After exchanging thoughts and sharing the crucial bits of information they each held, Leon brought up another significant matter.

This was something Roswitha had reminded him of not long ago: despite transitioning from living together to a long-distance relationship, his 'tsundere' and tight-lipped wife still hadn’t stopped her steady stream of sass!

"One more thing, Master, do you know about Crimson Flame Dragon King Constantine?"

"Constantine? Of course, I know of him. He's a very ancient Dragon King, though he exists now merely as a whisper in historical records. Even when I was younger, I never had the chance to encounter the man himself," Tigre explained.

"Rumor has it," Tigre continued, "that Constantine was a legendary hero of the Dragon Clan, someone whose strength was fathomless. Past generations of the Dragon Slayer Army went up against him a handful of times, but each encounter resulted in their defeat. Truly, a formidable foe."

"Whoa, is there really such an incredible Dragon King?" Rebecca asked in astonishment.

Tigre nodded. "Indeed. His status as a hero of the Dragon Clan stems from the early wars, during which he seized an extensive amount of land from various outsiders—not just humans, but also other far more mystical species. Alas, I never had the chance to cross swords with such a powerful Dragon King. It's a duel I'd still wish for, given the chance."

Leon scratched the back of his head awkwardly and coughed lightly. "Master, I'm afraid that opportunity will never come around."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because... I killed him."

Tigre: ?

Rebecca: ??

Well, well, what an eventful reunion between the two biggest stars of the Dragon Slayer Army. Rebecca was so busy soaking up the drama that she'd forgotten about the beef stew she'd been holding.

"We're talking about the same Constantine, right?" Tigre asked. He wasn't doubting Leon but felt compelled to confirm.

"I believe... so?" Leon replied hesitantly. "A while ago, he was attempting to invade Silver Dragon Castle. Around that time, something... unusual happened. The Silver Dragon clan couldn't hold him off, so I stepped in briefly to handle the situation..."

*Clap!*

Rebecca suddenly placed her tiny hand on Leon's shoulder, her loli face marked by dead-serious resolve. "Captain, you actually went to save the Silver Dragon Clan? You're a traitor to the cause, aren't you? To hell with your revolutionary ideals!"

Leon covered his face with his hand silently. "No... I already said, it was a special situation. You think I wanted to?"

"And what exactly does 'special situation' mean?" Tigre asked, narrowing his eyes with suspicion.

"Uh... well..." Leon darted his gaze around nervously, fidgeting in his seat.

Rebecca, desperate for an answer, pressed him urgently. "Spit it out! What was it?!"

"It was because... the third princess of the Silver Dragon Clan was just about to be born at the time..."

"So what? She was born, and that's that! What's that got to do with you, Captain? Why didn't you take advantage of the chaos and just run off?" Rebecca asked bluntly.

Tigre's eyes slightly narrowed as if he'd pieced it all together. "Rebecca, it's not that your captain didn’t want to escape."

"Then what?"

"The Silver Dragon Clan's third princess... is probably his *third daughter*. Isn't that right, Leon?" Tigre pried.

"Daughter?! You had a daughter with the Silver Dragon King?! And three of them?!"

*Click.*

In a flash, Rebecca drew a pistol from behind her waist and pressed it firmly against Leon's temple.

"Master, step aside for a moment. I'm going to clean up this disgrace to the cause. One shot is all it'll take to end this traitor's betrayal of humanity!"

Tigre appeared unfazed, clearly aware that Rebecca was just being dramatic. The safety wasn't even toggled off, and her finger lingered far from the trigger.

Crazy as she seemed, the girl knew her limits.

"Before you waste him, why don't we hear him out first?" Tigre suggested casually. "A year ago, the Silver Dragon King sought me out but didn’t delve into the specifics about their relationship."

"Master... Can we finish discussing Constantine before getting into me and Roswitha?" Leon appealed, looking visibly cornered.

"Constantine is dead and gone. What's there left to talk about?" Rebecca said with annoyance. "On the other hand, your thing with the Silver Dragon King is very much alive! Come on, spill! Who confessed to whom first?"

During Tigre’s past encounter with Roswitha, he'd refrained from indulging his own curiosity, determined to maintain his dignity and aura of authority.

But now that his treasured disciple was back, they were all family—there was no need to keep up appearances.

Time for a full-blown grilling.

Leon glanced at his master, then at Rebecca—who, despite her attempt to appear morally outraged, was clearly ready to gobble up every juicy detail—and sighed to himself.

