He might not remember Constantine's death anniversary, but when it came to his precious daughter's birthday, he wished he could carve it into his bones.
As for whether Constantine would mind Leon's way of calculating—ha~ dead doesn't care.
"Hmm… the internal affairs of the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan have indeed calmed down."
Rossweise was a bit troubled, "But the dragon kings of those small clans that Constantine conquered before seem to want revenge. I already sent Shirley ahead to gather information. She said that the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan has chosen a 'new king,' but he's probably just there to take the blame for Constantine's invasion."
"A new king? Could it be the trusted aide we're looking for?"
"It's possible. But he should still be in deep trouble right now, probably too busy to be our interrogation target."
Leon stroked his chin, frowning in thought.
A moment later, he smiled and said leisurely, "I actually think this timing is just right."
Rossweise raised an elegant eyebrow, "Just right?"
"Yeah."
Seeing the sly smile on this bastard's face, Rossweise immediately knew he was up to something again.
But instead of asking about Leon's exact plan, she asked another question, "So, are you planning to go to the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan yourself, or will you have Shirley take a few people to capture that guy?"
"The latter is riskier, and the success rate isn't very high. Also, bringing that guy back could cause unnecessary trouble along the way."
"So, Prince Leon is planning to go personally?", Rossweise asked with a smile.
"What do you mean 'personally'? It's called infiltrating enemy lines."
"Infiltrating enemy lines? Hmm… true, you are quite skilled at that."
Leon blinked.
'Wait a minute, did I just get run over by a truck?'
———
Leon's plan was simple. He would sneak into the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan while their internal strife had settled but external pressure was at its peak and find Constantine's trusted aide.
At that time, the aide, who was still suffering, would never have imagined that after four months, the guy who killed his boss would still be haunting him.
The key was to catch him off guard.
Rossweise had no objections to Leon's choice of timing.
But the method of infiltration… that required more consideration.
"Let Shirley drop me off near the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan's territory, and I'll go in myself," Leon suggested.
Rossweise thought for a moment and shook her head, "That won't work."
"Why not?"
"First of all, you're going to the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan to find that trusted aide in order to figure out which dragon kings are still working with the human empire. But to Shirley or any of my other clansmen, you, as the Silver Dragon Prince, sneaking into the territory of a defeated dragon clan alone, it's very strange and out of place."
Rossweise slowly analyzed for Leon: "Secondly, Shirley would never allow the Silver Dragon Prince to enter enemy territory alone. Even if you order her to stay outside, she will follow you. If it were my other subordinates, they'd likely do the same."
"And the trusted aide you're looking for. Since he knew about Constantine's dealings with the empire, he probably also knows your human identity. When the time comes, no matter how you interrogate him, there's a chance he'll expose your identity. If Shirley is with you, then the secret we've been keeping for so long will be revealed."
Rossweise had a point.
If Constantine could complain about his cooperation with the empire in front of that trusted aide, then that aide must already—No, not just probably.
He absolutely knew Leon's identity.
So if Leon had Shirley or any other clansmen take him to the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan, the risk of exposure would increase dramatically.
Leon needed his identity as the "Silver Dragon Prince" as a cover. It allowed him to stay within the dragon clan and investigate further, working with his master to uncover the empire's conspiracy.
On the other hand, the 'fake' family he and Rossweise had built was becoming more complete.
Noah, Luna, and Little Light were all proud of Leon. In their eyes, he was the best father in the world.
But if they were suddenly told that the father they admired was actually an outsider. A human...
The consequences were unpredictable.
Maybe Noah, being as smart as she was, wouldn't mind as long as her father still loved her, and she still loved him. Luna and Little Light would likely feel the same.
But—
If things took a turn for the worse, how would Leon face them?
It was a gamble he couldn't afford to make.
All he could do was continue hiding the secret alongside Rossweise.
Rossweise watched Leon deep in thought and knew he had understood her reasoning and considered all possibilities.
"So, how do I get to the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan?"
The territories of different dragon clans were far apart. No matter how powerful General Leon was, he was still a land-dwelling creature with only two legs.
No wings, no transportation. If he relied solely on walking, it would take months to get from the Silver Dragon Sanctuary to the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan.
By then, forget about Constantine's trusted aide, even the entire Crimson Flame Dragon Clan might have already been wiped out in the flames of various clans' revenge.
Moreover, reaching the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan was just the first step. The most important thing was making sure no one suspected him.
Rossweise had a good solution for that, "I'll go with you."
Leon was stunned.
He clearly hadn't expected Rossweise to say that.
"The Silver Dragon Queen sneaking into a defeated dragon clan's territory with her husband..."
Leon stroked his chin and took a deep breath, "That sounds even more suspicious than if I went alone."
Rossweise shrugged, "We'll just say we're patrolling the border. That excuse has always worked well."
The queen was right.
Though Leon's sister, Isa, often teased him by calling border patrols an excuse for dates, they did provide cover for 'private' matters.
Like dates.
Or… infiltrating enemy lines.
"If Shirley and the others take you, your identity might be exposed. So in this situation, the safest option is for me to go with you."
"You're right. But… I don't get it."
Rossweise tilted her head, "What don't you get?"
Leon looked up at her, meeting her silver eyes. He pressed his lips together and said, "This is dangerous. And even if we take a step back, this is between me, my master, and the empire. The conflict between the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan and your Silver Dragon Clan is over. You don't have to take this risk with me…"
'Oh~'
The queen understood.
'The bastard still has some conscience left. He actually cares about her safety.'
Rossweise felt a little smug but didn't show it.
She decided to tease him a bit more and see if she could get him to say something even sweeter.
"What else can I do? If your identity is exposed, won't our family fall apart?"
The queen sighed dramatically.
"I know it's dangerous, and I only gave birth four months ago. My strength hasn't fully recovered yet. If we run into trouble with the Crimson Flame Dragon remnants, I might get hurt. If it's serious… I might never come back, boohoo…", That was fake. Dragon bodies and strength recovered quickly after childbirth.
She was just scaring the bastard.
To see if he'd say something sincere.
"Never come back… Isn't that a bit much?", Leon was genuinely startled.
"Of course not! You, Casmodeous, are a dragon-slaying hero, fearless of anything. But I'm weak. If not for our family and daughters, I wouldn't take this risk with you," Rossweise leaned against him slightly.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of myself. And why am I helping you? There's no special reason. Isn't it only natural for a wife to support her husband?"
Leon, red-faced, hesitated but gently stroked her soft, warm cheek.
To his surprise, she didn't resist.
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