Chapter 175: Drunk

"Hey, your mom has already had so much to drink. Her body hasn't fully recovered yet—she should be resting more."

"Mm... Ah ya ya~"

"Your two sisters are also over there joining in the fun, but see? Dad's the one staying with you. So, you should be on Dad's side more in the future, got it?"

"Uwah~"

Each of them spoke their own language.

The little baby couldn't understand adult speech, and Leon couldn't understand baby talk, but that didn't affect his enthusiasm for chatting with his youngest daughter in the slightest.

After chatting for a while, the baby yawned, and her interactions with Leon decreased significantly.

She was getting sleepy.

Leon stood up and carried the little one back to Rossweise's bedroom.

Only after making sure she had fallen asleep did Leon leave and return to the temple entrance, sitting back down on the steps.

The bonfire in the courtyard crackled, the banquet was still ongoing, and by the looks of it, that mother dragon was definitely going to get drunk tonight.

Although there would be maids to send her back if she drank too much, as the queen's "husband," he figured he should wait here for a while.

That way, they might appear more "loving" in front of others, making their family seem more "harmonious."

She could even change her dressing style to make this grand play more convincing—how could Leon fall behind?

Besides, it was just for show anyway; it's not like he was losing anything.

Leon let his thoughts wander.

He didn't know how much time had passed before the sound of light footsteps echoed in the night.

Leon looked up, following the sound.

It was Rossweise.

She was a little tipsy, holding two cans of beer in her hands.

The queen's steps were slightly unsteady, but she hadn't reached the point where she couldn't walk properly.

Leon kept his eyes on her feet the entire time, worried that this foolish dragon might trip on a step or a stone.

It was only when she finally stood steadily before him that Leon shifted his gaze from her feet to her face.

Her delicate and beautiful face carried a faint blush, her silver eyes half-lidded, and even her ears were a bit red.

A contented smile played at the corners of her lips, though he had no idea what she was enjoying so much.

Leon was sitting on the temple's back steps, making their eye level even.

This scene reminded Leon of three years ago when he was ambushed by a traitor during the attack on the Silver Dragon Temple and ended up imprisoned by the Silver Dragons.

Back then, she had also come to see him after slipping away from a victory feast—also drunk like this.

If she hadn't been drunk that time, if she had been just a little more clear-headed, she probably wouldn't have fallen for his Blood Charm trick.

'Ah, fate sure is fickle. No, fickle towards dragons,' Leon sighed internally.

"Here," She handed him a can of beer, snapping Leon out of his thoughts.

The liquid inside sloshed around, making a dull swishing sound.

Leon shook his head, "I don't drink."

"Then I'll drink."

Leon knew Rossweise had a bit of a drinking habit.

But... it wasn't exactly an addiction.

As a queen, she was constantly under immense pressure. Without any other way to relieve it, she could only numb herself with alcohol.

During the ten months of pregnancy, she hadn't touched a drop. She was probably itching for a drink.

She popped open the beer, then walked over to sit beside Leon on the steps.

A faint scent of alcohol drifted over—not unpleasant.

Rossweise had good taste in alcohol, even for something like beer, she had carefully selected it. So even with the scent of alcohol on her, the dominant aroma was still a rich, enticing fragrance.

The silver-haired beauty took a hearty sip before placing the can beside her.

Her sitting posture was different from Leon's.

Leon sat with his feet resting on the steps below—very much the standard posture of a straight-laced guy.

Rossweise, on the other hand, leaned back on her hands, gazing at the night sky, stretching her long legs straight out, taking up several steps.

The two of them sat close, their shoulders brushing against each other from time to time.

The evening breeze swept through the temple, gently stirring their hair.

The air carried the chirping of cicadas, while the starry sky above looked like an exquisite painting spread out before them.

"I think—", The queen suddenly spoke, her expression solemn, "The world is a giant eggplant."

Leon gave her a deadpan look, "…How much did you drink?"

"If the world were an eggplant, what would you do?", She seemed very eager to continue this topic.

Leon sighed and played along, "Then I'd sprinkle some diced carrots on the ground and make a dish of eggplant stew with carrots."

"Interesting! Are you secretly a genius?"

"Heh... Thanks for the compliment, Your Majesty."

At the mention of "Your Majesty," Rossweise's smile visibly stiffened.

