Chapter 92: Where is She?
Evening falls, and Leon sits at his desk, lost in thought.
That Mother Dragon has been MIA all day!
At first, Leon was quite excited when he didn’t see her all morning, thinking she was off patrolling the borders or meeting with other Dragon Kings again.
She usually goes off for two or three days, leaving the entire Silver Dragon Temple to him, the illustrious Dragon Slayer, Casmod.
He could wander in and out of his room without notifying her about his whereabouts or plans. He could even order the kitchen to whip up some extra steak just for Moon, or—
He could be free from homework!
But it wasn’t until lunchtime, when he spotted Anna and the other Dragon Maids in the dining hall, that he realized Roswiser had gone solo this time.
That means she’s off all by herself!
As the afternoon sun began to set, Leon’s excitement ebbed away.
By dusk, he found himself inexplicably anxious and uneasy.
It was the kind of empty feeling you get when you think, “Finally, I have two months of vacation! Let’s party!” but after two days, you’re just bored out of your mind.
So, after dinner, he casually sauntered over to Anna.
“Hey, Anna, is Noia going home in a couple of days?”
Anna, busy tidying up the table, replied, “Yes, Your Royal Highness will get to see Princess Noia soon.”
“Oh… Well… cough, cough, did Roswiser say she was going to make something Noia likes?”
“Nope. Princess Noia’s not picky, which really saves Your Majesty some trouble.”
“Is that so…”
Leon scratched his forehead and asked, “By the way, Noia’s not picky at all, kinda like Roswiser, huh?”
Anna blinked, thinking it over. “Not really, Your Majesty doesn’t seem to like cilantro that much.”
“Oh! Who knew Roswiser was also a picky eater? Not very like her, is it?”
The Dragon Maid suddenly paused, looked straight at Leon, and said, “Your Royal Highness, you seem to have something you want to ask me?”
Caught off guard, Leon thought, Did I really give myself away that easily?
“Well, uh, I’m just making small talk…”
Leon tried to act nonchalant, but shifted gears and asked seriously, “But since you say that, I really am curious, do you know where Roswiser went?”
Casmod, you’ve been rumbled!
Anna stifled a giggle and shook her head. “I don’t know either, Your Royal Highness.”
“But you’re her Head Maid! How could you not know?”
“Oh come on, Your Majesty, you’re making a big fuss. She’s royalty; she can’t get lost, can she?”
Anna added, “Even as Head Maid, there are some things I’m not allowed to inquire about. She might be out inspecting the tribe or attending some secret meeting. But hey, if you really want to know, just wait for her to come back and ask directly.”
Ask her directly…?
But we haven’t spoken in a few days! What if she thinks I’m actually concerned about her?
Leon ruffled his hair. “Fine, fine, you go back to your chores.”
“Okay, Your Royal Highness, get some rest—maybe the Queen will be back later tonight.”
Leon waved as he left the dining hall.
Back in his baby blue room, he waited in silence.
However, by ten o’clock, there was still no sign of that Mother Dragon.
Time ticked on, and Leon crossed his arms, rubbing his eyes.
He continued to mull over the same thoughts he’d been wrestling with for hours.
Anna said Roswiser might be out inspecting the tribe.
That’s something he knew well.
As the leader of the Silver Dragon Race, it’s perfectly normal for her to check on her people regularly.
But usually, she takes her maid squad or some close confidants with her.
This time, though, she went alone.
Could it be that the Silver Dragon Queen is indulging in a little incognito inspection?
It certainly gives off the vibe of an empire leader doing undercover visits.
Or maybe, as Anna suggested, she went to a secret meeting with other Dragon leaders?
But what could that meeting possibly be about…?
His mind wandered to a couple he had met a few days ago in Flowing Cloud Valley—Yuna and Zai.
In their chat, he learned that a certain Dragon King named Constantine had been expanding his territory, swallowing up weaker dragon clans and stirring up little wars and conflicts.
And in that story he read to Moon, “Stories to Enlighten Young Dragons,” Constantine was portrayed as a hero.
So this Red Flame Dragon King’s antics might not be for the greater good of dragons but simply to quench his thirst for power?
Considering the ruckus he’s causing, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for Roswiser to secretly attend a meeting about Constantine’s recent actions.
But if there was a secret meeting, wouldn’t they at least bring a guard along…?
So, either there’s no meeting at all, or the scrutiny level is only meant for Dragon Kings.
Leon tugged at his hair, feeling utterly at a loss.
Everything was just wild speculation.
As night deepened and sleepiness washed over him, he stifled a yawn.
