Using the topic of Rachel’s family restaurant being forcibly acquired by the Empire, everyone began enthusiastically and earnestly sharing their own grievances and injustices with Leon.

These stories, whether big or small, all pointed to the corruption and darkness within the Empire's regime.

Leon had once thought that only the lower-class citizens of the Empire suffered in dire straits. But among those who joined the Lionheart Association out of disappointment with the Empire's rulers, there were also middle-class individuals, as well as a few from the upper class.

In short, if you colluded with the Empire and engaged in some shady dealings, life would be smooth sailing for you as long as you stay in the Empire.

Conversely, if you insisted on sticking to your principles, even without opposing the Empire, the Empire would still brand you a threat.

Under such an extreme regime, even if the Lionheart Association hadn’t existed, others would have stepped forward to unite the oppressed and resist together.

Leon listened quietly to everyone’s accounts, making note of each one carefully.

He sat on the edge of the podium, listening intently to each story as if chatting with friends, without a hint of superiority.

From the back of the crowd, Roswitha, Rebecca, and Nacho silently observed the scene.

“I feel... the Captain has changed so much,” Rebecca remarked, watching how effortlessly Leon had integrated into the Lionheart Association, she came up with lots of thoughts.

“Haven’t you been in contact with your captain all these years? You meet every three months. Why do you suddenly feel he’s changed so much?” Nacho asked.

Rebecca shook her head. “When we exchanged intelligence, the Captain was still the same as before—calm, astute, capable of formulating strategies even under immense pressure, predicting every possible outcome. All we had to do was act according to his plans.”

“But... I’ve never seen him like he is now.”

“Honestly, he’s never been an especially outgoing person. The loyalty of the Dragon Slayer Army’s members came from long periods of fighting at his side, as he repeatedly pulled them back from the brink of death. That camaraderie and gratitude shaped the kind of leader he became.”

“But initially, when most people get to know him for the first time, they found him reserved, aloof, and stubborn in temperament.”

At this, the green-haired girl smiled—a smile filled with relief and a touch of satisfaction, like a mother feeling proud as her child matures.

“Now look at him... In just a few hours, he’s managed to earn everyone’s acceptance and bond with them.”

Rebecca lifted her head and looked at Roswitha beside her, continuing, "Sister-in-law, the Captain must have learned so much from you, right?”

Nacho, intrigued, also turned his gaze toward Roswitha.

Previously, Nacho’s understanding of the Dragon Clan had been limited to the Empire's propaganda-like education.

Under such biased teachings, almost everyone in the Empire saw the Dragon Clan as vicious, violent, greedy, war-inciting savages who only knew how to fight.

But ever since encountering this Silver Dragon Queen, and even now as he observed her, Nacho couldn’t detect the slightest hint of agitation in her demeanor.

The Empire's labels for the Dragon Clan didn’t seem to apply to her at all.

If not for Rebecca’s earlier introductions, Nacho would’ve simply taken her for an icy, silver-haired beauty—someone entirely different from the Dragon Clan portrayed by the Empire.

And over the past five years, it was with her support and teaching that Leon had grown into who he was today.

Roswitha crossed her arms, her silver eyes gazing at her husband.

After a moment, she curved her lips into a small smile and spoke in a gentle tone, “Learning is mutual. I’ve also learned a lot from him.”

This answer, adhering to the principle of “giving your husband respect when outside,” was incredibly tactful.

By agreeing with Rebecca's statement that “the Captain learned a lot from you,” Roswitha simultaneously humbly acknowledged that she too had gained much from Leon.

Well… a lot indeed.

Not just a lot—an overwhelming amount.

As Nacho marveled at what an exceptional member of the Dragon Clan could be, a sudden elbow jab into his abdomen from Rebecca snapped him out of his train of thought.

“What’s wrong with you, crazy girl?!” Nacho groaned, clutching his stomach.

“Did you see that? My sister-in-law is the perfect woman—can fight alongside, manage a household, and teach children. She’s flawless in every way!” Rebecca declared.

Nacho smirked sarcastically. “Yes, quite the contrast to some crazy girl barely standing at 1.6 meters.”

