115 T Looks Up
The next morning, Leon and Roswiser finished packing and headed to their daughters’ room just before leaving.
Leon gently pushed open the bedroom door, revealing their three little ones still deep in slumber.
The oldest lay flat on her back, the second was cuddling the oldest, and the youngest was munching on the second’s tail.
While their sleeping positions were drastically different, one could begrudgingly call it harmonious.
Leon tiptoed over and gently removed Moon’s tiny tail from Little Light’s mouth, placing it aside.
Little Light mumbled incoherently in her sleep. Suddenly deprived of her “cuddle buddy,” she instinctively reached out and grabbed Leon’s wrist, still half-asleep.
Leon was taken aback for a moment, then smiled with warmth.
He gently pried Little Light’s hand off, tucking her little arm back under the covers, and then patted her chubby little cheek.
Funny enough, while the little one chatted endlessly when awake, she was a perfect angel while sleeping.
Leon shifted his gaze to the side.
Roswiser was also busy adjusting Moon’s sleeping position, making sure her limbs weren’t all sprawled over her sister.
But it was clear that when she was awake, Moon was a big sister’s fan through and through; even in her sleep, she was just as clingy, making her harder to “arrange” than Little Light.
She was like a cat insistent on following the “paws must stay on top” rule—no matter how many times Roswiser pried her away, she always found a way back to Noia.
Finally, Roswiser chuckled in resignation and gently pinched her daughter’s nose, “Oh you, when will you stop clinging to your sister?”
“Mmm… Sister… smells nice…” Moon fumbled in her sleep, nuzzling further into Noia’s neck.
Leon and Roswiser tiptoed back to the door, casting one last look at their sleeping beauties.
“Let’s go, the sooner we wrap this up, the sooner we can come back and spend time with them,” Leon said softly.
Roswiser lingered for a moment longer before nodding, “Alright.”
With that, the couple gently closed the door behind them.
A few minutes later, a giant silver dragon took off from the Silver Dragon Temple’s front courtyard, flapping its wings and soaring into the distance.
Unbeknownst to them, on the sisters’ balcony, a small figure watched the shimmering shape until it vanished into the horizon.
…
By dusk, in a forest near the human empire’s border.
Roswiser dispelled her invisibility magic, hiding with Leon atop a tree branch.
Leon was very familiar with the terrain of this forest. Years ago, during his training at the Dragon Slayer Academy, they often came here for practical field tests.
He was also well aware of the defenses around the area—some of those lookout points he had set up himself back in the day—so he was confident he could lead Roswiser through the patrols undetected.
Crouching on the treetop, Leon gazed towards the entrance of the city wall.
“The recent spate of wars has cut the number of patrols,” he noted. “Good for us, really, makes sneaking in easier.”
“How do you plan to get in?” Roswiser asked.
“Simple! We wait for a merchant caravan to pass through and sneak under their wagon like fish in murky waters,” he grinned.
This tactic was foolproof—whether in the past, present, or twenty years into the future, the empire never checked under wagons.
“Truly… an unexpected method of infiltration. But now that I know it’s you behind it, everything makes sense,” Roswiser teased slightly.
So, the couple waited for the merchant caravan’s arrival.
However, luck wasn’t on their side today; evening rolled in without a single trader passing by.
Leon scratched his temple. “What gives? Why’s everyone suddenly avoiding trade with the empire? Did they all strike gold or something?”
“There are many factors affecting trade: seasons, population changes, frequency of wars, etc. Like you said, the empire’s been busy on the battlefield lately, so they’ve probably redirected resources away from foreign trade,” Roswiser explained.
Leon blinked, glancing at his wife, “Since when did you become an economics guru?”
Roswiser gave a cheeky wink, “I’m just trying to keep you from secretly stashing away money!”
“……”
Ah, indeed, every married man must face the dreaded topic of secret savings.
But honestly, Roswiser wasn’t trying to withhold knowledge from Leon; it was just that there was so much to teach, she couldn’t just dump it all on him at once.
She couldn’t just impart fifty years’ worth of knowledge upon him in one go, or his simple-minded pig brain would likely short-circuit.
“So, what’s our plan without a caravan?” Roswiser asked.
“Wait for the chance,” Leon replied seriously.
Roswiser pondered a moment before nailing it, “You just haven’t figured out how to get in, have you?”
“…… Come on, you think the empire is your backyard that you can waltz in whenever?”
Leon had a point; the empire was the most powerful nation of humanity, and their security wasn’t blind.
The times Leon successfully infiltrated the empire had also relied somewhat on luck.
Plus, the first time he escaped the empire, he and his master along with Rebecca had relied purely on brute force.
