Vol. 3 Ch. 100

After revealing the truth, Konstantin quietly observed the man before him.

It was no surprise that Leon found the news hard to believe or accept.

As a fellow warrior, Konstantin understood the shattering feeling of having one’s faith collapse. So he refrained from any mocking comments.

Besides, he was curious about what choice Leon would make next—would he continue to outwit the empire, or would he upend the board entirely and go head-to-head with the powers in charge?

After a moment, Leon seemed to have absorbed the information, his emotions settling.

“So that’s the whole story?” he asked.

“It’s all I know,” Konstantin replied calmly, crossing his arms. “Ever since I learned about the Far North, I suspected the empire had even deeper dealings with other Dragon Kings.”

Leon nodded. “Regardless, thank you for telling me.”

“We’re hardly in a position to be grateful to one another, Cosmod. 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.”

Konstantin paused. “So, consider us even.”

Leon’s eyes flickered, but he left it at that.

“Nothing else?” Konstantin asked.

Leon shook his head.

“Heh… thought you’d challenge me to a fight,” Konstantin remarked with a smirk.

“I promised my wife I wouldn’t.”

Konstantin blinked, then let out a mocking laugh. “I see. So you’re what humans call… ah, yes—*under the wife’s thumb.*”

Leon: “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?”

“…Where’d you pick up all this human slang?” Leon asked, looking baffled.

“My curiosity about a Dragon King and human forming a family led me to pick up a few things,” Konstantin 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 question.

But then again, Konstantin was a dragon—a species born with an innate, almost untameable lust for combat. Given the rare opportunity to have a civil conversation with Leon, Konstantin was probably curious to know more about his enemy.

After a moment of reflection, Leon replied, “When I served the empire, it was about defending our land, protecting my country. Now… 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 Konstantin 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.

Konstantin nodded thoughtfully and then, with a 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, Rosvisser 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, Konstantin’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.

Amazing—an empire-endorsed enhancement that even improves sarcasm!

“Enough. I don’t need to know about your marriage,” Konstantin 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, Konstantin 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.

As soon as Rosvisser 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 Konstantin but didn’t want to show it. Watching him from this distance felt just right.

Fortunately, Leon was in one piece, clean and without a scratch. It didn’t look like he’d been in any battles.

“Your Highness.”

“Welcome back, Your Highness.”

Leon calmly ascended the stairs, his pace unhurried as he stopped in front of Rosvisser.

Neither of them said anything at first. They simply looked at each other.

After a moment, Leon lifted his hand, gently brushing back a strand of her hair from her face.

Rosvisser thought that perhaps he’d learned to be tender after this journey and was just about to say something to praise him.

But, of course—

“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, Rosvisser 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, Cosmod.”

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 their room, Leon recounted the day’s conversation with Konstantin. By the end of it, Rosvisser looked genuinely shaken.

“I can’t believe… that’s what’s really going on.”

“Yeah.”

Rosvisser sat on the edge of the bed while Leon pulled up a chair to sit in front of her.

Though the small gestures and humor had lifted his spirits slightly, the grim reality still weighed on him.

There was no avoiding it.

Rosvisser pressed her lips together, then slowly reached out to hold his hand.

Her fingers, always cool to the touch, felt warm in his grasp.

Leon looked up at her, feeling the pulse of her warmth in his palm.

“Some things, you’ll have to face sooner or later. 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. 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.

“…Thank you, Rosvisser. I know.”

“So what will you do now? Are you planning to officially declare war on the empire?”

Leon paused, considering, then shook his head.

“We’ve learned the truth from Konstantin, 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.”

“And I think it’s going to have to come from my master and his allies.”

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TL NOTE

: Please don't skimp on the stars for the translation - I'd really like to see how far Leon goes and how far we can increase the number of chapters. Thanks~!