Rebecca blinked, her thoughts a bit slow. She pointed at herself, asking blankly, “Are you referring to me as the 'crazy girl barely 1.6 meters'?”

“No, of course not. Heh.”

…

“Captain Leon, Rebecca said we’d have a mysterious ally this time, but we haven’t seen them these past few days. Can you introduce them to us now?” a member asked excitedly.

Leon froze briefly, then nodded. “Sure, no problem.”

Rising from the edge of the speaking platform, Leon looked across the crowd of Lionheart Association members, who all turned toward him in unison.

“Before introducing the mysterious ally, though, I’d like to ask everyone a question.”

Leon began, “You should all be aware of how I was betrayed by comrades, severely wounded, and left behind during a mission five years ago, right?”

“Yes, Uncle Tiger gave us the gist of it. Plus, the Recording Stone Martin sent preserved evidence of how the Empire backstabbed and smeared you,” one member responded.

“Great. Then do you know how I managed to survive?”

As he spoke, Leon glanced toward Roswitha behind him.

Meeting her husband's gaze, Roswitha subtly lowered the hand she had been holding up, taking a deep breath to adjust her emotions.

“Uncle Tiger said you were saved by a Dragon Queen.”

“No, no. Uncle said you fiercely resisted the Dragon Clan despite your injuries and eventually coerced them to heal you.”

“No way! I heard that Captain Leon saved himself by recognizing a female dragon as his godmother.”

“…”

Perfect.

Leon and Roswitha’s hopes were now entirely dashed.

They’d initially expected the group to discuss their attitudes toward the Dragon Clan based on this topic, allowing Leon to naturally introduce his wife.

But why on earth were there so many wildly different versions of "The Tale of General Leon’s Capture and Tribulations"?!

Master, just how much did you embellish my past?!

Leon clapped his hands to restore order.

“Let’s get back on topic, folks.”

“At the time, I was gravely injured and had to… negotiate at length with a Dragon Queen before she saved my life and allowed me to stand before you here today.”

“Is this Dragon Queen the godmother you supposedly recognized?” one member ventured.

“...Can we drop the godmother thing, please?”

“Oh, alright. Go ahead, Captain.”

“While I was ultimately rescued, I remained in a coma for two whole years. After waking, I lived with that Dragon Queen for another three years,” Leon continued.

“During those three years, I came to change my perspective on the Dragon Clan.”

“Of course, I can’t guarantee all Dragon Clan members are like her, but I assure you this: she is not at all as described in the Empire’s educational materials, literature, or propaganda.”

Some members were surprised by this revelation but not overly so, as Uncle Tiger had mentioned a few details about Leon and the mysterious Dragon Queen.

Still, hearing it firsthand stirred curiosity and excitement among them.

“She wasn’t the aggressor in the wars. She, in fact, provided a prosperous life for her kin solely through her own capabilities.”

“Those years I lived with her weren’t just emotional but educational as well, as I actively learned so much from her.”

“It’s okay to have preconceived notions about the Dragon Clan—I did too. But please trust me on this: this Dragon Queen, who saved my life, is absolutely worthy of our trust.”

“And she is precisely the ally I’ve invited to help us this time.”

Leon’s gaze shifted to the back of the hall.

Everyone followed his line of sight.

There stood Roswitha—a tall, stunning beauty with silver hair, poised and still, like a meticulously crafted sculpture of grace.

“She… she’s a Dragon Queen?!”

“Oh my god, I’ve been in the same room with a Dragon Queen for two whole hours!”

“M-my-my knees are shaking! She’s terrifyingly awe-inspiring!”

“…”

This was exactly why Leon had needed to lay so much groundwork.

Although the Lionheart Association members’ attitudes toward the Dragon Clan had softened, a shadow of fear lingered.

After all, in their minds, Dragon Kings and Queens were beings capable of soaring the skies, spitting fire, and shaking the earth—monstrous legends of destruction.

“Nonsense! How could such a stunning beauty be a Dragon Queen?” a short-haired girl commented.