Since the goddess of luck wasn’t on Leon’s side this time, the only option was to quietly wait for the opportunity.
Leon sighed quietly within, hoping a chance to slip in would come soon.
He turned to chat with Roswiser, only to find the Mother Dragon was no longer beside him.
Leon stood up and looked back, discovering Roswiser was now standing on the tree trunk, scanning the surroundings as if searching for something.
“What are you looking for?” he asked curiously.
“Yeah, it’s been so long. I hope that tree hasn’t been cut down,” she replied.
Leon’s curiosity piqued, and he quickly joined her, following her gaze but only seeing similar massive trees—all looking just about the same.
“What tree?” he inquired.
“The one where I humiliated you so ruthlessly in front of the empire you served back in the day.”
Leon: …
The memories hit like a freight train. Even if he wanted to forget, the scenes of “branches swaying, creaking sounds” flashed rapidly in his mind.
“Your Majesty, I never knew you were such a sentimental person,” Leon quipped, gritting his teeth.
Roswiser huffed in annoyance, ignoring him as she continued her search for that fateful tree.
Moments later, she exclaimed excitedly, “Oh, I found it!”
She pointed eagerly for Leon to see, “Look! There it is! See it?”
Naturally, Leon didn’t remember such details; five years ago, he was ready to take Roswiser down right where she stood.
So he just gave it a cursory glance and snorted, “It looks just like any other tree. You must be pointing at random!”
“Nuh-uh! I’ll fly you over there to see!”
With that, Roswiser spread her dragon wings and slowly lifted Leon up, soaring to the tree.
Once they reached the highest point, Roswiser stepped on the branch, which creaked underfoot.
“Does this sound familiar, Leon?” Roswiser asked with a grin.
“…… We’ve got a battle coming up, Mother Dragon, save the nostalgia for later,” Leon replied.
After a pause, he added, “And you still haven’t told me how you recognized this tree.”
“Easy-peasy.”
Roswiser stepped to the edge of the branch and pointed towards the empire’s direction, “This is the best view to observe the empire. I picked this tree specifically so you could see it clearly.”
“Wow, you really went above and beyond! Thanks, Your Majesty!” Leon couldn’t help but roll his eyes.
But just as the couple was about to bicker more, Leon suddenly remembered something.
He quickly raised a hand motioning for Roswiser to stay silent, then crouched down, vigilantly looking beneath the tree.
“What’s wrong?” Roswiser asked.
“This area is within the patrol range of the Dragon Slayer Army,” Leon replied. “Remember how we ran into a dragon-slaying squad after our little escapade? Their leader gave me a signal flare to set off in case of danger.”
Roswiser recalled the event with confirmation.
That meant this tree was indeed within the patrol area.
“Let’s head back to our previous spot; it’s safer there,” Leon suggested.
“Sure.”
No matter the teasing, they couldn’t afford to get sidetracked from the task at hand.
However, just as they were about to leave, they heard footsteps below.
The couple immediately crouched down and held their breath, worried that even a rustling leaf might catch the attention of whoever was below.
“Man, I’m exhausted. When does this patrol end?”
“Soon, just a couple more kilometers and we can clock out.”
“Two more kilometers? Working for the empire is a rough gig! Earning pennies while doing the work of two people.”
Listening to the conversation below, Leon and Roswiser exchanged glances.
“Definitely the patrol team,” Leon warned. “Stay sharp.”
Roswiser nodded, focused.
“When on earth is this awful routine going to end? Did you ever do stuff like this when you were in the Dragon Slayer Army, Walker?”
“Ah… well, initially I was fighting on the front line, but then some royal brat needed a cushy position, so they pushed me into the patrol team,” Walker said with a hint of resignation and annoyance.
But that frustration was fleeting; no reason to dwell on old wounds.
“They pushed you out for a royal brat? Man, what nerve those royals have,” a female crew member chimed in. “Don’t worry, Walker. Once we bring down that j*rk of an emperor, that will never happen again.”
“Yeah… let’s keep moving,” Walker said, not keen to delve into it more.
“Ugh… but we’ve walked so far already. Why not request someone else to take over patrol duty?” she suggested.
“Our Lionheart Association doesn’t have many members; everyone has their duties. Just focus on your job—gather as much dirt on the empire as you can for when we finally take that j*rk down,” Walker responded.
“Ha! Easier said than done. What dirt can I dig up while on patrol? Will I even live to see that j*rk’s downfall?”
“Didn’t Rebecca say that day is coming fast? Plus…”
“That man is returning soon.”
But little did they know that the man was currently hovering right above their heads, Brother Walker.
