The bedroom instantly darkened, with only a sliver of moonlight allowing Leon to barely see the person beside him on the pillow.
She was lying on her side, hugging the big teddy bear Leon had given her.
Leon knew she had a habit. Every time after handing in her homework and entering post-sage time, she always wanted to hug something. Only then could she sleep soundly.
Usually, she would hug him. After all, their "married life" was quite harmonious. Falling asleep in each other's arms after some strenuous activity was very normal, though she would still act stubborn the next morning.
But tonight, she was hugging the teddy bear.
'Looks like the resentment really isn't small.'
Leon hesitated for a while, then turned onto his side too, flattening the teddy bear's head, and looked at Rossweise behind it.
"Wanna chat for a bit?"
Rossweise's face remained cold, "Let go of my bear."
Leon awkwardly pursed his lips and sheepishly withdrew his hand.
After a while, across the teddy bear, he said softly, "Sorry... I made you clean up my mess again. If I'd known earlier, I would've just listened to you and taken the medicine."
No sound came from behind the teddy bear.
After a brief silence, Leon added, "You should take some medicine tomorrow too. I'm worried you'll catch it."
"Humans and dragons can't infect each other."
Your wife rejected your concern and threw some biology knowledge she just made up at you.
"Is that so..."
Leon mumbled, then suddenly realized something, "If humans and dragons can't infect each other, then why are there cold medicines for humans in your bedside drawer?"
The queen's heart skipped a beat, and her face flushed red in the darkness.
Luckily, it was dark, and with the teddy bear between them, Leon couldn't see.
"None of your business. I'll put whatever I want."
Actually, besides cold medicine, there were also fever reducers, stomach medicine, insomnia pills, painkillers... all for human use.
In dragonkind, getting ahold of these was difficult. Rossweise had gone through a lot to gather all these human everyday medicines.
But it's not like she wanted some thanks from a certain dragonslaying hero.
'I prepared these medicines simply because...'
'Uh...'
'Because...'
'Because the drawer was too empty, and I wanted to fill it with something.'
'Yeah, that's it.'
'....'
'Fine! I was just worried about that damn man, afraid he'd get sick, afraid he'd feel bad, so what!'
The queen's thoughts were in chaos. The more she thought, the more embarrassed she got, and her hands unconsciously tightened around the teddy bear in her arms.
But in the next second, a warm touch suddenly came to the back of her cold hand.
His palm wasn't exactly smooth and delicate. After all, it was a warrior's hand, covered in calluses and scars from years of harsh battles.
But every time this hand held or clasped hers, Rossweise always felt a strange sense of peace.
She slowly released the now-deformed teddy bear.
She wanted to interlock her fingers with Leon's, but her pride wouldn't allow it.
"I... can I take the bear away?"
Rossweise had a slight emotional stir, but gave no answer, just quietly waited.
Before long, Leon slowly pulled the teddy bear from her arms.
The hand that covered the back of Rossweise's hand also slowly moved to her palm, and regardless of her reaction, directly slid his fingers into the gaps between hers.
They ended up interlocking fingers after all.
The couple finally turned face-to-face and could see each other.
Rossweise snorted coldly, "I didn't say you could hold my hand."
But she didn't pull away either.
Leon smiled, "So what now? My hand's already stuck to yours, I can't get it off."
He shook their interlocked hands, and sure enough, he couldn't shake it off, because he was gripping tightly on purpose.
Rossweise kicked his calf under the covers, "Tch, shameless scoundrel."
"Mm-hmm, Her Majesty is always right."
Rossweise rolled her eyes at him, "Not talking to you anymore. I'm tired. I'm going to sleep."
She said she was going to sleep, but didn't close her eyes.
Leon knew she was waiting for something.
"Wanna sleep in my arms?", Leon asked.
"Beg me."
Leon chuckled, "Beg you."
"Hmph, even if you beg me I still won't... ugh you really are... enough, Casmodeous."
Leon didn't wait for her to keep acting tough, he just went ahead and pulled her tightly into his arms.
Rossweise struggled symbolically for a couple of seconds, then gave up, letting Leon hold her.
