Claudia pushed open the gate and walked in with Roswitha and Rebecca.

When they reached Leon, Roswitha bent slightly at the waist, her hands resting on her knees. Her silver strands of hair gently cascaded down, revealing a delicate and beautiful face that appeared in Leon's line of sight.

"Was the last time you got a nosebleed when I dressed up in a Bunny Girl outfit for you?"

"...Things like this are best left between you and me. No need to say it out loud."

Luckily, Rebecca and Claudia had already gone over to interact with the donkey and didn’t overhear the playful banter between the lovebirds.

Roswitha took a handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to Leon.

Leon accepted it, sat upright, and wiped the blood from his nose.

Roswitha also crouched down and gently dusted off the hoof mark on his face.

"Donkey, did you miss me?"

"Neigh~" (The sound of the donkey, expressing joy.)

Leon and Roswitha turned toward the sound.

The stubborn donkey that moments ago had kicked at Leon was now acting like Rebecca's "lapdog." Its drooping ears brushed against Rebecca's slightly chubby, cherubic face.

The harmonious scene between the girl and the donkey was enough to make a certain Dragon Slayer General feel jealous.

Leon clenched the handkerchief in his fist and gritted his teeth. "That damn—"

Roswitha thought he was going to say, "That damn donkey, how dare it be so two-faced and fickle!"

But instead—

"That damn Rebecca, how dare she steal my donkey!"

"..."

Turned out Leon wasn’t lamenting the donkey’s behavior but rather Rebecca "stealing" his first love... the donkey.

Strangely, in this so-called "epic love story" between her and Leon, Roswitha could faintly detect a hint of... "cuckold" energy.

No, not a cuckold.

It was more like... a "donold."

"Don’t rush to hate Rebecca; there’s something even more infuriating waiting for you," Roswitha teased.

Leon tilted his head toward her. "What do you mean?"

Roswitha grinned and gestured with her elegant chin toward the scene nearby. "Look, see for yourself."

Leon turned his gaze back in the direction of the donkey.

What he saw next almost made him implode.

Rebecca had stopped her affectionate antics with the donkey, but the stubborn beast had already turned its attention elsewhere—into Claudia's affectionate embrace.

The blue-haired beauty laughed gently, her expression full of maternal warmth. She stroked the donkey's ears while praising it.

"Donkey, you’re so good. You’re the most well-behaved child in the world, never kicking anyone, right?"

"Neigh~~"

"Alright, alright, I’ll reward you with some carrots tonight."

Leon: = =

"Tsk, tsk." The Queen squatted near him, watching the scene unfold. She clicked her tongue and shook her head.

"What now?"

"I think I just heard something shattered."

"...What shattered?"

Roswitha rested her chin in her hands, leaning toward Leon with a mockingly sympathetic expression.

"Someone’s heart, I’d say. Probably shattered into glass shards by now."

Before Roswitha became a queen, she’d often read romance novels. Her study still housed numerous classics.

At the time, she couldn’t understand why some authors insisted on adding love triangles or "stolen love" subplots to one-on-one romantic tales. These twists often left readers anguished and heartbroken—what was the appeal?

Now, she understood.

Seeing the protagonist’s "true love" snatched away before his eyes, accompanied by his helplessness—it was an indescribable form of entertainment, leaping out of fiction into real life.

If the protagonist happened to be her own husband, the fun only multiplied.

"I-I’m not heartbroken! Who’d get heartbroken over this? This is nothing! Nothing at all!"

Leon stood up and dusted off the dirt from his pants. "Rebecca used to spend lots of time playing with the donkey, and Claudia’s probably been the one feeding it all these years. Of course, it’s natural for it to be close to them. Completely normal, totally understandable."

Roswitha watched him. Though their conversation revolved around the donkey, her gaze remained fixed on Leon’s face.

It wasn’t that Leon was her entire world; it was simply that she enjoyed savoring the stubborn, defensively proud expression he wore.

Roswitha smiled radiantly. "So this explanation—are you telling it to me, or are you convincing yourself?"