It seemed there was no escape. If he didn’t let slip the less-than-glorious story of him and Roswitha's "beginning," these two wouldn’t let him off the hook.

"...I’d say it was... she who pursued me first," Leon admitted reluctantly.

"Oh? My disciple has that kind of charm? Tell me, how exactly did she chase after you?" Tigre's eyes gleamed with interest.

“...She imprisoned me.”

Rebecca didn't even try to hold back her delight at this tidbit. "Kinky!"

However, Tigre, being of an older generation, didn’t fully grasp the "imprisonment equals love" trope that often weaved its way into modern romances.

Still, he tried to make sense of it. "Hmm... perhaps her love was so deep that she feared losing him. So, she captured him to keep him close to her heart? Could it be... something like that?" Tigre speculated.

"By the way," Tigre suddenly recalled, "when the Silver Dragon King visited me, she left behind a photograph."

As he spoke, he pulled a folded picture from his pocket and spread it open, revealing a family portrait of Leon and his current "family."

Rebecca’s curiosity shot through the roof as she leaned closer.

She was practically dying to know just how gorgeous this Dragon King must be to have melted the ever-unromantic captain’s heart.

Peering at the photograph, Rebecca gave a heartfelt exclamation. "Whoa, she’s stunning. A total knockout."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "She actually left this photo with you, huh?"

"Yes. At the time, I was just relieved to know you were alive. I didn’t care whether you were missing limbs or had been subjected to unspeakable torture—as long as you survived, that was all that mattered," Tigre shared sincerely.

His eyes scanned the photograph again, this time focusing on the two adorable dragon daughters in it. A smile of immense satisfaction crept onto his face.

"But, who would have thought? Not only did you survive, but you absolutely thrived. You ended up marrying a Silver Dragon King and having two adorable daughters."

Pausing for a moment, Tigre murmured softly to himself, "So, it seems there really is no reproductive isolation between humans and dragons..."

"Wait a second, Captain," Rebecca interjected, pointing to one of the little girls in the photo. "This kid without the silly hair curl—she looks like she’s got quite the temper, doesn’t she?"

"Ah... Noa held a bit of a grudge against me back then, but we cleared the air later. She’s quite fond of me now," Leon explained.

"Her name’s Noa? And this little one here?" Tigre, despite having held onto the photo for over a year, didn’t know the names of his two adorable granddaughters.

"Muen. It means moon," Leon responded.

"Oh, oh, it’s a lovely name. Wonderful name."

Leon pursed his lips, hesitating for a moment before rubbing his hands together awkwardly. "Master, would it be okay if I looked at the photo for a moment?"

"Of course. Here you go."

Holding the picture delicately by one corner, Leon lowered his gaze, studying it intently.

The photo captured a unique moment—a snapshot of him and Roswitha forming a heart shape together. He had used his hands while she used her tail. From the photographer’s perspective, it exuded a romantic flair.

However, back then, they’d both found it painfully awkward and embarrassing.

Looking at it now, though...

It really was *romantic*.

The union of man and dragon, each expressing love in their own way, forming the universal shape of affection. How romantic indeed.

Back then, his relationship with Roswitha had been far from harmonious. Almost daily, she contrived various ways to drive him to the brink of frustration.

Noa, with her frosty disposition, carried more resentment toward him than warmth, rarely engaging with him at all.

Only little Muen would toddle along after him, sweetly calling him "Daddy."

It had been just a year ago, but as the memories unravelled in his mind, the moments felt vivid and raw, as if they had happened yesterday.

This photo represented the beginning of his so-called "fake" family.

It held the most cherished memories of his life.

Of course, Leon didn’t wish for those days to remain trapped in the realm of memory.

If possible, he wanted that happiness to continue, uninterrupted. Why shouldn’t it?

Leon’s fingertips lightly brushed over the faces of his two daughters in the photograph before trailing over to Roswitha’s.

Silver hair, silver eyes, and unrivaled beauty. She was so breathtaking, it was as if she’d stepped straight out of a painting.

After gazing at the image for a long time and basking in his thoughts, Leon smiled.

"What's with him?" Rebecca whispered to Tigre under her breath, puzzled by Leon’s odd behavior.

"Can’t you tell? He’s seeing the photo and thinking about the person he misses."

Ah, the mark of a seasoned mentor. Tigre had clearly been through this himself—he recognized it immediately.