59 Who Doesn’t Have a Little Secret?
Honestly, when Roswiser first heard that species name, she was a bit taken aback.
“Donkey? Donkey?”
Leon nodded.
“But how could the Dragon Race consider a donkey a pet? Are you sure you didn’t make a mistake?”
Roswiser’s skepticism was valid. Donkeys were incredibly rare among the Dragon Race.
Not because donkeys were precious, but rather because they had no practical value for dragons.
As a food source, donkey meat was minimal and not exactly a dragon delicacy;
as labor, whatever a donkey could do, the dangerous species they’d tamed could do just as well—if not better and more efficiently.
So, this long-eared, four-legged creature was hardly a familiar sight in dragon territory.
Let alone being treated as a pet.
Can a donkey even be a pet?
Even the ever-courageous General Leon thought he was on the same level as the donkey at home.
After all, that was one of the few creatures capable of inflicting actual physical harm on him.
And just like that, Leon felt absolutely certain:
“This is indeed donkey hair. You have to trust the judgement of a man who’s grown up with donkeys since he was five.”
He was dead serious when he said that.
So serious that Roswiser half-wondered if the donkey was actually his childhood sweetheart.
“I’m not doubting you; I just don’t understand how Claudia could be related to a donkey.”
Leon shrugged, rubbed his fingers together, letting the wind scatter the hairs in his hand.
“It’s possible that this didn’t get onto my hand when I shook hands with Claudia. We’ve been at the Academy so long today, and we’ve met a lot of people. It’s likely we ran into a couple of dragon enthusiasts who… well, you know, like donkeys.”
“That makes some sense… but it still feels weird.”
Rather than weird, it was more like “discomfort.”
Dragons and donkeys—two totally unrelated creatures—were suddenly part of their conversation.
No matter how you analyzed it, it felt just a bit off.
But aside from that discomfort, Leon felt a tinge of melancholy creeping in.
He sighed softly and said nothing more.
But Roswiser, being as perceptive as she was, caught the subtle shift in his expression.
“What’s wrong? You suddenly look so weighed down by thoughts.”
The couple continued chatting as they walked toward the stairs.
During their midday break, they strolled around the Academy, enjoying the pleasant environment.
Leon had his hands stuffed in his pockets, his voice a bit somber.
“Nothing, just thinking about the donkey at my master’s place.”
“Ah… donkey? Your four-legged childhood buddy actually has a name?” Roswiser teased.
Leon chuckled as well, “Of course, it does.”
“Then why give it such a boring name? ‘Donkey’ is just lazy.”
They exited the lecture hall, heading toward the playground.
The setting sun hung low in the sky, stretching their shadows long and eerie.
Occasionally, a few students jogged by, and some were working out on the grassy field.
Leon and Roswiser took their time, savoring this rare moment of relaxation.
“Actually, it had another name too.”
Roswiser perked up, pressing for details, “Oh? What was it?”
Leon took a deep breath, enunciating carefully:
“Elizabeth Summer Lawrence.”
The Queen halted, a huge question mark forming on her exquisitely pretty face.
Leon turned back to her, “Yeah, when my master first mentioned that name, I had the exact same look on my face.”
Roswiser covered her mouth, chuckling, “Now that’s not a lazily thought-out name; it even has a bit of aristocratic flair.”
“The middle name ‘Summer’ comes from my master’s wife’s name, and Lawrence is my master’s last name,” Leon explained.
“What about ‘Elizabeth’?”
“Apparently, that’s the name of the Emperor’s wife.”
“Apparently? C’mon, you and your master worked in the Empire together! How can you not even know the boss lady’s name?”
Leon shrugged, “Our queen is pretty mysterious; she only showed her face on her wedding day, and then poof—no one’s seen her since. Even ‘Elizabeth’ is just some rumors floating around.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Later on, my master thought it was a bit odd to yell ‘Elizabeth’ while amidst cows and sheep, so he simply changed it to ‘Donkey.’ And that’s the story of my beloved donkey’s name.”
