No matter the circumstances, when a troubling “thought” arises—no matter how unintentional—it can take root in a person’s mind like a seed, sprouting wildly and growing out of control.

Even Roswitha could not escape this curse.

She lay on the soft, oversized bed, her silver eyes fixed unblinking on the ceiling.

The room was exceptionally quiet, with only the mechanical tick of the clock and the sound of a man’s breathing emanating from the sofa.

Although sharing the same room and maintaining peace with that guy wasn’t something she felt entirely comfortable with, there was no reason why she couldn’t fall asleep on such a tranquil night.

The root cause? It was Leon’s earlier remark: “Careful, you might open your eyes to find a spider staring right at you.”

The truth was, Roswitha’s fear of spiders was a secret known only to her family.

In order to prevent her subordinates and clansmen from discovering such a tiny yet crippling weakness in their queen, Roswitha instructed Anna and the others to conduct a full-scale extermination of pests within and outside the Silver Dragon Castle every three months.

Officially, it was for the maintenance of a “healthy Castle.”

But in reality: “All spiders, drop dead at once!”

Looking back, the last pest control campaign had occurred the day after she returned from her sister Isa’s home. That was because she had encountered two spiders on Isa’s bed, prompting her to spend the entire night sleeping hand-in-hand with Leon.

The moment Roswitha returned home, she had launched an all-out war on spiders.

That time had been quite a while ago, though. It seemed about right to schedule the final pest extermination of the year soon—

But the question was, what about tonight?

Every time Roswitha closed her eyes now, it felt like spiders were crawling all over her body.

It was just like turning off the lights after watching a horror movie, feeling as though ghosts were lurking in every corner of the room.

Paranoid, PTSD-like thoughts began to creep into her mind:

"It’s been so long since the last extermination—could a new generation of spiders have already hatched and grown?"

"When that stupid man snuck into my room last night from the balcony, could a spider have hitched a ride in?"

"What if there’s one hiding right under the bed, waiting for a chance to crawl up—"

"!!!"

"No more thinking!"

"Sleep, sleep, sleep!"

Roswitha clenched her eyes shut, her body tensing. Yet, despite her best efforts, her thoughts continued to spiral uncontrollably.

It was autumn, nearing winter, and the air’s dryness meant that even the smallest rub between the bedding and her skin produced static electricity.

That feeling resembled nothing so much as an insect crawling on her.

Usually, Roswitha wouldn’t pay this kind of small sensation any mind.

But with Leon’s earlier teasing still fresh in her mind, she couldn’t help suspecting that a tiny spider had somehow found its way into her bed.

Though she rationally knew the chances of a spider being in the room were negligible, her ingrained fear of those eight-legged, many-eyed creatures refused to relent.

Damn Dragon Slayer, one day I’ll stuff your bed full of carrots and eggplants! fumed the Silver Dragon Queen in her thoughts.

For now… she just needed to survive tonight.

She turned her head to look at Leon on the sofa.

The blanket was pulled up to his abdomen, one hand lazily dangling off the side of the couch while the other lightly rested against his forehead.

That posture didn’t at all seem like someone who was asleep.

Roswitha pursed her lips and tentatively called out, “Leon… are you awake?”

“What?” The man on the sofa quickly responded.

“Nothing, just asking.”

“Okay.”

Rustle—

Leon shifted his position, turning his back to Roswitha and facing the backrest of the couch.

No, hey, don’t turn away from me!

At least face me so I can feel a little safer!

“Leon…”

“What is it again?”

“C-can you turn around…?”

“Beg me.”

Roswitha narrowed her eyes, her hand clenching into a fist beneath the quilt. But her mouth, unwilling to escalate, reluctantly softened. “Please, turn around.”

Leon was momentarily stunned—he hadn’t expected this dragoness to actually beg him.

What was going on? Did she dream about herself turning human again?

But I didn’t even initiate tonight’s prenatal education plan.

Or was it…?

Ohhh—

Leon suddenly understood. It was probably because of his casual mention of spiders earlier, leaving her tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Feeling smug, Leon slowly turned over with exaggerated deliberation.

“Like this?”

Roswitha bit her lower lip and nodded. “Mm.”

Leon let out a chuckle.

If he had known the mighty Silver Dragon Queen had such a weakness, he would’ve sent his men to capture a sack full of spiders back when opposing her Silver Dragon Castle.

On second thought, though, perhaps that wasn’t feasible after all.

Daily life was daily life; war was war.

Her fear of spiders in private wouldn’t necessarily equate to a battlefield hesitation. After all, one blast of Dragon Flame from her and not just ordinary spiders but even SSS-class spider-shaped Dangerous Beasts would be reduced to ash.

Leon closed his eyes, shutting down his scattered thoughts.

Drowsiness washed over him. He decided to postpone tonight’s second-child plans until tomorrow.

