Vol. 4 Ch. 51

The couple returned to the Silver Dragon Sanctuary before evening. Dinner was simple yet cozy, though the absence of their daughters’ chatter made the table feel somewhat empty. They hadn’t spent much time apart all summer, so the quietness felt especially noticeable now that the school year had started.

Leon idly toyed with his fork, poking at the leftover food on his plate. Although he hadn’t eaten his fill, his appetite was nowhere to be found. His mind was a mess, filled with Claudia’s words from earlier that day.

They’d always thought investigating Shadow and Adam’s schemes was their top priority, considering having another child a distant secondary concern. But Claudia’s perspective had made them question their own priorities.

“If dealing with the remnants is important,” she’d said, “then isn’t growing the Silver Dragon Clan equally important?”

Yet even with this new understanding, Leon felt at a loss about how to approach Rosvisser with the idea of having another child. The simple truth was, he’d never set out to have a child on purpose before. Noa and Moon’s arrival had been during times of peril, a product of their passionate, tumultuous bond. Little Light’s conception had been a complete accident—who could have guessed that Rosvisser would forget her purification spell that night?

If they decided to have a third child, it would be the first time they’d deliberately set out to expand their family, six years into their marriage. That intention was what left Leon feeling conflicted.

With a quiet “clink,” he put his fork down and looked at Rosvisser.

She hadn’t touched much of her food either, sitting with her chin propped on her hands, her cheeks squished slightly—a rare and endearing look for her.

“No appetite?” Leon asked softly.

She shook her head. “Just… thinking.”

Leon raised an eyebrow and asked cautiously, “Is it possible we’re both thinking about the same thing?”

Rosvisser blinked, gazing back at him. “What are you thinking?”

“You first.”

“No, you go first.”

“If you don’t say it, I won’t either.”

“Alright, let’s say it together on three.”

“Fine.”

Together, they counted down, “Three… two… one—”

Neither spoke, and Rosvisser kicked him lightly under the table with a playful grin. “You tricked me!”

“Alright, alright, what are you thinking about?” she pressed.

Leon straightened up, his tone sincere. “Honestly… I’m feeling a bit anxious about having a third child. It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just… I’ve never thought about having a child purely with that goal in mind. It feels… strange.”

When he’d woken from his two-year coma to find Moon in his arms, he hadn’t felt half as uncertain as he did now. This felt like being given a set date for a difficult task, a strange mix of excitement and pressure.

The idea of having a child now felt less like sharing a joyful moment with his beloved and more like an assignment, which made him uncomfortable.

Rosvisser nodded thoughtfully. “So, we are thinking about the same thing,” she admitted with a faint smile. It was rare for her to show such vulnerability, but her own uncertainty was unmistakable.

“Claudia was right,” Rosvisser continued. “I really do love children… but it’s just so hard to approach this.”

To this future child, they’d be one more sibling to add to the Melkvey family. But to Leon and Rosvisser, this would be their first time consciously preparing to welcome a new life.

For all their experience together, they were surprisingly stumped by something as simple as, “How should we approach this?”

Just then, Milan entered with the maids to clear the table. Noticing Rosvisser’s untouched plate, Milan leaned over. “Your Majesty, are you feeling unwell?”

“No, not at all. Please go ahead and clear it.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Milan exchanged a glance with the other maids, signaling them to start cleaning. Taking the opportunity, she turned back to Rosvisser with concern.

“Are you missing the princesses, perhaps?”

Rosvisser sighed, smiling tiredly. “Actually, I was thinking about your next princess.”

She paused, seeming to remember something, and then asked, “By the way, Milan, I recall you recently broke up. Is that right?”

Milan blushed, turning her head away without a word, but her reaction spoke volumes.

“Oh, have you reconciled?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. We got back together, and… well, we’re planning to marry at the end of this year. If possible, we’re hoping to have a child.”

The mention of a baby took Rosvisser by surprise, but it made sense in light of their “Silver Dragon Clan Expansion Plan”—what they jokingly called their “Romance Crash Course” to encourage more relationships and children among the clan members. Seeing Milan’s progress was proof that the course had been effective.

“Milan,” Leon called, “are you at all nervous about having a child?”

Rosvisser nodded eagerly, curious to hear Milan’s thoughts. They weren’t prying for gossip; rather, they were genuinely interested, hoping to gain insight into their own concerns from Milan’s perspective.

“Nervous?” Milan pondered, her large eyes thoughtful. She shook her head after a moment. “Not nervous, no. I think having a child is a source of joy, so why be anxious about something joyful?”

“It will be our first time being parents, so maybe I’m more excited and a little nervous rather than worried.”

Leon and Rosvisser exchanged a look, absorbing her words. Leon asked, “Excited and nervous? Could you describe that feeling a bit more?”

Milan thought for a moment, massaging her temples as she formulated her response. “Well… I think for something you know will bring joy, the preparation is bound to be full of excitement and nerves. We all understand joy, but we can’t predict the exact kind of joy a child will bring—that’s the unknown, the surprise of new life.”

She continued with a smile, “If you’re feeling anxious, it’s probably because you’re focusing too much on the preparation and forgetting the joy that will come with a child.”

With a soft smile, she looked down, her brows gently curving in an elegant, serene expression. “Don’t overthink it, Your Majesty, my lord.”

By the end of the day, Leon and Rosvisser felt that they’d learned more from Claudia and their young maid than they could have anticipated.

That night, lying side by side in bed with their hands resting on their stomachs, they stared up at the ceiling in unison, thinking of Milan’s words.

“I think Milan’s right,” Rosvisser murmured in the dark. “We’re feeling anxious because we’re forgetting the joy that comes with having a child.”

Leon nodded, understanding her completely. “We’ve been overthinking it, focusing on the here and now, and missing the bigger picture—a new life is something long and wonderful to look forward to.”

“And that long journey…” She paused, turning to look at him.

They locked eyes, and in perfect harmony, they both whispered,

“We’ll go through it together.”

Their words hung in the air briefly before they both burst into laughter, the warmth between them filling the room.

Beneath the blanket, their hands intertwined tightly, a silent promise shared between them. As the sheer bed curtains fell slowly, soft sounds of their shared intimacy filled the space, their connection deeper and more intentional than ever.

“Take your time, Leon… yes, just like that—mm…”

“Tonight… after tonight, I won’t use the purification spell.”

“So… ah~ easy… a little slower.”

In the heat of the moment, Rosvisser’s eyes shimmered with affection, her cheeks flushed as she reached out, fingers brushing gently through his hair. With a tender smile, she whispered,

“So don’t let me down, my little lion.”