Vol. 3 Ch. 115

Early the next morning, Leon and Rosvisser finished packing up and, before setting off, went to check on their daughters one last time.

Leon quietly opened the bedroom door, and there they were—still sound asleep.

Noa lay on her back, Moon clung to her older sister, and Aurora was gnawing on Moon’s tail. Their sleeping positions were unique, but together, they formed a somewhat harmonious scene.

Leon tiptoed over and gently removed Moon’s little tail from Aurora’s mouth, placing it aside.

Aurora murmured in her sleep, and, finding her hands empty, instinctively reached out, wrapping her small arms around Leon’s wrist instead.

Leon paused, a warm smile spreading across his face.

He carefully loosened her grip, tucking her arms back under the blanket, then softly patted her chubby, peaceful face. This little chatterbox was so calm when she slept.

Turning, he saw Rosvisser adjusting Moon’s sleeping posture, trying to move her limbs so she wasn’t squashing her big sister.

Yet even in her sleep, Moon’s “sister complex” persisted. Like a cat determined to keep its paw on top, she clung to Noa no matter how many times Rosvisser moved her.

In the end, Rosvisser chuckled softly and gave her daughter’s nose a gentle tweak.

“You little thing, when will you stop sticking to your sister like this?”

“Mm… big sis… smells nice…” Moon mumbled in her sleep, snuggling closer to Noa’s neck.

Leon and Rosvisser retreated to the door, sharing one last look at their sleeping daughters.

“Let’s go. The sooner we finish this, the sooner we can come back to them,” Leon murmured.

Rosvisser’s gaze lingered on her daughters a moment longer before she nodded. “Alright.”

With one last look, they quietly closed the door.

Minutes later, a silver dragon launched from the Silver Dragon Temple’s courtyard, its wings cutting through the sky as it flew into the distance.

But from the balcony of the sisters’ room, a small figure watched, her eyes fixed on the silver silhouette until it disappeared on the horizon.

…

By dusk, they reached the dense woods near the Empire’s border.

Rosvisser dispelled the invisibility magic, and the two hid among the branches of a tall tree.

Leon was intimately familiar with the terrain here. Back when he trained at the Dragon Slayer Academy, they often used these woods for combat exercises.

And he knew the Empire’s patrol routes like the back of his hand—some posts were ones he’d set up himself. He could guide Rosvisser around the patrols with ease.

Crouched on a branch, Leon peered toward the wall’s entrance.

“With all these battles lately, they’ve reduced the patrol numbers around here,” he noted.

“Convenient for us to slip in,” Rosvisser remarked.

“So, what’s your plan?” she asked.

“Well, we’ll wait for a merchant caravan to pass through and sneak in by hanging onto the bottom of their wagons.”

This old trick worked time and again. No matter the era, the Empire’s security never bothered checking under the carriages.

Rosvisser raised an eyebrow at the unconventional plan, though it didn’t surprise her. “Unorthodox, yet coming from you, it’s somehow perfectly reasonable.”

They settled in to wait for a caravan.

Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on their side that night. As it grew late, still no caravan had passed.

Leon scratched his head. “What’s going on? Did everyone just decide not to trade with the Empire anymore?”

“There are many factors that affect trade—seasons, population shifts, the frequency of wars…” Rosvisser explained. “Like you said, the Empire’s been active in the field lately, so they have fewer resources to handle foreign trade.”

Leon looked at her in surprise. “How come you never taught me this stuff about money?”

Rosvisser smirked. “Afraid you’d stash away a private fund.”

“…”

It was true. Private savings were a hurdle every married man had to clear.

In all seriousness, though, it wasn’t that Rosvisser didn’t want to teach Leon more; there was just too much to teach. She couldn’t exactly dump everything she’d learned over fifty years of ruling on him all at once.

She had to ease him into it, or he might fry his “pig brain.”

“So, no caravan. Now what?” she asked.

“We wait for an opportunity,” Leon replied, trying to sound confident.

Rosvisser saw right through him. “In other words, you don’t have a better idea, do you?”

“...Look, the Empire’s not just some place you can waltz into.”