But just as he was about to drift off, a soft, hesitant voice floated over from the bed.

“Leon…”

Leon clicked his tongue impatiently and scrunched his brow, his eyes still shut. “What now?”

“Could you… come sleep on the bed?”

The lion-like man’s eyes snapped open. “What?”

It wasn’t that he hadn’t heard her clearly; it was that he thought he must’ve misheard.

Roswitha bit her lip, her face flushed, and repeated herself with extreme reluctance, “I said, could you come sleep on the bed…?”

Well, would you look at that.

She was actually this scared.

Oh, how pitiful the spider-fearing Miss Melkevi was, so delicate and endearing that one couldn’t help but want to protect her—

Yeah, right.

“I’m not coming,” Leon replied defiantly. "You’re the one who didn’t want me up there earlier, your Imperial Majesty. The Silver Dragon Queen can’t go back on her word.”

Roswitha clutched the edge of the quilt, attempting to reason from a different angle. “You… you’re my prisoner of war. You have to obey my orders. If I command you to sleep on the bed, you have to come.”

Ha, a paper tiger.

Leon saw right through her. “Nope, doesn’t work like that. What kind of POW shares a bed with their queen? That would upend the very order of the heavens.”

Roswitha was exasperated. “You’ve slept on my bed countless times already!”

“Exactly why I’ve repented, turned over a new leaf, and promised to never sleep in Her Majesty’s bed again.” Leon said it with feigned sincerity.

“You!...”

Why was this infuriating man resistant no matter how she pleaded or threatened?!

Time to keep coaxing him.

“Leon… please, just for tonight. That’s all I’m asking.”

Seeing the dragoness so pitiful softened Leon’s heart slightly.

So he decided—

To tease her some more.

Come on, opportunities to get the upper hand over Roswitha were becoming fewer and farther between. He had to savor every single one!

“Well… I’d consider coming up, but only if you agree to one condition,” Leon said.

“What condition?”

“Call me ‘hubby.’”

“... I won’t.”

“Alright, then. Goodnight.”

And with that, Leon promptly pulled the blanket over his head, turning to face the couch’s back once more.

“Hey, Leon! … Please, won’t you come over?”

“Caaall~ meee~ hubbbby… otherwise, it’s a no-go.”

Roswitha clutched the quilt tightly, her dragon-like pupils contracting vertically.

This was a sign that the Dragon Clan’s temper was reaching its limit.

Once again: she could take the initiative to do something, but no one could *make* her do it.

Seconds later, Roswitha flung the blanket aside, stomped her bare feet on the floor, and marched resolutely toward the sofa.

Leon heard the quick, purposeful footsteps and started to turn his head to see what was happening.

But before he had the chance, Roswitha had already reached the couch. She pulled herself up by planting one foot on its edge and, with a graceful leap, wriggled her way into the narrow space between Leon’s chest and the couch’s backrest.

The fluidity of her movements left Leon momentarily dumbfounded.

How did she, standing at 5'7" tall with a 34E bust, manage to fit herself into such a narrow space?

While women are said to be as gentle as water, could female dragons be the same?

Leon shook his head slightly, then asked, “What’re you doing? Don’t you have your own bed?”

“You wouldn’t come, so I had no choice but to come over to you.”

Roswitha crawled under Leon’s blanket, her long frame pressing up against the couch-back. “This is all your fault, Leon!”

“...My fault?”

At this moment, Leon, like countless other men in relationships, had no idea what he’d done wrong when his partner got upset.

“Yes! You’re the one who had to mention those stupid spiders! If not for that, I’d already be asleep!”

“...Wow, my sincerest apologies for such an unforgivable transgression.”

“And don’t forget, you promised me—during my pregnancy, you’d put up with me when I lose my temper.”

Leon sighed, glancing back at the empty bed. He thought to himself that if he moved back there now, she’d definitely just follow him anyway.

No point in going in circles. There’d be no sleep for him tonight otherwise.

Fine, guess we’ll just cram in here.

He lay back and faced her—because the tight space on the couch didn’t even allow them the option of turning their backs on each other.

Their noses nearly brushed, their breaths lightly falling on each other’s faces.

Roswitha glared at him indignantly, while Leon looked back, utterly resigned.

“Not scared anymore? If not, then sleep already. I have to teach Muen magic tomorrow,” Leon muttered, closing his eyes.

Roswitha still felt unsatisfied.

Under the blanket, her hand stealthily reached out before giving Leon’s stomach a fierce pinch—

The sharp pain made Leon jolt violently, almost tumbling off the couch.

“What’s wrong with you, dragoness?! Keep your hands to yourself!”

“I’m pregnant. Suck it up!”

“Oh, I swear if I don’t deal with you—!”

Just as the couple was about to get up from the sofa,

suddenly, the sound of the door lock turning echoed...