“The Queen is in a good mood today.”

“And so?”

“You are allowed to accompany me on my patrol to the border.”

“Rosvisser, if you want to go on a date with me, just say it. No need to beat around the bush.”

Rosvisser had dressed in a sleek and simple outfit today, opting for pants that hugged her long legs—usually hidden beneath her dresses—accentuating her alluring and curvaceous figure. 

Of course, she didn’t intentionally dress to be seductive, but with her body, it just turned out that way no matter what she wore.

Listening to Leon's shameless response, Rosvisser gave him a side-eye.

“A date? Dream on. Anna, along with some maids and guards, will be joining us.”

Oh, so this patrol of the border wasn’t just an excuse for a secret rendezvous.

Leon shrugged, “Then you all can go. Why bother inviting me?”

“As the Prince Consort of the Silver Dragons, you should make your presence known once in a while.”

“No thanks, I’m staying home to watch the kids.”

“A real man born under heaven shouldn’t spend all his time looking after children,” Rosvisser continued, trying to persuade him.

But Leon, having learned from past experiences, was now largely immune to Rosvisser’s goading.

“I’m staying home with the kids today,” he said in a deliberately lazy tone.

Leon thought that by making his stance clear, Rosvisser would give up on taking him along.

But to his surprise, the dragon queen displayed unusual patience this time.

“You’ve been cooped up at home for too long,” Rosvisser said. “You should go out and get some fresh air. Staying inside all the time is probably why you caught a cold last time.”

Bringing up the cold was a sore point for Leon.

“The last time I got sick was because you locked me out on the balcony until the middle of the night.”

“That’s because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut. Regardless, you’re coming with me today.”

Oh, now she was just being unreasonable.

If Rosvisser had kindly persuaded him, Leon might have gone along with her. But with this attitude, it was clear she was commanding him, not asking.

Little dragon, you're asking for it.

Leon plopped down on the sofa in the living room, planting himself there. “Not going.”

The two of them were at an impasse.

Rosvisser opened her mouth, about to continue "threatening" him, but then she paused, her expression shifting as she changed tactics.

“Come on, just go with me. Just think of it as keeping me company.”

Leon froze at those words.

“Keeping you company,” huh?

Ah, so all the nonsense earlier about being the Silver Dragon prince and the cold from staying inside too long—those were just excuses for this single sentence: *Just keep me company*.

Well played, Silver Dragon Queen. That’s exactly what I expected from you—unable to express yourself directly, full of pride and stubbornness.

Leon chuckled smugly.

“Well, since you put it that way, I guess I’ll go with you. But don’t misunderstand, I just realized that it’s probably good for me to make an appearance in front of your people once in a while.”

How typical of you, Cassmod—easily swayed by soft words, but never admitting it.

But Rosvisser didn’t bother to point out his little charade.

Bursting his bubble would feel good in the moment, but letting him maintain his tough act was far more satisfying in the long run.

After getting ready, the couple, accompanied by Anna and a few maids and guards, headed for the border.

Inspecting the border was one of Rosvisser’s regular monthly duties.

Technically, as the queen of a vast territory, she didn’t need to oversee things personally every month. Delegating the task to trusted subordinates would suffice.

It was like expecting a company CEO to visit the security booth every month to chat with the guards about how many trespassers they had kicked out.

Not realistic.

But Rosvisser was an absolute workaholic who insisted on managing everything herself.

Leon was already well aware of this side of her, so he wasn’t surprised.

What truly impressed him about Rosvisser was that despite her heavy workload, she still managed to balance her family life perfectly.

Whether it was their three daughters or her so-called "fake husband," she handled it all with grace.

Even more impressive, she never brought the stress from work home.

Leon had never seen her return home in a bad mood, sulking or ignoring everyone because of work pressure.

It sounded simple, but it was a difficult thing to do.

After all, no one could guarantee that they wouldn’t be overwhelmed by pressure or emotions, right?

But Rosvisser somehow managed to do it.

Ah, what a remarkable woman. And to think she’s my wife.

What a burden (he stifled a laugh).

“Let’s start here,” Rosvisser said.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” her servants responded.

The sensation of descending from the sky pulled Leon out of his thoughts.

Several silver dragons landed gracefully on a lush, grassy area, with a forest stretching out ahead. This was the edge of Silver Dragon territory.

Leon dismounted from Rosvisser’s back as the dragons transformed into their human forms.

Rosvisser walked beside him as they stepped forward, Anna and the others flanking them on either side.

The group crossed the grass and entered the forest.

It wasn’t long before Leon noticed the hidden guards stationed in the towering trees.

There were quite a few of them—clearly, Rosvisser had increased security after Constantine’s last attack.

Leon scanned the area, then leaned in and whispered, “There are about 27 sentries in this area, right?”

Rosvisser raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. “Yes, I didn’t expect you to notice them all. Looks like I’ll need to add more.”

“Just adding more people won’t help. Focusing on improving their camouflage techniques would be better.”

Leon had quite the insight when it came to such matters—like a master thief becoming a security expert.

Rosvisser took his advice seriously. “Noted, I’ll look into it.”

Their voices were quiet. Leon never pointed out her small mistakes in front of her subordinates.

After all, one had to give the queen her due respect in public.

About two hours later, the group neared the edge of the forest, where Silver Dragon territory ended.

At the edge of the woods, Leon spotted the decapitated head of Constantine, mounted between two massive trees. It swayed slightly in the wind.

Half a year had passed since his death. The dragon’s scales and horns had peeled away, leaving only one dull, fragile horn, which looked as though it could snap at any moment.

Leon approached Constantine’s head, his expression neutral as he studied the massive remains.

After a long pause, he snorted softly and muttered, “Siding with the Empire was your biggest mistake, Constantine.”

Rosvisser joined him, glancing at the head before turning her eyes back to him.

“What’s this? Reminiscing about your victory?”

She spoke quietly to ensure Anna and the others couldn’t overhear.

Leon grinned. “An opponent like him isn’t worth remembering.”

“Oh? And what kind of opponent would be worth your time?”

Leon shifted his gaze from Constantine’s head to meet Rosvisser’s eyes.

They stared at each other, saying everything without words.

It would have been a romantic moment, but Rosvisser quickly shut it down.

“Hmph, as if a mere prisoner like me could ever hope to hang my head at your door.”

Leon rolled his eyes.

No wonder I haven’t confessed to you yet.

Just wait. You’ll never hear me confess, not even at the end of the world, you stubborn dragon.

After paying respects to Constantine’s remains, the group reached the boundary of their territory.

Beyond it, the land grew harsh and barren, with sandstorms and rocky deserts stretching into the distance.

“Nothing unusual here. Let’s head to the next area,” Rosvisser said.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the servants responded.

The group turned to leave.

But Leon remained where he stood.

Rosvisser, noticing that he hadn’t followed, looked back. “What is it?”

Leon slowly crouched down, staring at the line where the grassy field met the desert.

The boundary was so sharp, it looked as though it had been sliced by a blade.

“This border is way too clean-cut...”

Leon mused as he stood back up, his back to Rosvisser. “You should assign more patrols in this area.”

Rosvisser’s eyes flickered, and after a moment, she nodded. “Alright.”

Leon stood at the precise division between grass and sand, his eyes narrowing as he gazed out at the swirling dust beyond.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”