After exchanging harsh words, the two of them chose not to provoke each other further.

Roswitha stepped aside, picked up her long dress, and calmly put it back on without haste.

Leon also straightened his clothes.

Once everything was sorted, Roswitha turned around, walked back to Leon's side, and, without warning, wrapped her tail around his waist, lifting him clear off the ground.

Before Leon could say anything, Roswitha spread her dragon wings, leaped from the top of the giant tree, and landed lightly on the ground below.

After landing, she casually tossed Leon aside and then strode toward the depths of the forest. "Let's go," she ordered.

Go?

Leon stood up, glanced at the vast, shadowy forest ahead.

From the outskirts of the Empire to Silver Dragon Castle, even the Queen of the Silver Dragons, known for her incredible speed, would need at least three hours of continuous flying.

Given the sheer distance, was she seriously expecting the two of them to walk all the way back?

After taking a few steps, Roswitha noticed Leon lagging behind and stopped in her tracks. Turning back, she said, "Hurry up. Our daughter is waiting for us at home."

She spoke so lightly, as though the Empire and the Silver Dragon Castle were mere upstairs and downstairs neighbors.

If they really had to trek all the way back on foot, by the time they saw Muen—their young dragon child—again, she might have already grown into a fully matured adult female dragon.

However, Leon said nothing. Dragging his weary body, he silently followed behind.

If her majesty wanted to indulge in the romance of a long walk, Leon would play along.

He trailed behind and to the side of Roswitha, maintaining a slight but deliberate distance.

But Leon had clearly overestimated his current physical state.

He had only woken up after a two-year coma, and immediately after that, he had been utterly drained by this dragoness. Right now, when he should have been enjoying some "sage time" or, at the very least, a cigarette break, he was instead trudging through this damned forest with Roswitha.

In less than half an hour, Leon was already drenched in sweat, his breaths leaving him in audible pants.

He leaned against a tree with one hand, trying to catch his breath.

Roswitha stopped walking and turned back to look at him. "Can't walk any further?"

Leon raised his head, shot her a glance, and stubbornly replied, "I can walk."

Roswitha chuckled softly. "If you really can't go on, just tell me. I'm not exactly heartless, you know."

Leon was taken aback by her words.

Her tone carried a trace of smug satisfaction, as if reveling in his struggle.

Leon’s thoughts shifted, and he suddenly understood why Roswitha was insisting on walking.

So that was it—she wanted him to beg her.

Right now, every "card" was in Roswitha's hands.

The distance to the Silver Dragon Castle was far too great to cover on foot—it didn’t take a genius to figure that out.

Roswitha, however, could transform into her dragon form and take flight whenever she wanted.

Leon, on the other hand, couldn’t escape to the nearby Empire even if he tried; she could easily catch him before he made it more than a few meters.

In short, after stripping Leon of his dignity earlier, Roswitha seemed intent on wearing out his body now.

As realization dawned upon him, Leon clenched his hand around the rough bark of the tree.

Gritting his teeth, he responded, "I said I can walk. Let's keep going."

"Hmph, looks like your tongue is the only thing that's tough about you."

Leon stepped forward. As he passed by Roswitha, he muttered with a faint edge to his tone,

"Your Majesty, it's not just my tongue that's tough. My spine is as hard as steel. You want to see me beg? Not going to happen."

He continued walking ahead.

Roswitha snorted coldly and followed behind.

After all, she—a brimming-with-energy Dragon Queen—was pitting her stamina against that of a feeble human. No matter what, the outcome was already a foregone conclusion.

She was curious to see just how long this so-called "indomitable" Dragon Slayer could keep up his stubborn pretense.

The two pressed on for another ten minutes or so, until the faint sounds of commotion reached their ears.

Looking in the direction of the noise, they noticed distant spots of firelight—a sign of a campsite.

Sure enough, the light came from a bonfire, undoubtedly lit by campers to ward off the forest's roaming beasts.

The flickering flames danced in Leon’s dark pupils.

It was almost like a glimmer of hope.

He opened his mouth, wanting to call for help. This might be his only chance to convey his predicament to the outside world.

But just as the words were about to leave his lips, Leon forcibly swallowed them back down.

Turning to glance at Roswitha beside him,

Leon knew that if he cried out for help now, Roswitha would not hesitate to slaughter every one of those people.

If that happened, it would be Leon’s fault.

Realizing this, his heart sank with regret, but he ultimately turned away, walking past the scene quietly.

Before he could get far, however, a cheerful voice called out from the campfire area:

"Hey! Are you two lost?"

The voice was followed by the rustling of grass and leaves, suggesting someone approaching through the forest underbrush.

Roswitha immediately tensed and began gathering magical energy in her hand.

