"At the Dragon Kings and Queens meeting half a month ago, the plan proposed against Constantine was passed by vote and has already been put into motion."

"Various clans have dispatched personnel to station near the borders of the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan territory, monitoring Constantine around the clock."

"I’m thinking of sending Sherry. What do you think?"

After dinner, Leon and Roswitha strolled side by side along the track of the backyard training grounds.

The golden hues of sunset reflected on the ground beneath their feet, and the cheerful laughter of their daughters echoed joyfully in the background.

Leon walked leisurely with his hands in his pockets, but the contemplative look on his face revealed that his thoughts were far from relaxed.

He nodded slightly, "That’s fine. But I have one request."

"What is it?"

"I want to go with her."

Roswitha stopped in her tracks, her brows knitting slightly. "You want to go as well? Why?"

"There’s something… I need to ask Constantine in person."

Roswitha could tell from his tone that Leon wasn’t joking.

Nor was this some spur-of-the-moment decision.

If he had made up his mind, it must have been well thought through.

"The Dragon Clans collaborating with the Empire will undoubtedly be tight-lipped. They won’t reveal a shred of information about them," Leon explained. "But Constantine is different. While he once collaborated with the Empire, he was subjected to inhumane treatment before finally escaping. Someone like him must be harboring deep hatred toward the Empire. So perhaps, I might be able to pry something out of him."

Gathering intelligence and news within Dragon Clan ranks had been part of Leon and his mentor’s plans from the outset.

However, much time had passed, and Leon's accessible resources had long been exhausted. Progress had stagnated, and plans had hit a bottleneck, causing an inevitable lull in intelligence gathering.

Constantine’s fallout with the Empire, on the other hand, presented Leon with a new perspective and direction.

The phrase "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" might not perfectly apply to the dynamics between Leon, Constantine, and the Empire.

Still, even if the enemy of one’s enemy couldn’t become an ally, they might at least spill some insider details, right?

"But you and Constantine have a grudge. Whenever you two meet, you end up fighting," Roswitha said as she analyzed the situation alongside him.

Hearing her response, Leon thought she might oppose his intention to venture into the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan’s territory.

But what came out of Roswitha’s mouth next truly took him by surprise.

"I’ll go with you."

Leon froze.

Her expression was serious, her demeanor resolute.

Looking at Roswitha’s determined face, Leon suddenly realized that his "contractual wife" was not an ordinary woman.

Ordinary women would indeed try to stop their husbands from doing something so dangerous;

But she was the Dragon Queen, after all.

What was danger to her? She would simply charge through it alongside him.

Leon shook his head with a wry smile. "No, you can’t come."

Roswitha blinked in surprise, her tone tinged with displeasure. "Why not?"

They’d always faced everything together before; she had long grown accustomed to their tacit cooperation.

But this time, he suddenly refused her help?

Roswitha couldn’t quite wrap her head around his reasoning.

"You said that various Dragon Clans have stationed guards near Constantine's territory to monitor him, which is bound to have already angered him. If you, a Dragon Queen, also show up in person, he’ll undoubtedly direct all of his fury toward us."

Leon explained further. "That’s why it’s more appropriate for me to go alone."

Hearing his reasoning, Roswitha shifted her thoughts slightly.

With her hands clasped behind her back, her tail sweeping lightly against the ground, she pursed her lips and muttered in a low tone,

"You just don’t want me to go with you."

Oh? Was that… a hint of sulking?

Was this the famed "aggrieved wife" energy?

Leon chuckled, a soft hum under his breath, as he reached out to take Roswitha’s hand. Gently stroking the cool back of her hand with his fingers, he reassured her in a soothing voice,

"I promise, I won’t fight Constantine. If he insists on starting a fight, I’ll turn and run."

"As if I’d believe you, idiot," Roswitha huffed. With a defiant tug of her hand—unsuccessfully slipping free of his—she left it there, letting him hold it. However, her sharp tongue persisted,

"When Constantine challenges you, you’ll definitely charge in yelling, ‘For the glory of the Dragon Slayer!’ or something equally idiotic."

"Oh? Not bad for a wife of five years—you do know me well."

"Fake wife, thank you very much."

"If a ‘fake wife’ knows me so well, I can’t even imagine what it’d be like with a real one."

Roswitha arched an eyebrow, flashing him an impassive, sarcastic smile. "You’re absolutely hilarious, Casmode."

Hand in hand still, Leon continued strolling along the path beside her.

"Don’t worry. Even though we’ve always assumed Constantine to be nothing more than a battle-addicted mad dragon, after crossing paths during the ruins incident, I realized there’s room to reason with him. He’s not going to attack me outright the moment we meet."

Despite his reassurances, Roswitha still felt uneasy. "Then promise me, you absolutely can’t play hero if something is off."

"Didn’t I already promise you?"

"A promise is just a promise. Making a vow is different."

Leon’s mentor used to say that women listened with heightened precision, paying close attention to every single word.

Back then, Leon hadn’t fully grasped the meaning of those words.

Now, he understood perfectly.

"Alright, alright, I’ll vow."

"It’s not that simple. You need to vow on something."

Leon paused to think before stopping in his tracks. Raising three fingers solemnly toward the sky, he announced with great ceremoniousness,

"I, Leon Casmode, do hereby swear by the honor of my beloved donkey, that I will not lift a hand against Constantine."

Roswitha blinked, caught off guard.

Well, well. Swearing by his donkey?

This time, she believed him.

Leon definitely wouldn’t fight Constantine now.

Even though she had never met the donkey, she knew instinctively just how much it meant to Leon.

Roswitha finally let down her guard.

"Alright, I’ll have Sherry take you there tomorrow."

"Got it. Wait for my good news."

...

The next day, Leon set out with Sherry along with a stationed unit of Silver Dragon Clan members to the borders of the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan’s territory.

True to her role as Roswitha’s trusted subordinate, Sherry didn’t ask any unnecessary questions along the way. Whatever Prince Leon said, she followed.

Fly left? Fly left.

Fly right? Fly right.

She exuded that ideal aura of quiet compliance and diligence.

When they arrived at the observation post managed by the Silver Dragons, Leon leapt down from Sherry’s dragon form.

"Thanks, Sherry. You all stay here. I’ll go in alone."

Bringing Silver Dragon guards into Constantine’s territory would only escalate tensions.

Even though Constantine was calculated and principled, if Leon strolled in flanked by soldiers, Constantine would have no choice but to fight.

Sherry folded her wings, shifted back into her human form, and replied earnestly:

"Prince Leon, please exercise caution. If anything unexpected happens, use the signal flare immediately."

Leon glanced at the flare in his hand, weighing it lightly.

This had, after all, been Roswitha’s parting gift. Though she had agreed to let him confront Constantine alone, she insisted on such safety measures.

"Understood."

"We’ll remain here and await your return."

Leon nodded solemnly, then turned to gaze toward the border of the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan’s territory.

As the wind swept the dust, he narrowed his eyes slightly against it, murmuring to himself:

"Constantine, let’s have a talk."