Meet or not?

Of course, meet.

Two silver figures streaked under the full moonlight.

“Your Majesty, ahead lies the border of Constantine’s territory. Recently, there's been occasional internal conflicts among the Dragon Clan. To be on the safe side, shall we take a detour?” Sherry flew alongside Roswitha, suggesting softly.

“All right.”

They adjusted their course, skirting the area ahead.

Were it not for the necessity of Sherry leading the way, Roswitha might well have undertaken this journey alone.

Come quietly, leave quietly, and with no disturbances.

Unfortunately, Sherry had said that Tiger’s hideout was too well-hidden. Mere verbal descriptions were insufficient to locate it.

Moreover, Tiger had set up a spell of concealment in the vicinity, negating all tracking magic or Recording Stones within its boundaries. Sherry had only stumbled upon it through aimless wandering when sheer luck intervened.

Therefore, this mission required her as the guide.

Listening to Sherry’s account, Roswitha grew even more curious about Leon’s mentor.

Previously, Roswitha’s understanding of the mentor was limited to the banter Leon frequently indulged in.

The mentor depicted in Leon’s casual remarks left Roswitha with the impression of an “old prankster,” someone who was “playful most of the time but reliable in critical moments,” and “a simple farmer with some basic knowledge of magic.”

But evidently, anyone capable of finding such an elusive hideout and setting up a magic-negating barrier was far from ordinary.

Especially since Sherry had mentioned last night that Tiger could kill her without difficulty.

Though Sherry specialized in infiltration and intelligence gathering, making her combat prowess relatively weak, she was still one of Roswitha’s most trusted confidants. Not even the top Dragon Slayer among humans could claim to easily kill her.

If she couldn’t win a fight, surely she could escape?

Yet Tiger had genuinely incited fear in Sherry.

Just who is this old man…

“Sherry, pick up the pace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Two figures accelerated through the skies, speeding toward the human frontier.

Due to their detour, they had to fly for several extra hours.

By the time they reached the border between human territory and the Dragon Clan's realm, dawn was near.

Both Roswitha and Sherry activated invisibility spells. Without the cover of night, it was wise to exercise greater caution.

“Follow me, Your Majesty.”

“Understood.”

Sherry adjusted her angle of descent, aiming toward a ravine below.

The pair landed at the top of the gorge, peering down. The ravine was as steep and treacherous as if carved by a blade, with a series of small waterfalls cascading down into the rushing river below.

The waters at the bottom of the gorge were tumultuous; any human falling in would be swept away in moments.

Sherry pointed toward a specific waterfall halfway down the ravine. “Tiger and his wife are behind that waterfall. Your Majesty, he stated he will only meet with you. I must remain here and await your return.”

“Understood. If I haven’t returned in an hour, you know what to do.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Please exercise caution.”

Roswitha nodded lightly, then shifted into her human form, unfurling her dragon wings to glide gracefully toward the waterfall.

As Sherry had said, hidden behind the waterfall was a location nearly impossible to discover or access without the ability to fly.

Moreover, as soon as she entered the ravine, Roswitha keenly sensed her magical abilities being somewhat suppressed.

Though her normal flow of mana remained unaffected, auxiliary and tracking spells seemed to falter.

The barrier’s effects were already taking hold from here.

Gently flapping her wings, Roswitha disturbed the cascading water with gusts of air, ensuring she wouldn’t get wet as she passed through the waterfall.

Behind the waterfall lay a man-made cavern, meticulously structured.

The interior was furnished with wooden chairs, cabinets, a bed, and even a modest kitchen—all attesting to the presence of human habitation—

And a surprisingly comfortable life, at that.

However, the place was devoid of people.

But in the next moment, Roswitha’s vision began to contort and distort.

When the distortion ceased, a white-haired old man appeared beside the table and chairs that had been vacant just moments ago.

No—“old man” might be an inappropriate description for his bearing.

Though his features resembled a man in his fifties by human standards, merely standing there without any action, he exuded a composed and sharp aura of lethal resolve.

Even when faced with the Silver Dragon Queen, he showed no sign of fear.

His slightly clouded eyes gazed directly into Roswitha’s, exerting a subtle pressure she hadn’t felt in a long time.

Countless Dragon Slayers had fallen to the Silver Dragon Queen’s Dragon Flame, but only one had stood out as extraordinary—

Leon.

He was the only one she had ever considered a formidable opponent. If not for a treacherous ambush back then, Leon might have truly led a successful assault on her Silver Dragon Castle.

Now, standing before her was Leon’s mentor, Tiger Lawrence, radiating nearly the same intensity and dignity as Leon had in his prime.

Roswitha also noticed something else: before the visual distortion earlier, the table held only a few tea cups; yet now, a long katana rested atop it.

Its blade shimmered with cold, solemn light, and its hilt faced the old man’s hand—as if ready to be drawn and wielded against her at any moment.