Seeing this, Leon stepped forward and grabbed her wrist.

The scorching heat of the gathered magic burned his hand, but he didn’t care.

Standing in front of her, Leon used his body to block her tail.

Several campers emerged from the woods, maintaining a bit of distance.

"Are you lost?" a young man asked.

"Ah, no, no, we're just... um... taking a stroll," Leon hastily replied.

"This forest isn’t exactly a friendly place for strolling, sir," the young man said. "Dangerous Beasts and wild animals roam freely here. Why not come to our camp and rest for the night? We can escort you down the mountain tomorrow."

After pausing briefly, perhaps fearing Leon might think they were untrustworthy, the young man eagerly added, "Oh, by the way, I'm Walker, captain of the Empire Dragon Slayer Army’s forty-seventh squad."

Under the gauzy moonlight, amidst the thick forest trees, neither side could see the other's face clearly.

Otherwise, Walker—being part of the Dragon Slayer Army—would never have failed to recognize Leon.

Here was a golden opportunity. If Leon shouted "Save me!" even once, this well-trained Dragon Slayer team would surely realize what was happening.

The cost, however, might be their complete annihilation at the hands of Roswitha.

Even if someone managed to escape back to the Empire to report the situation, the casualties would be far too high.

Leon would never do such a thing.

Pressing his lips into a thin line, Leon suddenly slipped an arm around Roswitha's waist.

This startled the Dragon Queen so much that even the gathered magical energy in her palm dissipated instinctively.

"Thank you for your kindness," Leon said, a pleasant smile on his face. "But my wife and I are trained; we can manage. We're just wandering for now but will head down the mountain soon."

Walker nodded, "All right. Oh, here—take this."

Stepping forward, Walker handed them a flare. "If you run into any danger, fire this into the sky, and we'll come find you right away."

Leon accepted it with a nod of thanks. "Much appreciated."

"Not a problem. Although..." Walker hesitated for a moment, scrutinizing Leon’s partially visible features. "You seem familiar to me somehow. Have we met before?"

Caught off guard, Leon hesitated for a fraction of a second but soon smiled and denied it. "You must be mistaken. I just have one of those plain, ordinary faces that everyone thinks they’ve seen before. Even when my wife pursued me back in the day, it was because of this face!"

Roswitha: ...

Walker chuckled. "Well, all right then. Take care."

With that, Walker led his team away.

As their figures disappeared into the distance, Leon exhaled deeply in relief.

Roswitha immediately pushed him away with her tail, mockingly saying, "I didn't know you were such a gifted liar. Chasing after you? That's an absurd fantasy."

"You think saying that didn’t disgust me as much as it did you?"

"If you're disgusted, why drag me down with you?"

"Of course—husband and wife should go through thick and thin together, no?"

Roswitha’s voice went cold. "Get your place straight, Dragon Slayer. Just because we have a child doesn’t mean I am your wife. Understood?"

"I've never wanted to be your husband, either."

Leon tucked the flare away and glanced at his hand, burned earlier by Roswitha’s magic.

It hurt, slightly, but it wasn’t a big deal.

Noticing his movements, Roswitha raised an eyebrow. Her sharp eyes caught sight of the injury on his hand. However, instead of asking about it, she shifted the subject. "When you put your arm around my waist earlier, it was to stop me from killing them, wasn’t it?"

Leon glared at her, saying nothing—a tacit acknowledgment.

"Smart of you, Leon. You didn’t cry for help or lose your cool. Aside from your stubborn streak, I haven’t really found many flaws in you yet."

"Being stubborn isn’t a flaw."

Leon began walking again, ignoring her.

Roswitha smirked and followed.

They continued, encountering no further Dragon Slayer patrols.

Eventually, Leon’s body gave out.

His vision blurred as he stumbled and fell face-first to the ground.

Roswitha stopped walking, turned around, and crouched beside him. Using one finger, she lifted his chin to examine his exhausted, pale face.

With a mocking smile, she said, "Finally tired, aren’t you, Leon? Beg me. Just beg, and I’ll take you back to rest."

"I don't understand... what you're saying..."

"Oh? Don’t you want to lie on a soft bed, eat the midnight snacks prepared by our maids, and soak in a lovely hot bath before sleeping? Just say the word, and we’ll be home in three hours."

Slowly shutting his eyes, Leon used the last ounce of strength he had to mutter, "If you’re so tough, then leave me... leave me here for the wolves."

With those words, he succumbed to unconsciousness.

The next second, a gust of wind and waves surged around Leon, leaves danced in the air, and the ground trembled slightly.

The silver dragon grabbed Leon in its maw and tossed him onto its back.

Then, flapping its mighty wings, it soared into the deep, dark night sky.