Just as her words landed, Roswitha unfurled the dragon wings on her back, along with displaying her lustrous silver tail, confirming her identity as a Dragon Queen.

In an instant, the group collectively retreated ten meters.

Fifteen meters?

Twenty meters?

Any farther and they’d hit the wall, as the activity hall wasn’t that spacious.

“Don’t be afraid. She doesn’t bite,” Leon hurriedly explained.

Roswitha shot him a glare.

Fine. I’ll hold back.

Wait until we get home.

She retracted her wings and tail, once more donning the elegant guise of an icy silver-haired beauty.

After the crowd's emotions had settled down slightly, a member asked,

"Captain Leon, we were mentally prepared beforehand, but seeing a Dragon Queen alive and in person is still quite shocking. Please forgive us."

"It's fine. I understand."

For ordinary people or even the general Dragon Slayer Army, a Dragon King or Queen was indeed terrifying.

Only General Leon would treat them as special achievements.

"Let's get back to the main topic. Because we don’t know how many hidden cards the Empire still has, I brought along the Silver Dragon Queen from the Dragon Clan this time. Her name is Roswitha."

Leon’s gaze swept over the crowd and landed on her. "Care to come up and introduce yourself?"

Roswitha opened her mouth, intending to refuse, as she wasn’t used to introducing herself in front of a group of humans.

But after some thought, she decided it would be better to cooperate with Leon.

They needed to gain the trust of the Lionheart Association; otherwise, overthrowing the Empire would be a difficult task to progress.

Thus, Roswitha took a step forward, and the crowd automatically made way for her.

She walked up onto the stage and turned to face everyone.

Her gaze was cold, and her tone was calm.

"I am Roswitha Melkevi, the ruler of the Silver Dragon Clan. I have come to human territory at Leon's request to aid you in overthrowing the corrupt and oppressive rule you live under."

When she finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence.

It wasn’t out of an intention to embarrass Roswitha but because the moment she began to speak, her aura and stately presence as a Dragon Queen swept through the entire hall.

That oppressive force was something even most members of the Dragon Clan couldn’t endure, let alone the humans present.

Roswitha soon realized that the members of the Lionheart Association appeared to be quite frightened of her.

It was understandable. After all, this was her first time introducing herself in front of an external race, so it was difficult to control herself perfectly and not unconsciously release a sliver of her intimidation.

Once she realized this, Roswitha immediately withdrew her presence, allowing the tense atmosphere in the room to ease up.

Clap, clap—

Rebecca was the first to applaud.

Nacho was the second.

And then resounding applause filled the hall.

Roswitha glanced around the crowd, thinking to herself that she was probably the first Dragon Queen in history to have received the applause of an external race.

Having finished her stern and concise introduction, Roswitha planned to make a small joke to lighten the mood before stepping down from the stage.

"Oh, right, there’s one thing I’d like to emphasize," she said seriously, instantly capturing everyone's attention.

Even Leon shot her a curious look, unsure of what she intended to highlight.

After maintaining the suspense for a moment, Roswitha faintly smirked—a sly little smile.

"I’m really not Leon’s godmother. Please don’t get the wrong idea."

It was just a small joke, but it worked wonders. The tense atmosphere lightened significantly, and many people began chuckling.

"So even the Dragon Clan has a sense of humor, huh."

"By the way, who was it that started the rumor about the captain having a dragon for a godmother?"

"Not me, don’t look at me. The version I heard was that the captain took a dragon as a goddaughter."

"..."

"Hey, Silver Dragon Queen, Silver Dragon Queen! If you’re not the captain’s godmother, then what’s your relationship with him?"

Someone in the crowd boldly asked the most crucial question of the evening.

Roswitha froze for a moment, her mind racing.

After deliberating, she decided it would be better to hide the truth for now.

After all, this wasn’t their home, and there was no need for her to... ahem... play the role of Leon's wife here.

"Oh, we’re just—"

"She’s my wife."

Roswitha: ?

"And we have three children."

Roswitha: ??

The Lionheart Association members:

Holy crap, that’s the most explosive version yet!