
Rossweise's eyebrow arched slightly. "And what do you gain from engaging in a fight with one of the most powerful Dragon Kings?"
Leon paused, then looked down at his right hand, flexing his fingers as he narrowed his eyes in thoughtful contemplation.
"Nothing material, perhaps," he admitted. But then, a familiar, fierce light kindled in his eyes, the same light that had seen him through countless battles. He spread his fingers, then slowly clenched them into a tight, determined fist.
"A reliable measure of a formidable opponent..." he murmured, a sharp, anticipatory grin spreading across his face. "And the undeniable thrill of battle... is itself exhilarating!"