"Of course, I’m convincing my—ugh, no! I’m just analyzing the situation for you."

"Mmhm, sure you are."

"Hey, you dragoness, that tone of yours says you don’t believe me!"

Roswitha tilted her head slightly. "I believe you."

"No, you don’t. It’s written all over your face."

The Queen chuckled softly, her playful nature bubbling to the surface. "And if I don’t believe you, what then?"

"Tch, my donkey’s not usually like this. It must’ve kicked me because it hasn’t seen me in a while."

Leon’s eyes darted about slyly. If there was no salvaging the situation with the donkey, he might as well drag his wife into it.

"You wanna bet? If you walk over, it’ll definitely give you a kick, too."

"Oh? Is that so?"

It most definitely was!

Leon’s donkey had always been exceptionally vigilant. If any stranger ventured within ten meters, it would bray a warning.

Anybody foolish enough to come closer would find themselves at the receiving end of a donkey kick.

For that reason alone, the master’s farm hadn’t needed a guard dog for ten years. A single donkey sufficed as the ultimate guard.

But Leon didn’t answer Roswitha directly. Instead, he smirked mysteriously.

"Why don’t you try it and see for yourself?"

"Alright, I’ll try it then."

With that, the couple walked toward the donkey.

As they neared, Rebecca glanced up at them.

"Captain, did your nosebleed stop?"

"Yeah, it’s stopped."

"That’s good."

Rebecca wanted to say more, but then out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed Roswitha reaching out to pat the donkey.

"Sis-in-law, watch out!"

Roswitha paused mid-motion, turning to Rebecca. "What is it?"

"The donkey doesn’t like strangers touching it—it’ll kick you."

"Oh, I—"

"It’s fine. Let her try if she doesn’t believe it," Leon chimed in, clearly enjoying the drama.

"...Alright, but be careful, sis-in-law. This donkey can kick without warning. The first time it happened to me, I didn’t even see it coming," Rebecca said earnestly.

Roswitha chuckled. "Got it, don’t worry."

She turned back to face the donkey, deliberately glancing over her shoulder at Leon.

That man’s grin nearly stretched up to his ears. He was clearly waiting to enjoy her misfortune.

"Hmph, idiot..."

Roswitha slowly extended her soft hand toward the donkey's head.

Rebecca and Leon both froze, their eyes following her hand intently. Their hearts raced in tandem, laden with different anxieties.

Rebecca feared for her sister-in-law’s safety, worried she wouldn’t escape the donkey’s lightning-fast kick.

Leon, on the other hand, feared his donkey might miss.

His thoughts raced: You mischievous little dragon, there’s no way I’m taking this donkey betrayal alone. As my loving wife, you’re obligated to join me in my misery!

But then—

Roswitha's palm gently rested on the donkey's head, stroking it along the flow of its fur.

The expected kick never came.

The donkey submitted peacefully under her touch and even nuzzled closer to get its ears scratched.

"Wow! Sis-in-law! The donkey likes you!" Rebecca exclaimed in delight, running over to join Roswitha in petting the donkey.

Claudia, as always, watched the scene play out with a serene, motherly smile.

↑

Looking at this harmonious tableau, those four seemed more like a family than anything else!

As for me?

Me, Leon Cassmode... I’m the outsider here!

At this moment, General Leon’s worldview was crumbling.

"How is this happening... How is this happening..."

"Donkey! Where’s your situational awareness? Where’s your quick-draw kick reflex? Where’s your untamed spirit?!"

"Shi.t!"

"Getting all cozy with beautiful women, huh? You’re completely ruining our family’s name!"

Roswitha turned her head toward Leon, her fingers still deftly stroking the donkey’s soft ears. Her expression was one of smug satisfaction.

Her smile seemed to wordlessly declare: "Well? Your first love belongs to me now."

In that instant, Roswitha experienced a deeper understanding of the joy of being a "donkey lover".

Good donkey, obedient donkey, best donkey ever!