92 Sorry
“We only have one room left.”
Wow, that dog managed to suggest a date all on his own.
That’s something like a little cow throwing a punch—completely undefinable brilliance.
The Queen was secretly elated, but kept her face as calm as a still lake.
No way! I’m not too thrilled about dating him, so why act like I’m over the moon?
Besides, if this guy figures out that I’m all cheery just because he suggested a date, he’d wag his tail straight to the moon!
And before the official “date,” Roswiser needed to clarify things,
“This time, it’s you, who took the initiative, right?”
The emphasis on “you” and “I” was unmistakable.
Seems like Your Majesty is quite obsessed with who’s more proactive in this sham of a couple’s arrangement.
Leon stuffed his hands in his pockets and nodded repeatedly, “Yep, yep, it’s me!”
Roswiser gave a smug little huff, “Fine then, this way you won’t blabber later about me dragging you out on a date.”
“Tch. Well then, let’s hurry up! We can still grab dinner.”
“Sure.”
Roswiser assumed this meeting regarding Constantine would drag on until tomorrow, which is why she told Anna she’d be home by tomorrow night at the latest.
But who would’ve guessed it wrapped up in just one day?
It probably was Leon’s last-minute suggestion that pressured those old coots trying to hoard the Primal Power, making them realize the meeting didn’t need to drag on any longer.
Perfect timing! Now, Roswiser could take the chance to relax with Leon in Sky City for the night, and return on schedule tomorrow.
They left Twilight Tower and strolled side by side down Sky City’s bustling streets.
The evening breeze was cool. Leon shrugged off his jacket and draped it over Roswiser’s shoulders.
Dressed in a formal white skirt suit for the meeting, she wasn’t exactly insulated against the chill—it was an easy recipe for catching a cold on a night walk.
Even though it’s nearly impossible for a Dragon King to catch a cold, as her sham husband, he had to maintain some appearances.
Roswiser wrapped herself in Leon’s jacket, feeling the lingering warmth, a smirk creeping onto her face,
“Look at you, being so considerate this time!”
“I just don’t want you turning this around and saying I’m an incompetent sham husband.”
These days, to save face, he even calls into question his own qualification as a “sham husband.”
This Leon was indeed a ruthless man, willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals.
“Hmph.”
A gentle huff, tinged with a bit of pride but retaining Roswiser’s signature chilly tone.
The couple continued their promenade.
Their chatting topics leaped wildly from one to another.
“By the way, during the start of that secret meeting, there was a host who claimed to be the servant of the Twilight Tower Master. Do you know what this Twilight Tower Master is all about?”
After years of fighting with the Dragon Slayer Army and countless lessons on the development of Dragon Race history at the Academy, Leon had never heard of this so-called Twilight Tower Master.
But anyone who could establish a neutral fortress like Sky City and gather so many Dragon Kings for a secret meeting was definitely no ordinary character.
After all, neutrality requires some sort of foundation.
If you’re just a small-time Carami, who would care about your stance?
“I don’t know much.”
Roswiser replied, “The Tower Master is quite mysterious; it’s said that he single-handedly established Sky City, and the time of its founding… is even older than the Silver Dragon Race.”
Leon raised an eyebrow, “Wow, that’s ancient! So he founded a neutral city like Sky City just to give the Dragon Race a place to relax and retire?”
Roswiser pondered for a moment, then shook her head, “I’m not sure either. I just remember the elders in our clan mentioning that there’s much more behind Sky City than just being a neutral city.”
“But over the past thousand years, no matter what wars or disasters occurred within the Dragon Race, Sky City has maintained absolute neutrality.”
“So… this is probably just some folklore.”
She lightly tapped the cobblestones with her heels, producing a crisp sound,
“I really like this city. Walking here with someone important brings a really relaxed vibe.”
Roswiser became quite invested while discussing serious or formal topics,
to the point that she accidentally spilled her heartfelt words.
Leon raised an eyebrow, “What did you just say?”
“Hmm? I said this city is very neutral, and there are many folklores surrounding it. What’s wrong?”
“Not that phrase, the phrase that came right after.”
“Huh? I—”
Roswiser opened her mouth, but her brain caught up quickly, realizing she just let something slip.
Good thing being from the Silver Dragon Race means having lightning-fast reflexes—who needs to change their expression?
“What did I say? I didn’t say anything!”
“You did! You absolutely did!”
Leon was quite certain, “You said walking here with someone important makes you feel very relaxed.”
Her lovely face flushed, and she inadvertently tightened her grip on the collar of the jacket, rebutting,
“Even if I said that, how do you know ‘someone important’ refers to you?”
Leon took a step back, raising his hands in mock surrender,
“Besides me, is there anyone else familiar around here?”
“Hey!—This is ridiculous, I don’t have the time to entertain you!”
She stomped in a stubborn manner, her secret thoughts exposed, making a hasty exit.
Leon leisurely followed her, walking behind her in the long shadow cast by the streetlight, keeping a steady distance.
…
Later that evening after dinner, the couple continued their stroll to digest their food.
“Speaking of which, why did you choose to stay and go on a date?”
Though that dog managed to take the initiative to suggest a date, which made her quite happy, she still couldn’t rule out the possibility that he had ulterior motives.
So asking for clarification was probably a safe bet.
Leon blinked, knowing the real reason was a bit tough to admit.
Now that their daughters were on vacation, they surrounded him at home every day. In the mornings, he had to teach Noia magic practice, and in the afternoons, he had to help Moon and Little Light brush up on next semester’s subjects.
After a whole day, he only had time to be alone with Roswiser during dinner and after returning to his room.