The corners of the queen's mouth at this moment were harder to suppress than an AK's recoil.
If you're gonna play, go all in. This is just a little fun between husband and wife.
———
"Her Majesty is in a good mood today."
"So?"
"You're allowed to accompany me on the border patrol."
"Mother dragon, if you want to go on a date, just say so. No need to be so roundabout."
Today, Rossweise wore a relatively capable and simple pair of pants. The long legs usually hidden under her skirt were now accentuated by the tight pants, curvy, seductive, and sexy.
Of course, she definitely didn't mean to dress so provocatively. Her figure was just that good, anything she wore ended up like this.
Hearing the damn man bragging shamelessly again, Rossweise rolled her eyes at him.
"What date? Keep dreaming. Anna and a few maids and guards are coming along too."
'Oh, so this patrol isn't just an excuse for a secret rendezvous.'
Leon shrugged, "Then you guys go ahead, why bother calling me?"
"As the Silver Dragon's prince, shouldn't you show your face a little?"
"I won't. I'm staying home to take care of the kids."
"A real man lives between heaven and earth, how can you spend every day babysitting?", Rossweise kept trying to persuade him.
But as they say, once bitten twice shy, Leon was now basically immune to Rossweise's taunts.
Still laying it on thick, he replied lazily, "I'm staying home to watch the kids today."
Leon thought with things said to this point, Rossweise would give up trying to drag him out.
But unexpectedly, this mother dragon was surprisingly patient today.
"But you've been cooped up at home for too long. It's time to go out and get some air."
Rossweise said, "Maybe the cold last time was from staying indoors too much and not exercising enough."
It was fine not to mention the cold, but once brought up, General Leon got fired up again.
"I got sick last time because you locked me out on the balcony till the middle of the night."
"Well, serves you right for running your mouth. I don't care, you're going out today no matter what."
'Ayo, she's even being unreasonable now.'
If this mother dragon had kindly persuaded him, Leon might've given her some face and tagged along.
But from her tone and attitude, this was clearly a hard command.
This little evil dragon was outright defying the heavens.
Leon sat right down on the living room sofa and planted himself, "Not going."
The couple was butting heads again.
Rossweise opened her mouth, just about to continue "threatening" Leon.
But mid-sentence, she had a change of heart and said instead, "Come on, just accompany me."
Hearing that, Leon froze.
'Just accompany me.'
'Oh~'
'So all that earlier talk about "Silver Dragon Prince showing face," "you got sick from staying in," was all just cover for this one line—"just accompany me."
'Nice. Fits perfectly with my stereotype of you, Silver Dragon Queen—'
'Never say what you really mean, tsundere and prideful.'
Leon smugly chuckled twice.
"Well, since you put it that way, I'll come along. But don't get the wrong idea, I just suddenly realized it might be good to show some presence in front of your clansmen."
'Yoshi, that fits perfectly with my stereotype of you, Casmodeous—'
Only listens to soft words, stubborn as hell.
Whatever. Rossweise couldn't be bothered to expose his little game.
Breaking it open is satisfying for a moment;
Not breaking it and watching him act tough forever, that's the real satisfaction.
The couple packed up and, accompanied by Anna and several maids and guards, headed to the territory's border.
Border patrol was Rossweise's monthly routine.
Logically, a territory that large, her being the queen, she didn't need to do this every month.
Leaving it to trusted subordinates would be totally fine.
Like how a company chairman wouldn't go to the security booth every month to chat with the old man about how many delivery guys got shooed away or how many illegally parked bikes got removed.
It's unrealistic.
But Rossweise was a top-tier workaholic, insisting on doing everything personally.
Of course, Leon already knew this part about her, so he wasn't surprised.
What truly impressed Leon was that despite her intense daily workload, she still managed her family well.
Whether it was the three daughters or him, the fake husband, Rossweise handled everything smoothly.
She didn't even bring work pressure into the home.
Leon had never seen her come back from a stressful day looking gloomy and ignoring everyone.
Sounds easy, but it's incredibly hard to do.
No one can guarantee they won't be overwhelmed by pressure and emotion, right?
But Rossweise actually pulled it off.
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