He had a point. As powerful as the Empire was, their security wasn’t so lax as to miss a couple of intruders.

Leon’s past infiltration attempts had succeeded partly due to luck, and when he, his master, and Rebecca escaped the Empire the first time, they’d had to fight their way out.

Now, without luck on their side, they had no choice but to sit tight.

Leon sighed internally, hoping for a quick way in. He turned to Rosvisser, intending to strike up a conversation, but noticed she wasn’t beside him.

He glanced back to find her standing on the tree trunk, scanning their surroundings, as if searching for something.

“What are you looking for?” he asked.

“Oh, just wondering if that tree we climbed ages ago is still here.”

Leon’s curiosity grew. He joined her, looking out over the trees.

But all he could see were similar towering trees, none of them particularly distinct.

“What tree?”

“You know, the one I chose when I humiliated you in front of the Empire you once served.”

Leon: …

The memory flashed in his mind, vivid and immediate, as if the branches creaked with the weight of that scene.

“Your Majesty, who knew you were the nostalgic type,” he muttered through clenched teeth.

Rosvisser just huffed, ignoring him, and continued her search for the “tree where it all began.”

Before long, she let out a delighted gasp. “Oh, found it!”

She pointed eagerly. “There, see?”

Leon glanced at where she was pointing, barely containing a groan. He didn’t remember specific details from five years ago, especially when he’d been seconds away from exacting revenge.

“I don’t see how it’s any different from the others. You’re just guessing,” he grumbled.

“Am not. I’ll show you.”

With that, Rosvisser extended her wings and lifted Leon to the tree. They landed on the highest bough, where she stomped her foot, making the branch creak.

“Recognize that sound, Leon?” she asked with a smirk.

“Big battle ahead, so maybe let’s skip the ‘unpleasant memory lane,’ shall we?”

Leon paused, then asked, “And you never did explain how you recognized this tree.”

“It’s simple.”

She stepped forward and pointed toward the Empire.

“This spot has the best view of the Empire. I picked it on purpose to make sure you had a clear look back then.”

“You really went out of your way, Your Majesty,” Leon muttered, unable to resist a jab.

Just as they were about to resume their playful banter, Leon suddenly stiffened, signaling Rosvisser to be quiet. Crouching down, he cast a wary glance below.

“What’s wrong?” Rosvisser whispered.

“We’re within a Dragon Slayer patrol route.”

Leon nodded. “Remember after that… moment, we ran into a patrol team? Their leader even gave me a signal flare for emergencies.”

Rosvisser recalled it. This tree was indeed within a patrol range.

“Let’s get back to our previous spot. It’s safer there,” Leon suggested.

“Alright.”

They moved to leave, but footsteps below made them freeze, crouching lower, careful not to rustle a single leaf.

“So tired… when will this patrol end?”

“Almost done. Two more kilometers and we can call it a day.”

“Another two kilometers? Working for the Empire is rough. Doing double the work for half the pay.”

Leon and Rosvisser exchanged glances. It was indeed a patrol unit. They needed to be cautious.

“When will the Empire get off our backs? Did you do this kind of grunt work when you were in the Dragon Slayers, Walker?”

“Started out on the front lines. But then some royal brat wanted a shiny medal, so I got bumped to patrol duty.”

Walker’s tone carried resignation and frustration, though he didn’t dwell on it.

“Getting pushed aside for royal vanity? Figures. Those royals are shameless,” a female soldier muttered. “Don’t worry, Walker. When we topple that dog of an emperor, things like this will be history.”

“Let’s just get this over with,” Walker said, unwilling to continue the subject.

“But we’ve walked so far. Maybe we should ask to have someone else handle recon.”

“Our numbers are limited, and everyone has a job to do. Just keep at it and gather all the dirt you can on the Empire. It’ll help when we bring down that rotten emperor,” Walker replied.

“Easy to say. But how much dirt can we get on a patrol? Am I even going to live to see the emperor’s downfall?”

“Rebecca said it’s coming soon. And…”

“The man himself will return any day now.”

Little did Walker know, that very man was directly above him.