**121 The One I Love, Where Do They Come From**
Even though there are members of the Lionheart Association acting as informants in the Central District and below, as Rebecca said, if Leon and Roswiser really want to go out for a stroll, they still need to do a bit of disguising.
And it has to be done at specific times too.
So, in the private room of the Lionheart Association, Leon and Roswiser were getting some help from a few ladies to prepare their disguises for this outing.
Leon’s disguise wasn’t too hard; he just had to pop on some sunglasses and change his clothes a bit.
But Roswiser’s situation was a bit more complicated.
First, the Queen’s hair color was just too recognizable. Sure, there are a few other silver-haired folks in the Empire, but they are ridiculously rare. So, strutting out with a glorious head of silver hair would definitely draw too much attention.
Secondly, the ladies in charge of her makeup realized that this time, their client was different from the usual suspects. Roswiser’s face was like a work of art! No matter if they went for a subtle look or a dramatic glam, they could not cover up her astonishing beauty.
Finally, when they learned that they were doing makeup for a Dragon King, the ladies were horrified.
Come on! They usually helped disguise the undercover members of the Lionheart Association, like Nacho pretending to be a beggar or something.
But doing makeup for the Dragon King? That’s something no human had ever attempted before!
Roswiser definitely noticed the ladies’ consternation and didn’t want to make it hard for them.
“I’ll manage myself, thank you for your trouble.”
With that, Roswiser picked up a comb and started to fiddle with her hair.
She wanted something low-key, maybe a bun?
The ladies exchanged glances.
After a mini eye battle and internal struggle, the lead lady stepped forward.
“Uh… we have some different styles of wigs. Would you like to take a look?”
This question came without any form of address, which is generally considered rude.
But you can’t blame the makeup lady; she truly didn’t know how to address a Dragon King.
Roswiser arched an eyebrow, “Wigs, huh? Sure, why not?”
“Great! Midi, go grab the wigs.”
“On it!”
Before long, various styles of wigs came into the room.
Roswiser browsed through them leisurely.
In the end, her gaze landed on a long, straight black wig.
“This one looks good.”
“Yep, black hair is the most low-key.”
And low-key it certainly was.
But Roswiser chose the black wig more because…
She just liked black.
Just like someone’s hair color.
“Let us help you put it on.”
“Sure, thanks a bunch!”
Even though the ladies were still a bit apprehensive around this humanoid Dragon King, she didn’t seem like the fierce beast they had heard tales about.
In fact, quite the opposite! This silver-haired beauty carried herself with such grace; while a tad aloof, she didn’t make anyone uncomfortable.
After some hustle and bustle, they finally got the wig on.
Roswiser stood in front of the mirror to inspect her new look.
Her first impression was that it felt a bit strange.
She had been looking at her silver hair for over two hundred years, so suddenly switching to black long hair was definitely a change.
As for how she looked with the wig… well, Roswiser wasn’t too sure.
“Ready? We can head out now.”
At that moment, Leon pushed the door open.
The minute he entered, his eyes got snagged by the vision of Roswiser’s flowing black hair.
Like her, he too felt a bit strange at first.
But when Roswiser turned around, the only two words that popped into Leon’s head to describe his wife were:
Breathtaking.
The black hair highlighted her milky-white skin, creating a striking contrast that elevated her already stunning face to an entirely new level.
Soft lighting fell on her profile, making her look like a perfect being stepped out of a painting.
“Do I look good?” Roswiser asked softly.
Leon snapped back to reality. This time, he wasn’t going to be stubborn. No, he said honestly,
“You look good.”
“Oh, wow! You’re actually speaking your mind today. I thought you’d dance around the answer a few times before admitting it was good!” Roswiser chuckled teasingly.
Seeing the Mother Dragon’s smug expression, Leon quickly retorted,
“Well, I actually think it’s pretty average.”
“Then why did you say it looks good?” Roswiser tilted her head a bit, her black hair cascading down, making her look playful and adorable.
Leon’s face went red, “I decide what looks good!”
“Hmph.”
“The disguises are done, you two can leave whenever you’re ready; we’ll take our leave now.”
The ladies gave a slight nod to Leon and exited the room.
Roswiser, while wrapping her finger around her black strands, walked over to Leon.
“Do you think I look better with black hair or silver hair?”
Leon thought for a moment and replied, “Silver hair, I guess.”
After all, that’s what General Leon had known and loved all his life.
“Roooar~ So that means I’m not looking good right now, huh?”
“… Right now, you also look good.”
“Then which is it, silver hair or black hair that looks better?”
“How about I just turn you into a bald person? How does that sound?”
Roswiser giggled, deciding not to tease him any further, and glanced at the piece of parchment in his hand.
“What’s that?”
Leon spread the parchment on the table; it was a map marked with red lines and circles indicating streets and various locations.
“Rebecca marked the safe routes and places we can enter freely. As long as we stick to this area, we won’t have to worry about getting caught.”
Roswiser nodded, “Very thorough indeed.”
“Yeah… I didn’t expect the Lionheart Association to develop so thoroughly in just a few short years. We owe it all to the Master and Rebecca.”
