192 “Are you hurt? Let me check!”
The silver dragon soared through the skies, crossing mountains and rivers, leaving human territory behind and returning to the land of dragons.
Leon lay on Roswiser’s back, listening to the rush of air whooshing past his ears, feeling the rhythm of the dragon’s powerful wings.
He cautiously reached out, his palm gently gliding across the cold, smooth scales beneath him.
The dragon scales felt cool to the touch, yet surprisingly comfortable.
Leon slowly closed his eyes, wanting to ask Roswiser a million questions, but he knew this wasn’t the time.
Along the way, Roswiser hadn’t said anything either, only flying silently, just like when she had escorted Leon back home a few days ago; the couple sat in silence.
However, this silence wasn’t the usual result of awkwardness or embarrassment brought on by the clueless outsiders. This time, it felt different.
It was as if there was a question both of them had been avoiding, and in a muddled moment, they found an answer that caught them both off guard yet made perfect sense.
While they were reluctant to confront this question’s answer, before they had avoided it because they didn’t want to; but now they avoided it out of fear.
The strongest human and the queen of silver dragons had something they were afraid to face. How embarrassing!
About two hours later, Leon sensed that Roswiser was gradually slowing down.
He sat up and looked down.
While he could see the Silver Dragon Temple in the distance, they were still quite far away. Roswiser slowing down meant they wouldn’t reach the temple from this position.
Before Leon could ask what she was doing, Roswiser had already landed gracefully on the ground.
She lowered her massive dragon form, and Leon hopped lightly off her back.
Then, Roswiser transformed into her human form.
She was still wearing the same dress from the day she sent Leon off, though the hem was now a bit muddied.
Her beautiful face appeared somewhat weary and tired.
She had said she had never left, implying that she had been waiting for him in those woods all this time… Leon thought.
Roswiser said nothing but walked over to a bush, sat down, flicked her fingers, and conjured a tiny dragon flame, igniting the dry branches in front of her.
The campfire crackled to life, illuminating her delicate yet fatigued face.
“After being rained on for so long, come warm up by the fire,” she said.
“Oh… okay.”
Leon walked over and perched himself on the bush beside her, keeping a bit of distance.
Roswiser glanced at him, then at the empty space beside her.
Everything was said without words.
Leon quickly shifted his backside, crouched down, and tiptoed closer.
The couple sat side by side, the warm flames dispelling the chill in the air, cozy and delightful.
The firewood crackled, and Roswiser rested her chin on one hand, staring silently into the fire. The flame reflected in her silver eyes, making them seem like exquisite, valuable gems.
Leon bit his lip, feeling a bit conflicted but finally spoke up, “Um… have you been waiting for me this entire time?”
Roswiser nodded, “I initially planned to wait for you for just three days. Once those three days were up, whether you returned or not, I was leaving.”
Leon calculated in his head, “But I’ve been back in the empire for… four to five days now?”
“Yeah, I waited two extra days for you.”
Leon’s eyes widened slightly, “What if I had delayed another few days in the empire? You…”
“Before I left, I told Anna that I might be out with His Royal Highness for a while, so she shouldn’t worry and should take good care of the girls.”
Leon nodded thoughtfully.
Considering every tiny detail really was Roswiser’s style.
She wouldn’t just recklessly leave home for so many days without a plan.
But her answer… didn’t quite hit the nail on the head.
Leon still hadn’t heard the answer he truly wanted to hear.
Yet he couldn’t pursue Roswiser like a lovestruck fool asking silly questions.
That would just make him look childish.
As adults, some things didn’t need to be explicitly stated.
Roswiser shot him a knowing glance, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
Given how long they had been together, did Leon really think his little thoughts could escape her notice?
“If you delay two days, I’ll wait two days; if you delay ten days, I’ll wait ten days; if you delay six months—”
Leon interrupted, startled, “You’d wait six months?”
“Think you’re special or something, huh?”
Roswiser reached out and pinched his ear, “What kind of person has the audacity to make this queen wait out in the wild for so long? Just waiting for you already shows great generosity; do you want me to become a stone waiting for my husband?”
His ear was pinched, and though it hurt a bit, it was more… joy.
Yes, joy was the simple and straightforward word for it.
And Leon probably understood his master’s feelings from back then.
At that time, despite being somewhat restricted by his wife’s “rules,” even needing to ask permission to have a smoke, his master still looked happy every day, saying that being managed by a wife was a different kind of happiness. “You’ll understand when you grow up.”
Leon wasn’t sure if “now” counted as the “later” his master mentioned, but… let’s just call it that.
Until his ears turned a bit red, Roswiser thought she had hurt him and quickly released her grip.
However, once she let go, the queen noticed he wasn’t just blushing on his ears.
“Hmph, silly.”
Roswiser gently nudged his shoulder, “Take off your shirt.”
“Um… what?! Why?”
In a relaxed couple’s life, they often have a “safe word” to end any uncomfortable experience; but for this pair of goofy lovebirds, their routine had evolved something akin to an entirely new “start word.”
Words like “take it off,” “let’s do this,” or “oh, you think I’m not brave enough?” and so on. Hearing these “start words” meant a night of vigorous creative collaboration was about to commence.
But things weren’t quite what Leon had envisioned.
“Take it off to dry by the fire; otherwise, wearing wet clothes is uncomfortable.”
“Oh…”
Leon crossed his arms, grabbing the edge of his shirt, pulling it off.
He stood up, holding his shirt to dry in front of the flames.
“Geez, after one trip back home, your brain can’t even switch gears?”
Roswiser chattered, standing up as well, taking Leon’s shirt and finding a suitable stick behind the bushes to hang it on.
“Isn’t this better? Do you really need to stand there the whole time?”
Leon scratched his head, “Yeah… good idea.”
They stood side by side in front of the fire, Leon bare-chested. The warmth enveloped him directly, warming him all over.
“Hey, did you get hurt?”
Roswiser looked at Leon’s midsection, concern evident on her face.
“What? I don’t think so… where?”
“Here.”
As she spoke, Roswiser reached toward his waist.
Her cool and soft palm gently brushed against Leon’s muscles, and she leaned a bit closer.
Her slender fingers caressed his skin while the other hand stealthily supported his lower back.
She rested her delicate chin on his arm, her softness enveloping him, her silver eyes gazing at his profile.
“Huh, I seem to have misjudged.”
She leaned in close, her warmth replacing the fire’s heat.
Ah, the clever Mother Dragon.
Leon gently placed his hand over Roswiser’s, pressing it tighter against his abdomen.
Then he slid his hand down her arm, tracing her shoulder, collarbone, neck, chin, finally landing on her slightly flushed cheek.
Roswiser turned her head slightly, pressing her warm lips against Leon’s palm, brushing kisses up his wrist, all the while locking her gaze on him.
Beneath those dreamy eyes simmered a world of unending flirtation.
The silver dragon queen had a beguiling charm that no one could replicate, and it showed only to Leon.
With her lips teasing his sensitive hand, Leon felt a stir within him.
He instinctively cradled the back of Roswiser’s head, drawing her closer.
And just as the sun peeked over the horizon, their lips finally met.
xx
Ding~ Timed update card! The author has been burning the midnight oil lately, and their health is starting to show clear signs of discomfort (no unsolicited donations, please!). So today’s update will be solo. Future updates will be packed with 5-6K words as usual! Take care of yourselves, too!