His preparations were thorough.

A concealed spell, an illusionary distortion, and for a Dragon Slayer, the critical weapon of choice.

And that was just what Roswitha could see with her eyes.

There were likely more traps lying in wait, hidden from view.

Tiger held Roswitha’s gaze for a moment before speaking slowly,

“How is Leon?”

Roswitha hesitated, momentarily taken aback by the directness of the question.

After regaining her composure, she nodded. “He’s alive.”

“For two years, I’ve been waiting.”

Roswitha’s thoughts flickered, quickly grasping the underlying implication of Tiger’s words. “You were deliberate?”

Tiger nodded. “Indeed. I was gambling on this very opportunity.”

Leon had disappeared two years ago during that pivotal war to subjugate the Silver Dragon Clan.

The battle reports claimed he was dead, yet no body or conclusive proof had ever been found.

If Leon survived, it would inevitably be linked to the Dragon Clan.

So Tiger waited.

Waited for a long time, until at last, this awaited opportunity arose—to draw out the Dragon Queen herself.

“You weren’t afraid of losing the gamble?” Roswitha asked.

“On the contrary, I had already accepted the possibility of his death.”

In truth, from the day Tiger first laid eyes on Leon, he had known the boy could never be contained by his side.

When Leon turned ten, Tiger sent him off to the Academy.

From that point on, every subsequent meeting had been treated as though it might be the last.

Tiger’s gaze met Roswitha’s firmly.

Roswitha could discern from his expression what weighed most on his mind at this moment and preemptively addressed it.

“For the past two years, Leon has not yielded—not that it’s unexpected.”

“You seem to know him well.”

“Of course. He now serves a single role: my prisoner.”

A privileged war prisoner enjoying five-star treatment in her Silver Dragon Castle.

Oh, though perhaps “free meals” wasn’t entirely accurate. Leon did pay “rent,” after all.

Tiger snorted lightly at this, muttering under his breath, “That brat…”

Two years, and still so stubborn. How much suffering must he have endured under his captors?

Changing the subject, he added, “At least, knowing he’s alive brings relief.”

After a pause, he pressed further. “What terms did you two negotiate?”

For Leon to seek him out wasn’t surprising, but why would the Silver Dragon Queen aid him?

Surely, there must be a reason.

Roswitha studied the man before her. Like an aging lion, time may have dulled his mane but could not blunt his claws nor diminish his ferocity.

Yet within him lay a soft spot—Leon.

Roswitha could sense his concern for Leon, tempered by restraint.

Concern, because Leon was the genius Dragon Slayer he had personally raised.

Restraint, because of the years of enmity between their races, making a sincere exchange nearly impossible.

Still, the fact that their meeting hadn’t escalated into hostility was already remarkable.

While the situation fell short of “peaceful,” the ability to calmly converse about the same man was an exceedingly rare occurrence.

So, was it the extraordinary circumstances of this moment—or the extraordinary man they were discussing?

“To fulfill Leon’s request, he has already made the requisite sacrifice,” Roswitha replied.

“Given what I know of him, before extending a request, he must’ve made countless attempts to escape back to the Empire, right?”

Hah, countless? More like unrelenting day and night!

Roswitha nodded. “He has tried incessantly and failed just as much.”

Tiger refrained from comment.

The kid was lucky enough just to have survived.

“From this day forward, for at least one year, if Leon manages to return to the Empire, it will merely prove that the entire Silver Dragon Clan is pathetic.” Tiger’s statement was matter-of-fact.

Roswitha raised a brow.

While she had no intention of letting Leon go, his sentiment baffled her.

Having confirmed the survival of his beloved pupil, why wasn’t he in a rush to rescue him? Why would he even hope Leon remained longer in enemy hands?

“You’re provoking us,” Roswitha said, her tone turning cold.

“You came here alone, indicating you have no intention of fighting me. And even if you did—”

Tiger, composed, rested his hand lightly on the katana’s hilt, a gesture that conveyed the depth of his confidence.

“Why don’t you want him back?” Roswitha questioned further.

“That is not something I will disclose,” Tiger replied evenly.

Roswitha narrowed her eyes at the human before her.

Decisive, powerful, governed by his logic and principles, and unflinchingly strong—even in the presence of the Dragon Queen…

The "master" Leon spoke of and the person before her were worlds apart.

After exchanging a brief glance, Roswitha nodded. Since the other party had refused so straightforwardly, she had no intention of pressing further.

After all, let alone one year, even if she had to hold Leon captive for ten years, she would have no complaints.

Or perhaps, even for a lifetime.

But even so, she would never take a loss in any deal.

“Keeping Leon from returning to the Empire for a year? No problem. But I have one condition.”

“Name your price,”

Tiger responded, unsurprised.

The Silver Dragon Queen’s lips curled into her signature mischievous smile. “Tell me more about Leon, especially about his childhood.”