His gaze landed on a small bear on the desk.
That was the one Roswiser won for him from a claw machine back in Flowing Cloud Valley.
She had said it was a gift for him.
Sure, the big bear he gave her could fit ten of these little ones, but since it was a “generous” gift from the Mother Dragon, how could he refuse?
When he got back, Leon thought about putting the bear on his bed, but then realized: isn’t it a bit too girly for a grown man?
So he settled on placing it on the desk instead.
He picked up the small bear, peering into its dark beady eyes, and chuckled to himself.
“Didn’t think you’d just vanish for so long without a word.”
Putting the bear down, he moved to the reclining chair on the balcony and gazed at the dreamy night sky and the Milky Way hanging overhead.
After a while, he slowly closed his eyes.
At that moment, a flash of deep purple light flickered across his chest, vanishing in an instant.
Meanwhile, the Silver Dragon Queen was still on her way back.
As she flew, Roswiser suddenly felt something odd and promptly slowed her pace.
“What is it, Your Majesty?” Sherry asked, concerned.
“It’s nothing.”
Indeed… it was nothing.
That strange sensation had flared up quickly and disappeared just as fast. Roswiser barely registered it before it was gone.
Well, it might just be that she had been flying too long.
Calculating the time, she and Sherry had a few more hours of flying before reaching the Silver Dragon Temple. By then, they would have been gone for two whole days and nights.
Moon was fine; Roswiser often took off for days at a time.
But that guy, Leon, turns the whole house upside down if he doesn’t see her for just one day!
With that thought, Roswiser flapped her wings and sped up towards the temple.
Sherry paused, then hurried to flap her wings.
“Your Majesty… wait for me! I can’t keep up!”
……
The next morning, Leon was awakened by Moon shaking him.
“Daddy! Daddy! Why are you sleeping on the balcony? You’ll catch a cold!”
Groggy and chilled, Leon sneezed as he opened his eyes.
“Ah! Daddy, you really are sick?” Moon exclaimed, worried.
“I’m fine, it’s nothing; I’ll be okay in a bit.”
Moon scratched her head. “Daddy, how did you end up sleeping on the balcony last night?”
Leon zoned out, slowly piecing together the previous night’s events.
He had been sitting in the reclined chair, counting stars, waiting for the lights to flicker on in Roswiser’s balcony—
Their rooms were next to each other, so once she flipped on the lights, he could see her right away.
Anna said Roswiser might return a bit later.
Too bad, though; by midnight, the lights were still off next door.
He must have dozed off unnoticed.
“Ah, I guess I was too tired last night and forgot to go back to sleep in my bed.”
Leaning down, Leon pulled Moon into his arms. “Do you know where Mommy went yesterday all day while she wasn’t home?”
“Daddy.”
“Hmm?”
“You’ve asked me this question three times already. I really don’t know.”
“…Have I really asked that many times?”
The little dragon nodded earnestly, counting on her fingers.
“Once after lunch, once when we were running, and once before dinner. Daddy, you don’t need to worry so much; Mommy would often go out for work and always comes back in a day or two.”
Clearing his throat, Leon tried to play it cool, “Cough, cough, alright, I’ll listen to you.”
Just then, a guard’s voice came from the courtyard below,
“Your Majesty, you’ve returned.”
“Hmm.”
At the sound, Leon shot up, cradling Moon in his arms and peered down from the balcony.
Roswiser had indeed returned, and she was accompanied by a silver dragon girl Leon had never seen before.
“Look! Mommy’s back!” Moon exclaimed, pointing below.
As a thought crossed his mind, Leon asked, “Moon, when Mommy was gone for two days, did you miss her?”
“Of course!”
“Then let Daddy teach you a little phrase to tell Mommy that’ll surely make her happy.”
The little dragon’s eyes sparkled. “Yes! Yes!”
Moments later, Moon dashed from the temple, sprinting towards Roswiser.
“Mommy~!”
“Moon! Good morning!”
Roswiser squatted down, hugging her daughter. “Were you good at home? Did you eat on time?”
“Uh… umm, cough, cough—”
Moon took a step back, standing straight as a little soldier, her tail perked up ever so slightly.
“Mommy, where did you go yesterday all day? Why did it take so long? Why didn’t you tell me in advance?”
The tone of the little dragon sounded hilariously rehearsed.
And that classic “check-in trio” seemed a bit too advanced for her!
Roswiser pondered for a moment, then looked up.
There, on the baby room balcony, a face flashed by—
Then, just as quickly, it ducked out of sight again!