She awkwardly retracted her long legs, resting her elbows on her knees and cupping her chin, pouting, "Being queen isn't fun at all."

"Hmm? If it's not fun, why do you take it so seriously? If you think it's boring, just hand the throne over to me. I'll be the boss of the Silver Dragons, what do you think—"

"The throne!", Rossweise's sudden exclamation startled Leon.

He clutched his chest, trying to calm his racing heart, "What about the throne?"

"The throne is a cage," One moment she was fired up like an excitable little girl, and the next, she sank into melancholy.

Rossweise rested her chin in her hands, her silver eyes staring blankly at the ground below the steps.

"When you sit on it, your life is no longer your own."

"....Rossweise?"

"But I will stay in this cage, fulfilling all my duties. After all, I'm the best queen in the world. Leon, tell me, am I the best queen?", She nudged Leon's shoulder, her previously melancholic face now filled with an expectant look, waiting for praise.

Leon chuckled, "Yes, you are the best queen."

"Yay~"

'Got it. Before drinking, she is like Noah; after drinking, she is like Luna.'

No wonder—given his and Rossweise's personalities, how could they have a lively and mischievous daughter like Luna?

Turns out, the full range of this mother dragon's traits only unlocks after drinking.

"The best queen deserves the best captive—per"

"Do you have to use the word 'captive'?"

"Why? Aren't you my captive?"

Leon didn't want to argue with a drunken mother dragon, "Fine, if you say so."

He hesitated, then added, "But it was this very captive who saved your Silver Dragon Clan from Constantine a week ago."

"Yeah, yeah, which is why I said you're the best captive~"

'Alright, seems like there's no getting around the "captive" label.'

Leon chose to go along with her.

"Mm... honestly, you really are amazing. I always thought you were just bragging," That was Rossweise's genuine thought. After the battle with Constantine, she had to admit, Leon was absurdly strong.

Normally, she would never praise him—otherwise, he'd get too full of himself.

But tonight, thanks to the alcohol, she figured she could indulge him a little.

Besides, she could just claim she was drunk tomorrow, deny everything, and mess with him.

'Ah, truly a brilliant plan!', Rossweise smugly thought.

Sure enough, Leon puffed up his little chest proudly, "Of course! You think the title of the Strongest Dragon Slayer is something I made up myself? That's officially recognized by the Empire~"

Rossweise turned her head, leaned in, and rested her small chin on Leon's arm, blinking her beautiful silver eyes at him, "But three years ago, you were still captured by me, weren't you? Tsk tsk tsk."

Leon twisted his arm and nudged Rossweise's chin off, "I—I was betrayed by an insider back then. Otherwise, I would've already—"

"Already what? Hmm?"

"Already…"

'Strange, why can't I say it now that the words are on my lips?'

He thought about it—his dragon mark wasn't glowing, so why was his mouth acting on its own instead of his brain?

'Can it be… I have developed some sympathy for this female dragon?'

'Hiss… how terrifying!'

He pressed his lips together, unsure how to change the topic.

"Hmph, you heartless man," Rossweise huffed angrily.

"How am I heartless? We were enemies back then. Besides, three years ago, if I hadn't used the Blood Charm on you, wouldn't you have already taken me out?"

"Back then, we were enemies?", Rossweise caught onto the key phrase.

"That's right."

"Then what you're saying is… we're not enemies now?"

Leon's old face couldn't hold up. He turned his head away and muttered, "Still enemies, just temporarily co-parenting three daughters."

Rossweise got annoyed.

She reached out and grabbed Leon's chin, forcing him to turn his head toward her. Then, she pinched both sides of his face and kneaded them repeatedly.

"If the world ends one day, all magic disappears, and all living beings turn to ash, your mouth will definitely still be alive and well."

How could Leon let her bully him like this?

Naturally, he retaliated in the same way, pinching Rossweise's cheeks.

The two of them sat on the steps, pinching each other's faces like squabbling elementary school kids, neither willing to let go.

"So what am I supposed to say? Hmm?"

"Say that you're my captive!"

"I won't say it! Let go of me!"

"I won't let go! Say you're my captive, and I'll release you!"

"No way! You let go first!"

"I won't! You say it first!"

"..."

After a brief struggle, Rossweise finally gave in, "I'll count to three, and we'll let go together."

Leon's eyes flickered, "Alright."

"Three… two… one!"

═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═

patreon.com/ZenonTL

🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.