Leon tucked the map away into his jacket and then patted his waist pouch.
“This is our shopping budget for this outing.”
Roswiser blinked, pretending not to know, “Not a date budget?”
At that, Leon straightened up, a serious expression crossing his face,
“W-what date! We’re just going out to buy some Shadow Stones!”
“Alright, let’s hurry up.”
It was rare to see Roswiser this enthusiastic about something, which piqued Leon’s curiosity.
However, he didn’t pry too much and led Roswiser out through the backdoor of the Lionheart Association.
They found themselves in the poverty-stricken area of the Empire, where the path was clear, and they didn’t have to worry about patrol teams.
Of course, wandering around in such a desolate area didn’t exactly scream “shopping spree”.
Leon planned to follow the map and show Roswiser around the lower and central districts.
Plus, just like Nacho suggested, take a stroll down memory lane of this long-lost hometown.
…
By afternoon, the couple walked side by side on the streets of the lower district.
It was far more bustling than the impoverished area, with various stalls and shops lining the streets.
Roswiser stood to Leon’s right, her hands neatly clasped in front of her, dressed in a dark long gown prepared by the Lionheart Association, and rocking a pair of Martin boots, radiating the aura of a refined lady.
Beauty is beauty, no matter what makeup she wears or what clothes she puts on; her natural charm just shines through.
She kept glancing at the street along the way.
Everything here was incredibly novel for Roswiser.
The kids playing marbles on the sidewalk, the old stall selling windmills, and all sorts of snacks she had never seen before.
Even the cats and dogs hanging around caught her attention.
After Leon bought some Shadow Stones from a magical item shop and turned around, he found Roswiser crouching in a corner of the street, playing with two adorable kittens.
He walked over and asked,
“Do Dragon Race folks not have pets?”
“You lived with me for five years; have you ever seen any little animals like cats or dogs at my place?” Roswiser asked.
Leon thought about it—he hadn’t seen any, that much was true.
Going even further back in memory, he recalled that animals like cats and dogs were only found in the textbooks of the Dragon Race.
Even Moon, when she was little, once asked Leon what a donkey was.
Roswiser explained that with the Dragon Race’s fierce lineage, owning those fluffy little creatures would be beneath their stature.
Later, she secretly complained to Leon about which ancestor passed down this ridiculous “saving face” rule.
Why can’t she have a cute kitty if they’re so fun?
The Queen was over two hundred years old, and today was the first time she got to touch a cat!
How unfair!
“Well then, let’s buy one on our way back,” Leon suggested.
Roswiser blinked, then shook her head, “No, I’ve got three kittens and one big goofy dog waiting for me at home.”
Leon was taken aback, pointing to his nose,
“Are you calling me the big goofy dog?”
The Queen smiled and shook her head, “No.”
Leon rolled his eyes.
Roswiser covered her mouth, chuckling, then looked at the shopping bag in his hand,
“Are you only buying these Shadow Stones? Isn’t that a bit insufficient?”
For utilizing the resonance of Shadow Stones at the Lantern Festival, these were indeed way too few.
“Yeah, we need to get more. But we can’t buy from the same store, or it’ll raise suspicion.”
Roswiser nodded in understanding, “Got it! So, shall we continue shopping?”
“Absolutely.”
But just as they took a step forward, Leon couldn’t help but voice his growing curiosity while walking,
“Roswiser.”
“Hmm?”
“Why do I feel like you’re… really excited about this outing?”
Roswiser paused for a second, not answering immediately but teasingly replied, “Really? Am I that obvious?”
Leon nodded, “Yep. From the time we left until now, you’ve been nudging me to hurry to the next place several times.”
The beauty lowered her gaze and nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She then glanced down the long street ahead, leisurely moving her feet as she answered Leon,
“Since the daughters went off to Saint His Academy, you’ve been all alone at home.”
“You’re busy with work, and I can only occasionally sit with you and chat. One reason is that having you nearby makes me feel secure; another is I don’t want to see you wandering around the yard all lonely.”
“Later on, you kept leaving the Holy Temple to wander around my tribe all by yourself.”
“At first, I didn’t know why you liked sneaking out.”
“But one day you told me it was because you wanted to walk the roads I walked and see the scenery I saw.”
“Back then, I wanted to ask you more, but you didn’t say anything further.”
Leon was lost in thought.
When he finally snapped back to reality, he noticed Roswiser had already taken several steps ahead.
He looked up and saw Roswiser standing with her hands clasped behind her back, playfully turning around and walking backward,
“This question has lingered in my mind: why do you want to walk the path I’ve walked and see the scenery I’ve seen?”
“Today, standing on the soil of your hometown, I may have found the answer to that question.”
“To truly understand a person, beyond being by their side, you also need to feel their past, experience what they’ve been through.”
“I want to know what kind of environment shaped the you standing before me now.”
“Even more, I want to know…”
She tilted her head slightly, her eyes squinting as she smiled, a blush spreading across her face. The wind lifted her black hair, revealing glimpses of silver strands, like shimmering silvery tassels swaying in the shadow.
“The one I love, where do they come from?”