Roswiser rolled her eyes and shot him a look, hugging herself and kicking her skirt as she strode ahead, “Smooth talker, and a donkey lover, too.”
Leon blinked, a light bulb going off in his head, and quickly slipped an arm around Roswiser’s shoulders, grinning ear to ear,
“You’re still my beloved wife.”
Roswiser playfully twisted her shoulder to shake him off, “Get away, you idiot.”
But the stubborn Dog Man held on tight, no escaping or shaking him off.
Ugh, fine, just a bit of tolerance wouldn’t hurt.
“Speaking of which, you seem to have not seen your beloved donkey in many years, huh?” Roswiser inquired.
“Yeah… ever since the Empire sent me to your Silver Dragon territory a few years ago, I haven’t laid eyes on my donkey.”
After a pause, Leon added, “Nor my master’s wife.”
Roswiser felt a stir in her heart and offered reassurance, “But at least you can see your master from time to time. He’s always said your mistress is quite safe, right?”
“True, but I always find it a bit odd.”
“Odd?”
“Yeah. After all this time, my master hasn’t given me a single close-up photo of my mistress.”
Leon continued, “Is it really that hard for them to meet?”
Roswiser raised an eyebrow, “Could be.”
“But my master says she went back to her family’s side, and even if it’s hard to meet, it can’t be that long since they last saw each other, right?”
“Hmm… didn’t your master also say he’s not on friendly terms with your mistress’s family?”
Leon sighed, shaking his head, “I just feel like that old man has a lot of things he’s not telling me, and when I ask, he stonewalls me. It’s frustrating.”
Roswiser gazed at his slightly troubled side profile, not rushing to reassure him like before.
Instead, she let her arms drop naturally, entwining her fingers with his.
Not in a wildly romantic way, just enough to give a gentle squeeze.
His battle-worn hands bore scars, but they felt solid and safe.
“Everyone has their secrets; you can’t expect everyone to lay their hearts bare to you. That’s just unrealistic.”
Finally breaking her silence, she spoke softly, “Plus, your master has helped us so much. Even if he’s hiding something from us, I doubt it’s out of malice or anything.”
Leon nodded quietly.
He understood that logic.
Still, being kept in the dark for too long was bound to leave him feeling imbalanced.
“Alright, cheer up! We’re heading to dinner with the girls later. You wouldn’t want them swarming you with ‘Daddy, why aren’t you happy?’ would you?”
When the Queen was being sly, she was also pretty effective at comforting.
Truth be told, she rarely cared about others’ emotions; it was all just a passing fancy for her Silver Dragon Queen.
But considering this emotional wreck was her only captive, she certainly needed to pay some attention.
Otherwise, her little captive might just spiral into despair, and then who would fetch her foot soaking water?
It was all interrelated—she wouldn’t go around comforting just anyone.
Leon’s mood improved a bit.
He gently squeezed Roswiser’s hand in response.
Roswiser chuckled inwardly, noticing he wasn’t sulking anymore.
Great, now I can make him fetch water for my feet tonight, hehe.
“You just said… everyone has secrets?”
“Yep.”
“Well, do you have any secrets you haven’t told me?”
Hearing that, Roswiser suddenly halted.
Leon walked a few steps ahead, but neither of them let go of each other’s hands.
They lightly raised their arms, holding each other while standing in the playground, gazing into each other’s eyes.
“Yeah,” Roswiser replied.
“What?”
Instead of a direct answer, she slowly lifted her high heel, gently tapping it against the ground, inching closer to Leon.
Once she was by his side, she tiptoed, leaning towards his ear.
Leon’s curiosity ignited, and he leaned in closer.
Only to—
Get his ear yanked by Roswiser.
“You really want to know, huh, you fool? Why would I tell you my secret? If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret anymore, would it?”
“Mother Dragon, you’re not being honest!”
Roswiser released his ear, placing her hands behind her back and taking a few steps back, creating some distance between them.
The sunset illuminated her hair, like bl**d-red roses blooming in the Milky Way.
She made a face at Leon,
“When you confess your love to me, that’s when I’ll tell you my secret.”