Even though the frequency of them exchanging works hadn’t decreased, physical interaction still only skimmed the surface.
He cherished the thought of being with Roswiser, completely on their own—no outsiders, just the two of them.
He didn’t want to think about the mountain of paperwork waiting for him, nor the lurking old Constantine; he just wanted to be with the person he deemed important.
Just like Roswiser said, it felt easy.
Coming to Sky City, it was the perfect chance for them to have that alone time.
Leon didn’t want it to end too quickly, so he suggested they stay and go on a date.
He wasn’t fond of admitting it, but the truth was becoming clearer—he was caring more and more about that sly mother dragon by his side.
And he wanted to… be by her side all the time.
Back to reality, Leon shrugged casually,
“I saw you’ve been stressed out lately, thought you could use a chance to come out and play, relax a bit.”
After a pause, he added, “Besides, Anna is handling your work, and the daughters have someone looking after them. There’s no rush to go back.”
Roswiser didn’t feel much of an emotional shift in the first half of his explanation;
But mentioning the daughters in the second half made her start realizing something.
Ever since the three little ones began their school break, it seemed she and Leon hadn’t had a moment to catch their breath—they were always busy, busy, busy.
Finally managed to step out this time, and it’s still under the pretense of the Dragon King Secret Meeting.
Then right after the meeting wrapped up, Leon actively suggested a date…
Putting all this together, the Queen’s heart stirred, and she quickly arrived at a conclusion:
A certain married man wanted to have some alone time with his wife.
Ah, no wonder Isar is staunchly against marriage. Once you’re hitched, it’s like losing all your freedom!
Roswiser smiled faintly,
“Alright then, let’s relax and enjoy.”
She could see through Leon’s real thoughts but chose not to expose them.
First, to save face for the brooding young man;
Secondly…
Ahem, a certain married woman also wanted some alone time with her husband.
But it was getting late, and neither of them had a habit of roaming the streets at midnight, so finding a place to sleep became the top priority.
They arrived at a hotel.
As they stepped through the hotel doors, Roswiser suddenly recalled Isar teasing them earlier in the Twilight Tower conference room:
“The vibe at home and in a hotel? Oh, it’s just not the same~”
That pesky red dragon! Clearly, she’s never been in love, yet she’s got all these quips lined up!
Is this what they call a strategist who never fights on the battlefield?
Roswiser shook her head, dismissing the messy thoughts.
It was just a hotel stay—how many extravagant things could there be!?
The couple approached the front desk.
“Hello! Welcome! We have rooms with large beds, water beds, and various themed suites. What would you like to stay in?” The clerk was all smiles.
As soon as the couple heard “water beds” and “themed suites,” they nearly triggered PTSD.
After a matching gulp, they replied in sync,
“Two rooms!”
The clerk was taken aback, baffled by this sudden turn.
Based on her years of experience, this pair should be a couple—perhaps even married with kids—but why come out for some “fun” yet insist on two rooms?
Leon and Roswiser exchanged a glance, then hurriedly averted their gazes.
Leon’s inner monologue: Suggesting a date has already broken my limit; there’s no way we’re sharing a room tonight, or else this mother dragon will think she’s got me wrapped around her little finger!
Roswiser’s inner monologue: Stating we need two rooms is to test you and see if you can be even more proactive. Who knew you’d also suggest two rooms? Fine, fine, we’ll sleep like this tonight! You can’t step into my room!
The clerk rubbed her forehead, “Ah, okay, two rooms it is—I—”
“Hang on, I need the restroom,” Leon suddenly said.
“Sure, the restroom is at the far left.”
The previous meal must have been a bit off; Leon hurried towards the restroom, holding his stomach.
As Roswiser watched his back disappear around the corner, her silver eyes sparkled, then she turned to the clerk,
“Miss, I’d like to discuss something with you.”
“What can I help you with?”
“When he comes back, you need to say there are no more vacancies, just one large bed room left.”
“……”
“Not allowed? I’ll pay extra.”
“Oh no, it’s just… I don’t quite understand your approach.”
Not understanding?
Good! You’ll understand once you marry a sham husband as stubborn as dragon scales.
What? You ask how the Queen just claimed she wouldn’t let Leon into her room?
Exactly, you hit the nail on the head.
She won’t let Leon into her room, but that doesn’t mean she won’t go into Leon’s room.
That’s perfectly reasonable.
Shortly after, Leon returned to the front desk.
Roswiser shot the clerk a knowing look.
The clerk caught on immediately, saying, “I’m sorry, sir, but—”
“Ugh! Wait! My stomach is acting up too, need a restroom break,” Roswiser quickly dashed to the restroom.
Now it was Leon staring at her retreating figure.
Once he was sure Roswiser was in the restroom, he leaned over to the desk with a mysterious air, lowering his voice,
“I need to discuss something with you, ma’am.”
The clerk blinked, “Let me guess, sir, you want me to say we only have one room left, right?”
“Whoa, brilliant! Are you my inside worm?”
I’m not, just your wife who struck first, thought the clerk silently.
When Roswiser finally returned, the clerk acted with dramatic flair,
“I’m so sorry, you two! There’s only one large bed room left!”
Upon hearing this, Leon immediately reacted, feigning disappointment:
“What? How is there only one room left?”
Roswiser didn’t back down either, lamenting,
“It truly is unfortunate.”
Leon: “But it’s too late now; I doubt other hotels have any vacancies.”
Roswiser: “Looks like we have no choice but to settle for here.”
Leon & Roswiser: “Sigh, what a pity.”
The clerk shook her head, “You two are quite the performers, aren’t you?”
